VOL. 63 � NO. 1147 J U L Y � A U G U S T 1 9 9 8 http://www.goarch.org/goa/observerE-mail: observer@goarch.org

See INCLUSIVENESS on page 28

After 27 years as pastor of St. Georgeparish in Bethesda, Md., George Papaioan-nou was ordained to the episcopacy, asBishop of Komanon by Archbishop Spyridonon June 13 during the church�s consecra-tion weekend.

Bishop George, who was widowed in1993, is the first bishop of the Church inAmerica to come from the ranks of the mar-ried clergy.

Two days prior to his ordination, onJune 11, a vespers service took place at Arch-diocese headquarters in New York wherethe formal election announcement (MegaMinima) was read and Archbishop Spyridonelevated Fr. George to the rank of Archiman-drite.

Co-celebrants with His Eminence wereMetropolitan Silas of Saranta Ecclesiai,Metropolitan Maximos of Aenos, Metropoli-tan Methodios of Aneon, Bishops Philotheosof Meloa, Kallistos Ware of Diocleia andVikentios of Apamia.

Bishop George�s titular See of Komanonis a historic diocese of a town beyond theCaucasus in Armenia where St. JohnChrysostom died in exile.

George PapaioannouOrdained as Bishop

See ORDAINED on page 2

ORLANDO, Fla. � Archbishop Spyridondelivered a well-received address July 6 atthe official opening to the 34th Clergy LaityCongress that touched on key issues facingthe Church and that reached out to everyconstituency, then unexpectedly asked forquestions from the floor at the end of thesession. The full text appears in this issue ofthe Observer.

Inclusiveness Is Theme of Archbishop�s Keynote Address

By Jim Golding

His Eminence praised the participationof one of the largest numbers of young adultsto attend the just-concluded YAL conference.Citing their strong commitment to theChurch. he said the expectations of youngpeople �are very high� and that they �arelooking to us to bequeath to them an Arch-diocese that is spiritually healthy and pre-pared to give them their rightful place at thetable.�

The Archbishop returned to the �placeat the table� theme throughout his speechto emphasize that the Church must becomemore inclusive and open to anyone want-ing to follow the Orthodox Christian faith.

�As we face the 21st century and thenew millennium, our goal must be to find aplace at the table for all the members of ourChurch,� he said.

To accomplish this ArchbishopSpyridon called for a greater emphasis onadult religious education, especially for themany converts who have come into theChurch. �We create difficulties for convertswhen we receive them into our Church with-out ministering to their needs for knowledge,information, history and teaching,� he said.

The Archbishop mentioned everyChurch constituency that deserves �a placeat the table,� including non-Orthodox andnon-Christian spouses, non-Greek speakers

and non-English speakers, single parents,blended families, Orthodox from other eth-nic traditions and young people.

His Eminence also discussed the needfor change, but emphasized that theChurch�s heritage or Holy Tradition mustremain intact.

�This faithfulness to tradition is the verything that is inspiring so many converts tocome to Orthodoxy in recent years,� he said.They are yearning for the authentic faith ofChrist, as it has been preserved in our HolyOrthodox Church. And that is what ouryoung people are looking for as well�for allour material, educational and social success,our youth still crave the spiritual riches ofour Greek Orthodox Tradition.�

Commenting on some of the changes

in the Church�s structure and administra-tion made over the past two years, the Arch-bishop said he understood �the difficulty andcomplexity of this event of change� and thatit has evoked a mix of emotions, from newhope and a sense of pride, to disappoint-ment and frustration, to insecurity and fear.�I know that change can be painful, becauseI, too, have experienced this pain.�

But he advised the faithful that, ratherthan respond with panic or fear-mongering,�as mature Christians let us keep all thesedevelopments in the proper perspective, andnot allow ignorance, or agendas foreign tothe work of Christ to prevail in the Church.�

His Eminence said that the Church�sagenda was not about money or power, butabout �Christian service of love and minis-

try of reconciliation ... centered in the trans-formation of the human person by living theLiturgy in the power of the Holy Spirit.�

Citing the specific changes of the eleva-tion of diocesan bishops to metropolitans,changes at Holy Cross-Hellenic College,reorganization of Archdiocese headquartersand transitions in the national boards of vari-ous organizations, he said these changesshould not be misused �to create and con-fusion among the faithful,� and that the dutyof the Greek Orthodox communities andtheir leaders is to �protect and promote themission of the Church� which is the salva-tion of the world.

