Orthodox Observer - July/August 2000

VOL. 65 NO. 1175

http://www.goarch.org/goa/observer E-mail: observer@goarch.org

JULY-AUGUST 2000

Philadelphia Congress Lives up to Its Name

by Jim Golding

PHILADELPHIA In his first meeting with the 35th Clergy-Laity Congress organizing committee on March 9, Archbishop Demetrios inspired them to make it a Philadelphia congress, reflecting on the word s meaning of brotherly love.

The committee of faithful from 13 parishes in the Delaware Valley succeeded, as more than 1,000 delegates attending the event, held July 3-7 at the downtown Marriott, came away with a renewed spirit of love, harmony and optimism for the future, inspired by Archbishop Demetrios presiding at his first congress.

Peter Christopoulos

A PANORAMIC view of the Archierarchal Divine Liturgy at the Pennsylvania Convention Center prior to the start of the 35th Clergy-Laity Congress.

Fr. Nicholas Triantafilou Named HC-HC President NEW YORK The Rev. Nicholas Triantafilou was named president of Hellenic College-Holy Cross School of Theology-Hellenic College by Archbishop Demetrios on July 28 following the unanimous recommendation of the search committee. He began his duties July 31.

Fr. Triantafilou brings years of administrative experience at the parish, diocese and archdiocese levels to his new post, having served as dean of two cathedrals, vicar general of the Archdiocese, administrator of two dioceses, Archdiocese chancellor and executive director of the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Endowment Fund. He also served on the HC/HC Board of Trustees for nearly 10 years.

With good wishes and congratulations, said Archbishop Demetrios follow-

Orthodox Observer

ing his decision. Our warm prayers accompany Father Nicholas, as he embarks on his sacred ecclesiastical and academic mission for the promotion of the Greek Orthodox Faith, Tradition and Paideia, and for the glory of God. Commenting on his appointment, Fr. Nick said, It s a very humbling experience to be able to go back to one s alma mater and, more importantly, our second mother for those of us who have lived an esoteric life.

He said that, although he didn t feel worthy, he would do his best to represent all hierarchs and clergy in the service to our Church.

Fr. Nick said his immediate goal is to

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FR. NICHOLAS TRIANTAFILOU

NEXT ISSUE: MORE CLERGY-LAITY STORIES, FULL COMMITTEE REPORTS AND APPROVED RESOLUTIONS Archdiocese News

u 2-3, 7

Diocese News

u 12

Parish Profile u 18

Bible Guide u 22

Ecum. Patriarchate u 4,14

People u 18

Challenge

Greek section

Relating to Faith u 21

u 25

Classified ads

u 24

u 13-17

Interfaith Marriage u 23

Retired Clergy u 19

Clergy - Laity u 9-10, 23, 26-28

Missions u 23

Special Interest u 22

Contemporary Issues u 9

Opinions u 8

Viewpoint u 20

ARCHBISHOP S KEYNOTE ADDRESS

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3, 5-6

Voice of Philoptochos u 11

N. Manginas

ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS blesses the faithful.

Alongside the deliberations of the parish delegates, members of the Archons, Leadership 100, Sisterhood of Presvyteres, Retired Clergy, National Presbyters Council and other Church-affiliated groups also convened.

For the first time, committee meetings were preceded by workshops that featured religious education themes as they applied to each committee s activity, which proved highly popularamong the attendees.

At several venues during the week, His Eminence asked for moments of silent prayer in remembrance of Bishop George of New Jersey, who began the preparations and laid much of the groundwork for the congress.

Preliminary Events Preceding the start of the congress, the Young Adult League Conference convened June 29-July 2, and the National Philoptochos Conference and National Forum of Greek Orthodox Musicians opened their week of activities on July 2.

Archdiocesan Council members held their final luncheon Saturday, July 1, and received some welcome news.

In brief comments to the gathering, Vice Chairman John Catsimatidis reported

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Religious Freedom on Archons’ Menu The director general of the U.S. Foreign Service told members of the Order of St. Andrew/Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at their breakfast meeting during the congress that the government is committed to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue and to fostering democracy in Turkey, and urged the Archons to stay engaged in their efforts to promote human rights and religious freedom.

should never have been closed, he said.

Halki should be reopened today. It s the right thing to do.

He asked rhetorically, Where are we?

We haven t succeeded. But deep in my heart, answer is: yes, have we made progress.

The career diplomat also said there is a better chance for progress on the issues now than five years ago.

Orthodox Observer Leadership meeting George Kokalis, retired chairman of the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Endowment Fund, shows his enthusiasm for the organization’s efforts at a luncheon meeting of Leadership 100.

Fr. Triantafilou Named HC-HC President u page 1

Peter Christopoulos

MARK GROSSMAN (standing, center) with hierarchs and executive board members of the Order of St. Andrew. (Seated, from left) Metropolitan Panteleimon of Tyroloi and Serention, Archbishop Demetrios, and Metropolitan Demetrios of Sevasteia. (Standing, from left) James C. Fountas, Andrew Manatos, Nicholas Bouras, National Commander Dr. Anthony Limberakis, Andrew Athens and John Halecky, Jr.

Over the past few years, positive steps have been taken, but more needs to be done, said Mark Grossman, former assistant secretary of state for European Affairs, and former ambassador to Turkey.

Your voice is very much needed and is heard.

He praised the group for its efforts to protect the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Orthodox Christians in Cyprus. You play a key role in life of your community. You stand for what our country stands for: democracy, human rights and religious freedom. Every American ought to understand the importance of religious freedom.

Mr. Grossman praised the Patriarch in setting example for all faiths, citing his work with environmental issues, and helping to build bridges between Orthodoxy and other faiths.

The challenge to the Patriarchate has never been greater, he continued, and stated that the key challenge it faces is the reopening of Halki seminary. Halki

Mr. Grossman said that Turkey needs democracy and the country s desire to join the European Union will be a big incentive for developing democratic institutions and improving relations with Greece.

If we can keep them focused it will be a very good thing, he said.

By encouraging democratic values in Turkey and promoting the idea of more religious freedom, Grossman feels this will lead to the reopening of Halki. I m convinced this is the right thing to do for us, he said.

We can solve this problem by engaging these people, by giving them right incentives, he said, and to make sure they understand there are penalties.

Afterward, Archons National Commander Dr. Anthony Limberakis told the Observer, We are very concerned there is the absence of religious freedom in that country within whose borders is the Ecumenical Patriarchate and that the school of theology at Halki remains closed in violation of the laws of mankind.

Archbishop to Make First Visit to Hampton’s Church SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. Archbishop Demetrios will officiate at the Divine Liturgy celebrating the Feast Day of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary (Kimisis Tis Theotokou) Church on Tuesday, Aug. 15.

The Rev. Alexander Karloutsos, pastor, said This will be a historic liturgy and day for our community, since it will be the first time ever that an archbishop of our Archdiocese will have visited the parish.

Services will begin with Matins at 9 a.m., followed by the Divine Liturgy at 10:30 a.m.

The church is located at 111 St. Andrew s Road, off Route 27 near Shinnecock Hills Golf Course and Southampton Community College. More information, call (631) 283-6169.

Following the event, His Eminence travel to Russia as the representative of

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on the occasion of the new Christ the Savior Cathedral. The old cathedral was demolished by the atheistic, communist regime under Joseph Stalin.

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build on the work of his predecessors and that of the faculty and staff. Personalities might change, but the school is the womb of the Greek Orthodox Church in America. He said he viewed part of his role as a facilitator in bringing out the best in the faculty and staff so we can offer service to our Church.

An administrator for 37 years, Fr. Nick was serving as director of the Boston Diocese Camp and Retreat Center immediately prior to his appointment, where he was overseeing renovation projects totaling several hundred thousand dollars.

After his graduation from Holy Cross in 1963, he served as assistant pastor of St. Vasilios Church in Peabody, Mass., until 1965 when he was named assistant pastor of Annunciation Cathedral in Houston.

Orthodox Observer He was named cathedral ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS with Fr. Triantafilou dean in 1966 and served in that capacity Iakovos from 1992-94 and as chancellor until 1987. from 1994-96. Concurrently, he was LeadDuring this period, he earned a ership 100 director from 1992-96. master s in theology from St. Thomas UniFrom 1996 to 1999, Fr. Nick served versity in Houston in 1972, with an em- as dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Charphasis in New Testament and Christian lotte, N.C., before returning to his native Ethics.

Massachusetts, where he and Presbytera Along with Presbytera Diane, he co- Diane reside in North Andover. founded the Annunciation Orthodox They have three children: Constantine School in 1970. Since then, the elemen- and wife, Maya. He serves as executive ditary school has grown to become one of rector of International Orthodox Christian the most prestigious private schools in the Charities; daughter Nicole and her huscity, attracting students from throughout band, George Postolos live in Houston and the Houston community. have a son, Lucas; daughter Melanie and He also served as pastor of the mis- her husband, Fr. Elias Villis, live in Rye, sion parish in Austin, Texas, from 1984-88. N.Y., where he is pastor of Church of Our Archbishop Iakovos named Fr. Nick Savior. They have two children, Anastasia as Archdiocese Vicar in 1988 and, in that and Nicholas. capacity, served as administrator of the Official installation for the new presiAtlanta Diocese (1988-90), and the Den- dent will take place at the Vespers of the ver Diocese (1990-92).

Holy Cross, Sept. 13, at the Holy Cross Following this assignment, he served chapel. as administrative assistant to Archbishop

by Jim Golding

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JULY-AUGUST, 2000

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Keynote Address of Archbishop Demetrios at Clergy-Laity Congress A. The Three Tasks

1. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever.

Amen. (Rev. 7,12) This beautiful Biblical hymn of the book of the Revelation of John constituted my opening statement at the Enthronement ceremony on September 18, 1999 in the Holy Trinity Cathedral of New York.

Today, nine months later here in Philadelphia at the 35th Clergy-Laity Congress of the Holy Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, I am starting again with the very same hymn: Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen. (Rev. 7,12) But this time, my intense feelings of fervent worship and adoration to God are accompanied by an overwhelming sense of gratitude and awe for the precious and unique experience of living for the past nine months with you, of working with you, of serving you, of worshipping with you, of experiencing with you the joy of seeing faith, love, and unity growing steadily in our Church.

During those nine months of intense work I have had the constant and warm support of His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios and the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. I am deeply grateful to them.

I am also filled with thankfulness towards my beloved Brothers, the Metropolitans and Bishops, especially the Hierarchs of our Eparchial Synod. We have enjoyed a genuine, inspiring, and creative brotherly cooperation, particularly during our many meetings. I am also extending my deep thanks to the SCOBA Hierarchs for an excellent cooperation.

What can I say for our pious clergy and for the lay people whom I encountered in my numerous pastoral visitations to the parishes or in many other occasions! I am just repeating what Saint Paul said to the Corinthians: I give thanks to God always for you for the grace of God which was given to you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in Him (1 Cor. 1, 4-5).

The people of the various institutions, administrative bodies and functions of the Archdiocese or related to it are an integral part of the contents of my gratefulness to God and to the people: so are the many other friends from the various cultural, educational, and national organizations. But the list is not complete. It could never be complete. For time would fail me to tell of all those to whom I am indebted (cf. Heb. 11,32).

Peter Christopoulos

HIS EMINENCE praying for the prosperity of the Church and the health of its members and the repose of the souls of the departed.

2. Inundated with gratitude for what we have received and experienced and for the remarkable people that God has raised in this Church, people whom I am meeting every day,we are now here, in our 35th Clergy-Laity Congress, to think and to pray, to discuss and to decide, to plant and to build, in the presence of God in a spirit of a dynamic faith, a limitless love, and an unbreakable unity.

We have been granted the joy as individuals and as a Greek-American Orthodox Community to be able to live at a crucial time, at a historic milestone. There is a significance in the fact that we live in the year 2000, which is a number inviting serious reflection because it is connected to a new century and a new millennium. It is a number that opens up a future which might be a challenging, promising, perhaps threatening, yet enticing future.

How do we face this future? What do we plan for the years to come as a GreekAmerican Orthodox Community? Being a truly blessed and richly gifted ecclesiastical body, where are we moving from the present point of our life?

I should like to suggest that, among others, there are three major tasks, three major objectives in front of us. These tasks are related to our long history as a Church, to our potential, to our role in this country and to the challenges of the new time span opened to us. They are related to the fact that we are the carriers of extremely precious ageless traditions which must be strong and decisive agents in the formation of our lives in the new millennium.

In essence they are tasks depending on and generated by the fact and substance of our Orthodox faith, if we understand this faith as an alive, dynamic, and creative reality.

3. The first is the task of living and experiencing faith as worship and prayer.

Our Greek Orthodox Church has been a Church known throughout the past twenty centuries for her rich and exquisite liturgical tradition and prayer life. She has been known as a worshipping Church par excellence, constantly demonstrating faith as worship, faith as an adoring connector to God via prayer. Hence, our Ecclesia

has developed a tremendous wealth of differentiated services and prayer opportunities covering all days, all circumstances, all aspects of human life. The worshipping fervor and character of our Church has been strongly and amply presented in the extraordinary development of arts related to the liturgical activities: the architectural masterpieces in building Churches, the superb iconographic achievements, and the amazing productions of the ecclesiastical music, to mention a few.

Here we have an ageless tradition of faith as worship, an intense, full, genuine and spiritual worship, in absolute line with the saying of our Lord: God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth (John 4,24).

Such a tradition must remain not only highly active, but become increasingly intensified and enhanced in the years ahead.

This is a tradition which aims at connecting and, ultimately, at uniting the human beings to God, at creating a constant line of communication between Creator and creatures, between the heavenly Father and His earthly sons and daughters. This is an ageless tradition of liberating us from the bondage to the material and of presenting us with the freedom of the unlimited vistas of the spiritual world of God. In view of the rampant technological evolution in the new millennium, in view of increasing stresses interfering with human life, in view of a cruel domination of the secular and the material, the need for

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ORTHODOX OBSERVER

JULY-AUGUST, 2000

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE Ecumenical Patriarchate Hosts Orthodox Youth Conference Speakers from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America included the Rev. Dr. Chryssavgis of Holy Cross School of Theology, and the Rev. Fr. Anastasios Bourantas, of Holy Trinity Church in Wilmington, Del.; (until recently director of the Archdiocesan Youth Program). Father Chryssavgis spoke on The relation of the two genders (love, marriage and sexuality,) while Father Bourantas, who served as the spiritual leader and mentor of the American contingent, participated in a panel discussion entitled, The experiences of young people as members of the Orthodox Diaspora.

In their final meeting, participants of the conference adopted the following positions and conclusions:

byEleni Palmos*

Constantinople In this ancient, imperial and Eternal City, the crossroads of civilizations and the cradle of churches, which to this day inspires mental images of the glorious early Christian Church, some 550 Orthodox youth from around the world came together to participate in a weeklong conference from June 18-25, as guests of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the 270th successor to St. Andrew the Apostle.

The theme of the conference was The Youth in the Church of the Third Millenium.

The gathering, which commenced on Pentecost in communal prayer at the Patriarchal Church of Saint George, was an opportunity for young people to learn more about the Ecumenical Patriarchate, meet with church leaders, and to build a stronger global community.

In his keynote address, His All Holiness said, We consider that today the first and main responsibility, mission, and also opportunity of our Most Holy Orthodox Church is this: nurturing memory, remembrance, a deep vision of salvation in Christ, and evangelization of this vision to all human beings through prophetic power.

The command go forth and make disciples of all nations (Mt. 28:19) applies at all times and to every faithful who has himself become a disciple, has learned the sacred scriptures, and has received the divine grace. It is in this primary sense that prophetic charisma operates in its apostolic as well as its revelatory mode disclosing the true personhood of humanity, the true causes of events, and the true course of anticipated history that is, the final victory of what is true and good over evil.

His All Holiness also exhorted the faithful: Behold, the vineyard of the Lord is wide open before you and the harvest is great. Could there be any better reward than an abundance of divine? We, the faithful of the third millennium of Christ, are called upon to be servants of peace, love, and hope, and athletes of Christ to future generations.

Meanwhile, during our stay, we had an opportunity to see some of Orthodoxy s enduring monuments. We toured Saint Sophia, which served as the Cathedral of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople for more than 1,000 years, the convent of Zoodochos Peghe in Nicaea, and the Church of The Saviour in Chora. Journeying to these holy and historic sites was a poignant experience for our group; it was as if we could almost touch Byzantium.

Nicaea left an indelible impression on us. In present day Iznik, located about two hours from Constantinople, we traveled to the ruins of the Church of Saint Sophia, and to a second century Roman Theater. Nicaea was the site of the First Ecumenical Council which convened in 325 AD. Many of our Church Fathers, like Saint Athanasius of Alexandria, and others, met in Nicaea to discuss and denounce Arianism, the belief that the Son was inferior to the Father.

N. Manginas

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH Bartholomew and Conference participants, pose behind a large banner for a memorable moment outside the hotel were the meetings were held.

N. Manginas

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH Bartholomew delivering his Keynote address.

N. Manginas

A GROUP of Young Adults from the Diocese of Chicago were warmly received by His All Holiness.

Courtesy N. Kulukundis

REPRESENTATIVES of the Archdiocesan office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, Lia Ladas and Natalie Kulukundis, present to His All Holiness the new edition of the Planner.

His Excellency Metropolitan Gennadios of Sassima, who presided over the conference, in his address at the close of the conference concluded: our youth expressed their optimism for tomorrow and their desire to undertake the passing of the torch From the Sea which joins the continents, rises today the unified decision of the Orthodox youth. A

decision to extend bridges between the brothers and sisters of the Diaspora, to all the edges of the Oikoumene, with the prophetic hope of a Shepherd who prayed to the Heavenly Father, so that the brothers on earth would become one.

Topics addressed by clergy and laity participants, included ecology, unemployment, war, monasticism, and AIDS.

The necessity to preserve intact the essence of the Orthodox Tradition.

The acceptance of occupations not only as a means of earning a living, but also as a means of exercising virtues and service to your neighbor.

The emphasis of the need of Orthodox Youth to be armed spiritually and ethically so that the spiritual antibodies can develop in time to combat every threat.

The reservation towards forced attempts to innovate the language of the liturgy, services, etc., which could possibly distort the character and contents of traditional worship.

The denouncement of the undermining and discrediting of basic principles of interpersonal human relations.

The bitterness of the youth concerning the frequently repeated and broken promises about peace from those in control of the world.

The denial of religious fundamentalism and holy wars and the suggestion for dialogue, inter-communication, conciliation and a respect for differences as ways of solving problems between people and nations.

The adoption of all initiatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for confronting the ecological problems of the world.

The particular sensitivity for human rights on a broad spectrum.

The necessity to hold similar conferences more frequently. * Eleni Palmos is a Young Adult and a member of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation in NYC.

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Keynote Address of Archbishop Demetrios at Clergy-Laity Congress u page 3 constant opening to God is urgent and imperative. A Church which experiences and projects her faith as intense and alive worship and prayer will be in a position to offer this liberating opening to the people. Here we have a bright opportunity in the time ahead of us.

4. The second major task is the task of experiencing and projecting faith as love in all its possible expressions: love, care, charity, gentleness, diaconia. Our Orthodox Church has been a Church of love in its two dimensions or fields: love within the Church among its members, and love spreading outside of the Church and addressed to every human being.

Such multidimensional love, generated by faith in a God who is love, has been a central component of the ageless traditions of the Church.

This precise tradition, this characteristic of a loving and caring Church, seems to be definitively needed in the new century, in the new millennium.

The Lord Jesus Christ warned His disciples that at certain times in the future, because wickedness is multiplied, most people s love will grow cold (Matthew 24, 12).

True love might become more and more a rarity, replaced by passing emotionalism and coldly calculated relationships. Expressions of kindness might give their place to manipulating techniques.

Specialists in public relations and behavioral techniques might be in demand by people motivated by the selfish desire to be served rather than to serve, to dominate and to intimidate rather than to love.

Society might gradually become a maze of isolated individuals, a crowd of non-loving, non-connecting persons.

The ageless tradition of faith as love, as a vivid manifestation of Christ s presence among us, becomes an absolute necessity. What oxygen and water are for the preservation and growth of life on earth, love and true unity among people are for the preservation and enhancement of human existence in any given society. We are the carriers of that ageless tradition of faith as love, we are the embodiments of that uniting power. In a new millennium where love and loving connections and commitments among people might diminish, we have a magnificent mission: to show in action that a world without love is a dead world, that a society without care and tender concern for each other is a terrifying monster.

Here is a mission of unheard of proportions and truly salvific consequences: to become the apostles of faith as love, the constant transmitters of the divine message for an unlimited opening to the people, leading to spiritual connection and unity of hearts. You are familiar with the warning: Attention! Danger! High voltage live electrical wire! Do not touch! We as Church must provide society with a different warning: Attention!

No Danger! High power live wire of love!

Please touch! Please connect! We must, however, have a network of such high power wires of love immediately available.

This is our destiny and our mission in the days and years ahead of us.

5.The third major task is the task of experiencing faith as truth: as truth about God, about us, about the universe; as truth about life and death, pain and joy; as truth about our destiny, about the meaning of life, about our purpose in life.

Truth about all the above listed areas belongs to the ageless traditions of our Orthodox Faith. The Lord of the Church, Jesus Christ declared: I am the way and the truth and the life (John 14,6), thus directly connecting truth to life and action. The

HIS EMINENCE Archbishop Demetrios with the Chancellors of the Archdiocese.

N. Manginas

Ecumenical Patriarch s

Greetings to C-L Congress To His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, most honorable Exarch of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, beloved brother in the Holy Spirit and concelebrant of our Modesty; Grace be with your Eminence and peace from God. With joy we communicate with you and through you to the much beloved congregation of your Holy Archdiocese, and we address our heartfelt paternal and Patriarchal greeting to all the participants in the forthcoming 35th Clergy-Laity Congress, as well as to the entire body of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Our heart, and the hearts of the members of the Sacred and Holy Synod surrounding us, are filled with much love and affection for the most beloved Omogeneia and their imminent Clergy-Laity Congress, as we await the confirmation of the unbreakable unity prevailing among the faithful there, against which unity the ancient enemy of man conspires. For, as it is known, unity among the Orthodox members of the Church constitutes a characteristic sign of their spiritual progress and a testimony to their sincere and deep love for and relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as a sign of their concern for the welfare of our people who love Christ.

Whenever reasonable and normal differences of opinion on various matters turn into personal disputes, what suffers is the very institution and cause, which all disputing parties are trying to protect; it is, in other words, our People and our Church that suffer. This time, though, we are more than confident that all the participants of this Clergy-Laity Congress both as members of the Orthodox Church, which functions in a conciliar fashion, and members of the great American Democracy, which functions democratically-have been deeply imbued with the principles of these two great institutions; thus they remain steadfastly united with one another and with the Great Church of Christ, the Holy Mother Church, of which they are chosen and greatly beloved members and without fail they will strive to preserve this unity, given that they surely appreciate the honor and the privilege which their identity affords them as members of the Greek Omogeneia and of the Mother Church. Thus, they will protect the ancient prestige of these institutions, allowing no shadow of discord to mar their beautiful image.

In this connection the Apostle Paul urges, Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose (1 Cor. 1,10), and elsewhere, Making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4,3); these exhortations constitute one of the ageless traditions whose significance is timely for this Third Millennium.

For our survival as the Omogeneia and the spread of the message of the Orthodox faith depend to a great extent on the unbreakable unity of us, the Orthodox.

Therefore, we fraternally embrace Your Eminence, dear to us, and all the rest of our brothers and concelebrants in Christ, and we freely and wholeheartedly bestow upon all the participants of this Clergy-Laity Congress our paternal and Patriarchal blessing abundantly; and we beseech the Lord to guide them on straight paths towards making correct decisions on every matter discussed, to prosper all the work of the Congress, and to grant them every good and perfect gift useful unto the equipping and progress of every individual and also the Omogeneia as a whole.

A Patriarchal Delegation comprised of our Reverend Brothers, His Eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon of Tyroloi and Serention and His Eminence Metropolitan Demetrios of Sevasteia, Director of our Private Patriarchal Office, will reaffirm by word of mouth the feelings of affection, love and honor of the Mother Church and of us personally for Your Eminence and for the members of the Clergy-Laity Congress. We invoke upon all of you the grace, the infinite mercy and the rich gifts of our Lord and God and Liberator Jesus Christ.

June 26, 2000

Your beloved brother in Christ

ð BARTHOLOMEW of Constantinople

same Lord, when He promised His disciples to send them the Holy Spirit, said: When the Holy Spirit comes, He will guide you into the whole truth (John 16,13).

And in His final prayer He asked the Heavenly Father: Father, sanctify them (i.e. the disciples) in Your truth; Your word is truth (John 17,17). Truth belongs to the very heart of the Gospel.

This ageless tradition of faith as truth has been constantly operative in our Church. It was this unyielding adherence to a faith based on the truth that led millions of martyrs to die rather than abandon or betray God s truth. It was this unquenchable thirst and passion for the truth which produced the great Fathers and Teachers of the Church.

It was the dedication to the tradition of faith as truth as revealed to humanity by Christ that caused the amazing work of the Ecumenical Councils which kept that truth integral, inviolable, pure and radiant.

What is the new era before us going to do to the truth to the truth of God and to the truth in general? Who is going to control the websites and the internet and the media, and prevent them from becoming constant, increasingly powerful sources for misinformation, semi-truths, mixtures of lies, fabricated realities, and distorted data? Are the next generations going to experience an eclipse of the truth, a relativization and a transformation of the truth into a play on words without significance? In view of the mapping of the human genome, are the next generations going to experience the reality of human beings who through the manipulation of their genetic code will have no concept of truth at all in their radically altered brains?

Here again we are called by God to stand firm on the ground of an ageless tradition of our faith which declares that without truth as a central component in life, there is no meaning in life, there is no possibility for real knowledge and cultivation of this divine gift which is our mind, our intellect.

We are being sent by God to be the carriers, the guardians, the transmitters of His truth in the coming years. We have been given the great privilege to radiate faith as truth, to take the torch of an eternal and ageless truth from the hands of the Apostles, the Martyrs, the Saints, the Fathers, the Ecumenical Synods; and holding it fast in our hands, to march in the dark paths of the world to march and to illumine, to walk and to plant truth, to run and to generously distribute the truth of God preserved as a priceless, ageless tradition in the life of our Greek Orthodox Church, a tradition related to the substance of our faith, to our educational, teaching, and learning practices of our ecclesial life.

