Orthodox Observer - July/August 2004 by Orthodox Marketplace

37th Clergy-Laity Congress

JULY – AUGUST 2004 • Vol. 69 • No. 1209

Met. Anthony of S.F. Announces 5 Retirement

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ORATORICAL FESTIVAL in Detroit 14

ST. BASIL ACADEMY GRADUATION

Clergy-Laity Congress 20

SPECIAL SECTION

15-19

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Meets with Pope John Paul II VATICAN CITY– Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew made his second official visit here June 28 on the occasion of the Feast Day of Sts. Peter and Paul, the patronal feast of the Roman Catholic Church. During his four-day stay, the Patriarch met with Pope John Paul II and inaugurated an Orthodox church. The restored Church of St. Theodore was a gift of the Pope to the Greek Orthodox community during the Jubilee year 2000. The visit also commemorated the 40th anniversary of the 1964 meeting between Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras in Jerusalem. That meeting was the first meeting between a pope and a patriarch since the Schism of 1054. The Pope embraced Patriarch Bartholomew outside the Apostolic Palace and entered the building for the first of several private gatherings. The two also exchanged gifts and signed a common declaration. In their joint declaration, they reaffirmed their commitment to work toward the full unity of Christians in order to proclaim the Gospel in a “more credible and convincing” way. They also relaunched

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH Bartholomew and Pope John Paul II during their first meeting in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. The two leaders exchanged gifts and signed a common declaration reaffirming their commitment to work toward unity.

A CALL TO FAITH: A New Book by Archbishop Demetrios

D. PANAGOS

ARCHBISHOP Demetrios with President Tassos Papadopoulos and US Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY).

Cyprus Honors Archbishop

NEW YORK – The President of Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos bestowed upon Archbishop Demetrios of America the highest honor of the Republic of Cyprus, the Great Cross of the Order of Archbishop Makarios III. The ceremony took place June 5, during a testimonial dinner hosted by the Cyprus Federation of America in a Manhattan hotel. On the same night, the Republic of Cyprus bestowed the same medal and honor to entrepreneur and philanthropist Alex Spanos.

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NEW YORK.– “A Call to Faith,” a collection of the major addresses and lectures of Archbishop Demetrios, is released at this 37th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress. The book includes 16 addresses and lectures offered by Archbishop Demetrios, beginning with his Enthronement Address in 1999, together with presentations offered at Holy Cross School of Theology, Richard Stockton College, Queens College, Harvard University, Columbia University, and Yale University, Aristotelian University in Thessaloniki, and the Academy of Athens. The collection also includes his address at the 2001 Conference of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), the keynote of the 36th Clergy-Laity Congress, his 2002 Indiction address at the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and a presentation delivered in Bucharest, Romania on the

impact of September 11. A Call to Faith contains addresses in both Greek and English, with full translations of two of the Greek texts, it also includes a subject index, as well as an index of biblical citations. The book, published by the Archdiocese, is available in both soft and hard cover editions. The soft cover edition will be offered as a gift to all registered participants of the 37th Biennial ClergyLaity Conference. Additional copies will be available for purchase at the Congress. A book signing will be held at the Congress on Monday, July 26, at 5 p.m. in the Majestic/Music Box Room on the sixth floor of the New York Marriott Marquis. Advanced ordering is now available with discounts offered to parish bookstores and book distributors. To place an order, call the Department of Communications at (212) 774-0244.

the work of the International Mixed Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. The Patriarch also met with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, visited St. Peter’s Basilica where he prayed at the Altar of the Cathedral and at Paul VI’s tomb, and attended a Mass in St. Peter’s Square, presided over by John Paul II. The Pope recited the Creed without including the filioque, the phrase that states, “and the Son.” On June 30, the traditional bilateral talks between the Holy See and Patriarchate took place. That afternoon, the Ecumenical Patriarch was honored by the city of Rome and later was welcomed by the community of Sant’Egidio in his patronal church of St. Bartholomew. Metropolitan Gennadios of Italy, who is also the exarch of the Ecumenical Throne for Southern Europe, had invited His All Holiness to preside at the inauguration of the Church of St. Theodore on July 1.

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AN OPEN LETTER from Michael Jaharis Dear Fellow Orthodox Christians, I hope this letter finds each of you well and as we all look forward to the 37th biennial Clergy Laity Congress. I am writing this letter on behalf of the Archdiocesan Council in order to provide each of you with an update on events since the last Clergy-Laity Congress in Los Angeles.

Recent Events of Importance

Our Archdiocese has experienced some very exciting developments: • First and foremost, on January 18, 2003 the Ecumenical Patriarchate granted to our Archdiocese the new Charter. We will review the history and process below. • For the first time in the history, our Archdiocese, as well as the other Eparchies of our Patriarchate around the world, have been asked to participate directly in the governance of the Ecumenical Patriarchate through membership in the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Hereafter six of the 12 members of the Holy and Sacred Synod will be from

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ARC HDI O C E S E

N EWS

Cyprus Bestows its Greatest Honor to Archbishop Demetrios and Alex Spanos u page 1 Archbishop Demetrios and Alex Spanos were honored for their great contributions to the advancement of national issues, especially to the just cause of the Cyprus issue in the United States and for their many and great services to the GreekAmerican community in general. Cyprus rarely awards such great honors. The Cypriot President praised Archbishop Demetrios and said “whenever I sought the advice and help of the Archbishop, he responded and acted always with courtesy and persistence. His assistance was offered abundantly in important issues, areas and circles with effectiveness and civility.”

JULY – AUGUST 2004

Bush: Halki Reopening Eminent

forts for the resolution of the Cyprus issue and to stand by the side of the Cypriot people. Greetings and salutations to the honorees were offered by the Permanent Representative of Greece to the U.N. Ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis, the president of the Cyprus Federation of America, Panicos Papanicolaou and the president of the International Coordinating Committee: Justice for Cyprus, Philip Christopher. At the conclusion of the event, the Archbishop responding to a question by members of the press about the Anan plan, which was rejected by the GreekCypriots in a referendum, said “People took for granted that the Cypriots would DURING his recent trip to Istanbul where he attended the NATO summit, President George Bush met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The reopening of the Theological School of Halki that now seems eminent, was the main topic of discussion.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Meets with Pope John Paul II of the other’s patronal feast day. Pope John Paul went personally to ConstantiThe Church of St. Theodore which nople in 1979 and Patriarch Bartholomew dates back to the 8th century, upon the ex- personally led the Orthodox delegation to press wishes of the Pope, was bequeathed Rome in 1995. by the Diocese of Rome to the Greek-OrIn Pope John Paul’s short farewell thodox community in Rome for liturgical speech to Patriarch Bartholomew July 1, celebrations and he told the Patripastoral care and arch that personal “Efforts toward unity has since been revisits “have allowed stored to its original us to give our faithare a spiritual event, Byzantine style and ful a living sign of a prayer event.” liturgical function. fraternity and to Patriarch Barconfirm the intentholomew met again tion to continue with John Paul II during a luncheon in the decisively toward the goal of full unity Apostolic Palace. between Catholics and Orthodox.” In an interview with Vatican Radio “There is a great need for these signs Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of of communion, as well as for the words Constantinople expressed his satisfac- which accompany and explain them,” the tion about his visit and meetings with Pope said. John Paul II. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew The Patriarch had also met with the characterized the third meeting as “more Pope in 2002, at the World Day of Prayer of a spiritual than of a formal nature. I in Assisi, Italy. have this impression and, as I said in my His All Holiness characterized this lat- homily in St. Peter’s Square, at this time, est visit as “more moving, more human at this stage, unity, efforts toward unity are and more fraternal.” a spiritual event, a prayer event.” He said he “felt it especially on the conclusive day, when we met with the Pope again and signed the joint declaration and then had lunch together – we had an agape together. “I was able to invite him to visit us in Istanbul: for him it would be the second 37th Clergy-Laity Congress occasion, after 1979, when he visited my Special Section . . . . . . . . 15-19 predecessor, Patriarch Dimitrios. The Pope seemed very happy, according to Archbishop’s Encyclical................ u 11 the impression he gave me, to accept this Archdiocese News ........................u 2-9 invitation.” The Patriarch added that the visit Archpastoral Reflections ...............u 10 “could occur Nov. 30 for the feast of St. Challenge ..................................... u 29 Andrew.” The two leaders exchange official Classifieds.................................... u 28 delegations on the annual celebrations

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D. PANAGOS

FOLLOWING the conferral of the Great Cross of the Order of Archbishop Makarios the III (L to R) Philip Christopher, president of the International Coordinating Committee: Justice for Cyprus; Archbishop Demetrios, President of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos, Alex Spanos and Panicos Papanicolaou, President of the Cyprus Federation of America.

“A piece of rock contains an eternity,” said the Archbishop – quoting T.S. Elliot – of the long history of Cyprus as he accepted the honor. He said that the medal he received “represented an eternity” and spoke of the heroic people of Cyprus “whose roots go far beyond the beginning of history and as they grow through the millennia, reach the first years of Christianity and the Book of Acts of the New Testament, where Cyprus also has a presence…” His Eminence thanked President Papadopoulos for “being true to his name Efstathios –which means the one who stands well– and standing truly well throughout his many years of service to his country and now as President…” “This medal does not really belong to me as an individual,” continued the Archbishop, “but as a representative of the community. The Archbishop is never a person in isolation, he is who he is with the people and what he does is the result of the effort of the people,” he noted. In his acceptance speech, Mr. Spanos expressed his pride and gratitude for the honor and committed to continue his ef-

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be ready to accept anything imposed on them and they were very wrong, they were disappointed...” and at another instance he added: “I believe that finally the God of justice and love will vindicate the longlong suffering of Cypriots and that it will finally establish a reunited Cyprus....” He also said about the medal he received “It was a tremendous honor… this whole ceremony was done with dignity and grace, it emphasizes this tremendous bond that connects all of us people of Greek origin no matter where we are born; it connects all of us and keeps us always fighting for what is just and proper for dignified human beings.” Among the many officials and dignitaries present at the event were six U.S. Congress members; Carolyn Maloney, Robert Menendez, Donald Payne, Frank Pallone Jr., Joseph Crowley and Chris Van Hollen. Also present were Greek-American New York State representatives Michael Giannaris and Matthew Mironis, many guests from the diplomatic corps and state and city goverment representatives from New York and New Jersey. — SP DIRECTOR & EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Stavros H. Papagermanos EDITOR: Jim Golding (Chryssoulis)

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Commentary .................................. u 6 Finance Report..............................u26-27 Greek Section .............................. u 21-23 Letters............................................u 10 Metropolis News .......................... u 30-31 Opinions....................................... u 10 Oratorical Festival......................... u 14 Parish Profile ................................ u 13 Saint Basil..................................... u 20 Voice of Philoptochos .................. u 25

JULY – AUGUST 2004

ARC HDI O C E S E

N EWS

An Open Letter from Michael Jaharis u page 1 Eparchies outside of Turkey. It must be remembered that the Holy Synod, along with the Patriarch, administers the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Our own Archbishop Demetrios has been elected as a member of this Holy and Sacred Synod. This means that when the Synod discusses issues affecting Greek Orthodox Christians in the United States, the Archbishop of America will have a direct voice on any issues affecting our Archdiocese. In this sense it can be said that we and the other Eparchies of the Patriarchate taken together are self-governing in that we all participate significantly in the governance of the Patriarchate. • Over the past 18 months, the Administration Committee of the Archdiocesan Council has worked diligently and in a spirit of unity in preparing new regulations for the Archdiocese in conformity with our new Charter. That committee was comprised of 22 individuals, 14 of whom were lay members. The committee has spent well over 300 hours preparing and meticulously reviewing, and revising these new regulations line by line to assure conformance with the Holy Canons, Church Tradition and the 2003 Charter, while simultaneously providing a fair and equitable set of rules. In addition the entire Archdiocesan Council spent one regular meeting of two days followed by a special meeting spanning two more days working on the regulations. The regulations are different from the Charter. While there has been much talk about the Charter, the fact is that the Charter does not directly impact the day-to-day activities of each Parish. It is the Uniform Parish Regulations (UPR) that is determinative. Regulations will be voted upon by the Clergy-Laity Congress in July. Once the vote takes place on these regulations, they will then be submitted to the Patriarchate for approval. The new regulations will govern the operation of not only all parishes, but of each Metropolis as well. They have already been sent to each parish for review prior to the Clergy-Laity Congress. • One important aspect of the new regulations is that our laity will have an expanded role and responsibilities in the administration of the Church. For the first time, the Archdiocesan Council (composed of hierarchy, priests, and lay volunteers from across the country) will have a direct input into the selection of the Archbishop, the Metropolitans, and Auxiliary Bishops through a special consultative process set forth in new regulations passed by the Archdiocesan Council on June 10, 2004.

More about the Charter

At this point it is useful to review, as indicated above, some background not only on our new Charter, but on charters in general. A charter is an ecclesiastical document that describes the structure and functioning of the Archdiocese and its relationship to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Since the creation of the Archdiocese in 1918, the Patriarchate has granted five successive charters in 1922, 1927, 1931, 1977, and 2003. Although it is the Patriarchate that granted the new Charter to the Archdiocese, the working draft of the Charter was not written by the Patriarchate; it was written by the laity and clergy in the United States. Our new charter has a long history of preparation. Archbishop Iakovos appointed a Charter committee (comprised of clergy and laity) about eight years ago. Archbishop Spyridon did likewise. In 1998, the Clergy Laity Congress

passed a resolution that the 1977 Charter should be revised. In late 1999 Archbishop Demetrios and our Eparchial Synod decided to resume the interrupted charter revision process. A Charter Committee consisting of three bishops, two priests, a lay canon law professor, and two lay lawyers was appointed. The Committee prepared, discussed and revised a proposed Charter extensively (there have been about 15 drafts over the eight years). At the direction of Archbishop Demetrios, a draft was presented to a Charter commission of clergy and laity from each Diocese (as decided by the 1998 Clergy Laity Congress), which also provided comments and suggested revisions (many of which were incorporated in the draft). The Archdiocese Charter Committee, which was augmented to include the Archbishop and the remaining members of the Synod as well as the Archdiocesan chancellor, then visited the Patriarchate four times for discussions (two days each) pertaining to the Archdiocesan draft of the Charter. The discussions during these meetings were spirited. The Patriarchate accepted most of our draft, including the very important provision of elevating our Archdiocese to an Archdiocese consisting of Metropolises, and the provision that all our bishops were to be Metropolitans of these Metropolises. It chose to continue the process of electing the bishops (now Metropolitans) upon nomination by our Eparchial Synod. (It should be remembered that the Patriarchate has always elected the nominee who received the most votes from our Eparchial Synod). It also chose to continue electing the Archbishop. However it provided for an extensive consultation process with respect to the election of hierarchs, which has been elaborated upon in the new Archdiocesan Council regulations discussed above. The draft was discussed by the Archdiocesan Council. In February 2002, the Archdiocesan Council comments and the draft were circulated to all our parishes in soliciting comments for the Los Angeles Clergy Congress in July 2002. There were hundreds of delegates from all parishes throughout the country at the 2002 Clergy-Laity Congress. After a presentation to and discussion with the delegates that lasted for seven hours, a motion passed requesting that the Patriarchate grant the proposed Charter. Separate motions asked for certain modifications. After the completion of Clergy-Laity Congress, the Archdiocese provided the Patriarchate with the comments received from parishioners among our parishes across the country, and the video and audio transcripts of the seven-hour discussion at the Clergy-Laity Congress. In granting the final version of the Charter the Patriarchate incorporated some of the changes requested by the Clergy-Laity Congress. The Patriarchate made clear that the Charter is to be a living document with other changes to be made in the future. As stated in the official transmittal

letter of the Patriarch: “[the Patriarchate] listened to and considered with great love and attention all of the view points presented by all people who wanted to express their opinion on this matter. With equal love and care, the Mother Church has chosen and adopted from the suggested proposals the ones that contain in themselves a prudent, reasonable and gradual transformation of current provisions. A primary aim in this task was the offering of the possibility to the whole body of the Archdiocese of an orderly ascension to new steps, so that when the proper time comes and the adjustment to the new conditions is successfully achieved, the Mother Church will proceed to offer other possible changes, if conditions at that time show that such changes are useful for a desirable further development and progress in Christ of the Holy Archdiocese of America.” The bottom line on all of these details is that the drafts of the current Charter were the most widely circulated and discussed in the history of the Church in America. More input from clergy and laity was provided on this document than perhaps any other document in the history of the Archdiocese. In contrast, the 1977 Charter, was never really discussed at a Clergy-Laity Congress prior to its granting. Instead, it was handled entirely by a small committee of the Archdiocesan Council.

Disinformation With this background in mind, I would like to comment on some “disinformation” which has been circulated to our faithful. A few of the key areas of disinformation are as follows: 1. Who prepared the Charter? It is claimed that the Charter was drafted by the Patriarchate without input from the clergy or the laity of the Archdiocese. As demonstrated above in great detail, nothing could be further from the truth. 2. Who has the Right to Issue a Charter? The cornerstone of the “disinformation” is that the 1977 Charter mandates that a new charter must be approved by the Clergy-Laity Congress. First, the Clergy-Laity Congress overwhelmingly recommended to the Patriarchate that it grant the new 2003 Charter. Second, the 1977 Charter does not state that the 1977 Charter may only be amended by a Clergy-Laity Congress. In fact, the 1977 Charter confirms that the only body that can grant a new Charter is the Patriarchate. Thus, there has been no violation of the 1977 Charter. Finally, and most importantly, every Charter in the history of our Archdiocese has been granted by the Patriarchate. It is simply not true that past Charters have been enacted by the Clergy-Laity Congress. The archives at the Archdiocese clearly confirm this fact. The above facts should make it abundantly clear that there is no substance to any of the “disinformation.” In the final analysis, however, no amount of distortion can impair the salvific mission of our Church.

Additional Resources

I would remind you that the clearest and best evidence of what the Charter says is the 2003 Charter itself and it is worth reading. The full text of the 2003 Charter is available in Greek and English on the Archdiocese website: www.goarch.org. Moreover, in the same web site you will find additional excellent explanatory materials that will provide you with an accurate and direct understanding of the issues. Such materials include: a) a letter from the Ecumenical Patriarch, which accompanied the new Charter; b) a letter from Archbishop Demetrios. The Archbishop points out that the Charter enhances our participation in the process of the election of the Archbishop and the Metropolitans and affirms the cooperation between the clergy and laity within the Church; c) a document entitled “Questions and Answers on the New Charter,” which provides answers to many of the same issues now raised by the disinformation that has been circulated; d) several other documents about the Charter written by members of the hierarchy, priests, laity and clergy.

The Broad Horizons of the Archdiocese

Discussions about the charter and regulations are but a small part of the ongoing life of the Church. The preponderant efforts of our Archdiocese are aimed at offering a broad range of ministries. We want you to be well informed about the exciting developments that are taking place within our Church. Our website www.goarch.org which has received high praises for its content, look, and ease of use, is a major source of information on nearly every aspect of the work and life of our Archdiocese. Over 64,000 users per week visit our website from all over the world, many of whom are people wanting to learn more about our faith and our Church. We have dedicated links for religious education, interfaith marriages, missions and evangelism, chat rooms for young and old, information on Church history, an on line chapel which includes real time services, and news about Church activities. It should be no surprised that our web site was voted the “most spiritual” of all denominational web sites. We also have an e-mail service (which is free) to which each of you can subscribe and receive weekly information on what is occurring at the Archdiocese. I encourage each of you to register for this terrific service. It should be clear that the Archdiocese website plays a very broad role in building connections to the faithful, in helping everyone expand their horizons, in assisting all of us “build communities of faith and love.” However there is a much more and exciting ministry in the real life and function of our Church, a reality that no website would ever be able to fully report. We look forward to seeing many of you at the Clergy Laity Congress where we can all join hands in this God ordained task. Thank you in advance for your continued support of your local parish, your Metropolis and your Archdiocese. Your support is a critical component of our collective effort to safeguard our timeless faith in this country for our children and all of those non-Orthodox individuals searching for the true faith of the apostles. Yours in Christ, Michael Jaharis Vice-Chairman Archdiocesan Council

JULY – AUGUST 2004

ALTAR BOYS REUNION 2004

Metropolitan Sotirios of Korea Enthroned SEOUL, Korea – The enthronement of Metropolitan Sotirios, the first Metropolitan of the Holy Orthodox Metropolis of Korea took place at St. Nicholas Cathedral on June 20. It followed the Sunday Divine Liturgy officiated by Archbishop Demetrios, who represented Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew and the Patriarchal Holy Synod.

and extended special thanks to his fellow clergy and lay people who worked for the establishment of the Metropolis of Korea. Protopresbyter Daniel Na, delivered a congratulatory message to the new metropolitan with deep respect and heartfelt gratitude for his love, sacrifice and prayers for all the Orthodox communities in Korea

Fr. Nicholas J. Vieron, retired priest of Annunciation Church in Memphis, Tenn., celebrated a Divine Liturgy on June 13 with 36 of his former altar boys as part of an annual reunion tradition he began holding since 1982. Fr. Vieron held the event every Palm Sunday until he retired in 1991. The former altar boys range in age from 22 to 62.

ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS PRESIDES, REPRESENTING THE PATRIARCHAL SYNOD

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The four co-celebrant hierarchs were Metropolitans Dionysios of Proussa (former Exarch of Korea); Euthymios of Aheloos (Athens), Efraim of Hydra, and Symeon of Nea Smyrni, priests and deacons from Korea, Greece, America, and Hong Kong also participated. “To the eternal glory of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and on behalf of His All Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I, and the Sacred and Holy Patriarchal Synod, I hand over to You this Pastoral Staff,” said Archbishop Demetrios as he handed over the pastoral staff to the new Metropolitan of Korea at the narthex of St. Nicholas Church. “It is a symbol of your apostolic spiritual responsibility and hierarchical diaconia bestowed upon you by the Lord, as Metropolitan of the Holy Metropolis of Korea, and May God help you in everything, he concluded. The enthronement began with a procession to the church and doxology and concluded with a special petition prayer of the new Metropolitan. Archbishop Demetrios, and their Eminences Dionysios of Proussa and Euthymios of Aheloos delivered messages of congratulations and good wishes. They especially praised all the endeavor, passion, sacrifice, pain, patient and unending love of Metropolitan Soterios for the people of Korea. The new Metropolitan in his response expressed his gratitude to the hierarchs, clergy, distinguished guests,

and presented him with a blessing cross made of pearl. Metropolitan Sotirios offered a priestly cross engraved with his signature on the back to every local priest, and special crosses to the presbyters, presidents and members of the parish board, as a token of appreciation for their contributions to the establishment of the Holy Metropolis of Korea. A festive banquet followed. Among the guests were Ambassador of Greece Constantine Drakakis, Ambassador of Belarus Mr. Seneshko, and the representative of the Holy See, Fr. Kurias Malhew Vayalnnkal. The following officials, organizations and dignitaries sent congratulatory messages: Minister Chang-Dong Lee, Ministry of the Culture-Tourism Dept; Cardinal Stephanos Soo Whoan Kim; Catholic Archbishop of Seoul, H. E. Jin-Suk Jeong; Catholic Bishop of Holy Synod, H.E. Chang Moo; president of the KCRP Rev. Pastor Do-Uoong Paek; Anglican Archbishop of Seoul, H. E. Chul-Bum Jung; Greek Pan-Hellenic Korean War Veterans Association; Jong-Joon Park, director of Mapo Police Station; Hong-Sub Park, director of the Mapo District Office; George Il Jin Heo, president of the Orthodox Church in North Korea; Clifford T. Argue, president and Fr. Martin Ritsi, executive director of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center in the United States; Very Rev. Archimandrite Constantine Tsilis, the representative of Metropolitan Nikitas of Hong Kong,

JULY – AUGUST 2004

Metropolitan Anthony Announces Retirement

SAN FRANCISCO. – Metropolitan Anthony, who for 25 years has served the Church as head of the Diocese/Metropolis of San Francisco, has announced his plans to retire at the end of 2005. In a letter to the faithful of the Metropolis dated June 7, the Metropolitan said, in part, “after long and prayerful consideration, I have arrived at the conclusion that the time has come for me to give place to others, who will build upon the foundation that we have laid. I am therefore writing to formally announce that I will retire as Metropolitan of San Francisco and your bishop by the end of the year 2005. “In Psalm 77, we read, “Now I have made a beginning; this transformation is from the right hand of the Most High.” Indeed, this is all that anyone can hope to do: to make a beginning. Until the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, nothing is ever truly completed, nothing ever comes to an end. All we can do is to make a beginning, to lay a foundation, knowing that it is the Lord’s hand that takes our temporal efforts and transforms them in the eternal light of His Kingdom. “Over the next year, there will be a number of events in celebration of my twenty-five years of ministry in this Metropolis. These regional celebrations will give us an opportunity to be together, so that I can see all of you and bid you farewell in person.” On April 13, 1978, Metropolitan Anthony, then Archimandrite Anthony Gergiannakis, was elected an auxiliary bishop to Archbishop Iakovos by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. At the time he

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Metropolitan Antony of San Francisco.

was the Archdiocesan Vicar for the Greek Orthodox faithful in Montreal, Canada. A 1960 graduate of the Halki Theological School, he earned a Master’s in Sacred Theology from Yale Divinity School in 1964 and completed doctoral studies at the University of Chicago and Uinversity of Minnesota while serving at various parishes in the region. Bishop Anthony was elected as Bishop of San Francisco on March 30, 1979 and enthroned at Annunciation Cathedral on June 7 with Archbishop Iakovos presiding, assisted by Bishops John of Charlotte, Meletios of Christianoupolis and Philotheos of Meloa. Among his achievements, Metropolitan Anthony launched the successful Greek Dance Festival and established successful institutions such as St. Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center.