His Eminence reminded the delegatesthat �it is the hundreds of thousands ofGreek Orthodox Christians who make upthis Archdiocese that are the real reason weare here...We don�t represent them, for weare not a government. We serve them; forthey are our family.�

He expresssed his gratitude to theArchdiocesan Council for its service, and toLeadership 100 for their endowment, butsaid he was equally grateful to thousands ofparish council members across the countrygiving of their �time, talents and resources,�and to the �yiayiades who live on Social Se-curity and never miss a tray that�s passed inchurch.�

The Archbishop also emphasized theimportance of being good stewards of theChurch and using whatever resources avail-able to advance the faith, citing effortsthrough communications, including theInternet, and through increased religiouseducation.

His Eminence concluded his remarksby thanking the retired clergy of the Arch-diocese which prompted a standing ovationby the more than 1,400 persons in atten-dance. He reminded the audience that manyof these retired priests continue to serve atparishes having no full-time pastor, and as-sured the group that no churches would beclosed.

�St. Paul never closed a church. St. Pe-ter never closed a church. St. Andrew neverclosed a church. In America, the land of lib-erty, of freedom of expression and freedomof religion, do we even have the right toconsider closing a church?�

Surprise forumThough a question and answer forum

was not scheduled for the opening session,the Archbishop offered to answer any ques-tions from the audience, which he fieldedfor nearly 30 minutes.

Several audience members questionedthe Archbishop on topics that included re-storing the order of deaconesses, the statusof St. Basil Academy, autocephaly, churchfinances, the reinstatement of four HolyCross professors whose ouster more than ayear ago sparked tremendous controversy,and others.

Archbishop Spyridon�s response onautocephaly was that it �was not an issuefor discussion� and, instead, stressed faith-fulness and loyalty to the Ecumenical Patri-archate.

Regarding church finances, His Emi-nence said the Archdiocese has shown �its

Your Eminence, MetropolitanPanteleimon, Representative of the Ecu-menical Patriarchate,

My beloved brothers in the Lord,Metropolitans and Bishops,

Reverend Fathers and Delegates,Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

�For where two or three are gatheredtogether in My name, there am I, in themidst of them.� (St. Matthew 18:20)

As we commence this 34th Clergy-La-ity Congress, I would ask that all of uspause for a moment, and consider thispromise of our Lord Jesus Christ. We havetraveled from all across the United States,this blessed land of liberty, to gather to-

Address of His Eminence Archbishop Spyridonto the 34th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress

Opening SessionJuly 6, 1998

gether in His Holy and Divine Name, aName that is above every other name, a�highly exalted name,� as the Apostle Paulwrites in his Epistle to the Philippians . . .in order to do what? What have we comehere to Orlando to accomplish?

If we are true to our calling as Chris-tians, if we are justified in bearing HisName, then we must � above all else �reflect His presence in our midst.

In the final analysis, this is why I ad-dress you as brothers and sisters � becausewe truly are brothers and sisters. This isno mere formality, some formulaic saluta-tion that we just say for the sake of sound-ing like Christians. Through Jesus Christ,we are bone of bone, flesh of flesh, and

See ADDRESS on page 6

OPENING SESSION -Archbishop Spyridondelivers a powerfulkeynote speech atthe opening sessionof the 34th BiennialClergy-Laity Congresson July 6 .

