Orthodox Observer - September/October 2007

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007 • Vol. 72 • No. 1233

www.observer.goarch.org • e-mail: observer@goarch.org

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Faithful Respond to Archdiocese Appeal for Fire Victims in Greece Archbishop Demetrios NEW YORK – In the wake of the devastating fires that struck Greece in late August, the Archdiocese established a Greek Fire Relief Fund and took other actions to assist the thousands of victims who have lost loved ones, their homes and belongings.

Special trays were passed in early September with many thousands of dollars contributed to the fund.

Archbishop Demetrios appointed a Special Committee of prominent Greek Americans to oversee and coordinate the collection and distribution of monies raised for the Relief Fund and also convened an emergency meeting of key advisors and staff members to mobilize the resources of the Archdiocese and the greater community to respond to the tremendous needs of the people in the devastated areas.

On Aug. 27, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte briefed the Archbishop on steps the American government was taking to deal with the tragedy.

The Archbishop appointed as special advisor Andrew Natsios, former director of the U.S. Agency for International Development (US Aid), the federal agency that administers economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide. Mr. Natsios has extensive experience in assisting beleaguered nations, most recently as President Bush’s special envoy for Sudan.

More than $3 million has been raised thus far.

Thus far, more than $3 million has been raised as thousands of persons have responded to the appeal.

Of that amount, Mary Jaharis of New York and Mr. and Mrs. Alex Spanos of Stockton, Calif., each contributed $1 million. (See related story) Hundreds of catastrophic wildfires struck the western Peloponnesus, Euboea, the fringes of Athens and other parts of Greece for much of the last week in August, the worst fire catastrophe to strike Greece in more than a century.

As a result more than 70 people lost their lives, more than 1,500 homes were destroyed and at least 4,000 people were left homeless.

The worst of the fires were concentrated in the mountains of the southwestern

Peloponnesus, the island of Euboea, Mt. Parnassos north of Athens, and other sites.

Strong winds blew smoke and ash over the city, blackening the evening sky and turning the rising moon red.

Countless individuals have shown their generosity in the wake of the disaster. In one recent example, Archbishop Demetrios said he received a call from an Archon and member of both Leadership 100 and Faith Endowment, who anonymously donated $400,000.

“Time and time again, I have been overwhelmed and deeply moved by the magnanimous generosity of this indi-

Celebrates 40 years of Hierarchical Ministry

  page 2

NEW YORK – The 40th anniversary of Archbishop Demetrios’ ordination to the episcopacy was celebrated with several events in September, beginning with an Archieratical Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity Archdiocesan Cathedral on Sept. 15.

The events coincided with the 8th anniversary of Archbishop Demetrios’ enthronement as the Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America.

Those attending included more than 200 school children from Archdiocese parochial schools in the New York area. They greeted His Eminence upon his arrival at the cathedral and presented a program following the service in which they sang his acclamation and recited poetry.

Publicity Campaign

The Archdiocese also launched a major campaign to heighten the awareness of the general public to the devastation caused by this calamity. On Sept. 12-13, the Archdiocese sponsored a full-page ad in the New York Times and USA TODAY with an appeal for contributions to the Relief Fund. The ad depicted a dramatic picture of the Winged Statue of Nike (Victory) which was threatened by the wildfires in Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympics. The ad also run in weekend editions of the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times.

  page 3

This image of Greece was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite on August 26.

A line of fires stretches along the western coast of Greece’s Peloponnesus Peninsula.

FAMILY OUTREACH SUNDAY .... 9 IONIAN VILLAGE EXPERIENCE .... 13 Archbishop’s Encyclical........................ 11 Archdiocese News ...................... 2-3, 6-8 Challenge.............................................. 27 Classifieds ............................................ 28 Ecum. Patriarchate .............................. 4-5 Greek Section ...................................15–19 In Memoriam......................................... 24 Letters................................. .................. 10 Metropolises’ News ......................... 22-23 Opinions ............................................... 10 Parish Profile ........................................ 21 People ................................................... 21 Survey .................................................. 30 Voice of Philoptochos .......................... 26

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A RCHDIOCESE N E WS

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

Archdiocese Mobilizes to Help Fire Victims in Greece   page 1 vidual who has always shown himself to be a true Christian steward of the material blessings which he has received from the Almighty,” the Archbishop reflected. “He responds without reservation whenever and wherever a need has arisen and we are especially thankful to our Lord for having blessed our Archdiocese with such a steadfast and faithful communicants.”

He continued, “We are witnessing unbelievable losses of lives and property but also of the livelihoods of countless individuals who will need assistance for many years to recover from this calamity” the Archbishop said. “Greece, the birthplace of democracy, the place where the Olympics Games were born, the cornerstone of Western Civilization is experiencing unprecedented destruction with over

His Eminence felt it would be most helpful for these groups to meet and coordinate their efforts to better meet the needs of the victims.

Fund committee

Contributions can be made at the Archdiocese website www.goarch.org

In addition to His Eminence, who serves as chairman of the Greek Fire Relief Fund, committee members include: Michael Jaharis, vice-chairman of the Archdiocesan Council; Georgia Skeadas, national president of Philoptochos; George Behrakis, Leadership 100 Endowment Fund president; Dr. Anthony Limberakis, commander of the Order of St. Andrew; Peter Kikis, president of the Faith Endowment and Mr. Natsios.

On Thursday, Sept. 20, the Archbishop attended a gathering in Washington organized by USAID of select guests and corporate participants of the BCLC (Business Civic Leadership Center) Corporate Citizenship Conference to discuss amongst other concerns, reconstruction efforts in the wildfire-affected areas in Greece.

USAID is interested in fostering public-private alliances targeting reforestation and livelihood restoration and linking the private sector, the environmental NGOs and the Greek American community.

Related Efforts

Several U.S. ethnic groups also joined the effort to send emergency aid to Greek fire victims.

• AHEPA announced the creation of a coalition effort to raise emergency relief funding for those affected by the recent rash of wildfires throughout Greece.

• The coalition currently consists of the following national ethnic organizations: • Armenian Americans –The Armenian National Committee of America (left) A LARGE fire-fighting airplane drops water on the raging fires in the Ilia perfecture in Western Peloponnese. (bottom) THIS PRIEST holds up a gospel cover from the ashes of his church in the village of Greka in the Olympia area in Ilia.

• Italian Americans – The National Italian American Foundation • Jewish Americans – B’nai B’rith International • Serbian Americans – Serbian Unity Congress These organizations are asking their members to make tax deductible donations through the AHEPA website (www. ahepa.org) into a special “Emergency Greek Fire Relief Fund” with 100 percent of the proceeds going directly to the people of Greece.

IOCC on the ground

Taking immediate action to provide humanitarian aid, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), which operates under the auspices of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) also is providing relief supplies and technical assistance for the thousands of displaced villagers.

“As we mourn the loss of life and sympathize with those who have had to flee their homes, we are mobilizing our emergency response through our IOCC Athens office and coordinating with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America,” said IOCC Executive Director & CEO Constantine M. Triantafilou, who visited Greece to coordinate the relief effort.

“More than sixty people have lost their lives, others remain missing, and Greece’s emergency response capabilities are stretched to their limits,” said Despina Katsivelaki, IOCC head of office in Athens.

“These fires have devastated large areas of Greece, from the island of Euboea,

650,000 acres of forest and farmland (an area the size of Rhode Island) reduced to ashes. It is our sacred duty and obligation to offer whatever assistance we can at this most critical time.”

Contributions can be made by visiting the Archdiocese website at www.goarch. org.

Aid to the fire victims has taken on other forms, in addition to the financial assistance. Parishes are holding clothing drives and donating other supplies.

At Annunciation Church in Norfolk, Va., children ages 3 to 18 have made blankets to send to victims for the approaching winter.

Meeting to coordinate

Archbishop Demetrios also invited the heads of the major Greek American organizations, to a special meeting at the Archdiocese on Sept. 24 to “compare notes” on what their respective associations are doing regarding the disaster in Greece.

While the Archdiocese has been at the forefront of the national effort to raise awareness and assistance for the people affected by the catastrophic fires, many groups have also undertaken their own endeavors.

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north of Athens to the Peloponnese in the south,” she continued.

Ms. Katsivelaki toured the communities of Zaharo, Andritsena, Olympia, Krestena and Pirgos, to determine the most immediate needs of the villagers.

“This is a terrible catastrophe,” said Katsivelaki, “I saw villages where there was nothing, nothing left, no homes, no olive groves, nothing.” Katsivelaki.

In addition, some 19 nations from Europe and the Middle East sent equipment and personnel to help battle the fires and assist victims. (See related story)

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

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A RCHDIOCESE N E WS

Archdiocese Celebrates Archbishop’s 40 Years of Archieratical Service   page 1 Numerous hierarchs and more than 40 priests from around the country also attended.

Participating hierarchs were Metropolitan Maximos of Pittsburgh, Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta, Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit, Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey, Bishop Dimitrios of xanthos, Bishop Andonios of Phasiane and Bishop Savas of Troas, who first read the congratulatory message of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and offered the homily.

two clergy and presented the Archbishop with flowers and a bas-relief of the Kremlin churches.

Archbishop Demetrios had visited Moscow in August 2000 for the consecration of Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow.

Following the Liturgy and his meeting with the area school children, His Eminence proceeded to a reception in the Cathedral Center where he was greeted by members of the Greek and Cypriot diplomatic corps, invited guests and clergy and laity from throughout the United States.

The Orthros and Divine Liturgy were broadcast live on the Internet and on Time Warner Digital Channel 509(NGTV).

On Sept. 17, the actual date of His Eminence’s ordination, the Archbishop presided at the divine liturgy at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Flushing, NY where he ordained to the priesthood deacon Thofanis Papantonis.

Later on in the day a doxology and reception, attended by lay leaders of the Church, including Archdiocesan Council Vice Chairman Michael Jaharis, National Philoptochos President Georgia Skeadas, other dignitaries and Archdiocese staff

ARCHBISHOP Demetrios celebrates Divine Liturgy with Hierarchs of the Arhcdiocese.

MAYOR Bloomberg with Archbishop Demetrios at the Gracie Mansion reception.

(below) NEW YORK Religious and Civic Leaders with Archbishop Demetrios at the Gracie Mansion Reception.

BISHOP Savas of Troas

Commenting on the significance of the Archbishop’s 40 years, Bishop Savas cited numerous biblical references to the number 40 from both the Old and New Testaments, including Jesus’ fasting in the wilderness 40 days before beginning His ministry and appearing to His disciples for 40 days following His resurrection, and many other examples.

The bishop also cited the Archbishop’s important role as a teacher during his career.

“His ordaining hierarchs recognized in him… a teaching gift of exceptional brilliance, and set him apart to be a teacher of teachers, to oversee the ecclesiastical education of the clergy,” Bishop Savas said. ”Over the course of the past 40 years, His Eminence has taught – and continues to teach - hundreds of men who have gone or will go on to become teachers in their own right, both in Greece and closer to home, at Holy Cross School of Theology and Harvard University. I dare say that as many as one in five of the clergymen currently serving our Archdiocese, as well as many in other Orthodox Christian jurisdictions and others beyond the Orthodox fold, have been taught by His Eminence to love, as he himself so clearly loves, the secret things of God’s wisdom hidden in the pages of Holy Scripture.”

In brief comments following the Liturgy, the Archbishop downplayed his accomplishments in terms of his length of service, saying instead that, “The important thing is to serve God” and that he was given “the tremendous privilege to serve God,” he said. “All of us here are happy to have been part of this event.”

At the end of the service, Bishop Mercurius of Zaraisk, administrator of the Moscow Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, made a surprise visit and brought greetings from the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Relations, Metropolitan Cyril of Smolensk and Kaliningrad. He was accompanied by

members took place at the Church’s headquarters on East 79th Street.

Rounding out the events, on Sept.

25, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, hosted a reception for the Archbishop at Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the city’s mayors.

In a brief program at the event, Mayor Bloomberg called the Archbishop “a good neighbor, true friend and moral compass” and praised him for inspiring many people during the period following the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and taking the lead to restore St. Nicholas Church that was destroyed in the collapse of the Twin Towers “so it can once again stand as a beacon of faith.”

The Mayor also cited His Eminence’s reaching out “to be a good neighbor to the citizens of Greece in need” following the catastrophic fires in August.

PHOTOS D. PANAGOS

(bottom) CHILDREN line-up to welcome the Archbishop.

The reception was attended by many New York religious and political leaders including former Mayor David Dinkins, Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York Cardinal Edward Egan, Consul General of Greece Katerina Boura, Consul General of the Republic of Cyprus Andreas Panayiotou, Archbishop of the Armenian Church in the US Khajag Barsamian, Archbishop Cyril Aphrem Karim of the Syrian Orthodox Archdiocese, the Vatican’s Apostolic Nuncio to the United Nations Archbishop Celestino Migliore and Bishop Stephen P. Bouman of the Evangelic Lutheran Church.

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

ECUMENICAL

PATRIARCHATE

Synaxis of Bishops at Ecumenical Patriarchate for the Feast of the Indiction Orthodox Hierarchs from around the world gathered at the Phanar at the invitation of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for the annual Synaxis of Bishops on the occasion of the feast of the Indiction, the commencement of the ecclesiastical year on Sept. 1.

Archbishop Demetrios together with members of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Archdiocese, participated in the synaxis. The Archbishop concluded his four-day visit to the Mother Church of Constantinople and returned from Istanbul Sept. 3.

In the days before and during the synaxis, members of the worldwide ecumenical family had been expressing support and solidarity to His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch.

On Aug. 27, the Conference of European Churches (CEC) expressed its “strong support” for the right of the Patriarch to use of the title “Ecumenical.”

Two days later, a letter addressed to His All Holiness by the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary, the Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, expressed the Council’s “whole-hearted appreciation of the authenticity and importance of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as an institution and the Ecumenical Patriarch as an office within the wider church world.”

The letter conveyed the WCC’s “firm support” and reaffirmed His All Holiness Bartholomew's “ecumenical standing” while cherishing his “leadership in the global ecumenical movement.”

After his return to the United States, Archbishop Demetrios issued the follow-

PHOTOS N. MANGINAS

ing statement on these events: “At a time when our beloved and Holy Ecumenical Patriarchate is facing strenuous challenges, it is heartening to

see the strong worldwide support of the ecumenical movement. Their unswerving commitment to the historical, human, and religious rights and freedoms of the

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the person of His All Holiness bear witness to the aspirations of all people for liberty and justice.”

Patriarch Leads Seventh International Symposium on the Environment in Greenland ILULISSAT, Greenland – Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew led the 7th International Symposium on the Environment which took place aboard the motor ship Fram Sept. 6-12, in the Arctic and in particular in Greenland. The theme of this 7th Symposium was “The Arctic: Mirror of Life.”

The water-based symposia have convened since 1995 in different bodies of water of the globe by Religion, Science and the Environment, a non-governmental organization based in Athens, Greece. and under the auspices of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission and Kofi Annan, former secretary-general of the United Nations.

“If all the ice of Greenland melts, the consequences for Greenland itself and for the whole world would be devastating,

ECUMENICAL Patriarch Bartholomew leads participants in silent prayer for the protection of the evironment aboard the motor ship Fram sailing among the icebergs in the fiords of Ilulissat in Greenland.

THE PATRIARCH on a boat observes the banks along the coast of Greenland.

truly a biblical catastrophe,” said Patriarch Bartholomew and continued: “Scientists tell us that we have 10 years, maybe less to limit the emission of dangerous gases which cause the greenhouse effect and avert further warming of the planet. Humanity does not have the luxury to fight over economic, racial or religious differences. Humanity has to work as one and has to act now.”

There is already considerable damage to the Arctic ecosystem. With its direct influence over the whole planet, the Pole is a powerful icon of the interconnectedness of humanity. This interdependence is highlighted through scientific evidence, but also through human experience.

Change in the Arctic is the result of human activity elsewhere, and is further exacerbated by the changing climate.

The Arctic is no longer a pristine wilderness. Chemicals produced in industrialized nations are carried north by air and water currents, and the Arctic acts as the final sink where persistent organic pollutants are trapped. The traditional foods of indigenous people are now unsafe. There is also radioactive contamination. Leakage and waste from nuclear power plants from Western Europe is carried to the Arctic Ocean, where there are also some 120 decommissioned nuclear submarines.

A wealth of information is available at www.rsesymposia.org.

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SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE OF

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW TO

ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS ON THE 40th ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ORDINATION TO THE EPISCOPACY

Most Reverend Archbishop Demetrios of America, most honorable Exarch of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, most beloved brother and co-celebrant in the Holy Spirit of our Modesty: may the grace and mercy of the Lord God Almighty be with your Your most beloved Eminence.

The auspicious anniversary of the completion of forty years since ordination of Your beloved Eminence to the episcopacy, and the eight years from your election and installation upon the Throne of the Holy Archdiocese of America moves our Modesty to express our warmest congratulatory wishes.

You have been gifted by God with many spiritual gifts and rare erudition, but chief of all you have lived as a tireless laborer of tangible real love, virtue and philanthropy. Justly so, you have earned the love and respect of those who, during the forty-year period of your God-pleasing Episcopal ministry, have had the blessing to know Your Eminence from personal experience.

For this reason, we gloryify our merciful Lord, Who has shown you forth as the head of the Holy Archdiocese in America, a model and example for the countless children of the Mother Church and for the plethora of our People, despite your desire to remain without notice. But the Lord looks upon the humility of His servants, as it states in the Scripture: Upon whom shall I look, except on him who is humble and tranquil, and who stands in awe of My words? (Isaiah 66:2).

You have responded to this call with sacrifice, offering yourself to the service of the People of God in a land with many unique features and difficulties, working ceaselessly for the spiritual cultivation of the flock entrusted to you, guiding it to the salvific pastures of our Faith. It is because of your wise care that the cooperation between the clergy and the laity for the good of the Church has been decisively improved.

You quickly established the much-desired peace, and united your Orthodox flock in the United States of America by your wise guidance. In your person, this flock found a true father and authentic shepherd, one who calls his own the sheep by name and leads them forth, in the example of Christ the Chief Shepherd, Who sacrificed His life for the sake of the sheep (St. John 10:1-11), and ever offers Himself as food and drink for the Faithful. You opened for them the door of unity, of love, and of peaceful conditions, by which, if anyone enters, he will be saved, and will go in and will go out and find pasture, becoming the good gatekeeper for all.

And more than this, your paternal care for the progress and support of Greek Culture and Education throughout our Omogeneia, and through your upgrading of the role of the Greek Schools, the generous granting of scholarships, and your constant personal presence at the educational institutions of the Holy Archdiocese, have resulted in a hope-filled future dawning for our Orthodox Youth. For it is not possible for the youth to bear spiritual fruit unless they are watered from a tender age at the life-giving streams of Orthodoxy and our Culture.

Your efforts established positive and harmonious relationships of cooperation, understanding, and tolerance with heterodox Christians, but also with believers of other religions. Your manifest selfless love toward all people, regardless of ethnic background or religious persuasion – in one multicultural society – has earned the esteem of all, and elevated the authority of the Orthodox Church as an institution, which is necessary for the unhindered realization of Her salvific work. For this reason, even the political authorities of the Country honored you, and in your person, the Mother Church.

For all this, we owe glory to God Who has empowered you, and we wholeheartedly congratulate Your beloved Eminence. It is our prayer that the Great High Priest grant unto you length of days, many more years so that you may continue to bear fruit as you spend yourself for our brothers and sisters in the United States of America, in imitation of Christ. Moreover, at the time of the future recompense, may you enjoy the just wage of the good and faithful Steward and hear the voice of the Righteous Judge and Master we pray to hear: Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a little, I will set you over many; enter into the joy of your Lord! (Matthew 25:21).

May His Grace, Blessing and ineffable Mercy, together with our brotherly love and esteem, and the laudation of the Mother Church be with Your beloved Eminence, forever.

August 16, 2007 Your Beloved Brother in Christ, † BARTHOLOMEW By the Mercy of God Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch

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SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

2007 Athenagoras Human Rights Award NEW YORK – The Order of St. Andrew, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of America have named Archbishop Demetrios as the recipient of the 2007 Athenagoras Human Rights Award.

The Award will be presented on Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Archons' annual banquet at the Hilton Hotel in New York.

The Order of St. Andrew is a dedicated and distinguished group of laymen, recognized as “Defenders of the Faith,” who have been granted the title of Archon by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

In announcing the award, Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, national commander of the Order of St. Andrew, stated, “Archbishop Demetrios of America exemplifies the very elements that constitute the Athenagoras Human Rights Award - humanity, humility, holiness, compassion and leadership.

We will never forget his extraordinary personal care in the tragic aftermath of the 9-11 terrorist attacks Moreover, throughout his archiepiscopacy in America he has promoted and defended the dignity

and sanctity of the Apostolic Throne of St. Andrew, our beloved Ecumenical Patriarchate. On the occasion of his 40th Anniversary of his ordination to the Episcopacy and in thanksgiving for his 47 years in the priestly order of Melchizedek, he has demonstrated exemplary service to humankind as an Orthodox hierarch, theologian, statesman and biblical scholar, the Archons of the Order of St. Andrew are honored to bestow the 2007 Athenagoras Human Rights Award upon the spiritual leader of Greek Orthodox Christians in America, and Exarch of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, our beloved Archbishop Demetrios.”

Established in 1986, the Athenagoras Award honors Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras who served as Archbishop of the Americas for 18 years before being elected Ecumenical Patriarch in 1948.

He was universally acknowledged as a visionary leader of Orthodoxy, numbering more than 250 million faithful worldwide, who worked for peace among Churches and people throughout his life.

Two Major Gifts of $1 M for Greek Fire Relief Fund Following Archbishop Demetrios’ appeal for the Greek Fire Relief Fund, donations of $1 million came from two sources.

Mary Jaharis of New York, wife of Archdiocesan Council Vice Chairman Michael Jaharis and Mr. and Mrs. Alex Spanos of Stockton, Calif., each made the $1 million donations.

Mrs. Jaharis made her gift in memory of her parents, Ismene and George Spyros, who were from the Peloponnesus. While the town from which they came was not affected by the fires, Mrs. Jaharis was very moved and deeply saddened by the loss of lives and destruction left behind by the fires in neighboring towns.

Mrs. Jaharis, in a note she sent to His Eminence informing him of her decision to make this gift, wrote “When a disaster of this magnitude hits so close to home it has special significance. I could not stop watching the coverage of the fires

on TV and while it was painful to watch, I kept hoping and praying that it would all quickly end. My heart goes out to those affected by the disaster especially since most were hardworking farmers and many elderly who spent a lifetime working to earn a living and now all of that has been destroyed by the fires. How sad it must be for them to see the remains of their fire-gutted homes, and to gaze out over the hillside where their olives trees once stood and their sheep grazed, all of it now dust and ashes.”

