​​​​Rev. Fr. Dean Kokanos is the Presiding Priest of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Akron, Ohio. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he earned a Master of Music degree from Carnegie Mellon University before attending Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, where he received the Master of Divinity degree with High Distinction.

Following seminary, Fr. Dean was ordained by His Eminence, Metropolitan SAVAS of Pittsburgh and assigned to be the Assistant Priest at the Annunciation Cathedral in Columbus, Ohio.

He was then assigned to be the Parish Priest of Presentation of Christ Church in East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania prior to his assignment in Akron.

Fr. Dean has devoted particular attention to strengthening parish life by expanding the Church’s service to those in need. In East Pittsburgh, he helped establish and grow an outreach ministry that included a year-round food and clothing pantry, hot meal distribution, and seasonal programs in cooperation with community partners.

Since his assignment to The Annunciation, and by God’s Grace, the parish has expanded its existing ministry to the needy to include multiple monthly food pantries, meal distributions, a clothing pantry, a monthly laundry assistance program, a weekly off-site feeding ministry, an annual Thanksgiving meal that serves more than 1,200 people, a Christmas toy drive, and local community partnerships.

In addition to pastoral ministry at the Annunciation, Fr. Dean is a Board-Certified Chaplain, serves the Metropolis of
Pittsburgh in various leadership capacities, and remains a faithful fan of his beloved and hugely talented Pittsburgh Steelers.​

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​​​To donate to the Annunciation's philanthropic and outreach work, click here.

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To email Fr. Dean, click here.

Emmanuel Salem
Pastoral Assistant

Emmanuel was born into and raised in our community of The Annunciation. It was in our church in Akron where he first experienced the love and presence of Christ.

After high school, he went to Akron University for college, where he studied Philosophy and Psychology. He always yearned to serve others who had lacked his opportunities in life, and his studies inspired him to do this through the church.  This led him to seminary. His greatest debt to God and Holy Cross Orthodox School of Theology was meeting the love of his life there, Ivy, a fellow student, whom he married January 16th of this year.

During seminary, Emmanuel had many pastoral experiences that led him here. He worked for a summer at the Neighborhood Resilience Project- an inner-city non-profit based out of an Orthodox church in Pittsburgh that shaped his understanding of our church and its role in suffering communities. He also worked as a Pastoral Assistant at Saints Constantine and Helen church for two years in Webster, MA. There he wrote and taught the Sunday School curriculum, led the youth group, planned events, and offered sermons regularly. His time there was blessed and the encounters with parishioners in a pastoral capacity taught him countless lessons.  Also in seminary Emmanuel deepened the passion for a conviction that began in our church community; to serve those suffering in the city around The Annunciation in Christ's name.

Emmanuel is blessed to be called back to his home, to live, worship, and serve with all of you. It is truly a blessing, and he could not be more honored.