(D. Panagos photo)

(N. Manginas photo)

ORTHODOX OBSERVER JULY - AUGUST 1998PAGE 2

from page 1

USPS 412340 ISSN 0731-2547

Published by the Greek Orthodox Archdioceseof America. Semi-monthly in March, April, May,June, October and November, and monthly inJanuary, February, July, August, Septemberand December.

Periodicals� postage paid at New York, NY 10001and at additional mailing offices. Editorial andBusiness Office: 8 East 79th Street, New York,NY 10021. Phone (212) 570-3555, 774-0235.FAX (212) 774-0239. The Orthodox Observer isproduced entirely in-house. Past issues can befound on the Internet, at http://www.goarch.org/goa/observer. E-mail: observer@goarch.org

Articles do not necessarily reflect the viewsand opinions of the Greek Orthodox Archdio-cese of America which are expressed in offi-cial statements so labeled.Subscription rates are $5.50 per year. Canada$25.00. Overseas $35.00 per year. Overseas AirMail, $75.00 per year. $1.00 per copy.Subscriptions for the membership of the GreekOrthodox Church in America are paid through theircontribution to the Archdiocese. Of thiscontribution, $3.00 is forwarded to the OrthodoxObserver.POSTMASTER: Send address changes toORTHODOX OBSERVER, 8 East 79th Street,New York, NY 10021

DIRECTOR & EXECUTIVE EDITOR:Constantine Deligiannis

EDITOR:Jim Golding (Chryssoulis)

PRODUCTION & ADVERTISING MANAGER:Stavros H. Papagermanos

Inside

A R C H D I O C E S E N E W S

BETHESDA, Md. � One day after hisordination to the episcopacy, BishopGeorge of Komanon assisted ArchbishopSpyridon in the consecration of St. GeorgeChurch.

Events relating to the consecration be-gan in March, with a community outreachpanel. Several athletic activities were heldin May.

Bethesda Church ConsecrationA program titled �Musical Pageantry

of Our Heritage� took place May 16.Events in June included the Consecra-

tion Ball on the 6th, Founders Program onthe 7th, Junior GOYA and YAL games June8-10, and a religious fourm on June 12.

In addition to the service of Conse-cration and Divine Liturgy on the 14th, agrand banquet was held later in the day.In his homily, Archbishop Spyridon re-

called the memory of Bishop George�spresbytera, Maria. �She was your partner inyour pastoral ministry for so many years,�he said. �You worked hand-in-hand... And,although her loss still brings pain to you andyour beloved family, somehow, in His Di-vine Providence, God has allowed her to goon before you, that you may be able to serveHis Holy Church.�

He continued, �My beloved brother, al-though your position as a widowed priestmade it possible for you to be elected abishop, you are now called to serve the greatBride of Christ, which was widowed on theCross, rejoiced at the Resurrection, andawaits the return of her Bridegroom at HisSecond and Glorious Coming Again.�

�I enter the sacred Episcopate with aweand fear,� Bishop George said in his ordina-tion message. �I do not take lightly this titleas Bishop of Komanon. I take it as a man-date to use St. John Chrysostom as my guideand, to the best of my ability, speak the truthand do works of love with all my strength.

Bishop George, 65, was born inProdromos, Thebes, and is a 1957 graduateof the Theological School of Halki. He wasawarded a Doctor of Theology degree fromBoston University. Before coming toBethesda, he served parishes in Canada andNew Hampshire. For 12 years, he also pro-duced the �Tell Me Father� column in theOrthodox Observer.

He has also written several books, in-cluding �From Mars Hill to Manhattan,� �TheHistory of the Archdiocese of North andSouth America,� and �The Odyssey of Hel-lenism in America.

He has three married daughters and sixgrandchildren.

GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESEOF AMERICA

WELCOME TO THE

WORLD WIDE WEB HOME PAGE

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America:http://www.goarch.org

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople:http://www. patriarchate.org

Orthodox World News:http://www. goarch.org/worldnews

Orthodox Ministry ACCESS:http://www.goarch.org/access

Orthodox Observer:http://www.goarch. org/goa/observer

George PapaioannouOrdained as Bishop

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Eleni Daniels

ARCHBISHOP SPYRIDON places his hand upon Bishop-elect George Papaioannou as he isordained to the episcopacy on June 13. Also shown are (from left) New Jersey DioceseChancellor the Very Rev. Evangelos Kourounis, Archdeacon Elias Villis and Fr. NicholasDespotides, assistant priest at St. George Church in Bethesda. (D. Panagos photo)

(D. P

anag

os p

hoto

)

NEW YORK � Greek Orthodox Tele-communications has received a grant fromthe Gregory Demakos Foundation for theproduction of a video describing the devel-opment and expansion of the Archdioceseon the Internet and World Wide Web, andthe integration of new Internet technologiesfor Orthodox Christian ministry.

The video will be produced over thesummer in cooperation with the Departmentof Internet Ministries and will introduce theviewer to the Internet and specifically guidethem through the Archdiocese Web Site(http://www.goarch.org) and its links. Thevideo will be available free to all parishes inthe Archdiocese.

Peter Demakos, Foundation trustee,said he is confident the videotape will helpto continue the good works of his late fa-ther, Gregory, an Archdiocesan Councilmeeting and education committee chair-man.

Program Begins to ConnectDioceses and Parishes

In January of this past year, InternetMinistries, with the blessings of ArchbishopSpyridon, began a nation-wide program toconnect every diocese and parish with e-mail and the Internet. The initiation of thisprogram is an enthusiastic response to the

GOTelecom Receives Grant for Internet Videothe Archdiocesan Council�s request to haveevery parish in the Archdiocese connected.

To realize this exciting vision, InternetMinistries has been working very closelywith the various diocesan offices across thecountry to establish local, diocesan InternetMinistry Teams. The primary responsibilityof these Internet Ministry Teams is three-fold:

1) To work on a local level with theArchdiocesan department of Internet Min-istries.

2) To update and maintain the local di-ocesan web site

3) To facilitate with computer trainingand the connection of the local parishes withe-mail

The benefits of this initiative to the dio-ceses include:

� No monthly or yearly costs� Virtually unlimited web server space� Diocesan-specific e-mail mailing lists� Usage of the Archdiocesan audio and

video serversAs a result of this initiative, every dio-

cese will have its own presence on theInternet; manage its own Internet, e-mailmailing list; and have the ability to dissemi-nate diocesan news, resources, and otherinformation instantly.

LEADERSHIP PLEDGE

Rev. George Poulosand Presbyters Pou-los of Church of theArchangels in Stam-ford, Conn., receivethe Obelisk awardfrom ArchbishopSpyridon at therecent Leadership100 conference fortheir parish�s ful-fillment of its$100,000 pledge tothe organization.Archangels Churchis the first parish tofulfill its commit-ment.(D. Panagos photo)

Archdiocese News � 2-3, 7Books � 21Challenge � 25C/L Congress � 4-6, 23, 26-27Diocese News � 20Ecum. Patriarchate � 8-9Greek section � 13-16HC/HC Report � 18Missions � 11Obituary � 11Of Special Interest � 21Opinions � 10Orthodoxy Worldwide � 22Parish Profile � 19People � 19Philoptochos � 21Religious Education � 11St. John Chrysostom Festival � 12Seminarian Profile � 18Young Adult League � 28

JULY - AUGUST 1998 PAGE 3ORTHODOX OBSERVER

A R C H D I O C E S E N E W S

GARRISON, N.Y. � The 51st commence-ment at St. Basil Academy honored foureighth graders and two kindergartners whograduated.

The eighth-graders are StephanieKatsifas, Gabriel Nieves, Melissa Papadakisand Demetra Spentzos.

Kindergarten graduates are JacobBrown and Ruby Soto.

St. Basil Academy Holds51st Graduation Exercises

Attending the event were ArchbishopSpyridon, Bishop Philotheos of Meloa andarea clergy. They also took part in a DivineLiturgy that preceded the ceremony.

