Deacon Emanuel Tsarnas was born in West Islip, New York as the only child of Stephanos and Evangelia Tsarnas. He attended and was baptized at Saint John Greek Orthodox Church in Blue Point, New York. His family moved to Brooklyn, New York in 1972 where they attended Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox Church where he assisted Father Harry Gavalas and Father Angelo Gavalas both of blessed memory as an altar boy in the altar. While at Three Hierarchs he was tonsured a lay reader by Archbishop lakovos of blessed memory. After graduating high school, Fr. Emanuel attended New York University where he majored in accounting. After graduating college in 1982 he attended Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, California. After graduating from law school in 1985, he returned to his home in New York where he was admitted to both the New York and New Jersey Bar in 1986.

After graduating from law school, Fr. Emanuel worked for several different law firms in New York before opening his law office in Brooklyn, New York in 1988 specializing in commercial and residential real estate transactions in New York and New Jersey until he officially retired from the practice of law in 2026.

Fr. Emanuel married Diakonissa Josephine in 1995 and moved to Old Bridge, New Jersey when they were blessed with the birth of their twin sons Stepha nos and Evangelos in 1999. They attended Kimi sis Tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church in Holmdel, New Jersey where Fr. Emanuel, prior to his ordination, served as the Vice-President of the Parish Council, Altar Boy advisor, assistant to Father George Dounelis of blessed memory, head GOYA Advisor, Junior Boys Basketball Coach and legal advisor to the Parish while Diakonisa Josephine was Philoptochos President and served on the Metropolis of New Jersey Philoptochos Board.

In 2013 they moved to Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Asbury Park/Ocean, New Jersey where Fr. Emanuel became the assistant to Fr. Andrew Eugenis. When Fr. Emanuel arrived at St. George he felt a calling from God and with the blessing of both Metropolitan Evangelos and Father Andrew Eugen is in 2014 he enrolled in the Diaconate Program at Hellenic College Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts completing the Program in 2016.

Fr. Emanuel was ordained a Deacon by Archbishop Elpidophoros of America in January 2021 and assisted Father Andrew at Saint George, as a volunteer, with all liturgical services, GOYA retreats, organized both Advent and Lenten Retreats for the parish by bringing in various guest clergy speakers from around the country. Fr. Emanuel also became the regional leader for the Diaconate Program for the Metropolis of New Jersey assisting and mentoring candidates through the Program and has been a volunteer instructor at the Diaconate Program at Holy Cross the last four years assisting both Fr. Bartholomew Mercado and Fr. John Wise. Fr. Emanuel also served with Metropolitan Apostolos at numerous services throughout the Northern New Jersey and Delaware Valley Region of the Metropolis of New Jersey.

Fr. Emanuel was officially transferred to the Metropolis of Atlanta as of July 1, 2026, resides in Boca Raton with Diakonissa Josephine and is looking forward to serving his new community at Saint Mark.