NEW YORK – Domestic violence is a complex and painful enough reality in any context. Unfortunately, the attitudes and conditions that make it possible, like secretiveness, are among the darker Greek-American traditions passed down through generations.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and The National Herald spoke to Paulette Geanacopoulos, LMSW about what community organizations and individuals can do about it.
She knows the community and the problem of domestic violence well after growing up at St. Spyridon in Manhattan and two tenures between 1994 and the present in the Department of Social Work of the National Philoptochos.
A month does not go by when she does not get a domestic violence case, and the vast majority of victims are women.
In 2012 she produced an awareness manual that was distributed at the National Philoptochos convention in Phoenix, AZ where a panel was presented consisting of a clinician, the chief of police of a nearby city and Fr. Nick Anctil of Holy Trinity of New Rochelle.
That is a model for events that every parish can present in October, but even one expert speaker is sufficient to generate vital awareness.
The Domestic Violence Manual is filled with valuable information, but the Appendix is especially valuable.
Attachment A, “Does Your Partner…?” is checklist of behaviors of abuses that will help victims understand what is happening to them.
Ironically, many women don’t know they are being abused. They think they are in a normal relationship based on what they are used to.
Attachments B and C are “Safety Plan Guidelines” and “Developing a Safety Plan.” They are crucial because the most dangerous time for the woman is when she takes steps to end the marriage. “That’s when she is most likely to be killed – she will be stalked” Geanacopoulos said.
If someone fears another is being abused, lending an ear is important, as are encouraging words like “You have the right to be safe.”
It does not help, however, to tell the victim to leave – the person must make that decision on her own – but when she is ready a friend can help them develop a safety plan.
“Have a set of keys in a safe place, have some money set aside, figure out through which door you will exit… If there are children tell them what they need to do,” Geanacopoulos said.
Geanacopoulos emphasized the important facts and conditions.
The most important issue is properly approaching the victim as opposed to the abuser.
“Women need to be vigilant of the relationship they are in because domestic violence does not get better and the women cannot stop the abuse….it will stop only when the abuser takes responsibility for his actions.”
One of the challenges is that the women tend not to be believed. Often “the abusers are pillars of the community,” she told TNH.
It is vital for information to be made available to victims, so they know they are not alone or at fault – and to inform them of options and actions they can take to protect themselves.
The abusers often tell them they are being punished for wrongdoing – not cooking meals the way his mother did, not raising the children as he sees fit, etc. and some victims believe God is punishing them for their sins.
The abusers are also clever. If they bruise the women, they make them wear clothing that covers them up.
It is important to look for clues – a woman wearing a sweater in summer for instance, or suddenly stopping work, or learning the husband controls the finances – which make it difficult for her to leave.
IT’S NOT A BAD TEMPER, IT’S ABOUT CONTROL
Geanacopoulos and the literature emphasize that the deeper issue is control, that the men’s behavior is rooted in deep his personality, not in losing his temper.
“They do it because they think they have the right to control their partner. It’s all about power and control,” she said.
She noted that parish priests are becoming more helpful. “They may not be speaking out from the pulpit, but they are more aware about how they should speak to abused women…Some will still tell them to just go home and pray, but praying will not stop the abuse.”
She has strongly urged Philoptochos chapters across the country post the number for the national domestic violence hotline 1-800-799-7233 which is staffed with experts 24/7, and make literature available in areas for women in the parish.
The material, some of which is in Greek, appears at Philoptochos.org and has been distributed to priests and chapter presidents.
Geanacopoulos’ main point is that domestic violence is learned behavior. “We need to start young,” she said, and to at least talk about dating violence among teens.

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THE BRONX – With pipe organ resounding through University Church, Archbishop Demetrios of America and Fordham university officials in full academic regalia marched to the chancel accompanying the evening’s honoree, Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury on the evening of September 30.
The audience that filled the venerable church with architectural touches that echoed the University of Cambridge, where Williams is now Master of Magdalene College, came to hear and honor him as he received an honorary doctorate.
The occasion was the annual Orthodoxy in America Lecture Series of the university’s orthodox Christian Studies Center.
Williams’ ties to the Orthodox Faith are both academic and personal. He is a scholar of the Church Fathers and did his doctoral work on Vladimir Lossky, the renowned Russian Orthodox theologian of the early-mid 20th century.
In his youth, Williams contemplated becoming a monk as well as joining the Orthodox church, and has told The Telegraph that “he draws daily inspiration from the practice, common to both the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, of meditating while repeatedly reciting the “Jesus Prayer”, which says: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me.”
The topic of William’s lecture was “Liturgical Humanism: Orthodoxy and the Transformation of Culture.”
“Liturgical Humanism: Orthodoxy and the Transformation of Culture.”
Williams began by declaring that revelation comprises an interruption of history by the Word of God and that “to be human is to be summoned to answer, and to communion.
He proceeded to examine a humanism rooted in Liturgy after asking “how does Christian anthropology,” the Church’s vision of man, “become tangible, visible in liturgy?”
He emphasized that Liturgy must not be merely ritual. “The liturgy is essentially responsive” –both in its expression by clergy and laity, and its impact on their lives and societies. “It cannot just talk to itself,” he said.
Williams addressed the many levels of meaning of liturgy. He noted that it effects “a transition from one world to another” and that it is also the experience of the divine reality permeating another realm, our lives and history.
He also expounded about how time passing in the liturgy also signifies a passage from death to life, and that through liturgy – whose climax is the presence of the living Christ in the Eucharist in Christian belief – “fear of death is overcome in the light of the resurrection.”
Liturgy, Williams explained, summons a special form of remembrance that looks forward into the future through the invocation of the second coming of Christ, but “Liturgy is not an escape into a virtual reality. [All its elements] are connected to the world we know,” he said as the lecture drew to a close.
Archbishop Demetrios, who offered the benediction, lauded Williams “for making Orthodox theology known and appreciated in the world today,” and Rev. Joseph M. McShane, the president of Fordham, called Williams “the greatest theologian in the English speaking world.”
The guests who filled university Church were greeted by Stephen Freedman, the provost and Emcee for the evening.
After noting that they were gathered on the feast day of St. Jerome, the great Latin Church Father, McShane placed the evening’s lecture in the context of St. Anselm’s motto: “faith seeking understanding”
According to its website, “The Orthodox Christian Studies Center of Fordham University fosters intellectual inquiry by supporting scholarship and teaching that is critical to the ecclesial community, public discourse, and the promotion of Christian unity. The Center serves as a locus of curricular, research, and outreach activities related to the interdisciplinary study of Orthodox Christian traditions.”
The lecture was made possible by gifts from the Jaharis Family Foundation, Leadership 100, and members of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center.

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BANGOR, ME – Rev. Adam Metropoulos, who was the presiding priest at St. George Greek Orthodox parish in Bangor, ME for the past 13 years and was arrested on September 15 on charges of possessing child pornography and surreptitiously videotaping a woman taking a shower in his bathroom without her knowledge and consent, has revealed to the police in an affidavit that he had also videotaped a female parishioner and that he slept with two 15 years-old boys from his parish on the futon in the living room and he touched their private parts.
Fr. Metropoulos admitted to videotaping the woman in his bathroom. The detective wrote in the affidavit that “he then told us that he made a mistake tonight. He stated that when [she] told him that she was going to take a shower, he went into the bathroom and turned on his camera and placed it on the shelf to record…while she was taking a shower. He told us that this was stupid and that he made a mistake. Mr. Metropoulos showed us the bathroom, which was on the first floor, and showed us the camera to be sitting on a towel shelf directly across from the shower.”
The detective also reported in the affidavit that “I advised Mr. Metropoulos that I wanted to give him the opportunity to tell us the truth about some things before they snowballed out of control. I told him that we would be looking into it and he should tell us everything. Mr. Metropoulos admitted to watching pornography but stated that it was all adults that he watched. He admitted that he visited such sites…but that he did not watch child pornography.”
The affidavit also states that “I asked him if he had been convicted of any crime. He told me no. I then asked him about the conviction in Michigan for sexual assault. He told me that when he was 19 years old, a boy made allegation that he had touched him sexually. He stated that they were able to reach a plea bargain on the charge.”
The detective stated in the affidavit that “I advised him that I knew that there were more things that kept secret and that he should cooperate and tell me without his wife there so we could get them out in the open. Mr. Metropoulos then told me that he had a predilection to children and frequently watched images of naked children on his computer. He also said that three years ago he had a female parishioner staying with them who was an adult. He stated that he recorded her in the shower without her knowing it. He stated that he had the video on his computer but had deleted it a long time ago. Mr. Metropoulos then advised me that five years ago, there were two 15 year-old children staying with him. He stated their parents were members of the church. The boys were staying at his house alone with him and his wife. He stated that he slept with the boys on the futon that was in the living room while his wife slept upstairs. Mr. Metropoulos told me that while the boys were sleeping, he touched both of them in the genital area to notice if they had erections. Mr. Metropoulos told me he did not touch them under their pants and did not do anything else with them.
Metropoulos has been detained at the Penobscot County Jail. Judge John Lucy has set the bail recommended by Penobscot County Deputy District Attorney Michael Roberts at $100,000. Metropoulos’ next scheduled court date is November 5.
Metropoulos had spent long periods of time at the Metropolis camp in Contoocook NH, instructing the children, playing with them, and contributing to the Camp’s daily programs. TNH has learned that the authorities are investigating all of Metropoulos’ activities during his time as a priest in Maine and also at the Metropolis camp.

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NEW YORK – The Wall Street Journal is also caught up in the excitement over the new St. Nicholas and its Ground Blessing on Saturday, October 18 at noon.

In an article titled “A Church Near Ground Zero Reimagined,” Ralph Garner writes “It took two hours of talking with architect Santiago Calatrava ——before I realized how appropriate the placement is of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, which will overlook the 9/11 Memorial.”
After Calatrava spoke about his other Ground Zero project, the PATH rail station that evokes a huge bird spreading its wings, he said of the Church “I like when a building tells you a story,” although the WSJ noted that the “narrative of the Church of St. Nicholas is circumscribed by a thousand years of tradition.”
The church, “made of white Vermont marble and with spaces that filter light inside during the day and make the structure glow at night will be open 24 hours. “This is what I want; this is what the church wants: a very ecumenical place,” Calatrava said.