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�� Olympic Flame lighting at Athens Square, in Astoria, NY; where the torch relay began in New York.

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Greek Orthodox Participate in Travels of Olympic Flame through United States Three former Olympics host cities and one hopeful site for the future received visits by the Olympic Flame on its way to the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Upon its arrival from Mexico City, Los Angeles, site of the 1984 games, welcomed the torch at Venice Beach on June 16 followed by a ceremony at Dodger Stadium that included Greek dancing. Among the torchbearers were actor Tom Cruise and the dean of St. Sophia Cathedral, Fr. John Bakas. Thursday, June 17, the flame arrived in St. Louis, the venue of the Olympics 100 years ago, where it made its way from the Gateway Arch on banks of the Mississippi to St. Nicholas Church. One of the torchbearers was the great Romanian gymnast and gold medal winner Nadia Comeneci. Members of the community sang the Greek national anthem as they welcomed the torch to the church.

The site of the 2000 Olympic Games, Atlanta, was next on the itinerary on June 18, followed by New York the next day. Among those taking part in ceremonies for the Torch was Archdiocese Chancellor Bishop Savas of Troas, who joined Mayor David Bloomberg at Athens Square Park in Astoria, where the relay began. Carried through all five New York City boroughs by 120 torchbearers, the flame passed along East 79th Street between the Archdiocese headquarters and Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s home to the Consulate of Greece, where a reception took place. Another reception followed at Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the mayor of New York, where Bishop Andonios of Phasiane was in attendance. From New York, the flame went on to Europe and is now traversing Greece and will arrive in Athens on Aug. 13, the opening day of the Olympics.

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JULY – AUGUST 2004

commentary A TIME TO SPEAK

Editors note: This article by His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of San Francisco was originally published in the summer of 2002 in the official newsletter and the commemorative album of the 36th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress of Los Angeles. We believe it is very informative and therefore timely. When reading this article the reader should be aware that references are made to that time before the new charter of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese was granted and became effective. “There is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak…” Ecclesiastes 3:7

or some time now, I have held my peace while a group of disaffected individuals sought to stir up controversy regarding the Joint Draft of the Proposed Charter of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. I did so because I truly believed that the scurrilous rumors and unfounded accusations surrounding this document would subside once it was widely circulated and its merits and timeliness became evident. by Metropolitan Anthony of San Francisco

But of late the accusations have become so outrageous, the distortions so egregious, that the time has come for me to speak out, as a bishop of the Church and shepherd of the rational flock, in order to quell the disturbance which has been wrought by those who—whether deliberately or unintentionally—have misrepresented the meaning and intent of this fundamental statement of the life of the Church. 1. The relationship between the current (1977) charter and the proposed charter. Much confusion has surrounded the process by which the proposed charter was produced, and the relationship between this groundbreaking document and the Charter of 1977. The first thing that should be pointed out is that the proposed charter is not, properly speaking, a revision of the 1977 Charter. The proposed charter is a new charter, which is being granted to the Archdiocese by the Patriarchate in recognition of the American Church’s developing maturity. For example, since 1977 the dioceses have grown from embryonic state into vital and thriving institutions with a multitude of ministries and structures reflecting the unique makeup of each diocesan region. It is in recognition of this reality that the proposed charter elevates the dioceses to the status of Metropolitan Sees. The proposed charter also accounts for the new situation, which prevails in the Archdiocese since 1977, such as the presence of monastic communities and the establishment of the former dioceses of Toronto, Panama, and Buenos Aires as separate Metropolitan Sees. While retaining an essential symmetry and continuity with our past, the proposed charter also seeks to address the needs of the present, and positions us to move forward into the new millennium. 2. Where did the proposed charter come from? Article XXIII of the 1977

Charter states unequivocally that the charter is granted to the Archdiocese by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, explicitly endorsing the ancient ecclesiological principle that the Mother Church has the responsibility to oversee and lovingly regulate the life of those churches entrusted to her keeping. The charter is an expression of this relationship of care between the mother and daughter churches. The 1977 Charter also clearly states that only the Patriarchate has the prerogative to approve and ratify revisions to the charter, which may be recommended to the Patriarchate by the Clergy-Laity Congress. Finally, it should be noted that the 1977 Charter, by virtue of its issuance from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, superceded and nullified the 1931 charter, which had previously been in force. The underlying logic is clear: the authority to implement, revise, or reissue the charter rests solely with the Patriarchate and the Holy Synod of Constantinople. Having said this, it must be recognized that the proposed charter did not emerge ex nihilo, nor was it imposed, as it were, from above. The joint draft of the proposed charter was the outcome of countless hours of discussions, negotiations, and occasional out-and-out arguments among the members of the Joint Charter Committee. Those who participated in the process included laypeople and clergy, legal and canonical scholars, and representatives from both the Archdiocese and the Patriarchate. It must be clearly stated that throughout this process the Mother Church never acted unilaterally or sought to enforce its own will upon the committee. All of the deliberations were marked by a spirit of concern and deep interest in preserving the unique and vibrant character of our Archdiocese. The assertions that this document is the creation of but one man—His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew—or that it represents solely the interests of the Church of Constantinople are beyond outlandish; they are cruel and unjust, betraying an ugly and deep-seated personal animus against the person of the Patriarch, as well as blatant disregard of the tenets of Orthodox ecclesiology. 3. The use of the word “hierarchical.” This has become one of the major symbolic rallying points against the proposed charter. It is alleged that the use of the word “hierarchical” alone is sufficient evidence of a sinister attempt on the part of the Patriarchate to seize our churches’ property and foist an authoritarian struc-

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JULY – AUGUST 2004

Condolences to Nancy Reagan NEW YORK – On behalf of Greek Orthodox Christians in America, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, offered condolences to the family of President Ronald W. Reagan and to President George W. Bush. In his letter written to the former First Lady Nancy Reagan, Archbishop Demetrios stated: “As you, your family, and our nation mourn the loss of your beloved husband, President Ronald W. Reagan, I extend to you on behalf of the Greek Orthodox faith community, our heartfelt condolences and sincere prayers. May the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3,4) console you and your family and give you strength today and in the days to come. The many meaningful gestures of outreach to our faith community by President Reagan will be remembered and cherished. May our Lord Jesus Christ reward this faithful servant of God, country, and humankind with life everlasting and eternal peace.” On Friday June 11, Archbishop Demetrios, along with other religious leaders, participated in the funeral services held at the National Cathedral in Washington.

Medal recipient In the May-June 2004 (No 1208) issue of the Orthodox Observer the name of Mr. John P. Volandes was inadvertedly ommited from the listing of this year’s Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients. Mr. Volandes is co-founder and director of Volmar Construction Co. and resides in Brooklyn, NY.

Correction

In a letter published in the May-June issue, “Remembering patriots,” a sentence in the next-to-last paragraph should have read “In honor of the patriots of 1776, let us work to eradicate hate from our great land, not “rededicate” as it incorrectly stated.

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Camp Agape, Kids Cancer Program 10th Anniversary GIOLES SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED PORTLAND, Oregon – The Holy Trinity Philoptochos will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Kids Cancer Program, Camp Agape Aug. 7-12 at Camp Angelos, the American Hellenic Educational Center, a 100-acre scenic campsite. Camp Agape is a residential camp for children with cancer, and their families. A wide variety of activities are structured around theme days which include: arts and crafts, athletics, music, fun and informative presentations, fishing and nature activities, campfires, field trips, a computer lab, and a play center. This year, the theme days will include a Caribbean Experience, Lewis and Clark Expedition and the Olympics in Greece. Camp Agape is provided at no cost to participants through community donations and support. More than 50 volunteers who spend countless hours planning and organizing run the entire camp. A full medical staff is provided, and

even spa and beauty treatments are available for parents to enjoy. Young members of our community serve as buddies each afternoon at camp; this gives the parents some time to themselves, and provides an opportunity for the young people to be involved in this meaningful mission. The camp’s purpose is to provide a fun, supportive and safe experience for families to enjoy, where lasting memories and friendships can be made, and the children can have a brief reprieve and just be kids. Sunday, Aug. 8, a special celebration will take place, with all past Camp Agape families invited to spend the day and share “A Decade of Memories.” Portland Camp Agape has served nearly 100 different families, and 454 campers over the past 10 years. For more information contact Christine Rulli at Rulli9@aol.com, or Camp Agape, 3131 NE Glisan St. Portland Oregon, 97232 503 234-0468.

Through the George and Naouma Gioles Scholarship Program the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has awarded four scholarships of $1,500 each for the 200405 academic year to: Alexander Chryssavgis of Boston, Theodora Guliadis of Fort Lee, N.J.; Noanna J. Tzinakos of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and Christina Lambros Katsifas of Garrison, N.Y. The Gioles Scholarship Fund was established in 1997. Applicants are asked to provide transcripts of previous academic work, letters of recommendation, and evidence of financial need. Applications and guidelines for the 2005-06 academic year will be available from the Office of the Chancellor, Scholarship Office, 10 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10021, with an application deadline of April 15, 2005. Applications are also available at www.goarch.org/en/ archdiocese/administration/chancellor/ giolesscholarship.pdf

JULY – AUGUST 2004

Internet Ministries Offers the Latest Communications Tools

NEW YORK—The Department of Internet Ministries has introduced two programs to enhance parish communications over the Internet and within each individual community. The first is the launch of Orthodox Web Builder (www.orthodoxwebbuilde r.org), a web-based tool that empowers every parish, ministry, and organization with the ability to develop and maintain a professional web site without any technical expertise or assistance. Developed in partnership with the American Bible Society, Orthodox Web Builder makes web site creation and maintenance a snap and represents the Department’s firm commitment towards ensuring that every Greek Orthodox parish in America is online. To assist in improving communication and access to resources, Orthodox Web Builder features a unique Content Sharing component that allows articles from one web site to be shared with another Orthodox Web Builder web site; and, unlike other web site creation services, there are no size restrictions or limitations to the amount of content sites may have. The Department has also launched Bulletin Builder, a timesaving digital publishing tool that will revolutionize the way parishes create, edit, and publish their Sunday and special service bulletins. Developed with support from Leadership 100, Bulletin Builder enables parishes to communicate with parishioners instantly in print, web, and e-mail formats.

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JULY – AUGUST 2004

ETA PRESS

GEORGE TENET (center) with his brother Dr. William Tenet were warmly received by Archbishop Demetrios.

Event for New Endowment Features Amb. Negroponte, George Tenet NEW YORK – New U.S. Ambassador to Iraq John D. Negroponte and former director of the Central Intelligence Agency George F. Tenet came home to their Church and community as guests of honor at a dinner hosted June 7 by Archbishop Demetrios for supporters and friends of a new endowment created to support the Church. His Eminence introduced Director Tenet and Ambassador Negroponte at the “Faith: An Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism” event held at the Archdiocese as representatives of national security who embody the faith and values of Orthodox Christianity and Hellenic heritage. The former CIA director said Greek Orthodox Christians are a people of truth and values characterized by tolerance for others, and who understand Greek culture as an open opportunity for the whole world. He said Greeks were people of great ideas who believed in fairness and who have developed a keen sense of justice from having known both liberty and oppression. They adhere to a culture that knows what terrorism is and how to deal with it more effectively by understanding its roots and causes. Mr. Tenet concluded that this gives those who are of the Orthodox faith and Hellenic heritage a special responsibility to carry forward these values. Ambassador Negroponte said we are witnessing the attempt to use the power of belief and turn it into a weapon making religion a destructive force in the world, thus generating mistrust, cynicism, suspicion and fear, but this is not the essence and role of religion. He declared that the sincerity of religious practice in every corner of the globe would help resolve conflict since almost all religions were founded on the basis of assisting human endeavor towards developing peaceful co-existence among the peoples. He said we have enormous opportunity to tap into the wisdom traditions espoused by great but diverse religious

leaders to help us heal the division between states and peoples and to promote international understanding by reflecting openly and deeply on our beliefs and values. Ambassador Negroponte said that on every diplomatic assignment he pressed the need for dialogue with religious leaders and this will prove to be the case in his assignment in Iraq. The dinner meeting was opened to questions and both Director Tenet and Ambassador Negroponte stressed the importance of public service as integral to the Hellenic tradition and values and the importance of allowing young Greek Americans to aspire to serving their country. In concluding remarks, Archbishop Demetrios spoke of the Hellenic heritage as a source offering the immensity of knowledge, the love of beauty, harmony and order, and the language as a superb vehicle of communication. He also spoke in terms of the Orthodox tradition as unsurpassed theology, promotion of the holy and the sacred, and apotheosis of love. With Orthodoxy and Hellenism understood as described above, and with the opportunities existing in America, we might be reaching the age of a great American Orthodoxy. Michael Jaharis, vice chairman of the Archdiocesan Council, ended the evening reflecting on “Faith: An Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism” as a new important national initiative creating an endowment with the sole purpose of funding the national ministries and institutions of the Archdiocese, thus advancing Orthodoxy and Hellenism. The initial founders of the new endowment include George D. Behrakis of Lowell, Mass.; Nicholas J. Bouras of Summit, N.J.; George Coumantaros, Michael Jaharis and Peter T. Kikis, all of New York; James H. Moshovitis of Washington, John G. Pappajohn of Des Moines, Iowa; John A. Payiavlas of Warren, Ohio; Alex G. Spanos of Stockton, Calif.; and Angelo Tsakopoulos of Sacramento, Calif.

Total Commitment In addition to the list we published in the last issue of the Orthodox Observer the following three parishes have also met their Total Commitment obligations for 2003: St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, Newport, RI; St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Portsmouth, NH and St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, Fall River, MA.

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E DITORIAL Convening in a Spirit of Love And Respect The 37th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress is upon us and delegates representing parishes throughout American are convening for this gathering that will decide on the important issues facing the Church and set its course over the next two years. The Congress is the highest legislative body of the Archdiocese and brings together clergy and laity to work together for the common good. It has the responsibility of ensuring that the institutions, parishes and ministries of the Greek Orthodox Church in the United States have the support and resources to function properly and to fulfill their holy purpose. Archbishop Demetrios will preside at his third Congress and has set the tone of the gathering, under the theme “Building Communities of Faith and Love: Orthodox Parishes in Worship and Ministry.” As His Eminence has emphasized in his thoughts on the theme that, “To build and sustain communities of faith and love we must focus all of our attention, efforts, and abilities on doing what God has called us to do: to gather together as believers, offering Him

u Some observations t Editor, In receipt of the May-June 2004 edition, I would like to make some observations as to matters referenced. Disappointedly, the report on the elevation of Korea as a new exarchal Metropolis failed to “give credit where credit is due,” in the original postwar development of the Korean missions. Yes, His Eminence Metropolitan Sotirios – as Fr. Trambas – accomplished much and deserves our accolades. But it was our own Archbishop Iakovos and his “loaning” of Fr. Eugene Pappas for several years to renew the broken-down Russian church in Seoul and undertake a wide-ranging mission among abandoned street children that, with the devoted help of Cliff Argue and other Americans, led to the founding of the orphanage, etc., etc. This laid the foundation Fr. Trambas successfully built upon so well. Several parishioners have complained about the propaganda which they are receiving from anti-Archdiocese, antiPatriarchate advocacy groups. Two were indignant that “somehow our names and addresses … are being apparently provided (them) without our consent.” Since no one on our Parish Council has done so, they speculate that the origin of the lists is in the Archdiocese or its newspaper. It is discouraging to read that some of our largest, more Greek-based parishes in the Northeast are continuing the long –discredited and counter–productive practice of the conduct of the Sunday Religious Education and Greek language/culture school sessions during the Divine Liturgy. “Let the little children come unto me,” our Lord instructs, and yet many Greek Orthodox children only enter into the family worship experience of God’s word and Eucharist at the time of Holy Communion. Even though it’s repeatedly been proven that Orthodoxy here in America has lost generations of youth from the Church,

honor and thanksgiving through our worship, and to serve the needs of one another and others in the love and name of Christ. A community of faith and love is a parish of Orthodox Christians that knows and understands the priority of both worship and ministry.” To this extent, a wide array of workshops, forums, presentations and meetings scheduled to take place with further enable participants to understand this priority “of both worship and ministry.” We need to grow in the faith and train ourselves so we become better advocates and ambassadors to society at large. Understanding our faith and participating in the day-to-day workings of the Church go hand-in-hand. There also is a direct connection to those who have gone before us and bore witness to the faith – martyrs, saints, great Church leaders and others – and we are called upon to continue this tradition. Therefore, let us convene in a spirit of love and respect for each other, for the Church and her ministries and project this attitude in our meetings and outreach to contemporary America.

thanks to this Protestant pedagogy. Andrew Manatos bemoans rightly the poor church support giving patterns among North American Orthodox, especially in comparison with Protestant denominations. But the solution is NOT to “Americanize … contributing to our Church.” As Fr. Demetrios Constantelos (“Byzantine Philanthropy”) and the late Anglican Professor C.J. Cadoux (“The Early Church and the World”) amply demonstrated, prior to the Western Crusades and the Ottomans, the Eastern Churches set the model for Christian stewardship and social ministries at all levels. Finally, thanks to our erudite colleague, Fr. Miltiades Efthimiou, for his excellent commentary on Pope John Paul II’s apology to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and world Orthodoxy for the Fourth Crusade. What he has set forth actually proves the contention of two of my professors 30 years ago at the University of Thessaloniki. Namely, that the actual date – canonically and religiously – of the East/West Schism, which endures to this day, is Holy Week 1204, not the often-cited local schism of 1054 A.D. between Patriarch Michael and Pope Nicholas. The leaders and faithful of the Eastern Churches concluded that there could not possibly be communion with so-called Christians whose hierarchs, monks and lay leaders so despicably donned armor and wielded swords and munitions, desecrating churches, murdering innocent civilians, and pillaging entire cities and regions. And, again, all of this during Christ Jesus’ Passion Week and the Anastasis Pascha. Fr. Gregory C. Wingenbach pastor of Annunciation Church, Missoula, Mont. Editor’s note: The Archdiocese and Observer protect the computer mailing lists and do not provide them to outside groups.

Archpastoral Reflections

Our Apostolic Identity

At this time of the year when we commemorate and honor the Holy Apostles chosen by our Lord Jesus Christ to continue His ministry and establish His Church, it is important for us to reflect upon the Apostolic nature of the Church, and more specifically upon our Apostolic identity as Christians. We know and affirm that we belong to “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church,” for the Apostles were sent by Christ to be His witnesses and gather communities of believers in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Certainly we know that our relationship with the Apostles is rooted in the existence, perpetuation, and

by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America practices of the Church. However, we must also understand that this relationship includes our acceptance and continuation of their work, their message, their Apostolic identity. This identity and its attribution to all people of faith is presented to us in Scripture by Christ himself. As our Lord was about to face His Passion, He withdrew to a quiet place to pray to the Father. As recorded in the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel of John, our Lord prayed fervently for His disciples and for all those who would believe in Him through their testimony. His prayer revealed His love for His followers and for us, those who would receive the Gospel through the witness of others. The Lord’s prayer before His Passion also offers to us a beautiful exposition of what it means to be an Apostle. First, Christ affirms the faithfulness of those given to Him to assist Him in His sacred ministry. He states, They were yours, You gave them to me, and they have kept Your word (John 17:6). While at times the Apostles did not understand the divine plan and will of God in accomplishing salvation, they remained faithful to the Lord, following Him during His earthly ministry, listening to His words, experiencing the power of God healing, forgiving, transforming, and saving. And yes, even though they scattered in fear at the time of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, our Lord brought them together again, their faith was renewed and strengthened, and they remained committed to the work of His kingdom. Second, Christ affirmed the Apostles’ recognition of who He is. They have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me (17:8). Indeed, the Apostles had recognized who Christ was, as Master, Teacher, Messiah, Son of the Living God; and in doing so they had given up their occupations and possessions to follow Him. Through their abandonment of the things of the world and their willingness to serve God, Christ himself said, I am glorified in them (17:10). Third, Christ prayed that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves (17: 13). This was a joy that filled their hearts when the power of God was revealed through the ministry of Christ. It was a joy that was experienced as their souls were nourished and their minds opened by the wisdom of the Son of God. It was an enduring joy that was rooted deep within them at the sight of the Risen Lord, giving them the power and strength to face persecution and even death for the sake of the Gospel. Fourth, in His prayer Christ asked the Father to Sanctify them in Your truth (17:17). After three years of service with Jesus, partaking of His teaching and counsel daily, the minds and hearts of the Apostles were filled with truth; and this truth transformed their lives, sanctifying them in the holiness of God. Being filled with the truth, they preached the truth, they offered a witness of the truth before governors and kings, they died for the truth, and the truth freed them from sin into eternal life and communion with God. Finally, as Christ was sent into the world by the Father, so He too sent His Apostles into the world (17:18). They were given a divine commission, to go and preach the Gospel and baptize in all of the nations of the earth. Their authority rested in God alone, thus they were sent not only by the one who had accomplished our salvation, but who was the Creator of the Universe, and the one who would consummate time and history in His divine plan. They were sent with the power and presence of Christ to bring His message of grace to all people. We deeply honor the Holy Apostles, especially on the occasion of their feast. However, we must honor them not only in words and hymns, but with our lives. As Christians we follow in a direct lineage of faith from these original disciples of Jesus Christ, and we have inherited an Apostolic identity by which we continue the work of our Lord and His Church. As the Apostles were faithful to Christ, we are called to be faithful to Him in all areas of our lives, submitting to His Lordship and holy will. Just as they recognized Him as Master, Teacher, and the Son of God, our lives should be a living testimony to the presence and person of Christ. As they received true and enduring joy through the ministry and words of Christ, so too are we offered this joy so that our hearts and minds may be strengthened in the faith and made whole. As they were sanctified by the truth, this same truth is available to each of us so that our lives may be made holy and our words and deeds may lead others to salvation. And as He sent His Apostles into the world to be witnesses of the faith, so too are we sent by Him to offer the Gospel to all people, in our neighborhoods, cities, nations, and to the ends of the earth. This is our Apostolic identity. Our association with the Holy Apostles is not merely one of words, but it is an identity that embodies all that we are called by Christ to be in this world and in the kingdom to come. Let us strive to emulate the Holy Apostles so that Christ may be glorified in us through our life and our witness.