A large number of members from thefollowing Philoptochos chapters in the re-gion attended the ceremony: St. George,Asbury Park; St. Barbara, Toms River; St.Thomas, Cherry Hill; St. Demetrios, PerthAmboy; and Ascension, Fairview (all in NewJersey); Prophet Elias, Yonkers; St.Demetrios, Merrick; Transfiguration, Co-rona; Holy Trinity, New Rochelle; Holy Trin-ity-St. Nicholas, Staten Island; St. Barbara,New York; Holy Cross, Brooklyn; andZoodochos Peghe, Bronx (all in New York);and Holy Trinity, Bridgeport, Conn.

Following welcoming remarks from theVery Rev. Sylvester Berberis, the Academydirector, and greetings from SBA board Presi-dent Dr. Steven Gounardes, PhiloptochosSBA National Chairman Irene Philip, andAHEPA�s SBA representative Terry Mitchell,students Stephanie Katsifas and Gabriel

Nieves addressed the audience in Greek andEnglish.

Dr. Andreas Zachariou, director of theteachers institute at St. Basil�s delivered abrief speech in Greek.

His Eminence also spoke briefly, thank-ing the various organizations and individu-als that provide assistance to the school,including the National Philoptochos and

AHEPA, for their support.At the end of the program, a represen-

tative of the Philoptochos chapters in south-ern New Jersey presented the Archbishopwith a $25,000 donation raised at a recentluncheon.

Several awards and scholarships alsowere given to the students. Miss Katsifaswon the Three Hierarchs Award of Excel-lence.

Terry Mitchell of AHEPA presented con-tinuing scholarship grants to the students,and several Philoptochos chapters and theAtlantic Bank Bay Ridge-Brooklyn branchoffered savings bonds.

The National Philoptochos donated$1,000 to fund the graduation activities, andthe Hellenic American Chamber of Com-merce in New York announced the presen-tation of new gym equipment for the school.

The commencement program also fea-tured entertainment by the school chorusand Greek dance group students, and theAthanasia Fillios Choir.

WASHINGTON � ArchbishopSpyridon joined 35 other religious and hu-man rights leaders, and Secretary of StateMadeleine Albright at the White House June18 to hear an address by President Clintonon religious freedom and human rights.

The President�s address coincided withhis upcoming trip to China, and was an ex-traordinary opportunity for religious leadersto hear the President�s views.

Upon learning of the invitation, Arch-bishop Spyridon, said: �As a person of con-science and of faith, I commend the Presi-dent for recognizing the importance of in-cluding the religious community in the pub-lic discourse. People of faith everywhereare bound to the responsibilities of con-science, and we rejoice at the opportunityto lend our moral and spiritual support tothe President, as he undertakes his awesomeduties as the leader of the free world.�

In his address, President Clintonthanked the religious leaders for their partin advising him on religious and humanrights issues and told them of his upcomingvisit and developments in China.

�...when in China, I will speak as clearlyas I can about human rights and religiousfreedom,� the President said. �Our messageis clear: we in the United States believe thatall governments everywhere should ensurefundamental rights, including the right ofpeople to worship when and where theychoose. We believe that China should re-sume talks with the Dalai Lama. We believethat prisoners of conscience should be re-leased.

I am convinced that dealing directlywith the Chinese on these issues is the bestway to make a difference, and making a dif-ference is in the end what matters. I am alsoconvinced, as I told President Jiang here bothprivately and in our press conference, thatChina will be more stable, will grow stron-ger, will acquire more influence in the worldin direct proportion to the extent to which itrecognizes liberties of all kinds and espe-cially religious liberty.

Archbishop Invited to White Housefor Religious and Human Rights Speech

�Of course, we all know that the free-dom to follow one�s personal beliefs, to wor-ship as one chooses, is at the core of what itmeans to be an American. It is in the veryfirst amendment to the Constitution. It is atthe forefront of the Bill of Rights. Men andwomen fleeing religious persecutions helpedto found our country. They still arrive everyyear, of every conceivable faith, from everypoint in the world, to seek this freedom.

