Greek Orthodox Church: St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Lowell, Massachusetts

Photo of St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Lowell, MA

44 Princeton Blvd.
Lowell, MA 01851

Architecture & Art

The photos below as well as those found throughout this website are all of St. George Greek Orthodox Church. The architecture and art within our Church represent our community's reverence and faith in Christ.

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Holy relics of our modern day Saint Nektarios to be venerated and prayed for healing.

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Holy Altar with the Holy GOSPEL and Artoforion (Tabernacle) for reserved Sacrament of Communion).

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Telephone: 978.459.9147 Email: info@stgeorgegreeklowell.org

About Us

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Our Faith

St. George Greek Orthodox is a parish of the Metropolis of Boston of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, located in Lowell, Massachusetts. We invite you to learn about our Orthodox Christian faith, find out what's happening in our parish and join us in worship!

The Orthodox Church throughout the ages has maintained a continuity of faith and love with the apostolic community which was founded by Christ and sustained by the Holy Spirit. Orthodoxy believes that she has preserved and taught the historic Christian Faith free from error and distortion from the time of the Apostles.

Meet Rev. Fr. Coulouras, "Father Ernie"

Rev. Fr. Anastasios J. Coulouras will be the residing priest at St. George on Sundays on a retirement basis.

If for any occasion he is away , the Metropolis will send a substitute priest for that day.

Rev. Anastasios (Ernest) James Coulouras, is the presbyter - the pastor - at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Lowell, MA.

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Rev. Fr. Coulouras is a Lowell native whose father supported his wife and six children by working in the Lowell mills during the depression.

Prior to being assigned as Presbyter Fr. Anastasios served as Deacon to the Annunciation Parish in Cranston R.I. and then the Greek Community in Laconia, NH followed by a temporary assignment at the Holy Trinity also in Lowell, MA as well. Upon accepting his assignment at St. George Rev. Fr. Coulouras stated, "I'm excited because I live here and I grew up in the area. I feel a priest should live in the community."

Among the many things the community at St. George can rely on from "Father Ernie" is a wealth of life experience and the wisdom and knowledge it brings.

At the age of 65, Rev. Fr. Coulouras, a father of three sons and grandfather to six, was ordained to the priesthood at the Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church in Lowell, where he and his family had been members for over 25 years.

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In addition to raising his family with his wife, Presbytera Helen (Triantafilou), Rev. Fr. Coulouras' accomplishments leading up to his ordination are numerous and far-reaching. They also speak of his passion to serve others, particularly children and the elderly.

"I love working with children and the elderly the most," says Rev. Fr. Coulouras. "They are similar in the way that they love talk and share."

Prior to his work in the priesthood children have always been priorities in Rev. Fr. Coulouras' life. Rev. Fr. Coulouras joined the Navy after his 1947 graduation from Lowell High School in 1947. Rev. Fr. Coulouras lights up when sharing the story of inviting orphans on board US aircraft carriers. Beaming as Rev. Fr. Coulouras recalls these stories, "They were from France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Africa. We'd give them lunch and they'd see a movie in the ship theater, and we'd give them a toy to take home"

During the 1970's Rev. Fr. Coulouras was the director of Camp Paul for Exceptional Children (now the Paul Center for Learning and Recreation), a camp for children with special needs, for five years. He helped raise funds to build a handicapped accessible in-ground pool, solicited help from the Nashoba Valley Technical High School to build cabins and replace tents, and was one of four volunteers to put up their own homes as collateral to purchase additional camp property. Rev. Fr. Coulouras has been on the Board of Directors and Advisory Board for Camp Paul for over 20 years.

After serving three years as camp director, Rev. Fr. Coulouras' youngest son, "Johnnie" was born with Downs Syndrome. Johnnie attended Camp Paul until the age 21, and today faithfully serves at the altar of St. George with his father.

Rev. Fr. Coulouras possesses four degrees from Boston University in education counseling, and child psychology in addition to serving a stint as the college chaplain. Additionally, Rev. Fr. Coulouras has a Master's Degree from the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary in Brookline, MA and is the coordinator of all Orthodox college students in the New England colleges and Orthodox Chaplain at Boston University and Harvard College.

Rev. Fr. Coulouras reached out to countless youths in several communities over the years. For decades he was a familiar face in the Chelmsford school system as the psychologist/counselor for elementary and junior high school.

Retiring from Chelmsford at age 64, Rev. Fr. Coulouras intended to open a private practice, but he said, "My wife said to me, 'you're not really happy doing that, are you?'" Helen knew exactly what her husband wanted to do: work in the church.

Inspired by his brother-in-law, the Rev. Nicholas Triantafilou (who was the Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and presently President of Hellenic College, Holy Cross Seminary in Brookline, MA), Rev. Fr. Coulouras tried to join the priesthood wile in his 40s. Yet family and career demand, including medical emergencies for Johnnie prevented him from achieving his goal during that time.

Upon his retirement from the Chelmsford school system, Rev. Fr. Coulouras, with his wife's support, returned to his dream and enrolled in Brookline's Holy Cross Theology Seminary. He even stayed in the dorms to eliminate the long commute he would have to and from Chelmsford.

"I was like the father figure there," Rev. Fr. Coulouras said. "Even my professors were younger than me."

After three years at the seminary, Rev. Fr. Coulouras was ordained a deacon and became a priest in 1996.

The young are still in Rev. Fr. Coulouras' plans and he encourages Greek youth to get more involved. His intentions are to fill the pews of St. George on Sundays, much like they fill during Holy Week, baptisms and funerals.

"My dream is to revitalize the Church," Rev. Fr. Coulouras says "You don't like to see empty seats."

To do this, Rev. Fr. Coulouras plans to be around for a while. "God willing, I'll be here as long as I am able."