JULY – AUGUST 2004

Archiepiscopal Encyclical Independence Day To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America My Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, On this Day of Independence, I greet you in the spirit of love and joy inspired by our gracious God, the giver of life and liberty. Our annual celebration of July 4th as a national holiday commemorating the independence and founding of the United States of America is an occasion to affirm the necessity of freedom for promoting loving and lasting relationships with others and with God. As such, it is also an occasion to consider the tremendous blessings of God in our lives, and especially the great gift of true freedom and national independence. Our cultural and religious legacy as Greek Orthodox Christians in America speaks directly to the real sources of freedom and independence, as we have been blessed by the double advantage of adhering to the Hellenic culture of freedom and of living in a free and democratic country, while also living as citizens of the kingdom of Heaven, enjoying the glorious freedom of the children of God (Romans 8:21). Thus, our citizenship in both these earthly and heavenly domains places upon us the awesome responsibility to promote liberty and freedom for all, and to call others into a loving fellowship with us and with one another in a spirit of freedom enriched by love, and love enriched by freedom. As we proclaim the necessity of personal freedom and national independence in the world, celebrating them with all our might on this great Day of Independence, I invite all of us to be mindful of this our charge as Orthodox Christians to proclaim to others that which we have seen and heard (I John 1:3), that which we have inherited from our ancestors, and that which we happily experience in this blessed land of freedom which is America. May God bless every one of you on this important day of freedom. May He grant unto you liberty, prosperity, and peace, and may He offer continued strength to our American nation in advancing His gift of liberty unto all peoples and all nations of the world. With paternal love in Christ,

ÍÅÁ ÕÏÑÊÇ - ÁÈÇÍÁ

† Archbishop DEMETRIOS of America

Using Technology to Teach Byzantine Music BROOKLINE, Mass. – Holy Cross School of Theology has launched a new web faculty project – an online multimedia presentation for learning traditional Byzantine chant. The program includes 21 Byzantine hymns representing the major feast days of the Orthodox Church. Visitors may listen to each hymn, sung in both English and Greek, by either a man or a woman, and can also view the words in the language the hymn is sung (Greek text includes a phonetic translation) and view its Byzantine and western notation. These tracks scroll automatically to keep pace with the hymn as it is sung. The program was developed through a faculty grant from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Religion, which provides funds for educational projects that study how religious content is taught. The Rev. Dr. Frank Marangos, adjunct assistant professor of religious education and homiletics at Holy Cross, also the project’s manager, wrote the grant. Metropolitan Methodios and Presbytera Katerina Makiej performed the recordings. The transcription and addition of western notation was done by Fr. Nicholas Kastanas and George Stefanidakis. Bradley Borch completed the research, design, and programming. The project was created to provide an

online resource to bolster the traditional methods of teaching Byzantine chant. Each hymn presentation is fully controllable; any of the visible tracks can be hidden or shown for practice; the sound can be turned off so that a visitor could, for example, practice along with the hymn, turn off the sound, continue practicing, and then turn it back on again to see how close he or she was to the recording. The volume of the audio can be controlled, and the user can pause and rewind the hymn, or slide to any point in the hymn. Each hymn can be printed out individually, and all hymns can be printed out at once. In addition to the hymns themselves, general information about the feast day, its history, rubrics, scripture, and icon is offered, each on a separate page. This content includes more than 150 separate articles. An image of the feast day’s icon is presented; as an educational incentive, a piece of the “puzzle” of the icon is added each time the user accesses another topic for that feast. The program can be viewed at http: //chant.hchc.edu. It is a tool for teaching Byzantine chant, and ultimately, studying the effectiveness of this online teaching format. For more information contact Rev. Dr. Frank Marangos at (800) 566-1088.

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A TIME TO SPEAK u page 6 ture upon our Church here in America. However, as one who was present at the negotiations in Constantinople, I can tell you that the Patriarchal committee actually objected to the introduction of this word into the charter, until we explained why its inclusion was necessary from a legal standpoint. The word “hierarchical” is not synonymous with “authoritarian” in this context; it is rather a legal classification with particular implications in the State of New York in which the Archdiocese is incorporated. In legal terms, “hierarchical” describes a religious institution, which possesses and functions in accordance with its own internal governance and process. Thus, for example, the Presbyterian Church, which could hardly be described as possessing an authoritarian structure, is legally classified as a “hierarchical” institution. The word hierarchical is very significant, inasmuch as it offers a number of necessary protections, which enable the Archdiocese to function effectively. For example, a clergyman who is accused of sexual misconduct may be suspended pending an investigation and/ or ultimately defrocked. The classification of “hierarchical” limits the exposure of the Archdiocese to lawsuits on the part of a suspended or defrocked clergyman claiming wrongful dismissal in such cases. By contrast, if the Archdiocese were not classified as hierarchical, this would drastically curtail the ability of the Synod to respond swiftly and decisively in cases of sexual misconduct and other critical moments in the life of the Church. 4. The alleged “curtailment” of lay participation. Those who have resorted to this line of argument are patently transparent as to their strategy: divide and conquer. While posing as guardians of synergy and syndiakonia, they are effectively destroying the very thing they claim to protect by poisoning the atmosphere of trust and cooperation, which has historically existed between the clergy and laity of our Archdiocese with allegations of a hierarchical plot to seize power and reduce the laity to a position of subservience. Nothing could be further from the truth. This so-called “curtailment” actually hinges upon certain minor but necessary adjustments in the language of the charter concerning the Archdiocese Clergy-Laity Congress and Diocese Clergy-Laity Assemblies. Specifically, the proposed charter does not specify the regularity of the meetings of these bodies. This, however, is by no means due to any attempt to lessen the impact of these dynamic institutions within the life of our Archdiocese; the charter is simply not the correct instrument for determining the frequency of such meetings. Properly speaking, the charter is a broad definition of the life of the Church, which does not delve into specific details such as the composition, or convening of diocesan or archdiocesan assemblies. Such matters are more appropriately regulated by the Special Regulations and Uniform Parish Regulations of the Archdiocese. It is for this reason that the proposed charter clearly states that such details will be determined by “regulations hereafter promulgated.” This change actually enhances the participation of the laity, since it dictates that the frequency of the Clergy-Laity Congress and Diocesan Assemblies will be determined precisely by those who are most affected; that is, by the synergy and syndiakonia of both clergy and laity at the Archdiocese Clergy-Laity Congress. 5. The question of “autonomy.” This is perhaps the thorniest of the issues, which has been raised, due to the difficulty inherent in defining the term “autonomy” and the differing meanings, which have been attributed to the word. Within the

JULY – AUGUST 2004

past few days, the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of America proclaimed that it had been granted “autonomy” by the Church of Antioch; however, this socalled “autonomy” remains nebulous and undefined at present, and will only be given content later by a committee of Metropolitans from Antioch, apparently without lay participation. It is no secret that the Charter Committee of the Archdiocese, composed of both clergy and lay representatives, went to Constantinople seeking a form of “semi-autonomy” analogous to that found in the Church of Crete. According to the Cretan model of semi-autonomy, the Synod of the Church of Crete elects its own bishops and metropolitans, while the Archbishop is selected by the Patriarchate from a triprosopon, a threeperson slate selected by the local synod. After long discussions and negotiations, what we finally arrived at in the present charter was a step in the direction semi-AM OrthodoxObserverAd 6/8/04 of 11:18 autonomy. Specifically, the bishops and

metropolitans of the Archdiocese will be selected by the Patriarch from a triprosopon slate prepared by the Eparchial Synod in this country, with the advice and participation of the Archdiocesan Council. Inasmuch as there is a long-standing “gentleman’s agreement” that whichever of the three candidates receives the most votes from the local synod is elected by the Patriarchate, this system is tantamount to electing our own bishops. The election of the Archbishop will continue, at present, to be the prerogative of the Patriarchate, though with the added proviso that the Archbishop must “have had a period of successful service in the Archdiocese of no less than five (5) years, or have proven, direct, substantive and broad knowledge of the life and status of the Church in America.” (Article 13). While this is does not represent everything that we had hoped for, it should be borne in mind that no1charter is perfect in the sense of Page being final or absolute; this is not even a

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desirable goal, because it fails to take account of the fact that the Church is a living and developing organism. The proposed charter is, however, an appropriate and balanced attempt to take into account the unique situation of the Church in America, and to respond accordingly. Some have argued that the Church in America has reached its adulthood that it is ready for independence, and that if the Patriarchate is unwilling to give us autonomy now, we should proclaim it unilaterally. When I look at our Church, however, I do not see adulthood, but a restless and tumultuous adolescence, full of potential and fantastic gifts which are emerging as never before, yet also possessed in some measure of the impetuosity and shortsightedness of youth. We have come far; we have yet far to go. The proposed charter is an accurate reflection of the maturing character of our Archdiocese, and as such is deserving of the support of the entire Church in America, both laypeople and clergy alike.

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JULY – AUGUST 2004

PEOPLE

uChicago IOCC Event The founding chairman of the IOCC Chicago Metropolitan Committee, Dr. George Dalianis, was honored recently at the 10th annual IOCC Pan-Orthodox Grand Banquet at The Carlisle in Lombard, Ill. Mr. Dalianis has served the committee since its inception and helped nurture the growth and goals of IOCC through its early years. The Chicago committee was the first formed by IOCC and, under the direction of Dalianis, served as a model for metropolitan committees throughout the country. The honoree also served on the IOCC Board of Directors for several years.

uAchievement Award

San Francisco Bay Area Church Has Strong Outreach VALLEJO, Calif. – Halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento, near the northeast shore of San Pablo Bay and the gateway to the California wine country of Napa Valley; lies this city of about 100,000 with its small, but active parish. Though the Greek Orthodox presence here dates back to the 1890s, the parish itself is of more recent origin and now consists mostly of second and third generation Greek Americans. Though a small parish, Sts. Constantine and Helen offers ministries for everyone’s needs, beginning with young children. “The parish is very supportive of

P A R I S H

Name: Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church Location: Vallejo, CA Metropolis: San Francisco Size: about 177 families Founded: 1948

uEducator Proclaimed

Clergy: Rev. Rev. John C. Konugres (Holy Cross ’ 96).

uMedal Recipient Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago has awarded the Medal of St. Paul to John W. Galanis of Annunciation Church in Milwaukee in recognition for his leadership in building the community’s new James W. Pihos Cultural Center. New York architect Steven P. Papadatos designed the new facility.

uServicemen Feted Sts. Constantine and Helen Church in Newport News, Va., has honored five servicemen from the community serving in Iraq. They were Capt. Carl Fulmore, Sgt. Tad Myers, 1st Lt. David Saur, Specialist Don Drivas, and Maj. John Thomas. Lt. Col. Barry Hendricks, parish council vice president, offered personal reflections on the military at a luncheon for the five, who also were presented icons by Fr. George Chioros, pastor, and Dr. Michael Kokorelis, the parish council president.

uAlumni speaker Despina Siolas of Bayside, N.Y., was the keynote alumni speaker at the 134th commencement exercises of the class of 2004 at St. John’s University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She is the daughter of John and Catherine Sioles of Bayside and Mattituck, N.Y.

of the multi-ethnic Vallejo community. One is the Greek festival, held over a two-day period in early October, and an event peculiar to parishes in this part of the country, a “Crab Feed,” where the public is invited to a crab cookout. For its main revenue source, the parish relies on the Stewardship program, which the priest said has more than doubled in six years. There also is the annual dinner dance, and monthly luncheons after Sunday services that each have a theme. For example, the August monthly luncheon is held in honor of the Theotokos. Fr. Konugres said different families

p ro f i l e

Longtime Academy of Television Arts and Sciences member and Orthodox Church activist Nicholas Royce has received the Southern California Motion Picture Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the entertainment industry and performing arts. The Andrews sisters presented him the award. Mr. Royce is a member of St. Sophia Cathedral in Los Angeles.

Constantine Parthenis of St. Demetrios Greek-American Parochial School and St. Catherine’s School in Astoria, recently was honored by the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Society of Chios before a crowd of 350 people. He also was presented a proclamation from Assemblyman Mirones of Staten Island. Mr. Parthenis became principal of the modern Greek Department of St. Demetrios School in 1957, and his duties included assistant principal at St. Catherine’s School and principal of the Afternoon Greek School of St. Demetrios and St. Catherine churches. He has taught modern Greek more than 50 years.

There is an active senior citizens group known as the VIPs. Its 50 members meet for monthly lunches, meetings and outings, including monastery visits. On Sundays, the entire congregation participates in the Liturgy through congregational singing. There is no choir, although a psalti chants the orthros service. “People are encouraged to sing,” said Fr. Konugres. “It helps the people become educated in the faith by learning parts of the Divine Liturgy. In terms of catechism, it’s very helpful.” He also said the group singing, which is led by a member of the community who is a convert, was slow to be accepted by

Web site: www.stconstantineand helen.net (under development) E-mail: stscandh@pacbell.net Noteworthy: church has a successful outreach effort

STs. CONSTANTINE & HELEN GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

our youth,” said the parish priest, Fr. parishioners at first, “but over the years, it Konugres, himself a native of Southern has become popular, especially in helping California. Sunday school has 37 chil- to influence kids.” He cited the example of dren, but only goes to age 11. There are his daughter, who even sings some of the two classes, one for ages 3 to 6 and the simpler hymns on her own at home that other for ages 7 to 11.There is a small came about as a result of her participation GOYA chapter for ages 12 to 18. in the church services. There is no Greek school due to “We can do it because we’re a small too few students. parish,” Fr. Konugres said. “We are able To encourage the Goyans to be- to involve people in ways that in larger come active in parish life, one Sunday parishes you can’t.” each month they perform the duties The size of his parish doesn’t mean of parish council members during the the priest’s ministry is less active than that Divine Liturgy. “They of a larger community. “Because we’re a greet visitors in the small community, the priest is expected narthex, handle the to do a lot,” Fr. Konugres said. He noted pangari duties, pass that “the unity of the members” is somethe collection trays and thing he actively promotes. sponsor the coffee hour, “I try to make sure we’re all in Fr. Konugres explained. church, all praying,” he contin“All the money raised that ued. “Without a prayer life VALLEJO day goes to help the GOYA we wouldn’t be able to exprogram to do different projist.” He also puts into ects,” he said. practice a concept Fr. Konugres noted that one learned at Holy advantage of having a small group Cross, “the liturgy of kids is being able to travel widely to after the liturgy;” by enhance their religious education. reaching out beTwo years ago, the priest took a yond the Sunday group of young people across the coun- Services to members of the area’s try to visit the Archdiocese offices in diverse population. “We’re not only here New York, Holy Cross-Hellenic College to serve ourselves, but the entire commuand St. Basil’s Academy. The Goyans nity,” Fr. Konugres said. also have traveled to Mexico to learn Among the ways he accomplishes this about Project Mexico, and also plan to include Bible and faith studies on Wednesdo a second church tour of Southern day evenings and the Orthodox Christian California. Fellowship program, which takes him to the University of California-Berkeley Other ministries The Philoptochos chapter is a and the adjacent Patriarch Athenagoras strong part of the church’s ministry. Orthodox Institute, about 20 miles south Among the Philoptochos’ successful of Vallejo. “It’s very successful in terms ongoing projects is assisting at a local of the number of people who have come Christian help center and providing to the faith,” the priest said of the OCF monthly meals, a program in which ministry. The parish has two major fundraising events that attract large numbers the Goyans also participate.

take turns sponsoring these luncheons. “Every makes a donation,” he said. “It helps the budget and brings people together in fellowship.

Ministering to a wide area Sts. Constantine and Helen’s parishioners also live in several outlying communities. Fr. Konugres’ ministry extends to communities that include Benicia to the east, Napa to the west, and Fairfield and Vacaville to the north. A sister parish, St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Concord, is about 10 miles to the south. Church membership also includes some converts. Most parishioners work in business or blue-collar occupations. A few have professional positions in the computer industry and education, including a president of a local art college. Until it was closed a number of years ago, several parishioners were employed at the U.S. Navy base on nearby Mare Island. A long history The first Greek Orthodox Christians arrived in Vallejo barely 50 years after Mexican Gen. Mariano G. Vallejo founded his namesake settlement in 1844. And it would be more than 100 years after Vallejo’s founding before the Greek Orthodox parish would be officially established. The families who first settled came to the area from two other locations in California. Some migrated northeastward from San Francisco while others arrived from the state’s Central Valley region where they had been farmers. A large percentage of these early settlers originally came from the island of

u page 24

14 The Metropolis of Detroit hosted the 18 Metropolis finalists of the national St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival during the weekend of June 4-5. The host committee, led by Fr. Philemon Karamanos and Helen Gikas of St. George Church in Southgate, Mich., planned a very successful weekend.

Detroit Metropolis Hosts 21st Oratorical Festival

by Presbytera Margaret Orfanakos

Completing its 21st year, the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival is a program of the Department of Religious Education under the direction of the Rev. Dr. Frank Marangos, providing teenagers the opportunity to examine their faith and the platform from which to share their good news. Since 1985, Fr. John and Presbytera Margaret Orfanakos have served as Archdiocese co-chairmen. The official gathering began with a Paraklesis at St. George Church. Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit officiated and joined the finalists and their families for the entire weekend. Following the welcome dinner and icebreaker by Eva Kokinos, Metropolis youth director, the Metropolitan met with all the finalists in a “fire-side” chat. Saturday morning everyone assembled in the church to hear the speeches. Speakers delivered powerful speeches on their selected topic. The theme for the 2004 Oratorical Festival was the Pentecostarion. Some of the topics addressed in the Junior Division were: In Acts 6: 8-7:60, we read about the martyrdom of Saint Stephen. While we may not be called to suffer martyrdom, how can we imitate his life? and In the icon of the Resurrection, Christ is portrayed as pulling up Adam and Eve. Explain the meaning of this portrayal. The Senior Division finalists spoke on such topics as Jesus replied to Thomas, “Blessed are those who have seen and yet believe.” John 20:29. Explain what this means to you as an Orthodox Christian.

and “Christ is Risen from the dead, by death He conquered death and bestowed life to those in the tombs.” Discuss the meaning of the phrase, “by death, He conquered death.” The presentation of awards was made immediately following an elegant luncheon at the St. George community center. In the Senior Division, Mary Royal, (Denver Metropolis, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Salt Lake City) won first place and a $2,000 college scholarship, second place and a $1,500 college scholarship went to Lia Eliades (San Francisco Metropolis, Nativity of Christ Church, Novato, Calif.) and Daphne Pagonis (Atlanta Metropolis, Annunciation Church, Pensacola, Fla.) received third place recognition and a $1,000 college scholarship. Receiving honorable mention accolades and $500 U.S. Savings Bonds were Andrew Pastrikos (Archdiocesan District, Kimisis tis Theotokou Church, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.), Vanessa Theoharis, (Bos-

ton Metropolis, St. Demetrios Church, Weston, Mass.), Angela Koulouris (Chicago Metropolis, St. Demetrios Church, Chicago), Theresa Mellas (Detroit Metropolis, Annunciation Church, Buffalo, N.Y.), Larissa Newman (New Jersey Metropolis, Sts. Peter & Paul Church, Frederick, Md.), Peter Dikos (Pittsburgh Metropolis, Holy Trinity Church, Pittsburgh). In the Junior Division, Amanda Efthimiou, (Archdiocesan District, St. Paul Cathedral, Hempstead, N.Y.) was awarded first place and a $2,000 college scholarship, second place and a $1,500 college scholarship went to George Platis (San Francisco Metropolis, St. Spyridon Church, San Diego), and Maria Mavroudis (Pittsburgh Metropolis, Archangel Michael Church, Campbell, Ohio) earned third place honors and a $1,000 college scholarship. Receiving honorable mention and $500 U.S. Savings Bonds were Sophia Kazakos, (Atlanta Metropolis, Annunciation

JULY – AUGUST 2004

Church, Winston-Salem, N.C.), Rhiana Litchfield, (Boston Metropolis, St. Demetrios Church, Weston, MA), Katherine Damisch, (Chicago Metropolis, Sts. Peter & Paul Church, Glenview, Ill.), Dallas Holbeck, (Denver Metropolis, Prophet Elias Church, Holladay, Utah), Philip Tangalos (Detroit Metropolis, St. John Church, Sterling Heights, Mich.), and Niko Moustakis (New Jersey Metropolis, St. George Church, Clifton, N.J.). All participants received a plaque honoring their achievements and a certificate personally signed by Archbishop Demetrios. The Metropolis of Detroit also presented Fr. Marangos with a $5,200 donation for the Oratorical Festival Scholarship Foundation. The next event planned by the host committee was a delightful Detroit River boat cruise. Following the cruise, a gathering was held in the spacious pavilion on the picnic grounds of the St. George Church where all enjoyed a delicious barbeque. On Sunday morning, the finalists and their families attended a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Church of St. George and listened to an inspiring homily by Metropolitan Nicholas. Before departing for home, everyone was once again treated to a delicious farewell luncheon, where final goodbyes were exchanged. The host committee was recognized for their tireless efforts in helping to make the Oratorical Festival weekend a most cherished memory. Since it’s never too early to begin thinking about the next Oratorical Festival, the 2005 Topics will be posted by the Department of Religious Education on its website by September. Be sure to check them out at:www.religioused.goar ch.org. Junior and Senior divisions winning spechess are printed on page 24.