In making his contribution to the fund, Mr. Spanos stated, “We watched with heavy hearts the catastrophic fires and the destruction they left behind which affected thousands of people, their property and the beautiful countryside of Greece. I was greatly moved by the tragedy unfolding before my eyes and I know that every Greek American and every person was equally moved.”

19 Nations Respond Aid Firefighting Efforts

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Nineteen nations in Europe and the Middle East sent aid of Greece during the August conflagration in the form of firefighters, aircraft and equipment.

The following is a list of those countries and their contribution to the fire fighting effort. (Source: MSNBC) • Austria sent two army helicopters, a transport plane and 20 firefighters.

• Cyprus sent 11 firefighting vehicles, 55 firefighters and 29 civil defense personnel.

• The Czech Republic provided a helicopter with a five-member crew.

• Denmark sent six firefighting all-terrain vehicles for climbing steep slopes.

• Finland volunteered three helicopters and 25 firefighters.

• France provided four water-tanker planes and 60 specialist helicopter firefighters.

• Germany sent three CH-53 water-carrying helicopters.

• Hungary volunteered 18 firefighters, one doctor and two fire engines and backup equipment.

• Israel sent 55 firefighters.

• Italy provided a water-tanker plane.

• The Netherlands volunteered three firefighting helicopters and 27 crew members.

• Norway sent a firefighting helicopter.

• Portugal sent a tanker plane and six personnel.

• Romania provided an Mi-17 helicopter with a nine-man crew • Russia sent two heavy firefighting helicopters, two Mi-8 helicopters and a multifunctional amphibian plane.

• Slovenia volunteered a water-carrying helicopter.

• Spain sent two tanker planes.

• Switzerland provided four water-carrying helicopters.

• Turkey volunteered a fire-fighting tanker plane.

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

Archdiocese Finance Committee Implements New National Ministries Commitment Program NEW YORK – The implementation phase of the New National Ministries Commitment Program, which the 2006 Nashville Clergy Laity Congress approved, began in July and has now been completed in all Metropolises of the Archdiocese, reports George Vourvoulias, Archdiocesan Finance Committee chairman.

Each Metropolis now has a fully functional finance committee to support the chancellor and the Metropolitan with this new program.

In late spring, the 2007 allocations under the new program had been finalized for all parishes throughout the country and work is well under way to complete the allocations for 2008. This new process will enable parishes to include actual allocation amounts in their annual budget process.

The Financial Department of the Archdiocese reports that even though allocations for 2007 were late in reaching the parishes this year, the financial results are impressive and exceed last year’s results of the same period.

During the parish leadership meetings held at every Metropolis this past year, the Finance Committee was told of the great need for stewardship assistance from the majority of parish leaders they encountered.

Responding to these requests and as part of “Phase 2” of the planned restructuring of the Archdiocese Finance and Stewardship programs, Mr. Vourvoulias announced the revitalization of the National Stewardship Commission under the capable direction of Ron Harb of Little Rock, Ark. Mr. Vourvoulias commented, “It is our intention to work with the Archdiocese Department of Stewardship Ministry to

provide the needed materials, information, manuals and training necessary to assist all parishes within the Archdiocese in order to implement or improve their stewardship programs. We recognize that without financially healthy parishes across the nation we cannot have strong Metropolises and consequently a strong Archdiocese to support our National Ministries.”

Ron Harb serves as a member of the Archdiocesan Council, the Metropolis Council of Detroit and the Finance and Stewardship Committee of the Archdiocese. He is also an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Vourvoulias noted that “Ron is a staunch advocate of stewardship, believing that true stewardship in the Orthodox Church is really a way of life.”

Speaking on the new initiative Mr. Harb said: “The new National Stewardship Commission will work with the Archdiocese Ministries to raise the awareness and education of stewardship. We intend to utilize the ministries of our Archdiocese in the areas of technology, communications, development and stewardship in order to provide our parishes with the best possible stewardship resources available today.”

As soon as materials are available, members of the National Stewardship Commission will commence visits to the Metropolises to conduct stewardship training seminars with both clergy and lay leaders.

The new 2008 stewardship campaign is being distributed to parishes this month and is also available on-line at www. goarch.org/en/archdiocese/departments/ stewardship/ Questions about stewardship resources can be emailed to stewardship@goarch.org

National Stewardship Commission Revitalized

D. PANAGOS

Holy Cross Seminary Celebrates Annual Feast BROOKLINE, Mass.—Archbishop Demetrios celebrated the Feast of the Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross at Hellenic College/Holy Cross School of Theology Sept. 13-14.

The Archbishop, who also serves as Board of Trustees chairman and is a former tenured professor, awarded promotions to seminarians during the Divine Liturgy. Metropolitan Methodios was in attendance.

After the service, Archbishop Demetrios conducted the rassophoria, bestowing the outer robe to 19 Holy Cross seniors who will graduate in May 2008.

His Eminence also performed the stavrophoria and bestowed crosses to 29 newly affirmed seminarians, men in undergraduate or graduate studies who have completed one year of candidacy.

In addition, women enrolled in the Masters of Divinity program were also recognized. One woman beginning her final year and three women entering their

second year were honored by receiving an icon from His Eminence.

On Sept. 14 clergy, school officials, trustees, faculty, students and their families and worshippers from the Boston area, filled the chapel.

The Divine Liturgy was followed by the Elevation of the Venerable and LifeGiving Cross service.

Nine clergymen accompanied in procession the cross, set on a tray and surrounded by basil and flowers. The church resounded with the hymn of the day: “O Lord, save your people.” At the conclusion of services, faithful reverenced the cross and received a blessing and a sprig of basil from Archbishop Demetrios.

The feast day also is traditionally the matriculation day at the school.

This year’s new students number 28 men and four women entering Holy Cross (some of whom are returning for a second degree) and 18 men and three women entering Hellenic College.

Nicholas Burns Visits Ecumenical Patriarch

New Dispute Resolution Procedures Approved by the Clergy Laity Congress Many times disagreements arise within the Church, presenting the faithful, our clergy and our communities with significant challenges.

St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians admonishes us: When any of you has a grievance against another, do you dare to take it to court before the unrighteous instead of taking it before the saints? . . . In fact, to have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you (I Corinthians 6:1,7).

The 2006 Clergy Laity Congress in Nashville, in an attempt to address those disputes that involve ecclesiastical, theological, canonical and Church governance or property issues in the life of a parish and the broader Church community, proposed and approved dispute resolution procedures that govern the settlement of such disagreements in a manner befitting Orthodox Christians.

These procedures were recently forwarded to and approved by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and are now part of the Regulations of the Archdiocese.

While the procedures include mechanisms to settle grievances and mediate conflicts, they do not in any way displace the Holy Canons and Traditions. Rather, they serve as a supplemental authority, providing a sole and exclusive remedy for defined disagreements and conflicts, in order to preserve peace in the Church. The procedures include rules for appealing disagreements at the Parish, Metropolis and Archdiocesan levels.

The resolution process is applicable to disagreements between parishioners within the same parish, individuals within two or more parishes of the same Metropolis, two or more priests, two or more parishes, or between chancellors, hierarchs, or other combinations of disputes that could arise among parties within the greater Church community.

These procedures do not cover matters involving sexual misconduct, which are governed separately by the Archdiocese’s Statement of Policy Regarding Sexual Misconduct by Clergy.

The dispute resolution procedures also govern such topics as the recording of procedures, presentation of evidence, appeals processes and enforcement, as well as payment of fees and costs.

As these procedures now become part of the Regulations that govern our Archdiocese, let us not forget another admonition of St. Paul which guides us towards forgiveness: Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, and if anyone has a complaint against another, just as Christ forgave you, so should you also forgive.

And with all these things have love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ govern your hearts; for that end, you are called in One Body; and be thankful to Christ (Colossians 3:13-15).

These new additions to the Regulations will be distributed to all parishes in the coming weeks and can be found on the Archdiocese website at http://www.goarch. org/en/archdiocese/documents/upr.asp

N. MANGINAS

ISTANBUL – Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received Nicholas Burns, U.S. under secretary of state for political affairs, at the Phanar, Sept. 18. The two men had a fruitful discussion in the Patriarchal office, following which Mr. Burns in a statement to the Press said: “First of all, let me say that it is a great pleasure to be here, in Istanbul. I am looking forward to meetings tomorrow with the Turkish government, including the prime minister. It is the time when United States wants to strengthen its relationship with Turkey.

As part of this visit I came today to pay respects to His All Holiness, Bartholomew.

He is a very good friend of our country.

He is a man who is very much respected in the United States. He has been given a special award in 1997 by the Congress of the United States. He is a man of peace and he is a champion of our environment

and I express the great respect of our government for him and for the Patriarchate, and our hope is that the Patriarchate will continue the long tradition of 17 centuries of a vibrant community here.

We obviously are profoundly grateful to the Turkish government for the fact that it has been a friend of the Patriarchate and we hope that it will continue in the years ahead.”

In answering a question about the problems facing the Patriarchate and the issue of Halki Mr. Burns said: “We had a full discussion with His All Holiness. The issue of Halki is an issue that the United States for many, many years has supported its re-opening. But, I think that it is better to let the Turkish authorities and the Ecumenical Patriarchate have a private discussion on the specifics of that issue, because we are sure that with good will there could be progress.”

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

Cantonis Chair of Byzantine Studies Inaugurated at HC/HC BROOKLINE, Mass. – In addition to the beginning of an academic year at Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, this year’s fall 2007 semester commenced with the opening of the Michael G. and Anastasia Cantonis Chair of Byzantine Studies.

The Cantonis Chair of Byzantine Studies, only the second fully endowed academic chair at Hellenic College/Holy Cross, is the result of a generous donation by Michael and Anastasia Cantonis of Tarpon Springs, Fla. The gift (currently valued at $2.5 million) also provides additional resources for lectures, conferences, publications, research, and the development of a Byzantine studies program at Hellenic College.

The Cantonis Chair inaugural event was held Sept. 12 at the Archbishop Iakovos Library and Learning Resource Center.

Dr. Thomas Lelon, vice-chairman of the Board of Trustees, Archbihsop Demetrios, George Cantonis and Fr. Triantafilou.

Michael and Anastasia Cantonis

A reception in Dowd Hall, the central hall of the 100-year-old mansion that serves as the administration building, immediately followed the event. The evening was capped off with a private dinner in honor of the Cantonis family.

The afternoon event began with an opening prayer offered by Archbishop Demetrios/ In his remarks, His Eminence noted the importance of the chair not only for Hellenic College and Holy Cross but also for the general progress of Byzantine Studies in North America.

Fr. Nicholas Triantafilou, Hellenic College/Holy Cross president, spoke of the example of Christian stewardship the Cantonis family’s gift represents.

George M. Cantonis, son of Michael and Anastasia, represented the family at the event. He spoke of his parents’ dedication and hard work and his father’s strong commitment to the Church demonstrated over the years.

In her remarks, Hellenic College Dean Dr. Lily Macrakis thanked the search committee members and enumerated the steps needed for the election of a named chair candidate.

Fr. Thomas FitzGerald, dean of Holy Cross, noted the institution’s commitment to the importance and legacy of Byzantium in the history, theology, and praxis of the Church.

Two lectures were offered during the afternoon. Dr. Alice-Mary Talbot, director

of Byzantine Studies at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, the premier center for Byzantine studies in North America, discussed the history of Byzantine Studies in North America.

Dr. Talbot said the Cantonis chair “is welcome testimony to the support of the Greek American community for the study of the Byzantine empire, during whose 11centuries the Church came into being and fostered the creation of many of the glories of Byzantine civilization, in the arts, architecture, hymnography, liturgical rites, and hagiographical and theological texts.”

Dr. James C. Skedros, the inaugural holder of the Cantonis Chair, offered a presentation focusing on the influence of Byzantium on the Orthodox Church.

Dr. Skedros discussed the close affinity between secular and religious in the Byzantine world. “The line between religious and secular in Byzantium was not very thick and to differentiate between the rhythms of daily life and religious activity was not so simple a task for the Byzantines,” he said.

Michael Cantonis was born on the Dodecanese island of Simi and immigrated to the United States in 1934.

Four years later, he established the Acme Sponge and Chamois Co. Inc., in New York, eventually moving the company to Tarpon Springs in 1977.

A business leader, dedicated churchman, and philanthropist, Mr. Cantonis has financially supported various academic institutions including the Department of Greek Studies at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

He is an archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and a former member of the HC/HC trustees and the executive committee.

In 1988 he was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

Who Will You Bring to Church?

A

s Orthodox Christians we are aware of friends and relatives that have fallen away from active involvement in the Church. Few people wake up one day and decide to leave the Church. Most just slowly drift away, always intending to come back – someday.

by Fr. James Kordaris

Jesus Christ calls upon us to engage in active outreach to these relatives and friends. Archbishop Demetrios of America refers to this calling as “…a particularly integral aspect of our Orthodox Christian identity that is worth our cultivating, cherishing and sharing.” Family Outreach Sunday is a step in this direction.

Family Outreach Sunday is a program developed by the Department of Outreach & Evangelism, in cooperation with the Ladies Philoptochos Society and the Center for Family Care at Saint Basil Academy, in which active parish members invite inactive relatives and Orthodox Christian friends for a special day of Christian fellowship and spiritual renewal, reinvigorating their Orthodox Christian faith, and making them aware of the need for Christ in their everyday life and their importance as individual members of the His body.

National Philoptochos President Georgia Skeadas includes an outline of this program in her fall letter to the local chapters and encourages all to support and participate in Family Outreach Sunday efforts in their parishes. Mrs. Skeadas has described this initiative as “a noteworthy program that the National Philoptochos Society wholeheartedly endorses and supports.”

Fr. Constantine Sitaras, director of the Center for Family Care at St. Basil Academy, has praised Family Outreach Sunday as “…an excellent complement to our efforts to affirm the importance of the family as a blessed gift from God and to address the specific needs of families as they try to live in a very challenging culture and world.”

Fr. Sitaras sees Family Outreach Sunday as a “win-win” proposition for all involved and hopes to see the program become an annual event in all parishes of the Archdiocese.

Comments on Outreach Sunday from parish leadership have included the following: “A great idea with great potential.”

“November is a good month to do this….”

“This is a great event to celebrate parish life and share with others the energy that exists in each parish.” “I was helped a great deal by my Philoptochos Ladies. We had about 25 people in attendance who usually do not come to church regularly.”

“We chose…a complimentary pancake breakfast as our fellowship activity. However we were overwhelmed by the number of parishioners who stayed for it (160!!).

We loved everything about the day.”

Outreach Sunday can be an excellent

tool for strengthening the parish through the coordination and cooperation of parish ministries and leadership. This happened last fall at the parish of Saint Nicholas in Youngstown, Ohio where a monthly Saturday morning breakfast meeting of parish ministry and organization leaders was initiated. As the community leaders planned the parish’s first annual Family Outreach Sunday, they were drawn together to work toward making this a successful event for their individual organizations and for the parish.

Their coordinated effort resulted in attendance not seen at St. Nicholas since Pascha with attendance up by nearly 50 percent. Each organization hosted a booth in the church hall. Many provided food or refreshments to be served at the brunch, and the day was a positive experience for those who hosted and those who attended.

Their first Family Outreach Sunday was a success in that it brought many inactive Orthodox Christians to church while bringing the ministries of the parish together to work toward a common goal.

Parishes are encouraged to designate an Outreach Sunday in November that fits their parish calendar. It is suggested that English be used to a greater extent on this special day of outreach.

The Sunday bulletin should include a note of welcome. The sermon should be warm and welcoming with reference to the personal nature of our Orthodox faith and its meaning in our daily lives. Following Divine Liturgy, all should be welcomed by the parish priest and invited to the church hall for food and refreshments. A member of the Outreach Committee or Philoptochos might also offer a word of welcome and an invitation to proceed to the church hall.

The time spent in the church hall is a time of Christian fellowship – a continuation of the Divine Liturgy. Some parishes may consider providing a luncheon though many prefer the informal setting of coffee hour with food and refreshments to allow people to circulate, find old friends, make new friends and learn more about the programs and ministries of the parish.

Tables or booths could be set up by all the organizations of the church in order to share with our visitors some examples of the Orthodox faith in action. Nostalgic photo displays may also be set up to remind lapsed Orthodox of the days when they were more involved.

Research has shown that family members have the greatest influence in persuading an unchurched person to come to church. As St. John Chrysostom said in 396 AD, “Each of us has an apostolic mission to arouse the fervor of the Spirit in our brothers and sisters.” Who will you bring to church on Family Outreach Sunday?

Additional information and materials may be found on the web at www. outreach.goarch.org or by calling 646/5196160

Family Outreach Sunday

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SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

EDITORIAL

Forty Years of Wisdom, Faith, Love and Hope The faithful of our Church in America give thanks to God as we celebrate the forty years of hierarchical ministry of our Archbishop. September 17 marked this forty year anniversary of the ordination to the Episcopacy of Archbishop Demetrios in 1967. On this same day our Church honors and celebrates the Feast of the Holy Martyrs Sophia (Wisdom) and her three daughters, Pistis (Faith), Elpis (Hope) and Agape (Love).

“We are the people of mission; we are people with a mission.” This phrase echoes countless times in the sermons and homilies of His Eminence. The mission and the ministry of our Archbishop are well defined by Wisdom, Faith, Love and Hope.

Wisdom distinguishes all aspects of his pastoral care for the flock entrusted to him by God. Faith, he has witnessed the Orthodox Faith in a way that helps all of us to become conscious, true, dynamic and illumined people of faith.

Archbishop Demetrios has preached and manifested Love since the first day of his ministerial service. It seems like yesterday, but it was eight years ago on September 18 – and this is the second milestone we celebrate – that Archbishop Demetrios was enthroned in the Cathedral of Holy Trinity. There, in his enthronement address he invited all of us to intensify and to continually optimize this excellent spirit of love and diakonia, service. The Archbishop

 Takes issue with terms Editor In response to your front page story in the July-August issue of the Orthodox Observer, I would like to respectfully remind you that Orthodox Christians know that the Church isn’t linguistically limited and that the Patriarchate isn’t the national church of Turkey.

Orthodox Christians also know that the term “ecumenical” was a political term and was not meant to be used to ecclesiastically overpower and rule over other independent autocephalous and autonomous Orthodox Churches as applied by the monarchic system of papal Rome.

Additionally, since you want to maintain the fundamental canonical expression of the Christian gospel message and the tone set by Patriarch Bartholomew you should avoid using the racist term “Omogeneia” in reference to the Greek Orthodox Christians of Constantinople.

Although I know you will probably disrespect my comments as the Archdiocese of America and the Orthodox Observer marginalize and exclude any clergyman or layman who expresses a varying point of view, I invite you to please be fair and respectful in repairing your errors.

Thanking you for the opportunity to share Orthodox views, I extend every good wish, prayer and blessing.

Fr. Steven J. Vlahos.

St. Demetrios Church Wildwood, NJ

 Missing the mark  Editor, Pope Benedict XVI recently reasserted the “universal primacy of the Roman

advocates a selfless love towards all people, a limitless love translated into service of the suffering human being and he leads our Church in offering love and care beyond any limit, beyond any measure.

Finally, Archbishop Demetrios throughout his ministry, but especially during his service as the shepherd of our Church in America has been an agent of Hope. Hope seems to sometimes precede him and other times to follow him, for it is the hope that flows from the Truth of the Gospel; it is the hope which is deeply rooted in his faith.

Archbishop Demetrios answered “yes” to the calling of God, when he decided as a young man to study theology. It was a conscious choice to serve the people in the best possible way, he has said in one occasion. Later he answered “yes” when he entered the sacred priesthood, and he answered with great difficulty “yes” when he was ordained a bishop and he answered “yes” once more when he was elected Archbishop of America.

Archbishop Demetrios always said “yes” to the call of ministry and has called the faithful to be people of mission: What we are creating, is not something routine, it is something that is Orthodoxy for the 21st century. If this does not happen we will miss the biggest call: to be pioneers, to be genuinely orthodox and pioneers at the same time.

Catholic Church”. This occurred at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and focuses on the church’s relationship to other Christian denominations. Specifically, the Pope stated that in fact other Christians “are not true churches’, with the exception of the Eastern Orthodox Church which is viewed as a church, but damaged.

I have empathy for all Christians in regards to this proclamation, and also for the Eastern Orthodox Christian community, for he stated that we have a deep “wound or defect” in not recognizing the primacy of the pope. We are of the apostolic succession, the early church and the statement that we are damaged because we are not under papal rule implies that we are wounded. This is an interesting comment to me. As Orthodox Christians we are not Roman Catholic and of course, not under papal authority. We have our Patriarch Bartholomew, “who is first among equals” in the hierarchical structure of our church.

I see this as a great opportunity to discuss the notion of woundedness. In truth, who isn’t wounded? Is there any individual who is not wounded in some way? This is the human condition. We all suffer to greater and lesser extents. Institutions also do not escape the human condition nor the reality of woundedness and suffering.

As part of the divine liturgy of the Eastern Orthodox Church, our priest offers the words “forgive me your sinful and unworthy priest”. Seen through a spiritual lens, this reflects the fact that we are all human; subject to sinfulness and wrongness. We are also blessed with the potential and capacity to become more loving, forgiving and whole. This is the

Archpastoral Reflections Where to Look for Security Over the past few months we have given attention to the topic of “security” as it is understood within our Orthodox faith. From our rich spiritual heritage and the beautiful liturgical life of the Church, we have affirmed the role of the Theotokos, the Saints, and the Angels as agents of divine aid and protection. In doing so we acknowledge that the ultimate source of providence and enduring security is God. It is the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Who is our refuge and our help in time of need.

by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America In the book of Psalms we find numerous hymns that express the deepest levels of human anxiety and fear, juxtaposed with the eternal truth of God’s presence and protection. One of these hymns is Psalm 22, the first verse of which was quoted by Jesus Himself on the Cross: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (1) …All those who see me ridicule me (7)…My heart is like wax; it has melted within me… (14) … The congregation of the wicked has enclosed me. (16) These are cries of great struggle, suffering, and pain that could come from any number of afflictions or tragedies that are a part of our life in this world. They reflect the loneliness, alienation, and lack of security that one can feel when the circumstances around us become so challenging and oppressive.

