Our Diocese Welcomes Fr. Peter and Jeanne Baktis

Archpriest Peter Baktis has been assigned as Rector of Mother of God, Joy of All Who Sorrow Mission, Princeton

Fr. Peter is a native of Valley Stream, New York. He was ordained as a priest in the Orthodox Church on June 29, 1985. His pastoral assignments include: Associate Pastor, The Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Protection, New York City, and Rector, Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church, Jamaica Estates, New York. Chaplain Baktis was elevated to the rank of Archpriest in March 1999 by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church of America. He entered into the active duty Army Chaplaincy with a direct commission in June 1990 at the US Army Chaplain Center and School, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia College, Bronxville, New York. He holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Crestwood, New York, and The General Theological Seminary in New York City, and a Master of (Sacred) Theology from The General Theological Seminary, New York City. He also holds a Masters of Strategic Studies, from the US Army War College.

His military education includes Defense Strategy Course, Command and General Staff Officer Course, Chaplain Officer Advance Course, Chaplain Officer Basic Course, Small Group Leadership Course, and Instructors Course. from the US Army War College.

His assignments have included: 3-321 Field Artillery Battalion, Fort Sill, Oklahoma; 2 nd Forward Support Battalion, 2 nd Infantry Division, Camp Hovey; Korea, 15 th Forward Support Battalion, 1 st Calvary Division, Fort Hood Texas; DIVARTY, 1 st Calvary Division, Fort Hood Texas; 3/58 Aviation Battalion, Wiesbaden, Germany; DIVENG, 1 st Armored Division, Bad Kruznach, Germany; Small Group Leader Chaplain Officer Basic Course, Officer Task Analysis US Army Chaplain Center and School; Deputy Brigade Chaplain, Victory BDE Ft. Jackson; 18 th Military Police Brigade, Mannheim, Germany; Chief of Operations, USAREUR OCHAP, Heidelberg and Deputy Command Chaplain USAREUR/7 th Army, Heidelberg, Germany; Senior Chaplain, Team Bliss, Ft. Bliss, El Paso, TX. His deployments include: Iraq, Kuwait, Kosovo, and Bosnia. He was appointed as the pastor by the USAREUR Commander for the prisoners held during the Kosovo Campaign. Chaplain Baktis was selected by the Chief of Chaplains to represent the Chaplain Corps as a member of the Operation Iraqi Freedom Study Group, and contributed to the writing of the Historic Book, ON POINT. He currently serves as the Command Chaplain, Intelligence and Security Command.

He is a member of the North American Academy of Ecumenist, board member of the Dialogue Institute, (Temple University) and a member of the Orthodox Theological Society in America. He has published over 17 articles and book reviews both in theological journals nationally and internationally as well as in the professional Army Chaplain Journal: The Chaplaincy.

Fr. Peter and his wife Jeanne (Komenko) have two children, Kristina, and Dimitri.