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WELCOME TO THE

37TH BIENNIAL CLERGY-LAITY CONGRESS We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing. (2 Thessalonians 1:3)

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, It is with great joy that I welcome you to the 37th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. As we have received Christ Jesus our Risen Lord, we have come together in communities of believers, called by Christ to be knit together in love, established in the faith, and rooted and built up in Him (Colossians 2:2,7). Thus, to strengthen and enhance the work of every parish of the Church in America we have chosen as our Congress theme Building Communities of Faith and Love: Orthodox Parishes in Worship and Ministry. The mission of each parish is to offer worship and ministry that leads people to a genuine encounter and relationship with God. Our challenge is to ensure that the parishes of our Greek Orthodox Church are responding dynamically, creatively and consistently to this sacred calling and that they are demonstrating the zeal of a people who understand their responsibility to grow in faith and increase in love. The centrality of the parish in bearing witness in this world to the presence of our Lord will be the focus of the deliberations, committee work and educational sessions of the 37th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress. To assist us in our sacred task of building communities of faith and love, this Congress will offer opportunities for worship and fellowship, as well as resources for establishing and expanding the work of ministry. I invite you to participate as fully as possible in all of these opportunities. In the coming week, we must labor together in one mind, one body, and one heart, manifesting our unyielding commitment to Christ and strengthening our resolve to offer the gift of faith and salvation throughout America and to the ends of the earth. With my prayers and best wishes for a blessed Congress, I remain, With paternal love in Christ,

â&#x20AC; Archbishop DEMETRIOS of America

JULY – AUGUST 2004

PRE-CONGRESS CONFERENCES Conference on Family Spiritual Life to Be Held Prior to Congress GARRISON, N.Y. – The Department of Family Ministry will host a one-day conference on Building Families of Faith and Love prior to the start of the 37th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress on Saturday, July 24, at the New York Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway in Manhattan. The conference is open to all adult members of Greek Orthodox parishes in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut and also to Congress delegates. Session topics will include: The Spiritual Life of a Couple, Daily Family Prayer Life, Empowering the Family, Living as Family, and Family as Church. Tha list of speakers includes: Fr. Constantine L. Sitaras, Dr. Peter M. Kalellis, Dr. Philip Mamalakis, Fr. Nektarios Morrow, and Fr. Peter Orfanakos. Parents, couples

and area clergy are invited to attend. Also, those involved with various types of family ministries are welcome to participate. The opening session begins at 9 a.m. in the Juilliard Complex on the 5th floor of the hotel. Sessions will follow from 10 a.m. until noon and from 1:30 pm to 4:30 p.m. in the Soho/Herald and Gramercy/Olmstead Rooms on the 7th floor. Participants will be free for lunch, with numerous options available in the hotel and Times Square. Each session will be offered twice, as two rooms will be used to accommodate up to 250 participants. For more information, contact the Department Family Ministry at (845) 424-3500 or e-mail at familycare@goarch.org

Science and Technology Committee to Host Panel Presentations before CL Congress NEW YORK.– The Archdiocesan Advisory Committee on Science and Technology of the Archdiocese will be offering a series of panel presentations on Saturday, July 24 at the New York Marriott Marquis, at Times Square. The panel presentations, which are open to the public, will be held before the official start of the 37th Biennial ClergyLaity Congress, and will feature distinguished scientists, medical professionals, and theologians from across our country and the globe. Each panel presentation will be followed by general panel and floor discussion. A detailed program including topics and panelists is included below. All are welcome and encouraged to participate, especially those who are interested in reflecting upon the integration of science with the Orthodox Christian faith. Clergy are asked to publicize this program in their parish publications, and to encourage their parishioners to attend. All panel presentations will be held in the Wilder Room on the 4th floor of the Marriott, and will begin promptly at 10 a.m.-noon with subcommittee I of the AACST presenting on the topic “Bioethics and Medical Issues.” Subcommittee II will follow after lunch, from 2-4 p.m. on the topic “Energy, Environment, and Economics,” and Subcommittee III will conclude from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. on the topic “Physical Sciences and Advanced Technology.” For more information on these panel presentations, please contact the Archdiocesan Advisory Committee on Science and Technology by email at AACST@goarch.org.

Panel Presentations

SUBCOMMITTEE I Bioethics and Medical Issues 10 a.m. – Noon Chair: Bishop Gerasimos of Krateia

Panelists: 1. Prof. Herman T. Engelhardt Topic: The Challenge of an Orthodox Christian Bioethics in the Ruins of Christendom 2. Mark A. Leondires, MD Topic: The Status of Assisted Reproductive Technologies A Power Point Presentation 3. Rev Dr. Demetri Demopoulos Topic: Theological Overtones of Current Bioethical Problems and Pastoral Concerns 4.Andrea Kalfoglou, MD Topic: Ethical Issues from Reproductive Technologies and Public Policy Perspectives SUBCOMMITTEE II Energy, Environment, and Economics 2:00pm – 4:00pm Chair: Dr. Achilles G. Adamantiades Panelists: 1. Dr. Achilles G. Adamantiades Topic: Ecology and Orthodoxy. 2. Dr. Michael Papaioannou Topic: Globalization Challenges and Responses 3. Ms. Margarita Tsirigotis-Oge Topic: Understanding Climate Change Listed Discussant: Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis (environmental issues) SUBCOMMITTEE III Physical Sciences and Advanced Technology 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Chair: Dr. Yiannis Michopoulos Panelists: 1. Dr. Emmanuel Fthenakis Topic: Sciences and the Christian Faith 2. Dr. Loucas Christophorou Topic: The Light Physical and Spiritual Attributes 3. Prof. Haralambos Doumanidis Topic: Issues in Nanotechnology Listed Discussant: Thomas W. Karras (advanced technologies)

ARCHBISHOP Demetrios delivers the Keynote address at the 2002 CLC opening session in L.A.

A Welcome RCA Get-Together NEW YORK.– Greetings from the Retired Clergy Association of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America made up of 174 priests who live in 41 states (most of them in: Florida-25, New York22, Massachusetts 14 and California 12), and from 86 widowed presbyteres. by Fr. Evagoras Constantinides

They are not really retired because they serve 62 parishes on a regular bases, and most of the rest are substitutes or on a part time basis. Even though we have a monthly periodical, THE EPISTLE, published by Fr. Nicholas L. Vieron without interruption for 12 years, to keep all of us in touch, nothing can take the place of personal contact. It is for this reason that every two years we look forward to the Clergy-Laity Congress where, quite a few of us (46 priests and 38 presbyteres this year) get the opportunity to see each other, talk old times and exchange some thoughts about the future. Mr. Tim Maniatis, most gracious coordinator of the Clergy-Laity Congress, informed me that Archbishop Demetrios and the committee have waved the registration fee for the retired clergy and widowed presbyteres, have restored the right to the retired priests to voice their opinion at the plenary sessions, invited the president of the RCA to participate in the opening Divine Liturgy, sit at the head table at the banquet and enjoy free housing at the hotel during the Congress. Also that a breakfast would be hosted for all of them on Wednesday, July 28, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Cantor/Jolson room on the ninth floor of the New York Marriott Marquis. The RCA feels greatly honored and profoundly humbled by this recognition. We are also delighted that His Eminence will honor us with his presence at the breakfast and address us. Following the pattern of years past, a memorial Trisagion will be said after breakfast for all the departed retired brother priests and the meeting will come to order. Then we will have the opening prayer, the reading of the minutes of the past general assembly, the financial report, the Epistle report, other reports, if any, the president’s report, discussion, old business and new business. Highlight of the new business will

be the presentation of a plaque to Mr. Nick Mamalakis as the originator of the Archdiocesan Pension and Health plans. It will be followed by the presentation of any subject by any brother for the good of the Association, and finally the election of the board will take place. On Wednesday evening, Fr. George Poulos will again host the “Cavadakia,” their presbyteres and their friends in the Barrymore Room on the seventh floor from 10 to 11:30 p.m. Those unable to attend will receive a video of the reunion. Who are the Cavadakia? Sixty-four out of the initial 134 who attended Holy Cross, even for one year, while it was still located in Pomfret, Conn., under the direction of the late and beloved Bishop Cavadas of blessed memory. It should be a great and most touching experience. What else will those attending the breakfast talk about in addition to old times; The effort to continue supporting financially the six brothers and seven widowed presbyteres who need help. Since this matter has not made the pages of the OBSERVER, let me tell the readers that unfortunately six retired priests and seven widowed presbyteres, that we know about, have great difficulty making ends meet since four of them receive no pension at all, two of them receive $200 per month, and the rest $603 per month. Since the Archdiocese is in no position to help, and no other organization has assumed the responsibility, it has become our duty to face up to this sacred obligation. Through large and small donations by individual donors, both clergy and lay, the RCA has been able to help these brothers and sisters since last December, by boosting all pensions by $500 per month. For how long? Only you, the Orthodox across the country, can answer that. The answer must be: For as long as necessary. Until the planned official appeal is made to cover not only these 13 but many others who are in need, please help by sending your tax exempt check, made to: “Greek Orthodox Archdiocese RCA”, c/o Fr. Evagoras Constantinides at 9433 Arthur Street, Crown Point, IN 46307-1914. Fr. Evagoras Constantinides is president of the RCA.

JULY – AUGUST 2004

We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing. (2 Thessalonians 1:3).

Part III

(continued from March/April issue)

o build and sustain communities of faith and love we must focus all of our attention, efforts, and abilities on doing what God has called us to do: to gather together as believers, offering Him honor and thanksgiving through our worship, and to serve the needs of one another and others in the love and name of Christ. A community of faith and love is a parish of Orthodox Christians that knows and understands the priority of both worship and ministry. by Archbishop Demetrios

Communities of Faith and Love in Worship

National Sisterhood of Presvyteres

“Through Love Be Servants of One Another” Gal. 5:13

e welcome all the presbyteres to this year’s ClergyLaity Congress celebrated in the heart of New York City. We join once again to share in fellowship. Our Archdiocese Metropolis has started planning a wonderful full week for you! The schedule offer meetings sharing the work of the many outreach programs the board has developed, a presbytera social event off site, metropolis gatherings and of course, workshops to help us grow individually, as families and with each other. This Clergy-Laity Congress will follow on the footsteps of our NSP retreat we had in Pennsylvania this past fall. This retreat is growing by leaps and bounds as word passes on from the attendant’s experiences. What a wonderful opportunity we have to spend a weekend together. We will have many photos to share at ClergyLaity Congress with you. We look forward to seeing you there. If you have any questions, please contact your metropolis representative.

The priority of worship for the people of God is very clear within the pages of Holy Scripture and the Tradition of the Church. In fact we can say from Scripture and Tradition that worship is the most important aspect of our lives as Christians. It is our response to the Triune God, to the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. We worship God as the Creator of heaven and earth, who made and sustains all things that exist, who created each and every one of us in His image and breathed into us the breath of life. We offer our praise and thanksgiving to the One who redeems us from the corruption of sin and death, who gives us new life and salvation, whose grace works within us bearing the fruit of holiness and affirming that we are His beloved children. Our response to God, His holiness, His grace and presence, is why we gather regularly to offer Him honor, adoration, praise, and thanksgiving. Through the divine services of the Church we are affirming that He is in our midst, and we are in turn offering a witness to the world of His holy will and salvation that is offered to all. By our worship, our faith in God and our love for each other is enhanced and strengthened as we commune together with the One who offers Himself in love and calls us to respond in faith. Our worship is a response of faith. As we affirm and experience the saving presence of Jesus Christ, we believe in Who He is and what He has done for us. By His presence we are made aware of our sin, and we realize our need for forgiveness. Through our worship we acknowledge that His promises are true, and in faith we offer prayer and petitions seeking salvation and His divine guidance and assistance. Our worship is also characterized by love. It is our response to the love God has shown to us. When we worship we gather in the presence of the One who loves us and knows our needs. We commune with the Savior who has shared in our human condition and knows our weaknesses and struggles. We have in our midst Him who offers to us life and abundant blessings and who desires to have our fellowship for all eternity. As it is prayed in the Liturgy, we are responding to a God who loves us so much that He “did not cease doing ev-

erything until He led us to heaven and granted us His kingdom to come.” In our worship, therefore, we are truly being and building a community of faith and love. As the Apostle Paul states, we are “receiving Christ Jesus the Lord, being rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith…abounding in thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7). Through our experience and faith in the love of God, we are bound together in perfect harmony, united as brothers and sisters in Christ, and through our unity offering a witness of the power of God’s grace to forgive, heal, transform, and save. In worship, the communal bonds of faith and love give us strength and joy. We know that others share in our faith and that they have a genuine and sacrificial love for us. In turn, each one of us builds the community through the faith and love that we offer through our lives. Through our commitment to a life of worship, our fellow parishioners see our faith in God and our love for them, and others who are not in the community of believers know that the will of God and our worship of Him are the primary concerns of our lives.

Communities of Faith and Love in Ministry

In the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we see very clearly that worship and ministry were inherent to the identity and faith of the early Christians. Following the example of Christ and the leadership of the Apostles, the believers gathered for worship, teaching, and fellowship, and they also “sold their possessions and goods and divided them among all, as anyone had need” (Acts 2:45). This sacrificial service that was offered as ministry to anyone in need became and still remains and essential attribute of the Church. From the apostolic letters of the early Church down through the centuries we have examples of and exhortations to ministry. But even more importantly, our sacred task of addressing the needs of others is rooted in our relationship with God, a relationship of faith and love. We respond to anyone in need of the basic necessities of life, in need of hope and salvation, in need of peace and assurance, because our faith affirms and annunciates the blessed truth and promises of God. In the midst of the turmoil and chaos that often confronts our lives, we have a faith that is solid and eternal. It is a faith that fulfills our needs and leads us to offer a ministry of faith to others so that by our offering of service in the name of Christ they might be free from physical, relational, and emotional burdens, and ultimately the burdens of sin, death, and alienation from God. It is in the joy of this freedom from the bondage of sin and death that we are also called to minister in love. In the Epistle to the Galatians St. Paul states, “For you brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13). It is the love of God that

restores our communion with Him, and it is this same love that leads us to recognized the dignity of others created in His likeness and image, to have compassion for their needs, and to use our abilities, time, and possessions to offer genuine ministry. Thus, ministry is a very important part of our daily lives, and especially our presence in a world of need as communities of faith and love. Through ministry we build up the Body of Christ, the Church, as we offer to one another as each has need. To our brothers and sisters in Christ we offer sincere friendship and compassionate fellowship in the bonds of faith and love. We labor to strengthen and enhance the spiritual lives of others so that we are all growing in closer communion to one another and to God. Further, we join with our brothers and sisters in Christ and offer ministry to others. As communities of faith and love we are called to serve the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the sick and the suffering, the prisoner, the depressed, the grief-stricken, the outcast and rejected. Simply stated, we are called to serve when and where there is a need.

Conclusion

Our theme for the 37th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress, Building Communities of Faith and Love: Orthodox Parishes in Worship and Ministry, gives us the unique opportunity as an Archdiocese to focus collectively on the very identity and work of our parishes. In our contemporary world, this understanding of our sacred mission is so critical. Our parishes are called to be communities of faith and love so that all may know and experience the power of the Gospel. We are called to build communities of faith and love so that more and more people and future generations may share in the quality of faith and depth of love that is characteristic of those committed to God and His will. To do this we must evaluate and enhance the work of each and every parish of the Archdiocese. We must continue faithfully in worship and ministry, acknowledging and teaching the relevancy and significance of our services, guiding the faithful in prayer, seeking new avenues of service to those in need, expanding our outreach so that others may experience our God-given love and the riches and transformative power of our Orthodox faith. For in building communities of faith and love the blessings and joy will be tremendous, our lives will be fulfilled, and we will be establishing and nurturing relationships in Christ that we will share for all eternity. To quote the Apostle Paul in his Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His call, and may fulfill every good resolve and work of faith by His power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” May our Lord “whose steadfast love endures forever and His faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 100) guide us in our gathering as the 37th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

JULY – AUGUST 2004

L-100 Endowment Fund Celebrating 20 Years of Service NEW YORK.– The Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Endowment Fund, celebrating its 20th anniversary, welcomes to New York the historic 37th Biennial ClergyLaity Congress of the Archdiocese. Leadership 100 has grown because of its dedication to our beloved Church. From 100 members at its founding to 672 members today, it has more than doubled its membership over the last four years, with more than $15.7 million paid out in grants over the life of the endowment. We welcome all delegates to our Leadership 100 booth at Clergy-Laity to witness our contributions to building up the national ministries and programs that advance Orthodoxy and Hellenism across America in the spirit of this year’s theme: “Building Communities of Faith and Love: Orthodox Parishes in Worship and Ministry.” Leadership 100’s dramatic increase in grants in recent years has fostered a 21 percent increase in enrollment at Hellenic College/Holy Cross through the $10 million Leadership 100 Scholarship Program; the completion of the Archbishop Iakovos Library; the establishment of Information Technology and Internet Ministries at the Archdiocese; pension supplements for retired clergy and stipends for clergy in need; and repayment of $600,000 in student loans that active clergy have incurred during their studies at Holy Cross

drew A. Athens; Michael Jaharis; George K. Chimples; George P. Kokalis.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES (by Metropolis)

Greek Orthodox School of Theology, with an additional $380,000 committed for the balance of the program. We are moving into a promising future for the Greek Orthodox Church in America and Leadership 100 will be there to address the challenges of the new century. We must prepare more clergy for an expanding Church, help our churches grow, and care for our faithful and for all people in need, while advancing our faith and heritage. Our prayer and our hope is that the 37th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress will mark the beginning of new purpose and unity of heart and mind for the Greek Orthodox Church in America.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

John A. Payiavlas, Chairman; George D. Behrakis, Vice Chairman; Constantine G. Caras, Secretary; Bert W. Moyar, Treasurer; John A. Catsimatidis; James A. Regas George M. Marcus; Mark Stavropoulos Stephen G. Yeonas.

LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS

Arthur C. Anton; Peter M. Dion; An-

NEW YORK: Froso Beys, John A. Catsimatidis, Peter M. Dion, Michael Jaharis, Hon. Yorka C. Linakis, Dr. Peter J.G. Maris, Peter J. Pappas, George Safiol, Peter A. Vlachos. NEW JERSEY: Nicholas J. Bouras, Constantine G. Caras, Peter G. Pappas, Aristides Magafan, James H. Moshovitis, George P. Stamas, Stephen G. Yeonas. CHICAGO: Andrew A. Athens, Paul H. Athens, John L. Marks, Jack T. Mitsakopoulos, John Pappajohn, James A. Regas, Michael L. Stefanos, Theodore J. Theophilos. BOSTON: Arthur C. Anton, George D. Behrakis, Eve N. Condakes, Eugenia J. Hasiotis. SAN FRANCISCO: George P. Kokalis, George M. Marcus, Angelo K. Tsakopoulos. ATLANTA: Constantine G. Lacas, Jerry O. Lorant, Basil S. Yanakakis. DENVER: Charles H. Cotros. PITTSBURGH: George K. Chimples, Dr. John S. Collis, Jr., Bert W. Moyar, Louis Nicozisis, John A. Payiavlas, Spiros G. Raftis. DETROIT, Thomas D. Demery, James P. Pamel, Gus Stavropoulos, Mark Stavropoulos. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Fr. Dimitrios Antokas,

Archons Prepare to Participate in Clergy-Laity Congress NEW YORK.– The Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, organized in America as the Order of St. Andrew, extend their greetings to this historic 37th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress in New York. We look forward to participate with all our brothers and sisters, under the spiritual guidance of Archbishop Demetrios in a true spirit of fellowship as we focus our attention on “Building Communities of Faith and Love: Orthodox Parishes in Worship and Ministry.” We are ever mindful of the blessings of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on this gathering and all such meetings that express the voice of our beloved Orthodox Church in the governance of its affairs. We are mindful, too, that many have labored before us so that we may enjoy the honor and present blessings of serving our Church in leadership positions today. Our goals as Archons are the goals of all faithful Greek Orthodox Christians and we are most effective when we receive your support. A relatively new government in Turkey is hearing our voices and we have entered into a dialogue on our most critical goals with key ministers there and with the support of the United States government. These goals include the reopening of the Theological School of Halki, restoration and safeguarding the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Patriarchal Institutions that have lost hundreds of income-producing properties to the Turkish government, abolishing Turkish government interference in the selection of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Holy Synod, and gaining recognition by the

ARCHONS at a recent dinner with Patriarch Bartholomew in New York.

Turkish government of the “ecumenicity” of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Let us work together at Clergy-Laity as one Church with one purpose, under the spiritual jurisdiction of our Ecumenical Patriarch and with the guidance of our beloved Archbishop Demetrios, to be a shining example of our Orthodox Christian faith, with love for all. All Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America are invited to participate in the following events scheduled in New York during the Clergy- Laity Congress. Hierarchical Divine Liturgy: Sunday, July 25, 2004; 9 am -12 noon at the New York Marriott Marquis, Broadway Ballroom - 6th Floor. Archons should wear their emblems, there will be reserved seating for Archons. All Archons should congregate at 8:45 am in a specifically designated room located

near the entrance to the Broadway Ballroom (6th Floor) for ceremonial procession into Ballroom. Archon Fellowship Dinner: Archons and their spouses or guests are cordially invited to a Fellowship Dinner on Tuesday, July 27, 2004; 8-10pm, to be held at the Marquis Ballroom, New York Marriott Marquis. The Dinner will honor with their presence Archbishop Demetrios, Patriarchal Representatives and our Metropolitans. Archon Business Breakfast: The National Council is pleased to announce that Under Secretary of State Marc Grossman will be the featured speaker. at the bussiness breakfast on Wednesday, July 28, 2004; 9-11 am at Marquis B & C rooms. For information and reservations call the National Archon Office 212/ 570-3550 fax: 212/774-0214, E-Mail:

archons@goarch.org

Clergy Families Program NEW YORK.– Clergy-Laity congresses provide unique opportunities for clergy and clergy families to rediscover new tools for ministry, to renew acquaintances among clergy families and to revitalize opportunities for refreshing and replenishing the wells of resources for service and outreach to our parishes and parishioners. The Archdiocese Presbyters Council together with the National Sisterhood of Presbyteres, the Archdiocese Benefits Committee and Retired Clergy Association prepare and plan clergy programs for this clergy laity event. This year in addition to the various Metropolitan Clergy Syndesmoi meeting on Thursday morning to elect their representatives to the Presbyters Council, Benefits Committee and Archdiocese Council, the Archdiocese Presbyter’s Council is also planning a Forum for Clergy families dealing with the challenges of life in ministry and an evening together with Archbishop Demetrios and the other hierarchs. Fr. Constantine Sitaras will moderate this year’s clergy forum, titled “Living in a fish bowl,” under the committee leadership of Frs. Lou Christopulos, Tom Chininis, Steve Denas and Jerry Hall. Sharing the joys and disappointments, the hopes and hurts of priests, presbyteres and their children in service ministry to the parishes, the entire spectrum of clergy families will be represented in forum. Participants will share their solutions to real-life situations presented to them within a safe, caring environment. Those in attendance will have the opportunity to offer their solutions. A special gathering will be held Tuesday evening to meet the Archbishop and members of the Holy Synod. Clergy families far too infrequently do not have the opportunity to meet in a relaxed fashion with their spiritual leaders. This Tuesday evening gathering will afford each priest, presbytera and their children to come together as a family and enjoy the interchange between our Hierarchs and their families. This event is co hosted by the Presbyter’s Council and National Sisterhood of Presvyteres. The APC holds the closing event of the Congress on Friday morning, hosting a breakfast with the Archbishop where an open exchange of ideas, a shared concern of ministry and a renewed vision for the Church are discussed. The Presbyter’s Council, Benefits Committee, the National Sisterhood of Presvyteres, the Retired Clergy, and the Orthodox chaplains meet together during these days to energize their ministries and prepare anew for the saving work of the church to glorify of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Archdiocese Presbyter’s Council: President Fr. James C. Moulketis; Vice President Archimandrite Timothy G. Bakakos; Treasurer Fr. Thomas F. Chininis; and Secretary Fr. Paul A. Kaplanis. Atlanta: Frs. Paul A. Kaplanis and Chris T. Metropulos Boston: Fr. Constantine A. Bebis, Fr. Thomas F. Chininis Chicago: Archimandrite Timothy G. Bakakos, Fr. John N. Kalomas Denver: Fr. William M. Christ, Fr. Louis J. Christopulos Detroit: Fr. Nicholas Pathenos, Fr. George W. Wilson New Jersey: Fr. Nicholas G. Bacalis, Fr. James C. Moulketis New York: Fr. Emmanuel J. Gratsias, Archimandrite Eugene N. Pappas Pittsburgh: Fr. Steven Denas, Fr. Jerry Hall San Francisco: Fr. Stephen H. Kyriacou, Fr. Steven P. Tsichlis.