Ultimately what we have to do is not simply to juxtapose or to oppose truth to falsehood. What we have to do is to oppose faith as truth to chaos, faith as knowledge to messy information, faith as intelligence to confusion of ideas and minds.

What we have to do is to be steadfast in projecting the faith which is intertwined with the truth and which guarantees the truth as an absolute given in life.

B. Special Applications

Faith as truth, faith as love, and faith as worship constitute vital tasks related to our role as a Greek-American Orthodox Church and as individual members of the GreekAmerican Orthodox Church in America, as we face the new developments in human history ushered in by the twenty-first century and the third millennium. There are innumerable applications of the above presented tasks. The inspiration and the power of the Holy Spirit and your creativity and

u page 6

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Keynote Address of Archbishop Demetrios at Clergy-Laity Congress u page 5 ingenuity could produce amazing results.

For the sake of examples, let me quickly present some pertinent applications.

1.For the first task related to the offering on our part of faith as worship in a vibrant liturgical and prayer life, I should like to invite all of us to think about the worshipping conditions of the specific community in which each one lives.

How is our Sunday liturgy and its attendance?

How much liturgical and prayer life do we have as a community?

How much real training for participation in the liturgical life do we offer to our children?

How deeply do we know the essentials of our worship?

How much are our Churches places conducive to an encounter with God and not places merely for social encounters?

These are questions worth pondering and worth following up on in our life as communities, dioceses, and Archdiocese.

We must make worship a central issue for every community, an issue for study, planning and work. We must make a methodical, well-organized and consistent effort to bring to the worship of the Church all the people of the community, to increase the attendance to its fullness. Please take special care for the full participation of the children in the liturgical life.

Please take full advantage of things helpful to liturgical awareness like videocassettes, CDs, etc. Think of what you should have done if you knew that your community was the last Orthodox community on earth and that the survival and the future of Orthodox worship were totally dependent on your actions.

As an Archdiocese we have to work intensely and methodically on that issue since we have made the liturgical-prayer expression of our Orthodox faith one of our major priorities. There is plenty of work ahead if we are determined to promote high quality liturgical uniformity, liturgical awareness, liturgical education, liturgical publications, and liturgical enhancement on all levels both in Greek and in English. This is a formidable task which will need time to fully develop, but we, all of us Clergy and laity, know in our hearts that we have to try hard in a sustained and passionate effort in order to make our invaluable worshipping tradition an alive reality for today and for the new century, in order to make it an ageless tradition in the new millennium.

2. Moving to the second major task related to the ageless tradition of faith as love, we could propose for instance some more specific efforts and actions. a) We could start with trying to make love and unity a priority in our community life. That means involving greater and greater numbers of people in the charitable and service-oriented works of the community.

Approach the lonely and isolated people of our parishes. Become aware of the difficulties of our neighbors. Support the families confronted with serious problems. Become conscious of the needs of the elderly.

Have our Philoptochos chapters go beyond their routine, and think of programs to which they could invite the young adults of the community.

Philoptochos must become a terrific school and unit for actions of love and care, must become an attractive enterprise for dynamic and talented young ladies.

The Philoptochos must expand and be something that could actively involve all members of the community and give the chance to all parishioners for a fruitful cooperation in the field of service.

Peter Christopoulos

OPENING BREAKFAST – Archbishop Demetrios and other hierarchs as they listen to a speaker.

A VISIT with Clergy Family children in their specially set up play-room

b) We could then, as a further step ahead, enlarge our horizons and cultivate in our communities the spirit of becoming aware of needs outside of our own community or even immediate geographical area.

Think of the larger Orthodox family, be interested in the life and activities of our brothers and sisters in the various areas of the world. At the same time transform our love and caring feelings into acts of stewardship and realize that stewardship in the Church is not simply a monetary contribution done sometimes in a mentally detached or distant way, but a real art exhibiting care for the Church on a constant basis, on a continuous offering of goods, time, money, prayers, and any type of assistance. c) There is, among others, one more issue that needs to become a priority for establishing faith as love. This is the family. The family is a fundamental unit with the Orthodox community, a unit with priceless value. The family is the strongest constitutive element in a parish. The contemporary Greek-American Orthodox family must be the primary object of our love and care. I should like to particularly underline the care for the so-called mixed marriages. It is time to warmly embrace this kind of family which constitutes the large majority of our families. We routinely talk about them as a problem. We must start talking about them as an opportunity for showing the power of love and understanding. We must intensify the efforts of the mixed marriage families to connect all of their members with our Church, to bring their children to the embrace of our ecclesia. Here is a bright opportunity to manifest faith as loving care. As an Archdiocese we are already engaged in a program which deals exclusively and in depth with issues related to

N. Manginas

mixed marriages. This program, which is a very promising program, will expand and enlarge its scope and its radius of activity and cover more and more issues connected to the mixed marriage families. If we direct a considerable part of our eagerness to assist and to serve the mixed marriage families, if we genuinely and fully love them, then we might very well contribute to the transformation of a problem into a real blessing and an opportunity for promoting the Gospel of Christ, a Gospel proclaiming faith as love.

3. Coming now to the end of this address, and in dealing with the third task related to the ageless tradition of faith as truth, we may mention by way of indicative examples the following. a) On the parish level we should have an ongoing activity offering to the people the opportunity to learn the real contents of our faith as truth. The Church is a school of faith, she is a teaching institution and a training place for the truth.

We ordinarily talk about the duty of the Church to offer the Sunday School opportunity to the children.

The adolescents, the young adults, those in middle age, and the elderly too, have the right to be more informed about the truth proclaimed by the Church, to know exactly and fully the fundamental tenets of our Orthodox Faith. This is a vital function that must be active in every parish. Just remember: the parish is the school of the truth of God, and it should act like that, on a continuous and systematic basis.

St. Basil the Great and St. John Chrysostom gathered the faithful every evening and taught them and introduced them to the depths of the divine truth deposited in the Gospel and in the tradition of the Church. That was a meeting after a long day of hard work. But they knew

extremely well that they could not omit such an important task even for one day.

The parishes of our Church in America have to look very carefully at that Patristic model. We must give ourselves over to such a task. b) Then on the level of the National Ministries, we have to think very seriously of a unique institution that plays a pivotal role in guarding, preserving, and promoting faith as truth: Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. It is at Holy Cross that our priests have been trained in order to be teachers of the divine truth revealed by Christ and given to the Church. It is in that sacred place that the truth of faith is studied, analyzed, transmitted and presented in all its richness, in all its amazing contents, in all its exciting and inspiring history. It is in the very same place that the truth as ageless tradition of our Hellenic heritage is cultivated and abundantly offered both as language and as historical content and culture.

How much is this jewel of our Church in America our real concern? How much actual support does Hellenic College Holy Cross receive from the Greek-American Community? We must confess that the answer to those questions is not encouraging, as the history of this institution shows.

Hellenic College Holy Cross, however, should become an important priority for the faithful and the communities of our Archdiocese, because it constitutes the basic center of the Church in which faith as truth is the unique and indispensable issue. We have to strengthen it in view of the demanding years to come, we must render it, with the help of our God who is the Truth, the number one center in the world for the study of the truth of faith and the tradition of our universal Hellenic heritage, the number one place for theological studies and for Hellenic studies.

As a Greek-American Orthodox Community abundantly blessed by God, as a Church destined by the grace of God to be His witness in the Western Hemisphere, we are facing the challenging new millennium with a triple task ahead: The task of offering to our contemporary American society our ageless traditions of faith as worship, faith as love, and faith as truth in an alive, convincing, and rejuvenating way. But faith as worship, love, and truth ultimately is the faith in Jesus Christ, Who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13,8), as the Holy Scripture says. He is all our Church traditions epitomized in one ageless tradition, the one and only always dynamic, fresh, liberating, never changing, never fading away, never dying. It is this Christ that we offer as an eternal, unchanging, and energizing reality to a constantly changing, confused, and aging world.

We are the carriers of His Holy face shining in the darkness, we are His feet which run to the places of the lost and the afflicted and the needy, we are His hands which gave and healed with a gentle touch, we are His mouth which blessed and uttered only the truth. We are His messengers and His ambassadors among our brothers and sisters who come in contact with us.

St. Paul in one of his letters exhorted the Christians: Brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions (1 Thess. 2,15). Yes! Brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold to the ageless traditions. Stand firm and hold to Jesus Christ, the one superb, ageless, and ever-young tradition; a tradition for a creative life in the new millennium and in any millennium from here and now to eternity.

And may this Christ, our Lord and God, be with you and your families and your beloved ones today and tomorrow and beyond any limit in time and space.

JULY-AUGUST, 2000

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

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VISITING ARCHDIOCESE GOYA members from Troy and Bloomfield Hills, Mich., communities with Archbishop Demetrios in the Archdiocese chapel during their visit to New York in early June.

Clapsis and Theodore Stylianopoulos will speak on issues of the local congregation in postmodern America, Orthodox Identity, and the gospel in the parish.

From a historical perspective, Thomas Fitzgerald and Stanley S. Harakas will take up the topics of the evolution of the Orthodox parish in America and the parish within the American religious scene.

Eleni Makris and Nicholas Apostola will also report on the extensive, sociological study entitled Hartford Study on Religious Congregations as applicable to Orthodox communities.

A panel of scholars, including Frs. Alkiviadis Calivas, Paul Meyendorff and John Klentos, will discuss the liturgical life of the parish.

The pastoral ministries, including music in the parish, will be examined in seminars and workshops by parish clergy and others, featuring Emmanuel Gratsias, Robert Arida, Michael Elias, Antony Hughes, John Bakas, Nicholas Apostola, William Chiganos, John Chakos, Charles Joanides, Anton Vrame, Frank Marangos, James Skedros, George Bebis, and Steven Karidoyanes.

Evening lectures on Thursday and Friday will feature Demetrios Constantelos, Robert Haddad and Jaroslav Pelikan who will address aspects of the ecclesial, ethnic, and doctrinal identity of the Orthodox parish.

For more information on the conference and registration, write to: Millennium Conference Committee, HC/HC, 50 Goddard Avenue, Brookline, MA 02445, or send e-mail to stylianopoulos @mediaone.net, or call 1-617-850-1238.

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Conference to Focus on Orthodox Parish BROOKLINE, Mass. The Orthodox Parish in America: Faithfulness to the Past and Responsibility for the Future is the theme of a conference to be held at Hellenic College/Holy Cross, Sept. 27-Oct. 1.

The Holy Cross faculty sponsors it.

A major academic event celebrating the new millennium, the conference will focus on the Orthodox parish in America from a pan Orthodox perspective.

Speakers and participants will review and assess the parish both as an institution and as a living community its history, canonical status, character, social context, worship, preaching, teaching and other ministries.

Coming at a crucial time in the history of Orthodoxy in North America, the conference aims to connect past, present and future in the light of conference subtheme: Faithfulness to the past and responsibility for the future.

Thomas Hopko, dean of St. Vladimir s Theological Seminary, will deliver the keynote address: The Local Parish: Theology, Reality and Potential on Wednesday, Sept. 27.

A rich program of specific topics will follow featuring lectures, seminars and workshops by theologians, historians, canonists, sociologists, and parish clergy.

From a canonical perspective, John Erickson, Patrick Viscuso and George Papademetriou will discuss various aspects of the institutional nature of the parish in terms of canon law, models of parish polity, charters and by-laws, as well as leadership.

From a sociological and theological perspective, Peter Berger, Emmanuel

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PAGE 8

EDITORIAL

Great Success

The 35 Clergy-Laity Congress took place in a refreshing spirit of joy, cooperation, love, and aura of spirituality that should characterize our entire Church every day of the year.

It truly reflected the city of brotherly love spirit that Archbishop Demetrios instilled in the organizing committee of the Philadelphia congress months before, and in his words of love and encouragement at the many venues of the biennial gathering.

From the hierarchical Divine Liturgy on the Sunday before the official opening to the end of the Grand Banquet on July 6, the positive feelings and opinions about this year s congress by a wide range of participants were unanimous.

His Eminence s speeches to the participants, which served as excellent teaching tools for the faith, elevated each person to a higher spiritual plane.

Adding to the spiritual dimension were the religious education-based workshops held in conjunction with each committee meeting that served to put the committees deliberations in their proper Church context.

Moreover, the well-organized plenary sessions were highly productive and, while many delegates participated in debates on various issues that arose, the discussions were fruitful and substantive.

And the two-day pleanaries stayed amazingly on schedule.

Clergy and lay members of the local Congress Organizing Committee, led by Chris and Georgia Skeadas, did a superb job and deserve the praise and gratitude of all who participated.

All in all, the 35th Clergy-Laity Congress was unmistakably a resounding success and should serve as a model for future congresses. th

Decades of Faith

The surprise hit of the 35th Clergy-Laity Congress was the 30-minute video, Decades of Faith: The Greek Orthodox Church in America (1860-2000), that premiered at the Grand Banquet.

Never before at an Archdiocesan event, or perhaps anywhere else, has a film received a standing ovation.

Produced and directed by the talented, Emmy Award-winning GOTelecom team of Nick Furris and Marissa Costidis, the video is both a narrative and nostalgic collage of historic photographs and film clips that presents the panorama of the history of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, with the Church s leaders serving as the focus.

A few rare photographs introduce the first decades of the Church, and then the film highlights each decade beginning in the 1920s, and includes sound bytes of some of the more popular songs that characterized each era.

The scenes of every Archbishop from Athenagoras to Demetrios and their interaction with the faithful drew many bursts of applause as they evoked both poignant memories and a sense of great hope for the future.

Decades of Faith will prove its value well into the future. We now have a very concise teaching tool with which to present the history of the Church in America to a potential audience in the tens of millions.

It also will be an invaluable aid and a very palatable approach for teaching our young people and their children about the Church.

No parish, and certainly no Greek Orthodox household, should be without a copy.

uuu a regular churchgoer, doesn t believe God is, or has ever been a part of their lives.

This is sad indeed. If we think about life after death, this very thought is frightening.

As a Christian, can you imagine someone s life coming to an end, without ever having believed in God and His promises of life after death ? It s truly a frightening thought for those of us who believe that we do have a Creator and that He does know and truly cares about our every thought and action.

Father reminded us to check Psalm 139, which states: All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be .

He even knows the day of ones birth, before that person is even conceived, so He also knows the day and time when our earthly life will be over.

How many times have we heard people say in jest, God only knows, when actually, He does know and He s the only one who does.

So we should all stop and think, that no matter what we say or what we plan to do, it will only happen, if God doesn t have plans of His own. He can cancel our every thought and action, in the blinking of an eye, as He and only He has to the power to let us live or to end our life at any second.

So we should always be on guard in thought and action and know that He knows, and thus remember to say, If God s willing , then we may get to do whatever we have planned. He and only He controls our destiny.

So as I said, God knows, so why doesn t man believe that God knows? How do we as Christians get others to believe before He calls them to account?

Fran Glaros Clearwater, Fla.

u Priest not listed t

u Thanks for L-100 coverage t Editor, I want to express my gratitude for the Orthodox Observer s splendid coverage of the Leadership 100 Washington Conference. There coverage there, as well as the interview article, was excellent.

It is only through the printed word that the clergy and public will realize the importance of Leadership 100 and how vital it is to the Archdiocese. This is evidenced by the grants made at the Washington conference to the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological School as well as other grants to the Archdiocese and other ministries. Leadership 100 knows this is only the beginning.

The goal already reached by Leadership 100 is not sufficient to support all the ministries of the Archdiocese. A new goal of $250 million to $300 million needs to be reached to provide sufficient income to fund the various ministries of the Archdiocese.

These goals can and must be achieved in the near future. We know that every member will fully cooperate with the director, Fr. Alex Karloutsos, incoming Chairman Arthur Anton and Membership Chairman Stephen Yeonas.

I look forward to each future issue of the Orthodox Observer as it continues to wisely report the progress of all Archdiocese ministries and Leadership 100.

George P. Kokalis Outgoing Chairman, Leadership 100

u Something to think about t Editor, It was with great interest that I listened to Fr. James Rousakis, our priest here at Holy Trinity in Clearwater, Fla., today.

He really got me to thinking about how the average person today, unless he s

uuu

Editor, The parish profile of Holy Trinity Church in Pittsburgh failed to mention names of priests who led the parish prior to the current Father John. Every profile that I have read included the names of priests who preceded the current one.

My father, the late Rev. John C. Pitses, served the parish for 17 years until he accepted a new assignment at St. George Church in Kingston, N.Y., in the summer of 1971. He met an untimely death at the age of 43 in December of that year.

It was under my father s leadership, I m proud to say, that the current church was erected. The parish thrived both spiritually and culturally under his direction, with my mother, the late Presbytera Helen, working unselfishly behind the scenes.

It is of utmost importance to preserve the legacy of our spiritual leaders for without their strong faith, enthusiasm and dedication, our parishes would certainly be diminished.

In the Orthodox tradition, in tribute to all those who served our Holy church, may their memories be eternal.

Christ Pitses Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.

JULY-AUGUST, 2000

...

The Parish Profile does not list all priests of a given community, unless an unusually small number (two or three).

Sometimes we list the community s first priest (if known), or clergy who have served for its entire existence, or if the information provided names a particular priest whith an especially long tenure along with their accomplishments during that period. The information from the parish you mention included a lengthy list of clergy and their years of service only. editor

u Good response t Editor, In the April 2000 issue of the ORTHODOX OBSERVER (page 27), you published an announcement regarding the availability of the S. James Vamvas Scholarships.

These scholarships are awarded by the Hellenic American medical and Dental Society of Southern California to medical and dental students of Hellenic descent who are attending schools in California or are California residents at schools in other parts of the United States.

Since the notice appeared we have received applications from outstanding students, and a number of them reported learning of the scholarships from your publication.

The Society is eager to assist young Greek American men and women as they pursue these demanding careers. We very much appreciate the importance of your including this information in the pages of the Orthodox Observer.

George C. Emmanoulides, MD. Professor of Pediatric Medicine, UCLA & Scholarship Committee chairman Los Angeles

u Church names t Editor, I have read with great interest Fr. Constantinides eloquent tribute to St. Paul in the Observer (January issue). He tells us that St. Paul left his fatherland, home and relatives and the world itself, for the sake of Jesus. In view of this, I have tried to ascertain why we of the Greek Orthodox faith have more than 50 churches dedicated to St. George and about five to St. Paul throughout the United States.

In posing this question to the Archdiocese Education and Information departments I was told that George is a popular name and the so-called godfather at a church dedication has the honor of choosing its name!

I cannot believe our churches are so randomly dedicated. If this is indeed so, it is not up to the clergy to educate its parishioners about those seminal figures in our church s history who should be honored? Surely St. Paul deserves greater recognition.

Helen C. Arvanitis Somers, N.Y.

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N. Manginas

HIS EMINENCE Archbishop Demetrios offers his archiepiscopal blessing upon the faithful. Beside him are pictured Metropolitan Panteleimon of Tyrolois and Serention and Metropolitan Demetrios of Sevasteia, representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the 35th C-L Congress.

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It’s Not All in the Genes

by Fr. Angelo Artemas

Now that the sequencing of the human genome has been completed, many scientists are excited about the future of humanity. At the same time, others are alarmed by this scientific revolution.

Fiction writers have long speculated about the abuses of such Brave New World science. Robert Sapolsky, professor of biological sciences and neurology at Stanford University poses the following questions: Does this mean that our behaviors, thoughts and emotions are merely the sum of our genes, and scientists can use a map to calculate just what the sum is? What will happen to our cherished senses of individuality and free will? Will knowing our genetic code mean we will know our irrevocable fates?

Professor Sapolsky and many other scientists are quick to point out that the media and popular attention have assumed the notion of the Primacy of Genes.

Pop psychology has fostered this notion.

Many people today are under the false impression that drinking problems, depression, violent tendencies, the desire to murder, promiscuous tendencies and sexual orientation are exclusively determined by one s genetic makeup. But the Primacy of Genes notion is a myth.

Instead, genes and environment interact; nurture reinforces or retards nature. Professor Sapolsky uses the following example: Research indicates that having the gene for schizophrenia means that there is a 50 percent risk one will develop the disease, rather than absolute certainty.

The disease occurs only when you have a combination of schizophrenia-prone genes and schizophrenia-inducing experiences. A particular gene can have a different effect depending on the environment. There is genetic vulnerability, but not inevitability.

What popular culture overlooks is that genes do not act on their own. Genes turn on and off the synthesis of particular proteins only in response to environment and experiences. Environment and experiences further chemically affect countless parts of the brain. Studies that claim the brains of mass murderers shared similarities simply point out the results of violent and murderous behaviors, not the cause. Studying cadavers proves only results, not causes.

From the point of view of Orthodox anthropology, it can be argued that because every human being is born fallen (except for Jesus Christ), every human being is genetically predisposed to sin.

And because every human being is born with the great gift of free will, every human being is able to either overcome or to give in to temptation.

Environment and experience tremendously affect behavior. Most, if not all sins are addicting. But righteousness itself can be a pattern. Environment, experience and behavior are more important than DNA in determining the person one ultimately becomes.

One can use an example of German automotive engineering. Bavarian Motor Works (BMW) builds perhaps the best sedan in the world in the M5. This sedan has the best genes. For $70,000 one can buy technology that moves 1.6 tons from zero to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds, reaching a maximum speed of about 180 miles per hour. Although very impressive, no American owner of an M5 is very likely to maximize those genes, just as most sport utility vehicle owners are not likely to use the off-road capabilities of their toys.

What good are the best genes if environment and experience don t trigger them?

At the same time, one can take the best genes and destroy them. Imagine burning the z-rated tires of an M5 with senseless acceleration, or blowing a whole through the motor for failing to replace oil, or even using 87-octane fuel. The best equipment in the world can easily be abused and destroyed, and this is so much more the case for the human body.

The human body is the most precious, holy, complex and intricate work ever known to science. Medical technology has served the human body well, if not miraculously. But the responsibility of personhood still relies on environment, experience and behavior, not genes.

On the completion of the human genome project, Professor Sapolsky comments as follows: The study of genetics will never be so all encompassing as to gobble up every subject from medicine to sociology. Instead, the more science learns about genes, the more we will learn about the importance of the environment. Genes are essential, but not the whole story.

In the Orthodox Christian faith, free will is the whole story.

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Young Adults Enjoy Archbishop’s Visit, Workshops, Fellowship byJim Golding

Some 350 young adults attended the annual YAL Conference in Philadelphia the weekend prior to the start of the ClergyLaity Congress.

A variety of spiritual workshops, Archbishop Demetrios first address to the YAL, social events and a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates highlighted their activities.

Fr. Mark Leondis, newly appointed director of the Archdiocese Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, commented that the conference was small in numbers, but large in fellowship.

He said that one of the better-attended workshops was a late night discussion on relationships, conducted by Fr. Alexander Veronis of Lancaster, Pa. About 70 young adults participated.

His Eminence addressed the conference participants at their Grand Banquet on July 2.

I have been strongly impressed by this YAL conference, he said. My impression is you are not the future of the Church, but the present of the Church, and really young adults.

He said they showed a combination of an adult s maturity with the enthusiasm and creativity of a young person, and they didn t give the impression of being at the conference just to have fun. You are looking for an encounter among yourselves and with God that will give you an uplifting, enhancing experience with God. His Eminence also said they exuded an atmosphere of people deeply involved with the serious business of faith.

He gave two examples of young adults connected with the resurrection, the story of Jesus raising the son of the widow in Nain, her only son, and the young dressed in white at Christ s tomb who greeted the

N. Manginas

ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS with Fr. Mark Leondis with members of the YAL conference committee.

myrrh-bearing women on the day of His resurrection.

Following his address, the Archbishop presented silver crosses to conference Chairs Athena Flamporis, Pantelis Koustoulas and Peter Chrisanthopoulos.

Despina Dinas, YAL national coordinator, received the St. Paul medal for her two years service to the organization.

Warm reaction From the camaraderie evident at the banquet, the conference proved to be a highly positive experience for the young adults who came from various parts of the country.

Alisa Livaditis an elementary teacher from Boca Raton, Fla. (formerly of Pennsylvania), said the conference was wonderful, and a great opportunity to meet young adults and make lifelong friendships. The workshops provided a wonderful opportunity to learn about our faith, and to discuss important issues such as relationships and interfaith relationships.

Haralambos Gerson, a financial ana-

lyst from Dayton, Ohio, called it a very good conference. that discussed faith, the new millennium, balancing faith and every other issues.

Mike Polites of Indianapolis said he liked the conference because of the friends I ve made and because it was very spiritually uplifting.

Rochester, Minn., native John Maragos, a music business student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, said he was impressed with the content of the workshops.

I wish more young adults would come, he said. The weekend was awesome.

Several young adults expressed their appreciation of Archbishop Demetrios visit to the conference.

You can just see the love in his eyes, said John s sister, Tia Maragos, a hospital administrator from Evansville, Ind., (formerly of Rochester, Minn.) I enjoyed seeing the Archbishop.

His humbleness permeated everything, said Andrew Yiannakos of Brooklyn, N.Y.

The thing that really came across was his humility and profound ability to express Eastern Orthodox theology in contemporary language, said Jim Alex, a surgeon from Branford, Conn., and a member of the Hellenic College-Holy Cross board of trustees. He is tremendously approachable and will stop to listen.

Law school student Andy George of Missoula, Mont., and his brother, Stephen, a student in Philadelphia, also expressed their admiration for the new archbishop.

He was very down to earth, said Andy.

In addition to attending services that included vespers, Divine Liturgy and an aghiasmo, late night discussions and confession, young adults attended spiritual workshops based on the theme Ageless Traditions in a New Millennium.

Workshop leaders included: Frs. George Liacopulos, Demetrius Nicoloudakis, John Theodosian, George Orfanakos, Bob Archon, Theodore Petrides, Alexander and Presbytera Pearl Veronis, Frank Marangos, Athanasios Demos, Kosmas Karavellas, Stephen Siniari, and Presbytera Fran Angelos, George Hazlaris, Deacon Bill Gikas and Mother Raphaella.

Other workshops included: Missions, presented by Fr. George Liacopulos and Fr. Alexander and Presbytera Pearl Veronis; Why Did God Let This Happen? by Frs. Athanasios Demos, Demetrius Nicoludakis, George Orfanakos, John Theodosian and Deacon Bill Gekas; Living the Blessed Life by Mother Raphaella and Fr. Theodore Petrides; Bioethics by Fr. Bob Archon; Living the Faith of the Ages, by Frs. Frank Marangos, Kosmas Karavellas and Stephen Siniari; Male and Female He Made Them,

by Presbytera Fran Angelos and George Hazlaris.