The ceremony will include a combined prayer service of blessing of the site and a doxology and will be streamed live on the Internet at www.stnicholaswtc.org and www.goarch.org and is open to all faithful, however there is limited seating.

The entrance is at the corner of Greenwich and Liberty Streets. Attendees should not bring backpacks or bags and they should wear shoes appropriate for an active building site – avoid high heels. The area will open 11 AM.
Expected to attend are officials from New York City and the States of New York and New Jersey, interfaith representatives and family members of victims of 9/11.
The new church, designed renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, will be a modern evocation of a Byzantine church with a dome and will be the new home of the parish establish in 1916 whose beloved

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By Constantinos E. Scaros and Constantine S. Sirigos

NEW YORK – The images of the ground blessing service of the new St. Nicholas Shrine at Ground Zero on October 18, presided over by Archbishop Demetrios of America, will become iconic for the Greek-American community.
First and foremost, since it was a day to mourn the loss of those Greek-Americans who perished on 9/11, there was the moving scene of their relatives bearing vessels filed with water from the pools of the nearby 9/11 Memorial, which they poured into the crystal bowl on the on the altar.
Second, but no less importantly, because of the scene of harmony and unity among the leaders and members of the community: Seven Metropolitans traveled from across the country to be present, and four busloads of parishioners followed Fr. Nektarios Papazafiropoulos, Dean of St. Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria to Ground Zero.
Each of the estimated 3000 people who attended were deemed VIPs, received commemorative candles, and were thanked by the archbishop and Anthoula Katsimatides, who served as Emcee for the internationally-broadcast event, and for whom the day had especial significance.
Anthoula’s mother, Kalliope, participated in the water procession to honor the memory of her son and Anthoula’s brother John, one of the victims. She expressed the universal feeling that “It was a special and important day that will go down in history and remain in our souls…I am very touched. May God grant all of the departed peace and health to everyone.”
UNITY, THEN AND NOW
In the aftermath of one of the most horrific tragedies to devastate the United States, the nation came together in unity right away: then-President George W. Bush, a Republican, and then-Senate Majority Leader, Democrat Tom Daschle, at odds with one another nearly constantly since Bush’s inauguration only eight months earlier, set the tone for the entire country with a heartfelt embrace inside the U.S. Capitol.
Though the names and faces were different at Ground Zero 13 years later, that same spirit of unity and cooperation resonated, and was necessary for the first steps the ceremony constituted, and will be required moving forward to raise the $38 million needed to complete the Church. Designed by Santiago Calatrava and evocative of the Hagia Sophia and other Byzantine monuments, the Shrine will literally glow in the evening and become an instant New York landmark.
The procession led by altar boys included the Archdiocesan Byzantine choir, local Orthodox clergy and representatives of numerous denominations. It followed a brief video that presented the Calatrava design and the parish’s history.
Fr. John Romas, the longtime pastor of St. Nicholas participated in the service, which had an ecumenical dimension. The Old Testament reading was offered by Harriet Schleifer of the American Jewish Committee and NYPD police Sgt. Steven Jerome read the epistle. Demetrios read the Gospel, and Metropolitan Methodios of Boston read a message from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. “May your labors, perseverance, dedication and faith manifest in the construction of this sacred temple. We pray it will truly become a haven of the tempest-tossed, a comfort for mourning , a healing of passion, a refuge of the weak, a sign of victory over evil, and a pouring of the heavens on the Earth,” wrote the patriarch.
Thanking all who made this historic rebuilding and ground blessing possible, Demetrios said “this resurrected St. Nicholas Church will be a monument declaring the victory of good over evil, of love over hate, of the ultimate power of life over death and destruction.” Quoting Psalm 118, he said “this is the day the Lord has made, let us give thanks.”
LOCAL AND COMMUNITY LEADERS
One of the day’s highlights was the construction of two memorial cairns symbolizing the Twin Towers, consisting of blocks of stone that will be incorporated into the new church.
Benefactors and representatives of major community organizations were called upon to place the stones, including John Papajohn, Michael Psaros, Peter J. Pappas, Sr., Peggy Sotirhos representing the Jaharis Family Foundation, George S. Tsandikos representing Leadership 100, Dr. Anthony Limberakis – National Commander of the Archons, Andrew Liveris, Dennis Mehiel representing the Faith endowment, Aphrodite Skeadas – Philoptochos National Philoptochos President, Louis Koumoutsos – Chief of the Port Authority (PA) Police Department, who honored the memory of the 37 officers who died on 9/11, and Regina Katopodis, whose family were among the parish’s founders, representing the community of St. Nicholas.
Liveris, Chairman of The Hellenic Initiative (THI) told TNH “hundreds of years from now people will look back at the resilience of humanity and the importance of the monument we have created for those who died, and those who lived.”
Dennis Mehiel, was praised for being instrumental in the resolution of the dispute with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey that threatened to exclude the historic parish from the new World Trade Center, as was New York State Senator Dean Skellos, who was accompanied by New York State Senator Nicole Malliotakis, structural engineer Emanuel Velivasakis, and the late Emanuel Demos.
Demetrios shared his thoughts about Sept. 12, 2001, when he and clergy visited the spot where St. Nicholas was crushed in the collapse of the Twin Towers. “We stood there frozen, paralyzed,” said Archbishop Demetrios. “There was a big hole instead of a church. It left a terrible kind of impression.”
George Pataki, who was governor of New York in 2001, recounted reassuring His Eminence, saying “Do not worry. You have my word,” about its rebuilding. Pataki acknowledged “it was easy to say but hard to do,” but praised the efforts of the “influential and powerful Greek-American community, including George Demos, who shined a national media spotlight during his Congressional campaign on the PA for reneging on its agreement with the Church.
Patrick J. Foye, the PA’s current Executive Director, representing Governor Cuomo, whose election in 2011 gave him the opportunity to ensure the final agreement, alluded to the conflict that added insult to the tragedy of 9/11: “thirteen years ago the church lay in ruins – today, we will witness the reversal of that sacrilege. Five years ago, sadly and unimaginably, the Church had no choice but to sue a then-recalcitrant Port Authority to assure the rebuilding of St. Nicholas…our governor and the entire state of New York looks forward to the future consecration of what will be an iconic house of worship.”
Pataki noted that the Church was an important addition to what has been rebuilt so far. “We had remembrance, we had commerce, but without St. Nicholas, we did not have faith,” he said.
Calatrava revealed to the gathering that he was in Greece working on his Greek Olympics projects on 9/11, among the reasons that made him very much want to design the new church. He called the Hagia Sophia of Constantinople the Parthenon of Byzantine architecture, and made a poignant connection with St. Nicholas: the original Parthenon was destroyed in a wanton act of state terror by the Persians, and the devotion of the people of Athens to its resurrection shaped the City’s destiny.
The renowned architect asked for God to bless his hands and those of his colleagues and all the workers who will build the new shrine, which he designed as “a place of prayer, love, peace and reconciliation.”
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer began his address by noting the presence of his distinguished colleague, retired U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes, and then declared that “Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, this church will show the resilience and fortitude of St. Nicholas and of all New Yorkers.”
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney was also present, as was NY State Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas, who told TNH “today is important for Orthodox Christians and all New Yorkers…we are filling a hole that was left in our hearts and all New York.”
New York State Senator Michael Gianaris echoed Simotas’ words and added St. Nicholas’ had significance for all America and the whole world. “People will come, say a prayer, and remember those we lost and make it part of the experience of visiting Ground Zero.”
For Effie Lekas, like make members of the community, it was an emotional day filled with memories and hope. She was baptized at Sts. Constantine and Helen in Brooklyn, which under its pastor Fr. John Lardas has been the home of the St. Nicholas parish since 9/11, and she and her husband, journalist Panikos Panagiotou, spent every good Friday at St. Nicholas. “It was very special to us. We loved the humility of the church and its message…today is a new beginning.”
Philip Frangos, the Supreme President of AHEPA said “it is impossible to put in just a few words what this day means for the Hellenic community and AHEPA. I am delighted and humbled to be here on behalf of AHEPA, which has contributed and will continue to contribute to the resurrection on this magnificent Church. “
Zoe Kousoulis lost her daughter, Danielle who worked with John Katsimatides. “The people who organized this event did a fabulous job.” Her daughter Eleni is very happy that the families were included in the ceremony.
MISSING MAYORS
The only symbolic shadow cast on the glorious Indian Summer day was disappointment over the absence of notables, including Governor Andrew Cuomo. David Dinkins, who left office more than 20 years ago, was the only former mayor present, and guests thanked him for his attendance. Mayor de Blasio was represented by Greek-American Emma Wolfe, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, and Marco Carion, Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs. The presence of Rudy Giuliani, who was mayor on the day of 9/11, would have been particularly fitting: his leadership in calming the city that day – the entire country, actually, as he was dubbed “America’s mayor” – was particularly well-received, and in his short-lived 2008 presidential bid, his actions that day eclipsed his achievements in bringing down the city’s crime rate as his most electable aspect on a national scale.
INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
The media presence was extraordinary, a tribute both to the significance of the day and the work of the organizers, including Fr. Alexander Karloutsos, Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The story was the international lead on the Associated Press website that afternoon. Georgia Linaris’ beautiful rendition of Bless America was the perfect ending for the special event, which can be viewed at http://www.stnicholaswtc.org/video and at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UOo8R5DX5g.

