About Our Parish

OUR HISTORY & PATRON SAINT

In 1937, pastoral outreach work began in the Argo neighborhood to minister to Orthodox Christian workers at the Argo Corn Products plant and their families. The majority of these families were Slavs from the former Austro-Hungarian lands, but there was also a significant number of Greek families in the area. St Panteleimon Church was formally organized in 1938 as the first local Orthodox parish outside the city limits of Chicago. An existing church building was soon secured in the neighborhood, which was remodeled and consecrated in 1940. The intervening decades have witnessed periods of both growth and decline, the transition from a neighborhood church to a commuter congregation, and many other changes—but through it all, we have continued to experience the faithfulness of God from generation to generation. In 2023, our parish celebrated its 85th anniversary as an integral part of Orthodox ministry in the Chicago area, with thanksgiving for God's mercies thus far and renewed hope for the future. (To read a more detailed parish history, click here.)

Saint Panteleimon, our patron saint, lived during the reign of Emperor Maximian in the early 4th century. His mother Euboula, a Christian, died when he was just a child; his father Eustorgios, a pagan, raised him to be virtuous and gave him a good education. He was trained as a physician, and after his conversion to Christ, became known for his gift of healing both physical and spiritual ailments. He dedicated his life to helping the poor and the sick, refusing payment for his services. Accused before the authorities out of envy, he was martyred for his faith in Christ while still in his 20s. Saint Panteleimon is one of the most beloved saints in the Orthodox Church worldwide. (To learn more about him, you can read his full life.)

OUR PARISH PRIEST