BARTZ, FR. WILLIAM J.

Father William J. Bartz, son of Father and Mrs. George Bartz, was born in Scranton, PA and raised in Akron, OH. He graduated from Hellenic College in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts and from Holy Cross School of Theology in 1978 with a Master in Divinity with Distinction.  He became a United States Navy Chaplain in May 1977 and a Priest in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in March 1982. 
 
Father Bartz was an Assistant Priest at Saint Paul Church in North Royalton, OH and in 1984 went on active duty. His Navy commands were Naval Station Norfolk, USS Biddle CG 34, and USS Carl Vinson CVN 70.  His Marine Corps commands were in Camp Lejeune, NC; Okinawa, Japan; Quantico, VA; and Norfolk, VA, serving in a Battalion, Regiment, Group, Base, Division, and Force.  He was Pastor at the Orthodox Chapels in North Carolina, in Japan, and in Virginia. 

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In June 2003, he received the ecclesiastical Offikion of Protopresbyter.  In June 2005, Captain Bartz graduated from the Army War College in Carlisle, PA, receiving a Master in Strategic Studies.  During his last five years on active duty, Captain Bartz was the most senior Orthodox Priest in the US military. 
 
Captain Bartz was awarded one Legion of Merit, two Meritorious Service Medals, four Navy Commendation Medals, and other unit awards.  The Navy Chaplain Corps selected him to be the 2010 recipient of the John H. Craven Award, a peer-nominated and peer-selected Award by Navy Captain Chaplains, recognizing his exemplary servant-leadership among Chaplains.     
 
After retiring from the Navy, he served His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas as the Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit from August 2011 to August 2013. 
 
On 1 September 2013, Father Bill Bartz became the Presiding Priest of Holy Trinity Church in Carmel, Indiana (Indianapolis area).  Under his leadership, Holy Trinity Church was elevated to the dignity of a Cathedral by His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas and announced by the Archdiocese of America in November 2018.    
 
Father Bartz retired from the active ministry on 1 August 2019 and moved to the Richmond, Virginia area. 
 
Father Bartz is married to the former Emily V. Mamalis, daughter of Father and Mrs. James Mamalis.  They have three children, Joanna Nicolaides (Evan), Maria, George, and three grandchildren, Emilia, John, and Magdalena Nicolaides.