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NEW YORK – Still basking in the glow of the ground blessing for the St. Nicholas shrine at Ground Zero at noon – Archbishop Demetrios of America called it a great day from Alpha to Omega – clergy, laity and friends of the Greek Orthodox Church gathered at the New York Hilton for the banquet of the Order of St. Andrew, the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, on October 18.
The annual dinner, as always a tasteful affair, is the occasion for the presentation on the Athenagoras Human Rights Award. This year’s recipient was distinguished attorney Jan Alan Sekulow, founder of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which TIME magazine called “the leading advocacy group for religious freedom.”
The night before, the Archons presented the Nicholas J. Bouras Award for extraordinary Archon Stewardship award to Christopher Stratakis, Esq.
Sekulow was introduced by Dr. Anthony Limberakis, National Commander of the Archons. A brief tribute video was also screened and the banquet program revealed that “…on innumerable occasions, he has supported and championed the cause of the Orthodox Christian world by his endeavors on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.”
The irrepressible Dr. Limberakis put the event in the context of the recent deepening of relations between the Greek and Jewish-American community by noting their many common values, such as devotion to family and education. He reminded that Greek and Jewish-Americans are ranked first and second respectfully among immigrant groups in education. He added that the rankings are reversed for income, but noted to laughter, “that’s only because they are based on reported income.”
Sekulow began his acceptance speech by thanking his family and his law partners “who are like my own brothers.” He then read a 1969 statement by Patriarch Athenagoras about the turmoil in the world that puts our common values to the test that remains only too appropriate today.
He was humbled by the awards, he said, just as he felt when he argued the first of the 12 cases – all of which he has won – before the U.S. Supreme Court as the grandson of an immigrant who fled religious persecution in Russia in 1914.
His Eminence concluded the evening with an Archiepiscopal Exhortation, and referred to the importance and splendor of the whole day. He emphasized the importance of the efforts of the Archons, which he said “are even more worthy of recognition” given the often frustrating responses of the Government of Turkey.
Archbishop Demetrios declared that Sekulow’s achievements are a tribute not only to his brilliance as a lawyer, but to his dedication to Truth and Justice.
The guests were welcomed by John Halecky, National Secretary of the Archons and Archon John Zavitsanos served as the evening’s MC and acknowledged the dignitaries and the diplomatic corps. Dr. Limberakis thanked all who fight for the causes championed by the Archons, especially the Order of AHEPA, represented by Philip Frangos, its Supreme President, “which support the Ecumenical Patriarchate with such energy.”
Dr. Limberakis expressed special gratitude from to Fr. Alex Karloutsos, Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, “who works indefatigably on both sides of the Atlantic and today on both ends of Manhattan,” referring the St. Nicholas event. Dr. Limberakis also acknowledged the work of Presbytera Xanthi Karloutsos, whom he said avoids outside the spotlight, and asked to stand up to receive appreciative applause.
John Metaxas, archon and CBS News correspondent, welcomed the guests and introduced the dais. The Invocation was offered by Archbishop Demetrios of America assisted by Fr. John Vlahos, Dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral, who was the first to refer to the ground blessing and it’s symbolizing of the triumph of good over evil when he closed his prayer by invoking St. Paul: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
The musical entertainment was provided by Grigoris Maninakis accompanied by Glafkos Kontemeniotis on piano.

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ANCHORAGE, AK – Greeks stretch across the United States from coast to coast, and then some. Holy Transfiguration, in Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage, is the Northernmost Greek Orthodox Church in America.
The Church was formerly established in 1953, according to its website, to accommodate the Greek population of Anchorage that first began to arrive in the early 1900s to work on the Alaska railroad. The Orthodox community, however, dates back at least as far as the 19th century. Until the opening of Transfiguration, however, Orthodox Greeks worshipped at the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in nearby Eklutna.
On October 4, the Holy Transfiguration Church had a new beginning, of sorts: it celebrated the opening of its new facility, the formal Thyranoixia – Door-Opening presided over by Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco.
The church’s website, transfiguration.ak.goarch.org relays the Church’s saga over the past few decades, including the dwindling of the community when the economy waned due to falling oil prices: “The oil boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s brought a new influx of Greeks who decided it was time to reorganize. The driving force behind this movement was Dr. Alexander Baskous and Tanya Clark. Through word of mouth and the telephone book approximately 300 Eastern Orthodox families were identified and invited to a reorganization meeting, which led to the church once again becoming a full time parish in 1983 with the assignment of Reverend Gregory Constantinos.
“Growth continued until the late 1980s, when a sharp decline in the oil market caused thousands of Alaskans to lose their jobs and leave the state. The parish lost half of its active membership. Despite this setback, determination and perseverance prevailed, and in 1987 the parish moved from its old location to what is still considered a ‘gift from God.’ The parish swapped its small property for an 8,000 square foot ‘mansion’ on five acres. The three-story wooden structure houses the offices, kitchen, Sunday school and meeting rooms, and an apartment. The sanctuary occupied the 36-by-18-foot former living room.
“By 1995 it was the strong desire of the community to build a traditional, Byzantine style church on the current site. A building committee was formed, under the leadership of Paul Lotakis, and with the help of Ikona Architects of San Francisco and Krochina Architects of Anchorage, a master plan was developed. After much consideration it was later determined that this plan was too large for such a small community.
“Ten years later, the building committee redefined the plans to suit the needs of the present community, and moved boldly forward with the goal of constructing a new church. On October 23, 2005 the Parish General Assembly overwhelmingly approved the project, including the general building plans and allocation of the funds necessary to begin final design of the new church. The capital campaign continued and on August 30, 2009 the Greek Orthodox community of Holy Transfiguration welcomed its hierarch, Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco, for groundbreaking ceremonies at which time the community received the Metropolitan’s blessing for the parish to officially begin construction of its new church. On May 6, 2010 the construction contract was signed with Alcan General.
“On Wednesday, June 4, 2014 we held our first service, the Paraklesis to the Mother of God, in the new church building. Our first Divine Liturgy was held the following Sunday on the feast of Pentecost.”
The Thyranoixia, however, marked the Church’s official opening.

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By Constantinos E. Scaros and Constantine S. Sirigos

NEW YORK – The images of the ground blessing service of the new St. Nicholas Shrine at Ground Zero on October 18, presided over by Archbishop Demetrios of America, will become iconic for the Greek-American community.
First and foremost, since it was a day to mourn the loss of those Greek-Americans who perished on 9/11, there was the moving scene of their relatives bearing vessels filed with water from the pools of the nearby 9/11 Memorial, which they poured into the crystal bowl on the on the altar.
Second, but no less importantly, because of the scene of harmony and unity among the leaders and members of the community: Seven Metropolitans traveled from across the country to be present, and four busloads of parishioners followed Fr. Nektarios Papazafiropoulos, Dean of St. Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria to Ground Zero.
Each of the estimated 3000 people who attended were deemed VIPs, received commemorative candles, and were thanked by the archbishop and Anthoula Katsimatides, who served as Emcee for the internationally-broadcast event, and for whom the day had especial significance.
Anthoula’s mother, Kalliope, participated in the water procession to honor the memory of her son and Anthoula’s brother John, one of the victims. She expressed the universal feeling that “It was a special and important day that will go down in history and remain in our souls…I am very touched. May God grant all of the departed peace and health to everyone.”
UNITY, THEN AND NOW
In the aftermath of one of the most horrific tragedies to devastate the United States, the nation came together in unity right away: then-President George W. Bush, a Republican, and then-Senate Majority Leader, Democrat Tom Daschle, at odds with one another nearly constantly since Bush’s inauguration only eight months earlier, set the tone for the entire country with a heartfelt embrace inside the U.S. Capitol.
Though the names and faces were different at Ground Zero 13 years later, that same spirit of unity and cooperation resonated, and was necessary for the first steps the ceremony constituted, and will be required moving forward to raise the $38 million needed to complete the Church. Designed by Santiago Calatrava and evocative of the Hagia Sophia and other Byzantine monuments, the Shrine will literally glow in the evening and become an instant New York landmark.
The procession led by altar boys included the Archdiocesan Byzantine choir, local Orthodox clergy and representatives of numerous denominations. It followed a brief video that presented the Calatrava design and the parish’s history.
Fr. John Romas, the longtime pastor of St. Nicholas participated in the service, which had an ecumenical dimension. The Old Testament reading was offered by Harriet Schleifer of the American Jewish Committee and NYPD police Sgt. Steven Jerome read the epistle. Demetrios read the Gospel, and Metropolitan Methodios of Boston read a message from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. “May your labors, perseverance, dedication and faith manifest in the construction of this sacred temple. We pray it will truly become a haven of the tempest-tossed, a comfort for mourning , a healing of passion, a refuge of the weak, a sign of victory over evil, and a pouring of the heavens on the Earth,” wrote the patriarch.
Thanking all who made this historic rebuilding and ground blessing possible, Demetrios said “this resurrected St. Nicholas Church will be a monument declaring the victory of good over evil, of love over hate, of the ultimate power of life over death and destruction.” Quoting Psalm 118, he said “this is the day the Lord has made, let us give thanks.”
LOCAL AND COMMUNITY LEADERS
One of the day’s highlights was the construction of two memorial cairns symbolizing the Twin Towers, consisting of blocks of stone that will be incorporated into the new church.
Benefactors and representatives of major community organizations were called upon to place the stones, including John Papajohn, Michael Psaros, Peter J. Pappas, Sr., Peggy Sotirhos representing the Jaharis Family Foundation, George S. Tsandikos representing Leadership 100, Dr. Anthony Limberakis – National Commander of the Archons, Andrew Liveris, Dennis Mehiel representing the Faith endowment, Aphrodite Skeadas – Philoptochos National Philoptochos President, Louis Koumoutsos – Chief of the Port Authority (PA) Police Department, who honored the memory of the 37 officers who died on 9/11, and Regina Katopodis, whose family were among the parish’s founders, representing the community of St. Nicholas.
Liveris, Chairman of The Hellenic Initiative (THI) told TNH “hundreds of years from now people will look back at the resilience of humanity and the importance of the monument we have created for those who died, and those who lived.”
Dennis Mehiel, was praised for being instrumental in the resolution of the dispute with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey that threatened to exclude the historic parish from the new World Trade Center, as was New York State Senator Dean Skellos, who was accompanied by New York State Senator Nicole Malliotakis, structural engineer Emanuel Velivasakis, and the late Emanuel Demos.
Demetrios shared his thoughts about Sept. 12, 2001, when he and clergy visited the spot where St. Nicholas was crushed in the collapse of the Twin Towers. “We stood there frozen, paralyzed,” said Archbishop Demetrios. “There was a big hole instead of a church. It left a terrible kind of impression.”
George Pataki, who was governor of New York in 2001, recounted reassuring His Eminence, saying “Do not worry. You have my word,” about its rebuilding. Pataki acknowledged “it was easy to say but hard to do,” but praised the efforts of the “influential and powerful Greek-American community, including George Demos, who shined a national media spotlight during his Congressional campaign on the PA for reneging on its agreement with the Church.
Patrick J. Foye, the PA’s current Executive Director, representing Governor Cuomo, whose election in 2011 gave him the opportunity to ensure the final agreement, alluded to the conflict that added insult to the tragedy of 9/11: “thirteen years ago the church lay in ruins – today, we will witness the reversal of that sacrilege. Five years ago, sadly and unimaginably, the Church had no choice but to sue a then-recalcitrant Port Authority to assure the rebuilding of St. Nicholas…our governor and the entire state of New York looks forward to the future consecration of what will be an iconic house of worship.”
Pataki noted that the Church was an important addition to what has been rebuilt so far. “We had remembrance, we had commerce, but without St. Nicholas, we did not have faith,” he said.
Calatrava revealed to the gathering that he was in Greece working on his Greek Olympics projects on 9/11, among the reasons that made him very much want to design the new church. He called the Hagia Sophia of Constantinople the Parthenon of Byzantine architecture, and made a poignant connection with St. Nicholas: the original Parthenon was destroyed in a wanton act of state terror by the Persians, and the devotion of the people of Athens to its resurrection shaped the City’s destiny.
The renowned architect asked for God to bless his hands and those of his colleagues and all the workers who will build the new shrine, which he designed as “a place of prayer, love, peace and reconciliation.”
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer began his address by noting the presence of his distinguished colleague, retired U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes, and then declared that “Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, this church will show the resilience and fortitude of St. Nicholas and of all New Yorkers.”
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney was also present, as was NY State Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas, who told TNH “today is important for Orthodox Christians and all New Yorkers…we are filling a hole that was left in our hearts and all New York.”
New York State Senator Michael Gianaris echoed Simotas’ words and added St. Nicholas’ had significance for all America and the whole world. “People will come, say a prayer, and remember those we lost and make it part of the experience of visiting Ground Zero.”
For Effie Lekas, like make members of the community, it was an emotional day filled with memories and hope. She was baptized at Sts. Constantine and Helen in Brooklyn, which under its pastor Fr. John Lardas has been the home of the St. Nicholas parish since 9/11, and she and her husband, journalist Panikos Panagiotou, spent every good Friday at St. Nicholas. “It was very special to us. We loved the humility of the church and its message…today is a new beginning.”
Philip Frangos, the Supreme President of AHEPA said “it is impossible to put in just a few words what this day means for the Hellenic community and AHEPA. I am delighted and humbled to be here on behalf of AHEPA, which has contributed and will continue to contribute to the resurrection on this magnificent Church. “
Zoe Kousoulis lost her daughter, Danielle who worked with John Katsimatides. “The people who organized this event did a fabulous job.” Her daughter Eleni is very happy that the families were included in the ceremony.
MISSING MAYORS
The only symbolic shadow cast on the glorious Indian Summer day was disappointment over the absence of notables, including Governor Andrew Cuomo. David Dinkins, who left office more than 20 years ago, was the only former mayor present, and guests thanked him for his attendance. Mayor de Blasio was represented by Greek-American Emma Wolfe, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, and Marco Carion, Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs. The presence of Rudy Giuliani, who was mayor on the day of 9/11, would have been particularly fitting: his leadership in calming the city that day – the entire country, actually, as he was dubbed “America’s mayor” – was particularly well-received, and in his short-lived 2008 presidential bid, his actions that day eclipsed his achievements in bringing down the city’s crime rate as his most electable aspect on a national scale.
INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
The media presence was extraordinary, a tribute both to the significance of the day and the work of the organizers, including Fr. Alexander Karloutsos, Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The story was the international lead on the Associated Press website that afternoon. Georgia Linaris’ beautiful rendition of Bless America was the perfect ending for the special event, which can be viewed at http://www.stnicholaswtc.org/video and at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UOo8R5DX5g.