JULY – AUGUST 2004

37th National Philoptochos Convention

YAL Theme Focus is ‘Building Faith: United in Christ’ NEW YORK.– Young adults of the Direct Archdiocesan District are eagerly preparing for this summer’s 22nd annual National Young Adult Conference, scheduled for July 23-26. This year’s conference, themed “Building Faith: United in Christ,” will correspond with the National ClergyLaity Congress, which begins on Monday, July 26. For the past year, young adults from the New York area have been planning this year’s event. Not only will the YAL conference seek to enhance the spiritual lives of the participants, but also offer them a chance to see the great city of New York. The weekend will kick off Friday evening with a “Red Carpet” affair at the hotel in Times Square to welcome arriving guests. On Saturday morning, Archbishop Demetrios will lead participants in a Bible study. The keynote brunch that same day will feature Fr. John Heropoulos of St. Paraskevi in Greenlawn, N.Y., followed by various workshops and discussions throughout the day. Saturday plans include an evening downtown at New York famous South Street Seaport. Later that evening participants will have the opportunity to participate in several late night discussions or participate in a ‘Midnight Run’ program, an outreach to deliver food and clothing to homeless people throughout the city. A joint hierarchical Divine Liturgy will be celebrated Sunday morning, followed by the ‘Subway Challenge,’ an opportunity for young adults to tour New York City while learning about outreach. The conference will conclude that evening with the grand banquet at the hotel. For the first time, a special invitation has being extended to the young adults by the Clergy-Laity Congress to participate in their Monday events. This opportunity is available to all young adults who are registered for the Young Adult Conference. The Monday congress program includes the opening keynote breakfast with Archbishop Demetrios and educational workshops throughout the day. The mission of the Young Adult Ministry is to create a setting to take the spiritual journey of personal growth, to commit to learn about our faith, to minister to one another and to help those in need. The ministry depends upon the commitment and desire of clergy and laity to learn about and love Christ and His Church by offering their hearts, resources and talents, namely, Worship (Liturgia), Witness (Martyria), Service (Diakonia), and Fellowship (Koinonia). Using these four characteristics to live a balanced Orthodox Christian life and to grow in His likeness.

ing together we may build an even more dynamic Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society. The National President appointed Maria Logus, first vice president, and Froso Beys, third vice president, as Convention chairmen. They have planned an exciting week of programs and cultural activities. In a recent communication to the chapters, Mrs. Beys and Miss Logus stated: “We plan to bring you the very best experience New York City can offer combined with a revamped format for our meetings, and new and interactive workshops. We

NEW YORK.– The Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society Inc., will convene its 37th Biennial Convention in New York from Friday, July 23 to Thursday, July 29 at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. The convention will meet concurrently with the 37th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, with Archbishop Demetrios presiding. The Philoptochos is the Church’s philanthropic organization founded in 1931 by Archbishop Athenagoras. Hundreds

“Let all that you do be done with love.” I Corinthians 16:14.

MARIA LOGUS

of Philoptochos members from across the United States will attend as delegates from their respective chapters to review the past two years’ activities and to adopt a program through 2006. National President Georgia Skeadas reported “The past two years have been highly successful for Philoptochos contributing over $2 million to our Church’s in-

stitutions, and many important programs that the organization sponsors, during the period October 2002 through June 30, 2004.” She continued, “We gather here as a united assembly to learn, to experience, and to become stimulated, inspired and challenged, in order for us to better serve our ministry and to more closely follow the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am confident this Congress will be a most rewarding and memorable experience for each and every delegate. The programs and activities prepared will be creative, innovative, informative, challenging and inspirational,” she said. “We sincerely hope that the National Biennial Convention will leave you feeling renewed, revitalized and rededicated with a new zeal for the mission of philanthropy, and a passion for excellence, so that work-

FROSO BEYS

want you to work hard at this convention but we also want you to enjoy yourselves, and more importantly, we hope you will leave this convention with new ideas and new friends. We can also tell you that the convention site, the Marriott Marquis Hotel situated in the midst of the New York’s Theatre District – Times Square – will be an exciting experience.”

Church Musicians to Convene 28th Annual Meeting NEW YORK.– The National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians will hold its 28th annual meeting in conjunction with the 37th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress in New York City from July 2529. Church musicians from each Metropolis of the Archdiocese will participate. The National Forum was chartered in 1976 as the official arm of the Archdiocese responsible for strengthening and perpetuating Greek Orthodox liturgical music in its parishes. The Forum’s ministries span liturgical music related to choirs, chanters, Church School music educators, clergy, and parishes. The Forum’s National Chairman Dr. Vicki Pappas of Bloomington, Ind., recently announced the church musicians’ program and schedule of events. On Sunday evening, Forum members will fete invited guests and clergy at a Church Musicians reception, honoring those who have supported church music from throughout the Archdiocese. At the Reception, the 2004 recipients of the St. Romanos Medallion will be announced. This prestigious award honors those individuals who have offered exemplary Archdiocesan leadership in church music. On Tuesday afternoon, Forum members will conduct a Church Music workshop for Congress delegates titled, “Orthodox Parishes in Worship and Ministry: Liturgical Music for Congregations and Small Choirs.” Various composers and conductors from each of the metropolises will share works, in English and Greek, which would

be appropriate for congregational singing and for small choirs. Business meetings will commence Monday afternoon with an Artoclasia for the health and well-being of church musicians throughout the Archdiocese of America and will continue through Thursday. Agenda items include progress reports of various National Forum projects and direction-setting for the next biennium. The Forum’s standing committees provide the structure for deliberations that will identify directions for future activities: Assistance to Choirs and Parishes, Byzantine Music, Youth Initiatives, Church Music Institutes, Publications, Public Relations, Administration, and Finance. Specific projects to be discussed include national and metropolis Church music institutes, the use of English with liturgical music, psalti and choir director training programs, increasing the liturgi-

cal involvement of children and young people, use of the Internet, and need for new publications and parish resources. Also featured will be visits from hierarchs, Archdiocesan department heads, Holy Cross faculty, and clergy, church musicians, and delegates from local parishes. Their presence brings broad perspectives of issues related to church music, and provides an opportunity for them to identify local and national needs the Forum might address. Prior to the start of their annual meeting, the visiting National Forum members will join nearly 100 members of the Archdiocesan District Federation of Church Musicians to celebrate the Congress’ Divine Liturgy, to be held Sunday morning at the Marriott. Leah Pappas from Holy Trinity in Hicksville, N.Y., will serve as guest director of the choir. Guest organist will be Stacey Svolos, also of Holy Trinity. A highlight of the Liturgy will be the involvement of a number of young children, who will sing the Communion hymns, led by Georgia Kaufman of Archangel Michael in Roslyn Heights. Chanters from the Archdiocesan District will sing the Orthros. National Forum members will also offer a doxology and hymns at the Congress’ opening breakfast, and will join the delegates for Archbishop Demetrios’ keynote address. For more information about the National Forum and its meeting, contact Dr. Vicki Pappas, 3814 Regents Circle, Bloomington, Ind. 47401, 812-855-8248 or email pappas@indiana.edu.

JULY – AUGUST 2004

St. Basil Academy Holds 57th Commencement GARRISON, N.Y. – The 60th anniversary of D-Day on June 6 fell one week before another momentous day at St. Basil Academy, when the 57th Commencement took place on a beautiful sunny spring afternoon that signaled a renewed spirit of optimism after a period of uncertainty over the institution’s fate. This year is also the Academy’s 60th anniversary.

STATE ASSURES CONTINUED OPERATION

by Jim Golding

The period of uncertainty began last year, when local Garrison school officials refused to recognize St. Basil’s children as local residents and demanded tuition at first, then sought to prevent them from enrolling and the Academy from continuing its function as a child care center, as it had no operating certificate. Academy officials applied for a certificate in November with the state Office of Children and Family Services, which was uncertain at the time whether the Academy needed an operating certificate. But on Jan. 2, the state Office of Children and Family Services advised St. Basil’s executive director, Fr. Constantine Sitaras, that it would deny the application, citing several reasons. There followed several weeks of visits to Albany for negotiations with state

GRADUATING STUDENTS with Archbishop Demetrios, Fr. Sitaras, Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos (far right), the National Philoptochos president and board members.

Georgia Skeadas, whose organization has been the bedrock of support for the Academy, offered praise for the mission of the institution and its continued success. Also speaking were Consul General of Greece Catherine Boura and Consul General of Cyprus Martha Mavromatis, both of whom have been supportive of St. Basil’s. Dr. Geniene Guglielmo, superintendent of the Highland Falls School District, which the students attended before the 2003-04 school year, and that DR. GUGLIELMO wipes away some tears as Archbishop Demetrios presents her with an icon in gratitude of her strong support over high school students the years. continue to attend, said, “not everybody officials by Archbishop Demetrios, Fr. Si- knows who are the children of St. Basil’s. taras, Archdiocese officials, Archdiocesan They are children of character, from a Council leaders and other strong support- moral environment.” ers of the Academy, including the National Dr. Guglielmo described the children Philoptochos, Ahepa and Highland Falls as talented and as future leaders. She school district officials. noted that several students came to her After an official hearing in Albany on during this period of uncertainty seeking March 18-19, the Bureau of Special Hear- solace. She encouraged them to write letings reversed the OCFS ruling, stating ters to the local newspaper. One of them that the earlier decision was “not a valid wrote, “Please don’t take this wonderful exercise of its powers of supervision and experience away from me,” she said. enforcement” and also was “arbitrary and Both high school graduates, Christina capricious.” Katsifas and Sophia Spentzos offered very This means the Academy can continue poignant remarks on having to overcome operating as it has and is now in the pro- struggles and dark periods in their lives cess of obtaining a new license. and the positive impact that St. Basil’s has Commencement activities had upon them, which moved audience At the Divine Liturgy celebrated by members to tears at certain points. Archbishop Demetrios, students, family Christina expressed her hope of bemembers, Academy officials and trustees, coming a pediatrician. and representatives of organizations that The Alumni address was delivered by have supported St. Basil’s over the years Elaine Poulos of Akron, Ohio, a classmate gathered in front of the entrance to The of Olympia Snowe in the early 1950s who Main, the academy’s administrative build- went on to become U.S. senator from ing that was a former mansion called Maine. “Eagle’s Nest.” “I was fortunate as a child to be emGreetings from several individuals braced by this experience,” Ms. Poulos included Board of Trustees President Dr. said of her time at the Academy. Turning Steven Gounardes, who said the recent cri- toward Mrs. Skeadas, she commented, sis served as “a challenge to make us better “Georgia, your organization is everything. and stronger.” Referring to local Garrison There is no way to express the gratitude school district members who did not want we feel.” the Academy’s children, he said, “some local St. Basil’s executive director, Fr. Conindividuals” did not want school to contin- stantine Sitaras, noted that the Academy ue. “Their efforts have not been successful. got its start around the time of D-Day St. Basil Academy is here to stay.” 60 years ago. “Archbishop Athenagoras National Philoptochos President recognized the need, that there would be

orphans” as a result of the war. He said the need for such an institution went beyond its function as an orphanage, however. “From very beginning the need was for children from broken homes,” Fr. Sitaras said. “The children needed place of security and love.” He said of the situation over the past several months, “We’ve come out of that victorious. Truth will always destroy the lies and right will always conquer.” “January 2nd was the darkest day of my life,” Fr. Sitaras said. In a subsequent phone call from His Eminence, Fr. Sitaras said the Archbishop told him “We’ll get through this” and not to worry. “After listening to him, I knew we would get through it and that we’d be better off,” he added. Fr. Sitaras also credited the efforts of Archdiocesan Council Vice Chairman Michael Jaharis, the Archdiocese legal counsel Emmanuel Demos and the Archdiocese Executive Director Jerry Demetriou for their strong support. “They understood what was going on here and they backed us up in public,” Fr. Sitaras said. He also praised the National Philoptochos, AHEPA and Daughters of Penelope for their strong support. “The National Philoptochos is the reason for the existence of St. Basil’s,” Fr. Sitaras said.

Archbishop’s comments

In his final remarks, Archbishop

Demetrios said he was “full of thanks for the many, many people who really worked for St. Basil. “Superintendent Guglielmo, you did a tremendous work,” His Eminence said. He described her contribution on behalf of the Academy at the March hearing in Albany as “pivotal” to the reversal of the state agency’s earlier decision not to grant an operating permit to St. Basil’s. He described Dr. Gounardes who “normally deals with the mouths of his patients,” as “dealing with the mouths of people who say wrong things.” The Archbishop said the Philoptochos “is really an example for all of us.” He also thanked the consul generals of Greece and Cyprus. “They are among the best and warmest supporters of the school.” He called the effort to close the Academy by some local school district members as “insanity.” “If you didn’t have a place like this, you should invent it,” he noted. Archbishop Demetrios related his experience two days before at the funeral of President Ronald Reagan held at the National Cathedral in Washington, in which he was one of only six celebrants representing major faiths in the United States. He called the event “an amazing gathering of some of the highest officials existing on earth today.”

u page 24

FR. SITARAS recounts the process the Academy pursued to continue operating and its successful outcome following the favorable ruling in April by the State Office of Children and Family Services.

HIS EMINENCE distributes antidoron to students following the Divine Liturgy at St. Basil Chapel prior to the commencement.

ΙΟΥΛΙΟΣ – ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΟΣ 2004

ΕΤΟΣ 69 • ΑΡΙΘΜΟΣ 1209

Ανθρώπινη και καρποφόρος η τρίτη συνάντηση Πατριάρχη-Πάπα ΒΑΤΙΚΑΝΟ – Την δεύτερη επίσημη επίσκεψή του στο Βατικανό πραγματοποίησε ο Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης κ. Βαρθολομαίος στις 28 Ιουνίου με την ευκαιρία της εορτής των Αγίων Αποστόλων Πέτρου και Παύλου, θρονικής εορτής της Εκκλησίας της Ρώμης. Κατά την διάρκεια της τετραήμερης επίσκεψής του ο Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης συναντήθηκε επανειλημμένα με τον Πάπα Ιωάννη Παύλο Β΄ και εγκαινίασε τον ναό του Αγίου Θεοδώρου στην Ρώμη. Η επίσκεψη συνέπεσε με την 40η επέτειο από την συνάντηση του Πάπα Παύλου Στ΄ και του Πατριάρχη Αθηναγόρα στην Ιερουσα λήμ το 1964. Υπήρξε δε η πρώτη συνάντηση των ηγετών της Ορθοδόξου και της Ρωμαιοκαθολικής Εκκλησίας από την εποχή του σχίσματος το 1054 κατά την οποία οι δύο Ιεράρχες προχώρησαν στην αμοιβαία άρση των αναθεμάτων. Ο Πάπας υποδέχθηκε τον Οικουμενικό Πατριάρχη στο Αποστολικό Παλάτι και ακολούθησε η πρώτη τους συνάντηση. Οι δύο ηγέτες αντάλλαξαν συμβολικά δώρα και υπέγραψαν κοινή διακήρυξη στην οποία τονίζεται η προσήλωση των δύο Εκκλησιών προς την κατεύθυνση της ενότητος για την καλύτερη διάδοση του Ευαγγελίου. Ο Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης απηύθυνε επίσημη

Ôï äþñï ôïõ ÐÜðá åðéäåéêíýåé ï Ïéêïõìåíéêüò ÐáôñéÜñ÷çò ê. Âáñèïëïìáßïò.

πρόσκληση προς τον Πάπα να επισκεφθεί την Κωνσταντινούπολη με την πρώτη ευκαιρία και εκείνος ανταποκρίθηκε θετικά. Ο Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης κ. Βαρθολομαίος δήλωσε ιδιαίτερα ικανοποιημένος από την έκβαση των συνομιλιών του με τον Πάπα Ιωάννη Παύλο Β’ μετά το πέρας της τριήμερης επίσκε-

ψής του στο Βατικανό. «Αυτή η συνάντηση με τον Πάπα ήταν πιο καρποφόρος» είπε ο κ. Βαρθολομαίος. Λίγο πριν αναχωρήσει για την Κωνσταντ ινούπολη και κάνοντας έναν σύντομο απολογισμό των επαφών κατά την παραμονή του στην έδρα της Ρωμαιοκαθολικής Εκκλησίας, ο Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης δήλωσε: «Αυτή η

τρίτη συνάντηση με τον Πάπα μετά από εκείνες του 1995 και 2002, ήταν πιο καρποφόρος, πιο ανθρώπινη, πιο γνήσια, σε μια πολύ εγκάρδια ατμόσφαιρα. Ίσως γιατί έχω ωριμάσει και εγώ περισσότερο αυτά τα χρόνια». Ο κ. Βαρθολομαίος υπενθύμισε ορισμένα ιστορικά γεγονότα που εμβάθυναν τις διαφορές μεταξύ καθολικών και ορθοδόξων. Μεταξύ αυτών ανέφερε το πρόβλημα των λειψάνων που εκλάπησαν από την Κωνσταντινούπολη το 1204, όταν έγιναν οι λεηλασίες των σταυροφόρων. Είναι τα λείψανα των μεγά λων Πατριαρχών Ιωάννη του Χρυσοστόμου και Γρηγορίου του Θεολόγου, τα οποία μπορεί να διατηρούνται στην Βασιλική του Αγίου Πέτρου. Στο Βατικανό πάντως διαβεβαίωσαν τον Οικουμενικό Πατριάρχη ότι θα κάνουν έρευνες για το θέμα. «Αν τα βρουν», είπε ο κ. Βαρθολομαίος, «θα στείλω μια επιστολή στον Πάπα, ζητώντας να τα επιστρέψουν. Ίσως να τα φέρει ο ίδιος ο Πάπας όταν θα επισκεφθεί το Φανάρι». Αναφερόμενος επίσης στο πρόβλημα του προσηλυτισμού, ο Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης επισήμανε τον υπερβολικό ζήλο ορισμένων. «Το Πατριαρχείο της Μόσχας κατήγγει λε ότι

u óåë. 23

ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΙΚΗ ΕΓΚΥΚΛΙΟΣ

4η Ιουλίου: Hμέρα Ανεξαρτησίας Πρός τούς Σεβασµιωτάτους καί Θεοφιλεστάτους Ἀρχιερεῖς, τούς Εὐλαβεστάτους Ἱερεῖς καί Διακόνους, τούς Μοναχούς καί Μοναχές, τούς Προέδρους καί Μέλη τῶν Κοινοτικῶν Συµβουλίων, τά Ἡµερήσια καί Ἀπογευµατινά Σχολεῖα, τίς Φιλοπτώχους Ἀδελφότητες, τήν Νεολαία, τίς Ἑλληνορθόδοξες Ὀργανώσεις καί ὁλόκληρο τό Χριστεπώνυµον πλήρωµα τῆς Ἱερᾶς Ἀρχιεπισκοπῆς Ἀµερικῆς. Ἀδελφοί καί ἀδελφές ἐν Χριστῷ, Αὐτή τήν ἡµέρα τῆς Ἀνεξαρτησίας, σᾶς χαιρετῶ µέ πνεῦµα ἀγάπης καί χαρᾶς τίς ὁποῖες ἐµπνέει ὁ φιλεύσπλαγχνος Θεός µας, ὁ δότης τῆς ζωῆς καί τῆς ἐλευθερίας. Ὁ ἐτήσιος ἑορτασµός µας τῆς 4ης Ἰουλίου ὡς ἐθνικῆς ἐπετείου, ἡ ὁποία τιµᾶ τήν ἀνεξαρτησία καί ἵδρυση τῶν Ἡνωµένων Πολιτειῶν τῆς Ἀµερικῆς, εἶναι µία εὐκαιρία νά ἐπιβεβαιώσουµε τήν ἀναγκαιότητα τῆς ἐλευθερίας γιά τήν προαγωγή σχέσεων διαρκείας καί ἀγάπης µέ τούς ἄλλους καί µέ τόν Θεό. Ἐπίσης, εἶναι εὐκαιρία γιά νά ἀναλογισθοῦµε τίς τεράστιες εὐλογίες τοῦ Θεοῦ στή ζωή µας, ἀλλά ἰδιαιτέρως τό µεγάλο δῶρο τῆς ἀληθινῆς ἐλευθερίας καί ἐθνικῆς ἀνεξαρτησίας. Ἡ πολιτισµική καί θρησκευτική κληρονοµιά µας ὡς Ἑλλήνων Ὀρθοδόξων Χριστιανῶν στήν Ἀµερική διατρανώνει τήν πραγµατική πηγή τῆς ἐλευθερίας καί τῆς ἀνεξαρτησίας, διότι ἐµεῖς βιώνουµε τή διπλή εὐλογία τοῦ νά καταγόµεθα ἀπό τόν Ἑλληνικό πολιτισµό τῆς ἐλευθερίας καί νά ζοῦµε σέ µία ἐλεύθερη καί δηµοκρατική χώρα, ἐνῶ παράλληλα ζοῦµε ὡς πολίτες τῆς βασιλείας τῶν Οὐρανῶν, ἀπολαµβάνοντας τήν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς δόξης τῶν τέκνων τοῦ Θεοῦ (Ρωµ. 8, 21). Ἔτσι, ἡ πολιτογράφησή µας στό γήινο καί τό οὐράνιο πολίτευµα, µᾶς ἐπιφορτίζει µέ τήν εὐθύνη προαγωγῆς τῆς ἐλευθερίας

γιά ὅλους, καί τήν πρόσκληση πρός τούς ἄλλους ἀνθρώπους νά συµµετάσχουν σέ µία ἀδελφότητα ἀγάπης µέ µᾶς καί µέ τούς συνανθρώπους των σέ πνεῦµα ἐλευθερίας ἐµπλουτισµένο ἀπό τήν ἀγάπη, καί πνεῦµα ἀγάπης ἐµπλουτισµένο ἀπό τήν ἐλευθερία. Καθώς διακηρύσσουµε τήν ἀναγκαιότητα τῶν ἀγαθῶν τῆς προσωπικῆς ἐλευθερίας καί ἐθνικῆς ἀνεξαρτησίας στόν κόσµο, καθώς πανηγυρίζουµε γιά τά ἀγαθά αὐτά µέ ὅλη µας τήν δύναµη αὐτή τή µεγάλη Ἡµέρα τῆς Ἀνεξαρτησίας, προσκαλῶ ὅλους νά µή λησµονοῦµε τήν εὐθύνη µας ὡς Ὀρθοδόξων Χριστιανῶν καί νά ἀναγγέλλουµε ὅ ἑωράκαµεν καί ἀκηκόαµεν (Α´ Ἰωάν. 1, 3), αὐτό πού κληρονοµήσαµε ἀπό τούς προγόνους µας, καί αὐτό πού πλήρεις χαρᾶς βιώνουµε σ’ αὐτή τήν εὐλογηµένη χώρα τῆς ἐλευθερίας, στήν Ἀµερική. Εἴθε ὁ Θεός νά σᾶς εὐλογήσῃ ὅλους αὐτή τή σηµαντική ἡµέρα. Εἴθε νά χαρίζῃ ἐλευθερία, εὐηµερία καί εἰρήνη σέ σᾶς καί δύναµη στό Ἀµερικανικό ἔθνος µας µέ ἀπώτερο σκοπό τήν προσφορά τοῦ δώρου τῆς ἐλευθερίας σ’ ὅλους τούς ἀνθρώπους καί σέ ὅλα τά ἔθνη τοῦ κόσµου.

Μέ πατρική ἐν Χριστῷ ἀγάπη,

ÿ ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Αµερικής Δηµήτριος

ΑΞΙΟΣ!

σελ.