Our churches, synagogues, mosques,temples, and other houses of worship arecenters of vibrant community life and vitalcommunity service. We have always beenvigilant in protecting our own religious free-doms, for we know that an attack on anygroup imperils all. Dr. Martin Luther Kingonce said that �injustice anywhere is a threatto justice everywhere.� It clearly applies tothe principle of religious liberty.

And we know now that if we want thekind of world for our children that we arelaboring so hard to build for the 21st cen-tury � for this one in particular our strugglefor liberty cannot end at our borders. Thereare many countries, far too many, wherereligious believers still suffer in darkness,where governments ban religious practicesor force an officially sanctioned creed onnon-believers; people are harassed, impris-oned, tortured, sometimes even executedfor daring to live by their beliefs.

On the other hand, we know that whenreligious diversity is respected, it fosters asense of community and solidarity. Religioushatred fuels violence, as we have seen toooften. So we promote both religious free-dom and religious tolerance. They are twosides of the same coin, each necessary forthe other�s success.�

His Eminence also attended in his ca-pacity as chairman of SCOBA, the StandingConference of Canonical Orthodox Bishopsin America that represents over 6 millionOrthodox Christians of Greek, Russian,Romanian, Syrian, Lebanese, Palestinian,Bulgarian, Carpatho-Russian, Serbian, Ukrai-nian and other ethnic traditions.

HIS EMINENCE visits with His Holiness Patriarch Karekin of Armenia on June 15 at the St.Vartan Armenian Cathedral in New York. His Holiness Patriarch Karekin and ArchbishopSpyridon held an extensive private discussion ranging over several issues,including: theWorld Council of Churches and ecumenical relations, religious education, church-staterelations and the status of the church in Armenia and Greece. (D. Panagos photo)

1234567890123456789012123456789012345678901212345678901234567890121234567890123456789012123456789012345678901212345678901234567890121234567890123456789012123456789012345678901212345678901234567890121234567890123456789012123456789012345678901212345678901234567890121234567890123456789012

ORTHODOX OBSERVERHAS NEW TELEPHONE NUMBERS

Please Call(212) 570-3555

or FAX to:(212) 774-0239

ARCHBISHOP SPYRIDON with graduates (from left) Stephanie Katsifas, Gabriel Nieves,Demetra Spentzos and Melissa Papadakis, and Academy director Fr. Berberis.

(D. Panagos photo)

NEW YORK, NY�His Eminence Arch-bishop Spyridon, Primate of the Greek Or-thodox Church of America, has re-consti-tuted the Archdiocesan Charter Committee,to continue the work of the previous com-mittee that was de-activated upon the re-tirement of Archbishop Iakovos.

His Eminence serves as chairman, andhas named six additional members of thecommittee, with two theological consult-

Archbishop Spyridon NamesArchdiocesan Charter Committee

ants. The committee members are: HisEminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Proiko-nisou, Presiding Bishop of Denver; the Hon-orable Paul C. Lillios, United States Admin-istrative Law Judge, of Chicago, Illinois; Mrs.Katherine Bouffides Walsh, Esq., memberof the Archdiocesan Council Legal Commit-tee; Mrs. Anita Kartalopoulos, Esq. of theDiocese of New Jersey, ProtopresbyterPetros Kopsahilis, Chancellor of the Dioceseof Atlanta; and Protopresbyter PhilemonKaramanos, St. George Greek OrthodoxChurch in Southgate, Michigan.

The theological consultants will be Dr.James Skedros of the Patriarch AthenagorasOrthodox Institute at the Graduate Theologi-cal Union in Berkeley, California and Dr.Vlassios Phidas, Professor of Canon Law andChurch History at the University of Athens.

DO YOU LIKE THE ORTHODOX OBSERVER?HAVE YOU SOMETHING TO SUGGEST?SEND US A FEW LINES...

