Father Spiro Pieratos was born on September 11, 1929 in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania. He attended Holy Cross Seminary in 1954 and served as pastoral assistant in Fresno, California from 1954 to 1955 and also in Stockton, California from 1955 to 1956. He was married in 1956 in Greece to his lovely wife, Panagiota Pantelis and they were married for 58 years at the time of his passing.

Father Spiro was ordained in 1957 and was assigned to the parish of Hopewell, Virginia. In 1960 he was assigned as the Priest of Saint Anthony's Parish in Pasadena, California where he served for thirteen years. During that time Father Spiro and Father Leon Pachis established the Guadalupe Home for Boys. Father Spiro was then transferred to San Antonio, Texas to serve as priest of Saint Sophia Parish for seven years during which time he earned a Masters Degree in Theology at Saint Mary's University.

Father was then transferred to Saint Nectarios Parish in Covina, California in 1977. The Covina parish was four years ld at that time and services were conducted at Saint John's Episcopal Church in La Verne, California. During that time the parish had purchased the present property, and renovated two existing houses on the property for rental income. At the time, the name of Saint Nectarios had been chosen by an overwhelming majority vote of the parishioners. Father Spiro envisioned that the parish could and should become a permanent Shrine, dedicated to the healing of all who would call upon the intercession of Saint Nectarios. He began corresponding with the then retired Metropolitan Ierotheos of Ydra, Spetsae and Aegina. At first the responses were not encouraging, but eventually the Metropolitan agreed that not every American Orthodox Christian who revered Saint Nectarios could make the long trip to the Shrine in Aegina and that, therefore, a shrine, particularly in the far away Western States would help the spiritual and physical needs of thos in the United States of America who had faith in the on-going healing ministry of Saint Nectarios. On September 3, 1979, Father Spiro went to Aegina with Presbytera Panagiota and was given a rather large relic of the beloved saint, a rib that had felt the sound of the merciful and loving saint's heartbeat for 74 years of his physical lifetime on earth.

In 1980 services began in the newly constructed temporary church on the Covina property which included Paraklisis services every Wednesday evening. A Brotherhood was soon established by Father Spiro which offered an opportunity for those living outside the parish area, and who had physical and spiritual needs, to have their names offered in prayer at the Paraklisis services. Letters and phone calls came in from all over the country in the ensuing months and years and Father Spiro devoted his tireless efforts to offering prayers for every name sent in for prayers and would answer all those hundreds of prayer requests with a personal letter and sending holy blessed oil to everyone. People were so touched and appreciative of his personal responses and never forgot Father's love and prayers for their health. Father Spiro served the Saint Nectarios Parish for sixteen years, until his retirement in 1993.

Father Spiro passed away in Greece on September 24, 2014 and is survived by his wife, Presbytera Panagiota, to whom he was married for 58 years, sons Jim and Denis, daughter-in-law Louisa, four grandchildren, Nicholas, Panagiota, Spiro and Joanna, and brother Daniel Pieratos. Father Spiro was preceeded in death by his loving parents, Denis and Mary Pieratos and brother Nicholas Pieratos.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Saint Nectarios Ladies Philoptochos.

Arrangements under the direction of Chapman Funeral Homes - Mary Harmon, owner. Toll free (855) 628-0447.

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Obituary notice for Chapman Funeral Homes. Please visit www.chapmanfunerals.com .

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