Clergy and Chanters

Father Andreas Vithoulkas was born in Flushing, New York, in 1972, and was raised in Manhasset, New York. He attended Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Shrine Church in Flushing and graduated from the William Spyropoulos Day School before attending Manhasset High School. He graduated from Hellenic College in 1994 with distinction, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies, and later received his Master of Divinity degree with high distinction from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in 1998.

In 2001, Father Andreas married Anthoula Hatzimihalis, and together they were blessed with twin sons, Nikolas and Petros. Shortly after their wedding, New York City and the nation experienced the tragedy of September 11, 2001. The loss and suffering of that day deeply impacted Father Andreas and instilled in him a lifelong desire to serve others and give back in a meaningful way a calling that would eventually lead him to serve today at Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center.

Father Andreas was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in 2007 and to the Holy Priesthood in 2008. Following his ordination, he served at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, working alongside the then-Chancellor, Bishop Savas of Troas (now Metropolitan of Pittsburgh).

Father Andreas has served parishes throughout the Northeast, including the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Paul in Hempstead, New York; Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Bridgeport, Connecticut; the Church of the Holy Resurrection in Brookville, New York; and Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Manhattan.

In 2019, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America appointed Father Andreas Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. In March 2021, Archbishop Elpidophoros also appointed him Proïstamenos and Archiepiscopal Vicar of Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center in New York City, with the responsibility of helping lead the reopening and revival of the Shrine.

On November 2, 2021, during the historic Service of Blessing and Opening of the Doors of Saint Nicholas at the World Trade Center, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew bestowed upon Father Andreas the title of Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne, one of the highest honors granted to a married priest in the Orthodox Church.

In addition to his ministry at Saint Nicholas and his service to the Archdiocese, Father Andreas serves as a Chaplain for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), offering spiritual care and support to federal agents and personnel.

Today, Father Andreas continues to lead Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine as a place of prayer, remembrance, hope, and witness at the World Trade Center, welcoming faithful, visitors, and pilgrims from around the world. Since his appointment, Saint Nicholas has become a thriving center of Orthodox Christian life and witness, with an active philanthropic, liturgical, educational, and interfaith ministry that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors and pilgrims from across the United States and around the world.

Fr. Samuel Davis serves as the Associate Priest at St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center. A USAF Security Forces Veteran, Fr. Samuel brings a spirit of disciplined service and a heart for mission to his pastoral ministry in the heart of New York City.

Appointed by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, Fr. Samuel serves as the Director of the Mission to the African Diaspora in the Americas, West Indies, and Caribbean. In this vital role, he oversees the expansion and support of Orthodox witness within the African Diaspora, fostering spiritual connection and cultural outreach across international borders. This mission traces its spiritual lineage back to Fr. Raphael Morgan of blessed memory, a Jamaican-born visionary who became the first black Orthodox priest ordained in the Americas.

Fr. Samuel is also representing His Eminence, in the DOJ housed Religious Liberty Commission on Religious Freedom and Liberty. Father Samuel’s ministry is rooted in a rigorous academic foundation. He holds a Master of Divinity from St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and earned his ungraduated degree in Biblical Studies from Pillar College. Currently, he serves as an instructor at the Mount Thabor Academy, where he teaches on Christian Culture: The Experience of Martyric Salvation, exploring the profound depths of the Orthodox spiritual tradition and its application in the modern world.

A dynamic speaker and dedicated mentor, Fr. Samuel has delivered keynote addresses at national and local conferences focused on Young Adult Ministry, Missions and Evangelism, and Mentorship. Passionate about faith formation leading Bible study and catechesis, helping others deepen their understanding of Scripture and Church teaching. Fr. Samuel is an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. (New Brunswick Alumni Spring 23), embodying the organizations fundamental theme of “achievement in every field of human endeavor.” His unique background as a veteran, scholar, and missionary allows him to bridge diverse communities, bringing a vibrant and inclusive perspective to the life of the National Shrine.

Dimitrios Katsiklis is a professional Master Chanter, educator of Byzantine Music, and researcher in Byzantine Musicology. He currently serves as Master Chanter at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center in New York City and as a Director at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

Born in Volos, Greece, he began studying Byzantine music at the age of eight under the renowned Protopsaltis (+) Michalis Meletis at the School of Byzantine Music of the Metropolis of Demetrias. At the age of twelve, he was tonsured a Reader by (+) Archbishop Christodoulos of Volos, marking the beginning of his lifelong service in the Church.