Church Musicians Begin 25th Year , Announce New Publications byDr. Vicki Pappas

Choir members from the 13 host churches of Philadelphia, plus other choir members of the New Jersey Diocese, joined with members of the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians from throughout the Archdiocese to sing beautiful hymns of the Church at various Congress events.

Sunday, July 2, the 120-voice choir sang Greek and English settings of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy as composed

by Presbytera Anna Gallos, led by guest conductor George S. Raptis of Detroit.

Robin Pandell of St. Luke Church in Broomall, Pa., served as organist.

For the first time, a chanters choir consisting of chanters from host parishes and National Forum members sang the Orthros in Greek and English with Jessica SuchyPilalis of Harrisburg, Pa., as protopsalti.

During the Opening Breakfast on Monday, Constantine Limberakis of Boston directed the choir in singing hymns in Greek and English, accompanied by Hope Demitry of Trenton, N.J. On the fourth of July, the choir helped create a worship service at St. George Cathedral that blended patriotism and the hymnology of the Church.

The entire congregation joined in singing God Bless America and America the Beautiful, as the hierarchs entered the nave.

The choir also sang English versions of Ti Ypermacho, the doxology, and Tis Theos Megas.

Chris Jelepis of St. Luke, Broomall, served as guest conductor, with Robin Pandell as organist.

N. Manginas

NATIONAL FORUM members sing some selections at a reception prior to the sart of their conference.

Silver anniversary begins National Forum members also held their annual meeting at the Congress, in which they hosted several commemorative events to begin the National Forum s silver anniversary celebration.

Delegates also discussed Church music issues, held dialogues with clergy, hierarchs, department heads and local parish members.

Archbishop Demetrios and other hierarchs attended the National Forum s reception where recipients of the year 2000 St. Romanos Medallion and other honors were announced.

In addressing the reception, Archbishop Demetrios told the musicians, You belong to a field that is absolutely important. Music belongs to the divine boundary. He also said it was part of a field of high theology and high confession of basic teachings of the faith.

His Eminence also said that listening to the choir at the liturgy was sheer, clear joy. We are thankful to you and to God. You are speaking one of the few universal languages.

Award recipients

Awards were presented posthumously for Harilaos Papapostolou of St. Sophia Cathedral in Washington, and John Tsolainos of Bradenton, Fla., formerly of Sts. Constantine and Helen Cathedral in Cleveland.

Two additional awards went to Tom Pallad of Northridge, Calif., and Steven Cardiasmenos of Belmont, Calif.

Forum members also presented His Eminence with an icon of the Choirs of Angels in appreciation for his support, and similar icons to each hierarch.

Also honored were composers and long-time choir directors Anna Gallos, Dr. Tikey Zes, Demetrios Pappas, and Dr.

Nicholas Maragos; conductors George Raptis and Constantine Limberakis; and organists Georgia Tangires and Anna Kounelis; and Peter Vatsures of Columbus, Ohio, editor of the National Forum s magazine, and John Chilenas of Cleveland and Florida; longtime choir director and a founding member of the National Forum.

The musicians held a church music workshop July 3 for clergy and lay delegates to the congress. Participants sang English settings of liturgical hymns for feast days, sacraments and other services written by composers from each diocese.

During their business meetings, National Forum members discussed the release of two new publications for distribution throughout the Archdiocese: A Guide to Transcription of Post-Byzantine Music and How to Start a Youth Music Program in Your Parish.

Archbishop Demetrios received the first copies of the publications.

Discussions took place with clergy and hierarchs on the issue of English use in Church hymns. The Forum will offer its assistance to the Holy Synod in its work to standardize English translations for the Liturgy, feast days, and sacramental hymns.

Other topics discussed included Church music institutes, the Byzantine music transcription project, copyright issues, progress of the liturgical guidebook, liturgical music programs for youth, the National Church Music Endowment Drive, support for the Liturgical Music Room at Archbishop Iakovos Library, and music resources for the Archdiocese website.

Dr. Vicki Pappas, national chairman of the NFGOCM, won unanimous re-election to the top leadership post of the National Forum.

JULY-AUGUST, 2000

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

The Voice of Salute to President Condakes Convention delegates gathered July 6 for a closing breakfast honoring National President Eve Condakes.

After Convention Chairman and Second Vice President Elaine Kevgas introduced the dais guests, Breakfast Chairman and First Vice President Kassandra Romas called upon Archbishop Demetrios for the invocation.

Mrs. Condakes next addressed the gathering and outlined the National Board s activities over the past two years.

Susan Regos, third vice president, paid tribute to Mrs. Condakes and noted the national president s accomplishments and dynamism.

After Mrs. Regos tribute, Ms. Kevgas and Mrs. Romas joined her to present Mrs. Condakes with a gold- and-diamond cross designed by artist Yiannis Amoryianos.

Following the presentation, Archbishop Demetrios expressed his appreciation to the national president for all that Philoptochos accomplished during her term. He then presented her with an icon and a silver cross.

Mrs. Condakes and Aspasia Melis, chairman of the Children s Medical Fund luncheon held Oct. 2, 1999, presented a $25,000

check to Philadelphia Children s Hospital.

Awards Committee Chairman Vicki Scaljon bestowed the chapter project awards.

Mrs. Condakes then gave a crystal vase to Ms. Kevgas. Co vice-chairmen Tula Gallanes and Susan Regos received crystal bowls for their efforts, and certificates of merit went to the following chairmen: Kassandra Romas and Dolly Demetris - host committee, Aspasia Esther Mitchell, luncheon; N.J. Diocese President Ronnie Kyritsis, advisors Anne Gustave, Antonia Kourepinos and Effie Venduras; Nellie Logothetides and Maria Lyras, registration; Helen Malachias and Helen Peterson, credentials; Aphrodite Skeadas, album; Vicki Scaljon, chapter awards; Helen Misthos, sponsorship; Pat Gogos and Georgia Kaloidis, underwriting; Martha Stefanidakis, delegate coordinator; Patti Chacopoulos, resolutions; Bessie Papigiotis, diocese exhibits; Aspasia Esther Mitchell and Georgia Vlitas, convention secretaries; Kalli Tsitsipas and Aspasia Melis, Greek secretaries.

Following the benediction by the organization s spiritual advisor, Fr. James Moskovites, delegates toured Philadelphia by trolley.

N. Manginas

EXECUTIVE BOARD members with Archbishop Demetrios and Metropolitan Panteleimon of Tyroloi and Serention.

Report to Plenary Session Your Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Your Eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon of Tyroloi and Serention, Your Eminence Demetrios of Sevastia, Your Eminences, Your Graces, Rev. Fathers, Madame Chairman, Honored Guests of the Dais, Sisters and Brothers: Today, I render the report of the 35th Biennial National Philoptochos Society Convention held July 2nd through July 6, 2000.

Convention 2000 was officially opened at 3:20 p.m., Sunday, July 2, by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios. His Eminence thanked the Society for our work and cooperation. His Eminence implored us to be philanthropists and help anyone in need. He further charged us to be philanthropos, philoxenos and philochristos.

Metropolitan Methodios represented the Synod of Bishops at our Convention this week and Rev. James Moskovitis served as our Spiritual Advisor. Philoptochos thanks you both for sharing our deliberations.

The premier of Voices in Philoptochos was shown to all Philoptochos delegates.

In addition, Congress delegates, Clergy both active and retired were extended an invitation to view the film as was the Sisterhood of Presvyteres. The film, which was in preparation since the 1998 Convention features projects and activities of Philoptochos Chapters throughout the Country.

The following organizations made informational presentations to the Convention: Ionian Village, Project Mexico, Andrew Athens, president of SAE; IOCC, OCMC. WORKSHOPS: Sunday evening the Resolutions/Bylaws and the Budget/Finance workshops were held. A record number of delegates attended both sessions.

It was most encouraging to see so many delegates taking their responsibilities seriously.

Two most informative workshops were conducted. The first entitled Come Back to the Faith was spearheaded by Convention Co-Chair Tula Gallanes. Dr. James Counelis spoke on broadening the Ministry. Additional workshop leaders were Catherine Lingas who spoke on Portland s Circles and Helen Lambros, Family & Society chairman.

A second workshop, on the national commitments was conducted by Susan Regos, convention co vice-chairman, on Wednesday.

PHILOPTOCHOS SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS: Father Costas Sitaras, director of the Academy of St. Basil and Dr. Steve Gounardes, addressed our assembly to apprise us on the institution. Philoptochos continues to contribute $25,000 monthly. In addition, the Philoptochos Sisterhood provides additional funds for items needed by the children.

Dr. James Skedros, acting president of Hellenic College Holy Cross Seminary ad-

PAGE 11

Philoptochos

N. Manginas

FR. COSTA SITARAS addresses Philoptochos Luncheon on progress at St. Basil Academy.

Luncheon Dedicated to St. Basil Academy More than 1,800 guests attended the National Philoptochos luncheon July 4 at the Philadelphia Marriott for the further advancement of St. Basil Academy in Garrison, N.Y. The festivities began with National Board member Kalli Tsitsipas of Bridgeport, Conn., introducing the dais guests.

Following the invocation by Archbishop Demetrios, Eleni Pizer of Bethesda, Md., sang the national anthems.

National Philoptochos Convention Chairman Elaine Kevgas of Methuen, Mass., welcomed the congress delegates and thanked the Diocese Philoptochos host committee.

With National President Eve Condakes, she presented etched bowls to Host Committee Chairmen Dolly Demetris, of St. David s, Pa., Kassandra Romas of Westfield, N.J., and New Jersey Diocese President Ronnie Kyritsis.

Luncheon Chairman Aspasia Esther Mitchell of Niantic, Conn., greeted the gathering and noted that St. Basil Academy has undergone major renovations of all dormitories.

Philoptochos, a major benefactor of the Academy, donates $25,000 monthly.

To help meet students needs, Philoptochos held a fund-raiser prior to the convention in which all chapters were asked to purchase gift baskets for $100 each that were as centerpieces at the luncheon, then sent to the children.

Mrs. Mitchell said all the articles had been purchased, and then assembled into the gift baskets displayed on each table.

When the children return in the fall they will each receive new linens, sets of towels, bedspreads, school supplies and dinnerware.

In introducing the toastmistress, Marilyn Rouvelis, Miss Kevgas applauded the wife and mother of two and author who converted to the faith. She has written A Guide to Greek Traditions and Customs in America, which is used to raise funds for her local chapter, St. George Church in Bethesda, Md. After her opening comments, Mrs. Rouvelis introduced His Eminence who presented sterling silver crosses to Miss Kevgas and Mrs. Mitchell.

Following the luncheon, National President Eve Condakes welcomed the gathering. She presented donations to the following: $50,000 for scholarships and another $15,000 from the Lenten event for Hellenic College-Holy Cross; $10,000 to St. Photios Shrine; $10,662 to Archbishop Demetrios for the Athens Earthquake Relief; $30,000 to the Orthodox Missions Center and $4,000 to the IOCC. These donations were in addition to funds already disbursed prior to the convention.

President Condakes and Miss Kevgas then presented Archbishop Demetrios a gift from Philoptochos - a set of vestments.

Fr. Costas Sitaras, St. Basil Academy s executive director, then addressed the gathering and thanked Philoptochos for its support. He also announced the completion of the dormitory refurbishing and invited all to visit the Academy.

Main speaker was Ambassador of Cyprus to the United States Erato Kozakou Markoullis, who lauded Philoptochos efforts.

Archbishop Demetrios gave the benediction and Eleni Pizer led the gathering in the singing of God Bless America.

Articles contributed by Elaine Kevgas

dressed the convention. In his comments Dr. Skedros announced that since 1993 Philoptochos has contributed $900,000 to Hellenic College Holy Cross Seminary. Dr. Skedros announced that Hellenic College-Holy Cross will sponsor a dinner to honor Philoptochos for all that she has done for the institution.

DONATIONS: During this Convention week the following donations were disbursed: HC/HC, $50,000; HC/HC Lenten, $ 15,000; Children s Cardiac, $ 40,000, presented to Calliope Berdussis for the Telemedicine Program at Chicago Children s Hospital for video conferencing with Aghia Sophia Hospital in Greece.

St. Photios Shrine, $10,000; Athens Earthquake, 10,662; Orthodox Missions, 30,000; IOCC, 4,000; Ecumenical Patriarchate, $125,000; Children s Medical Fund Luncheon: $25,000 to Children s Hospital of Philadelphia.

AUDITOR S REPORT: The budget was passed as presented. The accounting firm of BDO Seidman commended our bookkeeper for the outstanding job she is doing.

RESOLUTIONS: Resolutions seemed to rule the 12-hour marathon session held Wednesday, July 5. Twenty-nine resolutions had been submitted to the Resolutions workshop. Ten were approved by committee and presented to the Convention body.

Tuesday, July 4th luncheon - dedicated to St. Basil seated 1,800 delegates. $10,000 was collected at the luncheon that will be used to complete purchases for the children.

Thursday, July 6, there was a breakfast honoring Eve Condakes, national president. Vickie Scaljon, national awards chairman, presented chapter awards.

428 delegates registered.

I respectfully submit this report on behalf of the National Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society.

Elaine Kevgas, Convention Chairman

PAGE 12

news

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

DIOCESE

JULY-AUGUST, 2000

Chicago’s Assumption Church Celebrates 75th Year Arizona Parish Breaks Ground for New Church CHICAGO Assumption Church, located at 601 S. Central Ave., is celebrating its 75th year with several events culminating with a dinner dance Sunday, Oct. 8.

The anniversary year theme is Going Forth Together into the New Millennium with Faith, Love, Fellowship and Dedication.

The inaugural celebration took place Jan. 9 with a Liturgy and artoclasia.

A 32-member planning committee is busily making arrangements for the gala dinner and invites all to attend. Location will be the Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. Other events taking place through the year include the following: a Philoptochossponsored glendi, an Orthodox Mission luncheon sponsored by the Sunday School, a Pascha Agape meal, an exhibit sponsored by the Anniversary Committee, a raffle dinner, a women s club fashion show and luncheon, a diocese chanters Byzantine concert, Dormition of the Theotokos vespers and feast day reception hosted by the Women s Club and Philoptochos, a Labor Day weekend festival, a memorial service for deceased Assumption stewards and reception, St. Catherine s vespers and feast day reception hosted by the Women s Club, and a Young Adult League-sponsored Thanks for the Memories dinner dance.

SEVERAL MEMBERS of the Assumption Church 75th Anniversary Planning Committee, including Frs. Massouras and Alikakos.

Panaghia Church was established Aug. 15, 1925. In the late 1940s and early 50s, the church had more than 5,000 members and was considered the largest parish in the United States.

Current priests serving the community are Frs. George G. Massouras, protopresbyter; and Tilemahos Alikakos, assistant.

In addition to the two priests, plan-

Bike-a-thon for Heart Association

ning committee members include: Louis G. Malevitis, chairman; Presbytera Despina Massouras, Presbytera Alikakos, Connie Andrews, Chris Demetriou, Ann Dervis, Irene Giardina, Alice Kopan, Susanna Homan, Penny Lageotakes, Demetra and James Lakerdas, Penelope and George Galanapoulos, T. Kalogeresis, Christine and James Kanel, Eugenia and James Leontios, Dean Maggos, Phyllis Nicholas, Dr. Peter Panton, Angela Paterakis, Peggy and Bill J. Vranas, Elaine and John Vassiliades, James Petropoul, Gus Psichogios, John Regas, John Vlahos and Sophia Vlahos.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Assumption parish broke ground for a new church building on May 28 with Metropolitan Anthony, Fr. Andrew J. Barakos, parish council President Paul Kalina, Mayor Sam Campana, parish council members, and parishioners taking part in the blessing of the foundation.

The ceremony was immediately followed by a champagne brunch.

Several speeches reflected the spiritual commitment, personal dedication, time and hard work involved in making the dream of a new church a reality.

The 10,000-square-foot church will accommodate 350 people under a spacious dome. Once completed, the building will house more than $500,000 worth of Byzantine iconography.

Construction of the church is the first of a three-phase master plan that will include an educational building, fellowship hall, and administration building.

Assumption Greek Orthodox Church s community began its first service Aug. 15, 1988, with only 50 families in a small house.

The community has now grown to more that 150 families, a weekly radio program, Come Receive The Light on Sundays at 4:00 pm on 1280 KTKP radio Phoenix, youth ministries, Sunday School with over 80 children, a very active Philoptochos, a web site at www.assumptionaz. org, and countless charitable drives for the poor and needy.

30 Years of Camping in the Pacific N.W.

BIKERS WAIT for everyone to assemble before beginning the 6.6 mile bike-a-thon planned and sponsored by Cub Scout Achilleas Fourakis of Corte Madera

CORTE MADERA, Calif. The $1,000 goal of a bike-a-thon for the American Heart Association sponsored recently by a young Corte Madera Cub Scout has raised six times that, and money still is coming in.

Achilleas Fourakis, a Cub Scout Pack 43 member, to fulfill the community service requirement for his religious service medal, decided that he would sponsor a 6.6-mile bike-a-thon to try and raise $1,000 for the American Heart Association. The idea was inspired by his sister Elektra, age 2 1/2, who was born with a life-threatening heart defect.

As the Corte Madera 10-year-old said in his letter soliciting pledges for the event, Millions of people suffer from heart disease or stroke every year, and many babies are born with heart defects. Many children, like my sister Elektra, survive due to medical advances and research. I m thankful for the advances that help many people, especially my sister.

Joining Achilleas in the Bike-a-thon on Sunday, June 11, were more than five members of his Cub Scout pack and 50 fellow dancers in the Minoan Dancers Troupe of the Nativity of Christ Church.

Achilleas is a member of the Minoans, and his parents, Vasilis and Effie Fourakis, are the choreographer-directors.

The bikers gathered at the Fourakis house on Lakeside Drive in Corte Madera

where Mary Matthiesen, executive director of the Marin/Sonoma Chapter American Heart Association, presented a sendoff speech that reminded the young bikers of the five axioms for preventing heart disease and stroke.

They are, she told them: Exercise, eat right, and don t smoke and when you reach 20 and over, know your blood pressure and know your risk factors.

After a blessing by Fr. Constantine Efstathiu, pastor of Nativity of Christ Greek Orthodox Church, the fund raisers either biked or walked 6.6 miles to Kentfield and back and then enjoyed a barbecue and swim party at the Fourakis home.

Raising the most money were Achilleas with $2,600, and three other Minoan Dancers: Ted & Sophia Simos of Dublin ($1,775), and Alexandra Kambur ($400).

With pledged money still to come in, the cash on hand has reached $6,500 and Mrs. Fourakis said the total should go over $7,000.

Achilleas planned the event and wrote the letter of solicitation, the flyer, and his speech to welcome the participants. He also had a ball leading the ride and eating and playing with his friends in his family pool.

He concluded, It was fun, and I ll do it again to help my sister and all the little kids who suffer like she has.

TACOMA, Wash. This summer marks a milestone for Orthodox camping in the Pacific Northwest: 30 continuous years of summer camping programs including the past 20 years in a church owned facility.

All Saints Camp and Retreat Center, located just outside of Tacoma, and 49 miles southwest of downtown Seattle, has been a vehicle for spiritual and recreational growth for hundreds of Orthodox children and adults as well.

Established in 1971 as the Northwest Orthodox Youth Foundation, a group of clergy and laymen instituted the first summer camp program and sought to locate land suitable for a permanent camp.

Under the guidance of Frs. A. Homer Demopulos, Sam Poulos and E. Anthony Tomaras together with their respective presbyteres and George Plumis as camp director, a program for students age 7-17 was instituted and held throughout the 1970s at various rented facilities around the Puget Sound region.

In 1980, a consolidation of existing camp facilities by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle resulted in the availability of their Camp Blanchet- a 17-acre waterfront site complete with chapel, lodge, dock and several weatherbeaten cabins.

The Foundation, recognizing the need for a permanent facility, made an offer for purchase that was accepted. The name of the camp was changed to the All Saints Camp and Retreat Center with its first Orthodox camping session held in July 1981.

Then, as now, a program of arts and crafts, boating, swimming, icon painting, athletics and religious life filled each day as well as evening activities such as campfires and skits.

In 1987, a restructuring of the Northwest Orthodox Foundation into the Foundation for the All Saints Center occurred

and the ownership and operation of the facility became a joint venture of the two Seattle Greek Orthodox parishes of St. Demetrios and Church of the Assumption.

The region s mild climate (even the rain!) allows for year-round use of the facility. Thus retreats and other parish-instituted activities can be held throughout the year. Summer camp sessions, however, remain the most successful of all the current programs.

This summer s program include separate weeks for elementary, middle and high school age students. In addition, since 1980 the annual parish picnics have been held here each July.

The facility is also made available for the very successful Kids n Cancer Camp Agape, a Philoptochos-sponsored weeklong camp session specifically for young children who suffer the effects of cancer.

What makes this camp unique is that these children share the week with their parents and siblings as well as many, many Orthodox volunteers.

This outreach program is now in its fourth summer.

Finally, the facility is available for rentals for other churches and non-profit groups for retreats, camp sessions, etc.

All Saints Camp and Retreat Center is a ministry of St. Demetrios and Church of the Assumption parishes whose purpose, through a separately appointed board of directors, is to develop, operate and maintain the site to facilitate the spiritual, educational, philanthropic, cultural and recreational ministry of the Greek Orthodox Church for the faithful throughout the Northwest.

Inquiries regarding All Saints Camp can be directed to Paul Plumis, All Saints Camp and Retreat Center, PO Box 23307, Seattle WA 98102.

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u óåë. 15

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ôïýôïõ èÜ äéáôçñÞóïõí ôÞí á [ ñ÷áßáí áªéãëçí á[õô`ùí ô`ùí èåóì`ùí, å éò ï[õäåìßáí óêéÜí äé÷ïíïßáò ]åðéôñÝðïíôåò }ïðùò âëÜø~ç ôÞí ]ùñáßáí á[õô`ùí å éêüíá. ] Ï [ Áðüóôïëïò Ðá`õëïò ðñïôñÝðåé ó÷åôéê`ùò: <ðáñáêáë`ù äÝ ]õì`áò, [áäåëöïß, äéÜ ôï`õ [ïíüìáôïò ôï`õ Êõñßïõ ]çì`ùí Éçóï`õ ×ñéóôï`õ, ¬éíá ôü á[õôü ëÝãçôå ðÜíôåò êáß ìÞ ~\ç [åí ]çì¡éí ó÷ßóìáôá, |çôå äÝ êáôçñôéóìÝíïé [åí ô`~ù á[õô`~ù íïÀ êáß [åí ô`~ç á[õô~`ç ãíþì~ç> (Á´ Êïñ. 1,10)^ êáß [áëëá÷ï`õ <óðïõäÜæïíôåò ôçñå¡éí ôÞí ]åíüôçôá ôï`õ ðíåýìáôïò [åí ô`~ù óõíäÝóì~ù ô`çò å éñÞíçò> ([ Åöåó. 4,3), [áðïôåëï`õí äÝ á é ðñïôñïðáß á|õôáé ìßáí [åê ô`ùí á éùíßùí ðáñáäüóåùí, ô`çò ]ïðïßáò ]ç óðïõäáéüôçò å®éíáé êáéñßá êáôÜ ôÞí ôñßôçí ÷éëéåôßáí. Äéüôé ]ç [åðéâßùóéò ]çì`ùí ]ùò ]ïìïãåíåßáò êáß ]ç äéÜäïóéò ôï`õ ìçíýìáôïò ô`çò [ïñèïäüîïõ ðßóôåùò [åîáñô`ùíôáé å éò ìåãÜëïí âáèìüí [åê ô`çò [áññáãï`õò ]åíüôçôïò ]çì`ùí ô`ùí [ïñèïäüîùí. } Ïèåí, ðåñéðôõóóüìåíïé [áäåëöéê`ùò ôÞí ]õìåôÝñáí ößëçí Éåñüôçôá êáß ôïýò ëïéðïýò å[ í ×ñéóô`ù ~ á [ äåëöïýò êáß óõëëåéôïõñãïýò êáß å[ ðéäáøéëåýïíôåò å éò á { ðáíôáò ôïýò ìåôÝ÷ïíôáò ô`çò Êëçñéêïëáúê`çò ôáýôçò Óõíåëåýóåùò ]ïëüèõìïí ôÞí ðáôñéêÞí êáß Ðáôñéáñ÷éêÞí ]çì`ùí å[õëïãßáí, äåüìåèá ôï`õ Êõñßïõ }ïðùò êáôåõèýí~ç á[õôïýò å éò ]ïäïýò å[õèåßáò ðñüò ë`çøéí [ïñè`ùí [áðïöÜóåùí [åðß ðáíôüò óõæçôçèçóïìÝíïõ èÝìáôïò, ï } ðùò ÷áñßæçôáé å éò á[õôïýò ð`áí äþñçìá ôÝëåéïí êáß å éò êáôáñôéóìüí êáß ðñüïäïí ô`ùí ôå [áôüìùí êáß ô`çò ] Ïìïãåíåßáò ÷ñÞóéìïí. Ðñïóåðéäçëï`õíôåò ä }ïôé ôÜ á éóèÞìáôá, ôÞí óôïñãÞí, ôÞí [áãÜðçí êáß ôÞí ôéìÞí ô`çò Ìçôñüò [ Åêêëçóßáò êáß ]çì`ùí ðñïóùðéê`ùò ðñüò ôÞí ]õìåôÝñáí Éåñüôçôá êáß ðñüò ôÜ ìÝëç ô`çò Êëçñéêïëáúê`çò Óõíåëåýóåùò èÝëåé äéáâéâÜóåé êáß äéÜ æþóçò Ðáôñéáñ÷éêÞí ]çì`ùí [ Áíôéðñïóùðåßá [åê ô`ùí ÉåñùôÜôùí [áäåëö`ùí Ìçôñïðïëéô`ùí Ôõñïëüçò êáß Óåñåíôßïõ êõñßïõ ÐáíôåëåÞìïíïò êáß Óåâáóôåßáò êõñßïõ Äçìçôñßïõ, Äéåõèõíôï`õ ôï`õ ÉäéáéôÝñïõ Ðáôñéáñ÷éêï`õ ç ] ì`ùí Ãñáöåßïõ, å[ ðéêáëïýìåèá å[ ö õ ] ì`áò ðÜíôáò ôÞí ÷Üñéí, ôü á { ðåéñïí å{ ëåïò êáß ôÜ ðëïýóéá äùñÞìáôá ôï`õ Êõñßïõ êáß Èåï`õ êáß Óùô`çñïò ]çì`ùí Éçóï`õ ×ñéóôï`õ. ~â Éïõíßïõ êò´

ÓÅËÉÄÁ 14

ÏÑÈÏÄÏÎÏÓ ÐÁÑÁÔÇÑÇÔÇÓ

ÉÏÕËÉÏÓ ÁÕÃÏÕÓÔÏÓ 2000

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Íéê. Ìáããßíáò

Ï Ïéêïõìåíéêüò ÐáóôñéÜñ÷çò ê. Âáñèïëïìáßïò áðåõèýíåé ôçí åíáñêôÞñéá ïìéëßá ôïõ óôïõò ïñèüäïîïõò íÝïõò êáé íÝåò ðïõ óõãêåíôñþèçêáí óôçí Ðüëç áðü êÜèå ãùíéÜ ôçò ãçò.

