Parish Clergy

We are pleased to share that Father Neilos Beverly has been appointed as the new priest of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church.

Fr. Neilos is a priest monk that comes to us from the Holy Monastery of the Archangel Michael of Tharri on the island of Rhodes, Greece, where he lived and served for nearly twenty years. During his time there, he had the privilege of knowing and serving under Geronda/Bishop Amphilochios of New Zealand. With the blessing of Archbishop Kirilos of Rhodes he has returned to America to be closer to and care for his elderly mother in Northern Virginia, where he was born and raised.

Born in Northern Virginia, Fr. Neilos' journey to Orthodoxy began at the age of 27. After spending his formative years within various Protestant denominations, he describes his conversion as finding "home" when he first walked into the Orthodox Church. He immediately felt a mystical, otherworldly connection, knowing this was where he belonged.

His attraction to monasticism led him to visit several monasteries and eventually connected him with Fr. Christodoulos of Denver, Colorado, whom he describes as a guiding light. Seeking a more traditional, secluded monastic environment away from the suburbs, Fr. Christodoulos directed him to the Monastery of Tharri in Greece.

Though he did not attend seminary, Fr. Neilos’ formation took place entirely within the monastic life at Tharri. There, the focus was centered on the core disciplines of prayer, love, obedience, simplicity of life, and hospitality. He considers his monastery time his "seminary," and emphasizes that he remains a lifelong learner.

Since his return to the US, Fr. Neilos briefly served as a priest at the Monastery Paraklitos in South Carolina for six months. To better facilitate caring for his mother, he moved back to Northern Virginia and has since served at his home parish, St. Katherine’s in Falls Church. Most recently, with the blessing of Bishop Apostolos, he has been serving at St. George in Bethesda, Maryland for the past year, an experience he has found wonderful and a great blessing.