Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church has stood on Middlebelt Road in Farmington Hills since the early 1970s, proclaiming the Orthodox Christian faith to the western suburbs of Detroit. A community of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America under the care of the Metropolis of Detroit, the parish carries the name of the very cross its life is built around: every September 14 the community gathers for the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, the feast that gives Holy Cross its identity and its name.
Sunday Morning at the Heart of the Parish
The week at Holy Cross finds its center in the Sunday Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. The service follows the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, the form most frequently celebrated in the Orthodox Church, and is conducted in English with occasional Greek elements drawn from the centuries-old liturgical tradition. Visitors who step into the nave will find the service unlike anything they have experienced in a Western church: a screen of icons (the iconostasis) divides the sanctuary from the people, the Gospel is processed in a Little Entrance, the homily is preached from a pulpit on the left, and the bishop's chair stands on the right as a reminder that even a local parish is part of a wider archdiocese.
The Liturgy is fully sung, with chanters leading the responses and a choir supporting the singing. By Orthodox practice the congregation stands for most of the service, and the priest distributes Holy Communion from a common chalice with a spoon to baptized and chrismated Orthodox Christians in good standing. Because the parish practices closed communion for theological reasons rooted in the ancient Church, all who come forward at the conclusion of the Liturgy are welcomed to receive the antidoron, the blessed bread that remains after the Eucharistic offering has been prepared.
For those who cannot be present, services are livestreamed on YouTube and Vimeo, with a dedicated page on the parish site linking to the broadcasts.
A Half-Century in Farmington Hills
Holy Cross was born in the late 1960s when seven individuals gathered at the Botsford Inn in Farmington Hills to talk about establishing a suburban Orthodox chapel. In May 1969 the Articles of Incorporation were signed at a dinner in Troy; in August 1969 the parish incorporated with the State of Michigan; and in July 1969, the same month that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, the first liturgy was celebrated at the John F. Ivory Farm in Commerce Township by Fr. Garmatis, who later became Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago.
The new community of about thirty-five families leased a century-old white church at Ten Mile and Lahser Roads from the Southfield Presbyterian Church, earning the affectionate nickname "The Little White Chapel." Priests who served during those early months included Father Efstathios Metallinos, Father Konan, Bishop Iakovos of Apameia, Father Maximos (later Metropolitan Maximos of Pittsburgh), Father Demetrios Constantelos, and the community's first full-time priest, Father Germanos Stravropoulos.
In January 1970 the parish purchased its present land on Middlebelt Road, with an existing frame house and red barn that served as office and meeting place until the new complex was completed. The community received its charter from the Archdiocese and officially became Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church. The permanent church building was begun with groundbreaking on Easter Sunday 1975, and the first Divine Liturgy in the finished edifice was celebrated in September 1983, officiated by Bishop Timothy of Detroit together with the pastor, Father Stephen J. Anthony.
Through the decades the building and grounds have grown. The iconostasis was installed in 1990, with additional icons of the Platytera, the Anastasis, the Baptism, the Prophet David, and St. John of Damascus added in 1995. A marble solea was set in place in 2000, the Royal Gates in 2003, and the windows were replaced between 2004 and 2006. In 2007 the Endearment Walkway was added, lined with memorial bricks purchased by parishioners. In 2023 the parish paid off its mortgage, a milestone celebrated the following January.
Father Stephen Anthony served Holy Cross from 1971 until his retirement in 1992; he fell asleep in the Lord in December 2008. Father Dean C. Hountalas was assigned as the next priest and served until his retirement in February 2020. On September 1, 2020, Father Alex Radulescu was assigned as parish priest, and on July 23, 2023, Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit elevated him to the Office of Economos.
The Priest: Father Alex Radulescu
Father Alex was born in 1979 in Sibiu, Romania, the son of Eugen and Monica Radulescu. He graduated in 1999 from the Simion Stefan High School of Theology in Alba Iulia and earned a University Degree in Pastoral Theology from the Andrei Saguna Institute of Theology in 2003. After visiting Detroit in 2002 he enrolled at the Roman Catholic Sacred Heart Major Seminary, earning an M.A. in Theology with a thesis on St. Gregory Palamas. He volunteered as a chanter at St. George Romanian Orthodox Cathedral in Southfield while studying, graduated in 2006, served in the office of Metropolitan Nicholas from 2009 to 2018, and was ordained a deacon in 2014. He was ordained a priest in January 2018 and assigned as assistant at St. Nicholas in Ann Arbor before being named to Holy Cross. He is married to Presvytera Silvana and the couple have three children.
Father Alex hears confessions by appointment (248-306-9162) and counsels those exploring Orthodoxy through the catechumenate, the formal period of discernment that precedes reception into the Church.
The Building and Its Icons
Holy Cross's sanctuary follows the classical Orthodox arrangement: a narthex where the faithful light candles before icons, a nave where the congregation stands for prayer, and a sanctuary reserved for the clergy and the Altar. The Holy Altar stands at the center, square and covered with cloths, holding the tabernacle of reserved communion, candles, and the Book of Gospels. Behind the Altar is a large crucifix. The iconostasis separates the two spaces, and icons of Christ the Pantocrator, the Theotokos with the Christ Child, and the saints fill the walls, ceiling, and arches.