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NEW YORK – Christopher Stratakis, Esq. was recently honored with “Nicholas J. Bouras Award for Extraordinary Archon Stewardship” by the Order of St. Andrew, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at a special dinner dance held at the the New York Hilton.
Archbishop Demetrios of America joined in the celebration and Stratakis’ son, John, also an Archon served as Master of Ceremonies and his daughters, Sophia Stratakis Huling and Erene Stratakis-Allen, offered musical and poetic tributes respectively to their beloved father. Mrs. Mary Stratakis, Archon Chris’ beloved wife of 55 years was recognized as well, with the presentation of a Patriarchal broche.
Stratakis, an Archon since 1998 has served on the National Council for 13 years, and as Legal Counselor of the Order since 2001. Chairman of the Archon Legal Committee, he has been at the forefront in fighting for religious freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, often serving on religious freedom delegations of the Order traveling throughout the capitals of Europe and in Ankara. Stratakis has always been the soft spoken, yet firm voice of reason during deliberations throughout his many years of service on the National Council.
Stratakis is a senior partner of Poles, Tublin, Stratakis & Gonzalez, LLP, a law firm founded in 1957. He has practiced admiralty, commercial real estate and corporate law, and advises clients in connection with their personal legal matters. Throughout his life, he has shown a devotion to community involvement. He and his wife, Maro, are members of Leadership 100. He has received numerous Hellenic and Orthodox awards, including the St. Paul’s Award and Layman’s Award, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America; Medal of Merit for Greek Diaspora, Government of Greece; member of the Holy Sepulchre, Patriarchate of Jerusalem; the Ellis Island Medal of Honor; and several awards from Drexel University.
The Award is named after the late National Vice Commander Nicholas J. Bouras, Archon Depoutatos, who himself had demonstrated remarkable leadership as a faithful son of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and exemplary steward of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The Award is presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated extraordinary and incomparable stewardship to the Order, enabling Archons to vigorously pursue securing religious freedom for the Mother Church of Constantinople.
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PALM HARBOR, FL – Greek singing superstar Giannis Ploutarchos took time out of his U.S. tour to help some fellow Greeks in need: the community of Sts. Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene in Palm Harbor, FL whose church was severely damaged by a fire in late September.

As TNH reported (“Fire Damages Palm Harbor Church, but Remains of 3 Saints are Saved,” Oct. 4), a fire in the early morning hours of September 23 – an investigation of which concluded it was electrical in nature – would have caused the entire church to burn to the ground, were it not for the quick response of Carol Dyer, who noticed the smoke as she proceeded on her newspaper route, delivering the Tampa Bay Times.

Dyer called the fire department immediately, and the firefighters were able to extinguish the flames before they engulfed the entire structure, saving among other things the critical ancient remnants of the three saints for which the Church is named – which were given to the Church, brought there from Greece. Saints Raphael, Nicholas and Irene were Christian martyrs from the village of Thermi on the island of Lesvos. According to the Church’s website, straphaelhoc.org, the three, who were fatally tortured by the Ottoman Empire in 1463, began appearing to Thermi villagers in dreams and visions in 1959, revealing their cruel torture and providing clues that led to important excavations. They were canonized as saints on September 11, 1970.

STAR SUPPORTER
Then, Parish Council President Elias Diamanakis heard that world-renowned Greek singer Giannis Ploutarchos was coming to town. “I reached out to him as well as the production team at shortly after the fire, when I learned he was coming to the area to perform. Almost immediately, they responded in the affirmative. When he was in town, we touched base and arranged a time for him to see the property,” he told TNH.

Diamanakis was very appreciative of Ploutarchos’ support as well as his genuine desire to help. “He was engaged and seemed moved by what he encountered. He took time to reverence the liturgical space with dignity, and toured the entire premises examining the source of the fire. I spent time answering his questions about the foundation of the community and told him about the miracles I saw firsthand over the last few weeks,” not least of which how the relics of the Saints were spared from the flames.

“I know that this is only the beginning of his stewardship to our community,” Diamanakis continued. “He literally gave of time, talent and treasure to insure the church be resurrected from the ashes. I cannot over emphasize the genuineness of this man.”

Diamanakis was especially moved by Ploutarchos’ genuine quality: “He was extremely thoughtful and measured in his visit, I never once felt rushed or dismissed or as if this were being done as some public relations act. He was sincere and devoted to this faith, I really appreciated this ‘superstar’ in a real brotherly way. Mr. Ploutarchos – Giannis – and his family are in our daily prayers.”

