Where are you from originally?
I was born in Constantinople (for some reason, my students聽insist it鈥檚 called Istanbul, Turkey), but I was raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Yes, I am a New Englander.
What is your area of research and teaching?
Liturgical theology and liturgical history, with a specialization in liturgical manuscripts and texts, Eucharistic Prayers, liturgical spirituality, and sacramental theology. I also teach courses in Biblical Greek, Patristics, and an elective on evil and exorcism (this semester, back by popular demand).
What attracted you to this subject?
Being a priest, the liturgical life of the Church is of central importance for me. It is the crucible where all theology, theoretical and聽practical, come together, in a unique symbiotic and mutually supportive relationship.聽聽For me, the simple execution of the services without proper understanding and contextualization聽鈥� and without connecting worship to everyday life and existential and salvational issues聽鈥� is unacceptable. God and worship cannot be just other compartments of life but our very life itself. It is my own personal, lifelong mission to instill this in my students and in all those whom God brings into my life.
How did you come to teach at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary?
I was earnestly seeking an academic聽environment, religious or secular,聽conducive to聽this specialized field where I could teach and put my doctorate to use. I was blessed to have the聽endorsement of my beloved spiritual father, the now retired Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Pittsburgh Maximos, a聽world-renowned systematic theologian, who immediately recommended the Seminary to me and wrote my letter of recommendation. In addition, the recently departed Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Robert F. Taft, SJ, the world鈥檚 premiere and most prolific聽liturgiologist, likewise recommended me for this聽position, both in word and writing. To be honest, up to this day, I have been extremely grateful and humbled by these two giants鈥� love, support, and faith in me.
How many years have you taught at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary?
This is my tenth year. Oh my, how the time has flown by!
What is the most challenging part of teaching for you?
My students (and fellow聽scholars) all know me to be longwinded, so I would say limiting my lectures time-wise without compromising the richness and relevance of the content. I suppose this is somewhat akin to feeding adults with filet mignon but pureeing it first into baby food聽鈥� and being ok with spreading the delicacies over a whole semester!
State one thing you wish you had known in your undergraduate days.
Hmm聽鈥β營 suppose that all professors are fallible. This would have certainly helped my obsession with perfectionism.
What experiences have shaped you spiritually?
The Orthodox Church鈥檚 rich liturgical life, my family upbringing, and the endless wealth of our Tradition鈥檚 spiritual writing and saints. And of course those Spirit-filled persons and聽experiences that God sends our way, those聽鈥渕oments of grace鈥�, that are anything but coincidental.
What do you do to de-stress?
I love to power walk and listen to music, read, and play the bouzouki (a Greek instrument akin to the mandolin), sometimes for hours. Been playing 20 years now and I don鈥檛 see any end in sight!
Cat or dog person?聽
Definitely a cat person. Our family cat Jasper reminds us daily that loving an animal is good practice for loving humans. And vice versa, I suppose. We’re聽all gifts from God for each other.
If you are interested in having Fr. Stelyios鈥攐r any of our faculty鈥攕peak at your next event, visit聽.