Photo Gallery: Booming growth at St. Nectarios brings hundreds to Holy Friday services
St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine is experiencing remarkable growth while other churches close. Sunday attendance has nearly doubled. On Holy Friday, April 10, 2026, nearly 1,500 parishioners attended services. They were held in the gymnasium as well as the traditional sanctuary. At the end, a procession around the grounds followed.
Behind the pulpit, Father Chris Mihalopoulos and Father Patrick O'Rourke, right, prepare their vestments for the traditional St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church Holy Friday service in Palatine on Apr. 10, 2026. With 1,500 parishioners expected, each priest will lead a duplcate service in separate parts of the church and will meet during a procession around the grounds at the end of the 90-minute service.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Parishoners light candles in the lobby of St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine on the church’s traditional Holy Friday on Apr. 10, 2026. The Church is experiencing remarkable growth and 1,500 people attended the Easter Friday service and the traditional processional through the parking lot afterward.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Father Chris Mihalopoulos leads parishioners through the traditional Good Friday service at St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine on Apr. 10, 2026. He is standing at the Epitaphios, which represents the tomb of Christ.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
A boy lights candles with his father at St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine before the traditional Holy Friday service on Apr. 10, 2026.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
A boy crawls under the ornate Epitaphios, which represents the tomb of Christ, on the altar at St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine before the traditional Holy Friday service on Apr. 10, 2026. It's not unusual for children to crawl under the Epitaphios, and is expected for all parishioners following a procession around the grounds after the service. The church is experiencing rapid growth and is expecting 1,500 people to attend the service.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
The hallway to the traditional sanctuary is closed and hundreds of parishioners will attend a duplicate service in the gymnasium at St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine during the Holy Friday service on Apr. 10, 2026. The church is experiencing rapid growth.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
The gymnasium was used for overflow congregation members at St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine for the traditional Holy Friday service on Apr. 10, 2026.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
The congregation holds lighted candles during Holy Friday services at St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine on Apr. 10, 2026. The church is experiencing remarkable growth filled their gymnasium with a duplicate service on this night.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
The ornate Epitaphios, which represents the tomb of Christ, is carried out of St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine on Holy Friday, Apr. 10, 2026. 1,500 parishioners followed it with lighted candles.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
1,500 parishioners proceed through the grounds of St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine, following the ornate Epitaphios, which represents the tomb of Christ, at the end of the Holy Friday service on Apr. 10, 2026. The church is experiencing remarkable growth.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
1,500 parishioners proceed through the grounds of St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine, following the ornate Epitaphios, which represents the tomb of Christ, at the end of the Holy Friday service on Apr. 10, 2026. The church is experiencing remarkable growth.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
About 1,500 people followed a Epitaphios, a representation of the tomb of Christ, through the parking lot of St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine during the traditional Good Friday service on Apr. 10, 2026.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
About 1,500 parishioners hold candles and wait to re-enter St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine after following the Epitaphios, which represents the tomb of Christ, through the parking lot during a traditional Good Friday service on Apr. 10, 2026.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
As parishioners stoop under the Editaphios, a representation of the tomb of Christ, Father Chris Mihalopoulos and Father Patrick O'Rourke, left, bless them with rose water as the re-enter St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine on the traditional Good Friday service on Apr. 10, 2026. They had followed the Editaphios through a prossesion aroung the parking lot.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com