Armed with Faith Season 2 Episode 8 with Fr. Gary Kyriacou of Saint Sophia Cathedral Los Angeles.
Fr. Gary Kyriacou speaks with former Reformed pastor and newly ordained Orthodox Priest Fr. John Souza about his path to Orthodoxy and to the Priesthood.
Fr. John’s story is a fascinating one, beginning in a nominally Catholic family in Brazil and moving through multiple educational and spiritual journeys that brought him first to Reformed Protestant Christian ministry, and later to the Orthodox Church. We hope you enjoy the conversation!
Fr. John Souza is a native of Brazil and has lived most of his life in California. Fr. John has served as a layman in the Church for the past 14 years, in various teaching and liturgical ministries. In the San Francisco Bay area Fr. John has served at Holy Trinity, Annunciation Cathedral and Resurrection.
Fr. John is also a writer and curricula developer for the Department of Religious Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, and for the Saint John Chrysostom Festival.
Fr. John joined the Cathedral of Saint Sophia in Los Angeles in 2023 as a Pastoral Assistant. He graduated from Biola University (in La Mirada) with a B.A. in Philosophy, and later from Westminster Seminary California (in Escondido) with an M.Div.
Fr. John went on to become ABD for the Ph.D. program in the Philosophy of Religion and Theology department at Claremont Graduate University. Lastly, Fr. John graduated with an M.Div. from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Boston.
Fr. John and Presvytera Jennifer married on February 22, 2024. He was ordained to the Diaconate on April 6, and to the Holy Priesthood on April 7, 2024, at St. Sophia Cathedral. The Souza family enjoys exploring Southern California, especially its beautiful beaches and hiking.
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