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NEW YORK – The National Philoptochos Society of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has a new president, attorney Maria (Logothetis) Logus; her grandfather abbreviated the surname in 1903.
Logus has been involved in the Philoptochos since age 18, following the steps of her mother who was president of their local parish Philoptochos in Brooklyn, and later the district president.
Logus has provided valuable services to the Philoptochos and to the Archdiocese all these years and she is ready and eager to offer even more in her new capacity. She spoke with TNH about her vision for Philoptochos, which is the Archdiocese’s philanthropic arm.
“I am overwhelmingly humbled,” Logus said, of the appointment. “I am eager and challenged, but concerned there will not be enough time to do as much as I love to do and as much as the team would like to do. But I am optimistic to continue the Philoptochos’ extraordinary work.”
With all the work Logus has done for Philoptochos, should the presidency have come sooner? Not necessarily, she responds. “I think whatever gratification I received for all these years of service far awaited any expectation I had, and I welcome this invitation to continue in that service.”
“The ability to give back,” is what attracted Logus to join Philoptochos in the first place. “I am a lucky person, I was given a wonderful childhood, I was embraced by the community of my church. I grew up in Kimisis tis Theotokou and I learned early on from my childhood priest Fr. Titus Tseligardakis that service to the church and to the community is a gift that we give. It was a natural progression for me.” In addition to her mother’s Philoptochos service, “my father was parish council president and chairman of the school board,” Logus said. “Our lives circulated around the church.”
As for her vision as president, Logus says “Philoptochos doesn’t have the luxury of any single priority. We live in an increasingly complex world and we have to be prepared to respond to multiple challenges both anticipated and unexpected in vibrant meaningful ways, but we also have to combine with the readiness to answer the unknown with an unwavering commitment to the institutions of the Archdiocese.
“The first goal is to increase and to expand membership.” Today Philoptochos has 27,000 members. Could it have more? “I believe we can, there are certainly untapped segments of our population and we want to welcome them into Philoptochos so they can experience the same joy we feel when we give. I like to see Philoptochos as a reflection, as hope of Orthodox women in the United States. We need to bring in young adult, working women, mothers with small children, retired women. We need to inclusive, excited, eager, and prepare for the future.”
The literal meaning of “philoptochos” is friend of the poor. Why, then, does Philoptochos support Archdiocesan institutions, which are not poor? Because “our mission is not solely to assist the poor, but also to assist the preservation and the perpetuation of the faith.”
Logus is particularly well-educated and with good social and professional standing, but that secular world does not keep her far from the church. “I am unable to separate myself from who I am. Just because I am professional woman doesn’t mean that I am not also a part of this community. It’s in my soul and therefore it is part of me.” But not everyone thinks that way, apparently, and Logus can only speak for herself specifically, “but I think that American life today is complex and we are pulled in many different directions. We are certainly more assimilated into the American fiber that we were in generations past, and our challenge today is to try to intergrade both that assimilation and to nevertheless with a commitment to our heritage and to our community. I think we have to work harder.
Regarding St. Basil’s Academy, Logus says that “the Philoptochos and the Academy have a special relationship. It is clearly the institution which is most closely associated with Philoptochos. We purchased the property many, many years ago. Today there is an independent board of trustees that has the administrative authority of the functioning of the Academy. We have members who serve on that board and I would like to see us work in collaboration with Fr. [Constantine] Sitaras to make sure that the effectiveness of this extraordinary resource cab be maximized. Today, it is a different institution than it was I when was president there 20 years ago, and we would all love to see it restored to a time when there were hundreds of children attending. Today, we see a different type of mission that is still supportive of children in need.” There are less than 20 students there now, she said.
Logus told TNH that through its annual Vasilopita, Philoptochos donates about $350,000 every year to the Academy, though “there are probably many-many more dollars are provided to the Academy through the individual donations.” The Archdiocese, she says, does not provide financial support, only spiritual support. “That is a decision the Archdiocese made. I was not privy to that.”
As for the Greek-American community as a whole, Logus says “we have extraordinary resources. We can do much more, and I am confident that we will.”

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NEW YORK – When Aphrodite Skeadas asks for something, it is hard to say no. It is one of the secrets to her success as National President of Philoptochos over the past six years, but sooner or later her friends and admirers were going to finally say no to her request that she not be honored in any way.

The ever popular Chrysanthemum Ball of Holy Trinity Cathedral’s Philoptochos Society was the occasion for a beautiful tribute to the woman who has led the Church’s philanthropic arm to new heights. Naturally, he only agreed to accept the award on behalf of Philoptochos and was most delighted that Grand Ballroom of Manhattan’s Metropolitan Club was the stage for the announcement of a $10,000 donation to the National Philoptochos Department of Social Services.
The guests were also overjoyed to learn that next door, in the Club’s grand foyer, more than 300 Young Professionals also gathered celebrate the work of Philoptochos. The group presented Rachel Lloyd, the founder of GEMS, an organization which helps girls and woman who are victims of sex trafficking, with a $6000 check.
It was announced that event organized and hosted by chairman Justin Bozonelis and co-chairman Stephanie Pantelides was the biggest Greek-American young professionals event in the United States this year.
The invocation for the ball was offered by Bishop Sevastianos of Zela, representing Archbishop Demetrios, who was unable to addend due to a pastoral visit to the Metropolis of Pittsburgh. His Grace was assisted by Fr. John Vlahos, the new Dean of the Cathedral. Among the special guests were the diplomatic corps of Greece and Cyprus, and Rev. Dr. Robert Stephanopoulos, Cathedral Dean Emeritus, and Presbytera Nikki Stephanopoulos.
“It is a joy and a privilege to share this evening with my Philoptochos co-workers, she said and thanked Moutoussis, all al who played a role in “creating this magnificent and magical evening.”
After citing the current turmoil around the world, “today, “today, yesterday and 2000 years ago, peace and harmony elude s,” and adding that hunger, injustice and “heartless, violence are rampant,” she pointed out that “we, however, live in comfort and privilege, where human rights and religious freedoms are respected.”
Skeadas then said that Philoptochos was established by then-Archbishop Athenagoras in 1931 “to offer love…today…this army of volunteers throughout America…assists the needy through their extensive, Christ-centered mission-base.”
After noting that the Archdiocesan Cathedral pre-dated the national society, Skeadas thanked its members “for honoring the cherished values of our pioneering mothers, yiayias, and god mothers, and being their successors, championing the disadvantage, sheltering the homeless, feeding the hungry and comforting the abused.”
“This is why I applaud you…our Philoptochos is a constellation of faith, hope and love” and she then urged those who were not members: “Join us!”

Katherine Moutoussis, the President of the Cathedral Philoptochos, welcomed the guests and expressed her gratitude and congratulations to Skeadas. Maria Marinakis, who co-chaired the Ball with Dr. Miranda Kofinas, introduced Skeadas. Later in the program Maria Logus, the new national president, and Bishop Sevastianos also expressed their congratulations in remarks.
Skeadas’ husband Peter told TNH “I am here to honor Aphrodite and Philoptochos and its 27,000 stewards… I thank the Cathedral Philoptochos, but I also want to thank TNH for supporting Philoptochos and Aphrodite from the start…I recall a photo taken in this very building and TNH writing about Aphrodite more than six years ago.”
Michael Psaros told TNH “I have had the privilege of knowing Aphrodite for 15 years at the Church of Our Savior in Rye, NY. She is an inspiration to all the living embodiment of our word Philotimo.”
Evangeline Douris, the president of HANAC told THH “I had to have my entire Executive Board here. This lady has done a remarkable job and this lady deserves to be honored in this most royal way. She is a credit to the whole Greek-American community. Bravo and axia!”

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NEW YORK – With St. Michael’s Home for the Elderly on the verge of a new era – the closing on the purchase of its future home in Uniondale Long Island will take place on November 11 – its annual name day gala had extra significance this year.
The proceeds from the gala will be devoted to the $20 million project that will turn the existing 90,000 square foot building into a state of the art continuum care facility with independent living apartments, assisted and adult living studio units, and dementia and nursing home wings.
This year’s recipient of the Archangel Michael Award, Stephen Cherpelis, and his wife Areti were also Distinguished Grand Benefactors of the November 9 dinner dance at the Metropolitan Club.
Haeda Mihaltses, President of St. Michael’s Board of Trustees, greeted the guests and introduced the honoree by saying “I could talk about his achievements, but I want to talk about the Stephen Cherpelis I know…when we were both members of the Parish Council of St. Nicholas of Flushing…and where I first came to appreciate his can-do spirit.”
After Bishop Andonios, who has served as St. Michael’s director since 1996, offered greetings, thanks and congratulations, Archbishop Demetrios in his closing remarks praised Cherpelis for his generosity, and as a person “who always says yes” when called upon, and conveyed the blessings of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
He then delighted the honoree and the guests by playing on the first names of the Cherpelises and declaring the honoree to be “O Stefanos tis Aretis – crowned with virtue.”
The Archbishop took a moment to speak about his emotional recent visit to the enclaved villages in occupied Cyprus – if they were to leave they could not go back – where he was deeply impressed with the courage, dignity, graciousness and philanthropic zeal of people who have suffered for 40 years.
The distinguished restaurateur can sympathize with the Cypriots. He survived occupation and violence during WWII and the Greek Civil War in his village of Agalianos before immigrating to the United States, where he and his wife have been blessed with four daughters and five grandchildren.
After expressing his appreciation for the award, which he said he did not deserve given what he called “the pantheon” of people who preceded him, he spoke with humor and warmth about his service in behalf of Hellenism and the Orthodox Faith.
It was clear that his generosity flows from his feeling that he has led a blessed life and has experienced the miraculous on more than one occasion.
He told the story about the time when the Dean of the Cathedral told him he would have to chant the Epistle in Greek – he was not then a chanter. After the unusually persuasive Cherpelis could not change the priests’ mind, he trembled as he turned the pages to practice that the day’s reading.
To his amazement, he saw that it was the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians, a passage that he had occasion not only to read but to memorize in his youth.
Apropos of his service to the church up to that time and which would follow, it was an inspiring passage on stewardship.
Efthalia Katos served as chairperson and was the MC of the affair. After welcoming the guests who packed the ballroom she invited Archbishop Demetrios to offer the invocation, assisted by Fr. Nick Anctil.
Among the dignitaries Katos acknowledged were the Greek and Cypriot diplomatic corps and Dean Skelos, the majority leader of the New York State Senate. She also thanked, as did numerous speakers, the hard work and dedication of the volunteers, staff and Board of St. Michaels.
Skelos told TNH “I’m delighted to be here” and he is very excited about the new facility which is in his district. “It will have about 172 beds and serve so many of our senior citizens.” He said he appreciated the hard work and vision of the people involved, “and many generous people,” he said, who filled the room.
A large contingent from St. Nicholas in Flushing attended. Fr. Paul Palesty called Cherpelis a great benefactor. “He is a man who has committed to giving a portion of his wealth to support the work of the church. There are many who can do the same, but they do not do what Stephen does, and that’s why he is a special man and we are proud of him.”
Athena Krommydas, the principal of the William Spiropoulos Day School of St. Nicholas, told TNH “I am very proud to be here today for a man who is worthy of every honor – we are honored to have such people in the community…he is a force for unity… and I say ‘axios’ and congratulations.”
When Andrew Yiannakos met Cherpelis four years ago as a Trustee of Holy Trinity Cathedral, where the latter is Vice President, he was impressed with his vigor and unpretentiousness – “I later learned that he owned the renowned Bull Run restaurant on Wall Street,” where Cherpelis knew all the movers and shakers. “He used to take new members of the Board to lunch and did all he could integrate the newcomers and help us work as a team.”