In considering these cries, serious questions arise within our hearts and minds: Who can help me? Where can I find peace and healing? Where can I find strength to endure? In answer to these questions the Psalmist once again turns to God. The opening verses of Psalm 18 are illustrative: I will love You O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies (1-3).

This presents an affirmation of the constant and loving presence of God in our lives. It offers also a clear indication that our souls and our lives are forever secure with Him, and at the same time a recognition of our need to cry out to Him in love and in faith. The Lord God is the one who can help, who will come to our aid, who will deliver us from destruction and death.

Through His presence, our trust in His divine help, and our praise of Him, we are led away from despair into the confidence and joy of salvation and victory. Once again, consider the manner by which this was plainly evident for the Psalmist as expressed in the verses of Psalm 34: I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth…(1) I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears…(4) This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles…(6) God’s presence and the security that we find in Him lead us to praise Him and to offer a witness of His salvation. This is a witness both to other believers who are united with us in the Church and to all of humankind, a testimony of faith in God, of what is true, of what will stand forever. It is a proclamation of confidence and trust in God that rests upon promises of life more powerful than anything in the universe.

Experiencing this security in God changes our lives, and gives hope to others in our world who are longing for the sense of security that the Psalmist so eloquently articulated in his 23rd Psalm, likening the Lord’s pastoral care and guidance to that of a good shepherd: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (4-6) What has God done? What will He uphold until we are secured eternally in heaven? He has delivered us. He has placed us upon the rock of faith. He has given us a refuge of peace. He has built around us an impenetrable wall of holiness that repels evil and even death itself. He leads us to still waters. He has sacrificed himself so that we might be free to enter into the marvelous life and light of his glory. He offers us constant peace and assurance in the midst of a very complex and challenging world.

May the words of the Psalmist become your words. When you find yourself in despair, turn in faith to the One who loves you and who will save you. God loves you, and His Kingdom is at hand. He will deliver you and come to your aid. In Him you will find peace, security, and the assurance that comes from knowing that He is offering you life, forever. spiritual journey.

Pope John Paul II made great strides towards healing (the Jubilee Celebration in Rome), which included apologies for the past wrongs of the Catholic Church (the Inquisition, the Crusades, and also apologies for wrongs committed

against Orthodox churches and peoples throughout their history), yet the new pope chooses to revisit old wounds. The Catholic Church also has a long-standing tradition of converting Eastern Orthodox Christians to Byzantine Catholics, placing 

11

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

Archiepiscopal Encyclical

Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross 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 Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, On this glorious feast of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross we are guided through the worship of our Holy Orthodox Church to contemplate the great victory accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ, "the pioneer and perfector of our Faith", as He is described in the twelfth chapter of the Epistle to Hebrews. The opening verses of this chapter present to us, in very applicable ways for our modern life, a set of distinct visual images that describe the endurance and victory of Christ and its meaning for our salvation.

As we face the challenges of life, for example, we are exhorted "to run with perseverance the race that is set before us" (12:1). We are encouraged to "lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us …"(12:1).

We are called to consider the One who experienced tremendous hostility through His suffering and through the Cross, so that we do not "become weary and discouraged in our souls” (12:3). Through the endurance of Christ on the Cross we can find strength for living and hope for salvation.

The endurance of our faith in God and our commitment to His will are essential in a world that is filled with obstacles, hindrances, and threats to life and truth. Many people today are weighted down with the cares and burdens of this life, with spiritual, physical and emotional challenges that may seem insurmountable. Many face temptations and are ensnared by sin and unhealthy addictions that keep them from knowing a deeper experience and understanding of God’s blessings and presence.

In the face of this we can look to the endurance of Jesus Christ and be reminded of His triumph when we gaze upon the Precious and Life-Giving Cross. By the power of His Cross, we can be assured of the protection, peace, and victory that will come to us through our faith in Him. When we speak of this feast of our Church and of endurance, we particularly remember those who have answered the call to priestly service in the kingdom of God. It is our tradition on this day to offer our prayers and support for our seminarians at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Mass., in recognition of the commitment they have made to the path of ministry.

This is the path of the Cross, a path that requires great endurance through the challenges that come with the care of souls and pastoral leadership of communities of faith in our contemporary age. Let us offer on this day our prayers and our contributions of support to our seminary, that those who have answered the sacred calling of the Lord to follow Him will have continued strength and endurance to keep their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus during their time of preparation.

As they look to Him and carry the Cross of service, may they be assured that victory will come through the transformation of lives and the salvation of souls.

My beloved, as we gather in commemoration of the Cross and in worship of our victorious Lord and Savior who offered Himself for us, may we find strength in one another and hope from those who have finished the race and gone before us.

Their examples of faith and endurance affirm the power of the Cross to lead us to victory and to an eternity of life and peace with God. With paternal love in Christ,

† Archbishop Demetrios of America



them under papal authority and securing dues payment to the Catholic Church.

Also interesting is the fact that Pope Benedict uses the Greek word “ecclesial” to describe the other communities of Christians. There is another Greek word that aptly applies to this discussion “amartia”. Translated from the original Greek of the New Testament into the English word sin, it in fact does not mean sin as such. It literally means “missing the mark”.

With all due respect, in lieu of all the internal wounds within the Roman Catholic Church, both historically and in a contemporary context, in reasserting the spiritual supremacy of the Roman Catholic

Church and in the assertion that other Christian denominations are not true churches or are defective, “missing the mark” seems an appropriate description.

However, another word is a beautiful word; catholic. Taken in its original context and in its original translation, it literally means “wholeness”. In the creed, when Orthodox Christians recite “one holy, catholic, and apostolic church”, we are referring to the wholeness and unity of the church. Through these words, we are acknowledging the spiritual unity of all Christians. This is a focus that would be healing for all Christians and most certainly; right on the mark.

Zaharati Morfesis Haddon Township, N.J.

12

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

ORTHODOX OBSERVER UNDER CONSTRUCTION The new home for St. Catherine’s Church, formerly located in Quincy, Mass., is now being built in nearby Braintree with completion slated for sometime next spring. The complex, located on six acres near the intersection of three major highways, Interstate 93, Route 3 and Route 128, consists of an 8,000 square foot Byzantine-style church designed by architect Christ Kamages; and a 12,000 square foot community center. The effort is being led by Fr. Alkiviadis Calivas, retired professor at Holy Cross School of Theology who is currently pastoring the parish.

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BROOKLINE, Mass. – To commemorate the 85th anniversary of the "Smyrna Catastrophe," the Maliotis Cultural Center held an extraordinary cultural program Sept. 20-23.

Among the events, the special exhibit "Towards a New Homeland, 1922: From Asia Minor to Greece," a display of 60 photographs excerpted from a recent exhibit at the Hellenic Parliament, was presented for the first time outside Greece.

The program included the following events: On Sept. 20, Nyfes, the 2004 awardwinning Greek film directed by Pantelis Voulgaris starring Victoria Haralabidou and Damian Lewis was shown. Set in 1922, it tells the story of a mail-order bride, one of 700 sailing from Europe to the United States aboard the SS King Alexander, who falls in love with an American photographer. She, however, is bound for her new husband while he is on his way home to a failed marriage.

On Sept. 21, the world premiere of SMYRNE, a dramatic stage production with music, explored the themes of genocide and population displacement through the prism of the Asia Minor Catastrophe of 1922. It included testimonies of survivors and stories of refugees interwoven with the remarkable songs of the time. It was constructed and directed by Yannis Simonides in collaboration with Grigoris Maninakis and the Microkosmos Ensemble.

On Sept. 22 a multi-media presentation by historian Angelos Athanasopoulos

covered the politics and events in the aftermath of the Asia Minor Catastrophe.

The presentation “The Uprooting of the Asia Minor Greeks,” included an archival film and photographs highlighting an historical documentary produced by National Geographic.

Integrating traditional instruments of Asia Minor (including the kanonaki, politiki lyra and oud), Meraklides, a fivemember ensemble of formally trained musicians and vocalists from the East and West coasts, played together in concert for the first time.

SAVE THE DATE 39th Clergy Laity Congress

July 12-18, 2008

Marriott Wardman Park Hotel Washington, DC Information to follow in our upcoming issues

13

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

Indescribable IV Experience

T

HE SLOGAN “Ionian Village—Faith and friendships that last a life time” appeared in all the pamphlets I was reading for Ionian Village, before the summer. I never imagined then how true this would end up being.

by Vassiliki Z. Papagermanos

On July 24, 2007, I boarded a plane to Greece with about 100 other young GreekAmericans from all over the country. Even after getting acquainted with some of the other campers during the flight, we landed at the Athens airport tired and unsure of what this Ionian Village experience was going to be like. Leaving the airport with a group of enthusiastic counselors, we embarked on our long and hot drive to Bartholomio, where –as it would turn out – we would have some of the most amazing and memorable experiences of our lives.

Everyone who went to Ionian Village will tell you a different reason they loved it. Some will tell you they loved the trips, others will tell you they loved Orthodox Life (a catechetical discussion period), some others loved the nutella breakfasts, Kyria Sofia’s home cooking, or the fun early-morning ferry rides… Oh yes, they loved it – we all loved it.

During our time at Ionian Village, we took many trips to different historical and religious places in Greece. We visited the Corinth Canal, where we learned how this canal shortened trade routes; Ancient Olympia, where we all got sweaty running on the dirt track in the dead heat; The Hlemoutsi Castle build by the Villehardouins in the 11th century; the island of Zakynthos, where we venerated the relics of Saint Dionysios; the beautiful island of Kefalonia, where we traveled to the monastery where the sacred relic of Saint Gerasimos remains intact and fragrant for the blessing of the devout; the city of Patras, where we visited the relics of Saint Andrew, Kalavrita, Delphi, the Acropolis, and the Saint Nektarios Shrine in the island of Aegina. We didn’t even realize how much we were learning during the long bus and ferry rides, because we were having fun at the same time.

One thing I remember complaining about, before I actually got to camp, was the fact that we would have to go to chapel every morning and evening. I thought that we would stand there for an hour each time and that it would be very repetitive.

Now, I actually miss the short services in the outdoor chapel. I went to church when I got back and I was surprised that I now knew a lot of the hymns. The almost constant praying we did at Ionian Village brought me a lot closer to God, and I find myself praying a lot more than before.

What also helped me understand and come closer to God, was the amazing staff and clergy that surrounded me. I’m sure that my fellow campers would agree that Fr. Constantine Lazarakis was the coolest, best director possible. Personally, I also think that Jason Roll is one of the most inspirational and enlightening men I’ve ever met. I believe that he will be an incredible priest. He was my cabin’s Orthodox Life leader. I can honestly say that during OL, I felt the most open with everyone else. We could talk about anything and it wouldn’t be awkward or uncomfortable. In particular, I remember something that Jason said that really made an impact on me, and on some of the other girls. He said that God is always around us, and if we look hard enough we can always find Him. Now, I always look for a cross somewhere or something that shows how God is with me. What separated the clergy of Ionian

...a personal account Village from other clergy was their true devotion to the camp. One could notice immediately how seriously they took their job, and how much fun they had doing it as well. Each of them truly cared about every camper.

When we first got to Ionian Village, all the counselors did a skit for us. They told us we had to drop our “cool cards” if we wanted to get into “club IV.” Literally, they meant that we couldn’t be preoccupied about how others saw us, but we should have fun, even if what we were doing wasn’t “cool.” I know that I, along with probably the rest of the camp, joked about this, but this enabled us to have such fun together without worrying about what others thought. It was like all of us had become one great family. And of course, everyone was so enthusiastic to get their “cool card” back at the end of camp, even if they had claimed they burned it.

We did so many cool activities everyday. The “Junkyard Wars” were fun because it was the first time we were cheering for our cabin as a whole. Even if we lost the race, it still was the first time we fought all together for something. I will never forget the dances we had at Ionian Village. The first thing that comes to my mind, when I think about it is the Holy Spirit. We were told that we had to have room for the Holy Spirit between us when we danced. Of course, people put on signs that said “Holy Spirit” and

danced between people, but that made everything just as fun. Other activities included the sandcastle wars, the Panigiri, the Musicfest, the bonfire, Game-show Night, Saint skits, the Olympics, and Nights with God. During each of these, we were all able to cheer for our cabins and admire everyone’s special talents, whether they were singing, dancing, doing a million pushups without breaking a sweat, or keeping a beetle on your body for more than a minute without freaking out.

My favorite night of all has to be the second Night with God. Night with God was always on a Saturday, before Divine Liturgy. We wouldn’t do anything too exciting, but instead we would do something calmer. On this second Night with God, all the lights were turned off throughout the camp, and everyone lied down in the amphitheater and looked up at the stars in silence. No one spoke a word, and you could hardly hear anyone breathing. All that could be heard throughout the camp was crickets chirping on the calming beat of the waves at the seashore. I was amazed at how beautiful and peaceful everything could be.

The stars twinkled and danced in triumph and it was as if God was smiling down at all of us. I even saw three shooting stars.

After five minutes or so Evan, one of the

counselors, spoke. He said something that I will never forget. He said, “I can feel the love between everyone tonight.

There is so much love.” I remember that feeling so well, and Evan was so true. All of us had become like a family, and it was then that I realized how hard it would be to leave them.

And indeed, it was hard. The farewell dinner, on the rooftop of the Metropolitan Hotel, in Athens, was one of the saddest days of the camp session. A couple of friends and I even cried when Father Constantine said that it was the last prayer we would do all together. That night, we ate, we danced, we took pictures, and we said some of our tear-filled goodbyes.

I asked a friend of mine from camp, Maria Manis, if she could describe Ionian Village in one word, what would that one word be? “Indescribable,” she said. She was so right. There are not enough words in the English or Greek language to describe how a group of kids from America, went to Greece, basked in its beauty, connected with God and each other, and became a family.

There is a German proverb that says, “Those who live in the Lord never see each other for the last time.” We grew closer than I could have imagined. We laughed together, we cried together, we lived, and breathed together. If someone saw us all together, they would never have guessed that we had only known each other for three weeks. Amazing.

Vassiliki (Vicky) Papagermanos is a 15-year old student attending Townsend Harris High School in New York.

The “Chios” cabin following an Orthodox Life session under the pine trees.

The 2007 second session Ionian Village family.

14

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

Greek Insight Daily Newspaper for Greeks of Diaspora

HELLENIC REFLECTIONS

ON AIR - Tuesday July 24 2007!

Stay informed on events that are shaping Greece in the 21st century. Wherever you are make sure to check on the Greek Insight Portal of HELLENIC REFLECTIONS: www.greekinsight.gr, www.greekinsight.com The only official bilingual Portal on News from Greece

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ΕΤΟΣ 72 • ΑΡΙΘΜΟΣ 1233

ΣΕΠΤΕΜΒΡΙΟΣ – ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΣ 2007

40 ΧΡΟΝΙΑ ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΙΚΗΣ ∆ΙΑΚΟΝΙΑΣ ΤΟΥ ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΥ ∆ΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ ΝΕΑ ΥΟΡΚΗ – Σαράντα χρόνια Αρχιεπισκοπικής διακονίας του Σεβασμιωτάτου Αρχιεπισκόπου Αμερικής κ. Δημητρίου συμπληρώθηκαν φέτος από την ημέρα της εις επίσκοπον χειροτονίας του στο Μητροπολιτικό Ναό Αθηνών στις 17 Σεπτεμβρίου 1967.

ôïõ ÓÔÁÕÑÏÕ Ç. ÐÁÐÁÃÅÑÌÁÍÏÕ Το πλήρωμα της Ιεράς Αρχιεπισκοπής, η Ομογένεια της Αμερικής, γιορτάζει την επέτειο αυτή με πολλές εκδηλώσεις αγάπης και σεβασμού προς τον σεπτό ποιμενάρχη της, ο οποίος τις ίδιες αυτές ημέρες συμπλήρωσε οκτώ χρόνια από την ενθρόνισή του στις 18 Σεπτεμβρίου 1999, στην πηδαλιουχία της Αρχιεπισκοπής Αμερικής Διακόσια περίπου παιδιά, μαθητές και μαθήτριες των ελληνικών σχολείων της Αρχιεπισκοπής, συγκεντρώθηκαν από νωρίς το πρωί του Σαββάτου 15 Σεπτεμβρίου, έξω από τον Καθεδρικό Ναό της Αγίας Τριάδος στο Μανχάτταν και επεφύλαξαν θερμή υποδοχή στον Αρχιεπίσκοπο. Στην Αρχιερατική Θεία Λειτουργία που ακολούθησε προεξάρχοντος του Αρχιεπισκόπου Δημητρίου, συλλειτούργησαν οι ιεράρχες της Ιεράς Επαρχιακής Συνόδου Μητροπολίτες Πιτσβούργου Μάξιμος, Ατλάντας Αλέξιος, Ντιτρόϊτ Νικόλαος και Νέας Ιερσέης Ευάγγελος καθώς και οι Επίσκοποι Ξάνθου Δημήτριος και Φασιανής Αντώνιος. Ο πρωτοσύγκελος της Ιεράς Αρχιεπισκοπής Επίσκοπος Τρωάδος Σάββας ανέγνωσε συγχαρητήρια επιστολή του Οικουμενικού Πατριάρχη κ. Βαρθολομαίου και μίλησε με πολύ συγκίνηση για την επέτειο και τη σημασία της. Στην επιστολή του ο Οικουμενικός

D. PANAGOS

ΕΙΣ ΠΟΛΛΑ ΕΤΗ ΔΕΣΠΟΤΑ, ευχήθηκε στον Αρχιεπίσκοπο με ποιήματα και τραγούδια μια μεγάλη ομάδα μαθητών των Ελληνοαμερικανικών σχολείων που παρευρέθηκε στις εκδηλώσεις για τα 40 χρόνια Αρχιερατικής διακονίας του.

Πατριάρχης αφού εκφράζει τα ένθερμα συγχαρητήριά του αναφέρει χαρακτηριστικά: «Προικισθείς παρά Θεού διά πολλών πνευματικών χαρισμάτων και σπανίας μορφώσεως, αλλά κυρίως βιώσας ως ακάματος εργάτης εμπράκτου αγάπης, αρετής και φιλανθρωπίας, δικαίως εκερδήσατε την αγάπην και τον σεβασμόν όλων, όσοι είχον την ευλογίαν να γνωρίσουν την υμετέραν Ιερότητα εκ του σύνεγγυς, κατά το διάστημα της διαρρευσάσης τεσσαρακονταετίας θεοφιλούς Επισκοπικής διακονίας». Μια ευχάριστη έκπληξη ήταν η παρουσία στη Θεία Λειτουργία του Επισκόπου Ζαρέσκ Μερκουρίου, επιτρόπου των

ενοριών του Πατριαρχείου Μόσχας στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες, ο οποίος μετά την απόλυση ανέγνωσε συγχαρητήριο μήνυμα του προέδρου εξωτερικών σχέσεων του Πατριαρχείου Μόσχας, Μητροπολίτου Σμολένσκ και Καλινινγκράντ Κυρίλλου. Η ρωσική αντιπροσωπεία επέδωσε στον Αρχιεπίσκοπο Δημήτριο ως δώρο ανάγλυφη αναπαράσταση των ναών του Κρεμλίνου. Μετά τη Θεία Λειτουργία οι μαθητές και οι μαθήτριες που είχαν συγκεντρωθεί σε παρακείμενη αίθουσα τελετών, παρέθεσαν σύντομη εκδήλωση αγάπης προς τον Αρχιεπίσκοπο με ποιήματα και τραγούδια. Ακολούθησε δεξίωση κατά τη

διάρκεια της οποίας ο Σεβασμιώτατος μίλησε για την ανάμνηση των δύσκολων εκείνων ημερών της χειροτονίας του, για τις πλούσιες παρά Θεώ ευλογίες των τελευταίων οκτώ ετών και ευχαρίστησε τον παρευρισκόμενο κλήρο και λαό για τις ευχές και την αγάπη τους. Ανήμερα της επετείου της εις επίσκοπον χειροτονίας του, Δευτέρα 17 Σεπτεμβρίου, ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Δημήτριος προεξήρχε της Θείας Λειτουργίας στον Ιερό Ναό του Αγίου Νικολάου στο Φλάσινγκ της Νέας Υόρκης όπου και χειροτόνησε εις πρεσβύτερον τον διάκονο Θεοφάνη Παπαντώνη και δέχθηκε τις ευχές του πιστού λαού.

Τρία εκατομμύρια στο ταμείο της Αρχιεπισκοπής για την ανακούφιση των πυροπαθών Η Οµογένεια συµµετέχει στον πόνο της Γενέτειρας ΝΕΑ ΥΟΡΚΗ – Οι εκτεταμένες και καταστρεπτικές πυρκαγιές που έπληξαν πολλές περιοχές της Ελλάδος στα τέλη Αυγούστου συγκίνησαν τον απανταχού Ελληνισμό και ιδιαίτερα στην Ομογένεια της Αμερικής, αλλά και ένα μεγάλο μέρος του ευρύτερου Αμερικανικού κοινού. Η Ιερά Αρχιεπισκοπή Αμερικής με πρωτοβουλία του Αρχιεπισκόπου Δημητρίου προέβη αμέσως στην ίδρυση ειδικού ταμείου βοήθειας των πυροπαθών με την επωνυμία «Greek Fire Relief Fund», το οποίο μέχρι το τέλος Σεπτεμβρίου είχε συλλέξει το ποσό των τριών εκατομμυρίων δολαρίων. Ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Δημήτριος από την πρώτη στιγμή απέστειλε μήνυμα στον πρόεδρο της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας Κάρολο Παπούλια και στον πρωθυπουργό Κώστα Καραμανλή εκφράζοντας εκ μέρους των πιστών της Ι. Αρχιεπισκοπής Αμερικής και της Ομογενείας την βαθειά λύπη και την ολόψυχη συμμετοχή των στην οδύνη της τρομακτικής τραγωδίας που έπληξε τη χώρα.

Παράλληλα ο Σεβασμιώτατος συνεκάλεσε επείγουσα συνεδρίαση των επιτελικών συμβούλων και αρμοδίων της Αρχιεπισκοπής προκειμένου να κινητοποιηθούν οι δυνάμεις της Αρχιεπισκοπής και της ευρύτερης κοινότητας για την αντιμετώπισή των. «Βιώνουμε απίστευτες απώλειες ανθρώπινης ζωής και περιουσιών καθώς και στοιχείων που συνέθεταν τη ζωή αμέτρητων συνανθρώπων μας οι οποίοι θα χρειασθούν βοήθεια για πολλά χρόνια για να ανακάμψουν απ’ αυτή τη συμφορά» δήλωσε ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος. «Η Ελλάδα, γενέτειρα της δημοκρατίας, ο τόπος στον οποίο γεννήθηκαν οι Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες, ο ακρογωνιαίος λίθος του Δυτικού Πολιτισμού, βιώνει κατα-

 óåë. 16

Η καταστροφή, η απελπισία και η απόγνωση δεν άφησαν παρά μόνο το σκελετό του ναού στο χωριό Γκραίκα της επαρχίας Ολυμπίας του νομού Ηλείας. Ο ιερέας του χωριού στέκεται στην Ωραία Πύλη αποσβωλομένος.