! Fax:(212) 774-0239

e -mail : observer@goarch.org

8 East 79th Street

New York, NY 10021

ORTHODOX OBSERVER JULY - AUGUST 1998PAGE 4

34th CLERGY � LAITY CONGRESS

From the #1 Tour Operator To Greece

THE MAGICAL ISLAND OF GREECESun Filled Days and Enchanted Nights

Includes:�Roundtrip airfare New York-Athens.�1 night accommodations in First ClassAthens Hotel.

899$

7 Days/5 NightsDeparture: August 22

�4 nights accommodations in Mykonos at the Superior First Class San Marco Hotel.�Daily American Buffet Breakfast in Athens and Mykonos.�Roundtrip sea transportation from mainland to Mykonos.�All Transfers, Porterages and Assistance by friendly Homeric Tours Host

Airport taxes are additional � Space is limited

$969 8 Days/6 Nts

5 Nts Mykonos & 1 Nt AthensDepart: July 26

$999 9 Days/7 Nts

6 Nts Mykonos & 1 Nt AthensDepart: Sept 05

$1099 10 Days/8 Nts

6 Nts Mykonos & 2 Nts AthensOR 7 Nts Mykonos & 1 Nt Athens

Depart: Aug 22

$1149 11 Days/9 Nts

7 Nts Mykonos & 2 Nts AthensDepart: Aug 27

Great Destinations!Incredible Price!Quality Service!

August 15 Departure: $$$$$999994949494949

55 East 59th Street (17th floor)New York, N.Y. 10022

Tel: (212)753-1100 � Fax: (212) 753-0319Email: HOMERIC@aol.com

Nationwide Toll-Free: 800-223-5570Long Island: (516) 935-3400

ORLANDO, Fla. � Two days before theofficial opening of the Clergy-Laity Congress,the Archdiocesan Council met for final ses-sion of its two-year term. However, sincethe members present did not constitute aquorum, the Council could not take legisla-tive action and they heard report presenta-tions.

Archdiocesan Council HoldsInformational Meeting July 4

By Jim Golding

Legal developmentsJohn Mavroudis, Legal Committee

chairman, reported on several matters. Asummary of highlights includes the follow-ing:

LEADERSHIP 100: The ArchdiocesanCouncil Executive Committee approved aplan in February to transfer the Archdiocesanendowment fund to an non-profit corpora-tion that will distribute 85 percent of its in-come to the National Ministries. The Arch-bishop would have line item veto authorityover grants. The plan still requires the ap-proval of the IRS and New York AttorneyGeneral and Supreme Court.

HELLENIC COLLEGE: The New En-gland Association of Schools and Collegesand Association of Theological Schools is-sued rulings on the continued accreditationof the school and asked for a six-month re-view and clarification of the institution�sdocuments.

PHILOPTOCHOS: The Ladies Societyand Archdiocese seek approval of a plan toshare restitution payments resulting from alegal action against a former employee ofPhiloptochos.

SEXUAL MISCONDUCT POLICY: TheArchdiocese secured a policy in June 997covering itself and its institutions for anysexual misconduct claims.

Mr. Mavroudis also briefly discussedpending litigation, contributions and be-quests, and other miscellaneous issues.

HELLENIC COLLEGE/HOLY CROSS:Metropolitan Isaiah, school president, re-ported that construction on the ArchbishopIakovos Library proceeds on schedule andits opening is planned for the fall, but thatthe heavy construction equipment in useover the past year has inflicted extensivedamage on the streets and exterior lights atthe school.

The Metropolitan also reported that thestudent population for the upcoming schoolyear is currently 172, with 28 new studentsenrolling in the seminary, and 12 coming tothe college.

At the end of the report, Bishop GeorgePapaioannou rose to express appreciationto Metropolitan Isaiah for his service to theschool.