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ARLINGTON, MA – St. Athanasius Greek-Orthodox parish in Arlington MA celebrated a dual anniversary on November 1: 50 years since its parish’s establishment, and 25 years of the honorable and successful ministry of its presiding priest, Nicholas Kastanas.
A 50th Golden Gala Dinner dance was hosted at the Newton Marriott Hotel in Newton, attended by more than 300 parishioners and friends of the friends of parish including many young men and women.
Co-Chairpersons of the event were Merope Kapetakis and Bessie Theodolou. Rev. Theodore Barbas, Chancellor of the Metropolis of Boston represented Metropolitan Methodios, who was not feeling well due to stomach pain as Fr. Barbas announced. A moment of silence was observed memory of former Boston Mayor Tom Menino, who died on October 30. Consul General of Greece Iphigeneia Kanara was represented by Maria Koukoutsi.
Kastanas told TNH that “I feel deeply touched for the love and response of our people, thank God for all His Blessings upon us and to the next fifty years.” He also said that “the parish is doing well. There are of course the daily difficulties but overcome them with the love and the help of God.”
Merope Kapetanakis said “I am very happy for the success of tonight’s event, we are all happy for the 50th anniversary of our parish.” She also said that “I am in this parish since I was a small child. All my memories come from this community.”
Patriarch Bartholomew in his written message stated: “It is with paternal joy that we communicate with you in order to extend our congratulatory greetings on the occasion of your community’s 50th anniversary. Whether it be for a founder, newcomer, friend, or acquaintance of this parish, this moment is naturally to be hailed by all as a great milestone in your collective history, and also in your personal lives. These achievements are always reached when combined efforts coincide with personal labor, when we become builders together.”
Archbishop Demetrios of America wrote: “May this anniversary provide a valuable opportunity to reaffirm your commitment to the work of ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ, by building upon the parish attributes of worship, witness, education and fellowship that bring faithful closer to our Lord and Savior and the salvation offered to us as children of God.”
President Barack Obama wrote “as you mark this special milestone, I hope you take pride in your community’s commitment to faith. May the years ahead be filled with continued blessings.”
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick wrote “I Thank Rev. Dr. Nicholas Kastanas and the congregation for you many contributions to the Arlington community. Please accept my best wishes for an enjoyable celebration and many more wonderful years ahead.”
Theodore Demetriadis served as Master of Ceremonies.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ST. ATHANASIUS
During the late 1940s and 1950s, many young first-generation Greek-American Orthodox Christians began looking for a place of their own to settle down with their new families. Arlington became a favorable location to call home. They arrived mostly from the nearby cities of Somerville, Boston, Watertown, and Cambridge, where some 40 to 50 years earlier their immigrant parents had established the first Greek Orthodox communities there. As time passed on, and their families grew, traveling back and forth to their parishes was becoming a challenge, in addition to the transportation of their children for after-school Greek language classes and special events.
By the early 1960s, this situation prompted a group of Orthodox residents to look into establishing a Greek Orthodox Church to serve Arlington. After much toil and fundraising work, that notion became a reality on September 9, 1964, when their faith and donations made it possible for the future of Saint Athanasius at 735 Massachusetts Avenue to be purchased.
The former St. James the Apostle Roman Catholic Church would become available not long after thereafter, and St. Athanasius’ parishioners agreed to step forward for this worthy endeavor and acquire the vast church property, St. Athanasius’ new home.

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NEW YORK – Russian President Vladimir Putin has emerged at a great enigma if not danger in foreign affairs, and the Orthodox community is in a position to shed light on him through events like the Orthodox Christian Study Center’s recent panel discussion titled “Putin, Religion, and Ukraine.”
Co-Founders Dr. Aristotle Papanikolaou, Archbishop Demetrios Chair in Orthodox Theology and Culture and Senior Fellow and Dr. George Demacopoulos welcomed the guests, who packed a hall at Fordham’s Lincoln Center Campus and introduced the panel.
The audience appreciated hearing about “the complicated role that religion is playing in the tension between Ukraine and Russia, and the way in which religion is being used both to construct and resist a new East-West divide,” as the invitation stated.
The international panel of experts included Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich, Chief Rabbi of Kiev and all of Ukraine; Fr. Peter Galadza, Professor of Liturgy at Saint Paul University; Fr. Cyril Hovorun, Research Fellow, Yale Divinity School; and Adrian Karatnycky, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Transatlantic Relations Program of the Atlantic Council and Olena Nikolayenko, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Fordham University.
Nikolayenko introduced the topic by reviewing the post WWII discourse on the compatibility of the world’s great religious traditions with Democracy, a debate that has not been favorable to Orthodoxy Islam, Buddhism and Confucianism. Scholars argue over the importance of the “dominant discourse and core values” in the traditions versus fluidity that leads to revisions in important positions. Catholicism only recently joined Protestantism on the positive side of the ledger.
The Russian Orthodox Church is placed in the authoritarian camp, although that is progress compared to the Soviet totalitarianism that the late Jeanne Kirkpatrick believed Russia would never overcome.
All the panelists displayed great knowledge of both the secular and religious players in Russia and the Ukraine, and an impressive grasp of the divisions and affiliations of the Orthodox in Ukraine.
Karatnyky emphasized, however, that “it’s very important when dealing with such and intimate and personal issue as one’s faith to remark that nothing I am saying is really about canonical, theological or spiritual matters. I will be discussing the instrumetalization of religious leaders and institutions…by politicians.”
He began by noting that the largest jurisdiction, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, “was the subject of a long campaign of politicization….from Vladimir Putin as part of the strategy to reconnect and establish soft power in Ukraine through the idea of Russkiy Mir – the Russian World, which is an attempt to create a sense unity among the Slavic groups… and use this as a way of in gathering the Republics that had broken away with the collapse of the Soviet Union…this campaign has accelerated the last seven to 10 years as Putin’s ambitions…became greater, and they exploded in the tragic events since the victory of the democratic revolution in Ukraine.”
Karatnyky said that the fact that the substance of Patriarch Kirill’s early Church career was more a political than spiritual is another factor.
Rabbi Bleich Yaakov Dov Bleich is an American-born rabbi and member of the Karlin-Stolin Hasidic dynasty. He pointed out the it is valuable for Putin to have Patriarch Kirill of Moscow at his side.
In noting the ironic fact that Putin even attempted to include Judaism in his program by attempting to create a Moscow Patriarchate for Jews he illustrated the general situation in Russia where all of civil society is virtually under the control of the Kremlin.
Fr. Hovorun, a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate, spoke about the Maidan, the wave of demonstrations that began November 21, 2013 at Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kiev, demanding closer European integration and which ultimately led to the 2014 Ukrainian revolution.
Karatnycky disagreed with Pundits who say Putin was responding to Ukraine’s desire in joining the EU or NATO.
“Putin is not afraid of an invasion by armies but of an invasion of ideas from the West,” he said, and added that religion is brought in to attack the perceived libertinism and moral decay in Europe, and the ideas of political liberalism, economic liberalism and the rule of law.
Fr. Hovorun made the case that the Maidan was not merely a political event but a religious happening. Its genesis was the gathering of Ukraine’s different religious groups for common prayer against corruption and human rights abuses.
Distorted images and interpretations of the Maidan as expressions of right wing violence and extremism were used by the Kremlin as propaganda. Fr. Hovorun said that the “anti-Maidan” that Moscow generated was also a religious phenomenon, illustrating two difference approaches to the idea of civil religion.
Fr. Peter Galadza began by saying “human power and might was exposed for all their hollow vanity,” by the phenomena under discussion. He took a moment to express his sympathy for Ukrainians and Russians who died on both sides of the barricades, and declared that “Putin’s actions will have the opposite result from what he hoped.”
During the Q & A he noted the fascinating development that, contrary to what might be expected, the support for rightwing parties has declined in Ukraine.

The post Putin, Religion, Ukraine Panel at Orthodox Christian Study Center appeared first on The National Herald.

By Marilyn Rouvelas 

Readers of The National Herald last June may have seen Theodore Kalmoukos’ front-page interview with Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia, in which he “welcomed the revival of the order of deaconesses; it was never officially abolished. . . . But if we revive that order today, we could give them new and different functions. . . . What is needed in the Orthodox Church today is a more thorough discussion of the meaning of the ministry of deaconesses.”  

That very discussion will take place at the first U.S. conference devoted to the revival of the ministry of women deacons in New York City at the St. Phoebe Center conference on Saturday, December 6, at Union Theological Seminary.  The conference entitled, “Women & Diaconal Ministry in the Orthodox Church:  Past, Present & Future,” will examine women deacons in the past (speakers:  Valerie Karras and Caren Stayer with Phylllis Zagano responding);  explore possible ministries for women deacons through the lens of service being done in the present [chaplaincy (Clio Pavlantos), spiritual direction (Sister Rebecca Cown), ministry of the word (Susan Ashbrook Harvey), and parish administration and outreach (Ann Marie Mecera);   and discuss why and how the ministry might be rejuvenated (Teva Regula and Fr. Steven Tsichlis).  Paulina Pedas, a high school student, will reflect on her experience  as a young woman. For anyone caring about the role of women in the Orthodox Church, this is a must-attend conference.

Why is this conference happening now?  The issue of the ordination of women deacons has been on the backburner for a number of years, but was moved forward in March, 2014, by His Eminence Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus at the high-level synaxis of the primates of the Orthodox autocephalous churches in Istanbul where they set the date and tentative procedures for the Holy and Great Council of 2016.   He suggested that the position of women and the resetting of the institution of deaconesses should be studied.  This encouraging and courageous statement gave hope to those who have been following this issue for a number of years.  The last wave of optimism was in 1988 at an Inter-Orthodox Theological Consultation in Rhodes convened by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople that included representatives from all the Orthodox Churches to examine the issue in preparation for a Holy and Great Council someday.  That consultation, “The Place of the Woman in the Orthodox Church and the Question of the Ordination of Women,” unanimously affirmed that ordinations had taken place in the past and the order should be revived.  Was ordination by a bishop imminent?   Apparently not; twenty-six years have passed since the Rhodes definitive consultation.  Meanwhile, Women Deacons in the Orthodox Church:  Called to Holiness and Ministry by Kyriaki FitzGerald was published in 1998 by Holy Cross Orthodox Press.  Various conferences have been held primarily in Europe throughout the ensuing years, but the shouts of “Axios” has yet to be heard for a woman deacon.