16

ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΠΑΡΑΤΗΡΗΤΗΣ

ΣΕΠΤΕΜΒΡΙΟΣ – ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΣ 2007

Σύσκεψη του Αρχιεπισκόπου ∆ημητρίου με ομογενειακούς φορείς ΣΥΝΤΟΝΙΣΜΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΒΟΗΘΕΙΑΣ ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΥΣ ΠΥΡΟΠΑΘΕΙΣ ΝΕΑ ΥΟΡΚΗ – Ο Σεβασμιώτατος Αρχιεπίσκοπος Αμερικής κ. Δημήτριος συγκάλεσε τη Δευτέρα 24 Σεπτεμβρίου, στην έδρα της Ιεράς Αρχιεπισκοπής σύσκεψη των φορέων – οργανισμών της Ομογένειας με σκοπό την αλληλοενημέρωση και τον συντονισμό της βοήθειας προς τους πυροπαθείς των προσφάτων καταστρεπτικών πυρκαγιών στην Ελλάδα. Ο Σεβασμιώτατος ενημέρωσε τους επικεφαλής των οργανώσεων για την μέχρι τώρα δράση της Ιεράς Αρχιεπισκοπής, την ενημερωτική και διαφημιστική εκστρατεία, τις ενέργειες των Αρχιεπισκοπικών οργανισμών, των Μητροπόλεων και των κατά τόπους ενοριών και το ποσόν που έως τώρα συγκεντρώθηκε και ξεπερνά τα 2,7 εκατομμύρια δολάρια ενώ ακόμα δεν έχουν καταμετρηθεί τα ποσά των εράνων που πραγματοποιήθηκαν στις ενορίες της Αρχιεπισκοπής. Στη σ υνέχεια ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος ενημερώθηκε από τους παρευρισκομένους επικεφαλής των οργανώσεων για τις κατ’ ιδίαν πρωτοβουλίες τους και τα μέχρι τώρα αποτελέσματα. Μετά το τέλος της συσκέψεως ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Δημήτριος αναφερόμενος στο σκοπό της συσκέψεως δήλωσε: «Θέλαμε να ξέραμε όλοι όσοι έχουμε αναμειχθεί είτε ως ΣΑΕ, είτε ως ΑΧΕΠΑ, είτε ως ομοσπονδίες, τι έχει γίνει μέχρι στιγμής από πλευράς ενεργείας και συλλογής χρημάτων αλλά και τι υπάρχει ως πρόθεση. Ήταν μια πληροφοριακή συ-

ETA PRESS

Οι επικεφαλής των φορέων και των οργανώσεων που συμμετείχαν στη σύσκεψη.

νάντηση. Τι έγινε ως τώρα από πλευράς αριθμών εάν έχουν ήδη σταλεί χρήματα ή κάτι άλλο και τι υπάρχει στη συνέχεια ώστε να μη σβήσει αυτή η προσπάθεια, διότι όσο απομακρυνόμεθα από τα γεγονότα η μνήμη αδυνατεί και οι αντιδράσεις δεν είναι τόσο δυνατές, ενώ θέλουμε να συνεχίσουμε, διότι οι ανάγκες είναι τεράστιες». «Θα υπάρξει συνεργασία με όλους τους φορείς, ο Επίσκοπος Φασιανής Αντώνιος είναι στη διάθεση όλων, να δώσει στοιχεία και ότι χρειάζεται. Έχει σημασία να κατευθυνθούν τα ποσά με το σωστό τρόπο». Σε ερώτηση δημοσιογράφου αν ζητήθηκε από την Αρχιεπισκοπή να διατεθούν τα ποσά που συγκέντρωσαν

ÅÉÄÉÊÅÓ ÐÑÏÓÖÏÑÅÓ Áíá÷ùñÞóåéò 1 Íïåìâñßïõ 2007 Ýùò 31 Ìáñôßïõ 2008

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ΑΠΟ

1,580

Éó÷ýïõí åéäéêÝò ôéìÝò áðü 192 ðüëåéò ôùí ÇÐÁ Ìå $140 ðåôÜôå óå ïðïéïäÞðïôå óçìåßï åíôüò ÅëëÜäïò Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες αποτανθείτε στον ταξιδιωτικό σας πράκτορα ή στις Ολυμπιακές Αερογραμμές

Above fares do not include gonernment taxes, fees or fuel surcharges which are approximately $293.50 and fluctuate according to exchange rates.

1-800-223-1226 • www.olympicairlines.com

οι άλλοι οργανισμοί δια μέσου του Ταμείου της Αρχιεπισκοπής ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος απάντησε κατηγορηματικά: «Όχι, ούτε ζήτησα ούτε θα το ζητήσουμε, σεβόμεθα την αυτονομία και τη δυνατότητα των διαφόρων οργανισμών μας να κάνουν αυτό που θεωρούν σωστό. Είναι θέμα εκδηλώσεως αγάπης για

τον άνθρωπο και τον χώρο που καταστράφηκε κι έχει πολύ συναισθηματική φόρτιση. Λοιπόν πρέπει να υπάρχει ελευθερία να διατεθούν σωστά και γι’ αυτό είπαμε ότι θα έχουμε την πληροφόρηση για το που υπάρχουν συγκεκριμένες ειδικές ανάγκες ώστε να ενεργήσουμε αναλόγως». Στη συνάντηση με τον Αρχιεπίσκοπο συμμετείχαν οι: Επίσκοπος Φασιανής Αντώνιος, διευθυντής του Γραφείου Φιλανθρωπιών της Αρχιεπισκοπής, Άϊκ Γκούλας, ύπατος πρόεδρος της ΑΧΕΠΑ, Θεόδωρος Σπυρόπουλος, συντονιστής του ΣΑΕ Αμερικής, Φίλιπ Κρίστοφερ, πρόεδρος του Παγκυπρίου και της ΠΣΕΚΑ, Μανώλης Βεληβασάκης, πρόεδρος του Ελλημερικανικού Εθνικού Συμβουλίου και της Παγκρητικής, Mathew Parry, εκπρόσωπος του οργανισμού IOCC, Ηλίας Τσεκερίδης, πρόεδρος της Πανποντιακής, Δημήτριος Καλαμαράς, αντιπρόεδρος της Ομοσπονδίας Ελληνικών Σωματείων Νέας Υόρκης, Δημήτρης Καυχίτσας, πρόεδρος της PanGregorian Ν.Υ. και Αναστάσιος Μάνεσης πρώην πρόεδρος της ίδιας οργάνωσης, Φώτης Γερασόπουλος και Σωτήρης Πρώϊος, εκπρόσωποι της Παμμακεδονικής, Χρήστος Βουρνάς εκ μέρους της Παναρκαδικής και Τάκης Νικολόπουλος, εκπρόσωπος της Παλλακωνικής.

Η Οµογένεια συµµετέχει στον πόνο της Γενέτειρας  óåë. 15 στροφές άνευ προηγουμένου. Περισσότερα από 2.400.000 στρέμματα δάσους και αγρότοπων μετατράπηκαν σε στάχτη και περισσότεροι από 61 συνάνθρωποί μας έχασαν τη ζωή των μέχρι τώρα. Είναι ιερό καθήκον και υποχρέωσή μας να προσφέρουμε οποιαδήποτε βοήθεια μπορούμε κατά την κρισιμότατη αυτή στιγμή», συνέχισε ο Σεβασμιώτατος. Η Επαρχιακή Σύνοδος της Ιεράς Αρχιεπισκοπής εξέδωσε ειδική εγκύκλιο-έκκληση προς τις ενορίες για να διενεργήσουν ειδικούς εράνους για την ενίσχυση των πυροπαθών. Συγχρόνως η Αρχιεπισκοπή προχώρησε σε ολοσέλιδες καταχωρήσεις στις εφημερίδες New York Times, USA Today, Chicago Tribune και Los Angeles Times οι οποίες περιελάμβαναν φωτογραφία του αγάλματος της Φτερωτής Νίκης στην Ολυμπία που απειλήθηκε από τις φλόγες, και καλούσαν το ευρύ αμερικανικό κοινό να βοηθήσει «τη γενέτειρα

της δημοκρατίας» και να συνεισφέρει στο ταμείο υπέρ των πυροπαθών. (βλ. σελ. 32) Από όλα τα μέρη της χώρας και από όλα τα κοινωνικά και οικονομικά στρώματα η ανταπόκριση συνεχίζει να είναι εντυπωσιακή. Χαρακτηριστικές είναι οι δύο μεγάλες προσφορές της κυρίας Μαίρης Τζαχάρη από τη Νέα Υόρκη και του ζεύγους Άλεξ και Φαίης Σπανού από την Καλιφόρνια που η κάθε μια ανέρχεται στο ένα εκατομμύριο δολάρια. Ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Δημήτριος όρισε ειδική επιτροπή για τη διαχείριση του Ταμείου και την διάθεση των χρηματικών ποσών με τον καλύτερο δυνατό τρόπο. Η επιτροπή της οποίας προεδρεύει ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος αποτελείται από τους Μιχαήλ Τζαχάρη, Γεωργία Σκιαδά, Γεώργιο Μπεχράκη, Αντώνιο Λυμπεράκη, Πίτερ Κίκη, και Άντριου Νάτσιο. Υπεύθυνος συντονιστής της επιτροπής ταμείου ορίστηκε ο Επίσκοπος Φασιανής Αντώνιος, διεθυντής του Τμήματος Φιλανθρωπιών της Αρχιεπισκοπής.

Γεύση από Ελλάδα στα καταστήµατα Balducci’s ΝΕΑ ΥΟΡΚΗ – Οι ελληνικές γεύσεις προωθούνται στο ευρύ αμερικανικό κοινό μέσω μιας νέας πρωτοβουλίας και συνεργασίας των Γραφείων Οικονομικών και Εμπορικών Υποθέσεων της Ελλάδος στις ΗΠΑ και των καταστημάτων Balducci’s. Πρόεκειται για ένα ελληνικό εικοσαήμερο στα μέσα Οκτωβρίου με τίτλο «Γεύση της Ελλάδας», στα 10 καταστήματα τροφίμων της εκλεκτής αλυσίδας στην Ουάσινγκτον, στη Νέα Υόρκη και στις πολιτείες Βιρτζίνια, Μέριλαντ και Κονέκτικατ. Άγνωστες στο ευρύ κοινό λιχουδιές με πλούσια γεύση από Ελλάδα, αλλά και πατροπαράδοτα προϊόντα με τη σφραγίδα του «νέου» πρόκειται να γοητεύσουν τους Αμερικανούς καταναλωτές.

Το κάθε κατάστημα Balducci’s οργανώνει προγράμματα γευσιγνωσίας ελ ληνικών προϊόντων κάθε Σάββατο 11-2 ενώ θα υπάρχει πλήρης γραστρονομικός κατάλογος εμπνευσμένος από την Ελλάδα στα τμήματα ετοίμων εδεσμάτων. Διοργανώνονται επίσης επιδείξεις μαγειρικής και ετοιμασίας εδεσμάτων από τους διακεκριμένους σεφ γνωστών εστιατορίων όπως το “Zatinya” της Ουάσινγκτον, “Barbounia” της Νέας Υόρκης και “Columbus Park Trattoria” του Γουέστπορτ του Κονέκτικατ. Μετά το τέλος του εικοσαημέρου, θα υπάρξει κλήρωση για εξαήμερο ταξίδι στην Αθήνα για δύο άτομα. Περισσότερες πληροφορίες στο δικτυακό τόπο www.balduccis.com.

17

ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΠΑΡΑΤΗΡΗΤΗΣ ORTHODOX OBSERVER

ΣΕΠΤΕΜΒΡΙΟΣ – ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΣ 2007

Πρόγευµα του δηµάρχου της Νέας Υόρκης προς τιµήν του Αρχιεπισκόπου ∆ηµητρίου

ETA PRESS

Στο στιγμιότυπο από την τελετή της κοπής της κορδέλας των εγκαινίων διακρίνονται μεταξύ άλλων από αριστερά: η κ. Λέσλι Γκρός (town clerk – Town of Hempstead), Τίνα Χάνδρα, Πολ Σταθουλόπουλος. Εμμανουήλ Πολυχρονάκης, Γιάννης Κυριακόπουλος, Ζωή Κουτσουπάκη, Λουίζ Φισμαν και Λαντ Οντιέρνα (Williston Park Village Mayor). ΔΗΜ. ΠΑΝΑΓΟΣ

Στο πρόγευμα του δημάρχου Bloomberg (από αριστερά) ο γεν. πρόξενος της Κύπρου στη Νέα Υόρκη Ανδρ. Παναγιώτου, ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Δημήτριος, ο κ. Bloomberg, ο επίσκοπος Stephen P. Bouman, η γεν. πρόξενος της Ελλάδος στη Νέα Υόρκη Αικ. Μπούρα και ο Ρωμαιοκαθολικός Αρχιεπίσκοπος της Νέας Υόρκης Καρδινάλιος Edward Egan.

ΝΕΑ ΥΟΡΚΗ.– Ο δήμαρχος της Νέας Υόρκης Michael Bloomberg, συμμετέχων στον εορτασμό της επετείου των 40 χρόνων αρχιερατικής διακονίας του Αρχιεπισκόπου Δημητρίου, παρέθεσε στις 25 Σεπτεμβρίου πρόγευμα προς τιμήν του, στην επίσημη δημαρχιακή κατοικία Gracie Mansion, παρουσία πολλών θρησκευτικών ηγετών της Νέας Υόρκης και άλλων επισήμων προσκεκλημένων. Στη προσφώνησή του προς τον Αρχιεπίσκοπο ο δήμαρχος Bloomberg περιέλαβε και την διαβεβαίωση ότι η πόλη της Νέας Υόρκης στέκεται αλλυλέγγυη στους πυροπαθείς, θύματα των πρόσφατων καταστρεπτικών πυρκαϊών στην Ελλάδα. Αναφερόμενος στον Σεβασμιώτατο, τον συνεχάρη για την τεσσαρακοστή επέτειο της επισκοπικής του διακονίας, λέγοντας ότι δεν είναι μόνο καλός φίλος, αλ λά αποτελεί πυξίδα ηθικής για τον ίδιο και τους κατοίκους της Νέας Υόρκης. Επί πλέον ο δήμαρχος της Νέας Υόρκης ευχαρίστησε τον Αρχιεπίσκοπο για την εμπνευσμένη και καθοριστική ηγεσία και ηθική συμπαράστασή του την περίοδο αμέσως μετά

την 11η Σεπτεμβρίου, σημειώνοντας ότι η Αρχιεπισκοπή και οι αρχές της Νέας Υόρκης βρίσκονται στην τελική ευθεία για την ρύθμιση των παραμέτρων για την ανοικοδόμηση του Ναού του Αγίου Νικολάου στο Ground Zero. Ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Δημήτριος ευχαρίστησε θερμά τον δήμαρχο Bloomberg για την εξαιρετική τιμή και τη φιλοξενία, και πρόσθεσε ότι αισθάνεται ευγνωμοσύνη προς τον Θεό για τα 40 χρόνια αρχιερατικής διακονίας που του χάρισε, και ιδιαίτερα για τα μέχρι τούδε οκτώ χρόνια αρχιεπισκοπικής προσφοράς στην Αμερική. Στο πρόγευμα παρευρέθηκαν μεταξύ άλλων ο Ρωμαιοκαθολικός Αρχιεπίσκοπος της Νέας Υόρκης Καρδινάλιος Edward Egan, ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος της Αρμενικής Εκκλησίας στην Αμερική Khajag Barsamian, ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος της Συριακής Ορθοδόξου Αρχιεπισκοπής Cyril Aphrem Karim, o αποστολικός Νούντσιο του Βατικανού στα Ηνωμένα Έθνη Αρχιεπίσκοπος Celestino Migliore και ο Επίσκοπος Stephen P. Bouman της Ευαγγελικής Λουθηρανικής Εκκλησίας.

Ο νέος Πατριάρχης Ρουμανίας ∆ανιήλ

Εγκαίνια στην Marathon Bank του Μανχάσετ Τα εγκαίνια του νέου υποκαταστήματος τ ης ομογενειακής Τρά πεζας «Μάραθον» έγιναν πρόσφατα στο Μανχάσετ του Λόνγκ Αϊλαντ, με την συμμετοχή υψηλόβαθμων στελεχών της Μάραθον Μπανκ, θυγατρικής της Τράπεζας Πειραιώς, την οποία εκπροσώπησε ο γενικός διευθυντής κ. Κυριακόπουλος. Το νέο υποκατάστημα βρίσκεται στην διεύθυνση 1577 Northern Blvd και έρχεται να προστεθεί στην αλυσίδα των 14 καταστημάτων της γνωστής για την εξυπηρέτηση και την προσωπική φρο-

ντίδα τόσο του ιδιώτη όσο και του επιχειρηματία καταθέτη ομογενειακής τράπεζας. Παρόντες στα εγκαίνια ο τσέρμαν κ. Πολ Σταθουλόπουλος, ο πρόεδρος κ. Εμμανουήλ Πολυχρονάκης, η Τίνα Χάνδρα (διευθύντρια του δικτύου ΚουίνςΛόνγκ Αϊλαντ), ο εκτελεστικός αντιπρόεδρος κ. Χρήστος Κούτσης και η Ζωή Κουτσουπάκη, (διευθύντρια Μπρούκλιν και Στέιτεν Αϊλαντ). Διευθυντής του νέου υποκαταστήματος είναι ο κ. Νίκος Κωστάκος.

ÍÅÁ ÕÏÑÊÇ-ÁÈÇÍÁ ÊÁÔ’ ÅÕÈÅÉÁÍ ÐÔÇÓÅÉÓ ×ÙÑÉÓ ÓÔÁÈÌÏ ÊÁÉ ÌÅ ÊÁÍÏÍÉÊÁ ÄÑÏÌÏËÏÃÉÁ

ÌÅÔ’ÅÐÉÓÔÑÏÖÇÓ ÁÐÏ

$

ÌÅÔ’ÅÐÉÓÔÑÏÖÇÓ

589 506 ÁÐÏ

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+Tax

Από 1 έως και 30 Σεπτεμβρίου 2007

+Tax

Από 1 έως και 31 Οκτωβρίου 2007

• $85 åðéðëÝïí åðéâÜñõíóç êáõóßìùí ãéá êÜèå äéáäñïìÞ • $30 åðéðëÝïí åðéâÜñõíóç ãéá üóïõò ôáîéäåýïõí ÐáñáóêåõÞ, ÓÜââáôï Þ ÊõñéáêÞ • ÐáéäéÜ 2-11 åôþí ðëçñþíïõí 25% ëéãüôåñï

ΤΗΛΕΦΩΝΕΙΣΤΕ ΜΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΓΙΑ ΑΛΛΕΣ ΕΙ∆ΙΚΕΣ ΠΡΟΣΦΟΡΕΣ • ΥΠΑΡΧΟΥΝ ΠΕΡΙΟΡΙΣΜΟΙ ÍÉÊ. ÌÁÃÃÉÍÁÓ

ΕΝΘΡΟΝΙΣΤΗΚΕ ο νέος Πατριάρχης Ρουμανίας Δανιήλ, στον Πατριαρχικό Ναό του Βουκουρεστίου στις 30 Σεπτεμβρίου. Το Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο εκπροσώπησαν οι Μητροπολίτες Ελβετίας Ιερεμίας (αριστερά) και Σασσίμων Γεννάδιος (δεξιά) και ο πρωτοπρεσβύτερος π. Μύρων από τη Γερμανία. Ο Μητροπολίτης Ελβετίας ανέγνωσε συγχαρητήρια επιστολή του Οικουμενικού Πατριάρχου κ. Βαρθολομαίου στην οποία ο Παναγιώτατος αναφέρθηκε στο πρόσωπο του νέου Πατριάρχου Δανιήλ «ως εγγυητή της συνέχισης του οικουμενικού διαλόγου».