åéò ôçí áîéïðñÝðåéáí ôïõ áíèñþðïõ êáé ôçí áêáëáéóèçóßáí ôùí ðáñÜ öýóéí ó÷Ýóåùí åßíáé ôï êáëýôåñïí ðñïöõëáêôéêüí ìÝóïí áðü ôçò èáíáôçöüñïõ ìïëýíóåùò. Äéüôé ðñþôïí ìïëýíåôáé êáé áðïèíÞóêåé ôï ðíåýìá êáé ýóôåñïí êáô áíáãêáéüôçôá èíÞóêåé êáôÜ ôïí Ýíá Þ ôïí Üëëïí ôñüðïí ôï óþìá. ¼èåí ïé ÷ñéóôéáíïß íÝïé æùïðïéçìÝíïé êáôÜ ôï ðíåýìá äåí öïâïýíôáé ôáò ôïéáýôáò íüóïõò ôïõ óþìáôïò êáé åßíáé êÞñõêåò ôçò åí ×ñéóôþ åëåõèåñßáò áðü ôçò äïõëåßáò ôùí ðáèþí êáé ôïõ èáíÜôïõ>. Éäéáßôåñç áíáöïñÜ åðßóçò Ýêáíå ï Ðáíáãéþôáôïò óôï èÝìá ôçò ãëþóóáò êáé ôçò áíÜãêçò äéáôÞñçóçò ôçò ëÝãïíôáò: <Åßíáé óáöÝò, üôé ç ãëþóóá, ùò Ýí ôùí èåìåëéùäþí áíèñùðßíùí öáéíïìÝíùí, áðïôåëåß ïõóéþäåò óõóôáôéêüí óôïé÷åßïí ôçò áíèñþðéíçò ðñïóùðéêüôçôïò, ôï ïðïßïí äåí åðéôñÝðåôáé íá èõóéáóèåß åéò ôçí ïìïéïìïñößáí ôçò óõã÷ñüíïõ ðáãêïóìéïðïéÞóåùò. ¼ðùò åßíáé åðßóçò óáöÝò, üôé, åéò ôçí ðñïïðôéêÞí ôçò íÝáò ÷éëéåôßáò,

ôßèåíôáé õðü üëùò äéÜöïñïí öùò ôá êñéôÞñéá ôá åèíéêÜ, ôá åèéìéêÜ êáé Üëëá, ôá ïðïßá ðñïóäéïñßæïõí ôçí óôÜóéí çìþí óÞìåñïí åðß ôïõ èÝìáôïò ôçò ãëþóóçò ôçò èåßáò ëáôñåßáò ôüóïí åéò ôáò êáôÜ ðáñÜäïóéí ïñèïäüîïõò ÷þñáò, üóïí êáé åéò ôçí áíÜ ôçí ïéêïõìÝíçí ïñèüäïîïí äéáóðïñÜí. Éäßùò ôáò çìÝñáò áõôÜ ôçò áãßáò ÐåíôçêïóôÞò ÷áéñüìåèá åíôïíþôåñïí ôïí ðëïýôïí ôçò ãëùóóéêÞò åêöñÜóåùò ôïõ áíèñþðïõ, ôïí ïðïßïí åäÝ÷èç ùò ãåãïíüò êáé çõëüãçóåí åî áñ÷Þò ç Ïñèüäïîïò çìþí Åêêëçóßá êáé ï êáè çìÜò Ïéêïõìåíéêüò Èñüíïò, õðåßêïíôåò åéò ôï Ðíåýìá ôï ¢ãéïí, ôï ïðïßïí åëÜëçóåí åéò Ýêáóôïí Üíèñùðïí ôç éäßá äéáëÝêôù > (Ðñ. 2,6). >Ç íÝá ÷éëéåôßá åðéöõëÜóóåé ìåãÜëáò åêðëÞîåéò åéò áõôüí ôïí ôïìÝá. Ìåñéêáß ãëþóóáé èá óõññéêíùèïýí êáé Üëëáé èá åîáðëùèïýí, éäßá åéò ôïõò ôüðïõò åñãáóßáò üðïõ ç ãëùóóéêÞ ïìïéïìïñößá äéåõêïëýíåé ôçí óõíåñãáóßáí. Ç äéáôÞñçóéò üìùò ôùí ðáñáäïóéáêþí ãëùóóþí

Ç ×ïñùäßá ôïõ ÏÔÅ óôçí Ðüëç

Íéê. Ìáããßíáò

ÊÙÍÓÔÁÍÔÉÍÏÕÐÏËÇ. - Ç ÷ïñùäßá ôïõ ÏÔÅ (Ïñãáíéóìüò Ôçëåðéêïéíùíéþí ÅëëÜäïò) ìåôÜ áðü ðñüóêëçóç ôçò Áäåëöüôçôïò ôù ÏööéêéÜëùí ôïõ Ïéêïõìåíéêïý Ðáôñéáñ÷åßïõ <Ðáíáãßá ç ÐáììáêÜñéóôïò> Ýëáâå ìÝñïò óôéò åêäçëþóåéò ôùí ïööéêéÜëùí êáé Ýäùóå äýï óõíáõëßåò, óôçí ÈåïëïãéêÞ Ó÷ïëÞ ôçò ×Üëêçò êáé óôï îåíïäï÷åßï <×ßëôïí> ôçò Ðüëçò. Ç ÷ïñùäßá ôåëïýóå õðü ôçí åìðíåõóìÝíç äéåýèõíóç ôïõ ÁëåîÜíäñïõ Ðáðáãéáííüðïõëïõ. Ç ÷ïñùäßá ôïõ ÏÔÅ óõíå÷ßæåé íá åðéäåéêíýåé áîéïóçìåßùôç êáëëéôå÷íéêÞ ðáñïõóßá, õðåñáóðéæüìåíç ìå ðÜèïò êáé åõèýíç ôçí õðÝñï÷ç ìïõóéêÞ ìáò êëçñïíïìéÜ. ÐáñÝóôçóáí ï Ïéêïõìåíéêüò ÐáôñéÜñ÷çò Âáñèïëïìáßïò, ÉåñÜñ÷åò, ï Ðñüåäñïò ôùí ÏööéêéÜëùí ¢ñ÷ïí ÉùÜííçò Ðáðáìé÷áëÜêçò, ï ÁíáðëçñùôÞò ÄéåõèõíôÞò Óýìâïõëïò ôïõ ÏÔÅ Ã. ÓêáñðÝëçò, êáé Üëëïé ðáñÜãïíôåò ôïõ ÏÔÅ, ï ¸ðáñ÷ïò êáé ï ÄÞìáñ÷ïò ôùí ÐñéãêçðïíÞóùí, ïööéêéÜëïé êáé ðëÞèïò ïìïãåíþí ôçò Ðüëçò.

áðáéôåß ìåí ìéêñüí êüðïí, áëëÜ ðñïóöÝñåé ìåãÜëçí ùöÝëåéáí êõñßùò åéò ôçí äéåýñõíóéí ôùí ðíåõìáôéêþí ïñéæüíôùí. Êáé ç íåüôçò ïõäÝðïôå çñíÞèç ôïí êüðïí, ï ïðïßïò áðáéôåßôáé äéÜ íá äñÝøåé ôïõò êáñðïýò ôçò ðíåõìáôéêÞò áíáðôýîåùò>. Óôçí åðéôõ÷çìÝíç áõôÞ ÏéêïõìåíéêÞ ÍåáíéêÞ Óýíáîç, ðïõ ðñïÞäñåõå ï Ìçôñïðïëßôçò Óáóßìùí ÃåííÜäéïò, Ýãéíáí åéóçãÞóåéò áðü êëçñéêïýò êáé ëáúêïýò åðéóôÞìïíåò, ðÜíù óôéò ïðïßåò Ýãéíáí åðïéêïäïìçôéêÝò óõæçôÞóåéò óå ìåßæïíá óýã÷ñïíá åêêëçóéáóôéêÜ êáé êïéíùíéêÜ èÝìáôá ðïõ áðáó÷ïëïýí ôçí íåüôçôá êáé åðéêåíôñþèçêáí ãýñù áðü ôçí éåñïóýíç, ôïí ìïíá÷éóìü, ôéò ó÷Ýóåéò ôùí äýï öýëùí, ôïí åðáããåëìáôéêü ðñïóáíáôïëéóìü, ôçí ÊïéíùíéêÞ äéêáéïóýíç, ôá áíèñþðéíá äéêáéþìáôá, ôïí Ðüëåìï êáé ôçí ÅéñÞíç, ôçí Áíåñãßá, ôï Ïéêïëïãéêü ðñüâëçìá ôá ÍáñêùôéêÜ, ôï AIDS ê.á. Ï Ðñüåäñïò ôïõ Óõíåäñßïõ Ìçôñïðïëßôçò Óáóßìùí ÃåííÜäéïò óôçí åéóçãçôéêÞ ïìéëßá ôïõ <ÓêÝøåéò êáé ðñïâëçìáôéóìïß: ïé íÝïé óôçí Åêêëçóßá ôçò ôñßôçò ÷éëéåôßáò>, åßðå ìåôáîý Üëëùí: <Åßíáé åõäéÜêñéôç óôçí åðï÷Þ ìáò ç áíáãêáéüôçôá åíüò ãïíßìïõ äéáëüãïõ Åêêëçóßáò êáé íÝùí, ìå ðíåýìá åðßóçò èåôéêü êáé áð ôçí ðëåõñÜ ôçò íåïëáßáò, ç ïðïßá äåí åíäåßêíõôáé íá áðïæçôÜ éêáíïðïßçóç ôùí áäõíáìéþí ôçò áðü ôï ëüãï êáé ôç óôÜóç æùÞò ôçò Åêêëçóßáò, áëëÜ ïöåßëåé íá âñßóêåé ôç äýíáìç íá ðñïóåããßæåé ìå åõèýôçôá, ìå ôéìéüôçôá, ìå áãùíéóôéêÞ äéÜèåóç êáé ðíåýìá èõóßáò ôá ãíÞóéá âéþìáôá ôçò åí ×ñéóôþ áãÜðçò êáé åëåõèåñßáò ðïõ óõíéóôïýí ôçí ïõóßá ôçò æùÞò ôçò Åêêëçóßáò. Ïé íÝïé åßíáé êáé áõôïß Åêêëçóßá êáé áðü ôï ãåãïíüò áõôü áðïññÝïõí åî ßóïõ êáé ãé áõôïýò ü÷é ìüíï äéêáéþìáôá, áëëÜ êáé áíôéóôïß÷ùò õðï÷ñåþóåéò>. Óôï ôÝëïò ôïõ Óõíåäñßïõ åãêñßèçêå áðü ôçí ïëïìÝëåéá ôï ðüñéóìá óôï ïðïßï êáôáãñÜöçêáí ïé èÝóåéò ðïõ õéïèåôÞèçêáí ãéá êÜèå ðñüâëçìá, üðùò: ç áíáãêáéüôçôá íá äéáóùèïýí óôï áêÝñáéï ôá ïõóéþäç ôçò Ïñèüäïîçò ÐáñÜäïóçò, ç áðïäï÷Þ ôïõ åðáããÝëìáôïò, ü÷é ìüíï ùò âéïðïñéóôéêïý ìÝóïõ, áëëÜ êáé ùò ðåäßïõ Üóêçóçò ôùí áñåôþí êáé ôçò äéáêïíßáò ôïõ ðëçóßïí, ç Ýìöáóç ôçò áíÜãêçò íá èùñáêéóèïýí ïé Ïñèüäïîïé ÍÝïé åêðáéäåõôéêÜ êáé çèéêÜ, þóôå íá áíáðôýîïõí Ýãêáéñá ôá ðíåõìáôéêÜ <áíôéóþìáôá> åíáíôßïí êÜèå áðåéëÞò, ç åðéöýëáîç ãéá âåâéáóìÝíåò áðüðåéñåò ãëùóóéêþí êáéíïôïìéþí, ðïõ åíäå÷ïìÝíùò èá áëëïßùíáí ôïí ÷áñáêôÞñá êáé ôï ðåñéå÷üìåíï ôçò ëáôñåõôéêÞò ðáñÜäïóçò, ç êáôáããåëßá ôçò õðïíüìåõóçò êáé êáôáññÜêùóçò ðïõ õößóôáíôáé ôá óôïé÷åßá ôùí äéáðñïóùðéêþí ó÷Ýóåùí ôùí áíèñþðùí, ç ðéêñßá ãéá ôéò óõ÷íÜ åðáíáëáìâáíüìåíåò êáé ìç ôçñïýìåíåò õðïó÷Ýóåéò ðåñß åéñÞíçò áðü ôïõò éó÷õñïýò ôçò ãçò, ç Üñíçóç ôïõ èñçóêåõôéêïý öáíáôéóìïý êáé ôùí éåñþí ðïëÝìùí êáé ç õðüäåéîç ôïõ äéáëüãïõ, ôçò áëëçëïãíùñéìßáò, ôçò êáôáëëáãÞò êáé ôïõ óåâáóìïý ôçò åôåñüôçôáò, ùò ôñüðïõ ëýóåùò ôùí ìåôáîý áíèñþðùí êáé ëáþí ðñïâëçìÜôùí, ç õéïèåóßá üëùí ôùí ðñùôïâïõëéþí ôïõ Ïéêïõìåíéêïý Ðáôñéáñ÷åßïõ ùò ðñïò ôçí áíôéìåôþðéóç ôùí ïéêïëïãéêþí ðñïâëçìÜôùí, ç éäéáßôåñç åõáéóèçóßá ãéá ôá åõñýôåñá áíèñþðéíá äéêáéþìáôá, ç ðáñÜêëçóç íá êáèéåñùèåß ç óýãêëéóç ôïõ Óõíåäñßïõ êáôÜ ôáêôÜ äéáóôÞìáôá.

ÏÑÈÏÄÏÎÏÓ ÐÁÑÁÔÇÑÇÔÇÓ

ETA Press

Ôá ìÝëç ôïõ íÝïõ ÕðÜôïõ Äéïéêçôéêïý Óõìâïõëßïõ ôçò ÐáììáêåäïíéêÞò ¸íùóçò ÁìåñéêÞò êáé ÊáíáäÜ ìå ôïí Áñ÷éåðßóêïðï ÄçìÞôñéï ìåôÜ ôçí ïñêùìïóßá ôïõò.

ÍÝá Õüñêç. Må ôï ÷ñõóü ìåôÜëëéï ôçò ÐáììáêåäïíéêÞò ¸íùóçò ÁìåñéêÞò êáé ÊáíáäÜ ôéìÞèçêå ï Óåâ. Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò ÁìåñéêÞò ê. ÄçìÞôñéïò óôç äéÜñêåéá ôïõ åðßóçìïõ äåßðíïõ ôïõ 54ïõ óõíåäñßïõ ôçò ïñãÜíùóçò ðïõ ðñáãìáôïðïéÞèçêå áðü ôéò 6 ìÝ÷ñé ôéò 9 Éïõëßïõ óôç ÍÝá Õüñêç. Ôáõôü÷ñïíá ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò, ðïõ êáôÜãåôáé áðü ôçí Èåóóáëïíßêç, áíáêçñý÷èçêå åðßôéìïò ðñüåäñïò ôçò ÐáììáêåäïíéêÞò. Ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò áðïäÝ÷èçêå ìå éäéáßôåñç óõãêßíçóç ôçí âñÜâåõóÞ ôïõ ôïíßæïíôáò üôé áðïôåëåß ãé' áõôüí ìéá <åîáéñåôéêÞ ôéìÞ>. ÊáôÜ ôçí äéÜñêåéá ôïõ åðßóçìïõ äåßðíïõ áðïíåìÞèçêáí ÷ñõóÜ ìåôÜëëéá êáé óôïõò åõåñãÝôåò ôçò ÐáììáêåäïíéêÞò, ôïí ê. Ðáíáãéþôç Îåíüðïõëï êáé ôïí ê. ÌðÜìðç ÇëéÜäç, åíþ ôéìÞèçêáí ãéá ôçí ðñïóöïñÜ ôïõò ï ðñüåäñïò ôïõ ÊÝíôñïõ Ìáêåäïíéêþí Óðïõäþí óôçí ÍÝá Õüñêç ê. Çëßáò Íåïöõôßäçò êáé ï ê. ÁèáíÜóéïò Ôïýíôæïò, áðü ôçí ÉíôéÜíá. Óôçí ïìéëßá ôïõ ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò ÄçìÞôñéïò õðïãñÜììéóå üôé ç Ìáêåäïíßá åßíáé êÜôé ôï äéáöïñåôéêü, êáé ôïíßæïíôáò ôéò éäéáéôåñüôçôÝò ôçò áíÝöåñå üôé ðñüêåéôáé ãéá Ýíá ôüðï åîáéñåôéêÜ åõëïãçìÝíï. Ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò ìåôÝöåñå óôïõò óõíÝäñïõò ðïõ ðáñåõñÝèçêáí óôï äåßðíï ôéò åõ÷Ýò êáé ôçí ðáôñéêÞ åõëïãßá ôïõ Ïéêïõìåíéêïý ÐáôñéÜñ÷ç Âáñèïëïìáßïõ, ìå ôïí ïðïßï åß÷å, üðùò åßðå, ôçëåöùíéêÞ åðéêïéíùíßá. Åðßóçò áíáöÝñèçêå óôçí åëëçíéêüôçôá ùò ðáãêüóìéï öáéíüìåíï êáé ìßëçóå ãéá ôïí ñüëï êáé ôçí óçìáóßá ôçò ÅëëçíéêÞò ãëþóóáò, ç ïðïßá ôüíéóå, åîáéôßáò ôïõ ÌåãÜëïõ ÁëåîÜíäñïõ, åß÷å áðïêôÞóåé áêáôáìÜ÷çôç äýíáìç, áöïý ôá ÷ñüíéá ðïõ áêïëïýèçóáí ôéò åêóôñáôåßåò ôïõ åðéêñÜôçóå ï ðïëéôéóìüò êáé ç ãëþóóá ôùí ÅëëÞíùí óôï ãíùóôü ôüôå êüóìï. ÊáôáëÞãïíôáò Óåâáóìéþôáôïò êÜëåóå ôïõò óõíÝäñïõò íá êñáôÞóïõí áíïéêôïýò êáé íá ðëáôýíïõí áõôïýò ôïõò ïñßæïíôåò.

Ïé åñãáóßåò

ÊáôÜ ôçí äéÜñêåéá ôùí åñãáóéþí ðïõ ðñáãìáôïðïéÞèçêáí óôï îåíïäï÷åßï Crowne Plaza, êïíôÜ óôï áåñïäñüìéï Ëá ÃêïõÜñíôéá óõæçôÞèçêáí èÝìáôá ðïõ áöïñïýí ôçí ïñãÜíùóç êáé åêäüèçêáí øçößóìáôá ãéá ôï üíïìá êáé ôçí éóôïñßá ôçò Ìáêåäïíßáò. ÐáñÜëëçëá Ýãéíáí åêëïãÝò ãéá ôçí áíÜäåéîç ôïõ íÝïõ õðÜôïõ óõìâïõëßïõ êáé ãéá ðñþôç öïñÜ ôçí èÝóç êáôÝëáâå ìéá ãõíáßêá, ç ê. Íßíá Ðåñïðïýëïõ. Óôá øçößóìáôá ôïõ óõíåäñßïõ åêöñÜæåôáé ç âïýëçóç ôùí óõíÝäñùí íá áãùíéóôïýí ìå óôü÷ï íá ìçí õðÜñîåé

ïðïéáäÞðïôå óõìöùíßá ðïõ íá ðåñéÝ÷åé ôïí üñï <Ìáêåäïíßá> ðïõ áðïôåëåß áäéáìöéóâÞôçôç éóôïñéêÞ êáé ðïëéôéóôéêÞ êëçñïíïìéÜ ôçò ÅëëÜäáò. Ôï üíïìá, áíáöÝñïõí ôá øçößóìáôá, åßíáé áäéáðñáãìÜôåõôï êáé ùò ðáôñéêÞ êëçñïíïìéÜ äåí ìðïñåß íá ðáñá÷ùñçèåß óå êáíÝíá. Ìçíýìáôá ìå ôçí åõêáéñßá ôïõ óõíåäñßïõ áðçýèõíáí åêôüò áðü ôïí Áñ÷éåðßóêïðï ÄçìÞôñéï, ï Ðñüåäñïò Êëßíôïí, ï ðñüåäñïò ôçò ÅëëçíéêÞò Äçìïêñáôßáò ê. Êùíóôáíôßíïò Óôåöáíüðïõëïò, ï ðñüåäñïò ôçò ÂïõëÞò ôùí ÅëëÞíùí ê. Áðüóôïëïò ÊáêëáìÜíçò, ï Ãåíéêüò ÃñáììáôÝáò ÁðïäÞìïõ Åëëçíéóìïý ê. ÄçìÞôñçò Äüëëçò, ï ðñüåäñïò ôïõ ÓÁÅ ê. Áíôñéïõ Áèåíò, ïé âïõëåõôÝò ÓôÝëéïò ÐáðáèåìåëÞò êáé Âáóßëåéïò ÐáððÜò êáé ï ðñüåäñïò ôïõ Äçìïôéêïý Óõìâïõëßïõ ôçò ÍÝáò Õüñêçò ê. Ðßôåñ Âáëüí. Óôï óõíÝäñéï ðáñåõñÝèçêå êáé ìßëçóå ï âïõëåõôÞò ôçò ÍÝáò Äçìïêñáôßáò ê. Ðáíáãéþôçò ÓêáíäáëÜêçò, ùò åêðñüóùðïò ôçò ÄéáêïììáôéêÞò ÅðéôñïðÞò ôçò ÂïõëÞò ãéá ôïí Áðüäçìï Åëëçíéóìü. Ôéò åñãáóßåò ôïõ óõíåäñßïõ ðáñáêïëïýèçóå êáé ï êáèçãçôÞò áñ÷áéïëïãßáò ê. ÄçìÞôñçò ÐáíôåñìáíëÞò, ùò äéåõèõíôÞò ôïõ <ÁëåîÜíäñåéïõ>, ôïõ êôéñßïõ ôïõ Äéåèíïýò Éäñýìáôïò ÌåãÜëïõ ÁëåîÜíäñïõ, ðïõ âñßóêåôáé óôïí êüìâï Äßïõ-Ëéôï÷þñïõ óôï íïìü Ðéåñßáò. Ï ê. ÐáíôåñìáëÞò áíáöÝñèçêå óôï Ýñãï êáé ôçí ëåéôïõñãßá ôïõ <ÁëåîÜíäñåéïõ> êáé ôüíéóå üôé Ý÷åé îåêéíÞóåé ç ìåëÝôç ãéá ôï åðüìåíï óôÜäéï ôïõ åêðáéäåõôéêïý Ýñãïõ ðïõ èá ðáñïõóéÜóåé ôï ßäñõìá êáé èá Ý÷åé ôïí ÷áñáêôÞñá <óýíèåôïõ ðïëõèåÜìáôïò>.