Ενθρόνιση του πρώτου Μητροπολίτη Κορέας κ. Σωτηρίου

ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΠΑΡΑΤΗΡΗΤΗΣ

ΙΟΥΛΙΟΣ – ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΟΣ 2004

ΑΞΙΟΣ! ο πρώτος Μητροπολίτης Κορέας ΣΕΟΥΛ, Κορέα – Η Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία της Κορέας που πρόσφατα ανυψώθηκε σε Μητρόπολη από την Αγία και Ιερά Σύνοδο του Οικουμενικού Πατριαρχείου έζησε μοναδικές και ιστορικές στιγμές με την ευκαιρία της ενθρονίσεως του πρώτου Μητροπολίτου της, του Σεβασμιωτάτου Μητροπολίτου Κορέας κ. Σωτηρίου που πραγματοποιήθηκε την Κυριακή 20 Ιουνίου 2004. Ήταν μια ημέρα ιστορική και για τα χρονικά της Ορθοδόξου ιεραποστολής σε όλο τον κόσμο, επισφράγισμα πολυετούς ιεραποστολικού έργου αλλά και απαρχή νέου. Η νέα Ιερά Μητρόπολη Κορέας αρχίζει με δυναμισμό ένα νέο κεφάλαιο στην ιστορία της έχοντας στο δυναμικό της έξι πλήρως ανεπτυγμένες ενορίες, έξι ιερείς και δύο διακόνους, ενώ τέσσερις ακόμη ενορίες βρίσκονται υπό εξέλιξη. Ο Σεβασμιώτατος Αρχιεπίσκοπος Αμερικής κ. Δημήτριος εκπροσωπώντας τον Οικουμενικό Πατριάρχη κ. Βαρθολομαίο και την Αγία και Ιερά Σύνοδο έφτασε στην Σεούλ στις 18 Ιουνίου για να προστεί της ενθρονιστηρίου τελετής. Ο Καθεδρικός Ναός του Αγίου Νικολάου Σεούλ είχε κατακλυστεί εκείνο το κυριακάτικο πρωινό από πολλούς Κορεάτες Ορθοδόξους πιστούς αλλά και πολλούς επισκέπτες που ταξίδεψαν από την Ελλάδα για να παρευρεθούν

Εν μέσω πλήθους πιστών έγινε η ενθρόνιση του πρώτου Μητροπολίτου Κορέας κ. Σωτηρίου στον Ιερό Καθεδρικό Ναό του Αγίου Νικολάου στη Σεούλ.

στην ενθρόνιση και παρακολούθησαν με μεγάλη ευλάβεια την πολυαρχιερατική Θεία Λειτουργία προεξάρχοντος του Αρχιεπισκόπου Δημητρίου. Συλλειτούργησαν οι μητροπολίτες Προύσης Διονύσιος, Ύδρας και Σπετσών Εφραίμ, Νέας Σμύρνης Συμεών, Αχελώου Ευθύ-

ΟΥΡΑΝΙΕΣ ΜΕΛΩΔΙΕΣ

μιος, ο ιερατικώς προϊστάμενος του ναού π. Αμβρόσιος Ζωγράφος, ο ιερατικώς προϊστάμενος του Ι. Ναού του Αγίου Παύλου στην πόλη Ιντζόν π. Δανιήλ Να καθώς και ιερείς και διάκονοι από την Κορέα και την Ελλάδα. Η Θεία Λειτουργία έγινε στα Κορεατικά, Αγγλικά και Ελλη-

Συλλυπητήρια προς Νάνσυ Ρίγκαν ΝΕΑ ΥΟΡΚΗ.– Τα θερμά του συλλυπητήρια εξέφρασε ο Σεβασμιώτατος Αρχιεπίσκοπος Αμερικής κ. Δημήτριος προς την οικογένεια του προέδρου Ρόναλντ Ρίγκαν και προς τον Πρόεδρο Τζόρτζ Μπους, εκ μέρους της Ι. Αρχιεπισκοπής αλλά και εκ μέρους όλων των Ελληνορθοδόξων της Αμερικής. Σε επιστολή του προς την πρώην πρώτη κυρία Νάνσυ Ρίγκαν ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Δημήτριος αναφέρει μεταξύ άλλων: «Καθώς εσείς, η οικογένεια σας και το Έθνος μας θρηνούν τον χαμό του προσφιλούς σας συζύγου, του Προέδρου Ρόναλντ Ρίγκαν σας εκφράζω εκ μέρους όλων των Ελληνορθοδόξων της Αμερικής, τα ειλικρινή συλλυπητήρια και τις προσευχές μας. Ευχόμαστε όπως ο φιλεύσπλαχνος Πατέρας και Θεός κάθε ETA PRESS

ΝΕΑ ΥΟΡΚΗ– Μια ιδιαίτερα ευχάριστη μουσική βραδιά, εν μέσω του θέρους, είχαν την ευκαιρία να απολαύσουν όσοι παρακολούθησαν στον Καθεδρικό Ναό της Αγ. Τριάδος το βράδυ της Κυριακής 11 Ιουλίου την συναυλία βυζαντινής μουσικής που έδωσε χορωδία βυζαντινών ιεροψαλτών, υπό την διεύθυνση του π. Σπυρίδωνα Αντωνίου, διδάκτορος Βυζαντινής Μουσικολογίας και Ψαλτικής τέχνης στο Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλονίκης. Ο π. Αντωνίου βρέθηκε στην Νέα Υόρκη για να διδάξει την βυζαντινή ψα λτ ική τέχ νη. Πρόκειται για μια πρωτοβουλία σεμιναρίων και διάδοσης της Βυζαντινής Μουσικής που οργανώθηκε υπό την αιγίδα του Καθεδρικού Ναού της Αγίας Τριάδος, με την ευλογία του Σεβασμιωτάτου Αρχιεπισκόπου Αμερικής κ. Δημητρίου και την ευγενική χορηγία του Καλλινίκειου Ιδρύματος. Τους φίλους της Βυζαντινής Μουσικής, μεταξύ των οποίων συγκαταλέχθηκε και ο Σεβασμιώτατος Αρχιεπίσκοπος κ. Δημήτριος, υποδέχθηκε στον Καθεδρικό Ναό ο ιερατικώς προϊστάμενος π. Χαράλαμπος Στεφανόπουλος. Το πρόγραμμα της συναυλίας περιελάμβανε τροπάρια, ευλογητάρια και

νικά ενώ τους βυζαντινούς ύμνους έψαλλε χορωδία νέων στην κορεατική γλώσσα. Ακολούθησε η τελετή της ενθρονίσεως σύμφωνα με το τυπικό της Μεγάλης του Χριστού Εκκλησίας. «Η ποιμαντορική αυτή ράβδος είναι το σύμβολο της αποστολικής και πνευματικής σου ευθύνης» τόνισε ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Δημήτριος παραδίδοντας στον νέο Μητροπολίτη την ποιμαντορική ράβδο και του ευχήθηκε «πάσαν παρά Θεού βοήθειαν». Στην συνέχεια διαβάσθηκε από άμβωνος στα κορεατικά η Πατριαρχική Πράξη ιδρύσεως της Ι. Μητροπόλεως Κορέας από τον πρωτοπρεσβύτερο π. Δανιήλ Να. Άξιος! Άξιος! ήχησαν οι φωνές των πιστών μέσα στον ναό κατά τη διάρκεια της τελετής που ακολούθησε και έκλεισε με τον εμπνευσμένο ενθρονιστήριο λόγο του Μητροπολίτου Σωτηρίου. Παρευρέθηκαν ο υπουργός πολιτισμού της Κορέας Τσανκ Δονγκ Λη, ο πρέσβης της Ελλάδος στην Κορέα Κωνσταντίνος Δρακάκης, ο πρέσβης της Λευκορωσσίας, ο ρωμαιοκαθολικός καρδινάλιος της Σεούλ, άλλοι θρησκευτικοί αρχηγοί και μέλη του διπλωματικού και επιχειρηματικού κόσμου. Μετά την ενθρόνιση ακολούθησε εορταστικό γεύμα στο προαύλιο του ναού και το βράδυ πολιτιστικό πρόγραμμα που διοργάνωσε η κοινότητα.

ύμνους από την πλούσια εκκλησιαστική μας παράδοση. Μετά το πέρας της συναυλίας ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος αναφέρθηκε στην σημαντική κ ληρονομιά της βυζαντινής μουσικής, που είναι αναπόσπαστο στοιχείο της Ορθοδόξου λατρείας και ο μοναδικός στον κόσμο γραπτός μουσικός πολιτισμός με παράδοση είκοσι αιώνων. Ο Σεβασμιώτατος συνεχάρη όλους τους συντελεστές για την ωραία πρωτοβουλία και έκανε ιδιαίτερη αναφορά στις προσπάθειες του διακόνου π. Παντελεήμονα Παπαδόπουλου ο οποίος συμμετείχε στην χορωδία και συντόνισε τις προσπάθειες για την διδασκαλία των σεμιναρίων. Η διδασκαλία, που άρχισε τα μέσα Ιουνίου, έλαβε χώρα στις αίθουσες του Καθεδρικού ναού της Αγίας Τριάδας σε δύο τμήματα ένα για αρχάριους και ένα για προχωρημένους. Στο τμήμα για αρχαρίους έγιναν αναλυτικά θεωρητικά μαθήματα, εισαγωγή στην ιστορία και πρακτ ικές ασκήσεις σε σ ύντομους ύμνους και παραδοσιακά τραγούδια. Το τμήμα των προχωρημένων ψα λτών ασχολήθηκε με τη μάθηση αργών μελουργημάτων ορισμένων α πό τους μεγάλους βυζαντινούς και μεταβυζαντινούς μελουργούς.

παρηγορίας (Κορ. Β΄ 1:3,4) προσφέρει παρηγοριά σε σας και την οικογένεια σας και σας χαρίζει δύναμη τώρα αλλά και στον μέλλον. Θα θυμόμαστε πάντα και θα διαφυλάττουμε με στοργή στην μνήμη μας τις γεμάτες αγάπη και ενδιαφέρον χειρονομίες του Προέδρου Ρίγκαν προς την κοινότητά μας. Ευχόμαστε όπως ο Κύριος Ιησούς Χριστός ανταμείψει τον πιστό δούλο του Θεού, την χώρα και την ανθρωπότητα με την αιωνία ζωή και ειρήνη». Ο Σεβασμιώτατος Αρχιεπίσκοπος Αμερικής κ. Δημήτριος συμμετείχε μαζί με άλλους θρησκευτικούς ηγέτες στην νεκρώσιμη ακολουθία, που πραγματοποιήθηκε στον Εθνικό Καθεδρικό Ναό της Ουάσινγκτον την Παρασκευή 11 Ιουνίου.

Συγχαρητήρια στην Εθνική Ελλάδος Εγκάρδια συγχαρητήρια εκ μέρους ολόκ ληρης της Ομογένειας προς τα παιδιά της Εθνικής Ομάδος Ποδοσφαίρου και τον Ομοσπονδιακό Προπονητή εξέφρασε με επιστολή του προς τον πρωθυπουργό της Ελλάδος Κωνσταντίνο Καραμανλή ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Αμερικής Δημήτριος για την κατάκτηση του ευρωπαϊκού κυπέλλου. Στην επιστολή του μεταξύ άλ λων ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος τονίζει: Αποδείξατε για μία ακόμη φορά ότι κανείς δεν μπορεί νά ανακόψει την ορμή της Ελληνικής ψυχής, όταν είναι δοσμένη σε μια υπέροχη προσπάθεια που τιμά τα Ελ ληνικά χρώματα. Σύσσωμη η Ελ ληνική Ομογένεια τ ης Αμερικής πανηγυρίζει για την πράγματι μεγαλειώδη πορεία σας στους αγώνες της Πορτογαλίας. Εύχομαι ως Έλλην, η περίλαμπρη αυτή νίκη να εμπνεύσει μεγάλες νίκες στους αθλητές μας στους επικείμενους Ολυμπιακούς Αγώνες της Αθήνας και ν’ αποτελέσει εφαλτήριο επιτυχιών της Ελλάδος μας στον αθλητικό και πολιτιστικό εν γένει στίβο.

ΙΟΥΛΙΟΣ – ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΟΣ 2004

ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΠΑΡΑΤΗΡΗΤΗΣ ORTHODOX OBSERVER

Η Κύπρος τιμά Αρχιεπίσκοπο Δημήτριο, Άλεξ Σπανό «Το μετάλλιο αυτό δεν ανήκει σε μένα ως άτομο, αλλά ως εκπρόσωπο της Ομογένειας και της κοινότητός μας» τόνισε ο Σεβασμιώτατος και πρόσθεσε ότι «ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος δεν νοείται χωρίς τον λαό και επομένως ότι κάνει είναι αποτέλεσμα των προσπαθειών του λαού». Στην ομιλία του ο κ. Σπανός υποσχέθηκε ότι θα συνεχίσει τον αγώνα του για μια δίκαιη λύση στην Κύπρο και θα σταθεί στο πλευρό του Κυπριακού λαού. Στην εκδήλωση απηύθυναν χαιρετισμούς και μίλησαν για τα τιμώμενα

ÔñéÜíôá ÷ñüíéá óõìðëçñþèçêáí öÝôïò áðü ôçí âÜñâáñç ôïõñêéêÞ åéóâïëÞ ôïõ Áôôßëá óôçí Êýðñï, óôéò 20 Éïõëßïõ 1974. Ç ÏìïãÝíåéá ôçò ÍÝáò Õüñêçò ôßìçóå ôá èýìáôá ôçò åéóâïëÞò ìå åðéìíçìüóõíç äÝçóç ðïõ ôÝëåóå ï Óåâáóìéþôáôïò Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò ÁìåñéêÞò ê. ÄçìÞôñéïò óôïí Êáèåäñéêü íáü ôïõ Áãßïõ Äçìçôñßïõ óôçí Áóôüñéá. Ç ÃåíéêÞ Ðñüîåíïò ôçò Êýðñïõ óôçí ÍÝá Õüñêç ê. ÌÜñèá ÌáõñïììÜôç ìßëçóå åê ìÝñïõò ôçò ÊõðñéáêÞò ÊõâÝñíçóçò.

ÄÇÌ. ÐÁÍÁÃÏÓ

Ï Ðñüåäñïò ôçò ÊõðñéáêÞò Äçìïêñáôßáò ÔÜóóïò Ðáðáäüðïõëïò áðïíÝìåé ôïí Ìåãáëüóôáõñï ôïõ ÔÜãìáôïò ôïõ Áñ÷éåðéóêüðïõ Ìáêáñßïõ ôïõ Ã´ óôïí Áñ÷éåðßóêïðï.

ΝΕΑ ΥΟΡΚΗ.– Την ανώτατη διάκριση της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας, τον Μεγαλόσταυρο του Τάγματος του Αρχιεπισκόπου Μακαρίου του Γ΄, απένειμε στον Σεβασμιώτατο Αρχιεπίσκοπο Αμερικής κ. Δημήτριο ο Πρόεδρος της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας κ. Τάσσος Παπαδόπουλος, το Σάββατο 5 Ιουνίου, ôïõ Óôáýñïõ Ç. Ðáðáãåñìáíïý

κατά την διάρκεια επισήμου δείπνου και ειδικής εκδήλωσης που διοργάνωσε η Κυπριακή Ομοσπονδία Αμερικής σε κεντρικό ξενοδοχείο της Νέας Υόρκης. Η Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία στην ίδια εκδήλωση απένειμε το ίδιο μετάλλιο και στο γνωστό Ελληνοαμερικανό επιχειρηματία και φιλάνθρωπο κ. Άλεξ Σπανό. Ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Δημήτριος και ο κ. Σπανός τιμήθηκαν για την μεγάλη προσφορά τους στην προώθηση των εθνικών θεμάτων, ιδιαίτερα στην δίκαιη υπόθεση της Κύπρου στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες αλλά και για τις πολλές και μεγάλες τους υπηρεσίες προς την ελληνοαμερικανική κοινότητα γενικά. Είναι αξιοσημείωτο ότι ιστορικά η

Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία είναι μάλ λον φειδωλή στην απονομή της μεγίστης αυτής τιμής. Ο πρόεδρος της Κύπρου Τάσσος Παπαδόπουλος τόνισε ότι «όποτε επιζήτησα τη συμβουλή, καθοδήγηση και βοήθεια του Αρχιεπισκόπου για το Κυπριακό αμέσως ανταποκρίθηκε και ήταν πάντοτε με ευγένεια και επιμονή» Ενώ σε άλλο σημείο της ομιλίας του σημείωσε ότι «Η βοήθειά του προσφέρθηκε απλόχερα σε σημαντικά ζητήματα, περιοχές και κύκλους με αποτελεσματικότητα και ευγένεια». Ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Δημήτριος αποδεχόμενος τη μεγάλη τιμή μίλησε για την Κύπρο και τις ρίζες της που χάνονται στο βάθος των αιώνων τονίζοντας ότι αυτό το μετάλλιο αντιπροσωπεύει αυτή την αιωνιότητα και την πλούσια ιστορία και παράδοση ενός ηρωικού λαού. Ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος ευχαρίστησε τον κ. Παπαδόπουλο διότι «στάθηκε άξιος των περιστάσεων στην πολύχρονη υπηρεσία του στην υπόθεση της Κύπρου αλλά και άξιος του ονόματός του που είναι Ευστάθιος...»

ÄÇÌ. ÐÁÍÁÃÏÓ

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κές της ανάγκες και ως δείγμα των καλών σχέσεων Φαναρίου-Βατικανού. Επισκευάστηκε και αναπαλαιώθηκε χάρις στην γενναιοδωρία της κ. Φ. Λιβανού που ανέλαβε το κόστος της ανακαίνισης. Στην τελετή των εγκανίων παρέστησαν ο πρέσβης της Ελλάδας στην Ιταλία Αν. Μητσιάλης, ο πρέσβης στην Αγία Έδρα Χρ. Μπότζιος, ο Μητροπολίτης Ιταλίας Γεννάδιος, ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος της Ρώμης Καρδινάλιος Ρονίνι και πλήθος ομογενών από την Ιταλία και την υπόλοιπη Ευρώπη.

Ãéá ðåñéóóüôåñåò ðëçñïöïñßåò áðïôáèåßôå óôïí ôáîéäéùôéêü óáò ðñÜêôïñá Þ óôéò ÏëõìðéáêÝò ÁåñïãñáììÝò

Χοροστατούντος του Οικουμενικού Πατριάρχη κ. Βαρθολομαίου τελέστηκαν τα εγκαίνια του Ιερού Ναού του Αγίου Θεοδώρου στη Ρώμη, που βρίσκεται κοντά στην αρχαία αγορά και χρονολογείται από τον 8ο αιώνα μ.Χ. Ο πα λαιός, βυζαντινού ρυθμού, ναός παραχωρήθηκε από τον προκαθήμενο της Ρωμαιοκαθολικής Εκκλησίας το 2001 στην Ελ ληνορθόδοξη κοινότητα της Ρώμης για τις λειτουργι-

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πρόσωπα ο πρέσβης της Ελλάδος και μόνιμος αντιπρόσωπος στα Ηνωμένα Έθνη Αδαμάντιος Βασιλάκης, ο πρόεδρος της Κυπριακής Ομοσπονδίας Αμερικής Πανίκος Παπανικολάου και ο πρόεδρος της Παγκόσμιας Συντονιστικής Επιτροπής Κυπριακού Αγώνα (ΠΣΕΚΑ) Φίλιπ Κρίστοφερ. Παρευρέθηκαν ακόμη ηγετ ικοί παράγοντες της Ελληνοαμερικανικής κοινότητας, Αμερικανοί βουλευτές και πολιτειακοί αξιωματούχοι της Νέας Υόρκης, οι διπλωματικές αρχές Κύπρου και Ελλάδος στις ΗΠΑ, και εκπρόσωποι των μέσων μαζικής επικοινωνίας.

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ORATORICAL FESTIVAL FIRST PLACE WINNERS Patriarch of Alexandria Visits Greece Senior Division Mary Royal Senior Division-1st Place Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Salt Lake City, Utah (Denver Metropolis) Christ is risen from the dead. By death, trampling death and bestowing life to those in the tombs. This is a familiar hymn that we hear recited every year at Easter and forty days thereafter. What does this well-known hymn mean to your and what significance does it have to all Orthodox Christians? Merriam Webster’s 10th Edition Collegiate Dictionary defines death as, “a permanent cessation of all vital functions; an end to life.” The Orthodox Church defines death as, “the beginning of our eternal life in the kingdom of God.” However, had Christ not come and conquered death by suffering a death on the cross, Webster’s Dictionary would have been correct. It would have been an end to all life. About a year ago, my great-grandmother died at the age of 99. She was an amazing woman and it was difficult for me to realize that she was gone. At the funeral I felt terrible. I remember Fr. George walking up to me and saying something I will never forget. He said, “Don’t be sad, her physical body has died, but her soul will live on forever. Be happy for her, she has experienced the glory of God.” At the Orthodox funeral we sing the hymn, “eonia e mnimi,” or may their memory be eternal. We recite this hymn because even though the person is not physically present, their soul lives on and should therefore not be forgotten, but remembered and celebrated. St. Irenaeus said once, “Christ came so that he may slay sin, render death null and void, and give life to men. He was made flesh in order that he might destroy death and bring us unto life.” In this quote, St. Ireneaus points out to us that Christ’s purpose for becoming flesh and coming to earth was to destroy death. He came so that we would not have to suffer eternally for our sins. He came so that we could find redemption and share forever happiness and peace with God in heaven. The prayer of Saint Basil says, “For Thou dost not wish, O Master, that the work of Thy hands should perish, neither dost Thou take pleasure in the destruction of men; but Thou desirest that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of truth.” Upon the Cross, the love of God for mankind reached its peak as Christ descended to the lowest point of human existence: suffering and spiritual death. By pouring out his most pure Blood upon the Cross, Christ not only blotted out the record of man’s sin, but overcame the power by which sin holds man captive. Thus does the Cross of Christ destroy the power of man’s rebellion. St. Gregory the Theologian wrote, “We needed an incarnate God, a God put to death, that we might live.” Only God could take upon Himself the consequences of man’s sin and thereby destroy them. Only God could enter the realm of death and fill it with His immortal life. IT’S A FACT: OUR DEATH IS A REALITY. But through Christ’s saving actions, we await an eternal life after our death. He died so that we may live and so the souls that had been banished to hell could enter into eternal life in the greatness of God’s kingdom. The reality of our death became present to me just recently when my papou who I love very much suffered through a near-death experience.

There were many times when I sat alone with him in the hospital room in the Intensive Care Unit I didn’t think he would survive. While I was sitting with him in ICU, my papou told me something very important, he said, “I’m not afraid to die, God will take care of me. I will be okay. God takes care of all he people. He saves us all.” “But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1st Corinthians 15:20-22) It is often said that from the moment we are born we begin to die. My friends, I tell you today, that death is not the final step in our spiritual journey. Christ conquered death, by death on the cross so that we may have life. A life with Him in the kingdom of God, forever.