ΤΟ ΓΡΑΦΕΙΟ ΤΗΣ ΣΤΑΘΕΡΟΤΗΤΑΣ ASTORIA OFFICE

34-10 Broadway, Astoria, NY 11106 (718) 932-7800 ■ 1-800-321-1199

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18

ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΠΑΡΑΤΗΡΗΤΗΣ

ΣΕΠΤΕΜΒΡΙΟΣ – ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΣ 2007

«Τη γλώσσα και τα μάτια σας…» Συνέντευξη με τον καθηγητή Γεώργιο Μπαμπινιώτη ôïõ ÓÔÁÕÑÏÕ Ç. ÐÁÐÁÃÅÑÌÁÍÏÕ ΝΕΑ ΥΟΡΚΗ.– Την έδρα της Ιεράς Αρχιεπισκοπής Αμερικής επισκέφθηκε ο πρώην Πρύτανης του Εθνικού Καποδιστριακού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών, καθηγητής γλωσσολογίας Γεώργιος Μπαμπινιώτης ο οποίος είχε συνεργασία με τον Αρχιεπίσκοπο Αμερικής κ. Δημήτριο για εκπαιδευτικά θέματα και πρωτοβουλίες οι οποίες έχουν ήδη δρομολογηθεί. Ο κ. Μπαμπινιώτης έθεσε αφιλοκερδώς τις υπηρεσίες, τις γνώσεις και την μακρά του πείρα στην υπηρεσία της Εκκλησίας και της Ομογένειας για την στήριξη και προαγωγή της Ελληνικής γλώσσας στην Αμερική. Στρατεύθηκε όπως δήλωσε ο ίδιος στην ιδέα και το όραμα του Αρχιεπισκόπου Δημητρίου προς αυτή την κατεύθυνση. Ως πρώτο βήμα ξεκίνησε μια σειρά εκπαιδευτικών σεμιναρίων για τους εκπαιδευτικούς που διδάσκουν ελληνικά με τίτλο «Η διδασκαλία της Ελληνικής ως δεύτερης Γλώσσας, σύμφωνα με τις σύγχρονες μεθόδους της Γλωσσολογίας». Τα σεμινάρια αυτά που οργανώνει το Γραφείο Παιδείας της Ιεράς Αρχιεπισκοπής πραγματοποιούνται με επιτυχία σε διάφορα μέρη της Αμερικής. Ο κ. Μπαμπινιώτης παραχώρησε αποκλειστική συνέντευξη στον Ορθόδοξο Παρατηρητή η οποία ακολουθεί: Σ.Π.: Κύριε καθηγητά, θα ήθελα να μιλήσουμε για το θέμα της γλώσσας. Η γλώσσα, και συγκεκριμένα η ελληνική γλώσσα, νομίζετε ότι είναι καθοριστικός παράγοντας για τον πολιτισμό και για τον προσδιορισμό μιας ταυτότητας ενός ατόμου ή λαού και για τη διατήρηση αυτής της ταυτότητας; Γ. Μπαμπινιώτης: Είναι γνωστό και παραδεδεγμένο από τους γλωσσολόγους και όχι μόνον, ότι η γλώσσα αποτελεί βασικό συστατικό ταυτότητας. Γιατί βεβαίως δεν είναι το μόνο, είναι η καταγωγή, η παράδοση, τα έθιμα, τα ήθη, αλλά είναι κύριο χαρακτηριστικό στοιχείο ταυτότητας. Γι’ αυτό όταν ακούμε κάποιον να μιλάει μια γλώσσα τον ταυτίζουμε με συγκεκριμένη εθνική καταγωγή και εθνική ταυτότητα. Και γι΄αυτό είναι ιδιαίτερα σημαντικό να μαθαίνουν οι Ομογενείς μας τη γλώσσα ως στοιχείο ταυτότητας, αλλά βεβαίως και ως στοιχείο μιας επαφής με μια γλώσσα η οποία έχει μια πολιτιστική και πνευματική παράδοση που έχει σφραγίσει τον σύγχρονο πολιτισμό μέσω της Ευρώπης και των εξ Ευρώπης προερχομένων πολιτισμών. Επομένως η γλώσσα είναι καθοριστικός παράγων ταυτότητας και πρέπει να είναι μέλημα και μέριμνα κάθε κοινότητας ομογενειακής, όμως θα πρέπει να γίνει με τρόπο που να υπάρχει άμεσο αποτέλεσμα στο μικρότερο δυνατό

OΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΠΑΡΑΤΗΡΗΤΗΣ

Συνέντευξη του καθηγητή Γεωργίου Μπαμπινιώτη στον Ορθόδοξο Παρατηρητή.

χρόνο. Δηλαδή η αρχή είναι πάντοτε «μέγιστο αποτέλεσμα στο μικρότερο δυνατό χρόνο» που σημαίνει: κατάλληλη μέθοδο, κατάλληλα βιβλία, κατάλληλους δασκάλους. Είναι λοιπόν ταυτότητα και δε μπορείς να λες –πιστεύω– είμαι Έλληνας χωρίς να μπορείς να καταλάβεις τουλάχιστον παθητικά τα ελληνικά.

Γ. Μπαμπινιώτης: Για τους μελετητές της γλώσσας το πράγμα είναι πολύ απλό και ξεκαθαρισμένο, δε μπορεί να μιλάει κανείς για κανένα άλλο θέμα παρά μόνο για μια γλωσσική πολυμορφία, για μια οικολογία της γλώσσας, που σημαίνει ότι κάθε λαός σύμφωνα με την καταγωγή του, την ιστορία του, τη νοοτροπία του, την όλη ζωή του έχει τη δική του γλωσσική έκφραση. Σ.Π.: Λέγεται ότι εάν χαθεί η γλώσ- Αυτή η έκφραση δεν πρέπει να αφαιρεσα χάνεται και η εθνική ταυτότητα. Ίσως θεί ή να υποβαθμιστεί με τίποτα, γιατί χάνεται ένας λαός, ένα έθνος… αυτό θα ισοδυναμούσε με υποβάθμιση Γ. Μπαμπινιώτης: Εάν χαθεί μια ενός ολόκληρου λαού. Δηλαδή, κάθε γλώσσα, στην πραγματικότητα χάνεται λαός υπάρχει με τον πολιτισμό του. ένα έθνος, αλ λά σπεύδω να πω ότι, Κάθε κοινότητα υπάρχει με τον πολιτιποτέ μια γλώσσα δε χάνεται, εάν δε σμό της. Δεν μπορεί λοιπόν στο βωμό χαθεί ο λαός ο ίδιος. Δηλαδή, όσον υπάρ- της ευκολίας και της οικονομίας να καχουν Έλληνες θα υπάρχει θιερώσουμε μια και ελληνική γλώσσα. ΑυΩς γλωσσολόγος έχω σαφή γλώσσα για να συτά που λέγονται ή γράφονε ν νοούμασ τε με θέση και θεωρώ ότι η νται κατά καιρούς ότι θα έ να ν π ιο ε ύ κολ ο χαθεί η ελληνική γλώσσα ελληνικότατη ως έμπνευση τρόπο. Πρέπει πααπό την επίδραση της αγρά λ ληλα προς τις και ως δημιουργία γλικής και άλλα, αυτά είμητρικές γλώσσες ναι μια γλωσσική μυθολονα καλλιεργούνται λέξη Ομογένεια, γία την οποία δεν πιστεύκαι περισσότερες, δηλώνει μια διάσταση ουμε όχι μόνο οι γλωσσοδεύτερες γλώσσες λόγοι, αλλά και ευρύτερα συνεννόησης – και την οποία δεν έχει το επιστημονικό κοινό. δεν το λέω εγώ αυη λέξη Διασπορά. Η αρχή είναι ότι όσο τό, το έχει πει ένας ένας λαός υπάρχει, δρα, από τους μεγαλύτεΟμογενής είναι αυτός λειτουργεί ζωντανά, έχει ρους Άγγλους γλωσμια δραστηριότητα και σολόγους, ο Ντέιπου έχει το ίδιο γένος, πνευματική και δραστηριβιντ Κρίσταν, ότι η όπου το γένος όμως ότητα πράξεως, υπάρχει μεγαλύτερη πολιτιμε τη γλώσσα του. σμική καταστροφή είναι καταγωγή, του αιώνα θα ήταν γλώσσα και θρησκεία. Σ.Π.: Σήμερα, τουλάε άν επ ικρατούσε χιστον εδώ στην Αμερική, μόνο μια γλώσσα, η παρατηρούμε ένα γλωσσικό ανταγωνι- αγγλική. Και το λέει αυτό ο μελετητής σμό. Έχει κατά καιρούς λεχθεί ότι η που έχει γράψει την Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Αμερική είναι ένα νεκροταφείο των της Αγγλικής Γλώσσας στο Πανεπιστήγλωσσών και θα ήθελα να το σχολιάσετε μιο της Οξφόρδης, το λέει ο ειδικός αυτό, καθώς υπάρχει ένας ανταγωνισμός θέλοντας να τονίσει – και όχι να υπομεταξύ των γλωσσών, όπως μεταξύ της βαθμίσει την Αγγλική – ότι πρέπει να αγγλικής και της ισπανικής για παρά- υπάρχει μια γλωσσική πολυμορφία όπως δειγμα, υπάρχουν παραδείγματα όπως υπάρχει πολιτισμική πολυμορφία και πολιτικές θέσεις υποψηφίων για την υπό αυτήν την έννοια δε μπορεί, ούτε η προεδρία της Αμερικής που υποστηρί- Ευρώπη να σβήσει τις άλλες γλώσσες, ζουν ότι η αγγλική θα πρέπει να γίνει ούτε η Αμερική, νομίζω, να σβήσει τις επίσημη γλώσσα του αμερικανικού γλώσσες που μιλούνται. έθνους, το οποίο τυπικά ποτέ δεν είχε Εάν η Αμερική έχει γίνει νεκροταεπίσημη γλώσσα, ενώ παράλληλα αυτήν φείο γλωσσών, τότε, εάν μεν μιλάμε για την εποχή βλέπουμε και στην Ευρώπη τις Ινδιάνικες γλώσσες, που δεν είναι να υπάρχει ένας γλωσσικός ανταγωνι- μόνο στην Αμερική, είναι στον Ειρηνικό, σμός –οι Γάλλοι για παράδειγμα υπο- είναι στην Αυστραλία, που έσβησαν στηρίζουν τη γλώσσα τους με σθένος– τι κυρίως γιατί έσβησαν οι ομιλητές τους, έχετε να σχολιάσετε πάνω σε αυτό; τότε υπάρχει ένα ιστορικό στοιχείο. Εάν

όμως μιλάμε για γλώσσες ευρύτερης κοινότητας, αυτό σημαίνει μια τάση αφομοίωσης που είναι αντίθετη προς την πολυπολιτισμικότητα που αυτομάτως οδηγεί – η πολυπολιτισμικότητα εφόσον την αποδεχθείς – και στη γλωσσική πολυμορφία. Είναι θέμα του τι πολιτική εφαρμόζει μια χώρα; Η Αυστραλία επί παραδείγματι, εφαρμόζει την πολιτική της πολυπολιτισμικότητας και της πολυγλωσσικότητας. Στην Ευρώπη, μέσα στην Συνθήκη της Ρώμης, είναι προσδιορισμένο ότι οι χώρες που μπαίνουν στην Ενωμένη Ευρώπη, θα μπουν με τον πολιτισμό τους, με τη γλώσσα τους και με την παιδεία τους. Επομένως γλωσσική πολυμορφία “εκ των ων ουκ άνευ” για την ύπαρξη μιας ενότητας σύμφωνα και με αυτό που λέμε οικολογία της γλώσσας. Όπως υπάρχουν πολ λοί πολιτισμοί, όπως υπάρχουν διάφορα είδη, στην φύση, έτσι υπάρχουν και διάφορες γλώσσες που εκφράζουν τους ανθρώπους που ζουν στον κόσμο. Κάτι που δε μπορείς να το ισοπεδώσεις, γιατί θα σήμαινε έναν γλωσσικό φασισμό που νομίζω ότι δεν πρέπει να υπάρχει ως έννοια σε μια εποχή όπως η δική μας. Σ.Π.: Λέτε ότι η ελληνική γλώσσα παραμένει αναλλοίωτη δια μέσου των αιώνων; Υπάρχει μια αντίληψη η οποία πιστεύει πως θα πρέπει να προστατεύουμε την ακεραιότητα της γλώσσας σχεδόν με θρησκευτική ευλάβεια, ενώ είναι μια γλώσσα που εξελίσσεται. Μήπως τελικά κάθε προσπάθεια που έχει σκοπό τη διατήρηση της καθαρότητας της γλώσσας αποδεικνύεται μάταια; Γ. Μπαμπινιώτης: Όταν μιλάμε για διατήρηση της γλώσσας, αναφέρομαι στη διατήρηση της χρήσης της γλώσσας, όχι της μορφής της γλώσσας. Δεν υπάρχει πιο φυσικό φαινόμενο από την αλλαγή της γλωσσικής έκφρασης λαών και ατόμων μέσα στο πέρασμα του χρόνου. Η προφορά της ελληνικής άλλαξε μέσα στο πέρασμα του χρόνου. Άλλαξαν στοιχεία από την γραμματική και συντακτική της δομή. Όμως δεν άλλαξε η ελληνική γλώσσα, γιατί το βασικό λεξιλόγιο, οι βασικές δομές έχουν παραμείνει πολύ κοντά η μια στην άλλη, έχουν μια συνοχή. Επομένως, μια γλώσσα αλλάζει, αυτό είναι ένα φυσικό φαινόμενο, δεν είναι αυτό φθορά της γλώσσας, είναι φυσική εξέλιξη. Επομένως δε μπορούμε να μιλάμε για καθαρότητα γλωσσική και να υποστηρίζουμε ότι δεν πρέπει να αλλάξει αυτή ή εκείνη η λέξη, αυτή ή εκείνη η κατάληξη, αυτή ή εκείνη η μορφή προφοράς. Θα ήταν αφύσικο, κι όσες γλώσσες έχουν μια ιστορία μεγάλη, έχουν δείξει ότι αλλάζουν για να εκφράσουν τις ανάγκες που προκύπτουν, αλλά αυτό δε σημαίνει ότι χάνεται η ενότητα και η συνέχεια μιας γλώσσας. Σ.Π.: Στην Ελλάδα πρέπει να ανησυχεί κανείς για τη συνέχεια της Ελληνικής σε συνάρτηση με την αυξημένη μετανάστευση και τους μειονοτικούς πληθυσμούς, με το ίντερνετ και τη διάδοσή του, με τη χρήση της Ελληνικής όπως αυτή παραμορφώνεται από τα ηλεκτρονικά μέσα και την τηλεόραση; Γ. Μπαμπινιώτης: Στην Ελλάδα, μην κουράζεστε, δεν υπάρχει τέτοιο

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ΣΕΠΤΕΜΒΡΙΟΣ – ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΣ 2007

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ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΠΑΡΑΤΗΡΗΤΗΣ ORTHODOX OBSERVER

 θέμα, ότι και να γίνει, οποιαδήποτε τεχνολογική εξέλιξη, οποιαδήποτε μετανάστευση, οποιαδήποτε επίδραση της γλώσσας του εμπορίου και των συναλλαγών, οτιδήποτε κι αν συμβεί, μια γλώσσα δεν χάνεται. Και δε μιλάω μόνο για την ελληνική, μιλάω για όλες τις γλώσσες. Επομένως τέτοιος κίνδυνος δεν υπάρχει. Ποιό θέμα πρέπει να μας απασχολήσει κι αποτελεί πρόβλημα; Η ποιότητα της γλωσσικής μας επικοινωνίας που είναι ένα άλλο πράγμα. Το ότι παραπονιούνται οι Γάλλοι για τα γαλλικά τους, οι Γερμανοί για τα γερμανικά τους, οι Άγγλοι για τα αγγλικά τους, οι Έλληνες για τα ελληνικά τους, τι σημαίνει αυτό; Σημαίνει ότι ανησυχούμε για το επίπεδο, για την ποιότητα της γλώσσας. Δηλαδή, για τα Ελληνικά: αξιοποιούμε τις δυνατότητες του λεξιλογίου με τις τεράστιες αποχρώσεις και το φάσμα της δηλοτικότητας της γλώσσας; Αν δεν το αξιοποιούμε και συρρικνώνουμε τη γλώσσα σε ορισμένες, συγκεκριμένες μόνο δηλώσεις, τότε πραγματικά μιλάμε για μια συρρίκνωση της επικοινωνίας μας. Εάν δηλαδή, δεν αξιοποιούμε τις δυνατότητες μιας γλώσσας, τότε δεν έχουμε ποιότητα κι αυτό έχει σχέση με την Παιδεία ενός λαού, με την ευαισθησία του, με τα ακούσματα και τα διαβάσματα που έχουν οι νέοι, με την κοινωνία που περιβάλλει και χρησιμοποιεί μια γλώσσα, πόσο τη θεωρεί ως αξία; Είναι ένα πλέγμα προϋποθέσεων. Οπωσδήποτε, εάν υπάρχει ένα πρόβλημα για το οποίον πρέπει και είναι σωστό να συζητάμε, είναι πως μπορούμε να βελτιώσουμε την ποιότητα της γλωσσικής μας επικοινωνίας. Πρόβλημα για τους Έλληνες, πρόβλημα για τους Άγγλους, για τους Γάλλους, πρόβλημα του σύγχρονου ανθρώπου. Γιατί πιέζεται από έναν τεράστιο όγκο πληροφοριών που δεν προλαβαίνει να τον επεξεργαστεί, ούτε όταν μιλάει, ούτε όταν ακούει και διαβάζει. Και που το σχολείο δε λειτουργεί πάντοτε όπως θα έπρεπε και που τον χρόνο μας δεν τον αξιοποιούμε πάντοτε όπως θα έπρεπε. Επομένως υπάρχει ένα πρόβλημα του σύγχρονου ανθρώπου, όχι του Έλληνα, όχι του Άγγλου, όχι του Αμερικανού, που έχει σχέση με μια μείωση στην ποιότητα της γλωσσικής επικοινωνίας. Σ.Π.: Θα θέλαμε να αναφερθούμε σε ένα άλ λο θέμα αναφορικά με τις έδρες ελληνικών σπουδών στα αμερικανικά πανεπιστήμια σε συνάρτηση με την ελληνική γλώσσα και τον ελληνικό πολιτισμό. Έχουν να παίξουν κάποιο ρόλο; Γ. Μπαμπινιώτης: Οι έδρες, οι ελ ληνικές σπουδές γενικά, έχουν να παίξουν σημαντικό ρόλο αφού είναι η φωνή, μια στέρεη και υπολογίσιμη φωνή του πολιτισμού, που αναπτύχθηκε στην Ευρώπη έχοντας ως μια κύρια πηγή του την ελ ληνική γλώσσα, τις ελληνικές σπουδές, την ελληνική σκέψη, την ελληνική διανόηση, τον ελληνικό πολιτισμό. Ζούμε όμως σε μια κοινωνία χρησιμοθηρική και ζούμε σε μια περίοδο που τα πανεπιστήμια προσπαθούν να αυξήσουν τους οικονομικούς τους πόρους και επομένως περνάνε σε οικονομία και σε διάφορες εμπορευματικού και διαχειριστικού τύπου καταστάσεις. Αυτές οι καταστάσεις δεν ευνοούν σπουδές όπως οι ελληνικές και όχι μόνον. Εκεί λοιπόν, πρέπει να βρούμε τρόπους να πείσουμε ότι δεν είναι δυνατόν ένα μεγάλο πανεπιστήμιο, μια μεγάλη χώρα, ένας μεγάλος πολιτισμός, να διαλέγει ότι έχει σχέση με το εμπό-

είναι Αμερικανοί πολίτες να έχουν και μια αίσθηση καταγωγής, θρησκείας, γένους, τότε πρέπει να έχουν μια επαφή με την ελληνική γλώσσα. Και το θεωρώ μείζον θέμα να υπάρχει αυτή η επαφή, αλλά με το σωστό τρόπο, που τον είπα προηγουμένως: σωστά βιβλία, επαρκείς δάσκαλοι, ικανός χρόνος, μεγάλο αποτέλεσμα σε μικρό χρόνο. Ως γλωσσολόγος, που δουλεύω πάρα πολλά χρόνια με τη γλώσσα, θα προσφέρω τον εαυτό μου χωρίς καμιά απαίτηση, όπου μπορώ να βοηθήσω την προσπάθεια τη γλωσσική που γίνεται. Διατίθεμαι να βοηθήσω επειδή πιστεύω στην Ομογένεια επειδή πιστεύω στο ρόλο της Εκκλησίας για την παιδεία και τη γλώσσα στο χώρο της Ομογένειας που είναι μια παράδοση. Μπορώ κι εγώ με τις οποίες δυνάμεις μου, να βοηθήσω και το θεωρώ καθήκον μου προς την παράδοση και προς την Εκκλησία στην οποία είμαι κοντά ούτως ή άλλως.

OΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΠΑΡΑΤΗΡΗΤΗΣ

Ο καθηγητής Γεώργιος Μπαμπινιώτης (κέντρο) με τον Αρχιεπίκοσκοπο Δημήτριο και τον διευθυντή του Γραφείου Παιδείας Ιωάννη Ευθυμιόπουλο.

