The parish of Saint Mark Eugenikos was founded by pious Orthodox Christian immigrants from Greece who wished to worship according to the unchanged apostolic traditions of their forefathers. In the beginning, the faithful met in private homes to offer the supplicatory canon. Later, through the initiative of Mrs. Euphemia Oikonomou and other pious ladies, the parish acquired a space for prayer at 5390 St. Urban Street, which was officially dedicated as the Church of Saint Markella in July of 1976. Unfortunately, circumstances soon forced them to relocate. After several years and many fundraisers, the parish was able to purchase the apartment building on 7870 Birnam Street in October of 1985. On April 13/26, 1986, the property was consecrated as the Convent of Saint Anna, so-named after the monastery where Bishop Petros Astyfides of Astoria first served as a monk on Mount Athos in 1933. The very first nuns were the Sisters Myrope, Eupraxia, and Charitini (who was Mrs. Euphemia’s biological mother) and afterwards, Sister Salome, who also established a day-care service at the convent. Sister Photini joined the convent in 1996, Sister Anna in 1999, and Sister Markella in 2017.

 

The parish was initially served by Fr. Chrysostomos Davaris of Detroit. However, after the latter became severely ill in December of 1986, Bishop Petros sent his spiritual son Fr. Nikodemos Kalandis from New York as a temporary replacement. Following Fr. Davaris’ sudden repose that year and the entreaty of the faithful, Bishop Petros appointed Fr. Nikodemos as the permanent priest of the parish in Montreal. Father Nikodemos was born in the village of Pyrgi on the island of Chios in 1939 to John and Charikleia. His uncle Eustratios was a priest, as was his grandfather Theodoros. He came to America in 1957 and quickly became a devout disciple of Bishop Petros, being ordained a monk and deacon in 1959. In August of 1966, Fr. Nikodemos was ordained a priest. He received the great schema in 1982, on the feastday of the Three Great Hierarchs.

 

In 1993, due to spatial constraints, the parish of Saint Anna’s acquired the present-day property on 810 Ogilvy, which was formerly a veteran’s hall. The building was consecrated as the Church of Saint Mark Eugenikos on July 11th 1994 in honour of the fearless defender and confessor of Orthodoxy. In 2003, the parish purchased the property of the Skete of Saint John the Theologian at Sainte-Émilie-de-l’Énergie in the Lanaudière region of Quebec. On December 30, 2018 (N.S.), Luka Sanader was ordained to serve as a deacon by Metropolitan Demetrius of New York. On March 3, 2024, George Lemontzoglou was made a deacon and on April 28, 2024 (Palm Sunday), he was ordained a priest at the cathedral of Saint Markella in New York.