Priest Remembered As Gentle, Kind
By MAGDALENE PEREZ | Courant Staff Writer
October 17, 2007

Friends and family Tuesday remembered the Rev. Dr. Chrysostom Maniudakis, who served about a decade as dean of St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Hartford, as a gentle man with overwhelming kindness.

Maniudakis died Oct. 14 at Richard Rosenthal Hospice in Stamford following a yearlong battle with Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 70.

"He was just a very sweet man," said Elaine Melonopoulos, his former secretary at St. George. "He tried to meet all the needs of his parishioners."




Maniudakis was born in Crete in 1937. He was ordained a Greek Orthodox priest in 1960, the year after marrying his wife, Vasilea. Together they moved to Buffalo, N.Y.

Throughout his life Maniudakis devoted himself to learning, according to an obituary prepared by the church. In 1970, he received a master's degree in education at Canisius College in Buffalo.

Four years later, he earned a doctorate of philosophy in educational administration from the University of New York in Buffalo.

And in 1988 he earned a doctorate in theology from the University of Thessalonika in Greece. Most recently he studied for a master's in gerontology at St. Joseph College in West Hartford.

He served at St. George in Hartford through 2004.

The priest faced illness with dignity and courage, his wife and friends said. Shortly before his death, a doctor called together staff and said Maniudakis' faith should serve as an example to others, his wife and a close friend said. He passed away just as he was receiving communion, they said.

"They could see the love in his face even to the end," said Angeliki Vardoulakis, a friend of Maniudakis who was present when he died.

A ceremony and vigil will take place at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Norwalk today at 5 p.m. He will be buried Thursday at St. John Cemetery, following a liturgy at 10:30 a.m.

Maniudakis is survived by his wife, his son Nicholas, and a brother and granddaughter.