ÓÇÌÁÔÏÄÏÔÅÓ ÐÉÓÔÇÓ ÃÉÁ ÔÏ ÌÅËËÏÍ: Ëáôñåßá, ÁãÜðç êáé ÁëÞèåéá áðüóôïëïé ôçò Åêêëçóßáò ôïõ ×ñéóôïý.

u óåë. 13 ìå ôçí óõììåôï÷Þ åâäïìçêïíôáìåëïýò ÷ïñùäßáò. «Óáò êáëùóïñßæïõìå óÞìåñá óôçí åíáñêôÞñéá áõôÞ Èåßá Ëåéôïõñãßá ôçò 35çò ÊëçñéêïëáúêÞò ìáò Óõíåëåýóåùò êáé ôáõôï÷ñüíùò ôçò Óõíåëåýóåùò ôùí ÍÝùí ôçò Åêêëçóßáò ìáò» åßðå ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò óôçí áñ÷Þ ôïõ êçñýãìáôüò ôïõ ìåôÜ ôï ôÝëïò ôçò áíáãíþóåùò ôçò åõáããåëéêÞò ðåñéêïðÞò. <Áðïôåëåß åõëïãßá Èåïý ðïõ âñéóêüìáóôå óÞìåñá ìå ôçí åõêáéñßá ôçò ðñáãìáôïðïéÞóåùò ôçò ÊëçñéêïëáúêÞò óôçí ðüëç ôçò ÖéëáäÝëöåéáò» åßðå ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò êáé áíáöÝñèçêå óôéò êáôåõèýíóåéò êáé ôéò Ýííïéåò ðïõ åìðåñéÝ÷ïíôáé óôï üíïìá ôçò ðüëåùò ÖéëáäÝëöåéá êáé óõìâáäßæïõí ìå ôï ðåñéå÷üìåíï ôçò ðßóôçò ìáò, äçëáäÞ «ôçò áäåëöïóýíçò, ôçò áãÜðçò, ôçò åéñÞíçò, ôçò áëëçëåããýçò, ôçò óõìðïñåýóåùò, ôçò óõíäéáêïíßáò êáé óõíåéóöïñÜò óôï ëáü ôïõ Èåïý, ôïõ Åõáããåëßïõ êáé ôçò Ïñèïäïîßáò». Óôç óõíÝ÷åéá, óôï êÞñõãìÜ ôïõ ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò ÁìåñéêÞò ê. ÄçìÞôñéïò, áíáöÝñèçêå óôçí åõáããåëéêÞ ðåñéêïðÞ ôçò çìÝñáò áðü ôï êáôÜ Ìáôèáßïí ÅõáããÝëéï, ðïõ áíáöÝñåé ÷áñáêôçñéóôéêÜ ôçí êëÞóç ôïõ ×ñéóôïý óôïõò ðñþôïõò ìáèçôÝò ôïõ «Äåýôå ïðßóù ìïõ êáé ðïéÞóù õìÜò áëéåßò áíèñþðùí» ôçí ïðïßá ðáñáëëÞëéóå ìå ôçí «êëÞóç êáé áðïóôïëÞ» ðïõ áðïôåëåß êáé ðñÝðåé íá áðïôåëåß ç Ýíáñîç ìéáò ÊëçñéêïëáúêÞò óõíåëåýóåùò þóôå íá áðïôåëÝóåé: «ìéá óõíÝëåõóç áðïóôïëÞò êáé íá ãßíåé Ýíáò óôáèìüò áðü ôïí ïðïßï ðáßñíïõìå äýíáìç êáé ìáò êáëåß íá ðñï÷ùñÞóïõìå óå ìéá áðïóôïëÞ». Êáé ç áðïóôïëÞ áõôÞ äåí åßíáé Üëëç ðáñÜ ç êëÞóç íá ãßíïõìå üëïé «áëéåßò áíèñþðùí», íá ãßíïõìå

Óôéò 3 ôï áðüãåõìá ôçò ÊõñéáêÞò ðñáãìáôïðïéÞèçêå ç Ýíáñîç ôùí åñãáóéþí ôïõ Óõíåäñßïõ ôçò ÅèíéêÞò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ Áäåëöüôçôïò ðïõ ðñáãìáôïðïéåßôáé ðáñÜëëçëá ìå ôçí ÊëçñéêïëáúêÞ ÓõíÝëåõóç. Ç ÅèíéêÞ Öéëüðôù÷ïò Áäåëöüôçò ôçò É. Áñ÷éåðéóêïðÞò ÁìåñéêÞò ðïõ óõìðëçñþíåé 67 ÷ñüíéá æùÞò êáé ðñïóöïñÜò, áñéèìïß 500 ðåñßðïõ ôïðéêÝò ïñãáíþóåéò, ï ðñïûðïëïãéóìüò ôçò ãéá ôï 2000 öôÜíåé ôá 1.4 åêáôïììýñéá äïëÜñéá êáé óôï öåôéíü ôçò ÓõíÝäñéï óõììåôåß÷áí 450 ðåñßðïõ åããåãñáììÝíïé áíôéðñüóùðïé. Ç ÏñãÜíùóç ôçò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ áðïôåëåß óÞìåñá ôçí ìåãáëýôåñç ÷ñéóôéáíéêÞ ïñãÜíùóç ãõíáéêþí óôçí ÁìåñéêÞ. Ç ðñüåäñïò ôçò ÅèíéêÞò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ Áäåëöüôçôïò, ê. Åõáíèßá ÊïíôÜêç ðáñïõóßáóå ôïí áðïëïãéóìü ôçò èçôåßáò ôçò êáé ôüíéóå ôçí ðñïóÝããéóç ôçò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ Áäåëöüôçôïò óôçí áíôéìåôþðéóç ôùí êïéíùíéêþí ðñïâëçìÜôùí ôçò êïéíùíßáò ìáò õðü ôï ðñßóìá ôçò áãÜðçò ôïõ ×ñéóôïý, ôçò áãÜðçò ðïõ ðñïóôñÝ÷åé êáé óôçñßæåé êÜèå áíáîéïðáèïýíôá óõíÜíèñùðü ìáò. Áêüìç ôüíéóå ôçí åýñùóôç ïéêïíïìéêÞ êáôÜóôáóç ôçò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ êáé ôçí ðïëõó÷éäÞ ðñïóöïñÜ ôçò óôïõò öéëáíèñùðéêïýò ïñãáíéóìïýò ôçò Åêêëçóßáò ìáò êáèþò êáé ôéò åðéôõ÷åßò ðñïóðÜèåéÝò ôçò ãéá ôçí áýîçóç ôùí ìåëþí ôçò êáé ôçí äçìéïõñãßá ðïëëþí íÝùí ôïðéêþí ðáñáñôçìÜôùí ôçò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ óå üëç ôçí åðéêñÜôåéá. Ï Óåâ. Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò ÁìåñéêÞò ê. ÄçìÞôñéïò åõ÷áñßóôçóå êáô áñ÷Þí üëá ôá ìÝëç ôçò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ ãéá ôçí óõíå÷Þ

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Ôçí ÊõñéáêÞ 9 Éïõëßïõ ï Óåâ. Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò ÁìåñéêÞò ðñïåîÞñ÷å Áñ÷éåñáôéêÞò Èåßáò Ëåéôïõñãßáò óôï Éåñü Íáü ôïõ Ôéìßïõ Óôáõñïý óôï Whitestone ôçò ÍÝáò Õüñêçò óôçí ïðïßá óõììåôåß÷áí ïìáäéêÜ ôá ìÝëç ôçò ÐáììáêåäïíéêÞò. Áêïëïýèçóå ç ïñêùìïóßá ôïõ íÝïõ ÕðÜôïõ Äéïéêçôéêïý Óõìâïõëßïõ. ÌÝóá óå áôìüóöáéñá åíüôçôáò êáé áëëçëåããýçò åðéâåâáéþèçêå ôï Ýñãï êáé ç ðñïóöïñÜ áëëÜ êáé ï éäéáßôåñïò ñüëïò ôùí ãõíáéêåßùí ôìçìÜôùí ôçò ÐáììáêåäïíéêÞò, áöïý Ýíá óçìáíôéêü ðïóïóôü ôùí áîéùìáôïý÷ùí ðñïÝñ÷ïíôáé áðü ôéò ôÜîåéò ôïõò. Ôï íÝï Ä.Ó. áðïôåëïýí ïé: Íßíá Ðåñïðïýëïõ- ÕðÜôç Ðñüåäñïò, ÓùôÞñéïò Ðñüúïò - Õðáôïò Áíôéðñüåäñïò, ÁëåîÜíäñá Áõãçôßäç - ÕðÜôç ÃñáììáôÝáò, ÂáñâÜñá Ðáðéãêéþôç - ÕðÜôç Ôáìßáò, Ìðüìðé Ìïõôïõóßäçò - Áíôéðñüåäñïò ÊáíáäÜ, Åëåõèåñßá Á÷ôáñßäç - Áíôéðñüåäñïò Íåïëáßáò. Ô.Ë.

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Åêêëçóßá ìáò êáëåß íá æÞóïõìå Ýíôïíá ôçí æùÞ ôçò áóêÞóåùò, ôçò ìåôáíïßáò, ôçò ðñïóåõ÷Þò êáé ôçò öéëáíèñùðßáò. Ìáò êáëåß íá ðñïóÝëèïõìå ìå öüâï Èåïý ãéá íá ëÜâïõìå ôçí Èåßá ÌåôÜëçøç, ôá Ôßìéá Äþñá, áõôü ôïýôï ôï óþìá ôïõ Êõñßïõ, áõôü ôïýôï ôï áßìá ôïõ Êõñßïõ, «åéò Üöåóéí áìáñôéþí êáé æùÞí ôçí áéþíéïí». ¸ôóé, åíþ êáè üëç ôçí äéÜñêåéá ôïõ åêêëçóéáóôéêïý Ýôïõò êáëïýìáóôå íá óõììåôÜó÷ïõìå óõ÷íÜ óôçí Èåßá Êïéíùíßá, íá ãßíïõìå «óýóóùìïé» ìå ôïí ×ñéóôü, íá êáôáóôïýìå, äçëáäÞ, Ýíá ìå ôïí Êýñéï. Óõ÷íÜ åãåßñåôå ôï ôïõ êáè. Ãåùñãßïõ ÌðåìðÞ åñþôçìá ôçò óõ÷íüôçôáò ôçò ðñïóÝëåõóçò ìáò óôá ¢÷ñáíôá ÌõóôÞñéá. Ïöåßëïõìå ðñÜãìáôé íá ðñïóåñ÷üìáóôå óõ÷íÜ óôçí «Èåßá ÌåôÜëçøç; Ç áðÜíôçóç åßíáé êáôáöáôéêÞ. Ïé ðéóôïß ×ñéóôéáíïß ïöåßëïõí íá êïéíùíïýí ôïõ óþìáôïò êáé ôïõ áßìáôïò ôïõ Êõñßïõ óõ÷íÜ ìå ìéá âåâáßùò âáóéêÞ ðñïûðüèåóç. Íá æïõí óõíå÷þò ôçí åí ×ñéóôþ æùÞ, íá áðïôåëïýí æùíôáíÜ, Ýíèåñìá êáé áíôÜîéá ìÝëç ôçò Åêêëçóßáò ôïõ ×ñéóôïý. Âåâáßùò ðñÝðåé íá ëå÷èåß üôé óôçí ìáêñÜ éóôïñßá ôçò Åêêëçóßáò, ç ðñÜîç ôçò óõ÷íÞò Èåßáò ÌåôÜëçøçò äåí åöáñìïæüôáí êáé äåí åöáñìüæåôáé ðÜíôïôå êáé óÞìåñá áðü ôïõò Ïñèïäüîïõò ðéóôïýò ìáò. Ç øý÷ñáíóç ôçò ðßóôåùò, ç áäéêáéïëüãçôç áðïìÜêñõíóç áðü ôçí ëåéôïõñãéêÞ æùÞ ôçò Åêêëçóßáò, ç áðáñÜäåêôç Ýëëåéøç äéáöùôéóôéêÞò äéäáóêáëßáò êáé êáôÜëëçëçò ìåëÝôçò ôùí éóôïñéêþí êáé ëåéôïõñãéêþí ìáò ðçãþí, ïäÞãçóáí ðïëëïýò óôçí áðï÷Þ áðü ôï Üãéï ÐïôÞñéï. ðü ôçí åðï÷Þ ôïõ Áãßïõ ÍéêïäÞìïõ ôïõ Áãéïñåßôïõ, ôïí 18ï áéþíá ìÝ÷ñé óÞìåñá ç åðáíåîÝôáóç ôùí ðçãþí ôçò ÉåñÜò ÐáñÜäïóçò ìáò êáé ç äçìïóßåõóç äéáöùôéóôéêþí âéâëßùí áëëÜ êáé ç ðáñïõóßá êáé ç äéäáóêáëßá áãßùí êëçñéêþí êáé ëáúêþí óõíÝâáëáí óôçí áíáãÝííçóç êáé áíáæùðýñùóç ôçò ëåéôïõñãéêÞò ìáò æùÞò êáé åðïìÝíùò óôçí åðéóôñïöÞ óôçí áñ÷áßá ðïëýôéìç ðñÜîç ôçò óõ÷íïýò Èåßáò ÌåôÜëçøçò. ÁíáíôéëÝêôùò, ìå ôï èÝìá ôçò óõ÷íïýò Èåßáò ÌåôáëÞøåùò óõíäÝïíôáé áðáñáéôÞôùò èåìåëéþäåéò ëåéôïõñãéêÝò ðñÜîåéò ôçò Åêêëçóßáò ìáò, ìå Üëëá ëüãéá, ç óõ÷íüôçôá ôçò ôÝëåóçò ôçò Èåßáò Ëåéôïõñãßáò, ç áíáãêáéüôçôá Þ ìç ôçò íçóôåßáò, ç áíáãêáéüôçôá Þ ìç ôçò ÉåñÜò Åîïìïëüãçóçò êáé ï ôñüðïò ôçò Èåßáò ÌåôáëÞøåùò. Ôï ôåëåõôáßï áõôü èÝìá ÷ñåéÜæåôáé åéäéêÞ ìåëÝôç. Åßíáé áäéáìöéóâÞôçôï ôï ãåãïíüò üôé óôçí áñ÷áßá Åêêëçóßá, ç Èåßá Åõ÷áñéóôßá åôåëåßôï óõ÷íÜ. Áõôü êáôáöáßíåôáé áðü ôá éäñõôéêÜ ëüãéá ôïõ Êõñßïõ, ï ïðïßïò êáôÜ ôïí Ìõóôéêü Äåßðíï ôüíéóå «ôïýôï ðïéåßôå åéò ôçí åìÞí áíÜìíçóéí» (Ëïõê. 22,19 êáé Á´ Êïñ. 11,25-26). Óå Ýíá ìéêñü ìåí, áëëÜ üíôùò ëáìðñü êåßìåíï ôçò áñ÷áßáò Åêêëçóßáò ôçí ëåãüìåíç «Äéäá÷Þí ôùí Áðïóôüëùí» äéáöáßíåôáé, üôé ç Èåßá Åõ÷áñéóôßá åôåëåßôï óõ÷íÜ (êåö. 9ïí êáé 10ïí), ìïëïíüôé óôï 14ï êåöÜëáéï, ïìéëåß ðåñß ôçò Èåßáò Åõ÷áñéóôßáò ç ïðïßá ôåëåßôáé êáôÜ ôçí ÊõñéáêÞ. Ï ¢ãéïò ÉãíÜôéïò, Åðßóêïðïò Áíôéï÷åßáò ôïí 2ïí áéþíá ôïíßæåé ôçí áíÜãêç ôçò óõ÷íÞò ôÝëåóçò ôçò Èåßáò Åõ÷áñéóôßáò. «ÓðïõäÜæåôå ïýí ðõêíüôåñïí óõíÝñ÷åóèå åéò åõ÷áñéóôßáí Èåïý...» (Ðñïò Åöåóßïõò åðéóôïëÞ, êåö. 13 êáé ðñïò Öéëáä. êåö. 4). üóï ï éóôïñéêüò ÓùêñÜôçò ôïí 4ï áéþíá üóï êáé ï ¢ãéïò ÁèáíÜóéïò (Áðïëïãßá êáôÜ Áñåéáíþí, 11) ïìéëïýí ãéá ôçí Èåßá Åõ÷áñéóôßá êÜèå ÊõñéáêÞ áëëÜ ëßãï áñãüôåñá ï Üãéïò Êýñéëëïò ï Áëåîáíäñåßáò ôïí 5ï áéþíá ïìéëåß óáöÝóôáôá ãéá ôçí ôÝëåóç ôçò Èåßáò Åõ÷áñéóôßáò êÜèå çìÝñá «...ìõóôéêþí êáè åêÜóôçí éåñïõñãåßôáé ï åê ôïõ ïõñáíïý êáôáâÜò Üñôïò...». (Åéò ôïí ËïõêÜ Migne, P.G. ô. 72,489). Âåâáßùò êáé ï ¢ãéïò ÉùÜííçò ï Êáóóéáíüò (5ïò áéþíáò), êáé ï ¢ãéïò ÅðéöÜíåéïò Óáëáìßíïò (5ïò áéþíáò) êáé ç Áéèåñßá (4ïò áéþíáò) ïìéëïýí ãéá ôçí Èåßá Åõ÷áñéóôßá ôçò ÊõñéáêÞò, áëëÜ áíáöÝñïíôáé êáé óôçí Èåßá Åõ÷áñéóôßá ôïõ ÓáââÜôïõ, ôçò ÔåôÜñôçò êáé ÐáñáóêåõÞò ôçò ÔåóóáñáêïóôÞò ìç óõìðåñéëáìâáíïìÝíçò. Áîéïóçìåßùôç åßíáé êáé ç ìáñôõñßá ôïõ Áãßïõ ÉùÜííïõ ôïõ ×ñõóïóôüìïõ, ï ïðïßïò ôïí 4ï áéþíá äçëþíåé, «...óïß äå êáè åêÜóôçí, ùò åéðåßí, ôçí çìÝñáí äéÜ ôïýôùí ôùí ìõóôçñßùí...», äçëáäÞ ç Èåßá Åõ÷áñéóôßá ôåëåßôáé «ó÷åäüí êÜèå çìÝñá». (Åéò Ìáôè.

Migne, p.g. ô. 58, ó. 508). Êëáóéêü êåßìåíï üìùò óôçí ðñïêåéìÝíç ðåñßðôùóç åßíáé ç 93ç (Þ 94ç) åðéóôïëÞ ôïõ ÌåãÜëïõ Âáóéëåßïõ ôïí 4ï áéþíá, ðñïò Ðáôñéêßáí Êáéóáñåßáí, óôçí ïðïßá ãñÜöåé üôé êïéíùíåß ÊõñéáêÞ, ÓÜââáôï, ÔåôÜñôç êáé ÐáñáóêåõÞ êáé «åí ôáéò Üëëáéò çìÝñáéò åÜí ç ìíÞìç áãßïõ ôéíüò». ÔÝëïò, êáôÜ ôïí 9ï áéþíá åßíáé ðñïöáíÝò, áðü ðçãÝò êáé êõñßùò ôùí «Ôõðéêþí» ôçò ÌåãÜëçò ôïõ ×ñéóôïý Åêêëçóßáò Êùíóôáíôéíïõðüëåùò, üôé ç Èåßá Ëåéôïõñãßá åôåëåßôï ôáêôéêüôáôá.

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ÁëëÜ ôï èÝìá ìáò åßíáé ç óõ÷íÞ Èåßá ÌåôÜëçøç üëùí ôùí ðéóôþí. Áðü ôçí ðáñáðÜíù áíáöåñüìåíç åðéóôïëÞ ôïõ ÌåãÜëïõ Âáóéëåßïõ êáèßóôáôáé öáíåñü, üôé ç óõ÷íÞ ôÝëåóç ôçò Èåßáò Åõ÷áñéóôßáò, óÞìáéíå ôáõôü÷ñïíá êáé óõ÷íÞ ìåôÜëçøç ôùí Á÷ñÜíôùí Ìõóôçñßùí. Ï Ýíáôïò Áðïóôïëéêüò êáíüíáò åßíáé óáöÞò êáôáêñßíïíôáò ìÜëéóôá áõóôçñþò ôïõò ðáñüíôåò óôçí Èåßá Ëåéôïõñãßá, áëëÜ áðïöåýãïíôáò ôçí Èåßá ÌåôÜëçøç. Êáé ï Üãéïò ÉùÜííçò ï ×ñõóüóôïìïò ðïëëÝò öïñÝò ôïíßæåé ôçí óðïõäáéüôçôá ôçò óõììåôï÷Þò ìáò óôçí Èåßá Åõ÷áñéóôßá. ÐáñáðïíéÝôáé ìÜëéóôá, üôé ïé ÷ñéóôéáíïß ôçò åðï÷Þò ôïõ áðïöåýãïõí ôçí Èåßá ÌåôÜëçøç. <Íá ìçí ðáñáôçñåßôå ôéò åïñôÝò, áëëÜ íá Ýñ÷åóôå íá êïéíùíåßôå ìå êáèáñÞ óõíåßäçóç>, ãñÜöåé. Êáé óôçí 9ç ðåñß Ìåôáíïßáò ïìéëßá ôïõ, ðáñáôçñåß üôé ëáìâÜíïõìå «ôï èåßï óþìá áðü ôá ßäéá ôá Óåñáöåßì ìå ôçí ëáâßäá ôïõ ðõñüò...» êáé «óáí íá áããßæïõí ôá ÷åßëç ìáò ôçí èåßá êáé Ü÷ñáíôç ðëåõñÜ, Ýôóé íá ìåôáëáâáßíïõìå ôï óùôÞñéï áßìá». Ç ðáôåñéêÞ èåïëïãßá ôïíßæåé ôçí áíáãêáéüôçôá ôçò óõ÷íÞò Èåßáò ÌåôáëÞøåùò. Ðáñ üëá áõôÜ, üðùò ôïíßæåé ï óðïõäáéüôåñïò óÞìåñá ¸ëëçíáò ëåéôïõñãéïëüãïò êáèçãçôÞò ê. ÉùÜííçò Öïõíôïýëçò ïýôå ç íçóôåßá, ïýôå ç éåñÜ åîïìïëüãçóç åßíáé Üìåóá óõíäåäåìÝíåò ìå ôçí Èåßá Åõ÷áñéóôßá. (ÁðáíôÞóåéò åéò ËåéôïõñãéêÜò Áðïñßáò, Á´(1-100) ó. 1922 êáé 119-122). ÖõóéêÜ ç óõììåôï÷Þ óôçí Èåßá Åõ÷áñéóôßá õðïíïåß ôçí ôÞñçóç ôùí Íçóôåéþí ôçò Åêêëçóßáò, (Ì. ÔåóóáñáêïóôÞ, Áãßùí Áðïóôüëùí, ÊïéìÞóåùò ôçò Èåïôüêïõ, ×ñéóôïõãÝííùí) êáé ôçí ðñïóÝëåõóÞ ìáò óôçí Èåßá ÌåôÜëçøç ÷ùñßò öáãçôü áðü ôï âñÜäõ ôçò P.CHRISTOPOULOS ðñïçãïõìÝíçò çìÝñáò. Ç ôñéÞìåñç íçóôåßá åßíáé ìéá ùñáßá åõóåâÞò ðñÜîç ãéá ôïõò äõíáìÝíïõò ðïõ èÝóðéóå ç Ðáíïñèüäïîç ÄéÜóêåøç óôçí Ãåíåýç ôï 1986. Ùò ðñïò ôçí ÉåñÜ Åîïìïëüãçóç åßíáé Éåñü ÌõóôÞñéï ôçò Åêêëçóßáò, ôï ïðïßï ðñÝðåé áðáñáéôÞôùò íá ôåëåßôáé, ðÜíôïôå ìå ôçí ãíþìç êáé ôçí óõìâïõëÞ ôïõ ðíåõìáôéêïý ðáôÝñá êÜèå ÷ñéóôéáíïý. ÐñÝðåé íá ïìïëïãçèåß üôé ôï æÞôçìá ôçò óõ÷íÞò Èåßáò ÌåôÜëçøçò ðáñÝìåéíå åí óéùðÞ ãéá ðïëëïýò áéþíåò. Ç ðåñßöçìç êßíçóç ôùí ëåãïìÝíùí ÊïëëõâÜäùí ìïíá÷þí ôïõ 18ïõ áéþíá óôï ¢ãéï ¼ñïò, åðáíÝöåñå óôï ðñïóêÞíéï ôï ðáíÜãéï Ýèéìï ôçò áñ÷áßáò Åêêëçóßáò, ôçò óõ÷íÞò Èåßáò ÌåôÜëçøçò. Ï Íåüöõôïò ï Êáõóïêáëõâßôçò, éåñïäéÜêïíïò-ìïíá÷üò, ìïíÜóáò óôçí ÓêÞôç ôùí Êáõóïêáëõâßùí, óõíÝãñáøå óôçí Ñïõìáíßá ôï åîáßñåôï Ýñãï ôïõ «Ðåñß ôçò óõ÷íïýò Èåßáò ÌåôáëÞøåùò». Ï ¢ãéïò Íéêüäçìïò ï Áãéïñåßôçò ìáæß ìå ôïí ößëï ôïõ Åðßóêïðï Êïñßíèïõ ÌáêÜñéï äéáóêåýáóáí êáé äçìïóßåõóáí ôï ðåñßöçìï áõôü Ýñãï, ôï ïðïßï Üöçóå åðï÷Þ óôçí éóôïñßá êáé ôçí æùÞ ôçò Åêêëçóßáò. å áêáôáìÜ÷çôá èåïëïãéêÜ åðé÷åéñÞìáôá ïé óõããñáöåßò áðïäåéêíýïõí ôçí áíÜãêç ôçò óõ÷íÞò Èåßáò ÌåôáëÞøåùò, êáôáöåýãïíôåò ðïëëÝò öïñÝò óôçí áñ÷áßá ÅêêëçóéáóôéêÞ Ãñáììáôåßá. Ôï âéâëßï êõêëïöüñçóå óôçí Âåíåôßá ôï 1777 êáé Ýêôïôå Ýôõ÷å ðïëëþí åêäüóåùí ìåôÜ ó÷åôéêÞò ðáñáöñÜóåùò. Ôï Ïéêïõìåíéêü Ðáôñéáñ÷åßï Êùíóôáíôéíïõðüëåùò äåí Ýöåñå áíôßññçóç óôçí óõ÷íÞ Èåßá ÌåôÜëçøç, ï äå Ïéêïõìåíéêüò ÐáôñéÜñ÷çò Èåïäüóéïò (1775) õðåíèýìéóå óôïõò Áãéïñåßôåò ìïíá÷ïýò üôé ìðïñïýí íá ìåôáëáìâÜíïõí êÜèå ÊõñéáêÞ êáé üóïé äåí ôï åðéèõìïýí áõôü ìðïñïýí íá ìåôáëáìâÜíïõí êÜèå óáñÜíôá ìÝñåò. Ï ÐáôñéÜñ÷çò Ãñçãüñéïò Å´ (1807-1819) äßäáîå üôé áêïëïõèþíôáò ðñïðáñáóêåõÞ êáé åîïìïëüãçóç ìðïñïýìå íá ìåôáëáìâÜíïõìå ÷ùñßò êáíÝíá üñéï. (Â. Óôåöáíßäç, ÅêêëçóéáóôéêÞ Éóôïñßá, ó. 717-718). ÔåñÜóôéá åðßäñáóç ðñïò ôçí óõ÷íÞ Èåßá ÌåôÜëçøç åß÷å êáé ôï Üñèñï ôïõ áåéìíÞóôïõ Ãåùñãßïõ Âåñßôç, «Ôï áíáìïñöùôéêü êßíçìá ôùí ÊïëõâÜäùí...» (Áêôßíåò, 1943, ó. 99-110). ÓõìðåñáóìáôéêÜ ìðïñïýìå íá ðïýìå üôé üôáí õðÜñ÷åé ç êáè ïëïêëçñßá ÷ñéóôéáíéêÞ æùÞ ôçò áóêÞóåùò, ôçò óõíå÷ïýò ìåôáíïßáò êáé åîïìïëïãÞóåùò êáé ôçò êáèïñéóìÝíçò íçóôåßáò, ôüôå ìðïñïýìå íá ðñïóåñ÷üìáóôå ðñïò ôá ¢ãéá Äþñá åí óõíôñéâÞ, áãÜðç êáé ôáðåßíùóç, üíôùò ÷ñéóôéáíéêÞ. Ï Üãéïò ÉùÜííçò ï ×ñõóüóôïìïò áðïêáëåß ôçí Èåßá ÌåôÜëçøç «ìõóôÞñéïí åéñÞíçò». Ìå áõôÞ ôçí åéñÞíç ôïõ ×ñéóôïý, áò ãßíïõìå êÜèå çìÝñá óýóóùìïé ×ñéóôïý, ÷ñéóôïöüñïé êáé èåïöüñïé êáé Üîéá ìÝëç ôçò Âáóéëåßáò ôïõ Èåïý.

