The Duties & Responsibilities of the Priest

The Priest by virtue of his canonical ordination and assignment heads and administers the Parish and exercises on its behalf the priestly duties, which consist in shepherding the Parish entrusted to his care, directing its orderly life, preserving its unity and keeping it faithful to its divine purpose. He shall sanctify his parishioners through the administration of the sacraments and the performance of all other prescribed services of worship. He shall also proclaim the Gospel and impart knowledge of the doctrines, traditions, canons and disciplines of the Church. Further, he shall guide the growth and progress of the Parish in the Christian life through the performance of his pastoral duties. Priests are accountable to their respective Hierarch and will submit a report of their ministry to him at least annually. The Eparchial Synod shall determine the format for these reports, (2017 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Uniform Parish Regulations, Part Three, Chapter One, Article 17, Section 1).

Fr. Michael Varlamos was born in Highland Park, Michigan on August 14, 1962, and grew up in the western suburbs of Detroit. He graduated from Livonia Bentley High School in 1980. He pursued studies in electrical engineering at Schoolcraft College and Lawrence Technological University. Shortly before completing his engineering degree, Fr. Michael decided to seek studies in Orthodox theology at Hellenic College in Brookline, MA where he received several academic honors. He graduated in 1987 as Valedictorian of his class with a BA in Religious Studies.

In 1988 while a student at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, he married Presvytera Tina. In addition to his studies, Fr. Michael served as assistant to the Dean of Admissions for Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology for four years. In January of 1989, he was ordained a deacon, serving the bishop of Boston and the Assumption parish in Lowell, MA. In May of 1989, Fr. Michael graduated from Holy Cross with high distinction receiving a Master of Divinity. Immediately after graduation, Fr. Michael was ordained a priest by His Grace Bishop Timothy of Detroit on May 28, 1989, and assigned as the presiding priest to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary parish in Plymouth, Michigan.

The parish had fewer than 80 families when Fr. Michael arrived. Within two years of his ordination, Fr. Michael was given the priestly distinction of Confessor since he served as the spiritual advisor for the GOYAL and the Orthodox Christian Fellowship at the University of Michigan. Within five years of his ordination, the Nativity Church grew to almost 300 families. A campaign began to raise funds and build a new church. It was completed in March of 1994, at which time Fr. Michael received the priestly rank of Economos.

Fr. Michael served the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Plymouth, Michigan for over 14 years. He has served as secretary and treasurer of the Detroit Diocese Clergy Syndesmos. In 1999, he was appointed by His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Detroit as chairman of the Diocesan Greek Language and Culture committee.

On December 20, 2002, a fire destroyed many icons and furnishings of the Assumption Church of St. Clair Shores, MI. Shortly thereafter, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas assigned Fr. Michael to the Assumption Church as its presiding priest to oversee its reconstruction and pastoral service to its flock. His pastorate began on Sunday, July 27, 2003. He was assisted in his duties by the then associate priest Fr. Tom Michalos until September of 2007.

In the early summer of 2007, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas designated the Assumption parish as a “training ground” for newly ordained priests of the Metropolis of Detroit. Under the guidance of Fr. Michael, the newly ordained priests would learn from Fr. Michael while assisting him in his liturgical, pastoral, and administrative duties for approximately two years before being assigned to their own parish. Fr. Anthony Cook was the first assistant to serve in this capacity from July 2007 to June 2010.

In the Fall of 2007, Fr. Michael was accepted to the graduate school of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan where he pursued a master’s degree in Classics (ancient Greek and Latin) and the ancient civilizations of the Greeks and Romans.

On September 13, 2009, Fr. Michael was elevated to the ecclesiastical rank of Protopresbyter, the highest priestly rank a married clergyman of the Orthodox Church can attain, by His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas. In October of 2009, he oversaw the beginning of the new iconography in the church and is directing its completion with the Iconography Committee and iconographer.

In May of 2010, Fr. Michael completed his graduate studies in Classics at Wayne State University with his second master’s degree. In addition to continuing his duties as the presiding priest of the Assumption parish, he went on to complete his doctoral degree in history at WSU in 2018 and taught classical civilization at Wayne State University as an adjunct faculty member in 2019. In 2021, Fr. Michael became a volunteer law enforcement chaplain to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Department.

Fr. Michael is a lifelong learner and an avid reader of history, philosophy, and theology. In his free time, he enjoys outdoor activities that include exercise, fly fishing, photography, walking his Dalmatian (George), and motorcycling. He especially enjoys spending time with his wife Tina, their four children Nicholas (Stephanie), Olivia (Andreas), Stavroula, and Panayiotis, along with their five grandchildren Sofia Foteini, Michael, Gabriel, Leonidas, and Raphael.

Rev. Father Christopher (Jeffrey) Abell was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on June 13, 2015 by His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit and is assigned to the Metropolis of Detroit as a priest with a lay vocation. Father Christopher was ordained to the Holy Diaconate on December 18, 2011 by His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit at the St. George Church in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Father Jeff converted to the Orthodox faith in 1990 under the spiritual guidance of Fr. Tom George at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church (Flint, MI), where he led the altar boys and was a member of the parish council. Father Jeff married Alice Stelyn of Dayton, Ohio in 1991 at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church (Dayton, OH). They began attending St. George Greek Orthodox Church (Bloomfield Hills, MI) in 1995. He continued his service as the altar boy leader, parish council member, and high school Sunday School teacher at St. George under the spiritual guidance of Fr. Nicholas Pathenos. In 2008 he enrolled in the Special Program for the Diaconate at Holy Cross School of Theology and finished his studies in 2010.

Father Jeff was born in 1961 to Joseph and Lea Abell of Dayton, OH. He was raised in the Roman Catholic faith and attended parochial grade school and high school. He attended Kettering University graduating with a Bachelors of Mechanical Engineering, and later pursued graduate studies at Oakland University, earning both a Masters of Science and PhD in Systems Engineering. He is currently employed in the automotive industry.

Father Jeff and Presvytera Alice are blessed with two active boys, Christopher and James.

Note: Although not formally assigned to our parish by His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas, Fr. Christopher is a priest of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit and officially attached to the Metropolis Chapel of St. Spyridon. However, due to the size of our community, the Metropolis has approved that Fr. Christopher assist Fr. Michael with his liturgical and pastoral duties on Sundays unless needed elsewhere. Fr. Christopher has served as a priest of our Assumption Church on Sunday mornings—with highest distinction—since 2015.