The parish places particular value on the iconography of the church. An active Iconography ministry invites the faithful to participate in beautifying the sanctuary; the community treats icons as windows linking heaven and earth rather than mere decoration. Members may purchase hard copies of the Orthodox Study Bible at the Church Office, and the parish invites readers to study the Scriptures in their original languages through the Septuagint and the 1904 Ecumenical Patriarchate New Testament.
The Patron Feast and the Calendar
Each year on September 14 the parish celebrates the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, its patron feast. The commemoration recalls the finding of the True Cross by St. Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine, and is the day that gives Holy Cross its name. Around that anchor the Orthodox year turns through Great Lent, Holy Week, Pascha, the Feast of Pentecost, the Dormition of the Theotokos on August 15, the Nativity of Christ, Theophany, and the other great feasts that shape parish life.
Weddings and baptisms are scheduled around the fasting seasons and major feast days, with detailed calendars of restricted dates published on the parish site. Funerals may be held on any day of the year except Sundays and Great and Holy Friday, and Memorial Services follow their own pattern of Saturdays of the Souls in advance of Great Lent and Pentecost, with kollyva (boiled wheat) brought by the family as a symbol of the Resurrection.
Catechism: Learning the Faith
For those curious about Orthodoxy, the parish offers a regular Adult Catechism course free of charge and open to all. The Fall 2026 course guides participants through who God is, what it means to be human, sin and salvation, the person and work of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church, repentance, and Christian hope. A previous catechism series is also available on the parish site in eight lessons covering Tradition and Scripture, the Church, the Seven Ecumenical Councils, the Liturgy and Eucharist, the Sacraments of initiation, the Sacraments of Marriage, Ordination, and Unction, Prayer, and Feasts and Fasts.
Becoming Orthodox is treated as a process, not a registration. Catechumens enter a period of discernment and formation that includes prayer, instruction, and gradual participation in the life of the parish, with reception into the Church following pastoral discernment.
Monday Night Bible Study
Bible Study gathers on Mondays at 7:00 p.m. in person at the parish and online through Zoom, with the schedule posted on the parish calendar. Hard copies of the Orthodox Study Bible are available at the Church Office, and the parish points readers to BibleSmart.org and the Ecumenical Patriarchate's Greek New Testament for further study. The study is open to anyone wishing to learn the Word of God together.
Church School for Children
Children attend Church School on Sundays during the school year, following a published schedule and curriculum that uses the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese's Early Elementary C materials. The program is led by Fr. Alex Radulescu as Spiritual Advisor, with Evangeli Stilianos as Lead Teacher and Steven Mihos as Teacher. Registration is required before attending. A Vacation Church School runs during the summer, with online registration available through the parish site.
GOYA, Altar Boys, and Oratorical Festival
Middle and high school youth participate in GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth of America), joining Orthodox young people across the Archdiocese in fellowship, service, retreats, and athletic and cultural events. Boys of the parish serve as altar boys, assisting the priest at the Divine Liturgy and other services, with a December Altar Boy Sunday each year celebrating the generations of young men who have served at the Altar. The parish also participates in the Archdiocese's Oratorical Festival, where young people deliver original speeches on their faith.
Young Adults League
The Young Adults League gathers adults between 18 and 35 for catechism, fellowship, and service. During Great Lent the group meets on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. for a young-adult catechism covering Scripture, Worship, Spirituality, and Iconography. Stephen Mihos serves as Parish Coordinator. The league maintains its own mailing list and welcomes new members.
Men's Group and Seniors
The Men's Group, open to men 21 and older, focuses on spiritual formation, philanthropic activities, and fellowship in Christ. Mike Blough coordinates the group and can be reached at 248-345-7824. The Seniors group meets every last Thursday of the month at noon in the parish hall under coordinator Margarita Shukla, with adjustments posted on the parish calendar.
Chanters, Ushers, and the Choir
Holy Cross maintains a dedicated chanters group that leads the congregational singing at services, an ushers group that supports the orderly worship of the faithful, and a choir. Together with the readers who proclaim the Psalms and Old Testament lessons during Holy Week, these liturgical ministries are the backbone of the parish's worship life. The choir and altar boys received new robes in 2014, a tangible sign of the parish's investment in the beauty of its services.
Philoptochos: The Heart of Outreach
The Ladies Philoptochos Society is the philanthropic arm of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, with more than 400 active chapters and over 25,000 members nationwide. At Holy Cross, the local chapter adopted the Philoptochos charter in September 1999 and now serves as the engine of the parish's charitable work. Its mission is to help the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, those with disabilities, and the victims of disasters. The Holy Cross chapter officers are Bonnie Sitaras (President), Cathy Blough (1st Vice President), Helene Garber (2nd Vice President), Sophia Barr (Treasurer), Evangeline Stilianos (Assistant Treasurer), Olga Hountalas (Corresponding Secretary), and Denise Liberty (Recording Secretary). Stewardship contributions to the chapter are taken in the fall.