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Ï ê. Ãåþñãéïò Ó. ÌðåìðÞò åßíáé êáèçãçôÞò Ðáôñïëïãßáò,óôçí ÈåïëïãéêÞ Ó÷ïëÞ ôïõ Ôéìßïõ Óôáõñïý, ôçò É. Áñ÷éåðéóêïðÞò ÁìåñéêÞò.

ÉÏÕËÉÏÓ ÁÕÃÏÕÓÔÏÓ 2000

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ÅíáñêôÞñéï ðñüãåõìá êáé ÅéóçãçôéêÞ Ïìéëßá

Ôï ðñùß ôçò ÄåõôÝñáò 3 Éïõëßïõ ðñáãìáôïðïéÞèçêå ç åðßóçìç Ýíáñîç ôùí åñãáóéþí ôçò ÊëçñéêïëáúêÞò ìå ôï êáèéåñùìÝíï ðñüãåõìá êáé ôçí åéóçãçôéêÞ ïìéëßá ôïõ Áñ÷éåðéóêüðïõ. Ôï áêñïáôÞñéï ðáñáêïëïýèçóå ìå ðñïóï÷Þ, áöïóßùóç êáé áãáëëßáóç ôçí ïìéëßá ôïõ ÓåâáóìéùôÜôïõ ìå ôçí ïðïßá Ýèåóå ôï ôüíï êáé êáèüñéóå ôéò ðáñáìÝôñïõò ãéá ôï ìÝëëïí ôçò Åëëçíïñèïäüîïõ Åêêëçóßáò óôçí ÁìåñéêÞ. Ç ïìéëßá ôïõ Óåâ. Áñ÷éåðéóêüðïõ ÁìåñéêÞò ê. Äçìçôñßïõ åìâÜèõíå óôï èÝìá ôçò ÊëçñéêïëáúêÞò <Áéþíéåò ðáñáäüóåéò ãéá ìéá íÝá ÷éëéåôßá> êáé óôñÜöçêå ãýñù áðü ôñåéò âáóéêïýò Üîïíåò-óêïðïýò ðïõ üðùò åßðå ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò <âáóßæïíôáé óôçí ìáêñÜ êáé ðïëýôéìç ðáñÜäïóÞ ìáò êáé îåðçäïýí áðü ôçí Ïñèüäïîç ðßóôç ìáò, ìéá ðßóôç ðïõ áðïôåëåß æùíôáíÞ, äõíáìéêÞ êáé äçìéïõñãéêÞ ðñáãìáôéêüôçôá>. Ï ðñþôïò åßíáé ï óêïðüò ôçò æùíôáíÞò åìðåéñßáò ôçò ðßóôåþò ìáò ùò ëáôñåßáò êáé ðñïóåõ÷Þò. Ç ðëïýóéá êáé áéþíéá ïñèüäïîç ðáñÜäïóÞ ìáò åßíáé êõñßùò ëáôñåõôéêÞ. Åßíáé ç ðáñÜäïóç ìéáò áëçèéíÞò êáé Ýíôïíçò ðíåõìáôéêÞò ëáôñåßáò êáé ðñïóåõ÷Þò ðïõ óôï ìÝëëïí ðñÝðåé íá êáëëéåñãçèåß êáé íá åíôáèåß ìéá êáé ìðïñåß íá áðïôåëÝóåé äéÝîïäï êáé êáôáöýãéï óôïí óýã÷ñïíï êüóìï. Ï äåýôåñïò óêïðüò åßíáé íá âéþóïõìå êáé óõã÷ñüíùò íá ðñïâÜëëïõìå ôçí ðßóôç ùò áãÜðç. ÁãÜðç ãéá ôïí óõíÜíèñùðï, áãáèïåñãßá, öñïíôßäá ãéá ôïõò áíáîéïðáèïýíôåò êáé äéáêïíßá ðñïò ôïí ðëçóßïí ìáò. Ï ôñßôïò óêïðüò åßíáé íá âéþóïõìå ôçí ðßóôç ìáò ùò áëÞèåéá. Ç áëÞèåéá ðïõ åßíáé ï ßäéïò ï ×ñéóôüò. Ç áëÞèåéá ðïõ óáí áîßá áðïôåëåß óôéò ìÝñåò ìáò ïëïÝíá êáé ðéï äõóåýñåôï áãáèü. Óôç óõíÝ÷åéá ï Óåâáóìéþôáôïò áíáëýïíôáò ôá ôñßá áõôÜ óçìåßá ðáñÝèåóå óõãêåêñéìÝíïõò ôñüðïõò êáé ìåèüäïõò þóôå üðùò åßðå <íá äõíçèïýìå, ùò Åêêëçóßá íá ðñïóöÝñïõìå óôç óýã÷ñïíç åõñýôåñç ÁìåñéêáíéêÞ êïéíùíßá áõôÞ ôçí ðßóôç êáé ôçí ðáñÜäïóç ôçò ëáôñåßáò, ôçò áãÜðçò êáé ôçò áëÞèåéáò ðïõ äåí åßíáé ôßðïôå Üëëï áðü ôçí ðßóôç ìáò óôïí Éçóïý ×ñéóôü ðïõ ðáñáìÝíåé ï ßäéïò êáé ï

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ÓõíåäñéÜóåéò êáé ÓåìéíÜñéá

Ïé åñãáóßåò ôïõ Óõíåäñßïõ, ôá óåìéíÜñéá êáé ïé äéáëÝîåéò äéáäÝ÷ïíôáí ç ìßá ôçí Üëëç ãéá ôéò åðüìåíåò äõï ìÝñåò, äßíïíôáò ôçí äõíáôüôçôá óôïõò áíôéðñïóþðïõò íá åêöñÜóïõí ôçí ãíþìç ôïõò, íá áíôáëëÜîïõí áðüøåéò êáé íá ðÜñïõí áðïöÜóåéò. ¸íá îå÷ùñéóôü êïììÜôé ôùí åñãáóéþí áðïôÝëåóáí ôá åêðáéäåõôéêÜ óåìéíÜñéá èñçóêåõôéêÞò ðáéäåßáò ðïõ ðáñïõóßáóáí ôéò äéäá÷Ýò ôùí ÐáôÝñùí ôçò Åêêëçóßáò ìáò êáé ôéò åöáñìïãÝò ôïõò óôç óçìåñéíÞ æùÞ, óõãêåíôñþíïíôáò ìåãÜëï áñéèìü áêñïáôçñßïõ. ÐáñÜëëçëá óõíåäñßáóáí ôá ìÝëç ôçò Çãåóßáò ôùí 100, ïé ¢ñ÷ïíôåò ôïõ ÔÜãìáôïò ôïõ Áãßïõ ÁíäñÝá, ï óýíäåóìïò åêêëçóéáóôéêÞò ìïõóéêÞò, ï óýíäåóìïò Êëçñéêþí êáé óõíôáîéïý÷ùí êëçñéêþí, ç áäåëöüôçò ôùí ðñåóâõôÝñùí, ïé êëçñéêïß ôùí êáôÜ ôüðïõò Åðéóêïðþí êáé ïé åðéìÝñïõò åðéôñïðÝò åñãáóßáò.

Äïîïëïãßá

Ôï áðüãåõìá ôçò Ôñßôçò 4 Éïõëßïõ, çìÝñá ôïõ åïñôáóìïý ôçò ÁìåñéêáíéêÞò Áíåîáñôçóßáò ðñáãìáôïðïéÞèçêå ðáíçãõñéêÞ Äïîïëïãßá óôïí êáôÜìåóôï áðü êüóìï éóôïñéêü Êáèåäñéêü Íáü ôïõ Áãßïõ Ãåùñãßïõ ôçò ÖéëáäÝëöåéáò êáé áêïëïýèçóå õðáßèñéá äåîßùóç óôï ðñïáýëéï ôïõ íáïý.

ÃåíéêÞ ÓõíÝëåõóç

Ç ÃåíéêÞ ÓõíÝëåõóç ôçò ÏëïìÝëåéáò äéÞñêåóå äõï çìÝñåò, ÔåôÜñôç êáé ÐÝìðôç 5 êáé 6 Éïõëßïõ áíôßóôïé÷á, êáé ðñáãìáôïðïéÞèçêå õðü ôçí ðñïåäñåßá ôïõ Áñ÷éåðéóêüðïõ êáé ðáñïõóßá ôùí áíôéðñïóþðùí ôïõ Ïéêïõìåíéêïý Ðáôñéáñ÷åßïõ Óåâ. Ìçôñïðïëéôþí Ôõñïëüçò êáé Óåñåíôßïõ ÐáíôåëåÞìïíïò êáé Óåâáóôåßáò Äçìçôñßïõ êáèþò êáé ôùí ÓåâáóìéùôÜôùí êáé ÈåïöéëåóôÜôùí Éåñáñ÷þí ôçò ÉåñÜò Åðáñ÷éáêÞò Óõíüäïõ. ÐáñïõóéÜóôçêáí êáé åãêñßèçêáí ïé åêèÝóåéò ôùí åðéôñïðþí äéïéêçôéêþí èåìÜôùí, ïéêïíïìéêþí, èñçóêåõôéêÞò ðáéäåßáò, åëëçíéêÞò ðáéäåßáò, åðéêïéíùíéþí, íåïëáßáò, éåñáðïóôïëéêïý Ýñãïõ, éäñõìÜôùí, ìåéêôþí ãÜìùí êáé ïéêïõìåíéêþí ó÷Ýóåùí. (ËåðôïìåñÝóôåñç áíáöïñÜ óôá ðïñßóìáôá êáé óôéò áðïöÜóåéò èá ðáñïõóéáóôåß óôï åðüìåíï ôåý÷ïò). Ôï âñÜäõ ôçò ÐÝìðôçò 6 Éïõëßïõ ðáñåôÝèç ôï åðßóçìï áðï÷áéñåôéóôÞñéï äåßðíï ðáñïõóßá ðïëëþí åðéóÞìùí, åêêëçóéáóôéêþí êáé ðïëéôéêþí çãåôþí. Éäéáßôåñç åíôýðùóç óõãêßíçóç êáé åíèïõóéáóìü ðñïêÜëåóå ôï íôïêéìáíôÝñ ðïõ ðñïâëÞèçêå êáôÜ ôç äéÜñêåéá ôïõ äåßðíïõ, ðáñáãùãÞò ôçò É. Áñ÷éåðéóêïðÞò ìå ôßôëï <Äåêáåôßåò Ðßóôçò> êáé Þôáí ìéá óýíôïìç áëëÜ ðåñéåêôéêÞ ðáñïõóßáóç ôçò éóôïñßáò ôçò É. Áñ÷éåðéóêïðÞò áðü ôéò áñ÷Ýò ôïõ 20ïõ áéþíá ùò óÞìåñá. Ôçí ÐáñáóêåõÞ 7 Éïõëßïõ, ôåëåõôáßá ìÝñá ôçò ÊëçñéêïëáúêÞò ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò ðáñáêÜèéóå óå áðï÷áéñåôéóôÞñéï ðñüãåõìá ìå ôïõò ðáñåõñåèÝíôåò êëçñéêïýò êáé óå åõ÷áñéóôÞñéï ãåýìá ãéá ôçí äéïñãáíùôéêÞ åðéôñïðÞ ôïõ Óõíåäñßïõ.

1 Áðñéëßïõ - 10 Éïõíßïõ 1 Óåðôåìâñßïõ - 31 Ïêôùâñßïõ

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11 Éïõíßïõ - 31 Áõãïýóôïõ

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ÊÁËÏÊÁÉÑÉ Boston Pittsburgh Cleveland/Wash./Baltimore Atlanta/Detroit Chicago/Dallas/Houston Charlotte/Raleigh Durham Ft. Lauderdale/Miami Tampa/ St. Louis New Orleans/Orlando Los Angeles/San Francisco Phoenix/Seattle

ÅÉÄÉÊÅÓ ÔÉÌÅÓ ÊÁÉ ÁÐÏ ÁËËÅÓ ÐÏËÅÉÓ ÐÁÉÄÉÁ 2-11 ÅÔÙÍ ÐËÇÑÙÍÏÕÍ 25% ËÉÃÏÔÅÑÏ

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

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PEOPLE

enerous gift u Excellent teacher

Professor Constantine Georgiou, Ph.D., of New York University was honored in May with NYU s prestigious Teaching Excellence Award. He has published numerous books for children and has written travel columns on Greece, Cyprus and other parts of the Mediterranean, and a regular column reviewing children s books.

u Two seek post

Two Greek Americans in Astoria, N.Y., are vying for the Democratic nomination for the 36th Assembly District.

Mike Gianaris is currently associate counsel to the New York State Assembly, a board member of the Eastern Orthodox Lawyers Association and is a graduate of Harvard Law School. Kimon Thermos is president of the Greek American Homeowners Association of Astoria and holds a law degree from St. John s University. The eventual nominee will be selected at the state Democratic Party s convention in September.

u Named assistant

New York Gov. George E. Pataki has appointed Anthoula Katsimatides of Astoria to the full-time position of assistant to the governor for community affairs.

Ms. Katsimatides will serve as the Governor s principal liaison to New Yorkers of European ancestry, representing him in his absence and speaking before community groups and organizations.She traces her background to the Dodecanese island of Nisyros. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Katsimatides taught English, English as a Second Language (ESL) and global history.

u Lawyer honored

Philadelphia Bar Association members honored Temple University President Peter J. Liacouras at their quarterly luncheon in June, bestowing the association s highest award, the Bar Medal.

u Duet

Pianist Jenia Manoussaki, who has performed with the Athens State Orchestra, and clarinetist Spyros Mourikis, a native of Corfu who is the principal clarinetist with the Greek Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of Colors, performed a diverse program of works by Bach, Rachmaninoff, Liszt, Chopin and others at Carnegie Hall on June 21.

u Scholarship winners

Atlantic Bank recently awarded two scholarships to winners of an essay contest in the modern advanced Greek class at St. John s University, Professor Catherine Tsounis announced. They are Marina Theoharopoulos and Paulina Liasi. Bay Ridge-Brooklyn bank branch manager Zoe Koutsoupakis sponsored the scholarships. Both students received $250 savings bonds.

u Recent grads

Denise Fokas and Nicholas Christopher Kyriannis, both of Whitestone, N.Y., recently graduated cum laude from Queens College. Ms. Fokas earned an M.S. in education. Mr. Kyriannis received a B.A. in psychology. Both are members of St. Nicholas Church, Flushing.

JULY-AUGUST, 2000

A Community Steeped in History

T

his church s connection to Greek Orthodox Christians predates by a century its purchase from the Episcopalians by the local Greek community.

The building itself, a famous landmark of Philadelphia copied after an ancient Greek temple in Asia Minor, was built in 1822 by architect John Haviland, who drew criticism at the time for slavish imitation of ancient Greek architecture, Fr. Katerlis told the Observer.

According to a parish history, Philadelphia in the early 1800s was a center for Philhellenes and it was from this church under Bishop White, the first Episcopal bishop in America, that the

PARISH

Kingdom of Hellas, consecrated St. George Church on Oct. 5, 1930.

Three congresses

The recently completed 35th ClergyLaity Congress marked the third time the church hosted a congress. Each had greater historical significance than is characteristic of most congresses.

In June 1942, during the darkest days of World War II, King George of Greece and members of his government in exile attended the congress. A special chair, a replica of the sunrise chair used by George Washington when he presided over the Continental Congress, was commissioned for the king s use as a throne.

tion that has no geographic boundaries, Fr. Katerlis told the Observer.

The first Greek Orthodox parochial school in Philadelphia opened in September 1925, but was destroyed by fire in 1930. By 1960, the three-story former education building adjacent to the church was renovated and a chapel was opened on the second floor. Junior Goyans raised funds to restore the third floor for use as a hall.

Today, the parish has a strong Greek education program, with 200 students enrolled in eight grades, many of them from other area communities.

The parish arranged with a local

profile

Name: St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral Location: Philadelphia, Pa. Diocese: New Jersey Size: about 500 members Founded: 1921 Clergy: Fr. Demetrios Katerlis (Holy Cross 58) Noteworthy: Parish strongly promotes Greek education

ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL

The second clergy-laity congress first American aid went forth to help the Greeks in their war of liberation hosted by Philadelphia coincided with the nation s bicentennial in 1976. Hundreds against the Ottoman Empire.

Later in the 19th century, this Epis- of priests and faithful took part in ceremocopal parish sponsored a school in Ath- nies of the official July 4th U.S. celebration at Independence Hall. ens to educate 400 destitute pupils.

This year marked the first congress In 1921, members of the Greek Orthodox community purchased the presided over by Archbishop Demetrios.

Coincidentally, because the chair that building from the Episcopal Church. It was at the height of the Royalist- served as His Eminence s episcopal throne Venizelist controversy in Greece and at the congress did not arrive from the the parish was comprised of Venizelists. hotel, he used the same sunrise chair as Philadelphia s other Greek Orthodox King George did in 1942. The historic chair church, Evangelismos, was known as a is on permanent display at the cathedral and used by distinguished visitors.

Royalist community.

Three other firsts that took place at St. It was while celebrating liturgy at this future cathedral church on Nov. 25 George include the first official observance of Archbishop Iakovos 25th of that year, that Archbishop anniversary of his enMeletios received thronement in Febword of his elecruary 1984, the only tion as the Ecuofficial visit to a menical Patriarch single parish by Patriof Constantinople. arch Diodoros of When he isJerusalem, in Sepsued his founding tember 1984, and PHILADELPHIA Tomos of the Archthe first ordination diocese of North of a Greek Orthodox and South America on May 17, 1922, hierarch in Philadelphia, that of Bishop he decreed that Philadelphia would be Dimitrios of Xanthos in May 1998. under the direct personal jurisdiction St. George received cathedral status of the current Archbishop. on April 25, 1971, at a Liturgy celebrated Nearly a year later, on April 23, by Archbishop Iakovos who designated the Archbishop Alexander, the first prelate church as the cathedral of Philadelphia and of the new Archdiocese, celebrated the the Delaware Valley. It is the mother feast day of St. George, which the com- church of several area communities. munity had adopted as its name. SigEmphasis on education nificantly, the ancient cathedral church The immigrant founders of St. George, of Philadelphia in Asia Minor, men- who came mostly from Epirus, Macedonia, tioned in the Book of Revelation, also the Peloponnese, Asia Minor and some iswas named St. George. lands, valued the importance of education In another historic tie to the Church and the emphasis on Hellenic education in Greece, Metropolitan Damaskinos of has been a hallmark of the community since Corinth, later to become Archbishop of the early years.

Athens and All Greece, and regent of the We see Hellas as a matter of civiliza-

public high school to hold its Greek school there every Tuesday between 5 and 7 p.m., while conducting Saturday classes at the church facilities. The faculty includes four teachers with Ph.D.s.

They re so overqualified it s almost embarrassing, said Fr. Katerlis.

He noted that an arrangement with Temple University enables students who complete the Greek program to take an exam and, based on their score, to receive a maximum of two years college credit in a foreign language.

We re very involved in Hellenic culture, Fr. Katerlis explained.

But he added that he uses English extensively in the services and whenever needed.

Another important ministry of the parish is overseas outreach, which Fr. Katerlis termed tremendous.

Over the years, the community has donated icons and funds to many of the monasteries and churches in Jerusalem and the Holy Land, and to those in Constantinople. We have to help them, the priest said. We feel very strongly about them.

Parishioners also respond generously to the International Orthodox Christian Charities canister program.

Financial support to the cathedral consists of a suggested $250 per member, Fr. Katerlis explained, but if you give $10, you still are a full member, he said. A poor person may not have that amount. There really is no maximum or minimum.

The parish also holds a Greek food festival on the grounds to supplement its income.

Fr. Katerlis observed that money is not the problem with the Church in America, piety is.

u page 19

JULY-AUGUST, 2000

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

PAGE 19

R ETIRED CLERGY Young Priest Embraces a Retired Priest and Both Remain Grateful to God

by Fr. Nicholas L. Vieron

An elderly pastor went on vacation.

His young associate whom the old priest loved very much, gave the Sunday sermon. When the pastor returned, he asked a parishioner how his associate had done.

He gave a very poor sermon - not much to it, the member said.

When the old priest saw his young associate, he asked how he felt about his preaching that previous Sunday. Very good, the associate responded. I was so busy that I didn t have time to prepare a sermon, but I found one of your old sermons. So, I preached it!

This is an article about an old priest (moi!) and a young priest, my pastor, who happens to be Fr Paul Christy, proistamenos of the Memphis Annunciation Church the last five years.

The views are personal. I am not expressing views for any group, nor am I preaching to anyone, just expressing my gratitude.

In March of this year - 2000 - it was nine years since I ve retired...in the same community I served as pastor over four decades, since 1955, when I came to Memphis...in the same parish where my Presbytera Bess taught Greek school for 38 years...in the city where our two sons live and where our four grandchildren and most of our friends reside, and, what is also important, especially for an older person...in familiar surroundings.

Annunciation parish of Memphis provides me with a small elegant study - an extension of my home, so to speak - where my computer with a 21-inch Sony monitor awaits for me early each morning to edit the monthly newsletter - The Epistle for our retirees and for our 84 widowed presbyteres. A day does not go by that I do not receive e-mails, faxes, phone calls, some snail mail. I love being in touch with my fellow colleagues from whom I ve been separated, in some instances, for over half a century.

Furthermore, the parish allows me to conduct my annual adult Greek class, which for more than 29 years, has been a sort of recreation activity for me. The bishops also have me filling-in on weekends in small mission churches where a regular priest is not available. I am invited to address church groups, and I am chaplain of the Touchdown Club.

These are some of the blessings I enjoy in the autumn of my 75-year-old life.

Fr Paul has extended to me graciousness beyond measure, an embrace such as one would expect only from his very own children, a friendship that brings gladness beyond description. All of this leads to the most important aspect of our friendship - mutual respect. Yet, it comes with a

levity that makes our relationship most enjoyable. We often tease each other.

My first obligation remains to Fr. Paul s requests. If he needs me to fill-in in Memphis, that is where I ll be. I have often said that whereas before, when I was pastor, I had to serve and please a thousand parishioners, now I only have one person to please - Fr Paul!

Fr Paul and I have, on more than one occasion, agreed there is more than one way to say and do something right. We may place emphasis on different aspects of the Faith, but we always agree on what is all important - that our mission in life is to serve Him and His people.

Even though I love being near the Altar, as every priest does, I do not abuse Fr Paul s gracious invitation to serve with him often. This is your altar now - this is your pulpit, I say.

Yet, every Sunday when I am in Memphis, Fr Paul prepares two chalices so that both of us offer the Cup to the faithful.

Furthermore, I admire Fr Paul s many innovative ideas that he has implemented, such as the Wednesday evening Lenten Series speakers, the Voice of the Annunciation publication. Although all his homilies are wonderful, his remarks at weddings and his eulogies are unsurpassed!

Everyone greatly enjoys them. On the other hand, he appreciates the efforts of the past, never hesitating to give credit to previous workers, including...the old priest! I say all this not boastfully but gratefully. What more can an old priest ask for?

Well, there is more. We have lunch together at least once a week. Fr. Paul would have us get together more often, but I tell him, I am sooo busy! We take turns hosting. We enjoy the moment; we share a few corny jokes. But it is the fellowship which is far more important, meaningful, and enjoyable. A fellowship between an old priest, often reminiscing, and a younger pastor, allowing him to recall days of old. Fr Paul thus becomes something like a third son to me, an adult son to be sure, not to be patronized, but to be appreciated and respected as the pastor of the church my family and I attend.

I pray that this relationship - this great blessing - continues till the day I die. In the meantime, I remain grateful to Our Lord, and to His Servant Fr. Paul Christy - and to the Holy Spirit who directs all His priests to hopefully serve and please both God and man.

Write to Fr Nicholas L. Vieron, RCA Epistle editor; Pastor Emeritus Annunciation Church; 573 N. Highland - Memphis, TN 38122 - (901) 323-9530; e-mail address: nlvieron@ixlmemphis.com

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PARISH PROFILE u page 18 Since his ordination at St. George Cathedral in 1958, New york native Fr. Demetrios has served the parish as assistant, proistamenos and dean, with the exception of a five-year assignment to New Orleans from 1972-77.

Another important ministry is senior housing, consisting of two apartment buildings located on the same block as the

cathedral. Athenagoras Manor, with 94 units for the elderly, opened in 1977.

According to the parish history, it was the first and largest senior housing building established by a single parish under the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Currently, under a new HUD grant awarded in December, plans are under way to build the 45-unit Iakovos Gardens senior housing complex.

The cathedral has a strong youth program, including a junior choir consisting of children ages 12 to 17. On Easter night, the junior choir sings the entire cherubic hymn. Two of the choir members enrolled in an exclusive private school taught it to their classmates in the school s 70-voice choir in Greek. These are the things that I m proud of, said Fr. Demetrios, the projection of our culture, taking it beyond the ghetto.

While the first immigrants lived in the neighborhoods near the church, nearly all the cathedral s present members live in the suburbs. We have to hustle to keep their interest, Fr. Katerlis said. He views his greatest challenge as bringing Orthodoxy to our county, which gave America the substratum of civilization through Greek and European culture. compiled by Jim Golding

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

PAGE 20

JULY-AUGUST, 2000

VIEWPOINT OUR FAITH: A Living Faith of Love and Hope

by Dr. Chris Philip

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Every day, we are reminded of a way of life that embraces permissiveness and personal glorification. By tacitly accepting this lifestyle, many, inadvertently, lend credence to it and become unwitting partners in the creation of a spiritual void that if left unchecked, can ultimately undermine the fundamental principles of our religious values.

As dedicated Christians, we must be vigil against complacency. I believe, at times, it is important to do some soul searching and re-examine what really motivated our thoughts and actions. As James Allen, the philosopher stated: a man is literally what he thinks. His character is the sum of all his thoughts .