Junior Division Amanda Efthimiou Junior Division-1st Place St. Paul Cathedral Hempstead, NY (Archdiocesan District) In Acts 6:8-7:60, we read about the martyrdom of St. Stephen. While we may not be called to suffer martyrdom, how can we imitate his life? The Feast of St. Stephen, first martyr and great deacon of the Church, is celebrated on Dec. 27. Orthodox Christianity observed the feast of St. Stephen very early in the Church. His Greek name, Stephanos, signifies a wreath or crown that he received at the end of his life. Before entering the service of Christ, the young Stephen had studied under the renowned rabbinical tutor Gamaliel, who was also the teacher of St. Paul. Well-versed in the Scriptures, St. Stephen used the Old Testament to full advantage in preaching about the Messiah, citing the passages referring to his coming into the world many centuries before. St. Stephen was the chief of the seven deacons appointed by the Apostles to help them in the daily assisting which occupied the faithful of the Apostolic Church. This involved caring for the poor, attending to the relief of widows, and other such charitable work. St. Stephen’s importance is stamped in the narrative of his life. In Acts Chapter 6 verse 8 through chapter 7 verse 60 we learn that he is said to have been and I quote “full of faith and the Holy Spirit,” “full of faith and power,” which contributed to all the wonders and miracles performed in his name. Because of his faith, the men who had studied with him stoned St. Stephen to death. The men who killed him were angry and frustrated; they viewed him as a defector from their ranks. St. Stephen was seized and dragged to the gates of Jerusalem and there was stoned to death. In the book of Acts we are told that Paul, known at the time as Saul, was among the onlookers. St. Stephen’s life of faith in Christ and belief in him is the greatest example for us to follow. His understanding and knowledge of the truth is a perfect example of how we must always be true to ourselves. In today’s world, what does St. Stephen’s life tell us? In today’s world we must not allow our peers, the media, or other influences detract us from the path to follow our faith and belief in the word of God. His love for us and our love for Him allows us to be open to Love and Give. This is the message of St. Stephen;

ATHENS, Greece – The future of Orthodoxy in Africa and the pastoral and missionary work of the Church of Alexandria established by St. Mark in 62 A.D. were the two main subjects of discussion between His Beatitude Petros VII, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, and the many government and ecclesiastical officials in Athens. Patriarch Petros arrived in Athens June 20 and the next few days had meetings with Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens, the President of the Parliament Mrs. Anna PsaroudaBenakis, the President of Pasok George Papandreou, the Minister of foreign

Affairs Petros Molyviatis and the Deputy Minister Ioannis Valinakis, other ministers and government officials as well as many personalities of the academic and economic world of Greece. The Union of Egyptiotes (the organization of GreekEgyptians living in Greece) hosted a dinner in honor of the Patriarch. The organization declared their continuing support especially for the huge restoration project, taking place on the buildings, Churches and institutions of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, not only in Egypt, but also throughout Africa.

ST. BASIL ACADEMY u page 20 In contrast, he said that two days later “here we are in a cathedral of nature; this is a cathedral of God,” he said, referring to the natural beauty of the surrounding hills, trees and the Hudson River. The people here are sons and daughters of God,” he continued. “That’s the nobility. This is not a farewell to a great leaders, but a welcome to future leaders. You are becoming the leaders of tomorrow.” Archbishop Demetrios also said the work of St. Basil’s “must be known. This is a place where something precious is guarded -- our Orthodox faith; and our Hellenic tradition. It is also a place of transformation. You see the transformation of people through that the power of

faith and education can produce.” He continued, “The most impressive thing (during the program) is the real language used by the children,” His Eminence said. “It is a language of pain, not shallow idealism. They talked about tears and triumph over difficulties. You deserve congratulations,” he told the children. The Archbishop also told the gathering that, during his participation in the enthronement of the first Orthodox metropolitan of Korea on the following Sunday, he would speak about St. Basil Academy and describe its work as “carrying the spirit of this place as the real spirit of orthodoxy that we carry all over the world.”

PARISH PROFILE u page 13

The church draws the interest of the community the weekend of the Greek fes-

tival, and around March 25, when Greek Heritage Week is declared in Vallejo. Fr. Konugres, the only paid staff member, carries out his ministry with the help of volunteers. “We rely solely on volunteers,” he said. “We couldn’t do without them.” One volunteer serves as both church administrator and secretary. Fr. Konugres originally worked as an economic analyst in California following his graduation from the University of California-Santa Barbara in 1988. But he felt called to the priesthood and entered Holy Cross. He served as a deacon at Annunciation Cathedral in Boston, then went to his first assignment as an assistant at St. Paul’s Church in Irvine, Calif., before being assigned to Vallejo. Assisting him in his ministry is his presbytera, Elaine, who has a special ministry in her own right, children’s music. Presbytera has recorded CDs of children’s songs and has sung the national anthem at national Young Adult League conferences. The priest describes his parish as “very close knit”; small enough to know everyone,” but his community is growing and there are hopes of eventually finding a site on which to build a larger facility, he noted. Compiled by Jim Golding

who gave from his heart, we too may be of service to our fellow beings. St. Stephen personified the saying: As you give, you shall receive. Giving service is very important. Within our Greek Orthodox Church, we have organizations such as Philoptochos Society, GOYA, Interfaith and Nutrition Network, and Outreach. Each of the organizations reaches out to the poor, needy, homeless, and ill people.

Isn’t this what St. Stephen taught us as to do from the Book of “Acts” in the New Testament? In the Name of Him who so loved us that he gave his life, let St. Stephen’s faith in Him become our faith, as we strive to care for others. The world needs this message today more than ever: to love and respect fellow human beings, regardless of race, color, or creed, with an open heart, with caring and loving deeds.

Cephalonia, Fr. Konugres said. Most of them worked as fruit and vegetable peddlers, grocers, liquor distributors and restaurant owners, according to a parish history. After World War II, members of the community, who until then had worshipped at other area churches several miles away, decided to establish the first Greek Orthodox church in the northern part of San Pablo Bay. They soon built the present Sts. Constantine and Helen Church at 1224 Alabama St., on the near north side of downtown. The church was consecrated on Nov. 21, 1948 and the first pastor was Fr. John Petropoulos. A Byzantine choir also was formed that year. The local AHEPA chapter preceded the establishment of the parish by about 15 years. The Philoptochos chapter was established in the 1950s. It wasn’t until 1977 when the GOYA chapter was founded and 1986 when a Young Adult League group got under way. In recent decades, some parish members attained leadership positions in Vallejo, including a former deputy mayor, a county auditor, chamber of commerce and at the California Maritime Academy.

Local recognition

JULY – AUGUST 2004

The Voice of

Philoptochos

Cathedral Philoptochos Pursues Wide Range of Philanthropic Goals The Archdiocesan Cathedral Philoptochos Society in New York City has always been concerned with fulfilling its goals as a charitable and benevolent society since its origins in 1902. In order to do so, it supports its National Philoptochos obligations, as well as its many local causes. by Mary Christy

No social welfare causes are neglected

Of great concern are those pertaining to children such as the following: (1) Children’s Medical Fund (gave $5,000 in 2002); (2) Ronald McDonald House ($1,000 given each year – in addition to gifts at Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter – a total of $3,700 this year): (3) cancer victims at Sloan Kettering and New York Hospital (bone marrow transplants for their children – aged 5, 15 and 19) (spent over $28,000 in 2002); (4) Children at St. Basil’s Academy (provide tuition for a child $7,095 as well as scholarships at Graduation and a special Christmas trip – either to Radio City or to the Circus); (5) Serbian Children in Yugoslavia hospitals (sent $1,500); (6) New Orphanage in Tirana ($5,000). And the elderly are of concern as well. In addition to providing funds for a resident’s “room and board” at St. Michael’s Home (at a cost of $4,000 this year), individual gifts ere given to 55 residents ($825) when a Valentine party was arranged and a donation of $2,000 was given to St. Michael’s. A project that was arranged for the seniors in the past is worth mentioning. On 1984, the Cathedral Philoptochos initiated the “Golden Circle” whose members over the years were treated to many enjoyable experiences. There were monthly afternoon tea parties held in the

Cathedral Center as well as movies scheduled regularly. In addition, Seniors were taken on various trips, such as those to (1) Westbury Gardens, L.I. (for museum and lunch); (2) Elmsford Theater in Westchester (where Broadway musicals and lunch were enjoyed to which residents of St. Michael’s were invited); (3) Belmont Race track arranged by Theodore Coffinas; (4) Tour and lunch at the United Nations (courtesy of John Zaras, permanent member of the Secretariat; (5) Ellis Island – a “sentimental” journey for all); (6) Radio City Music Hall show at Christmas (55-60 seniors would attend; (7) Luncheon boat trips to Statue of Liberty; (8) Lunches arranged at various restaurants at South Street Sea-

port, in Nassau, and in Suffolk Counties (most of the bus transportation expenses were paid for by a generous parishioner – Mrs. Adele Tavoulareas). Thanks to the generosity of many people, the activities were arranged with a lot of heart. It is hoped that this program will be reinstated. Locally, Philoptochos supports many social welfare causes on a monthly basis subsidizes rents ($2,000) and provides care packages and money to the needy on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter ($2,000). Special causes also are tended to. In addition to donation to the National Philoptochos Fund ($5,000) for the September 11th tragedy, nine victim’s families were given $1,000 each at the

BOARD members Georgia Vlitas, New York Archdiocesan District president and chairman of committees; Parliamentarian Kassandra Romas; Arlene Siarelis, secretary; 2nd Vice President Susan Regos; Judge Yorka Linakis, legal counsel; National President Georgia Skeadas; 1st Vice President Maria Logus; 3rd Vice President Froso Beys; and Aphrodite Skeadas, treasurer; with Archbishop Demetrios and Bishop Andonios of Phasiane, advisor.

85th St. Firehouse by the Cathedral chapter personally. Also, as members of the Archdiocesan Cathedral, the Philoptochos has helped when needed. The Cathedral School was given $4,500 a year for students who could not afford tuition and given awards at graduation. A donation of $25,000 was given to the church for a much – needed disabled wheelchair access lift for the disabled parishioners. Also to support the TV programming of the Sunday services for disabled parishioners $2,000 was donated. Since the Cathedral joined the neighborhood coalition for shelter in 1983, our chapter has accepted the responsibility for the Thanksgiving meal – the “Feed the Homeless” Programs, for which is spent $1,200 per month. Also, there is a donation of $2,600 made every year to the Lenox Hill Neighborhood Association, which is supported by the Cathedral. We support people of all ages, regardless of religious and ethnic backgrounds. No legitimate call for help is ever turned away from Philoptochos. All of the programs mentioned above are made possible by the generous support given by friends of Philoptochos – either by individual donations or by the support given to various charitable events. For example, since its inception in 1953, the Chrysanthemum Ball has been a social success as well as a major source of income for the Cathedral Philoptochos programs. The Cathedral Philoptochos is always grateful for and dependent on the generosity of its members and friends who have never failed us. Mary Christy is past president of the Holy Trinity Archdiocesan Cathedral Philoptochos (2001-2003)

Long Island Chapters Raise Funds for St. Michael’s Home

A Special Ministry of Greenlawn Chapter Receives Award for Outstanding Service

WOODBURY, N.Y. – The combined chapters of Nassau-Suffolk-Queens, New York recently held their philanthropic event at the Crest Hollow Country Club to benefit St. Michael’s Home in Yonkers. Chairwoman was Maria Kouttron of St. Paraskevi Church in Greenlawn. The proceeds were designated for the much needed future St. Michael’s Nursing Home. Some 500 persons attended the event along with St. Michael’s Director Bishop Andonios of Phasiane, and approximately 15 priests from the various churches of the NSQ area. Bishop Andonios spoke about the great need for a nursing home. St. Michael’s in Yonkers is at present the only exclusively Greek Orthodox assisted living facility in the country today. It relies solely on boarding fees and donations to meet its expenses. There are no funds from the state or federal government or from the Archdiocese. St. Michael’s remains strictly Greek Orthodox – a great comfort to the residents. However, there is a great need for a nursing home to accommodate the expanding needs of the Orthodox community. NSQ was delighted to donate $44,000 towards the future of the nursing home. During this event, Lucy Kovolos was honored for launching the sisterhood of Philoptochos chapters in this geographic location. Her dream became a reality in the NSQ that has carried the torch of philanthropy and friendship throughout the last 20 years

GREENLAWN, N.Y. – St. Paraskevi Life Center is a philanthropic organization under the auspices of the Philoptochos chapter of St. Paraskevi Church that provides families with essential items for infants that are not made available to them through any other agencies. The center’s mission is to help these new families with infant necessities so they may enjoy and celebrate the gift of St. Paraskevi Church of Green Lawn, New York. a new child in a proper and dignified manner. Although the St. Paraskevi Life Center is based at the few days before the doors of the center church, it is a community outreach pro- opened, the coin from the Vasilopita cutgram extended to families of all faiths and ting celebration was found in the piece backgrounds. given to the Life Center. Mothers who come to the Life Center From the day the center helped its are women who decided to have their ba- first family to the present, more than 100 bies, even though they knew they would families have been given baby diapers and face great financial challenges after the wipes, baby clothing, blankets and other birth of their infants. necessary items. The original goal was to St. Paraskevi Life Center began in au- assist these families for a three-month petumn 1999, when Fr. John A. Heropoulos, riod, but the need has been so great for pastor, introduced this idea and concept most of the families that it was decided to to the Philoptochos members. extend this assistance for six months. Parish volunteers offer their time and The needs for which the Life Center talents to this ministry. They are: Dorothy provides are so vast that, since its opening, Athanas, Fran Bertos, Sophia De Monte, the number of agencies and families the Pat Fokas, Anastasia G. Geotes, Demy center works with has greatly increased. Javaras, Kathy Koukoulas, Zia Lentzeres, Currently, the Family Service League, Lilly Noulis and Harriet Petronas. the Dolan Family Health Center of HunMost funding comes from parish- tington Hospital, Planned Parenthood and ioners’ donations. In January 2001, a Birthrite are some of the agencies that

refer families to the St. Paraskevi Life Center. Word of the good works the St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church has done under this ministry and several others, has spread throughout the community of Huntington, New York. More calls are coming in for information about The Life Center and more assistance will be provided to families in need. On March 17, the Dolan Family Health Center of Huntington Hospital, awarded the St. Paraskevi Life Center a certificate of appreciation, for being the only program of its kind to give diapers, baby wipes and other items to mothers and their new babies. Upon the presentation of this certificate at the Dolan center, and later that week at the church after the Divine Liturgy, Carolyn Licata, social worker at the Dolan Family Health Center, congratulated Fr. Heropoulos and the parishioners for this philanthropic and charitable ministry, and informed them how much the families who come to the Life Center need and are grateful for what has been given to them. It was a great day of appreciation and honor for the Life Center volunteers who have had the wonderful and humbling opportunity to help the many families who have come to its doors seeking assistance.

JULY – AUGUST 2004

Archdiocese Publishes 2003 Financial Reports

In this issue, the Orthodox Observer is publishing the financial reports of the Archdiocese for 2003, which were presented at the Archdiocesan Council meeting in New York, April 23-24, 2004.

• Approximately $300,000 relates to the remaining balance due on loans from approximately two years ago for improvements to the technology infrastructure at the Archdiocese headquarters. • Approximately $426,000 relates to short term financing of Archdiocese insurance premiums. This amount will be paid in full in August 2004. • Approximately $260,000 is owed directly to individuals for legal settlements. This amount is being paid by the Archdiocese in monthly installments.

2003 Operating Expenses • $13,993,431

Financial Highlights

The Archdiocese is pleased to report that Total Commitment (TC) collections for the year ended December 31, 2003 exceeded 2002 collections by nearly $1 million, and exceeded our budget by over $200,000. This significant increase in TC collections is the result of two programs implemented during July and August 2003. Also, most of the expense categories were relatively close to budget. Overall Operating expenses in 2003 were less than 2002 by approximately $60,000, however there was a $440,000 deficit at year end.

Total Commitment is the key

50% Delinquent TC Program

In May 2003, the Finance Committee of the Archdiocesan Council approved a program to collect delinquent TC from Parishes within each Metropolis. The program called for each Metropolis to collect from its Parishes any pre-2002 delinquent TC and receive an immediate giveback from the Archdiocese. The primary goal of this program was to increase cash flow during the summer and write-off any TC delinquent by more than two years. The original plan was to immediately giveback 25 percent of collections. However, as an extra incentive, it was decided in July 2003 to increase the giveback to 50 percent of collections. Two parishes located in the Metropolis of Pittsburgh have paid over $40,000 relating to this program. The Archdiocese has given back 50 percent of collections to the Metropolis of Pittsburgh. Total pre-2002 delinquent TC outstanding from all Metropolises’ was approximately $1 million.

5% Discount Prepayment Program

In August 2003, the Archdiocese implemented another program to generate more cash. The 5 percent Discount Program was designed to give a Parish a 5% discount off of their 2003 Total Commitment obligation remaining at July 31, 2003. As a result of this program the Archdiocese received a record $1.6 million in TC in the month of August. Effectively, our Parishes saved approximately $80,000 by prepaying the Archdiocese their remaining TC obligation.

Expenses for the Year Ended December 31, 2003

Certain departments of the Archdiocese were technically overbudget during 2003 due to the fact that the 2003 budget approved at the 2002 Clergy-Laity was not revised to reflect current conditions. It should also be noted that legal fees and settlements were under-budget by nearly $500,000. Had we incurred significant legal costs in 2003, our deficit would have been higher.

A pie chart breakdown by Ministry of 2003 Operating expenses totaling approx. $14 million.

relating to Clergy sexual misconduct issues. • Approximately $1.2 million of our debt is the remaining amount from the $1.9 million of bank loans from 1999 and prior. • Approximately $400,000 relates to

Financial Results of 2003 TOTAL COMMITMENT METROPOLIS Archdiocesan District New Jersey Chicago Boston San Francisco Atlanta Pittsburgh Detroit Denver Totals

2003 Original Allocation 1,678,000 1,511,000 2,157,000 1,295,000 1,394,000 1,401,000 1,118,000 966,000 926,000 $ 12,446,000

The table above shows 2003 Total Commitment statistics.

Operating Debt at Dec. 31, 2003

Total operating debt at December 31, 2003 was approximately $6.5 million. This is an increase of approximately $900,000 from 2002. The following is an explanation of the major components of our $6.5 million debt: • Over the last three years, approximately $1.5 million has been borrowed from our banks to pay legal settlements

the remaining amount owed to the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the 2003 Archdiocese annual obligation of $500,000. • Approximately $250,000 relates to the remaining amount owed to Hellenic College for the 2003 Archdiocese annual obligation of $1.2 million.

The financial security of our Archdiocese relies on the success of its Total Commitment program, as well as the realization of the new proposed Faith Endowment fund. Ultimately, this proposed endowment fund will provide the additional income necessary to expand our Ministries and other programs. At the present time, the Development and Stewardship Committee members at our Metropolises are discussing various ways to increase Total Commitment collections. It is anticipated the TC budget will be over $13 million by 2005. Questions or comments on this report should be directed to the Department of Finance, 212-570-3540 or nance@goarch.org.

The table to the right shows 2002-03 Total Commitment Collections and the percentage of increase for each Metropolis of the Archdiocese for the year ended December 31, 2003.

2003 Allocation Adjustments (31,000) (20,000) (20,000) (125,000) (24,000) (117,000) (110,000) (25,000) (77,000) $ (549,000) METROPOLIS

Archdiocesan District New Jersey Chicago Boston San Francisco Atlanta Pittsburgh Detroit Denver Totals

2003 Adjusted Allocation

Collected in 2003

1,647,000 1,491,000 2,137,000 1,170,000 1,370,000 1,284,000 1,008,000 941,000 849,000 $ 11,897,000

1,542,000 1,391,000 2,137,000 1,113,000 1,343,000 1,212,000 889,000 920,000 818,000 $ 11,365,000

2003 TC Collections 1,542,000 1,391,000 2,137,000 1,113,000 1,343,000 1,212,000 889,000 920,000 818,000 $ 11,365,000

Balance at Dec. 31, 2003 105,000 100,000 57,000 27,000 72,000 119,000 21,000 31,000 $ 532,000 2002 TC Collections 1,456,000 1,286,000 2,037,000 991,000 1,208,000 1,030,000 820,000 798,000 773,000 $ 10,399,000

Collected in 2004 36,000 53,000 49,000 20,000 45,000 26,000 19,000 13,000 $ 261,000 $ Increase from 2003 86,000 105,000 100,000 122,000 135,000 182,000 69,000 122,000 45,000 $ 966,000

Remaining 2003 TC June 30, 2004

69,000 47,000 8,000 7,000 27,000 93,000 2,000 18,000 271,000

% Increase from 2003 5.91% 8.16% 4.91% 12.31% 11.18% 17.67% 8.41% 15.29% 5.82% 9.29%

JULY – AUGUST 2004

5 % Discount Program Metropolis Archdiocesan District New Jersey Chicago Boston San Francisco Atlanta Pittsburgh Detroit Denver Totals

2002 Uncollected TC

Parishes Amnount Participated Collected 16 255,000 14 175,000 20 305,000 10 48,000 11 136,000 19 184,000 6 95,000 12 145,000 13 104,000 121 $1,447,000

Above chart shows the results of the 5% Discount Program. The $1.4 million was received by the Archdiocese in Aug. and Sept. 2003.

2002 Uncollected

Collected during ‘03

Remaining ‘02 Uncollected

Archdiocesan District

67,000

45,000

22,000

New Jersey

94,000

60,000

34,000

Chicago

21,000

Boston

109,000

31,000

78,000

San Francisco

103,000

62,000

41,000

Atlanta

137,000

109,000

28,000

Pittsburgh

226,000

92,000

134,000

Detroit

101,000

27,000

74,000

Denver

65,000

33,000

32,000

$923,000

$480,000

$443,000

Metropolis

Totals

Above chart shows the amount of 2002 Total Commitment collected and remaining as of and for the year ended Dec. 31, 2003.

25% of 2004 Total Commitment Collections Total TC Projected 25% 25% Reimbursement

$1,000,000 x25% 250,000

Payments Salaries Social Security Health Insurance Other Expenses Property Insurance Auto Insurance Workers Compensation Youth Director Allocation Total Payments Overpayment to Metropolis

228,000 2,200 39,000 41,000 1,400 2,000 (25,000) 288,600 (38,600)

The table to the left shows an example of how each Metropolis is funded under the current regulations. For purposes of this example, it is assumed that Parishes within the Metropolis will submit $1 million in Total Commitment during 2004. Under the current regulations, the Metropolis is entitled to receive 25% of collections, or $250,000. The Metropolis receives the $250,000 in the form of Archdiocese payments made on its behalf such as Salaries, Benefits, and Insurance. If any excess remains after paying those expenses, the Archdiocese will send the Metropolis a monthly check for the difference. In this example, the Archdiocese paid out $288,600 on behalf of the Metropolis (net of a $25,000 allowance each Metropolis receives for hiring a Youth Director). Therefore, the Archdiocese will pay almost $39,000 more to the Metropolis than it was is required to. This scenario of overpayments occurs in ALL Metropolises except Chicago, San Francisco, and New Jersey.

25% of New Jersey TC Collections

The table to the right illustrates an example of a Metropolis who will receive a monthly check from the Archdiocese. The 2004 projection is for the Metropolis of New Jersey. Total Commitment projections for 2004 are approximately $1.5 million. Therefore, for 2004, the Metropolis of New Jersey is entitled to approximately $380,000. The Archdiocese anticipates paying out $268,000 in expenses during 2004, net of the Youth Director allowance. This results in an amount due to the Metropolis of New Jersey approximately $112,000. The Archdiocese anticipates it will pay the Metropolis of New Jersey $10,000 per month for approximately 11 months during 2004.

