Fr. Peter Thornberg, The Good Shepherd of the Faithful

Fr. Peter was born and raised in the Washington, DC area. He’s Greek roots are found in Kastraki (Kalambaka), Volos, Corinth, Georgitsi (Sparta), and Thessaloniki. The great-grandson of immigrants who came to America in the early part of the twentieth century, he is also the descendant of German immigrants who came to the new world in the 1700s hence the last name of Thornberg.

He is the son of Bernard and Helen Thornberg, who have been active members of the Saints Constantine and Helen G.O. Church of greater Washington for over 52 years. Fr. Peter holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland (1995) and a Master in Divinity from the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (2002).

Fr. Peter is married to Presbytera Katherine (nee Anaipakos) from El Paso, Texas. Fr. Peter served as a lay assistant at the Annunciation Cathedral in Baltimore from July of 2002 through November of 2004 when he was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by then Bishop Savas (now Met. Savas of Pittsburgh). During his time as a Deacon, he served both with Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey as well as the Cathedral of the Annunciation. In June of 2005, he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey and was assigned as the second priest of the Cathedral of Annunciation under the tutelage of the Very Rev. Archimandrite Constantine Moralis. While serving at the Cathedral (2002-2006) their daughter Sophia was born.

On October 1st, 2006 Fr. Peter was assigned as the Proistamenos of the church of Saint Sophia, Ss. Faith Hope and Agape. He was tasked, among many other things, to lead the community in the construction of a permanent house of worship. In April of 2012, the parish celebrated the opening of its magnificent new ναός. Not satisfied with that Father Peter led the community into completing its beautification, which includes its iconography and the purchase of all new hand-carved furnishings, In September of 2017.

This fall, Fr. Peter will mark his 13th Anniversary of being at St. Sophia’s as its Proistamenos.

Originally published on Cosmos Philly by Eleftherios Kostans. Video by Vasilis Keisoglou.