In everyday living, there must be a spiritual renewal. This can be accomplished by first substituting self-interest and expediency with a sense of duty and dedication, arrogance and personal glorification with humility and hate with compassion and forgiveness. In the worlds of John Ruskin, the nineteenth century literacy critic, the first great test of a truly human man is his humility. Really great men have a curious feeling that the greatness is not in them but through them. And they see something divine in every other man and are endlessly, incredibly merciful and compassionate . Also, if we are to prosper spiritually, we must cast from our minds any personal agendas and petty grievances, focusing only on one agenda how best we can serve our church.

When we start losing confidence, continually criticize, attempt to control, and fail to support our church, we are doing an injustice not only to ourselves but also to our respective families. The strength of any family has its roots in a viable Church.

Those of us who are in a position to five should do so willingly, without conditions.

But in this act of giving, it is unfair to preclude that we are better Christians than those who are less fortunate to give. The love you have for your faith and the reverence you have for His teachings is best expressed by how you think and act. We are all held accountable for our thoughts and actions irrespective of the positions of influence we have held on earth.

We have a faith full of love and hope; a living faith that enables us to be resolute to overcome any and all adversities and difficulties. Our faith instills and strengthens our hearts, minds and souls in order that the path we take is not of the disenchanted, the misguided, nor is it of those who endlessly search for identity. Their cries of despair can only be solaced by a power greater than ourselves.

Many years ago, I read an article that made a lasting impression upon me. The former Secretary of State, James Baker, at a meeting in Washington, DC told an audience that a true sense of fulfillment does

not evolve from wielding power but rather is derived from one s religious faith. He recalled an incident that he experienced in Washington, DC - the power capital of the world. While he was riding in his car he saw a familiar figure walking slowly, alone, who appeared dejected. He recognized him as an old acquaintance who at one time, had a very important position in the private sector. He was always the center of attention. In time, he became so obsessed with power and his won selfimportance that this lust for power literally consumed his religious faith, creating a spiritual void. And now that his position and power were gone he found himself alone with only his memories, and himself. Perhaps this is an isolated example, small, insignificant, but it shows what can happen when an individual or even a nation forgets that he or she is no more, no less a creation of God. It also reminds us that we must always be steadfast in our religious beliefs and maintain the traditions of our heritage.

Envision, if you can, on that bleak and overcast day, the atmosphere permeated with an uneasy stillness except for the throngs of people milling along a narrow path covered with cobblestones leading to a distant hill. Slowly, painfully, a lone figure garbed in a tattered robe is stooped, struggling to maintain His balance for on his back lies a large wooden object shaped in the form of a cross. As He approaches dragging His burden, he gazes deeply into your eyes. There is neither hate nor revenge but only compassion and forgiveness. And as He attempts to continue his fateful journey, He knows too well the physical pain He will experience. The pain must have been unbearable for he cried out My god, my God, why hath Thou forsaken Me. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ suffered for all of us. Is there anyone who would deny Him and not come to His aid and lighten His burden? We are all cross bearers. Jesus said: Whosoever will come after me let him take up his Cross, deny himself and follow Me. (Mark 8:34) Let us never forget that our early Christian fathers became martyrs, sacrificing their lives to protect and perpetuate our Christian Faith. Is it asking too much that we, at least, conduct ourselves in a manner that will reflect his teachings?

Only then can we hope to start reestablishing the priorities in life that will make living more constructive and meaningful not only for ourselves, but more importantly, for our children and our children s children.

Dr. Chris Phillip, Archon Megas Actuarios, is presently Commander-Emeritus of the order of St. Andrew, the Apostle of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

WELCOME TO THE

GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA WORLD WIDE WEB HOME PAGE Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America: http://www.goarch.org Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople: http://www. patriarchate.org Orthodox World News: http://www. goarch.org/worldnews Orthodox Ministry ACCESS: http://www.goarch.org/access Orthodox Observer: http://www.goarch. org/goa/observer

JULY-AUGUST, 2000

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

R R E E L L A AT T II N N G G ejoicing in suffering? What a paradox! It seems almost inconceivable for today s society! But this is the core, the genuine and true essence of the Christian faith. Shortly before His Passion Christ told His disciples: Most assuredly, I say to you that... you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you (John 16:20;22).

R

by Rev. Dr. Dumitru Macaila

The question arises: Based on the word of God, is there any instance when to commit suicide is a justifiable act? Yes, there is such an instance, i.e., when a husband sacrifices himself to save his wife or his children or his neighbors. Such a suicide does not entail condemnation (John 10:15).

But aside from a few cases of this sort, to deliberately end one s life is a crime of lese majesty, a rebellious act against God s prerogative.

There is no suffering big enough to entitle us to commit suicide!

The term suicide does not appear in the Holy Scripture, but there are several instances of the occurrence. In the Old Testament there are the suicides of Saul and his armor bearer (I Sam. 31:4-5), Ahithophel (II Sam. 17:23), and Zimri (I Kings 16:18). In the New Testament the single case is that of Judas (Mat. 27:5). Even if there are no specific scriptural prohibitions of suicide, however, its rarity reflects not only deterring sociological conditions but also an implied attitude that can be inferred from the tenets of the Scripture.

God is Creator and sovereign of all creation. He is the only One who has authority to give and take away. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21). Human life is God s sovereign gift. As divinely bestowed, human life is God s property.

Only God is entitled to determine when and how human life is to end. From the Sixth Commandment, Thou shalt not kill (Exodus 20:13), we have to understand not only that the killing of a human being is forbidden, but the followers of Christ are forbidden to take their own life, also.

Human life does belong to God, and its termination, whether by old age or disease or accident, is under God s providential control.

Tragically enough, suicides do occur today more than ever. Statistics show constantly not a decline but an increase in the suicide rate. This fact by itself speaks about a godless society, a society that becomes more and more prone to abandon God, a society more and more inclined to play at God. To commit suicide means fundamentally to play at God. Suicide is the ultimate act of denying one s God, an act of apostasy. It is the sin directed against the virtue of hope, also.

It means to distrust Christ s words: In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (John 16:33). By committing suicide, one no longer believes that Christ has overcome the world of darkness through His redeeming work.

Christ Himself had taught that He was to be a suffering Messiah, and that His suffering was a divine necessity (Mat. 16:21), which had been laid upon the Son of Man. The atoning effect of His suffering rested upon His willingness as the sinless One to give His life for sinners (Rom. 5:6-8), in perfect obedience to God s judgment (Phil. 2:8).

This is the mystery of the Passion, yes, the mystery of our salvation itself that He, as Son of God, should take upon Himself the burden of humankind. In accepting

T TO O

T T H H E E

Faith

Rejoicing in Suffering?

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!...For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Phil. 4:4; Rom. 8:18). the necessity of His suffering, Christ did not act under a coercion placed on Him, but rather accepted it with love.

In completing what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ (Col. 1:24), the faithful Christians participate in the atoning work of Christ, and Christ Himself suffers with them in their work of reconciliation with the Father. Thus suffering is the inescapable lot of the Christians. St. Paul points out that the believers who accept suffering not only serve Christ s cause (Phil 1:29), but also, being united with the risen Christ, continue His suffering for humankind, because the Church is His body (Rom. 8:31-39).

By the way in which the Christian accepts suffering, the transforming power of the Gospel and the glory of Christ are brought to light (I Tim. 1:12). St. Peter says: For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps... (I Peter 2:21-25). Those who truly follow Christ cannot avoid suffering, because Christ s work runs in opposition to the aspirations of this world and its powers.

Satan employs the suffering of our flesh - viz., everything that ties us to this world (II Cor. 4:7,10,16-17; 7:5-6; Col. 1:24) - to tempt us - that is, to destroy in us the desire for the new life in Christ (II Cor. 4:10-12), and our faith (II Cor. 2:11), by making us draw back from the pain involved (Rom. 8:18-24).

But if the temptation is overcome and the tribulation accepted as a divine education meant to reduce our trust in ourselves (Mat. 23:12; Rom. 8:17), it serves to strengthen our inner life (Rom. 6:4-6).

Further, since the followers of Christ realize that their new life in the flesh is not theirs, it is Christ s (Gal. 2:20; II Cor. 4:10-11). Their suffering serves as proof of Christ s triumph (II Cor. 4:16; II Cor. 6:4; 12:9). Suffering for Christ s sake is, consequently, a privilege and a sign of divine election (Mat. 5:12), while self-inflicted suffering is of no use. Christians are to suffer patiently, and not to rebel against God (Rom. 5:3-4). St. Paul says, That no one should be shaken by these afflictions, for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this (I Thes. 3:3). No matter how much he has to suffer, the true Christian must never forget about Christ s final triumph over the powers of this world (John 16:33; I Cor. 15:27-28; Phil. 2:1011). The Christian believer is to experience Christ s victory over all the powers of evil in his own life (Rom. 8:37; I Cor. 15:57).

Most importantly, in his sufferings the believer never ceases to entertain hope (Rom. 8:20). He has to be rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer (Rom. 12:12). First of all, all evils are short-lived (I Peter 1:6; Rom. 8:18), and whatever the believer may lose in this life is like nothing if compared with what he is to obtain with Christ (Mat. 16:26). For the followers of Christ there should be no worries and cares about the uncertainties of the future (Mat. 6:25-34; James 4:13-15). God will provide whatever they really need (Mat. 6:32; Luke 12:30).

Their faith has to reach a level never reached before, viz., it has to show joy over suffering (Mat. 5:12; John 14:28; 16:20,22; Acts 13:52; Rom. 5:2; 12:12). Moreover, the followers of Christ feel as a result of their suffering a deep compassion for the suffering of others (I Cor. 12:26).

St. Paul says: Rejoice in the Lord al-

ways. Again I will say, rejoice! (Phil. 4:4).

Commenting on this verse, St. John Chrysostom says: He does not simply say, Rejoice always, but he adds the cause of the continual pleasure saying, Rejoice in the Lord always. He who rejoices in the Lord cannot be deprived of pleasure by anything that may happen... And as a spark falling upon a wide ocean quickly disappears, so whatever events happen to man who fears God, these, falling as it were upon an immense ocean of joy, are quenched and destroyed! (Homily on Rejoice Continuously).

Rejoice always! For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Rom. 8:18), says the same great Apostle. Does not death seem the most insupportable of all things? asks St. John Chrysostom. And he goes on to say: Yet the expectation of this is so far from grieving Paul, that it makes him more joyful... (Idem). No, for the true Christian there is no suffering big enough to justify him to commit suicide, first and foremost, because there is no suffering bigger than the one undergone by Christ on the Cross. I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is His Church (Col. 1:24). No one is able to make us miserable, if we do not make ourselves

PAGE 21

miserable! concludes St. John.

Think about this! In modern Japan suicide is seen as indication of sincerity.

For instance, when a Japanese mother decides to kill herself, she usually first kills her children. Instead of calling forth indignation, such a deed elicits praise since children are not only regarded as parts of their parents but to leave them motherless would be cruel. Sound nightmarish, doesn t it? Compare this godless aberration with the sacred teachings of the Gospel of Light.

I conclude with Fr. Stanley Harakas words: To take one s life is quite wrong, because we live as a gift and trust from God. It is not ours to take away, even when we come to moments of psychological discomfort.

Believers, before they ever come to such a point of desperation, should have long developed the practice of finding strength and support in God Such an attitude toward life and its problems will prevent us from ever coming to the point of despondency and despair which would lead us to such a terrible act as suicide.

(The Orthodox Church: 455 Questions and Answers, p. 324). When there is the smallest amount of proof that mental illness was the cause of suicide, our Orthodox Church acts with compassion, despite the fact that She respects the gift of life given to us by God. But to commit suicide consciously is tantamount to denying God, with the tragic consequence of losing eternal life. Suicide may be counted among the unforgivable sins, a sin against the Holy Spirit, since one can no longer repent after committing such an irredeemable, hopeless act.

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

PAGE 22

M

any cultural barriers typically prevent Greek Americans from seeking support for mental health problems. Even secondand third-generation Greek Americans are traditionally governed by a strong sense of pride and shame, often quite stoically resisting acknowledging emotional and psychological problems.

They might blame themselves and fear how the outside world will perceive them, should others find out.

GAMI FOUNDERS Stephanie Spanos and Maria Zachmanoglou

Older generation Greeks find the language a formidable barrier to expressing their concerns, in obtaining information, treatment or even in seeking reassurance.

School psychologist Dr. Maria Zachmanoglou, psychologist Dr. Stephanie Spanos, and actress Katina Zachmanoglou, recognizing the need for a mental health organization to bridge the language and cultural gap in the Greek-American community, a few years ago created the Greek Alliance for the Mentally Ill (GAMI), under the auspices of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI).

GAMI has made significant headway in eliminating these barriers in its outreach to New York Metropolitan area Greek Americans through contact with individuals, families and many organizations.

Because of the specialized needs of

of

Special Interest

Task Force on Disabilities, Mental Health the mentally ill, various organizations social service agencies from around the nation, and the Roman Catholic Church, have sought GAMI s expertise.

The organization also has begun a cooperative effort with its sister organization in Greece, SOPSY. GAMI has remained a structurally flexible and loosely connected group of advocates for the mentally ill, comprising family members, patients, mental health professionals from all disciplines, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and community leaders.

Currently, it has also cultivated a relationship with the Church to broaden its outreach to the Greek community.

In the future, GAMI hopes to include teachers, political leaders, and social service administrators among its members.

Unlike other branches of NAMI that focus mainly on severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia and manic depressive disorder, GAMI has chosen to be more inclusive in terms of its subject matter and patient population, encompassing a broader spectrum of mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, childhood developmental disorders, learning disabilities, and others.

GAMI offers once to twice monthly support groups. Though meetings tend to focus on Greek American issues, individuals of all religions, ethnicity, and crosscultural Greek Americans are welcome, promoting the principle that psychiatric disorders and medical disorders are equally common to all backgrounds.

The 2000 YEARBOOK

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GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA

YEARBOOK 2000 8 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10021 Phone: (212) 774-0207 Fax: (212) 774-0215

GAMI leaders conduct meetings, with family members and interested individuals participating. A Greek-speaking psychiatrist attends most meetings, which are conducted in Greek and English, depending on members needs.

Various services

GAMI offers the following information and support assistance: General information on neuropsychiatric problems in both children and adults Referrals for both counseling and psychiatric treatment Step-by-step, how to get help for an acutely mentally ill family member How to obtain services for mentally ill dependents How to talk to your doctor about medications and other treatment concerns Group support for families with mental illness How to maintain compliance with treatment; problems and challenges Discussion of domestic violence and its relationship to mental illness On-site and home visit social work referrals Discussion of substance abuse issues Ask the Doctor sessions; questions and answers about medications and side effects Forensic evaluation referrals Confronting superstitions about mental illness such as possession, and other old wive s tales Visiting Greek Orthodox churches throughout the metropolitan area to strengthen outreach in the community, to disseminate literature and initiate dialogue - cooperation with other Greek-American grassroots social service agencies.

Contributions of meeting space and moral support for GAMI s efforts have been provided by Fr. James Moskovites of Annunciation Church and Fr. Robert Stephanopoulos, dean of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, both in Manhattan.

Other professional participants have included Dr. Paul Kymissis, Dr. Catherine Karni, Maria Lyrist, Helen Theodorou, Dr.

JULY-AUGUST, 2000

Andreas Adams, Aristoula Sifnaios, Dr. Mary Theodore, Dr. Ruby Kambolia, and Dr. Sharon Packer.

Volunteers welcome

As the activities of GAMI broaden, the need for more professional volunteers will increase. GAMI continues to recruit and welcomes the assistance of mental health and social service professionals from the Greek-American community and from other ethnic groups.

Dr. Zachmanoglou, Dr. Spanos and Dr. Karni have also appeared on a number of Greek radio and television programs, discussing issues of mental health.

Through their experiences with the mentally ill, Drs. Spanos and Zachmanoglou recognized a real need for support and advocacy in other areas and have spearheaded a mission to establish a direct interface with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, and Church leaders.

Along with other advocates, they are forming a Task Force on Disabilities and Mental Health in cooperation with the Archdiocese. Besides, mental illness, disabilities will include neurological impairments, mental retardation, physical disabilities, childhood disorders, and other impairments.

The goal is to broaden the Church s awareness and participation in the very relevant areas of disabilities and mental health, to overcome stigma and to further integrate people with disabilities into our Church, including participation in the Clergy/Laity Congress, submitting articles to the Orthodox Observer, and ensuring the elimination of architectural barriers to our churches.

Other advocates include Hariklia Anatolis, who has been helping parents with special needs children in the New York City area. Herself a parent of twins with cerebral palsy, Mrs. Anatolis has been a tireless advocate in the Greek community.

Phaedra Damianakos has been active in the matter of ramping and her goal is for people with physical disabilities to have access to all Greek churches.

Task Force members welcome participation by interested persons throughout the country.

For information, contact Dr. Maria Zachmanoglou at DrMariaZ@aol.com, (2l2) 873-0214 or Dr. Stephanie Spanos at sbspanoS@erols.com, or (914) 725-1353.

HOLY SCRIPTURE READINGS AUGUST .................................

1 T ......... 1 Cor. 6:20-7:12; Mt. 14:1-13 2 W .... 1 Cor. 7:12-24; Mt. 14:35-15:11 3 Th ........ 1 Cor. 7:24-35; Mt. 15:12-21 4 F 1 Cor. 1 Cor. 7:35-8:7; Mt. 15:29-31 5 S ........... Rom. 12:1-3; Mt. 10:37-11:1 6 SUN ......... 2 Pet. 1:10-19; Mt. 17:1-9 7 M ............. 1 Cor. 9:13-18; Mt. 16:1-6 8 T ............ 1 Cor. 10:5-12; Mt. 16:6-12 9 W ....... 1 Cor. 10:12-22; Mt. 16:20-24 10 Th .. 1 Cor.10:28-11:7; Mt. 16:24-28 11 F ........ 1 Cor. 11:8-22; Mt. 17:10-18 12 S ........ 1 Cor. 13:1-10; Mt. 12:30-37 13 SUN .. 1 Cor. 1:10-18; Mt. 14:14-22 14 M .... 1 Cor. 11:31-12:6; Mt. 18:1-11 15 T Phil. 2:5-11; Lk. 10:38-42; 11:27, 28 16 W ...... 1 Cor. 13:4-14:5; Mt. 20:1-16

17 Th ...... 1 Cor. 14:6-19; Mt. 20:17-28 18 F 1 Cor. 14:26-40; Mt. 21:12-14, 17-20 19 S ............ Rom. 14:6-9; Mt. 15:32-39 20 SUN .... 1 Cor. 3:9-17; Mt. 14:22-34 21 M ..... 1 Cor. 15:12-19; Mt. 21:18-22 22 T ...... 1 Cor. 15:29-38; Mt. 21:23-27 23 W ....... 1 Cor. 16:4-12; Mt. 21:28-32 24 Th .......... 2 Cor. 1:1-7; Mt. 21:43-46 25 F ........ 2 Cor. 1:12-20; Mt. 22:23-33 26 S ..... Rom. 15:30-33; Mt. 17:24-18:4 27 SUN . Zechariah 10:1-11:17; Psalm 146:1-10 28 M 2 Zechariah 12:1-13:9; Ps. 147:1-20 29 T ....... Zech. 10:11-17; Ps. 146:1-10 30 W ...... Malachi 1:1-2:17; Ps. 149:1-9 31 Th ....... Malachi 3:1-4:6; Ps. 150:1-6

SEPTEMBER .................................

1 F ................. Gen. 1:1-2:25; Ps. 1:1-6 2 S ............... Gen. 3:1-4:26; Ps. 2:1-12 3 SUN ........... Gen. 5:1-7:24; Ps. 3:1-8 4 M .............. Gen. 8:1-10:32; Ps. 4:1-8 5 T ............. Gen. 11:1-13:4; Ps. 5:1-12 6 W .......... Gen. 13:5-15:21; Ps. 6:1-10 7 Th ......... Gen. 16:1-18:19; Ps. 7:1-17 8 F ........... Gen. 18:20-19:38; Ps. 8:1-9 9 S ........... Gen. 20:1-22:24; Ps. 9:1-12 10 SUN . Gen. 23:1-24:51; Ps. 9:13-20 11 M .... Gen. 24:52-26:16; Ps. 10:1-15 12 T ... Gen. 26:17-27:46; Ps. 10:16-18 13 W ........ Gen. 28:1-29:35; Ps. 11:1-7 14 Th ....... Gen. 30:1-31:16; Ps. 12:1-8 15 F ....... Gen. 31:17-32:12; Ps. 13:1-6

16 S ....... Gen. 32:13:34:31; Ps. 14:1-7 17 SUN ... Gen. 35:1-36:43; Ps. 15:1-5 18 M ...... Gen. 37:1-38-30; Ps. 16:1-11 19 T ....... Gen. 39:1-41:16; Ps. 17:1-15 20 W .... Gen. 41:17-42:17; Ps. 18:1-15 21 Th . Gen. 42:18:43-34; Ps. 18:16-34 22 F ..... Gen. 44:1-45:28; Ps. 18:35-50 23 S ....... Gen. 46:1-47:31; Ps. 19:1-14 24 SUN ... Gen. 48:1-49:33; Ps. 20:1-9 25 M Gen. 50:1-Exodus 2:10; Ps. 21:1-13 26 T ..... Exodus 2:11-3:22; Ps. 22:1-18 27 W .... Exodus 4:1-5:21; Ps. 22:19-31 28 Th ..... Exodus 5:22-7:24; Ps. 23:1-6 29 F ..... Exodus 7:25-9:35; Ps. 24:1-10 30 S ... Exodus 10:1-12:13; Ps. 25:1-11

JULY-AUGUST, 2000

missions

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

Interfaith Marriage

PAGE 23

Intermarried Couple Challenges after Marriage Banquet Raises $22,000 for Missions

by Fr. Charles Joanides, Ph.D., LMFT

During the first few years of marriage, couples seek to blend two separate lives into one life. Along with the typical challenges that most single faith couples encounter, intermarried couples must negotiate a host of challenges related to their religious, cultural and racial differences.

Meet Tina and Harold Tina (25) and Harold (25) have been married for almost two years. Tina is a second generation Greek-American Orthodox Christian. Harold was raised in the Methodist Church, and comes from a ScotchIrish background. Both met at a small liberal arts college, dated for about one year, and were subsequently engaged and married in the Greek Orthodox Church.

When asked to describe some of their experiences since marriage, Harold began with the following observation. It s been an interesting two years. For a while, I wondered what I had gotten myself into, because we were having lots of difficulty adjusting to each other s backgrounds. But I suppose our love for each other buffered us from any serious negative residual effects.

Nodding in agreement, Tina remarks, It s been harder than I first supposed it might be for me also, but I think it was harder for Harold. He seems to be the one who had to make most of the adjustments.

Asked to elaborate further, Harold continues. I wasn t exactly embraced with open arms, by Tina s family before the marriage. Tina s Mom even went so far as to tell me that it was difficult for her when she realized that Tina would be marrying a non-Greek. And to make things worse, for a long time after the wedding, most of her family seemed cold and distant toward me.

Tina interjects, I don t think it was that long, honey - maybe a few months.

When they began realizing that I was happy, and you weren t going away, they began to soften.

I suppose, says Harold. But to me, it seemed like a long time. And then when everyone began warming up to me, this was also an awkward time. Members of my family tend to relate differently to one another. From what I ve discovered, Greek families tend to be more involved and aware of each other s business. They also tend to be more emotionally expressive people. So when Tina s family started treating me like one of the family, it was rather difficult for me to handle because I didn t really know how to interpret all this new and unfamiliar behavior. But don t misunderstand me. I like Tina s family, and have learned to adjust to their way of interacting with each other. It was just hard at first, that s all.

Harold pauses, then looks at Tina as if to ask if she has anything to add, and continues. Then there were the differences in our religious traditions. I was raised in the Methodist Church and wasn t really going to church very much when I met Tina. But since she has such a strong faith in God, to please her, I began attending the Greek Orthodox Church with her after we got married. But it was really frustrating for me, because I couldn t understand the rituals, and a lot of the services were being conducted in Greek. And worse than this, whenever I asked Tina to explain something, she wasn t able to offer me a complete explanation.

That s true, Tina states. I love my church. It s the only church I ve found that makes me feel comfortable. I went to

Harold s church a few times, but things were too unfamiliar. Anyhow, as I was saying, when Harold started asking me questions about the Orthodox Church, I realized how much I didn t know. So we started picking up books, and even going to some of Fr. Peter s Wednesday night adult education classes, which this proved to be an enriching experience for us both.

Harold looks at Tina with a smile and declares, I think that maybe it s been more of an enriching experience for you than for me. But I will say one thing, when Tina fasts, or displays icons in our home, or when I m at my in-laws and they crack Easter eggs or cut the New Year s bread at least I m not lost.

This part of our conversation appears to be coming to an end. Both are quiet, until Tina makes the following additional observation. Even though we ve spent most of our time describing the difficulties that Harold experienced trying to adjust to my background, I think that he would agree that we ve worked hard at trying to combine the best of both of our backgrounds.

Nodding in agreement, Harold says, I think that s a fair statement. I also think we re far more like other couples than we are different. And the few differences we ve spoken about seem to have enriched our lives. I also think that our future children will benefit from our different backgrounds.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. More than $22,000 was raised at Team Chicago s annual benefit dinner held May 24 at St. John the Baptist Church in Des Plaines, Ill. The total, announced June 13 by Laura Paulus of Team Chicago, included $16,583 raised at the event and an additional $6,026 presented that evening from the All Saints Walk-a-Thon, the hosting church s Sunday school, and GOYA. Over 500 people attended the annual event, now in its fourth year. Speakers included Metropolitan Iakovos of Krinis and Presiding Hierarch of the Diocese of Chicago, Metropolitan Nikitas of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, Fr. George Scoulos, Fr. John Chakos, OCMC Board President, Fr. Martin Ritsi, OCMC Executive Director, and Alex Kapatos, a former team member to Guatemala.

Half the proceeds will be sent to the Hogar Raphael Orphanage in Guatemala and the other half will be used for the ministries of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center.

Team Chicago is comprised of past OCMC mission team members and other volunteers who strive to raise the missions awareness of Chicago area Orthodox Christians.

The group provides presentations to churches, supports and promotes shortterm mission teams, and remains in contact with past team members and the people they have helped. Their next event was a send-off dinner June 9 for OCMC team members headed to Mexico and Alaska for the summer.