Total TC Projected 25% 25% Reimbursement

$ 1,520,000 x25% 380,000

Payments Salaries Social Security Health Insurance Other Expenses Property Insurance Youth Director Allocation Total Payments Annual Metropolis Grant

250,000 6,000 35,000 2,000 (25,000) 268,000 $ 112,000.00

2002 vs. 2003 Operating Expenses OPERATING EXPENSES Education Diocesan Ministries Orthodoxy in the World Communications Community Services Administrative Offices Operational Expenditures Total Operating Expenses

Year Ended December 31, 2002 $2,275,465 $2,526,115 $856,969 $1,452,755 $864,819 $3,083,192 $2,994,559 $14,053,874

Year Ended December 31, 2003 $2,830,968 $3,041,276 $789,356 $1,670,063 $960,908 $2,809,821 $1,891,039 $13,993,431

Increase (Decrease) 555,503 515,161 (67,613) 217,308 96,089 (273,371) (1,103,520) ($60,443)

The table above shows a comparison of Operating expenses for the years ended Dec. 31, 2002 and 2003. Operating expenses actually decreased in 2003 by approximately $60,000.

JULY - AUGUST 2004

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JULY – AUGUST 2004

Challenge What’s Up the Challenge? Summer VideoReview YOUTH MINISTRY

e-mail: youthofce@goarch.org

WITH

What motivates you? What inspires you? Are you challenged in life? Do you ever sit around the house bored out of your mind? If you’re like me, there are times when you don’t feel like doing anything at all except sitting in front of the TV and surfing the channels. But there are other times, I bet, that you feel like you’re on top of the world. by Fr. Mark A. Leondis

During the school year, especially toward the end, is one of the tough times when we begin to lose our steam and we start to fade. But then, just as we are at this point, summer comes and we have plenty of time off to hang out with our friends, go on vacation with our families and spend quality time with others. This is something that happens in all aspects of our lives: physically, emotionally and spiritually. The reality is that most of us go through “ups and downs” in our spiritual lives; there are even times when we just don’t feel like praying. One of the hardest things in our spiritual life is developing motivation, challenging ourselves to stay enthusiastic to do God’s will all of the time. This is definitely a difficult thing – but not an impossible task. We need to challenge ourselves to improve in our spiritual lives. We need to be motivated from within, from God, so that we won’t fade in our quest for holiness. I know what you might be thinking: “I’m a teenager; I don’t have to worry about things like this until I’m an adult. God doesn’t expect much from me now” – WRONG! When you were baptized, whether as an infant or as an older child, you became a full member of the Church. Even though you don’t always feel like a full member or you aren’t always treated like one – you are! And as a full member of Christ’s Church – you have full responsibilities that begin now. Think about the story of the Annunciation on March 25, when the Archangel Gabriel brought the “Good News” to the Virgin Mary. Did you know that our tradition tells us that Mary was a teenager when the Archangel visited her? Imagine -- when she was a teenager! God wasn’t afraid to challenge a teenager to do something quite amazing. Think about it – God has no qualms about making the most profound request in the history of the world of a teenager. God has just asked a teenager to bring salvation into the world! So forget about the idea that you’ll get serious about your spiritual life when you get older or when you graduate from school. The time to start is now, in the present! And summer is a great time to get

re-energized in our Faith. Yes, summer is a time when we vacation, take a break from our lives and don’t have to go to school. Don’t take a break from God this summer. You can challenge yourself in the Faith daily. Make the most of your life, become a motivated person from within. The motivation that I’m talking about is from Christ. People who are motivated from within are excited about their Faith, their schooling, their lives. They have a love for life. They have a deep desire created within them to continue on their spiritual journey – a deep desire to serve because Christ has touched them in a unique way. One of our life challenges is to become intrinsically motivated people. God calls each of us to holiness! He calls each of us to experience His abundant love and share it with those we come into contact with. Alright, so there it is – the challenge. Spend this summer getting better acquainted with yourself, with God and with those around you. Spend some time in prayer. Pick up your bible and dust it off and start reading. And don’t forget about Church. On Sunday morning and holy days during the summer, get out of bed and wake up those in your house and go to Church. For helpful hints for re-energizing your spiritual life, ask your parish priest – he will be there to guide you on your journey. Use this “What’s Up” section of the Challenge to inspire you monthly! I challenge you to deepen your commitment to Christ! I challenge you to learn more about yourself and God? I challenge you to get excited about the Faith? Will you accept?

This summer, don’t take a break from GOYA -- have some fun. Head down to the local video store and rent one of the below videos as a group. These videos will work great for a discussion. Here are a couple of them that will lead into an awesome discussion. So grab your friends, popcorn and a movie for an enjoyable night!

Bruce Almighty If one day, when you least expected it, God pulled you into a building and said, “You now have all of my power, do what you please”, what would you do? No seriously, think about it. If you had the power to do anything in the world what would you do. by James Kazakis

I’ll give you a minute to think about it. OK. I’ll bet that the first thing that you thought about was something to do with yourself. That’s not a bad thing, it’s natural. I did the same thing. Then you would move on to help other people, like solving the problem of world hunger or create world peace. The power of God is not something to mess around with. The movie “Bruce Almighty,” starring Jim Carrey discusses the concept of receiving God’s power for as long as you wanted it. But with great power, comes great responsibility, as Jim Carrey’s character, Bruce Nolan, finds out. This movie is actually similar in some ways to our priests’ sermons. At one point, I thought I was listening to my priest. Morgan Freeman tells Jim Carey to “pray, and pray in a real way. Pray for what is really important.” We all need to pray in our lives, and we always pray for our family and ourselves. However, do we pray for what is really necessary?

Did You Know… Faith on-line

We know how much time you spend on the web visiting different sites… we’re right there with you. Did you know that there are sites you can visit to nourish your soul? Take some time this summer to explore some of the sites below. GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE (www.goarch.org) - Tons of information on Orthodoxy. Go into the Online Chapel for Prayers, a Church Calendar, and Information on Saints. Click on the Parish Directory if you want to find an Orthodox Church to go to while on vacation. ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP (www.ocf.net) - Going to college in the fall or perhaps filling out applications? Check out this site to find colleges that have an Orthodox Christian Fellowship. If your school of choice doesn’t have one, learn how to start your own. Learn about all the cool things this organization is doing on college campuses! COME RECEIVE THE LIGHT

(www.receive.org) - This Orthodox Radio show is broadcast in different places throughout the country weekly. You can also listen to the shows on-line. Take time to check out the following archived programs Fr Nick Triantafiliou on Faith and Learning (6-12-04 program), Fr. Bill Chiganos on The Birth of the Christian Church (5-29-04 program) or any others titles that catch your attention. LIGHT AND LIFE PUBLISHING (www.light-n-life.com) - Looking for summer reading? Check out this site. Scroll down the categories drop box and click on Teens for some excellent books to add to you summer list. Did you know… you can help us with our website? We are looking for teenagers to help us create a website just for Orthodox Teens. If you’re interested in helping us out send us an e-mail at youthoffice@goarch.org. Drop us a line; we need your help!

A Walk to Remember Why do people judge other people? God does not approve of it, so why does everyone do it? If you judge someone before you actually know them, you are not being fair to that person or yourself because you are missing out on the opportunity of meeting someone new. The movie “A Walk to Remember,” helps support the fact that judging people does not allow you to understand another person’s real personality. by Barbie Stephanitsis

“A Walk to Remember,” based on the book of the same title by Nicholas Sparks, tells the story of two teenagers Jamie Sullivan and Landon Carter. Jamie Sullivan is a quiet, unfashionable, Christian girl who no one talks to but who has a real sense of who she is and what she believes. Landon Carter is the popular guy in school every girl wants to be with him. He gets his self-confidence from his good looks and popular status. As the story unfolds, Jamie and Landon learned how wrong their judgments were about each other. If you are in high school and want to write a review on a book, movie, television show or any other type of media drop us an e-mail at youthoffice@goarch.org and we’ll help you get started

PARENTS and YOUTH Workers Are you an adult that reads the Challenge each issue? Excellent! But here is our Challenge to you… Pass it on to your teenager or teenagers in your parish. The Challenge is written for teenagers but we need your help getting it to them. You can print copies of the Challenge on our website at www.youth.goarch.org. Thanks for your help! If you’re not already, sign up for our Youth Worker listserver! We send weekly resources, ideas and activities for parents and youth workers. To sign up, send an e-mail to listserv@listser v.goarch.org. Leave the subject blank and in the body of the e-mail type in “subscribe youth” (without the quotation mark). You’ll get confirmation of your subscription shortly after.

Challenge is the Youth & Young Adult Ministries supplement to the Orthodox Observer. Articles reect the opinion of the writers. Write to: Youth & Young Adult Ministries, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, 83 St. Basil Rd., Garrison, New York 10524 or email: youthofce@goarch.org

JULY – AUGUST 2004

St. Photios Shrine Archbishop Iakovos Enhancement Project 4th Crusade Anniversary Conference ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine in St. has unveiled two major initiatives. According to Executive Director the Very Rev. Nicholas Graff, these initiatives are the St. Photios Shrine Archbishop Iakovos Enhancement Project and the Endowment Fund. Fr. Nicholas Graff recently presented these projects to the Shrine’s Board of Trustees. “Named after our founding hierarch, Archbishop Iakovos,” he said, “the Endowment Fund will be set aside for the perpetual growth and needs of the St. Photios National Shrine.” He also introduced the Enhancement Project and called on the trustees to “complete it with absolute resolve.” “Upon completion of the renovation of our beloved National Shrine, we can then continue our efforts to meet the goal of the Endowment Fund,” Fr. Graff explained. “Both these projects are a fitting tribute to our Founding Hierarch.” The executive director then went on to announce a lead gift to the project. Trustee emeritus Archon Charles Masterpolis, presented Fr. Graff with a check for $50,000 for the enhancement project. With this gift, Mr. Masterpolis said, he intended to honor the memory of his dear parents, as well as the inspiration of Archbishop Iakovos, whom he credited for “getting me involved in the work of the Church.” He expressed his hope that this gift will inspire others to follow suit. “We need to spread the word regarding this national treasure,” stated Mr. Masterpolis, challenging trustees to also contribute from their hearts. Nicholas J. Furris, chairman of The Archbishop Iakovos Enhancement Proj-

In Memoriam Presbytera Alva Mahalares LEXINGTON, Mass. – Presbytera Alva Mahalares, wife of Fr. Andrew Mahalares, pastor of St. Nicholas Church, fell asleep in the Lord on Oct. 25, 2003 after a courageous, year-long battle with cancer. She had just celebrated her 51 st birthday on Oct. 11. Her wake took place at the Transfiguration Church in Lowell, her home parish, where she had been baptized and married, on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Her funeral was sung at the same church on Thursday, Oct. 30 with Metropolitan Methodios of Boston presiding along with priests from the Metropolises of Boston and New Jersey and the Archdiocesan District. Besides her husband of 32 years, Presbytera Alva leaves two daughters, Presbytera Victoria (and Fr. Timothy) Pavlatos of Eugene, Oregon and Sarah Mahalares of Dracut, Mass. She was the very proud grandmother of five grandchildren: Tatiana, Isaiah, Andreas, Gabriella and Giordana Pavlatos. She also leaves her mother, Mrs. Constance (Toby) Pagano of Dracut, and a brother, Philip (and Jill) Pagano of Boxboro, Mass. Presbytera Alva was a wife at 18 years of age and a Presbytera at 19. She served the Church and the archdiocesan parishes, by her husband’s side, with much pride and dignity. May her memory be ever eternal! Aonia tis I Mnimi!

St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine.

ect, provided the Trustees with a detailed project proposal. He described the stages of renovation that will improve the decor of the Shrine, as well as the audio/visual presentations that will be shown within the exhibit rooms. Mr. Furris also noted that the renovation has very specific guidelines. “Currently, visitors have to ‘work’ to understand the history and significance of this institution. We must make it an interactive and meaningful experience.” Some proposed improvements include new flooring, a full redesign of the lighting scheme throughout the Shrine, interactive DVD information plasma screens, and a complete redesign of The Wall of Tribute room featuring a ‘touchable’ limestone wall etched with the names of contributors. Mr. Furris announced that the project has already completed Phase One with the installation of a new coquina tile flooring and technological upgrades to the viewing room. Phase II is now underway with improvement of the overall presentation of the Shrine and its exhibits. Included are the faux painting of interior walls, the design and manufacturing of new display cases, and re-editing and updating the video, “Our Plymouth Rock.” The video plays continuously in the Viewing Room on new DVD formatted technology.

Fr. Graff believes there is urgency in this project, and has presented its proposal to Leadership 100. The Enhancement Project committee continues to promote both the project and the fundraising necessary to underwrite the renovations. The cost totals about $300,000. The care and operation of the St. Photios National Shrine has been entrusted to the St. Photios Foundation. Inspired by Foundation Chairman Archbishop Demetrios of America, who, on the occasion of his first visit to the Shrine, challenged the Trustees: “The St. Photios National Shrine must move from a passive witness to a more active witness of our Faith and Culture.” Established under the leadership of Archbishop Iakovos and supported by the generosity of friends and benefactors, the St. Photios Foundation continues its responsibility to preserve the Shrine’s beauty and to promote its standing as a sacred national institution. Mr. Furris described the project as a “bold endeavor honoring both His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos.” “We have deemed the Enhancement Project a priority and one that must be realized in the very near future. Surely we all want Archbishop Iakovos to witness the outpouring of our love, as we owe so much to this illustrious churchman.”

236th Landing of the Greek Colony On June 26-27, the Shrine celebrated the 236th landing of the first Greek Colony to the New World. The annual celebration commemorates that historic occasion on June 26, 1768, when 400 Greeks arrived in Florida to establish a colony in New Smyrna. Following the demise of the colony, the remaining Greeks fled on foot to St. Augustine, where they were welcomed. It was in the Avero House where the Greeks would gather to conduct worship services. The Landing Day celebration included Divine Liturgy and memorial services at St. Photios Chapel and a festival celebration. Following Services on Saturday, June 26, the opening ceremony got under way at the shrine’s Constantine Sisters Courtyard. The St. Photios National Shrine is located in downtown St. Augustine at 41 St. George St. For additional information call or write: St. Photios Shrine, P.O. Box 1960, St. Augustine, FL 32085; (904) 829-8205.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Over 500 people attended the 14th annual “Kids ‘n’ Cancer” reception sponsored by Metropolitan Anthony of San Francisco. $100, 000 was raised. St. Paul’s Church, Irvine, Calif. offered $25,000 gift from their Festival of Hearts Benefit.

BROOKLINE, Mass.– An international conference commemorating the 800th anniversary of the Fourth Crusade’s capture of Constantinople will take place on the campus of Hellenic College on Oct. 2223. This will be the college’s ninth Biennial Greek Studies Conference and will bring together scholars and educators from the United States and Europe who will address many facets of this historic milestone. The conference will open Friday evening with remarks by Archbishop Demetrios, HC/HC Presdient Fr. Nicholas Triantafilou, Consul General of Greece in Boston Konstantin Bikas and other officials. The presentation of the keynote speaker will follow. The conference will continue Saturday with presentations of papers and will close with a reception for the speakers and the public. All the presentations are open and free to the public and is invited to attend this two-day program that will deal with one of the most controversial pages of the Byzantine and Greek history in general.

Medical Scholarships Awarded ROLLING HILLS, Calif.– The Hellenic American Medical and Dental Society of Southern California has awarded six outstanding students for the 2003-04 academic year. Recipients and the schools they attend are: John Compoginis, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine; Irene Kocolas, University of Utah School of Medicine; Elizabeth Kunda, California School of Podiatry; Michael Bolaris, Marshall University School of Medicine; Arisa Ortiz, Albany Medical School; and Petros Giannikopoulos, Harvard Medical School. Criteria for selection includes Hellenic background, attending a California medical or dental school, or a California resident attending schools outside the state. For applications and more information, contact: George C. Emmanouilides, M.D., HAMDS, 4619 Browndeer Lane, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90275; (310) 377-6643 or (310) 222-4000.

In the Calendar JULY 7 ................... Kyriaki the Great Martyr 8 ............... Prokopios the Great Martyr 11 .............Euphemia the Great Martyr 13 ...........Synaxis of Archangel Gabriel 17 ..Marina the Great Martyr of Antioch 18 .............Sunday of the Holy Fathers 20 ............................Elias the Prophet 26 ....... Paraskevi the Righteous Martyr 27 ........ Panteleimon the Great Martyr AUGUST 1 ....... Procession of the Precious Cross 9 ............... Matthias, Apostle of the 70 13 ....... Apodosis of the Transfiguration 15 ... The Dormition of Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary 16 .............................. Holy Mandelion 17 ........... Myron the Martyr of Cyzicus 19 ...... Andrew the General and Martyr 20 ....................... Samuel the Prophet 27 ........... Phanourios the Great Martyr 16 ............. Anastasios the New Martyr

JULY – AUGUST 2004

Orthodox Women to Discover and Share Spiritual Gifts Artist Displays Scenes from Greece at N.J. Gallery LIGONIER, Pa. – A pan-Orthodox conference, “Women, Where Are You in the Life of the Church? – Called to God’s Purpose in Ministry” will be held Sept. 10-12 at Antiochian Village Heritage and Learning Center east of Pittsburgh. Open to all Orthodox women, the conference will focus on discerning spiritual gifts and callings and their applications in lay ministry service to both the Church and the community. Women of all Orthodox jurisdictions and of all ages will discover and renew themselves while they uncover opportunities with purpose through worship, speakers, workshops, discussions, fellowship, mentoring, prayer stretches, reflection, and a Ministry Resources Fair. Keynote speaker, Dr. Helen Creticos Theodoropoulos, will address “Called to God’s Purpose: Faith, Transformation, and Service.” Dr. Theodoropoulos presently teaches patristic theology at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox School of Theology in Libertyville, Ill. (See Sidebar Bio: Release 2) She will be joined by speakers Dr. Anthony Bashir, and Demetra Jaquet, Master of Divinity. Dr. Bashir, co-chairman of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Lay Ministries, will lead the opening interactive session “Discover Your Spiritual Gifts.” Demetra Jaquet will speak on “Courage to Minister,” a presentation on some common dynamics in women’s spiritual and personal growth for matching their call to ministry with God’s purpose. Saturday afternoon presentations about new and existing opportunities for lay ministry will offer a choice among several tracks. “Broaden Your View of Ministry Settings” breakout topics include: Ecumenical and Community Ministries,

Parish Life Ministries, and Liturgical Arts and Liturgical Life. Among the offerings are sessions focusing on woman-to-woman parish ministries, community crisis ministries, pastoral counseling, pastoral care, parish nursing, monasticism, chanter, choir director, reader, endorsed chaplaincy, and the history of the deaconess and its current relevance. Saturday evening, topic-focused discussion groups called “Tips and Tales from Women in Ministry” will feature story-telling, reflections, and ministry tips by Orthodox women already active in ministries. “Let me give my enthusiastic encouragement to your efforts, and the efforts of all those who will organize and attend this conference,” stated Metropolitan Philip, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. “A conference which deals with the call of women to lay ministry in the Church is both timely and vital. It is critical for us to remember that, although the Orthodox Church does not ordain women to the orders of the clergy, She nonetheless recognizes and encourages the dynamic role that women have had, and should continue to have in the life of the Church,” he concluded. The conference is co-sponsored by Antiochian Village Heritage and Learning Center and the Women’s Orthodox Ministries and Education Network (WOMEN), a national network for women interested in spiritual growth, theology, and lay ministry. Co-Chairs are Fr. Michael Massouh, executive director of Antiochian Village, and Demetra Jaquet, Chair of the WOMEN network. For information or to register, visit www.OrthodoxWomensNetwork. org; call Antiochian Village at 724-2383677; or Email: womenusa@aol.com or avcenter@antiochian.org.

W. CAPE MAY, N.J. – Paintings and drawings of Greece by Bob Roehrenbeck will be featured through August at Bob’s Art and Framing Gallery in Cape May. The summer art show depicts scenes of Greece featuring the monasteries of Meteora, street scenes and other subjects, which he painted during several trips to Greece. Mr. Roehrenbeck has exhibited his work in many national and regional shows. In addition to Greece, his painting has taken him to Mexico, Ireland, France, Italy and Spain. His gallery in West Cape May, located at 600 Park Boulevard, is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Archon Offers $100,000 Challenge Grant to Niles Church CHICAGO – Like so many parishes before it, the general assembly of parishioners at Holy Taxiarhai and St. Haralambos Church northwest of Chicago seemed to be at an impasse – trying to decide whether, and how much, they could afford to offer the owner of an adjacent acre of land to build a desperately needed community center. Chris P. Tomaras, a parishioner, offered to help sweeten the church’s offer, like so many businesspersons who supported such efforts before him. But unlike most of them, often following the ordinary contribution making course, he decided instead to challenge the assembled parishioners. Tomaras would contribute $100,000 towards the offer on the land, but only if 100 fellow parishioners also contributed $1,000 each. Everyone was pleased, but not surprised, when 58 $1,000 contributors were pledged before the meeting even adjourned. Tomaras explained the decision to make his own contribution dependent on one hundred others: “We’ve all seen successful members of our community make

donations in situations like this; without exception, they are all to be congratulated for their generosity. This time however, I felt it was more important for me to serve as a catalyst for a hundred others to make a commitment to the children and future of this parish. I’m confident my challenge will be met quickly, and pray the owner will accept the parish’s new offer.” The St. Haralambos community, which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2001, is one of the Chicago area’s oldest and most dynamic Greek Orthodox parishes. It is moving towards completion of their new church’s interior decoration, which is being done by iconographers from Mt. Athos in Greece. The parish is headed by Rev. Fr. Constantine P. Botsis, protopresbyter, with Deacon John G. Suhayda as pastoral assistant. The parish council is headed by successful Chicago businessman Tom Kanelos. Mr. Tomaras is an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and vice president for the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE).

Archdiocesan District Holds 26th Annual Joy/GOYA Olympics STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Nearly 1,000 JOY kids and Goyans took part in the 2004 Archdiocesan District Olympics, held May 2830 at Stony Brook University. JOY members competed in board games, swimming freestyle and relay events, softball and basketball throws, standing broad jump, several track and field events and soccer. GOYA events included most of the above categories, along with tennis, team competition in softball and volleyball, and a more extensive track and field itinerary. Participating communities included St. Sophia, Albany; St. Demetrios Cathedral, Astoria; St. John’s, Blue Point; Zoodohos Peghe, Bronx; Three Hierarchs, Brooklyn; Transfiguration, Corona; St. Nicholas, Flushing; Church of the Resurrection, Glen Cove; St. Paraskevi, Greenlawn; St. Paul Cathedral, Hempstead; Holy Trinity, Hicksville; St. Demetrios, Merrick; Holy Trinity, New Rochelle; Assumption, Port Jefferson; Archangel Michael, Roslyn; Church of Our Savior, Rye; Kimisis Tis Theotokou, Southampton; Annunciation, Stamford, Conn.; Holy Trinity-St. Nicholas, Staten Island; St. Nicholas, West Babylon; Sts. Constantine and Helen, West Nyack; and Holy Cross, Whitestone.

ORTHODOX OBSERVER photos

(Clockwise from left) Chairman Alex Constantinou with gold and silver medallist teams in track event; a high jumping Goyan tries to clear the bar, JOY soccer players from two teams rigorously pursue the ball; three of the runners jog along in the GOYA 5K run event.

JULY – AUGUST 2004

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Salutes the Athens 2004 Olympic Games! May God make them a superb model of a noble athletic competition in safety and peace for all. H Ellhnikh Orqodoxos Arciepiskoph Amerikhs

Χαιρετίζει τους Ολυµπιακούς Αγώνες του 2004 στην Αθήνα! Προσευχώµεθα ο Θεός να καταστήσει τους Ολυµπιακούς της Αθήνας υπέροχο πρότυπο αθλητικής αµίλλης εν ασφαλεία και ειρήνη για όλους.