ριο, με την οικονομία, με τη χρήση δειγμα στη διασπορά των Εβραίων που υπολογιστών, με, με, με… Υπάρχουν δεν είχαν έθνος; Γ. Μπαμπινιώτης: Ως γλωσσολόπράγματα, έννοιες, αξίες οι οποίες καθορίζουν διαχρονικά τη ζωή του ανθρώ- γος έχω σαφή θέση και θεωρώ ότι η που. Κι αυτό είναι ο ανθρωπισμός στην ελληνικότατη ως έμπνευση και ως δηευρύτερη έννοια του. Αυτόν τον ανθρω- μιουργία λέξη Ομογένεια, δηλώνει μια πισμό, υπηρετούν κατ’ εξοχήν οι ελλη- διάσταση την οποία δεν έχει η λέξη νικές σπουδές που γι’αυτό έχουν έναν Διασπορά. Ομογενής είναι αυτός που αυξημένο ρόλο μέσα στα πανεπιστήμια. έχει το ίδιο γένος, όπου το γένος όμως Εάν όλα αυτά τα σβήσουμε και δούμε το είναι καταγωγή, γλώσσα και θρησκεία. θέμα χρησιμοθηρικά, τότε αρχίζει και Είναι δηλαδή μια πολύ σύνθετη έννοια, υπάρχει ένα μείζον πρόβλημα που δεν συνδέεται με την έννοια του γένους είναι μόνον της ελληνικής, αρχίσει και στην Τουρκοκρατία και τότε πλάστηκε υπάρχει ένα πρόβλημα γιατί να διδά- άλ λωστε σε νεότερους χρόνους και σκεις ξένες γλώσσες, νάναι μόνο η Αγ- επομένως έχει ένα βάθος ως έννοια που γλική, γιατί να διδάξεις Φιλολογία, γι- δεν το έχει η έννοια της λέξης διασπορά ατί να διδάξεις Φιλοσοφία… Είναι χα- που είναι ο κατατεμαχισμός, καλύτερη ρακτηριστικό ότι και στα πανεπιστήμια κι από τη λέξη διασπορά –αλλά όχι από της Ευρώπης, κλείνουν η μια μετά την την ομογένεια– είναι η αρχαία λέξη της άλλη έδρες των ανθρωπιστικών κοινω- μετανάστευσης, που σημαίνει ότι μετανικών επιστημών. Από κινούμαι σε μιαν άλλη μια νοοτροπία βαθύταχώρα. Είναι μια ουδέΕάν θέλουμε τα, προκλητικά χρησιτερη περιγραφή μιας τα παιδιά μας μοθηρική, η οποία οδηαλλαγής που συμβαίγεί στην αγριότητα της σ τ η μετακίνησ η εδώ στην Ομογένεια, νει εποχ ής μας και σ τ ην πληθυσμών. Προσωπιπου είναι εξαθλίωση του ανθρώκά προτιμώ να διατηπου με την κατά λυση ρήσουμε αυτή την ένΑμερικανοί πολίτες των αξιών. Οι ελληνικές νοια της Ομογένειας η σπουδές μ πορού ν να οποία έχει ένα πρόβληνα έχουν και μια παίξουν ένα ρόλο, απλώς δε μεταφράζεται. αίσθηση καταγωγής, μα: όμως για να πούμε τα Κι εκεί είναι το μόνο, πράγματα με το όνομά αλλά γιατί και να μη θρησκείας, γένους, τους, θα πρέπει να προσυνηθίσουν και οι ξέτότε πρέπει σαρμοστούν στις ανάνοι να τη χρησιμοποιγκες της εποχής και ως ούν. Δε γνωρίζω εάν τη να έχουν μια προς το περιε χόμε νό χρησιμοποιούν στην επαφή με την τους και ως προς την Αγ γλική και αν τ ην ανταπόκρισή του και ως αποδίδουν, αλλά είναι ελληνική γλώσσα. προς το επίπεδο τους… μια λέξη τόσο εκφραΚαι το θεωρώ επ ί παραδείγματ ι θα στική που πραγματικά μπορούσε κανείς να διδε νομίζω ότι θα πρέμείζον θέμα. δάξει πολύ ωραία τ η πει να αλλάξει. σχέση της Νεοελληνικής Ιστορίας με τα Βαλκάνια, με την ΕυρώΣ.Π.: Εν τοιαύτη περιπτώσει ο Ελπη, με την Αμερική, θα μπορούσε να ληνισμός εδώ στην Αμερική –η Ομογέδιδάξει πολύ ωραία τις επιδράσεις της νεια– πώς νομίζετε ότι πρέπει να προελληνικής λογοτεχνίας σε άλλες λογο- σεγγίσει το θέμα της ελληνικής γλώστεχνίες, αυτά που έχει δώσει κι αυτά σας; Ποια είναι γνώμη σας και ποια είναι που έχει πάρει, όπως συγκριτική λογο- η συμβουλή σας; τεχνία, αυτό θα έχει ένα μεγάλο ενδιαΓ. Μπαμπινιώτης: Έχω πει μια φέρον, κ.ο.κ. Δηλαδή θα πρέπει το πε- φράση μιλώντας στην Ουάσιγκτον προς ριεχόμενο να προσαρμοστεί σε ευρύτε- τους ομογενείς είπα «τη γλώσσα και τα ρη θεώρηση. μάτια σας». Η θέση μου είναι σαφής ότι με νύχια και με δόντια πρέπει να υπεΣ.Π.: Χρησιμοποιούμε συχνά τον ρασπίσουμε την εκμάθηση και τη διδαόρο Ελληνισμός της διασποράς – νομί- σκαλία φυσικά της γλώσσας και γενικά ζετε εσείς ότι ο όρος «διασπορά» είναι την επαφή με τη γλώσσα, διότι αποτεδόκιμος όρος αναφορικά με τους Έλλη- λεί, όχι το μόνο, αλλά κύριο χαρακτηρινες, διότι υποστηρίζεται ότι ο όρος ται- στικό ταυτότητας. Εάν λοιπόν θέλουμε ριάζει σε άλους λαούς όπως για παρά- τα παιδιά μας εδώ στην Ομογένεια που

Σ.Π.: Κλείνοντας θα θέλαμε να μας πείτε δύο λόγια για τις σχέσεις Ορθοδοξίας και Ελληνισμού. Γ. Μπαμπινιώτης: Θεωρώ ότι η σύνδεση ορθόδοξης χριστιανικής θρησκείας, δηλαδή Ορθοδοξίας και Ελληνισμού, αποτελεί ένα ιστορικό γεγονός. Θεωρώ ότι είναι ανιστόρητοι και ανιστορική η προσέγγιση που γίνεται από μερικούς, οι οποίοι θεωρούν ότι ο Χριστιανισμός είναι ή ήταν εναντίον του Ελληνισμού και ο Ελληνισμός εναντίον του Χριστιανισμού. Υπήρξε μια τέτοια περίοδος στους πρώτους αιώνες που όμως πρώιμα και έν πάση περιπτώσει στον 4ο αιώνα με τους μεγάλους Πατέρες της Εκκλησίας, υπήρξε μια γεφύρωση αυτής της αντίθεσης, όταν ο Μέγας Βασίλειος, ο Γρηγόριος και άλλοι, αλλά και πριν από αυτούς, ο Συνέσιος και άλλοι, συνέδεσαν τα Ελληνικά Γράμματα με τη Χριστιανική Πίστη, λέγοντας ότι μπορεί να είσαι και καλύτερος Χριστιανός εάν έχεις ακονίσει και τη σκέψη σου στο χώρο της ελληνικής φιλοσοφίας, των γραμμάτων, της διαλεκτικής… και δεν είναι τυχαίο ότι οι μεγάλοι Πατέρες έχοντας μια βαθειά γνώση της φιλοσοφίας και των ελληνικών γραμμάτων ήταν και αυτοί οι οποίοι προήγαγαν την ελληνική γλώσσα στα θέματα της δογματικής, της θεολογίας, ακριβώς γιατί χρειάστηκε να εκφράσουν έννοιες νέες γλωσσικά και αυτά τα όπλα τα πήραν από τον Ελληνισμό, από τα Ελληνικά Γράμματα. Από τον τέταρτο αιώνα και μετά υπάρχει μια συμπόρευση Χριστιανισμού, Ορθοδοξίας και Ελληνισμού ως ιστορικό γεγονός το οποίο δεν μπορεί να αρνηθεί κανένας. Αυτή η συμπόρευση γιγαντώνεται στο Βυζάντιο, καταξιώνεται στην Τουρκοκρατία και αναδεικνύεται στους χώρους της Ομογένειας, όπου η Εκκλησία έρχεται να παίξει έναν επιπ λ έον ρόλο, ρόλο Παιδείας και Γλώσσας, συνδυάζοντας πάντα την Ορθοδοξία με τον Ελληνισμό. Μιλάμε για τον Νεοελληνικό Διαφωτισμό που οδήγησε στο ξεσήκωμα του Γένους των Ελλήνων για να αποκτήσουν ελευθερία. Μέσα στο Νεοελ ληνικό Διαφωτισμό βασικό ρόλο παίζουν επίσκοποι, ιερωμένοι, μοναχοί, οι οποίοι τι κάνουν; μεταφράζουν και παρουσιάζουν τα αρχαία κείμενα σε νεοελληνική γλώσσα. Ο κ. Μπαμπινιώτης διετέλεσε καθηγητής και πρύτανης του Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών. Είναι πρόεδρος τής Φιλεκπαιδευτικής Εταιρείας, Πρόεδρος τής Γλωσσικής Εταιρείας Αθηνών, τακτικός συνεργάτης της εφημερίδας “Το Βήμα” και επιστημονικός συντάκτης τηλεοπτικών εκπομπών. Στο πλούσιο συγγραφικό του έργο περιλαμβάνονται το “Λεξικό για το Σχολείο και το Γραφείο”, το “Λεξικό της Νέας Ελληνικής Γλώσσας” και η πολύ πρόσφατη “Γραμματική της Νέας Ελληνικής”.

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SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

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21

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

PEOPLE Indiana Community Grew from 10 Families to Cathedral Status Completes Ph. D.

Presbytera Jeannie Constantinou, wife of Fr. Constantine Constantinou of San Diego, Calif., recently completed her Ph.D. in theology after successfully defending her doctoral dissertation with highest honors at Université Laval in Québec City, Canada. The subject of her dissertation was “Andrew of Caesarea and the Apocalypse in the Ancient Church of the East.” Andrew of Caesarea wrote the most important Greek patristic commentary on the Book of Revelation. His commentary led to the eventual acceptance of Revelation into the New Testament in the Greek, Slavic, Georgian and Armenian Orthodox Churches. Presbytera Jeannie produced the first translation in a modern language.

She currently teaches Biblical Studies and Early Christianity at the University of San Diego.

Byzantine Music Honoree Professor of Musicology Diane touliatos-miles, director of the Center for Humanities at the University of MissouriSt. Louis, was recently selected by the international organization “The Riga’s Charta” for her many publications on ancient Greek music, Medieval Byzantine liturgical and secular music and women composers of those periods. Professor Touliatos has been known for her pioneering research in discovering and transcribing into modern notation the music of the earliest known woman composer in history, Kassia.

Accomplished Runner George Angelos of Parkersburg, W.Va., recently participated in the Athens Marathon and placed 72nd out of a field of nearly 3,000 runners. He has also run in marathons in Chicago, Boston, Columbus and New York.

Interviews Tiger Jimmy Pitenis, 11-year-old son of Jim and Eleni Pitenis of Daytona Beach, Fla., and an altar boy at the St. Demetrios Church in Daytona Beach, was selected from all the Scholastics Magazine Kid Reporters to fly to New York City for a oneon-one interview with golf champion Tiger Woods on Aug. 28. Tiger is promoting his newest golf video game, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008.

Debut Album Constantine maroulis of American Idol fame and also currently starring in a CBS daytime drama, had his debut album come out on Aug.7. He was very active in his GOYA years ago and even served as an altar boy at his church. He has also done a lot of benefits for Greek churches.

Constantine has been hard at work, starring on Broadway in “The Wedding Singer” as well as in the critically acclaimed off-Broadway revival of “Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.”

Awarded Scholarship Alexis Kristine Dedo of St. Louis, daughter of Andrea Katsinas Dedo and the late Thomas Marko Dedo, recently was awarded the Hellenic GovernmentKarakas Family Foundation Scholarship in Greek Studies for the fall semester. She is a junior at the University of Missouri pursuing a degree in Greek studies and anthropology.

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. — Located about 10 miles south of its original location in Gary, Ind., and about 35 miles southeast of the Metropolis center of Chicago, Sts. Constantine and Helen Cathedral sits in the midst of a major center of Orthodoxy in the United States.

Within a radius of about 15 miles in northwestern Indiana, there are some 12 Orthodox churches of various jurisdictions, including Greek, Serbian, Romania, Antiochian and OCA. “There’s a big Orthodox population,” said Fr. Theodore Poteres, dean of the cathedral for the past 10 years.

P A R I S H

sist members of the community needing financial assistance for rent, medical bills and other needs.

“They do marvelous work,” said Fr. Poteres. “They also help with cancer research and blood drives.”

Sts. Constantine and Helen has a full youth ministry, from JOY through YAL, and a campus ministry that serves students at Purdue, Valparaiso and Indiana universities.

Several youth from the parish take part in the Ionian Village and Metropolis summer camp programs.

A senior citizens group has monthly programs.

The first worship services took place in a rented store beginning in 1913, with priests from Chicago celebrating Sunday liturgies.

The first permanent priest, Fr. Nicholas Mandilas of Corfu, was assigned to the Gary community in 1915 in response to a request to the Holy Synod of Greece.

Fund-raising to build a church began about 1914. Parish leaders traveled to cities as far as Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio, and Indianapolis seeking donations.

A small property near downtown was purchased for $3,500 and con-

p ro f i l e

Name: Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral Location: Merrillville, Indiana metropolis: Chicago Size: about 800 members, over 1,000 families served Founded: 1912 Clergy: Fr. Theodore Poteres (Holy Cross, M/Div. ’82) Fr. Christ Margellos, assistant priest (Holy Cross ’06); Fr. Evagoras Constantinides, Pastor Emeritus e-mail/ website: office@ssconstantineandhelen.org; www.ssconstantineandhelen.org Noteworthy: home parish of Bishop Savas of Troas; only Greek Orthodox. cathedral in Indiana

STS. CONSTANTINE AND HELEN GREEK ORTHODOx CATHEDRAL

He noted there are many occasions Missionary outreach for pan Orthodox activities and felOver the years, volunteers from the lowship, including the Lenten season parish have been very active in the mission when there is a pan Orthodox lecture field, Fr. Poteres noted. series.

Missionaries have traveled to places The parish itself is “a good mixture in Africa, Guatemala, India, South America of ethnic Greeks, converts and second and the Philippines. and third-generation” of Greek AmeriFr. Evagoras has led some of these cans, Fr. Poteres said. mission efforts as part of a continuing Many of the immigrants arrived in ministry. He has also led 19 pilgrimages to the area from Greece in the 1960s and the Holy Land and plans to lead another many parishioners trace their origins in the fall. to the Aegean islands of Kalymnos, The parish has also raised funds for Chios and Icaria. Others emithe International Orthodox grated from the PeloponneChristian Charities organizasus. These groups have their tion, and the Orthodox Chrisown organizations within the MERRILLVILLE tian Mission Center. “Mission community.

Team Indiana” recently held Thanks to its large mema dinner that raised some bership, Sts. Constantine and $10,000 for the OCMC. Helen provides a wide array Origins of programs and ministries, When Gary, Indiana, including a successful adult that city at the south end of religious education proLake Michigan made famous gram. Pastor Emeritus Fr. in Meredith Wilson’s 1957 Evagoras Constantinides, Broadway musical, “The Muthe parish’s longest-servsic Man,” was founded by the U.S. ing priest, conducts the Steel Corporation in 1906, a numclasses, which are someber of Greek bachelors immediately times supplemented with flocked to the new city to work in its many guest speakers.

The regular parish Church School steel mills, according to a parish history.

In 1911, the death of a member of one has an enrollment of more than 200 children. Each year the students hold of the 10 families then living in Gary, which a clothing drive around Christmastime, included only seven women, sparked the collecting scarves, hats, coats and mit- desire among the immigrants for their own local church. The man’s body had to be tens for less fortunate people.

The Greek school has an enroll- taken to Chicago for the funeral.

By the following year, community ment of about 100 students.

Outreach programs include a food members organized a church, which they pantry, which distributes groceries on named St. Constantine, in honor of the a weekly basis to about 400 Orthodox Roman emperor who legalized Christianand non-Orthodox families. The very ity in the early 4th century. The name of active Philoptochos serves a Thanks- St. Helen, his mother, was not added until giving meal in November for about “sometime after 1924,” the parish history 100 persons and raises funds to as- noted.

struction began in 1918.

The church building was completed in time for the first service to take place on Easter Sunday 1919. Dedication ceremonies were held Sept. 27 of that year with Bishop Alexander of Rodostolon, the future first archbishop of the yet to be created Archdiocese of North and South America, officiating.

The parish history states that it was the first time any hierarch from the Greek church participated in a thyranoixia (door-opening ceremony) west of the Appalachian mountains.

Greek politics soon had an adverse effect on the parish. The Royalist-Venizelist Controversy in Greece caused a split in the community in 1922 and the supporters of the king of Greece established their own church, Holy Trinity, about two blocks away.

Archbishop Athenagoras reconciled the two groups in 1931.

The ensuing decades were peaceful and the community continued to grow. In the early 1960s, efforts began to build a new church to accommodate the growing parish. The present site of nearly 38 acres in Merrillville was purchased for $200,000 in 1967.

Construction began in 1970 and the dedication of the entire cultural center took place May 14, 1972 with Archbishop Iakovos officiating.

The cultural center includes a hall/social center, library, offices, classrooms and all-purpose kitchen.

On the same day, the groundbreaking for the church also took place, but construction did not begin until two years later. The $850,000 church, with one of the 10 largest domes of any Greek Orthodox church in the United States, was completed in 1975.

 page 24

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SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

Metropolis of New Jersey 60th Anniversary Holy Cross Celebration ASBURY PARK, N.J. – More than 2,000 faithful attended the 2007 Metropolis of New Jersey Holy Cross 60th anniversary celebration Sept. 16 at the Paramount Theater.

Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey presided over festivities that included the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, Elevation of the Holy Cross, Blessing of the Waters and subsequent cross diving by 70 young people.

Assisting Metropolitan Evangelos were clergy from throughout New Jersey.

Serving as ecclesiarchs were the Very Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Kotrotsios of St. George Cathedral, Philadelphia; and Fr. Andrew Eugenis of St. George Church, Asbury Park.

The standing-room-only crowd filled the theater, which resonated with hymns sung by the Metropolis Byzantine Choir.

Nicholas Chingas, protopsaltis of St. George Church in Trenton, served as director. Kay Kahayas, choir director of St. George Church in Piscataway, N.J., directed the Eastern Federation of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians Choir that also melodiously chanted the responses during the Divine Liturgy.

The Metropolitan gave the oath of office to the newly elected Metropolis Philoptochos executive board, congratulating and wishing them a spiritually productive year as they minister to the needy throughout the Mid-Atlantic states with love and dedication.

A memorial service also was held in honor of the fallen innocent victims of the barbaric attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

METROPOLITAN Evangelos and other clergy at the blessing of the water service.

A cross made of scrap metal salvaged from the World Trade Center served as a stark reminder of the horrific tragedy.

Following the service, Metropolitan Evangelos addressed the faithful concerning the Cross of Christ, emphasizing that the cross is a symbol of strength and power, faith, peace, and hope. Exhorting all to fervently pray the Tree of Life will help bring peace to the war-ravaged world, the Metropolitan reminded everyone to continue to pray for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which is currently enduring unprecedented persecution from the Turkish government.

D. PANAGOS

Also attending the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and the day’s celebration were the new Consul General of Cyprus, Andreas Panagiotou, and,Sophia Veve, representing Consul General of Greece in New York Ekaterini Bouras.

Metropolitan Evangelos welcomed the two distinguished guests and presented them with a gift, expressing his gratitude for their presence at this year’s celebration.

He then conducted a Trisagion service for the late Patriarch Athenagoras and placed a wreath over the renovated statue city of Asbury Park placed in his honor on the Boardwalk.

The Holy Cross celebration and Blessing of the Waters in Asbury Park was instituted 60 years ago by Archbishop Athenagoras, who became Ecumenical Patriarch in 1947, with the prayer that the world’s oceans, which connect all peoples of the Earth, could also become vessels that transmit the hope and triumph of Christ’s Cross.

Following the Agiasmos service (Exaltation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross) held by the waterfront, the Metropolitan threw the Cross five times into the ocean. Each time it was retrieved by members of GOYA, with the retriever receiving a special blessing for the coming year.

Divers retrieving the cross were Aspasia Disakias of St. George in Asbury Park, Lazaros Pappas of Ascension in Fairview, N.J., Constantine Demopoulos of St. Andrew in Randolph, N,J, John Zaphiros of St. Demetrios in Union, N.J., and Catherine Zymaris of St. Nicholas in Wyckoff, N.J. The day’s festivities concluded with a family barbecue that featured Greek food and Greek music and traditional Greek dances performed by the dance groups from St. Barbara Church, Toms River, and St. Demetrios Church, Perth Amboy.

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ASPASIA Disakias retrieves the cross from the ocean in Asbury Park.

D. PANAGOS

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23

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

Summer Camp at St. Nicholas Ranch a Successful, Enriching Youth Ministry SAN FRANCISCO – Another summer has come and gone, but the young people who attended the Metropolis of San Francisco Summer Camp at St. Nicholas Ranch in Dunlap will never forget their experience.

The theme for the 2007 Metropolis Camp was “Embrace Your Faith”. Over 230 youth attended the three one-week camp sessions held during July 2007. The Metropolis was well represented with campers coming from throughout the state of California, as well as youth from Arizona, Nevada, and even 13 from Hawaii.

Metropolitan Gerasimos visited during the third week of camp, affording these youth the opportunity to spend quality time with their bishop and spiritual father of the Metropolis.

Each camp day began with Orthros, followed by a variety of daytime sessions including: Orthodox challenge, swimming, archery, theater, and arts and crafts.

During the week, campers visited the Monastery of the Theotokos the Life Giving Spring, and had a conversation with Abbess Markella.

Campers marked the setting of the warm California sun with a Vespers service each evening, which was followed with a variety of evening activities including a campfire, skit night, sports activities, and the traditional “Night with God” in preparation for the weekly Divine Liturgy. The campers were encouraged to participate fully in the worship services and it truly was a leitourgia, a work of the people.

The last day of each camp session was markedly different from the preceding days. Following Divine Liturgy, campers went back to their cabins to prepare for a day of Olympics.

The evening concluded with a Luau, and campers began saying “farewell” to their new friends. Saturday morning was always a bittersweet time as new friends said goodbye; however it was very uplifting to see the spiritual and emotional growth that took place during their week at camp.

Campers formed new friendships, nurtured existing ones and grew in their relationship with Christ and His Church.

These youth truly learned to “Embrace

DOZENS of happy campers join Metropolitan Gerasimos (center) under a big shade tree at St. Nicholas Ranch. The 2007 Metropolis Camp emphasized the theme “Embrace Your Faith” and was attended by over 230 youth from throughout the Metropolis.

their Faith”, and they are undoubtedly sharing it with others.

Summer Camp was led by Pete Sotiras, director of Youth and Family Ministries for the Metropolis of San Francisco. A staff of 25 young adults served as counselors during camp, along with many clergy from throughout the Metropolis who participated in the weekly activities.

Youth are encouraged to enroll early to secure their spot at Summer Camp 2008. Camper registration forms and Counselor Applications will be made available on the Metropolis Youth Website at: www.youth.sanfran.goarch.org .

135 Orthodox Christians Take Part in Project Mexico’s Basic Training Week “We knew we were pushing the envelope, “says Mike Applegate, Project Mexico’s Work Trip coordinator. “The largest group we had ever hosted at the orphanage was 50 volunteers – that was a few summers ago when we experimented with building two houses in one week.

That was a stretch for our staff.

Gregory Yova, Project Mexico founder and executive director explains, “After an afternoon of brainstorming with our board of directors in the fall of 2005, we came up with the idea of an ‘Orthodox Basic Training Week.’

Our goal was to offer a slightly more rigorous experience, both physically and spiritually, to a much larger group of volunteers. We knew this experience wouldn’t appeal to everyone, but we hoped it would help us to shorten the summer waiting list for mission teams by accommodating at least five times the usual number of people in one week. If kids are fired up about coming on a mission trip, we don’t want to have to tell them to wait two years!”

During the week of July 17, 135 vol-

unteers from eight states, 15 parishes and five different Orthodox jurisdictions across the United States built houses for seven Mexican families.

They camped in tents, took cold showers without complaining, ate meals and prayed together in huge mess tents on the orphanage property, and were taught by inspiring speakers in the evenings.

OBT speakers included: Fr. Michael Nasser (full-time priest at St. Innocent Orphanage), Greg Yova (Project Mexico Founder), Fr. Jon Braun (St. Anthony the Great Antiochian parish in La Jolla, Calif.), Presbytera Renee Ritsi (Orthodox Christian Mission Center), Mother Melania (St. Barbara Monastery, Santa Paula, Calif.), Fr. Nicholas Andruchow (Greek Orthodox Mission of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff), Archimandrite Joseph Morris (St. Gregory Palamas Monastery, Perrysville, Ohio), and George Hazlaris (Youth Director, Church of Our Savior, Rye, N.Y).

Staff and participants characterized the first Orthodox Basic Training (OBT) Week as a resounding success.