The issue is complex.  The hierarchs must examine the purpose of the entire diaconate (male and female), both of which have been allowed to whither since the golden age for men in the second and third centuries–the fourth through the seventh for women.   Only recently did the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese start a diaconate-training program at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.  The question of what would deacons would do is real.  Many are concerned that being a deacon will simply be a fast track for men to priesthood without going to three years of seminary.  That would not be the case for women deacons, as the Orthodox tradition has never ordained women priests.  In addition, for a bishop to ordain a woman would require agreement of the bishop’s synod. 

However, if the Orthodox Church is to put into practice its belief that all human beings are made in the image of God, that both men and women can be genuinely called to serve the Lord and his Church, that the ministry as conceived in the early church includes all three orders of deacon, priest and bishop, then women should be ordained deacons.  In addition our priests and communities need many more loving, compassionate and spirit-filled individuals who are willing to give their service (diakonia) to the Lord and others.

In the spirit of St. Paul who designated St. Phoebe a deacon,  let us welcome women and their special gifts to help build the body of Christ.  I urge you to attend this conference and learn about this treasured tradition.

_________________________ 

Marilyn Rouvelas is the author of A Guide to Greek Traditions and Customs in America and founder of www.orthodoxdeacons.org.  See more details about the St. Phoebe Center  conference on Saturday, December 6, 2014, at Union Theological Seminary, Broadway at 121st from 9:00 am  to 5:00 pm on their Web site www.orthodoxdeaconess.org.

The post First U.S. Conference on Women Deacons to be held in New York City appeared first on The National Herald.

Welcome to the inaugural edition of The National Herald’s Religion Insert. This is not a section devoted to members – clergy or laity – of the Greek Orthodox Church, or of the Church, or any church, as a whole.
Rather, it is a forum in which matters of theology, spirituality, and religion are discussed, and no subject is off limits.
Moreover, this Insert is conceptualized to be a thought-provoking collection of essays and to inspire further discussion. It is not a rehashing of rudimentary aspects of the faith. Though certainly some broad topics will be explored, and in lay terms, this is not Orthodoxy 101, or even Christianity 101.
On the other hand, though contributors will range from theological scholars to virtually anyone interested in the topics – with our without any formal theological education or background – the language will not be overly technical. Rather, it is designed for our readership as a whole.
The topic we have selected for this first edition, certainly not a simple one and one that continues to perplex some of the greatest thinkers of modern times, is the historicity of the New Testament.
HISTORICITY
Before we delve into our discussion, let’s begin with the word “historicity” itself. It means historical authenticity. For example, if we held in our hands a copy of the July 10, 2014 edition of the New York Times, we could read the weather report, which stated that it had not snowed in New York City the day before. Most likely, we would consider the report reliable. The information is either correct or incorrect. If it is incorrect, then the error was intentional or accidental. Let’s take a look at both possibilities – first that the Times would intentionally report the previous day’s weather inaccurately. For what possible reason would it do that? What could it have to gain? Any furtherance of its political agenda? Apparently, none at all. Confirmation of its reputation as a credible news source? Quite the opposite, in fact. Any economic gain that might come of it? Not unless it attracts readers who enjoy reading incorrect information. Accordingly, we can logically conclude that the Times would have no plausible reason to report the weather incorrectly on purpose.
Next, what are the chances the Times’ account of the previous day’s weather was wrong? Again, slim to none. First of all, even though the Times has correspondents all over the world, it is most probable that the one who covers the weather in New York is also physically situated in that city. Surely then, he/she would know that if the unusual phenomenon of snow on July 9 had in fact occurred, and would not mistakenly have reported that there was none. Second, of the near-2 million daily readers the Times has, surely a large number of them – but certainly one, at least – would have noticed the fallacious weather report and informed the newspaper of the mistake. As the Times regularly publishes its corrections, all we would have to do is look at editions in the ensuing week or two, and if the weather report had been false, the chances are great that we would read the corrected version. Next, we could compare the Times’ weather report to an innumerable array of other sources, from the U.S. Weather Bureau, to countless other publications that reported on the weather that day. Finally, if we were not in New York City ourselves on July 9, we could call a near-endless array of people and get their confirmation within seconds: “Snow, in July? No way!”
These, then, are steps that would eliminate any reasonable doubt as to the Times weather report’s historicity. With that in mind, we ask to what extent the New Testament has undergone historicitical scrutiny.
BIBLICAL PROPHECIES
Historically, one of the most prevalent components in arguing for the validity of the Bible as the Word of God is that the prophecies written in the Old Testament were fulfilled thousands of years later in the New Testament.
For instance, the Old Testament’s Daniel 9:25-26 (written circa 165BC) describes that “seven sevens”(49) and “sixty-two sevens” (434) after the decree to rebuilt Jerusalem (483 years total), the Messiah would come and would be put to death. Cross-referencing to the Book of Ezra, Artaxerxes of Persia in 458BC directed the reconstruction of Jerusalem. Moving 483 forward from that point brings us to 26AD, roughly the start of Jesus’ ministry.
Another and even simpler Old-to-New Testament prophecy is that found in Micah 5:2, claiming that the Messiah would be born in the little town of Bethlehem. Micah was written sometime during the 6th Century, BC. Its prediction about the exact place of Jesus’ birth – an obscure little town at that – at least 600 years later would have been as if someone around 1350AD predicted that about 630 years later, a leader of the world’s most powerful nation would emerge, born in the little town of Tampico, IL (Ronald Reagan, President of the United States).
Another prophecy is found in Zechariah 11, predicting that the Messiah would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. Written no earlier than the 5th century BC, that prediction was later confirmed over 600 years later in Matthew 27.
HOW DO WE KNOW?
Naturally, the fulfillment of even these three Old Testament prophecies in the New Testament, let alone the hundreds if not thousands of other ones, gives great credibility to the notion that the Bible is in fact the most incredible book ever compiled, and tends to point to its declaration as being the Word of God.
Skeptics, new to and experienced in theological scholarship alike, often counter with this hypothesis: what if the New Testament writers simply tailored the ending to propose that the prophecies were in fact fulfilled? What if they so desperately wanted to convince the masses that Jesus was in fact the Messiah and thus, knowing how the masses relied on the Old Testament prophecies, insisted that Jesus – by virtue of his birth, ministry, and death – had fulfilled them?
This, then, is the question we propose to those who choose to respond: a reply to such skeptics. An argument for the historicity of the New Testament. Because if the New Testament is credible beyond reproach, then the prophecies have in fact been fulfilled. And if that is the case, then can there be any doubt that the Bible is the most amazing book ever written?

The post Introduding TNH Religion Supplement: Examining the NT’s Historicity appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – The St. Michael’s home for the elderly, one of the most beloved institutions of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, took a giant step into the future on November 20 when it closed on the property for its new state of the art continuing care facility in Uniondale, NY.
Archbishop Demetrios of America was present, along with Bishop Andonios of Phasiane, the Director of St. Michael’s, Haeda Mihaltses and Peter Lambros, president and vice president, respectively, of the Home’s Board and other Board members.

Also present were attorneys for Alma Bank, which provided a $2 million loan to facilitate the purchase of the $7 million property, and the Home’s attorneys, of the firm of Ruskin Moscou Faltischek. Dean Skelos, New York State Senate Majority Leader, who is of counsel to the firm and has been helpful to the Home’s efforts, was also at the closing.

The purchase and rehabilitation of the 11 acre property, including the main 90,000 sq. ft. building will lead to the creation of 26 one bedroom independent living apartments, at least 50 studios for independent or assisted living, and a dementia wing and a nursing home wing.

There will be a total of 150 residents – the current facility has about 60.
The Board is looking into ancillary services, including day care.

It is estimated that $18 million is needed to convert the building, which was previously owned by Catholic Church.

“It’s an expensive proposition but we feel it needs to happen. For too long we have not provide our elderly with the type of facility they deserve. We have so many people scattered in different secular and non-Orthodox facilities,” Bishop Andonios said, adding that “it’ time the Greek Orthodox community in the Tri-State area,” had a first rate facility – “Tis Prokopis” he said in Greek.

It is hoped that everything will be completed in 5 years. In addition to the construction the time-consuming work of obtaining two or three state licenses has to be completed.

Currently located in Yonkers, the Home was established in 1957 by Archbishop Michael of blessed memory and effectively and humanely meets a vital community need.

Bishop Andonios, who also serves as Chancellor of the Archdiocese, told TNH that, “More than a decade ago the Board of Trustees and His Grace realized the current facility was not sufficient for the community. We often had a waiting list for rooms but the main concern was that the current license as a residential adult care facility created issues because it could not retain many residents who because of the aging process needed more care than we wer licensed to offer.”

When they were unable to find the right property in Westchester, they expanded the search.

In late 2012 they were made aware about a facility at 1220 Front Street in Uniondale, NY, close to several parishes including St. Pauls in Hempstead, St. Demetrios in Merrick, and the Church of the Resurrection in Glen Cove.

In June 2013 they reached an agreement and a $700,000 deposit was made as a binder.

There were contingencies that had to be met to make sure they their plan would be approved by the local zoning board, so they proceed with their due diligence and hired the right consultants and experts. The Town of Hempstead reviewed the application in September, 2014.

Closing costs totaled $315,000.

Bishop Andonios said all The Board was involved, led by Haeda Mihaltses , the President. People with valuable expertise, who were brought on board through the years with the project in mind, spearheaded particular parts of it.

Bishop Andonios said it is fortunate that among the past Board members was Saki Yakas, a partner of SLCE architects, which designed the George Douris Tower, a senior citizens residence in Astoria. After some initial pro bono work he was hired to design the new facilities.

The project’s timeframe will be dictated by the pace of the fundraising. Once they have a sizable portion off the funds they will start the total gutting and renovation of the existing building.

There will be 26 one bedroom independent living apartments, at least 50 studios for independent or assisted living, and a dementia wing and a nursing home wing, all located in the main building

The builder will be selected in an open process down the line. ”We know quite a few builders in the community and we will give everyone an opportunity to bid on the project,” the Bishop said.

Asked if thought had been given to keeping the old facility open, Bishop Andonios explained, “it doesn’t make sense to keep two facilities with duplicate administration. He pointed out the current facility’s limitations, including the fact that some rooms are doubles and not all rooms have private baths.

