John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz
Father John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz (August 8, 1937 - May 19, 1985) was the first parish priest and one of the founders of the Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Santa Cruz, California. Although there is some veneration of him as a hieromartyr, he has not been canonized, and his veneration is controversial.
He was a fervent preacher of the Orthodox Faith and "ministered to the unemployed, homeless and drug addicts of the city"[1][note 1] before he was murdered in 1985.[note 2]
He has been credited with numerous miracles of healing since his death.[1]
Notes
- ↑ "He was the kind who wanted to help everybody," Anastasia Karastamatis said. "They'd come to the door at 2 o'clock in the morning and I'd worry -- saying we didn't know what they'd been drinking, what drugs they were on. It was hard for me. But he'd say, 'They need me; that's what I'm here for.' "
- {Joan Connell. SHATTERED PARISH REBUILDS CHURCH TRIES TO PUT SLAYING BEHIND IT. San Jose Mercury News. August 23, 1986.}
- ↑ According to The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, the couple that murdered Fr. John had a history of mental illness. And in the words of District Attorney Art Danner, Anna Bowman was "clearly psychotic."
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ken Parry, et. al. (Eds.). John Karastamatis. The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity. 2001.
Further reading
- Ken Parry, David J. Melling, Dimitri Brady, Sidney H. Griffith and John F. Healey (Eds.). John Karastamatis. The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity. 2001. eISBN 9780631232032
- New Martyr John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz. St. George Greek Orthodox Church, of Prescott. (Source: The Orthodox Word, #122 / 1985 )
- The New Hieromartyr John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz. Orthodox Word. May 19, 2011. (Source: Translation of Greek article)
- Saints of America: A New Blossom of American Sanctity: New-Martyr Priest John of Santa Cruz. (Various articles compiled; .pdf format; 24 pp.)
- Claude Lopez. Miracles of Saint John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz. MYSTAGOGY: The Weblog of John Sanidopoulos. October 6/19, 1989.
- Nun Cornelia (Rees). Interview with Archimandrite Meletios (Webber). PRAVOSLAVIE.RU. 05/02/2008.
- Please help us keep a cold-blooded killer behind bars. Santa Barbara AHEPA Chapter 243. January 8, 2010.
- Justice for Father John Karastamatis. Facebook (group).
Newspaper Sources
- Our Correspondent. Santa Cruz - Slain Priest Was 'Severely Beaten'. The San Francisco Chronicle. May 21, 1985.
- Court Hearing - the State. Los Angeles Times. January 09, 1986.
- Joan Connell. SHATTERED PARISH REBUILDS CHURCH TRIES TO PUT SLAYING BEHIND IT. San Jose Mercury News. August 23, 1986.
- Darrel W. Cole. Priest’s killer set for parole hearing. Santa Cruz Sentinel. June 12, 2001.
- Jennifer Squires. Parole hearing stirs memories of the murder of the Santa Cruz Greek Orthodox Church's first priest. Santa Cruz Sentinel. February 1, 2010.
- Jennifer Squires. Man who killed Santa Cruz priest denied parole for five years. Santa Cruz Sentinel. February 8, 2010.
Greek Sources
- Ο νεοφανής Ιερομάρτυς της Ορθοδοξίας Ιωάννης της Σάντα Κρουζ. Ο ΟΣΙΟΣ ΦΙΛΟΘΕΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΑΡΟΥ. ΤΕΥΧΟΣ 17, Μάιος-Αύγουστος 2006, Θεσ/νίκη.
- Ὁ ἅγιος Νεομάρτυς καί Ἱερομάρτυς Ἰωάννης τῆς Σάντα Κρούζ. Θείον Κήρυγμα: Κηρύγματα καί ὁμιλίες τοῦ πρωτοπρεσβυτέρου Γεωργίου Ρ. Ζουμῆ, Γενικοῦ Ἀρχιερατικοῦ Ἐπιτρόπου τῆς Ιερᾶς Μητροπόλεως Ἐδέσσης, Πέλλης καὶ Ἀλμωπίας. Δευτέρα, 21 Ιουνίου 2010.
- Ἀκουλουθία Αγίου Ιωάννη της Σάντα Κρούζ. Θείον Κήρυγμα: Κηρύγματα καί ὁμιλίες τοῦ πρωτοπρεσβυτέρου Γεωργίου Ρ. Ζουμῆ, Γενικοῦ Ἀρχιερατικοῦ Ἐπιτρόπου τῆς Ιερᾶς Μητροπόλεως Ἐδέσσης, Πέλλης καὶ Ἀλμωπίας.
