ELKINS PARK, PA — Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Elkins Park marked its feast day on Wednesday evening with Great Vespers led by His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos, drawing clergy and faithful from across the Delaware Valley. During the service, the parish’s presiding priest, Rev. Fr. John L. Johns, was elevated to the rank of Protopresbyter, one of the highest honors bestowed on a married priest in the Orthodox Church.
Held on the eve of the Annunciation, the service brought together parishioners, visiting clergy, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and families from across the region, giving the evening the feel of a broader community gathering.
Metropolitan Apostolos was received outside the church by parish leadership and clergy before entering the sanctuary. Waiting at the front steps were children and youth representing the parish’s ministries, including the Catechism School, GOYA, HOPE-JOY, Rizes & Rythmos, and the Greek School. Many wore school uniforms or traditional dress as they greeted the Metropolitan and offered flowers.
Inside, Great Vespers followed the order of the feast, with chanting and the procession of the icon of the Annunciation. The church was filled, with parishioners standing closely together and following the service in the familiar rhythm of the liturgy.
The central moment came at the solea, where Metropolitan Apostolos elevated Fr. Johns to Protopresbyter. Surrounded by fellow clergy, Fr. Johns bowed his head as prayers were read, recognizing his years of service and leadership at Annunciation. The Metropolitan then placed the pectoral cross on him, marking both the honor and the responsibility that comes with the role.
Archons, parish council members, Philoptochos, and ministry leaders were present alongside families from the parish, reflecting the wider support surrounding the community and its clergy on the feast day.
After the dismissal, the Metropolitan remained to greet parishioners, as many gathered on the church steps for photographs with Fr. Johns and the visiting clergy.
The evening continued in the parish hall, where the Annunciation Philoptochos Society hosted a Lenten reception.
For Annunciation in Elkins Park, the service marked not only the celebration of the feast, but a moment of recognition for a priest whose role in the life of the parish was affirmed in the presence of the wider community.