Fr. Alex Karloutsos, or “Father Alex” as he is known from the halls of the White House to the humble pews of New York, has walked a path that mirrors the immigrant journey itself: from a child of tragedy in Greece to the “Grand Proto-Presbyter” of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
In a sweeping reflection on his 55-year ministry, Father Ale reveals the philosophy behind his half-billion-dollar fundraising legacy, his interactions and counseling to eight US Presidents, and the “Odyssean wit” that defines the Greek spirit.
Alex Karloutsos: A foundation forged in loss
Father Alex’s journey began with a family secret and a profound loss. Born in Pyrgos, Greece, he eventually learned that his father, a widower who had been unable to raise three children alone, had allowed the Karloutsos family to adopt Alex’s father as a baby in Massachusetts.
The defining moment of his life, however, was the death of his mother, Olga, at just 35 years old. “I just wanted to find meaning and purpose in my life. Why did God take my mother? Why do I live? I think her death gave me a different perspective…the three loves—loving God, loving your neighbor, loving yourself—have always moved me,” he says in speaking with Greek Reporter.
Fr. Alex and Presvytera Xanthi: “The yin and the yang”
Behind the high-level diplomacy is a 55-year marriage to Greek-American Xanthi Karavelas. While Father Alex navigated the geopolitical interests of the Patriarchate and the White House, Presvytera Xanthi remained the “anchor to the pew.”
“She is the wind beneath my wings,” Father Alex says, acknowledging the sacrifices she made as he pursued “burning issues” like Cyprus and the St. Nicholas National Shrine.
Presvytera Xanthi recalled their first meeting: “I saw Father Alex…and I told my friends, ‘Hands off.’ And that was it. I was 18 years old.”
While Father Alex dealt with billionaires and world leaders, his wife ensured the family remained grounded. “She would always call me back and say, ‘God did not tell you to forget the sheep. You were called to feed the sheep…not just raise money,'” he recalls.
Navigating the Oval Office
From Jimmy Carter to Joe Biden, Father Alex has been a fixture in US political life. In 2022, he and Presvytera Xanthi were awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Yet, he views these meetings not through the lens of power but from the perspective of a priest.
He recounts a tense encounter during the first term of Donald Trump. The President entered the room, “repelling” the delegation, visibly frustrated by domestic political battles.
“I said to myself, ‘How do I connect with this guy?'” he recalls. “I said, ‘Mr. President, I brought your favorite Greeks here from New York…Howard Lorber.’ He says, ‘Howard Lorber…he’s a tough Jew.’ Then he calmed down. If I can find that leverage point, I can make a friend out of an enemy.”
Father Alex describes Joe Biden as his “closest friend” among the eight presidents he has known, a bond rooted in a shared “spiritual connection” and mutual understanding of grief. Having both suffered the devastating loss of family members—Father Alex losing his mother at age nine and Biden losing his first wife and children—the priest notes that they have frequently “prayed together” and bonded over the tragedy of loss, particularly the death of Biden’s son, Beau, who was a close family friend.
Beyond their personal intimacy, Father Alex views Biden as a “principled person” with a “spine of steel” who acts as a “Unifier-in-Chief.” He often highlights the President’s affection for the Greek community, famously noting how Biden refers to himself as “Bidenopoulos.”
Fr. Alex Karloutsos’ $500 million legacy
Perhaps Father Alex’s most tangible legacy is the half-billion dollars he has raised for the Church, including millions for the St. Nicholas National Shrine at Ground Zero. His strategy for fundraising was simple: focus on the “eagles.”
“There’s two kinds of birds in life: the eagles and the pigeons,” he tells Greek Reporter. “Pigeons flock, so you’re not going to get money from the pigeons. I studied the eagles…I felt God gave me the power to ask them,” he reveals. “I’m always embarrassed asking for myself, but I never was embarrassed asking for the Church.”
Reflecting on criticisms about the construction costs of the St. Nicholas National Shrine, he recalled having raised $45 million. “I was not the one spending it. Those decisions rested with the building committee,” he tells Greek Reporter.
