Father Symeon is an Eastern Orthodox priest (presbyter) serving within the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East, the local church of Antioch of Syria mentioned in the New Testament (Acts of the Apostles 11.19-26, 13.1-3). Antioch is known as the starting point for the Apostle Paul’s mission throughout the Mediterranean world. Bearing an historical lineage that extends back to the Chiefs of the Apostles, Peter and Paul, and the first-century church of Antioch, Antiochian Orthodox Christians in the United States are continuing today the same Way of Life and mission that began at Pentecost with Christ’s disciples 2,000 years ago.
Fr. Symeon graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Basic Humanities (Religious Studies concentration) from Marshall University, and holds two Master of Divinity degrees. He received his first MDiv from Asbury Theological Seminary and his second MDiv (with Distinction in Scripture) from St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary.
The founder of Paradosis Pavilion, Fr. Symeon is committed to teaching children and adults the unchanging Tao of Holy Orthodoxy, that is, the Way of Christ that has been passed down to us whole and unaltered since the days of the Apostles. He has served Orthodox believers from around the world and introduced Holy Orthodoxy to people from many different cultural backgrounds in Houston (Texas), one of the largest and most culturally diverse cities in the United States. He also teaches how to benefit from learning about traditional Chinese culture and the riches of other cultures – Eastern and Western – when encountered with the Orthodox mind and vision. Fr. Symeon and his beloved wife, a Chinese-American physician, try to first teach their own three kids the spiritual wealth of the Orthodox Way, the treasures of Chinese culture, and the best aspects of Western society to prepare them for living fully as Orthodox Christians in the real world.
Fr. Symeon served as the Associate Pastor of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, the “mother church” of Antiochian parishes in the Greater Houston area. He spent three years as the priest of the Church of St. Paul in the Greater Houston area before returning as an attached priest to the Church of St. George. He is a founding member of the Board of Directors of The Saint Constantine School, where he also worked as the first Campus Spiritual Director. For several years, Fr. Symeon sat on the international Board of Trustees of the Fellowship of All Saints of China and also on the Council of Presbyters for the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America (Antiochian Archdiocese of North America). He is currently a Spiritual Advisor to Houston-area college students who are part of Orthodox Christian Fellowship, a national Orthodox college ministry.
