The Very Reverend Father Fouad Saba is a graduate of North Park University (’03) with a B.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies. Born in 1980 and raised on the north side of Chicago, less than a mile from North Park, Fr. Saba balanced his Chicago background along with his Palestinian Heritage. He grew up loving literature, poetry, movies, and languages. Born into a family of Palestinian Refugees, he was closely attached to his heritage and the Arabic language. He developed a great admiration for the history of the Middle East, its people, and, through this, the Holy Scriptures.
During his teenage and college years, he became very involved in his Church. He was baptized and raised as an Orthodox Christian belonging to Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cicero, IL. After graduating from North Park University, he was accepted as an Archdiocesan Seminarian in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. His Seminary Studies began in the Fall of 2003, eventually graduating in 2007 with a Master’s Degree in Divinity from Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York. It was at Saint Vladimir’s where he seriously began learning the Holy Scriptures as an adult. His inspiration was and still is the V. Rev. Dr. Paul Nadim Tarazi, who truly has started a modern Scriptural revival in the Orthodox Church in this country and abroad (www.ocabs.org).
Fr. Saba returned to Chicago after Seminary, where he served as Church Administrator at our church. He was married in August of 2007 to his lovely wife, Diana, whom he met in Palestine in 2005. His ordination to the Holy Diaconate came soon after marriage, quickly followed by his ordination to the Holy Priesthood in January of 2008. He served as the Assistant Priest at Saint George Church in Cicero, IL, for four years closely working with the youth and young adults, developing various programs which served scores of young people in the Church. One such program was an Adult Lay Educational Ministry called the Saint John Chrysostom Academy, which offers adult laypeople the opportunity to learn the Holy Scriptures and their primary function as the center of the liturgical celebration.
He has spoken at numerous retreats, high school and university lectures including North Park University, his alma mater, on several occasions. In November of 2009, Fr. Saba and Kh. Diana welcomed their first child, Katherine Amal Saba.
In the summer of 2010, His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP of Thrice-Blessed Memory appointed Fr. Saba as the Spiritual Advisor of Midwest Diocese SOYO. The following spring, His Eminence appointed him as Spiritual Advisor of the North American Council of SOYO, a position he would hold for the next four years.
In the Fall of 2011, Fr. Saba and his family received notice of his new assignment as Dean of Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Coral Gables, Florida. This new assignment began on January 1, 2012.
Upon arrival in January of 2012, Fr. Saba, in conjunction with the Cathedral Council, quickly organized the Cathedral and its operations. Realizing the enormous debt looming heavy over everyone as a dark cloud, he sought to improve the overall environment for the parishioners beginning with spirituality, education, pastoral needs, various ministries, youth work, outreach, financial stability, and other important elements which the Cathedral enjoys today as strong focuses for the future. In the Spring of 2012, the Cathedral began efforts to host the Archdiocese (National) Convention to be held in July of 2017. His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP of Thrice-Blessed Memory joyfully accepted this request in June of 2012.
Realizing the challenges of today’s society and the effects of the culture and mindset of South Florida, Fr. Saba quickly organized an effort to begin planning for the long term with the creation of a special fund dubbed, “The Youth Center Fund,” called today, “The Orthodox Community Center Fund.” A Vision and Development Committee was formed under his leadership to secure the future of the Cathedral for many years to come through major efforts serving the youth as the Church.
In his first year in Miami, Fr. Saba was elected as President of the South Florida Clergy Brotherhood, a position he served in for two one-year terms. He has been invited several times by various Churches to speak on the plight of Christians in the Middle East, including a National Symposium for Religious Freedom, held in Naples, Florida in the Spring of 2015.
The lives of Fr. Saba and his family were truly enriched with the welcoming of their second child, Mousa Fouad Saba, in October 2012.
Having recently published a paper on Scripture and written many articles, and continuing his efforts of expanding his knowledge of the Gospel, Fr. Saba hopes to begin his doctoral studies in the future.
On Sunday, January 10, 2016, Fr. Saba was elevated to the Dignity of Archpriest by the laying on of hands of His Grace Bishop ANTOUN at Saint George Cathedral in Coral Gables, Florida amidst many family members and friends from around the country and the Middle East.
In January of 2019, Fr. Saba and his family received notice of his new assignment as Pastor of Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cicero, Illinois. This new assignment began on February 1, 2019. He continues to serve with this new responsibility by the Grace of God.
Fr. Saba, Kh. Diana, and their growing family currently reside in Darien, Illinois.