He is a graduate of the Ecclesiastical High School of Volos and the Athoniada Ecclesiastical Academy of Mount Athos, where he studied closely with monastic brotherhoods at Vatopedi and Philotheou Monasteries. His formation continued in the United States at St. Anthony’s Monastery in Florence, Arizona (1999–2004), where he served as a principal chanter and lived under the spiritual guidance of Elder Ephraim of Arizona, acting as his daily chanter for several years.

Dimitrios holds a Diploma in Byzantine Music from the School of Byzantine Music of the Metropolis of Demetrias, a Bachelor of Science in Pastoral Studies and Theology from the Ecclesiastical Academy of Athens, and a Master’s degree in Theology and Byzantine Musicology from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, with a research focus on the Athonite chanting tradition and its transmission to the United States. He also holds a M.B.A. from the Hellenic American University, Nashua, NH, USA.

Throughout his career, he has served as a chanter in prominent ecclesiastical centers in Greece, Mount Athos, and the United States, including the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Volos, the Monastery of Petraki in Athens, St. Savvas Church in Athens, and St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Tucson, Arizona. He has also been invited to chant at the Protaton Church in Karyes, Mount Athos, and at parishes of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

He is an active member of the distinguished Byzantine choir Maistores of the Chanting Art, as well as numerous other ensembles, participating in international performances and recordings. His work extends to education, having served as a Vice Principal and instructor at the Three Hierarchs Academy in Arizona, where he developed and implemented a full Byzantine Music curriculum. He is also a faculty member of the Archdiocesan School of Byzantine Music.

In addition to his ecclesiastical and academic work, Dimitrios brings extensive experience in maritime finance, corporate finance, investor relations, strategic management, consulting, and ecclesiastical commerce. He is the Director of Orthodox Marketplace, the official e-commerce platform of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, where he contributes to strengthening access to liturgical and educational resources for parishes and faithful.

He is fluent in Greek, English, and Ancient Greek. Dimitrios is married to Maria Sarri-Katsiklis, and together they have four children.

Maria Eleni Zollo is a multi-disciplinary performer and teacher based in Astoria, Queens. She is on the music faculty of CUNY Baruch, teaching choir and music history, while additionally maintaining a private studio of voice and piano students. As a solo singer, Maria Eleni has performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, Columbia University and the Norwegian Opera House in Oslo. As an ensemble singer she has sung in the back up groups for Andrea Bocelli’s Believe Concerts 2021 and 2022 at Madison Square Garden and Sam Smith’s appearance on SNL in Season 48. Maria Eleni is part of the core roster for background actors on Saturday Night Live, while also performing as a stand up and sketch comedian in NYC. Maria Eleni is grateful to serve as head chanter at St George Tropeoforos in midtown, as well as to lend her voice supplementally at St Nicholas National Shrine. In her downtime, she enjoys running, reading and spending time with her husband, Parker, and extended family.

Ilias-Antonios D. Katsiklis was born in Athens, Greece, in 2011. He is the son of our Protopsaltis, Dimitrios Katsiklis. He moved to New York from Arizona when his father assumed his position at Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine.

From a very young age, Ilias has been immersed in the life of the Church and the tradition of Byzantine music. His early exposure began while his family was living in Athens, where he regularly attended services and developed a strong foundation in ecclesiastical music by his fathers chant stand.

At the age of five, he enrolled in the preparatory program at the School of Byzantine Music (Sxoleion Psaltikis) in Chalandri, Athens, where he studied for three years and was introduced to Byzantine chant through a structured children’s curriculum.

He later continued his studies under the guidance of his father at the Three Hierarchs Academy in Florence, Arizona, where he studied Byzantine music for three years, further developing his skills and understanding of the sacred tradition.

Ilias currently serves as an ison chanter alongside his father at Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine. He has also participated in services and performances with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Choir of Byzantine Music, as well as in various liturgical settings in Arizona, New York, and Greece.

He is the first reader of St.Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine tonsured by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America on 12/6/2023 feast of Sr.Nicholas.

He is a student at Stuyvesant High School (Class of 2028). In addition to his continued study of Byzantine music, Ilias is an accomplished trumpet player. He performs as a soloist with the school’s jazz band and is a member of the symphony orchestra. He is also an active member of the school’s lacrosse team.