His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco with pleasure informs the Parish of Saint Barbara that the Rev. Fr. Haralambos Fox has been assigned as our new full-time presbyter-Proistamenos effective August 1, 2015. Fr. Haralambos was born Robert Fox in Las Vegas, Nevada. After high school, he moved to Los Angeles for his undergraduate studies, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Physics from Occidental College and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Physics from CalTech. He later earned a Master’s Degree in Computer Engineering from USC.
While in college, two events happened that changed his life: he embraced the Orthodox Faith and was chrismated with the name Haralambos; and he met the love of his life – Joann Katsiotis. Fr. Haralambos and Presvytera Joann were married in 1992 at Saint Nicholas Church in Northridge, California. They were both professional folk dancers and teachers with the Aman Folk Ensemble for many years until Fr. Haralambos left the group to pursue employment in engineering, and Joann left to give birth to their first child Marika, in 1997. Throughout their young adult years, they were active in the Northridge parish, singing in the choir, participating in YAL, growing in their faith together, and nurturing a desire to study theology more deeply at the seminary in Brookline, Massachusetts.
In 1999, they followed an employment opportunity in Lowell, Massachusetts that led them closer to their goal of attending seminary. They temporarily settled in New Hampshire where their son Theophanis was born in 2000. Father Bob took seminary classes part-time until the family was able to move on campus and enroll full-time. His greatest desire to serve the Church was realized when he was ordained a Deacon by Metropolitan Anthony of blessed memory in 2004, becoming the first clergyman to be ordained at the Monastery of the Life-Giving Spring in Dunlap, California. He returned to complete his senior year at the seminary and was assigned to the parish of Saint Athanasius in Arlington, Massachusetts to serve with Fr. Nicholas Kastanas.
Following his graduation from the seminary in 2005, Fr. Haralambos was assigned to Saint Nicholas Church in Northridge where he had first attended as a college student. He was ordained to the Priesthood in 2006 by Metropolitan Gerasimos, and continued to serve the parish in Northridge until 2010. That year Fr. Haralambos was assigned as the Proistamenos of Saints Constantine and Helen Church in Lancaster, California. He then served the parish of Saint John the Baptist in Anaheim with Fr. John Kariotakis beginning in September 2013 until July 2015.
The Saint Barbara Parish Council welcomes with great love, joy and enthusiasm Father Bob Fox and his family, Presvytera Joann, and children, Marika and Theophanis on Sunday, July 19th, 2015 as the guest Clergyman for that day. Father Bob officially begins his ministry at Saint Barbara on Saturday, August 1st, 2015 at our 42nd Greek Festival in Oak Park where he will bless our faithful workers. On Sunday, August 2nd, he will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at Oak Park, and along with our parishioners, the Santa Barbara community at large will be cordially invited to participate.
