Parish History

St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church was officially founded on October 26, 1931, the feast day of St. Demetrios. The parish was established to serve the needs of Greek immigrants who had settled in Troy, Watervliet and the surrounding area and wished to continue the traditions of their homeland, principally the practice of their Orthodox Christian faith. The church was given its patronal name of St. Vasilios which was chosen by Mr. William Vellis, who became a great benefactor of the community and was considered to be the godfather of the parish because of his generosity.

Over nine decades later, our parish continues to flourish. It is home to families from all over New York's Capital District who are drawn to our strong community atmosphere and family friendly parish. Under the leadership of Fr. Emmanuel Mantzouris and the Parish Council we continue to work hard to serve our community and are grateful to the Lord for the many blessings he has bestowed upon us. We invite you to share in the life of our community by joining us in worship and fellowship.