2

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

In Memoriam Thomas D. Demery ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Thomas Dermousis Demery, a longtime member of the Archdiocesan Council and the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and an Orthodox Christian Mission Center supporter, died Aug. 8 at a local hospital from complications following heart surgery.

He was 87.

A financial advisor and philanthropist, Mr. Demery was born Dec. 25, 1919 in Aegina, Greece.

He also was an active member of Leadership 100, past president and board member of St. Nicholas Church in Troy, Mich., and board member of the Metropolis of Detroit.

Along with his wife, Beck, they had been strong supporters of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) and funded the Tom and Beck Demery Endowment which provides annual scholarships for seminarians who want to participate on an OCMC short-term Mission Team.

They were also generous benefactors of the capital campaign for the new OCMC Missionary Training and Administrative Support Center currently being built in St. Augustine, Fla. where the finance department offices will be named in their honor.

In addition to his numerous contributions to OCMC, Mr. Demery served as a mentor and assisted with OCMC’s ministries and helped cultivate a healthy and vibrant relationship between the Mission Center and its donors.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Beck; children Tom (Carol), Jason, and Cindy (Pat) Crosson; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Mr. Demery also was a veteran of WWII. He began his professional career as a partner at Plante Moran, founded Demery Seed Capital Fund, was director of Carhartt Inc., and most recently was chairman of College Park Industries.

Funeral service was Aug. 13 at St. Nicholas Church.

Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Nicholas Endowment Fund.

Fr. Peter B. Koskores BROCKTON, Mass. – Fr. Peter B. Koskores, 87, a retired priest, died Sept.

15. He had served a number of parishes.

He was born in Springfield, Mass., and attended elementary school in Newburyport, Mass., Nashua, N.H., and Mount Vernon, N.Y. He completed high school in Kingston, Pa., and went to Holy Cross Seminary in Pomfret, Conn., graduating in 1944.

After marrying Evanthea Nicholas Collatos in January 1945, he was ordained as a deacon in February 1945 in Brooklyn, N.Y., by Bishop Germanos Polizoides, and to the priesthood in April 1945 in Lynn, Mass., by Bishop Athenagoras Cavadas.

Fr. Koskores also received the offikia of sakellarios in 1958, oikonomos in 1964 and protopresbyter in 1969.

He served at Annunciation Cathedral in Boston under Fr. Demetrios Coucouzes (the future Archbishop Iakovos) from September 1944 to May 1945.

Fr. Koskores served the following communities as a priest: Annunciation Church, Woburn, Mass., (May 1945-September 1946); St. George Church, Greenville, S.C. (September 1946-September 1948), St. Sophia Church, New London, Conn. (September 1948-April 1950); St. George Church, Vancouver, British Columbia (April 1950-July 1953); St. George Church, Keene, N.H. (July 1953-

July 1957); and Annunciation Church in Brockton, Mass. (July 1957-July 1964) He was then named as chaplain for the Veterans Administration in the Boston area by Archbishop Iakovos until his retirement. In his later years, he was living in an assisted-living residence in Brockton.

Fr. Koskores is survived by two sons, Nicholas Peter and William Theodore.

The funeral was held Sept. 20 at Holy Cross Seminary chapel with Fr. Nick Triantafilou and Fr. Christopher Makiej conducting the service.

Fr. Nicholas G. Katsoulis Fr. Nicholas G. Katsoulis, 70, a retired priest of the Archdiocese, was killed Aug. 2 in a car accident in a Cyprus highway.

He was a native of Crete and completed elementary and high school there.

He enrolled in 1957 at the Halki Seminary in Istanbul and earned a diploma after four years. He came to the United States in August 1961 and enrolled at Columbia University where he earned a masters in sociology.

He also attended St. John’s University and was a Ph.D. candidate.

He married Anthoula Savas of Cyprus in December 1962. The became parents of two daughters, Irene and Sophia.

He was ordained a deacon Jan. 28, 1963 in New York by Archbishop Iakovos and a priest on Feb. 10, 1963 in New York

by Metropolitan Germanos Polizoides.

He was bestowed the offikion of oikonomos in 1991 and protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne in 2004.

Fr. Katsoulis served several New York churches, including St. George in Kingston from 1963-1971, St. Nicholas in Flushing, as third priest; Zoodochos Peghe in Bronx from September 1976 to August 1979.

He had also served St. Sophia in Mexico City for two months, March to May 1976.

He then served at Sts. Constantine and Helen in West Nyack, from July 1980 until 1992.

After a two-year leave of absence, he served at Holy Cross Church in Whites-

tone from July 1994 until his retirement in 1998.

He resided in Bayside, N.Y., prior to his death. Funeral and burial were in Crete.

Virginia Trakas Couchell SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Virginia Trakas Couchell, 91, mother of Bishop Dimitrios of xanthos, died Friday, Sept. 21 at Greenville Memorial Hospital. Born July 6, 1916, she was a daughter of the late Nicholas Sarantos and Joanna Harakas Trakas and the widow of James John Couchell.

Mrs. Couchell was a member of St. Nicholas Church, where she was a former Sunday school teacher and choir member, as well as a member and former president of the Ladies Philoptochos Society.

She was a lifetime member of the Karyae Society and was the first and only "Miss Karyae" in 1933. She was also a member of St. George Cathedral in Greenville.

She was the retired owner of Couchell’s Package Store and former hostess at Spartanburg Country Club, Four Seasons Steak House and Piedmont Steak House.

Survivors, in addition to Bishop Dimitrios, include another son, J. Couchell and his wife, Kiki Ardamis Couchell, of Spartanburg; a daughter, Fanya C. Paouris, and her husband, George, of Greenville; grandchildren, Demetra and Anderson Garcia, Chris and Erin Couchell, Peter and Courtney Couchell, Emmanuel and Kelley Paouris, David Nikita and Maki Mesfin; four great-grandchildren; and a brother, Dr. Perry N. Trakas, and a sister, Bessie T. Kekas, both of Spartanburg. She was predeceased by seven brothers and sisters.

Funeral services were held Sept. 24 at St. Nicholas Church, conducted by Bishop Dimitrios, assisted by Frs. George F. Nayfa and Tom Pistolis. Burial was at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.

PARISH PROFILE  page 21 On May 20, 1976, Archbishop Iakovos proclaimed Sts. Constantine and Helen as the cathedral church of Indiana. He consecrated the cathedral in September 1981, assisted by Fr. Constantinides.

Hard times hit the parish in the 1980s and early ‘90s, when a number of steel mills closed and employment in the mills dropped from 100,000 to 12,000. Most parishioners worked in steel mills then; Fr. Poteres said. “Stewardship went down and projects were left at a standstill,” he said, “but through renewed efforts, we’ve been able to build up a catering practice to help financially for everyday needs of ministries.”

Some parishioners are still employed in the remaining steel mills and there are a number of retirees from U.S. Steel and other companies, the priest said.

Since then the parish has continued to move forward, especially in expanding its educational programs. The parish has a seminarian presently at Holy Cross School of Theology and has also produced two noted clergymen who grew up in the parish: Bishop Savas of Troas, the chancellor of the Archdiocese and Fr. Christopher Constantinides, pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Dallas, the church where he

was ordained. Fr. Christopher is the son of Fr. Evagoras.

Fr. Poteres, a Chicago-area native who came to Merrillville from the church in Rockford, Ill., characterizes his ministry as “one of fulfilling the vision of the community to reach out to all people.”

He had to “step into Fr. Evagoras’ shoes” about 10 years ago and strives to carry out the parish’s education, culture and philanthropic programs.”

“We try to reach out more and more,” he said.

Financially, the parish is in the stewardship program and supplements its income through the annual Greek festival in July and a yearly golf outing, with proceeds going toward the cathedral’s renovations.

While Sts. Constantine and Helen offers scholarships to Goyans and college students, an ongoing problem is retaining young people.

“The younger generation can’t really find jobs here and they relocate to Chicago, Indianapolis and other cities,” said Fr. Poteres.

— Compiled by Jim Golding

Oratorical Festival to Celebrate 25th Anniversary The St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival will mark its 25th anniversary with the 2008 national finals in June.

Over the years, the festival has given thousands of teenagers “an opportunity to learn, write and speak about their Orthodox faith, Church and heritage.” A program that began with the participation of 73 parishes in 1984 has grown to 203 parishes in 2007.

In 1983, Ernest Villas, the Department of Religious Education director, established the Oratorical Festival. Mr. Villas and Minerva Stergianopoulos, the first Archdiocese Oratorical Festival chairman, wrote the first manual.

The first national finals were held in New York City at the 1984 Clergy-Laity Congress where finalists from the 10 dioceses, which then included Canada, participated.

The top speakers in each division took part in a panel discussion the following day.

The 1985 Oratorical Festival finals were held in St. Louis and the Rev. George Zervos served as the national chairman.

In 1986, the finals were held at the Clergy-Laity Congress in Dallas. Detroit was the host city in 1987 and the final time that the Oratorical Festival was combined with a Clergy-Laity Congress was in 1988 in Boston.

Since then, the Oratorical Festival finals are hosted on a rotational basis by different parish from one of the metropolises each year during a June weekend.

The Rev. John and Presbytera Margaret Orfanakos have been serving as Archdiocese national co-chairs of the festival since 1985.

Mr. Villas was succeeded as director of the Department of Religious Education by the Rev. Dr. Frank Marangos in 1997, who served for 10 years. The current director is Dr. Anton Vrame.

The Metropolis of Boston will host the 25th Oratorical Festival finals June 6-8.

Fr. Agathonikos Wilson, pastor of St. Nicholas Church in Lexington, Mass, will chair the host committee, which will begin its planning meetings in October.

Each year, former Diocese/Metropolis oratorical festival finalists from the host metropolis are invited to the finals.

As part of the 25th anniversary observance, the Department of Religious Education asks previous finalists to contact the department to give an update on what they have been doing since their participation.

The Department of Religious Education can be reached by e-mail at religioused@goarch.org, or (617) 850-1218.

ORTHODOX OBSERVER Address Changes? email to:

observerlist@goarch.org or Fax (212) 774-0239 PLEASE INCLUDE:

• • • • •

Your full name (as it appears on your current label) Subscription number (printed above your name on the label) Old address New address (zip+4) Name of Parish you belong to

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SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

St. Michael’s Home to Honor Judge Tsoucalas YONKERS, N.Y. – St. Michael’s Home, the only Greek Orthodox adult home in the United States, will honor Judge Nicholas Tsoucalas of the U.S. Court of International Trade at its annual name day celebration on Oct. 21. this year’s dinner dance will take place at the Westchester Country Club in Rye (NY). Judge Tsoucalas will be the recipient of the 2007 Archangel Michael Award, which St. Michael’s Home presents “to a distinguished member of the community who embodies and promotes the finer qualities and traditions of our Greek Orthodox heritage.”

Past honorees have included the Niarchos Foundation, New York state Supreme Court Judge Yorka Linakis, the Direct Archdiocesan District Philoptochos, Nikitas Drakotos, Nicholas Bouras, Archbishop Iakovos, Lilllian Booth and Michael Cantonis.

This year’s honoree who gained widespread notoriety as one of the judges hearing the case serial killer David Berkowitz, the “Son of Sam” trial, in 1978.

Judge Tsoucalas was born in New York and was one of five children of George and Maria (Monogenis) Tsoucalas. He received his B.S. from Kent State University in 1949 and his LLB from New York Law School.

Soon after returning from active duty in the U.S. Navy, he began his career at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. He was appointed Criminal Court Judge of the City of New York in 1968 and then was designated acting Supreme Court Justice in Kings and Queens Counties from 1975-1982.

President Ronald Reagan appointed Judge Tsoucalas to the U.S. Court of International Trade in 1985 and he was

confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1986.

Judge Tsoucalas was appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court to sit by designation in various jurisdictions throughout the county.

In addition to his service to the judicial community, the judge is involved in many civic and religious organizations such as the Greek-American Lawyers Association, Board of Directors of the Church of Evangelismos, an Archon of the Order of St. Andrew, the Order of Ahepa and other associations.

It is in light of these many accomplishments and distinguished career, that the Board of Trustees of St. Michael’s Home unanimously voted to honor him.

The Name Day Gala of St. Michael’s is an opportunity for the Home to not only honor a member of the community but also an occasion to celebrate the quality care offered to the elderly of the Greek Orthodox community.

This year’s celebration, the proceeds of which will go to the Home’s Expansion Fund, will also kick off the 50th Anniversary observance of St. Michael’s which opened its doors in May 1958.

For more information or reservations, call the Home at 914-476-3374.

Bronx Parish to Consecrate Church BRONx, NY – Zoodohos Peghe parish will consecrate its church Nov. 4.

Pastor the Very Rev. Sylvester Berberis, said, “There is indeed great cause for celebration among the parishioners as they prepare to arrive at the blessed day of the consecration of their church.”

Archbishop Demetrios will officiate at the services, assisted by other bishops and area clergy.

Although the parish was officially established in 1931, its beginnings date back to the early 1900’s when the Turks

forced over a million Greek Orthodox Christians to leave their ancestral homes in Asia Minor. Some of them who came to the United States organized the community, naming after a famous church in Constantinople.

The name “Zoodohos Peghe” means “The Life Giving Fountain” and refers to the Virgin Mary.

Since 1931 the church was located on Forest Avenue in the South Bronx.

In 1966 the church moved to its present location and in 1988 the parish broke ground for an adjacent new church that was completed in 1992.

UHAC, hellenicare and Athens Family Support Greek Fire Relief Fund Following the devastating fires that recently ravaged Greece, Andrew A. Athens, national chairman of the United Hellenic American Congress (UHAC), president and Founder of hellenicare, along with his family, have called upon the greater Hellenic-American community in the United States to support the Greek Fire Relief Fund organized and administered by the Archdiocese.

Donations have been made by the Athens Family, UHAC and hellenicare to the Archdiocese’s special disaster relief fund.

“This horrendous disaster requires everyone’s assistance,” said Andrew Athens. “We have outreached to our friends in the various ethnic communities around the country asking for their support. Our Jewish-American friends have answered our call for help and will be sending their support to the Archdiocese’s relief fund,” continued Mr. Athens.

The fire has killed 64 people and left nearly 500,000 of charred acreage. Forests and villages in Evros, Corfu, Kefalonia and

throughout the Peloponnese have been obliterated, damaging ancient olive trees and other agricultural land.

According to Nikos Haralambidis, director of Greenpeace in Greece, “the inferno has destroyed fragile mountain ecosystems that will require decades to revive. In the six hot, windy days of uncontrolled blazes, Greece lost more of its rapidly dwindling forestland than in any single year on record.”

Thousands of people have lost their homes and crops. Several thousands could become internally displaced people as a result of the fires. Greece faces an extensive rebuilding process requiring a massive amount of humanitarian aid from Greece’s friends and neighbors, but also from Greeks living abroad.

“Greece desperately needs our help.

We must respond, ” urges Andrew Athens.

UHAC and hellenicare encourage individuals and organizations to send their contributions today to the Greek Fire Relief Fund c/o The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, 8 East 79th St., New York, NY 10075 and through the Archdiocese’s web site at www.goach.org.

Brooklyn Priest to Appear on Prayer Channel Program BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The Very Rev. Eugene Pappas, pastor of Three Hierarchs Church, will participate in a program on The Prayer Channel of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn on Oct. 18 and in a LIVE Discussion on Nov. 15.

The program, “One in Christ - 40Years of Christian Dialogue,” will air Oct 18, 7:30-8 p.m., with an encore on Oct. 30, 6:30-7 p.m.

The LIVE Discussion airs Nov. 15, 7:30-8:30 p.m., and re-airs on Nov. 17, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

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The Voice of

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

Philoptochos

Eleventh National Philoptochos Children’s Medical Fund Luncheon Set Medical Fund Mission The Metropolis of San Francisco Philoptochos will host the Eleventh Children’s Medical Fund Luncheon on Saturday, Nov. 10 at The Fairmont Hotel in Newport Beach, Calif.

National Philoptochos President Georgia Skeadas, along with the Luncheon Chair Valerie Roumeliotes and the co-chairs, Patty Chacopoulos, Kathy Gabriel, Marina Kookootsedes and Jeannie Ranglas, announced that George Miserlis, nationally acclaimed television actor and famed vocalist, will be the featured master of ceremonies.

Since 1989 the Children’s Medical Fund luncheons have raised over $2.1 million and through these funds National Philoptochos has provided medical assistance to critically ill children whose families are unable to afford appropriate and necessary treatment.

The Fund also provides financial support for innovative research programs to pediatric hospitals throughout the United States.

Most recently the Children’s Medical Fund expanded its reach beyond U.S. boundaries by responding to the HIV/AIDS crisis and other medical needs of Orthodox children by providing funding for a medical clinic in Woliso, Ethiopia.

Through the great generosity of benefactors to the Children’s Medical Fund, National Philoptochos has touched the lives of so many in each host Metropolis including the Direct Archdiocesan District,

the Metropolises of Atlanta, Boston, New Jersey, Chicago, Detroit and Denver.

National Philoptochos extends the invitation to participate in this most noble and worthy endeavor to reach out to those who need our support within the Metropolis of San Francisco and throughout the country.

A full weekend of festivities begins with an evening reception and extrava-

ganza on Friday, Nov. 9, followed by the luncheon on Saturday.

Archbishop Demetrios will officiate at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Sunday, Nov. 11 at St. Katherine’s in Redondo Beach, with a reception to follow.

Contact Marina Kookootsedes at 949733.2366 or 949-855.4437. Hotel reservations should be made directly with the Fairmont Hotel at 800.441-1414.

Elpis Chapter members of Annunciation Church in Memphis, Tenn., and Fr. Paul Christy, present Dr. Stephanie Storgion Poplos with a $22,500 check from the National Philoptochos Medical Fund for the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at LeBonheur Children’s Medical Center.

Metropolis of Detroit The Metropolis of Detroit Philoptochos led by its President Katherine Kotsis, hosted the successful National Philoptochos Children’s Medical Fund Luncheon in 2003 followed by the 2006 National Philoptochos Biennial Convention in Nashville.

Pediatric Intensive Care Cardiac Program – Memphis - The Metropolis of Detroit received a grant for $22,500 from the National Philoptochos Children’s Medical Fund for the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at LeBonheur Children’s Medical Center in Memphis.

Dr. Stephanie Storgion Poplos, who is medical director of Pediatric Critical Care and professor of pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, is also a member of the Elpis Philoptochos Chapter. She thanked the National Philoptochos on behalf of the Medical Center, stating, “The work of the Philoptochos in providing these types of funds to hospitals that care for the children of our country truly exemplifies the goal of our organization as being the friends of the poor.”

Chapter Challenge – The Afghan Project – Dayton, Ohio - Annunciation Philoptochos of Dayton, Ohio received a National Philoptochos Chapter Challenge Grant in 2004 to develop a charitable project that demonstrated creativity, innovation and philanthropy.

The creation of the Afghan Project was a year-long endeavor that consisted of beautiful blankets hand knitted by Philoptochos members, friends and family of the Annunciation parish that were distributed to local community shelters for the homeless and at domestic violence centers.

The Afghan Project was one of two award winning projects selected by the National Philoptochos as outstanding outreach projects. Chapters nationally are

Spans Two Decades

The Children’s Medical Fund Luncheon began as the Cancer Fund Luncheon in 1989 in New York with a second Cancer Fund Luncheon held in 1990.

These successful events provided funds for Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital for the Greek Children’s Cancer Fund and for the Kids-n-Cancer program. In 1991 this event was officially named the Children’s Medical Fund Luncheon.

Since 1991 the National Philoptochos has funded 41 children’s hospitals, medical centers and programs both nationally in each Metropolis of the Archdiocese and internationally with funds generated through the Children’s Medical Fund Luncheons. (See complete listing).

In addition to direct grants, the remaining balances in the Children’s Medical Fund are used by the National Philoptochos Social Services Department for assistance to individuals and for grants to hospitals and various organizations.

The Children’s Medical Fund affords National Philoptochos the unique opportunity to achieve its mission, “to promote charitable, benevolent and philanthropic outreach, to preserve the sanctity of life and family, and to perpetuate and promote our Orthodox faith and traditions.” It is important to reflect on the major impact made through the funds generated from this important Luncheon activity.

Grant Recipients1989 – 2006

encouraged to participate in this model.

With Agape – Farmington Hills, Mich.

- Holy Cross Philoptochos, under the spiritual leadership of Fr. Dean Hountalas, spearheaded a project to make and deliver Easter baskets for children at the Children’s Hospital in Detroit. It began in 2000 by delivering 228 baskets but since that time the project has expanded to the entire parish and now almost 3,000 baskets are delivered each year to the children at Children’s Hospital, to children living

at a shelter for abused women and to handicapped adults.

As a result, the Philoptochos now partners with GOYA to provide an ongoing food drive, a soup kitchen, nursing home visitations and other meaningful projects that encourage the youth to engage in philanthropic work.

The “With Agape” program was recognized at the 2004 National Philoptochos Biennial Convention Awards Program as the “Best Outreach Project.”

Funding a Medical Clinic in Africa In 2005, National Philoptochos presented a $35,000 donation from the Children’s Medical Fund to the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) for a Children’s Medical Clinic in Africa that was completed in July 2007 in Woliso, Ethiopia in the West ern Highlands. The construction was funded by the Philoptochos Society and a group of private donors.

The residents of Woliso will now be able to receive modern medical care along with preventive medicine.

The IOCC Head of Office Thomas Kivlan stated, “We are expecting this clinic to receive hundreds of patients every day because the clinic will mean access to medical assistance for people – particu-

larly children – who have no access for basic medical problems.”

Bishop Andonios of Phasiane, who serves as advisor to the National Philoptochos and director of the Archdiocese Department of Philanthropy, traveled to Ethiopia in 2005 and saw first hand IOCC’s extensive USAID-funded program to educate Ethiopians in the prevention of HIV/AIDS. His Grace inspired the Philoptochos to extend its good works to the African continent to meet the great need that exists there for education and prevention. At the completion of the new clinic, His Grace expressed gratitude to Philoptochos and the individuals who responded to this need.

