The history of this parish dates back to the first Greek immigrants who arrived in the Jacksonville area at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. They began arriving in significant numbers from approximately 1905 onward until the immigration laws became restrictive in the late 1920's.

The earliest records of Greek Orthodox services in Jacksonville can be traced to 1907, when a Fr. Arsenios is mentioned as the first clergyman to officiate here. From time to time, services were held whenever a clergyman was available, but a permanent parish organization did not come to pass until 1918. At that time, the community was organized and incorporated and its first priest was Fr. Michael Sarris. In 1916, a home had been purchased and converted into the first Greek Orthodox Church of Jacksonville. The "godfather", so to speak, of our church was the Very Rev. Parthenios Kolonis from Patmos, Greece, and had bestowed the name of St. John the Divine on our parish.(Originally named The Church of the Revelation of St. John the Divine). On April 17, 1919, the community purchased a larger church facility in the downtown area from the Christian Science Congregation. This building, for the next 39 years would see innumerable weddings, baptisms, funerals, and visits, by many high ranking clergymen. As far as can be determined, the consecration of this church was in the early to mid-1920's by the late Archbishop Alexander.

St. John the Divine is the third oldest parish in the state of Florida, being superceded only by Tarpon Springs and Pensacola. At one time the parish lines of St. John the Divine extended from Tallahassee, on the west, to Valdosta, Georgia, Thomasville, Georgia and Waycross, Georgia, on the north, to Titusville, Florida, in the South. Therefore, such parishes as Tallahassee, Gainesville, Daytona Beach, St. Augustine and others are extensions of our community. Worthy to mention, is to say, that the ground work for St. Photios National Greek Orthodox Shrine in St. Augustine also came from our parish.

On February 12, 1923, the AHEPA Socrates Chapter #6 of Jacksonville was founded and helped to perpetuate Hellenism, while integrating the immigrants into American civic and social milieu. In the 1930's, the National Philoptochos was established as a women's service organization. The Philoptochos, or "Friend of the Poor" provided an avenue for Greek Orthodox women to take an active role in both parish and community endeavors. The Jacksonville Chapter was named Sts. Anargyri, Kosmas and Damianou.

Community growth included hosting the AHEPA District Convention in 1934. The AHEPA also undertook the building of a Sunday School/Greek School Building, which was completed in 1933-34. The first school classes were conducted by priests in the church building, followed by the teachings of Pericles and Maria Soulvagis. Mrs. Maria Marees was the Greek School teacher when the building was built adjacent to the church building. A Sunday School program was organized and the first church choir was formed and directed by Mrs. Beatrice Patrinely.

The prosperity of the 1940's was overshadowed by the anguish and turmoil of World WarII, as many of our young men served in the war from 1941 to 1945. The service flag of the period fortunately bears but one gold star, representing one parishioner killed in the war.

In 1944,came the realization that the old facilities were inadequate for the needs, and the first building fund committee was started by Mr. Nick J. Pappas, President of the Greek Community. The original purpose of the building fund organization was to build a church hall, and only gradually did the vision evolve for a whole new church complex. In 1947, the first American-born priest arrived in the community, Fr. Anastasios Bandy. Later, Fr. E. B. Papazisis arrived to begin the longest tenure of any priest in the parish.

Community growth was depicted with new faces in organizations, choirs, altar boys, chanters, priests and their related activities. Another generation was presenting itself. The 1950's saw a great renewal of the building impetus and during the pastorate of Fr. John G. Berris, the present church property was purchased in 1959. The parish shared the common goal of building an edifice reflecting the beauty of Orthodox worship.

Ground-breaking day was May 1, 1966, with Agiasmo Services conducted by His Grace,Bishop Amilianos, assisted by Fr. Frank Kirlangitis, pastor of the congregation and Fr. E.B. Papazisis, retired priest. It is to be noted that Bishop Aimilianos had served our parish as priest in 1929 and this made the occasion more fitting. Gus Roman was the Chanter. Gus Roman, Mrs. Angela Marmaras and John Louros spaded the first breaking of ground for the new building.

