Metropolitan Nicholas, left, listens as Deacon Bryce Buffenbarger talks to parishioners of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Saturday evening at a reception at Olive Branch restaurant.

The Olive Branch restaurant held a reception for the Bishop of Detroit, Saturday evening.

“It’s a real honor to have His Eminence here at the store,” said Faye Bochis, whose family owns the popular East Ridge restaurant. “Our women’s group, ‘Philoptochos,’ sponsored the reception for him.”

Metropolitan Nicholas is the Bishop of Detroit. As one of nine Archbishops in the United States, he oversees 50 parishes from New York state to Arkansas. There are 500 to 600 Greek Orthodox parishes in the United States with a membership of more than a million and a half people, Metropolitan Nicholas said.

“I’m here for the weekend visiting the parish,” Metropolitan Nicholas said of his visit to the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation located in the Glenwood community. The parish is led by Father Stavros Ballas.

Bochis said about two dozen parishioners from the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, including the church Council and members of Philoptochos (friends of the poor), broke bread with Metropolitan Nicholas and his assistant, Deacon Bryce Buffenbarger on Saturday evening.

The Bishop said he has had a whirlwind schedule the past couple years, visiting Istanbul, Turkey on a monthly basis from 2015 to 2016.

The Orthodox Church in Chattanooga was formed in 1939, according to information on its Website. The Annunciation parish bought a small church on the corner of Kirby and Hickory Streets in the Highland Park neighborhood.

In 1962, Annunciation moved to its present location on Glenwood Drive. A small house was used for services before construction was completed on a new church in 1967. Father Ballas has been parish priest since 2006.