Through the parish's other-giving program, members may also support the Clergy Pension Fund, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation, Good Fellows of the Farmington area, IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities), the Metropolis of Detroit Friends Program, OCMC (Orthodox Christian Mission Center), Project Mexico, the Ukraine War Emergency Response Fund, and other relief efforts.
Farmington Hills Nursery School
The parish complex is also home to the Farmington Hills Nursery School, which has more than thirty years of experience caring for children from three-month-old infants up through ten-year-olds. The school uses the parish's spacious grounds for indoor and outdoor activities, and families interested in enrollment are directed to its website at farmingtonnurseryschool.com. (The parish itself does not list a phone or staff roster for the school.)
The Sacraments in Practice
Baptisms at Holy Cross follow the ancient Orthodox form of three-fold immersion in the name of the Holy Trinity, immediately followed by Chrismation, in which the priest anoints the newly baptized with Holy Oil as the seal of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Parents bring a complete change of clothing for the baby, a gold cross, a small bottle of olive oil, a bar of soap, a white bath towel, two white hand towels, three white candles, and a white sheet. The sponsor (godparent) must be an Orthodox Christian in good standing, with proof of baptism and a letter from his or her parish priest.
Weddings require three premarital sessions with the priest, documentation of both partners' baptismal details, and confirmation that any prior marriages are properly resolved. The koumbaro or koumbara (best man or maid of honor) must be Orthodox and brings a set of crowns, a silver tray, and three candles (two decorated). Marriages are not performed during the major fasting periods or on the great feasts of the Lord and the Theotokos; the parish publishes the full list of restricted dates.
Holy Confession is heard by appointment and is especially appropriate during the fasting seasons leading up to Pascha, Christmas, the Dormition, and the Feast of the Twelve Apostles. The parish provides an extensive guide to preparation for Confession based on the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes, drawn from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.
Funerals follow the Orthodox Trisagion Service and Funeral Service, ideally combined with the Divine Liturgy. The Memorial Service is offered on the third, ninth, and fortieth days after a death, on the yearly anniversary, and on the four Saturdays of the Souls that precede Great Lent and Pentecost; kollyva, the wheat dish symbolizing the Resurrection, is brought to the church for the service. Memorials are not offered during certain great feasts, including Holy Week and the days from Christmas through Theophany.
Stewardship and Membership
Becoming a member (a steward) of Holy Cross is a commitment of time, talent, and treasure in service of the Gospel. Annual pledges are submitted through the parish's stewardship program, with online payment available through Tithe.ly. The parish frames stewardship in the words of Fr. William Chiganos of Holy Apostles Church in Westchester, Illinois: "people don't give to need; they give to vision." Each household is encouraged to contribute in a way that reflects its blessings, with the Bible's teaching of tithing as a guide.
Members in good standing are expected to be active in the sacramental life of the Church and to support the ministries of the parish and the wider Archdiocese. Annual renewal is encouraged by January 31 of each year.
Planning a Visit
Visitors are warmly welcomed at the Divine Liturgy on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. The parish asks guests to plan ahead by reviewing the page on what to expect in an Orthodox church, including the customs around closed communion, the reverence shown to icons, and the proper etiquette during services. A visit form on the parish site allows newcomers to leave their contact information so the parish can follow up. The Church Office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and can be reached at 248-477-1677 or office@holycrossgo.org.
Media and Daily Resources
Holy Cross maintains an active presence online and on social media. The weekly E-Bulletin is published through Bulletin Builder, and the parish distributes an email newsletter through a sign-up on the home page. Audio and video are available on a dedicated podcast (available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify), a Vimeo channel, a YouTube channel, and a Flickr photo archive. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese's Daily Readings app links the parish to the wider church's daily cycle of Scripture readings.
The Wider Orthodox World
Holy Cross is one of about 500 parishes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the largest body of Orthodox Christians in the United States and the canonical presence of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in this country. His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas presides over the Metropolis of Detroit. The Archdiocese offers extensive catechetical materials for both children and adults, supports Hellenic College Holy Cross in Brookline, Massachusetts, and maintains institutions like IOCC for humanitarian relief and OCMC for mission work.
Parishioners who travel are pointed to other Orthodox resources through the parish's links page, and the Archdiocese's Chapel of St. Andrew provides daily readings, liturgical texts, and the cycle of services that frame Orthodox life throughout the year.
Facility Rental
Holy Cross makes its sanctuary and fellowship hall available for appropriate events, with published usage agreements and fees. Families hosting weddings, baptisms, or memorial meals work with the parish office to schedule dates and to ensure that all events are conducted in keeping with the life of the Orthodox Church. The Sanctuary Usage Agreement and Fellowship Hall Rental Agreement are available as PDFs on the parish site.