BOSTON – The dispute of many years duration between Hellenic College – Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and the Maliotis Cultural Center which has been costly to both seems to be heading towards a peaceful resolution out of court after the intervention of Archbishop Elpidophoros and the trust and good will of the Center’s leadership.
In an interview with The National Herald, the president of the Board of the Maliotis Cultural Center, Northeastern University professor Philippos Seraphim, reveals the communications, the meetings, and the understandings that have occurred with Archbishop Elpidophoros.
Professor Seraphim said that “because the trial over the legal dispute between the College and the Maliotis Cultural Center had been set for October 9, I decided with great hesitation to call the Archdiocese and request a meeting with His Eminence Archbishop of America, Mr. Elpidophoros. I was trying to avoid the thousands of dollars that the trial would cost both sides. My reluctance was based on my conviction that the College’s lawyers would continue to prohibit meetings between the two sides without them, and I was convinced that there would be no agreement with the lawyers present.”
He added that “The Archbishop’s secretary quickly arranged a meeting on Thursday, September 5, at the Archdiocese’s offices in New York. Accompanied by Professor Grigoris Stephanopoulos and Mr. Kostas Travayiakis, members of the Board of Directors of the Maliotis Cultural Center, we visited His Eminence. We outlined the existing problems in detail, although he was perfectly aware of the issue, and he listened intently. He finally invited us to solve the problems together. We returned with full confidence in His Eminence and believed he would provide a just solution to this long-standing dispute.
A month later, we requested a second meeting with the Archbishop, which was easily arranged for Saturday, October 5, at the College’s Administration Building in Boston. A general framework for resolving this legal dispute was agreed upon during the meeting. The specific details of the agreement will be worked out later. Subsequently, the Boards of Directors of both parties will approve the details of the agreement and announce them.”
Professor Seraphim said that “His Eminence received us with open arms. He listened carefully and advised us wisely. We were impressed with his personality and the confidence he inspires. His rational thinking, as well as his sincerity and kindness, were obvious. He was fully aware of the matter, but wanted to hear our opinions as well before offering a just solution.”
Asked how many years the problem has persisted Professor Seraphim said that “in 1981 the late Costas Maliotis donated the building to the Theological School on the condition that the Archdiocese would pay $50,000 a year to the Friends of Maliotis Cultural Center for its Hellenic cultural programs. The Archdiocese made payments until 1985. Then, after Maliotis’ death, these payments stopped. For the following 22 years the Board of Directors of the Maliotis Cultural Center tried to restart the discontinued annual payment. In 2007, the Board of Directors of the Maliotis Cultural Center decided to temporarily close the Center to the College. In 2009, after a second temporary closure of the Center to the School, the College began its ongoing litigation for 10 years.”
Professor Seraphim said that “we tried to solve the problem with College President Fr. Triantafillou. He suggested various solutions but canceled them before they were able to be implemented. His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston tried to help us, but without success. His Eminence former Archbishop Demetrios of America never agreed to meet us. We met with the former president Fr. Metropulos only once, and his lawyers forbade him from meeting with us without them.”
When we asked him why it was not possible to find a solution in the past, but within three months Archbishop Elpidophoros has resolved it, he said “the solution was found in only one month. His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros was sincerely interested in the resolution of the problem; he studied it on his own and had the ability and courage to make a just decision without lawyers.”
Professor Seraphim added that “we are excited that we will finally be able to concentrate on our Greek cultural programs and follow the proposal of His Eminence to set up a ‘Greek Learning Institute’ in the Maliotis Cultural Center.
We are absolutely convinced that His Eminence will solve in the same wise way all the major current problems of Orthodoxy and Hellenism in the USA.”
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