Construction began on July 14, 1967, with parishioner Ted Pappas as the architect and John N. Pappas as Chairman of the Building Committee. The building won a national award for its design. The first Liturgy was held March 3, 1968, with Fr.Frank Kirlangitis officiating. The service was not only another beginning in a new surrounding, but a new attention to Christ's words of AGAPE. Many of those attending were second and third generations of its original founders, as well as non-Orthodox and non-Greeks. A transformation of attitudes was being created as this generation of worshippers was bridging an American influence into Orthodoxy's philanthropia. A marriage of the new and old was noted in the building with the transfer of the old iconostasion to the new church. Mr. James Kalogerakos, the only living charter member of the church and the oldest parishioner at 100 years of age, cut the ribbon on "Thyranixion Day". The congregation felt an unparalleled blessing as it entered through the church portals for the first time; the singularity of our individual selves merged into a communion of one congregation to glorify God. The building was officially consecrated as a church on September 20,1970, by Archbishop Iakovos. Many special services and liturgies have since been celebrated, but one of the most memorable was the Synod of Bishops Liturgy in the 1970's.

A unique quality of the St. John the Divine family was its eagerness to come together during happy times of the year. This was evident in all the family picnics that were held frequently throughout the year. The most important picnic of the year was always the Easter Day celebration. The family broke bread together, played together, danced together and reaffirmed their ties to St. John the Divine.

The 1970's brought the initiation of the Grecian Festival in 1978. It continued to captivate and charm the city of Jacksonville for the next fourteen years. It afforded us another opportunity to work and play together as a "family" for the church. Quoting from an article by Erick Dittus in the May, 1989 issue of Jacksonville Today, the editor's comments were: "More than anything else, Jacksonville's Greek Community values its religious and linguistic heritage. Though it is difficult to pass traditions from one generation to another, the people strive to maintain their identity.With events such as the Greek Festival, Greeks in North Florida are not only preserving their culture, but also sharing it with the rest of the community."

The success of the Festivals had its monetary value also.It not only allowed the community to engage in outreach programs throughtout Jacksonville but was instrumental in the early retirement of our church mortgage. In freeing our church from debt, it enabled us to burn the church mortgage at a ceremony on November 12, 1983, involving both church and civic dignitaries. We are a proud, yet humble people who give thanks every day to those who came before us and laid the foundations for our church in Jacksonville. Who would have believed that a handful of humble immigrant men and women would build, with their sacrifices, what we have today.

The 1980's also found the parish taking an active role in the opening of the St. Photios Shrine in St. Augustine. Fr. John Hondras from the Jacksonville parish headed an organizational committee of Jacksonville and St. Augustine parishioners to build and dedicate a shrine as a memorial to the first Greek colonists in America. Ted Pappas served as its architect. Archbishop lakovos recognized the founding committee for establishing the St. Photios Shrine as the nation's first Greek Orthodox Shrine and the Very Reverend Father James Couchell was appointed as its Executive Director. The shrine is the center of church missions for the entire Archdiocese of North and South America.

On May 23, 1993, Deacon Milton Magos was elevated to the sacred order of presbyter. He had served as a Deacon with the St. John the Divine parish since September 29, 1985. Rev. Dr. Milton joins Very Reverend James Couchell, Very Reverend Gerasimos Annas, Rev. Aris Metrakos, Rev. Ted Pisarchuk, and Rev.George Wilson to serve in the vineyard of the Lord from the St. John the Divine parish. Our community is very proud to currently have Nick G. Louh, a parishioner and former altar boy, attending Holy Cross School of Thelogy as a Seminarian. On February 16, 1997, His Eminence, Metropolitan Nikitas of Hong Kong celebrated his first Hierarchal Divine Liturgy in the United States at St.John the Divine with Very Reverend Nicholas T. Graff, Very Reverend James Couchell, Reverend Doctor Milton Magos and Reverend Vasily Bitere assisting in the Service.

In many ways, the history of this parish reflects a process-- a process of the establishment and assimilation of Greek Orthodoxy within the American context. From the 1920's till today, through the struggles to build, to finance, and to educate, the parish finds itself at a new point of impact. Though our foundations are now firm, our greatest mission, that of preserving and furthering our Orthodox faith and our heritage as good Americans lies in the future. In the 90's, with the love and guidance of our spiritual father, Very Rev. Nicholas T. Graff. We, at St. John the Divine are preparing for the 21st Century with emphasis on the importance of the Greek Orthodox religion by promoting educational, cultural, social and athletic activities.

Classes in Orthodox Catechisis, Sunday School for all ages, Family Night Programs, Men and Women's Fellowship gatherings, Greek School, GOYA, Acolyte program, all serve to create a common basis for increased understanding and participation in the dawn of a new millennium for Orthodoxy. With focused vision, "Let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God".

NOTES:

Sources and references for this article from: Research Papers on History of St. John the Divine by Theodore G. Panos, M.D. History Papers from Grecian Festival