Team Chicago also plans to hold a one-day missions retreat later this year.

Challenges After Marriage

Couples like Tina and Harold who participated in the Interfaith Research Project (IRP), said repeatedly that they were faced with challenges during the first few years of marriage. Results also suggest that couples that viewed their different religious and cultural backgrounds as enriching were less inclined to experience long term negative residual effects. Conversely, couples who continued to experience difficulties related to their religious and cultural differences, tended to perceive them as drawbacks, and were more likely to experience lingering marital and family conflict.

While both partners may experience some degree of culture shock in their efforts to adapt to their partner s religious and cultural background, results from the IRP suggest that the non-Orthodox partner may be apt to experience more discomfort when introduced to their partner s Greek Orthodox background. In most cases, the insecurity and unfamiliarity with their partner s cultural and religious idiosyncrasies tended to resolve with time.

Spouses also described an awkward adjustment period that they experienced between themselves and their in-laws. In most instances this period did not last long. The non-Greek Orthodox partners seemed more likely to experience more of these types of challenges than their Greek Orthodox partners. it was important for newly married couples to draw healthy boundaries between themselves and their parents. Keeping out unwanted extended family intrusions was important to couples efforts to mold and shape a life together.

And finally, most of these couples indicated that their faith in God was indispensable in their efforts to strike a balance between personal, couple, and extended family needs. Given their religious differences, some couples were challenged to find ways to pray together. Couples who struggle to develop a prayer life together find that the stresses and strains of developing a life together were minimized.

N. Manginas

PRESBYTERES who participated in the 35th Congress with Archbishop Demetrios and Metropolitan Dimitrios of Sevasteia.

Presbyteres Meet in Conjunction with Congress

by Presbytera Alexandra M. Pappas

More than 160 presbyteres took part in the annual meeting of the National Sisterhood of Presvyteres, held in conjunction with the 35th Clergy-Laity Congress.

The NSP meetings included a ceremony honoring Presbytera Margaret Orfanakos, who concluded her four years service as the organization s president.

Her successor, elected July 6, is Presbytera Angie Constantinides of Aurora, Ill. At the opening session, Presbytera Elaine Gigicos of Orlando, Fla., discussed how presbyteres can simplify their lives, followed by meetings of diocesan representatives and retired and widowed presbyteres.

A clergy family children s program, organized by Voula Liacopoulos of Egg Harbor, N.Y., attracted more than 40 children who were led each day in crafts and songs by Sunday school teachers and volunteers.

Fr. George Orfanakos of Clifton, N.J., led a teen workshop.

A general meeting took place July 4, with report presentations from Diocese Sisterhoods, and an awareness workshop on wellness led by Fr. Straton Dorozenski of Dayton, Ohio.

Dr. Ari Cristofidis of New York led an awareness workshop on family and mental health issues.

At their July 5 meetings, presbyteres

heard presentations on an outreach support program and received a pamphlet that serves as a guide for those considering marriage to a spouse contemplating the priesthood and his ordination.

The NSP held a luncheon for Archbishop Demetrios at Philadelphia s downtown club. Presbytera Orfanakos received the Medal of St. Paul from His Eminence and also was presented an icon of the Panagia in appreciation for her service.

Metropolitan Panteleimon of Tyroloi and Sevasteia also spoke to the group.

In the evening, the NSP, along with the National Presbyters Council, held a panel awareness discussion featuring representatives of all facets of clergy family life.

In addition to Presbytera Constantinides, other officers chosen at the NSP election were Flora Chioros of Newport News, Va., vice president; and Pauline Pavlakos of Denver, treasurer.

Presbytera Orfanakos remains as past president and advisor.

The new executive board met to discuss the next two years plans and goals.

At the final session, presbyteres heard a presentation on finances and benefits from Pam Danagelis of Chicago, and Kathy Peters from the Archdiocese Benefits Office.

Presbytera Pappas of Stockton Calif., is secretary of the NSP

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

PAGE 24

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JULY-AUGUST, 2000

Youth Ministry

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

challenge

Session on Prayer:

How to Develop a Relationship with Jesus Christ (This section is new to the Challenge. It is a session designed for families, JOY or GOYA ministries and can be used in your parish or homes)

by Fr. Mark A. Leondis & George Hazlaris

Purpose: To introduce to the young person to the importance of developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through prayer.

OPENING PRAYER: O Lord Jesus Christ our God, who in Your mercy and loving kindness does regard the prayers of all who call upon You with their whole heart, incline Your ear and hear our prayers, now humbly offered to You. Our Father who art in Heaven...

Ice-breaker/Opening Activity: Prayer to Me is like...

Distribute a pencil and paper to each participant. Have each participant write down on the top of the paper Prayer to me is like... and have them list three examples.

Allow for approximately five minutes and have each person in the group shares the answers.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: It is important to accept all answers and to affirm each answer with a positive statement. If an answer is incorrect, look to find something positive and respond appropriately.

What is prayer?

How do you pray?

(In Church, in front of icons, at our bedside, etc.)

When do you pray?

(At home, in school, before meals, etc.)

What kinds of prayer are there?

(Liturgical, personal, intercessory, etc.)

Why do you pray?

How often do you pray?

Does God always hear our prayer?

(Most definitely. Always remember that God hears all prayer. Sometimes in a way that we can t understand or see visibly.

Often it takes much time for our prayers

From the Church Fathers To Us! Prayer refreshes and enlivens the soul, as outer air refreshes the body.

When we pray we feel stronger and fresher, as we feel physically and spiritually stronger and fresher when we walk in the fresh air.

(St. John of Kronstadt) Challenge is the Youth & Young Adult Ministries supplement to the Orthodox Observer.

Articles reflect the opinion of the writers.

Write to: Youth & Young Adult Ministries, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, 8 East 79th Street, New York, N.Y. 10021 or email: youthoffice@goarch.org

to be answered so that we may be prepared for the answer).

BIBLICAL REFERENCE: Read Matthew 6:9-13 State: Prayer allows us the opportunity to communicate with God. Through prayer, we come into the presence of the Living God. Prayer is a way of maintaining a relationship with God. Jesus told His disciples how to pray and He gave them the Lord s Prayer.

Read the Lord s Prayer aloud.

What does the statement Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven mean?

(We must be willing to pray to accept God s will in our lives, and not our own.

Many times, we want something, but God knows what is best for us and therefore it is His will that we must seek and pray to accept. Most importantly, we must ask for

What s Up

What s up! is a new section in the Challenge for our Orthodox young people.

by Fr. Mark A. Leondis & George N. Gartelos

It happens before a big test... It was 10 a.m., the bell rang. I was sitting in algebra class ready to take the final exam. I wasn t prepared. I didn t study.

It happens when we need something... I remembered some of the basic formulas, but that s it.

It happens when we are scared... I looked around the room, to see if anyone was watching, and I made the sign of the cross. I asked God to help me get through this final exam.

It happens when we feel the need!

Our lives get so busy that it s easy to lose our focus. Our hectic schedules are jam-packed with school, sports, homework, GOYA, etc. We are so busy planning what we are going to do next, we forget to find time for God. We don t keep the lines of communication open with Him. Think about it: What happens when you don t speak to one of your best friends for two weeks?

understanding of God s will. Sometimes we think the only time He answers our prayers is when He says yes . This is an improper view of prayer.)

Activity: Prayer Cards The Fathers of the Church give us a formula for prayer. They tell us first to Thank God, then to pray for others, then to pray for the forgiveness of our sins and finally to pray for special needs. Photocopy or format the formula below and pass one out to each participant.

Lord, thank you for ___________________ Lord, be with your servants ____________ Lord, forgive me for __________________ Lord, please _________________________ Activity: Prayer Partners Have participants write their name on a piece of paper and put it into a hat. Once they have done so, have them pick out a name. This name is the person they will either begin or add to their prayer list.

State: Whether or not you are having a good or bad day, through this exercise, someone will be praying for you everyday.

Activity: Prayer List Give each participant an index card.

Give them five minutes to write in names of people they care about. After they have completed this activity, tell them that this is now their prayer list. Encourage participants to use this prayer list daily and to keep adding to their list.

Closing Prayer: Form a circle and have the group leader begin with the prayer below. Have each participant pray for one person whom they know that is going through a difficult time.

Lord Jesus Christ our God, we thank You for all the blessings You have bestowed upon us. Continue to shed your blessings upon our families. We pray for the servants of God _________. We ask this in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

PAGE 25

Email: youthoffice@goarch.org

What Do You Think About ?

D

Thumbs Down to Eminem (the rapper) His number one new CD, which has sold over 5 million copies, expresses hateful speech and extreme vulgarities.

C

Thumbs Up to Creed their song higher speaks about help from above and includes uplifting and edifying lyrics.

YAL

DIOCESE OF SAN FRANCISCO YAL CONFERENCE

Theme: The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few . . . (Matthew 9:37) Speaker: Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis, Professor of Theology; HC/HC Dates: September 1-4, 2000 Hotel: Hyatt Regency Hotel, San Francisco Airport (650) 347-1234 Registration: $185 postmarked on or before August 1, 2000; $210 postmarked on or before August 15, 2000; $250 postmarked August 16, 2000 or later & walk-in Events: Keynote, workshops, Outreach to Project Mexico, party at California Academy of Sciences and Steinhart Aquarium, dance, Wine country tour (optional), and much more!

On-Line Registration: http://www.goaldsf.org/new457.html Questions: Tel: (650) 565-8909

If Prayer is Right, Everything is Right The friend is not on your mind as much.

Your relationship becomes strained. The longer you don t speak the harder it is to pick up the phone and call them.

The same thing happens when we don t speak with God. When we don t speak with God, He is not on our minds as much, and our relationship becomes strained. We have lost communication with the One who has given us life.

We must view our relationship with God as an encounter, as a personal relationship. It s hard sometimes because we feel like we are praying to an empty sky.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

God is never absent He is always in us, near us and around us. He is always listening. We just need to be able to open our eyes to see Him. Prayer truly begins at the moment when instead of thinking of God as being far away, we come to see Him face to face.

The best way to start a relationship with anyone is to open the lines of communication, to start talking to that person.

Prayer is not something we do only in church on Sunday mornings. It is not something we do only once a week. It

must be a daily and often occurrence. To keep the lines of communication open, we must continually put ourselves before God in prayer. The Fathers of the Church give us a formula for prayer. They say pray in this way: Give Thanks to God (for the blessings He has bestowed on us) Pray for others (parents, siblings, relatives, friends even our enemies) Ask for forgiveness of our sins (daily) Pray for yourself (that the Lord s will be done in our lives) This simple formula should help you in your daily prayer life. When you wake up in the morning, stand before the icon of our Lord and pray. Throughout the day, continue to ask God for strength and encouragement. Pray before meals and before you travel. When you go to bed in the evening, stand before the Icon of our Lord, and pray again. Make your whole life a prayer. And remember; always keep the lines of communication open with our Lord and Savior.

Prayer is the test of everything. If prayer is right, everything is right. St. Theophan the Recluse

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

PAGE 26

JULY-AUGUST, 2000

Philadelphia Congress Lives up to Its Name u page 1 that the current indebtedness of the Archdiocese should be retired by September.

He explained that the faithful have begun to contribute very generously to have our Archdiocese debt-free.

Mr. Catsimatidis observed that, no problem is too large to solve. We are human beings, we are meant to have problems, but we are also called upon to have solutions. The Church is what is going to hold together our religion, culture and language. Let s build up our Church. Let s all work together.

Archbishop Demetrios said, It s a wonderful thing to see that this (elimination of the debt) is more and more a reality. One of most touching things was when people would come up and say you can have this amount. It is a pure, unselfish offering not tied to the name of a building or other honor. Here we have people believing in a God who became man to serve the people.

Hierarchical Liturgy More than 3,000 faithful, including delegates and members of the Philadelphia-area Greek Orthodox churches attended Orthros and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Sunday in the Grand Hall of the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Archbishop Demetrios presided over the Liturgy. Metropolitans Panteleimon of Tyroloi and Serention, and Demetrios of Sebasteia, official representatives of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, hierarchs of the Archdiocese Holy Eparchial Synod along with Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos, Chancellor Very Rev. Savas Zembillas, and other clergy concelebrated.

In his homily, Archbishop Demetrios spoke of the need to be on the path of Christ and take steps to fight evil and seek redemption.

Noting that the city of Philadelphia is connected with liberty, he urged the faithful, Let us be courageous soldiers of the Liberator. Let us be His apostles.

Opening meetings Later in the day, His Eminence blessed the openings of the National Philoptochos Convention and exhibits hall, which included 46 participants offering products ranging from bishops thrones and Byzantine iconography to religious literature to

P. Christopoulos

HIS EMINENCE Archbishop Demetrios presides over Sunday’s Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in the Grand Hall of the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

computer software and audio visual aids.

At the Philoptochos opening, Archbishop Demetrios said he gives thanks for the work of Philoptochos; for their excellent cooperation in general and specific occasions.

He told them It is the Church that is proud, that feels the tremendous offering of Philoptochos around the country.

He said that, while the meaning of their name signifies friends of the poor and those who love, he posed the question to them of What if there are no poor in you have to become philanthropoi (ists), not just Philoptochos.

Continuing on the theme of love, the Archbishop added that it is even more important to be Philadelphoi - to love our brothers and sisters. And, since we are in Philadelphia, this is a local necessity, he said with a touch of humor as audience members expressed their approval with warm applause.

He also exhorted them to be philoxenos, showing love to those with no connection, and especially philochristos.

That s the finale, he emphasized, if you don t have this, all other things go down the drain. We must be friends of Christ.

The visiting metropolitans representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate also conveyed their greetings, and blessings from Patriarch Bartholomew.

Your involvement with the poor, your efforts to satisfy their needs, gives you a place on His right hand, said Metropolitan Panteleimon. By doing it to the least of His brethren, you have done it unto Him.

DELEGATES come to register at the Clergy-Laity Congress.

Metropolitan Demetrios of Sevasteia recalled his memory of the high esteem that Patriarchs Athenagoras and Dimitrios held for Philoptochos. We are grateful to you and we are proud of you for your philanthropy to everyone, he told the audience of several hundred delegates.

Official start

P. Christopoulos

ARCHBISHOP Demetrios was impressed by the variety and quality of the many exhibits, as in this booth with ecclesiastical and liturgical items from Greece.

Church relating to the fact that we are the carriers of ancient traditions: Living and experiencing the faith as worship and prayer, experiencing and projecting that faith as love, and experiencing faith as truth. (Full text of Keynote address starting on page 3) The first objective, faith as worship and prayer, consists of connecting to God via prayer and the tremendous wealth of services, architecture, music and iconography, he said.

Projecting the faith as love means demonstrating charity and love among Church members and to those outside the Church, the Archbishop explained.

Multidimensional has been a central component and characteristic of the ageless traditions of our Church, he said This tradition seems to be definitely needed in the new century.

We have a magnificent mission, to show that a world without love is a dead world, that society is a terrifying monster.

We have to become apostles of faith and love.

We have to be steadfast in projecting the faith as truth, Archbishop Demetrios said of the third objective. He observed that, through the breakthrough research into the human genome, future

Archbishop Demetrios set the tone for the congress in his keynote address at the opening breakfast July 3.

I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the precious and unique experience of loving, worshiping, serving you, and to experience with you the steady love and unity growing in this Church.

This feeling is very strong at this very moment as I m looking at this sea of beloved people. I am filled with thanks. He also told the more than 1,500 people assembled that he has had the constant and warm support of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Patriarchal Synod, and expressed his appreciation to the hierarchs of the Archdiocese Holy Eparchial Synod, and to the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in America for its excellent cooperation.

His Eminence told the gathering that three major objectives lie ahead for the

P. Christopoulos

generations could consist of people who have no concept of truth at all, and that without truth, there is no possibility of divine knowledge.

He said that Orthodox Christians are sent by God to be carriers, transmitters of God s truth in the coming years.

He also urged that worship be made a central issue for every community, through study planning and work in a methodical, consistent effort to bring to worship to every member of the community, and to take special care for liturgical participation of children in our spiritual life.

Addressing the subjects of the family and interfaith marriage, the Archbishop said that the family is a priority; a fundamental unit in orthodox community, and that mixed marriage families should be a primary object of our love and care.

It is time to warmly embrace this kind of family which constitutes the large majority of our families, he said. We routinely talk about them as a problem, but we must start talking about them as an opportunity for showing the power of love and understanding. We must intensify our efforts to help mixed marriage families to connect all their members to the faith.

His comments drew sustained applause.

JULY-AUGUST, 2000

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

PAGE 27

Ageless Traditions of Faith as Worship, Love, Truth The Archbishop also spoke on the importance of sustaining and expanding the national ministries, especially Hellenic College-Holy Cross, calling it a unique institution for preserving the faith of the Church.

How much is this jewel of America an actual concern?, he asked. We have to do much more. We have to make Hellenic College-Holy Cross an important priority for the faithful and communities; to make it the number one center in the world for truth of faith and tradition; and the number one international center for Hellenic studies.

In concluding, the Archbishop ex-

nations were formed as the land of the free and the home of the brave.

At the congress plenary sessions held the Wednesday afternoon and Thursday, delegates approved the Finance Committee s proposed budgets for 2001-02, for $13,247,500 and $13,182,500 respectively.

Reports of all other committees were presented, discussed and approved accordingly during the sessions. Committees and approved resolutions will be published in the next issue of the Orthodox Observer.

An unqualified success

The grand banquet, attended by 2,050 persons, will be remembered as the first time in Church history that a GOTelecom video received a rousing standing ovation.

The 30-minute film, Decades of Faith: The Greek Orthodox Church in America 1860-2000, produced and directed by Marissa Costidis and Nick Furris, is a spectacular retrospective of Greek Orthodoxy in America, presented through a collage of still photographs, popular music, and film of significant developments in the Church, through a decade-bydecade progression.

It includes memorable, nostalgic footage of each ArchN. Manginas bishop of the Church in Metropolitan Isaiah offers the Holy Eucharist to the faithful America interacting with the at the Divine Liturgy faithful and leading political horted the audience members to stand leaders, and historic scenes including the firm and hold to the ageless traditions, to first Philoptochos and GOYA gatherings, Jesus Christ. We are his messengers and and a narrative of memorable speech exambassadors to all who come in contact cerpts by each hierarch. with us.

In his comments following the presentation, Archbishop Demetrios said it Wide-ranging events moved him to tears.

The first three days included work It is a history of our church that honshops relating to the various committees ors all of us so richly and abundantly, that established a theological basis for each he said. meeting. Speakers presented the teachings Reflecting on the 35th congress, His of the faith as they related to each activity. Eminence asked rhetorically, What did we Highlighting the Fourth of July were do? We have produced a congress that is the Philoptochos luncheon (see related in a sense, a vivid, handsome expression story) and an evening Independence Day of the Church as family, gathering toDoxology and reception at St. George gether, conversing, planning together, disCathedral, only a few blocks from Inde- agreeing together. We leave this congress pendence Hall. with lasting memories of a deep lasting Main speaker at the Doxology was the human experience.

Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar, general secretary of Powerful impressions the National Council of Churches of Christ, and a former congressman, Drexel UniverIn his greetings at the banquet, U.S. sity chaplain, and president of Claremont Sen. Paul Sarbanes called the congress School of Theology in California. tremendously well organized and that He told the congregation that God it reflects the best in our Orthodox tradihas called us together to be one in Christ, tion. He praised Archbishop Demetrios to light the fire of the Church. God is call- as a spiritual leader of extraordinary, deep ing us to this moment of leadership and faith and abiding commitment We look that Christians must work together for forward to a vibrant Church as we move peace and justice. forward to the new millenium.

In his remarks, Archbishop Demetrios Ambassador of Cyprus to the United discussed the commemoration of Ameri- States, Erato Kozakou-Markoullis said: evcan independence and its honoring of the ery word and message of His Eminence ideal of freedom that the Founding Fathers has a special place in our hearts and in cherished. They risked their homes, their our minds. We thank him for making us possessions, their families and their lives, feel emotionally and mentally richer. not for wealth or fame or the fleeting plea The 35th Clergy-Laity Congress was a sures of this world, but for the enduring great success, said Patriarchal represencause of freedom. Brave were their works tative Metropolitan Panteleimon, who also in pursuit of independence; braver still serves as a professor of theology at the were their deeds, he said.

University of Thessaloniki. So we are The Archbishop said that Indepen- thankful to Archbishop Demetrios, to the dence Day is a day of dependence, be- hierarchy and for all those who worked cause freedom has always depended on for the success of the congress. the bravery and sacrifice for those who Metropolitan Demetrios, the director died for the ideals of democracy, freedom of the Patriarchal Office, noted that Aland human equality. mighty God has answered the prayers of He continued, As Greek Orthodox all, to see the 35th Clergy-Laity Congress Christians and as heirs of the cultural come to a peaceful and productive close.

I consider myself quite fortunate to legacy of Hellenism, we can appreciate in a special way the bond between liberty and be a witness to this great event. I am debravery. It is no coincidence that the na- lighted at seeing your dynamic participational anthems of both the United States tion in the ever-improving progress of the and Greece mention this connection. Both Orthodox faith in this land. We are

N. Manginas

MORE than 3,000 faithful, including delegates attended Sunday’s Hierarchical Divine Liturgy.

blessed that the Ecumenical Patriarch has entrusted the spiritual throne of the Church in America to a hierarch of the highest caliber, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios.

Ambassador of Greece to the United States Alexander Philon said of the Archbishop, There is no better person in this room to teach and to guide you than your archbishop. He is a little of Plato; this is the ideal; and a little of Aristotle; this is the measure. He s got both.

United and inspired Positive feelings about the success of the event ran high throughout the congress, as reflected in other statements at the banquet and in interviews with numerous clergy and lay delegates.

Archdiocesan Council Vice Chairman John Catsimatidis said, We are very lucky to have an archbishop like His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios. He is a very holy, very religious man and this is what our Church needs. He came to America and found the Archdiocese in debt. Instead of borrowing more money, he found many individuals willing to give and the debt is paid off. We re starting the 21st century off with a debt-free Archdiocese.

Philoptochos delegate Dr. Dorothy Patras of Fort Worth, Texas, said of the event, I think it s great. There have been some dynamic speakers, both men and women. And of the Archbishop, she said, He s another Chrysostom, right?

Archdiocesan Council member Dimitri Moschos of Worcester, Mass., commented, We leave here united and inspired. It s a fitting tribute to the new century and the millenium; Now its up to the clergy and laity to implement the decisions.

Delegate Thalia Plomarity of Corpus Christi, Texas, said after hearing His Eminence speak at the official opening, Archbishop Demetrios was the most inspiring.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Her daughter Olga noted, the format of having the workshop before the committee meeting worked out very well. And the keynote address from the Archbishop was most inspirational. It was like getting a shot of vitamin B-1. In one word was awesome. I think the Holy Spirit has descended upon this congress.

Archdiocese Council member and administration committee Chairwoman Eleni Huszagh of Portland, Oregon, said she was extremely pleased with the orderliness, kindness and the grace that the session was conducted. All participants exhibited the highest degree of concern and love for the church. That s the way it

should be. You re almost in tears watching everything.

Fr. Tom Zafferes of Syracuse, N.Y., observed, the Archbishop is a real calming force. He has vision for the Church.

That s what we need right now. I m really excited about the future.

Delegate George Pontikes of Glenview, Ill., said, the debates have been spirited, but not acrimonious. The Archbishop talked about transparency and accountability. I found that very attractive.

The congress was very successful, very peaceful, said Fr. Constantine Constantinou of Merrick, N.Y. All speakers were excellent. We really had a beautiful time. And there was a lot of content and a return to patristic literature and its application in modern times.

Delegate Valerie Karras of Town and Country, Mo., said after the second plenary session that her feelings about the congress were very positive, Archbishop Demetrios is truly a holy man of God. He s someone who inspires confidence and trust and the belief that we can and will do anything to further God s word.

I have high hopes, said delegate Andrew Kopan of Chicago. The Archbishop is articulate, like a guru, a tremendous asset our church needs.

I came with dismal hopes, thought it would be a catastrophe, but leaving with high hopes. I m very much impressed.

Philoptochos National Board member Cassandra Romas of New Jersey commented about the conference that she was extremely gratified to find such an exceptional attendance, participation and professionalism. The inspiration for our members is wonderful.

Final kudos I feel that the congress has been extremely successful, said Georgia Skeadas who, with her husband, Chris, served as co-chair.

The atmosphere was positive. The people were happy, very enthusiastic; they seemed inspired by the various sessions.

Mrs. Skeadas also praised the local host committee members, the Archdiocese staff, and event coordinator Tim Maniatis for their efforts in helping to organize the congress.

In his reflections on the biennial event, Chris Skeadas declared, I m in awe of His Eminence. I feel inspired and motivated and I m also very grateful for the work everyone did.

It was a remarkable gathering of the Church, very fitting for year 2000.; and I m very humbled to be part of it.

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

PAGE 28

JULY-AUGUST, 2000

35TH CLERGY-LAITY CONGRESS

Inspired with Renewed Spirit of Love, Harmony and Optimism for the Future

P. Christopoulos

HIS EMINENCE ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS with the Hierarchs who concelebrated Divine Liturgy, from the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. (L to R): Bishop Nicholas of Detroit; Metropolitan Isaiah of Proikonisos (Denver); Metropolitan Maximos of Aenos (Pittsburgh); Metropolitan Iakovos of Krinis (Chicago); Metropolitan Panteleimon of Tyroloi and Serention; Archbishop Demetrios; Metropolitan Demetrios of Sebasteia; Metropolitan Anthony of Dardanellion (San Francisco); Metropolitan Methodios of Aneon (Boston); Bishop Alexios of Atlanta and Bishop Demetrios of Xanthos.

N. Manginas

ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS of America delivers the Keynote address at the opening breakfast of the 35th Clergy-Laity Congress.

1 A VIEW of downtown Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, which hosted the 35th Clergy-Laity Congress.

2 TV News anchor Thalia Assuras serves as MC at the Grand Banquet 3 ARCHBISHOP Demetrios greets William Cardinal Keeler, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Baltimore who attended the banquet 1 N. Manginas

2

4 35TH CLERGY-LAITY CONGRESS co-chairs Chris and Georgia Skeadas present Archbishop Demetrios with a crystal eagle during the Grand Banquet.

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3 P. Christopoulos

4 P. Christopoulos