American Vitilago Research Foundation, Clearwater, Fla.; C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, Ann Arbor, Mich.; Children’s Gaucher Research Fund, Granite Bay, Calif.; Children’s Hospital, Austin, Texas; Children’s Hospital, Boston; Children’s Hospital, Buffalo, N.Y.; Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles; Children’s Hospital, Philadelphia; Children’s Hospital, Pittsburgh; Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, N.Y.; Children’s Hospital of Alabama, Birmingham; Children’s Hospital of Central California, Madera, Calif.; Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit; Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, Norfolk, Va.; Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Children’s Medical Clinic, Woliso, Ethiopia; Children’s Medical Hospital, Dallas; Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago; Children’s Memorial Medical Center, Chicago; Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO; Children’s National Medical Center, Washington; Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center; Cook Children’s Medical Center, Fort Worth, TX; Duke Children’s Hospital and Center, Durham, N.C.; Egleston Children’s Hospital, Emory University, Atlanta; George Papanicolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece; Harborview Medical Center, Seattle; Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Providence, R.I.; Kapi’olani Medical Center for Children, Honolulu; Kids ‘n’ Cancer, Calif.; Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston; Memorial Sloan Kettering, New York; New York Hospital, Queens, N.Y.; New York Weill Cornell Medical Center; Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis; St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital, Boise, Idaho; The Children’s Hospital, Denver; UNICEF, NY, NY; University of Chicago Children’s Hospital, Chicago; University Institute for Children’s Health, Newark, N.J.; Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, Nashville; Washington University, St. Louis.

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

Challenge

YOUTH MINISTRY

What’s Up Returning to Faith

2

e-mail: youthoffice@goarch.org

WITH

W

ho knew if Bobby Bonds would break the record for homeruns?

Who knows who will make it to the World Series this year?

by Alex Magdalinos

There's nothing like knowing someone who is the ultimate baseball fan and being able to ask them these pressing questions.

If you wanted to be the ultimate baseball fan, you would immerse yourself in everything related to baseball.

You would know the standings for each division, know the stats of different players, watch games on TV or even attend them at stadiums. Suppose you wanted to be the ultimate car expert.

You would make it your business to learn about different makes and models, learn about 0-60 speeds, learn about a V6 versus a V8 and so forth. Well, let’s say now that you wanted to be the ultimate Orthodox Christian.

You would immerse yourself in Christ’s teachings, you would read the Bible and attend services and you would read about the lives of the saints… to name just a few things.

My point – if you want to be involved with something, then you have to immerse yourself in the various aspects of that “something.” For us, that “something” is leading an Orthodox Christian life.

Is it easy? Not all the time, because there are many distractions that keep us from becoming more active in our Faith.

Imagine if you had no internet, where would you find all your sports stats or vehicle specifications? Imagine if you had no TV, how would you watch games?

You could really never become that great baseball fan or automotive expert, because there were all these roadblocks in the way, preventing you from learning about baseball and cars. So then, what are roadblocks for us as Orthodox Christians?

Too many other commitments at school or with sports? The desire to sleep in on Sunday mornings?

Something we see in the Church that disappoints us and makes us turn away from it?

You each can find that answer for yourselves. My answer when I was in junior high was just a general disinterest.

However, I slowly became more active in my Faith by immersing myself in the life of the Church and trying to make my life more Christ-centered.

So, how did I begin this return to Faith? First and foremost, by becoming

Challenge is the Youth & Young Adult Ministries supplement to the Orthodox Observer.

Articles reflect the opinion of the writers.

Write to: Youth & Young Adult Ministries, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, 83 St. Basil Rd., Garrison, New York 10524 or email: youthoffice@goarch.org

more involved in the Church. Here is what helped me.

Being involved in the youth groups…

A youth group I was involved in really made an impact in my life. We learned about our Faith, but also how to live our Faith through our actions and deeds.

Through my participation in that youth group, I also made many close friends that I continue to keep in touch with to this day. What better company would that ultimate baseball fan have than other baseball fans? The same holds true for us.

What better company would we have than fellow Orthodox Christians to support us

C

an we encounter God in our contemporary pop culture?

Every month, this column discusses just that - ways that God can be found in our fast-paced and often overwhelming society.

We are called not necessarily to love our culture, but to find God in it - in movies, technology, current events, etc.

This mission can sometimes be difficult in a society that seems to lack faith on so many levels. We as teenagers especially feel this spiritual void:  30 percent of teens believe that all religions are really praying to the same God, they are just using different names for God.  In total, 83 percent of teens maintain that moral truth depends on the circumstances, and only 6 percent believe that moral truth is absolute.  Just one-third of teens read the Bible each week outside of Church.  Of those who call themselves Christians, 26 percent said they are ‘absolutely committed’ and 57 percent said that they were ‘moderately committed’ to the Christian faith.

In a world where many teens feel disconnected from God, from religion, and from any kind of faith, we are blessed to be the inheritors of a very rich spiritual tradition.

Our Orthodox Faith provides us tools to help fill those spiritual voids we feel today. In fact, our Faith even provides responses to the issues we face living as

and help us along in the journey of Orthodox Faith?

Worship Services… For the ultimate baseball fan, the peak of the baseball experience would probably be going to a game.

The same holds true for us. I don't mean to suggest that going to the services of the Church is like going to a baseball game, but the liturgical life of the Church is important to us as Orthodox Christians.

We can learn from the hymns and the prayers of the services.

The best way to learn the services, primarily the Divine Liturgy, is by attending them frequently. Through the services, we receive the blessings of the Church and the grace of God through the sacraments of the Church, including Holy Communion.

Communicating with God… When you have an established friendship, don’t you talk to that person on a regular basis?

The same holds true for us. Since we have a relationship with Jesus Christ, we must talk to Him and listen to Him on a regular basis, which we do through prayer.

St. Paul tells us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Throughout the day you can pray to God for various needs and guidance, but also try to establish a regular prayer schedule daily. We also listen to God’s Word through the Scriptures that we read personally and hear in the services.

These are a few things that helped and continue to help me be involved in the life of the Church. Have I completely accomplished that yet? Not yet, because it's a life-long process of growth that we all experience as we move closer to God our Father in Heaven.

Alex Magdalinos grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and attended Holy Apostles Church in Westchester, Ill. He is a graduate of both Hellenic College and Holy Cross School of Theology and currently serves as the pastoral assistant at the Ascension of Our Lord Church in Lincolnshire, Ill.

For Parents and Youth Workers

 This new Ecclesiastical year, utilize the Archdiocese special websites for feast days and celebrations of our Church: http://www.goarch.org/en/special/  Check out www.ancientfaithradio. com, a 24-hour Orthodox Christian radio broadcast.  For more resources for your youth ministry (especially this new school year), sign up to receive The Pulse, a weekly listserv that reaches youth workers across the country: http://youth.goarch.org. Archives of the listserv can be found at: http://listserv.goarch.org/archives/youth.html

Faith in a faithless world teens in today's world. This may come as a surprise for those of us who may not know much about the Faith.

It can be confusing and overwhelming to think about getting involved in our Church - for many of us, it's something our parents have raised us in, but we don't know very much about it. Some of us may not even know what we really believe.

The good news is that God is loving and patient, and He's always there to receive us whenever we reach out to Him.

G in Culture

He will meet us where we are, even if it's at square one, even when we're confused and full of doubt.

So, as a new school year begins, let this be a new year for our faith. Let's all take a small step toward faith - toward investigating, learning, praying, and loving.

So, where can we start?

Here are some practical ways that we can ramp up our faith and re-commit ourselves to Christ.  Check out these books: A Tiny Step Away from Deepest Faith by Marjorie Corbman, God Speaks from the Cross by Fr. Anthony Coniaris, and The Way of a Pilgrim (all available at amazon.com)  Take a look at some movies that will help you reflect on your faith: The Nativity Story (2006), Chronicles of Narnia (2005), The Passion of the Christ (2005), Amistad (1997), Ben Hur (1959).  Talk to your parish priest about spirituality and confession and join your youth group or GOYA.  Open up the Bible and start reading one chapter a week. Or, start following along with the daily readings prescribed by the Church. (www.goarch.org) You can get weekly emails with readings.  Make a point to attend one service outside of Sunday morning Liturgy (Vespers, Orthros, etc).  Listen to some of Switchfoot's music and examine the lyrics and their approach to religious faith.  Websites have information about our Orthodox Christian faith (www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/) and resources about special feast days and celebrations in the Church (www.goarch.org/en/special/).

28

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Daughters of Penelope Give $37,500 to St. Basil

DAUGHTERS of Penelope representatives present their contribution to Archbishop Demetrios.

ATLANTA —The Daughters of Penelope contributed a total of $37,500 to St. Basil Academy, at a gala dinner celebrating the 85th anniversary of the founding of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) on Sept. 8.

Archbishop Demetrios accepted the presentation from Grand President Karen Stamatiades that included: $17,500 for a new roof to the Daughters of Penelope dorm; $10,000 to establish a scholarship

Archdiocese District Holds Successful Summer Camp The Archdiocesan District, with the blessing of Archbishop Demetrios, held its annual Camp St. Paul summer camp July 2-8 at Camp Hope in Litchfield, Conn.

Fr. Elias G. Villis, pastor of Church of Our Saviour in Rye, N.Y. and the camp’s director, noted, “This is was our third year, and by the grace of God, we have grown to over 100 campers and 25 staff. “Our first year, in 2005, we had 41 campers; now we have the opportunity to grow even more as we are praying to have a second one- week session in 2008.”

The camp is staffed with young adults from the Archdiocesan District.

Along with Fr. Villis, clergy in attendance were Frs. John Lardas of Sts. Constantine and Helen Church in Brooklyn, N.Y.; Dimitrios Moraitis of St. Paraskevi in Greenlawn, Long Island; and Deacon Theofanis Papantonis of St. Nicholas Church, Flushing. George Hazlaris served as program director.

from the Daughters of Penelope Foundation Inc., and a matching $10,000 for scholarships from Lea Soupata Zervoulias, a member of Menelaos Chapter 53, Atlanta and a trustee of the Academy.

“Our mission includes philanthropy, education, and family and individual excellence; and our love for St. Basil’s is very much a part of our mission,” said Stamatiades. “Our work to help the academy, a wonderful home for children who need a home, is ongoing.”

Also on-hand for the presentation ceremony were Evellyn Tsiadis, president, Board of Trustees of St. Basil Academy and DOP Past Grand President; Melva Zinaich, president, DOP Foundation, Inc.; and two currently enrolled students.

Over its history, the Daughters of Penelope donated a dormitory and a pool to the academy. Annually, the DOP provides for the maintenance of the pool.

St. Basil Academy, located in Garrison, N.Y., is a national not-for-profit philanthropic center of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America which provides love, shelter, food, education, protection and a home for her orphans, children of chronically ill or destitute parents or children from broken homes. (www.stbasil. goarch.org.)

Founded in San Francisco in 1929, the Daughters of Penelope is the first women’s organization of its kind established in the United States. It is an affiliate organization of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA). The mission of the DOP is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of Hellenism, philanthropy, education, civic responsibility, and family and individual excellence.

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30

Bible Insights Making Good Use of God

Do not associate the title with the distasteful ways in which people sometimes use their friends and take advantage of their relationship with them to further their own selfish ends.

by Fr. William G. Gaines

If we have a clear understanding of the real nature of God and if we capture for ourselves an appreciation of the relationship with Jesus had with God, then it will be both possible and in good taste to “make good use of God.” How shall we do this?

We make good use of God when we really believe not only that there is a God but also that he is undergirding reality upon which we may build our lives and to whom we may appeal for help.

“If God is banished from one’s thoughts, there is no ultimate standard of moral right. Good and evil have no meaning except to serve our immediate needs and convenience.”

We can believe that God is the eternal, ultimate standard by which we can measure the values by which we would live effective lives. We make good use of God by becoming more and more personally acquainted with him. God is near us.

In fact, he is dwelling in our hearts, for our bodies are his temples. (1 Cor. 3:16) He is closer to us than “berating, nearer than hands or feet.”

All we have to do is to acknowledge his presence, which is within us.

As we talk to him in prayer and as we relax into his everlasting arms, we can be confident that he will hear and will help us. We must be willing to ask his help and then be willing to receive the help he offers.

We make good use of God by becoming active co-workers with Him. Jesus found refreshment and strength in doing the work he was sure God wanted him to do and in living the life he believed God wanted him to live. (John 4:34) Earnest Christians of every generation testify they have found strength to bear their burdens and to do their work largely, if not solely, because they were convinced they were co-workers with God. This principle applies to every area of human endeavor: bookkeeping, homemaking, child care, making decisions, etc.

We make good use of God by trusting in His steadfast goodness and love (1) when life tumbles in and falls all to pieces, (2) when people disappoint us and cause us heartbreak, (3) when disease invades this temple of the soul and (4) when either slowly or suddenly, the moral body is claimed by death.

The ultimate good use of God is to be persuaded that nothing, not even death, can separate us from the love of God. (Rom.8:38-39).

New Director Selected For St. Nicholas Ranch SAN FRANCISCO – The Metropolis of San Francisco announces the selection of Michael Pappas of Modesto, Calif. as the new director of St. Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center in Dunlap, Calif.

He received his Master of Divinity degree from Holy Cross School of Theology.

He also received a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing from California State University-Stanislaus.

Professionally, Mr. Pappas has spent considerable time serving various institutions and ministries with the Archdiocese.

Most notably, he was the director of Ionian Village, director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries for the Archdiocesan District, program director for Ionian Village, and associate director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries for the Archdiocese. Presently, he is serving as the pastoral assistant at the Annunciation Church in Modesto.

“I am very excited to have Mr. Pappas as the Director of this important ministry

w!

No r e d Or

of our Metropolis,” states Metropolitan Gerasimos. “Mr. Pappas' experience in the area of youth work, his theological and pastoral expertise as well as his proven sensitivities in matters of church administration, provide a combination that will ensure a most successful ministry at St. Nicholas Ranch.”

About his new position, Mr. Pappas commented, “St. Nicholas Ranch is a very special place. When I was young, the retreats and programs at the Ranch played an important role in my life, helping me to grow as an Orthodox Christian, even helping to lead me to the seminary. Being able to work in this Holy ministry of the Church is both a great honor and a privilege.”

Mr. Pappas began his new duties on Aug. 6.

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SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

Communications Surveys Recent publications of the Orthodox Observer have included a short survey on various issues pertaining to our Orthodox faith and practice.

Respondent participation has been excellent, indicating that our readers are interested in assisting the Archdiocese to understand their feelings and opinions on various Church-related subjects.

The survey in this issue will focus on the Church attendance of Orthodox young adults.

by Rev. Frank Marangos

Research has confirmed speculation that American young adult Christians are leaving the church in great numbers. According to a recent study conducted by LifeWay Research, results indicate that most of the young adults who stopped attending church had not planned to do so in advance.

Only 20 percent of the church dropouts said that, though they attended church in high school, they planned on taking a break from church once

they graduated high school. Almost all church dropouts were related to life changes. Twenty seven percent (27%) of young adults indicated that they “simply wanted a break from church."

Transitioning into college was also a major reason for quitting church (25 percent). While twenty three percent (23%) blamed work responsibilities, twenty two percent (22%) said that geographic location prevented them from continuing to attend.

According to a poll conducted by USA Today, the teen years are a “free trial of a product.” When it is “their choice” (age 18) many young adults claim that the main reason they stop attending church is because they feel they are “not being engaged and welcome."

The following questions attempt to survey the primary motivation/barriers that influence church attendance of Orthodox Christian Young Adults (18-30 years of age). To complete the survey and submit a response, please go to the website http://www.goarch. org/surveys

Young Adults and Church Attendance (To be completed by those ages 18-30)

 Sermon  Religious education  Feel engaged and welcome

1. How often do you attend Sunday Liturgy?    

Once a month Twice a month Three times a month Four times a month

2. What is the primary reason (check only one) you attend Sunday Liturgy?  Holy Communion  Encouragement from friends and family

CLERGY

3. What is the primary reason (check only one) you do not attend Sunday Liturgy?  Transition to college  Time constraints  Not feeling engaged and welcome  Work responsibilities  Want a break  Other (please indicate)

UPDATE

ordination to the Diaconate Azar, Michael G. – Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver – Holy Trinity Church, Casper, Wyo. 3/31/07 Cook, Anthony J. – Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit – Assumption Church, St. Clair Shores, Mich. 07/28/07 Klostri, Panteleimon – Bishop Savas of Troas – St. Spyridon Church, New York 08/12/07 ordination to the Priesthood Mars, Dn. Christos – Metropolitan Iakovos – Sts. Constantine & Helen Church, Palos Hills, Ill. 06/24/07 Cook, Dn. Anthony J. – Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit – Assumption Church, St. Clair Shores, Mich 07/29/07 Haros, Dn. Athanasios – Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver – Assumption Cathedral, Denver 07/29/07 Curtright, Dn. Mark – Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver – Annunciation Church, Kansas City, Mo 08/25/07 Assignments Fr. Iakovos Olechnowicz – Traverse City Orthodox Mission Church, Traverse City, Mich.

07/01/07 Fr. Virgil Peter Andronache – Holy Trinity, Clearwater, Fla. 08/01/07 Fr. Anthony J. Cook – Assumption Church, St. Clair Shores, Mich. 08/01/07 Fr. Iulian Damian – Holy Cross Church, Macon, Ga. 08/01/07 Fr. Konstantinos Eleftherakis – St. John the Baptist Church, Myrtle Beach, S.C. 08/01/07

Fr. Nicholas Hadzellis – Annunciation Cathedral, Houston 08/01/07 Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis – St. Luke the Evangelist Church, Columbia, Mo. 08/01/07 Fr. Timothy Pavlatos – Prophet Elias Church, San Bernardino, Calif.

08/12/07 Fr. Michael Pastrikos – St. Nicholas Church, Baltimore 08/16/07 Fr. Emmanuel Burdusi – developing new parish community in Bel Air, Md. 08/16/07 Fr. James Adams – Holy Trinity Church, San Francisco (interim presiding priest) 08/20/07 releases Rev. Hieromonk Gabriel Nicholas, to the Orthodox Church in America 07/18/07 Fr. Constantine Terss, to Church of Greece, Metropolis of Ydra, Spetses & Aegina. 08/01/07 offikia Metropolitan Methodios of Boston bestowed the office of Protopresbyter upon Fr. Kyriakos Saravelas 08/15/07 Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta bestowed the office of Confessor upon Fr. James Berends 08/29/07 on Sabbatical Fr. George Pyle 08/24/07 Suspended Fr. Michael G. Pappas , 08/20/07

31

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007

Chief Rabbi of Israel Visits Archbishop Demetrios NEW YORK – Archbishop Demetrios welcomed the Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Israel, Yona Metzger, at Archdiocese headquarters on Aug. 7.

The Chief Rabbi was on a visit to the United States and had expressed the desire to meet the Archbishop. John Catsimatides an Archdiocesan Council member and an Archon, facilitated the meeting.

During their cordial and friendly meeting, the Chief Rabbi and the Archbishop discussed issues of common interest relative to international affairs and topics pertaining to Orthodox Christian and Jewish relations.

Among the issues addressed in their conversation, Archbishop Demetrios stressed the importance of the government of Israel to recognize the legal status of Theophilos, patriarch of Jerusalem.

His Eminence underscored the point that even though Israel is officially a secular state, religious personages such as the Chief Rabbi can have a positive influence.

The Chief Rabbi raised concerns about religious freedom and mutual respect, and his own ideas about a UN-style religious forum where constructive interfaith work can occur. The Archbishop emphasized the leadership of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the concern of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Since becoming Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Metzger has been active in reaching out to various groups of people, both Jews and non-Jews. He is the youngest Chief Rabbi in Israel's history and has authored ten books, two of which were awarded prizes by the president of Israel.

2007-2008 Scholarship Recipients Announced The Archdiocese has announced the awarding of scholarships for the 20072008 academic year from three scholarship programs administered by the Chancellor’s Office.

The “George and Naouma Gioles Scholarship Fund� awarded seven scholarships for a total of $15,000. Awards were given to the following students: Donna Balaouras (Watertown, Mass.), Julian Chryssavgis (Brunswick, Maine), James Georgantas (Shorewood, Ill.), George Haralampopoulos (Sunny Isles Beach, Fla.), Anastasia Leventopoulos (Chicago), Catherine O’Hare (Corona Del Mar, Calif.), and Arianna Rahanosseini (Centennial, Colo.)

The “George and Naouma Gioles Scholarship Fund� was established in 1997 with a generous gift from Marion Gioles in memory of her beloved parents, to honor their commitment to their Orthodox Faith, their love of their Hellenic heritage, and their desire to help youth who are orphaned or in need.

At least three scholarships are awarded annually to Greek Orthodox students committed to serious study in a degreeearning undergraduate program at an accredited college or university.

The “Katina John Malta Scholarship Fund� awarded a total of $20,000 in scholarships to ten students: Socrates Ayvaliotis (Tenafly, N.J.), Donna Balaouras (Watertown, Mass.), Julian Chryssavgis (Brunswick, Maine), Lia Eliades (Petaluma, Calif.), Anastasia Leventopoulos (Chicago), Catherine O’Hare (Corona Del Mar, Calif.), Chad Owen Trenham (Riverside, Calif.), Constandinos Tsourakis (Astoria, N.Y.), Christopher Vargo (Lynnfield, Mass.), and Presbytera Jayne Lisa Worsham (Chattanooga, Tenn.).

The “Katina John Malta Scholarship Fund� was established in 2002 by Peter and Elli Paleologos through a generous gift from the estate of Katina John Malta, in recognition of the love she had for the Church and to honor her desire to help others, especially children and youth of the Orthodox Christian Faith. This fund awards at least two scholarships of $2,000 each academic year.

The scholarship is open to all students

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from jurisdictions of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in America (SCOBA).

This year, in addition to recipients from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, one of the recipients, Chad Owen Trenham is a member of the Antiochian Orthodox Church and another, Presbytera Jayne Lisa Worsham, is in the Orthodox Church in America.

The final set of scholarships was awarded from the “Paleologos Graduate Scholarship Fund.� This is a new scholarship that was established in 2007 by Peter and Elli Paleologos and is intended to assist students enrolled in graduate studies programs leading to advanced degrees in academic fields other than theology.

At least one scholarship of $10,000 will be awarded each year. Like the Malta Scholarships, this award is open to all students of SCOBA-affiliated churches.

This marks the first year that awards were given out from this fund. Through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Paleologos, three awards of $10,000 each were given out this year. The recipients of the 20072008 Paleologos Graduate Scholarships are: Scott Easton of Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese), Amanda Georgantas of Shorewood, Ill. (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese) and Stavroula Katsifas of Garrison, N.Y. (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese).

The three scholarship funds will also be awarded during the 2008-2009 academic year. Applications and guidelines for next year’s scholarships will be available in early 2008 from the Office of the Chancellor, 10 East 79 th St., New York, NY 10075 or on-line via the website of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Chancellor’s Office.

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SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2007