He expects the fundraising activity to ramp up now. Major donors to date include the estate of Irene Ladas, and Elenie Angelopoulos, who each donated $1million.

The Bishop noted that “People are more receptive to giving when you have something to show them and until he had a piece of property and a building and the plans for the building.”

Most of the Home’s regular fundraising is geared to subsidizing the people who cannot afford to be at the home.

The post St. Michael’s Closes on New Home appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – One day before the Feast Day of St. Nicholas much of Ground Zero was a hive of construction activity near the site of the New St. Nicholas Shine. Work was being done inside the Vehicle Security Center and on top of it – which will be a park that will effectively form the courtyard of the Church that will replace the only house of worship destroyed on 9/11.
The site of the Church itself was quiet on the afternoon of December 6 since the coldest parts of winter must pass before the concrete for the shell can be poured for the Santiago Calatrava-designed Church that will evoke the Great Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
Among those who have committed funds to the project whose hard construction costs are budgeted at $38 million is the Order of AHEPA, which has committed to raising $500,000 and hopes to raise $1 million.
Nicholas Karacostas, who has been named chairman of the organization’s St. Nicholas fundraising committee, kicked off its two year fundraising campaign on December 6.
Karacostas, the former Supreme President of AHEPA and its current Chairman of the Board, made a presentation about the national endeavor during the 12th annual initiation and luncheon of New Rochelle AHEPA Chapter # 405 at the Westchester Country Club in Rye.
He will be firing up chapters across the country. It is not a local project, Karacosta said, because on 9/11 all of America was attacked.

The post St. Nicholas Feast Day 2014 at Ground Zero; Construction Two Months Away appeared first on The National Herald.

CONSTANTINOPLE – Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis of Rome demanded an end to the violent persecution of Christians in the Middle East and called for dialogue with Muslims to work together to promote peace and justice in the region, during the Pope’s recent official visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The two leaders issued a common declaration in which they wrote: “Inspired by common values and strengthened by genuine fraternal sentiments, Muslims and Christians are called to work together for the sake of justice, peace, and respect for the dignity and rights of every person.”
Pledging their unity for peace and stability in the Middle East, both religious leaders proclaimed that “we cannot resign ourselves to a Middle East without Christians, who have professed the name of Jesus there for two thousand years. Many of our brothers and sisters are being persecuted and have been forced violently from their homes. It even seems that the value of human life has been lost, that the human person no longer matters and may be sacrificed to other interests. And, tragically, all this is met by the indifference of many.” Accordingly, “we call on all those who bear responsibility for the destiny of peoples to deepen their commitment to suffering communities, and to enable them, including the Christian ones, to remain in their native land.”
They echoed those sentiments regarding Ukraine, “a country of ancient Christian tradition,” and called upon “all parties involved to pursue the path of dialogue and of respect for international law in order to bring an end to the conflict and allow all Ukrainians to live in harmony.”
Pope Francis was enthusiastically greeted with the ringing of church bells upon arrival at the Ecumenical Patriarchate on November 29 on the occasion of the celebration of St. Andrew the Apostle, patron saint of the Church of Constantinople. The pope was received at the patriarchal gate by the Metropolitans of Nicaea and Chalcedon. Bartholomew then escorted Francis into the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George.
The two leaders followed the Doxology Service, after which they blessed the faithful crowded inside the Patriarchal Cathedral. Also in attendance were the consul generals in Constantinople.
Bartholomew presented Francis with an icon of St. George painted on Mt. Athos. In return, Francis offered to Bartholomew a copy of an 11th century Greek manuscript from the Vatican library and a copy of a 9th century mosaic of Christ from St. Peter’s Basilica.
Afterward, the pope was received in the Patriarchal Office for a private discussion with the Patriarch. Before leaving, Pope Francis was introduced the members of the Holy Synod.
Francis was greeted with much energy and exuberance for a second time upon his arrival at the Patriarchate on , where he attended the Divine Liturgy in commemoration of the Feast of St. Andrew. The pope was received by Metropolitan John of Pergamon and the Patriarchal Court, which escorted him to the special guest throne of the Patriarchal Church of St. George.
During the service, Bartholomew and Francis exchanged the kiss of peace, a symbol of reconciliation and love, and the Lord’s Prayer was read by Pope Francis in Latin.

PATRIARCH’S MESSAGE
“We are profoundly grateful to Your Holiness for the precious gift of Your blessed presence among us, together with Your honorable entourage,” Bartholomew addressed Francis. “We embrace you wholeheartedly and honorably, addressing you fervently with a greeting of peace and love. We fraternally welcome Your Holiness as bearing the love of St. Peter to his brother, St. Andrew, whose sacred feast we celebrate today. In accordance with a holy custom established and observed for decades now by the Churches of Senior and New Rome, official delegations exchange visits on the occasion of their respective patronal feasts in order to demonstrate by this manner as well the fraternal bond between the two chief Apostles, who together came to know Jesus Christ and to believe in Him as God and Savior. These Apostles transmitted this common faith to the Churches founded by their preaching and sanctified by their martyrdom. This faith was also jointly experienced and articulated into doctrine by our Church Fathers, who assembled from East and West in ecumenical councils, bequeathing it to our Churches as an unshakable foundation of our unity. It is this same faith, which we have together preserved in both East and West for an entire millennium, that we are once again called to deposit as the basis of our unity in order that, ‘being in full accord and of one mind’ (Phil. 2.2), we may press on with Paul ‘forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead’ (Phil. 3.13).”
With more words of praise for Francis, Bartholomew added: “Your hitherto brief tenure at the helm of Your Church has already manifested You in people’s conscience today as a herald of love, peace and reconciliation. You preach with words, but above and beyond all with the simplicity, humility and love toward everyone that you exercise your high ministry. You inspire trust in those who doubt, hope in those who despair, anticipation in those who expect a Church that nurtures all people. Moreover, You offer to Your Orthodox brothers and sisters the aspiration that during Your tenure the rapprochement of our two great ancient Churches will continue to be established on the solid foundations of our common tradition, which always preserved and acknowledged in the constitution of the Church a primacy of love, honor and service within the framework of collegiality, in order that “with one mouth and one heart” we may confess the Trinitarian God and that His love may be poured out upon the world.”
POPE’S MESSAGE
Pope Francis replied: “I believe that it is important to reaffirm respect for this principle as an essential condition, accepted by both, for the restoration of full communion, which does not signify the submission of one to the other, or assimilation. Rather, it means welcoming all the gifts that God has given to each, thus demonstrating to the entire world the great mystery of salvation accomplished by Christ the Lord through the Holy Spirit. I want to assure each one of you here that, to reach the desired goal of full unity, the Catholic Church does not intend to impose any conditions except that of the shared profession of faith. Further, I would add that we are ready to seek together, in light of Scriptural teaching and the experience of the first millennium, the ways in which we can guarantee the needed unity of the Church in the present circumstances. The one thing that the Catholic Church desires, and that I seek as Bishop of Rome, “the Church which presides in charity”, is communion with the Orthodox Churches. Such communion will always be the fruit of that love which “has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (cf. Rom 5:5), a fraternal love which expresses the spiritual and transcendent bond which unites us as disciples of the Lord.”
Also speaking to those who suffer around the world, Francis said: “We hear this resoundingly here, because some neighboring countries are scarred by an inhumane and brutal war. Taking away the peace of a people, committing every act of violence – or consenting to such acts – especially when directed against the weakest and defenseless, is a profoundly grave sin against God, since it means showing contempt for the image of God which is in man. The cry of the victims of conflict urges us to move with haste along the path of reconciliation and communion between Catholics and Orthodox. Indeed, how can we credibly proclaim the message of peace which comes from Christ, if there continues to be rivalry and disagreement between us (cf. Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi, 77)?
Regarding challenges facing young people, Francis said “tragically, there are many young men and women who live without hope, overcome by mistrust and resignation. Many of the young, influenced by the prevailing culture, seek happiness solely in possessing material things and in satisfying their fleeting emotions. New generations will never be able to acquire true wisdom and keep hope alive unless we are able to esteem and transmit the true humanism which comes from the Gospel and from the Church’s age-old experience. It is precisely the young who today implore us to make progress towards full communion. I think for example of the many Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant youth who come together at meetings organized by the Taizé community. They do this not because they ignore the differences which still separate us, but because they are able to see beyond them; they are able to embrace what is essential and what already unites us.”
He concluded: “Your Holiness, we are already on the way towards full communion and already we can experience eloquent signs of an authentic, albeit incomplete union. This offers us reassurance and encourages us to continue on this journey. We are certain that along this journey we are helped by the intercession of the Apostle Andrew and his brother Peter, held by tradition to be the founders of the Churches of Constantinople and of Rome. We ask God for the great gift of full unity, and the ability to accept it in our lives. Let us never forget to pray for one another.”
MUSLIM SOLIDARITY, TOO
following in the footsteps of Pope Benedict XVI, who visited Turkey in 2006, Francis prayed alongside the Grand Mufti of Istanbul, Rahmi Yaran, who had his palms turned toward the sky in a Muslim prayer, inside the 17th-Century Sultan Ahmet mosque.
“May God accept it,” Yaran told the Pope at the conclusion of a poignant moment of Christian-Muslim understanding.
The Vatican spokesman, Rev. Federico Lombardi called it a moment of “silent adoration.” Lombardi, who was standing behind the pope, said Francis told the mufti two times that we must “adore” God and not just praise and glorify him.
Francis nodded, smiled, and looked up in awe as Yaran gave him a tour of the Blue Mosque, famed for its elaborate blue tiles and cascading domes. Francis listened intently through an interpreter as Yaran explained verses of the Muslim holy book.
Presenting the pope with a blue, tulip-designed tile, Yaran said he prayed to God that his visit would “contribute to the world getting along well and living in peace.”
“We are in need of prayers. The world really needs prayers,” Yaran said.
After he left, Francis walked a short distance – greeting crowds for the first time in his visit – to tour the nearby Hagia Sofia, which was the main Byzantine church in Constantinople before being turned into a mosque (it is now a museum) following the Muslim conquest of the city in 1453.
A few dozen well-wishers outside Hagia Sophia waved a combination of the Turkish and the flag of the Holy See. One carried a banner that read: “You are Peter.”

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