Karloutsos faced disapproval from certain segments of the Greek-American community. “It was deeply painful to hear rumors that I had diverted those funds to our church in the Hamptons. Such accusations are not just false; they are vicious,” he maintained. “This kind of divisiveness, fueled by jealousy and pettiness, only serves to hold our community back. We must set aside these distractions and put the collective vision of our community first.”
He clearly distinguishes between personal pride and religious duty and feels a sense of spiritual authority when raising funds for the Church. He explains to donors, “God called me here to ask you. That’s the power that I have, to ask. You have the power and the money to give.”
Karloutsos also recollects taking over Leadership 100 when it was considered a “failed program” that no one was joining. He used the spiritual and civil rights legacy of Archbishop Iakovos as “leverage” to convince donors to join, ultimately turning it into a cornerstone of the community.
The Greek lobby and “Odyssean wit”
Father Alex remains a candid critic and a fierce defender of the Greek-American community. “I never sought the camera, I never sought my name in the paper,” he asserts. “I don’t keep any news clippings. The Greek lobby came on different occasions because of need and necessity.”
“Various groups within the Greek-American community felt the need to respond with one voice,” he explains. “Everybody subjected their ego for the Megali Idea. You reduce your ego with the Great Idea.”
While skeptics often debate the current strength of the “Greek Lobby,” Father Alex argues its power is visible in moments of unprecedented access. He cites the historic address of the Greek Prime Minister to a joint session of the US Congress as a prime example of Hellenic influence envied by other nations.
“Erdogan can’t do that,” Father Alex notes pointedly. “The Greek Americans could do that. They have the White House for Greek Independence Day. Those are Megali Idea moments. The problem is that there is always fighting between us.”
Greece must speak with one voice, says Fr. Alex Karloutsos
Karloutsos appeals for unity in the Greek-American community, “When we work together, we’re more effective,” he says, expressing hope that Greece understands it should actually help more and “not come in and talk to us one against the other.”
“Sometimes you find that the ambassadors or the diplomats will come and say one thing to AHEPA; they’ll say another thing to the church; they’ll say another thing to HALC,” he says. “I think that we should all have a common mindset. What is best for Greece, and how do we get it done?”
He warns against the “Megalo Ego” (“Big Ego”) that often leads to divisiveness. Karloutsos recalls an incident when Greeks showed discord and division during the 2017 visit of the then-PM Alexis Tsipras to the US, during which he met President Trump.
“When my son was the Acting Chief of Protocol in the US, he had people from Greece’s opposition party, New Democracy, telling him not to elevate Tsipras…” Karloutsos noted that a few years later, when Prime Minister Mitsotakis wanted to be invited to address the United States Congress, it was the other party who called him not to help the Greek PM. In any case “the agenda should be Greece, not a political party,” he emphasizes.
“‘Ego’ is not a Greek word for nothing. We’re willing to destroy each other for our egos,” he maintains. Karloutsos compares the Greek spirit to Odysseus: “What conquered Troy? It was not the greatest warrior, Achilles…it was the wit, the genius of Odysseus,” he tells Greek Reporter—the notion that “I can’t knock down those walls, but I will get into those walls.'”
“That’s what makes Greeks unique,” he declares. “They find solutions.” Karloutsos believes the “lobby” isn’t a mere collection of professional firms in Washington DC, but a grassroots network of influence. “Every restaurant, every doctor, every lawyer, every church—that’s a Greek lobby. We don’t need to be professional lobbyists to be lobbyists,” he maintains.
He notes the shift in the “Greek Lobby,” observing that there are now more Greek Republicans in the House than Democrats, reflecting a community that values access across the aisle.
Encountering Christ
Despite the titles, including the recent, rare honor of Grand Proto-Presbyter, Father Alex insists his mission has remained unchanged since he was ordained 55 years ago. “Every time I meet someone, I do believe I’m encountering Christ,” he says. “I shall pass through this world but once. Anything good that I can do to a person, let me do it now.”
As he looks toward the future, Fr. Alex Karloutsos remains focused on the “essential”: his ten grandchildren, the health of his family, and his continued service to the “sheep” his wife has always reminded him to feed.
Watch the full interview below:
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