In other business, MetropolitanMethodios announced that Council memberGeorge Behrakis recently provided the fundsfor the Boston Diocese to purchase a 70-acresummer camp, Camp Merrimac, in NewHampshire as a Greek Orthodox facility.

During the Congress, the legislativefunction passes to the delegates whose ac-tions supersede those of the Council.

In his opening message to the body,Archbishop Spyridon warned of a �tendencyto adopt the standards of the world� andthat an overriding importance was placedon money, power and position.

The resulting �lack of trust and spirit ofcompetition often results in persecuting oneanother and even hurting one another,� HisEminence said, adding that the Church willgrow through faith and working together in�truth and love.�

Reports presentedCouncil members next heard presen-

tations on the Clergy-Laity Congress, Fi-nance, Legal Committee and Hellenic Col-lege-Holy Cross.

The Very Rev. Gabriel Karambis, Arch-diocese coordinator for the Congress, re-ported on preliminary registration figures forthe Congress, and noted that a major newemphasis of the 34th Congress is the reli-gious education program.

Positive financial pictureActing Finance Director George

Chelpon and two members of the BDOSeidman accounting firm presented alengthy report that showed the Archdiocesefinancial condition on an upswing.

Mr. Chelpon noted that revenues forthe current year are running �about$275,000 ahead of last year� and that thegrowth rate of the total commitment pro-gram is 7 ½ percent. �The growth pattern isgood,� he observed.

One of the Seidman account represen-tatives, John Barbagallo presented 10 rec-ommendations for the Archdiocese to con-sider in its revamping of accounting proce-dures. Topping the list was that an internalaudit department be created. Mr. Chelponadvised the Council that his department willadd two new accountants and an adminis-trative assistant in its streamlining efforts.

ORLANDO, Fla. � The plenary sessionsof the 34th Clergy-Laity Congress on July 8-9 approved decisions that included budgetsof $11 million and $12 million for the nexttwo years, and a resolution that all parishesadopt the stewardship program within twoyears.

The more than 500 delegates who par-ticipated in sessions also approved the re-ports from the Strategic Planning, Finance,Interfaith Marriage, Institutions, and Clergyand Clergy Family in nearly six hours ofdeliberations.

In his opening comments, ArchbishopSpyridon told delegates that �the spirit thatmust prevail throughout all our delibera-tions must be directed and guided by ourlove for one another.�

The Archbishop reminded the partici-pants that, whether or not their positionsprevail, they �are still brothers and sistersin Christ.

He added that , �We all have a right toour opinions, but our greater responsibil-ity is to conduct ourselves according to thestandards of the Orthodox faith.

An emotional vote to remove a rec-ommendation about Holy Cross and re-assigned clergy failed by a slim margin.

Archbishop Spyridon addressed thesecond plenary session on July 9 with abrief statement that brought the delegatesto their feet in applause and refocused theirefforts.

�I�m proud of the Christian spirit ofdialogue that has prevailed,� said the Arch-bishop. �I�m especially moved by the pro-

Plenary Sessions UrgeStewardship for All Parishes

found personal feelings of expression onthe floor of this Congress. I have listenedwith great attention to your concerns. Theywill serve as the basis for further, long re-flection.� He also said the feelings ex-pressed by the delegates will serve as �thefoundation for a new beginning.�

During the final two days of the Con-gress, Metropolitan Anthony had to cutshort his participation because of the deathof his sister in Crete and departed beforethe plenary sessions.

Extensive coverage on committee re-ports approved by the plenary sessions willbe presented in the next issue of the Ob-server.

ConclusionThe Congress ended on a note of unity

and fellowship. At the grand banquet heldafter the second plenary session, the rep-resentative of the Ecumenical Patriarchateto the Congress, Metropolitan Panteleemonof Tyrolois said in brief comments to theaudience that he was �optimistic� about thefuture of the Church in America and thathe would �report to His All Holiness thatthe Archdiocese is an active, live Church,with actual leadership and actual clergy andfaithful. I am optimistic for the third mil-lennium.�

The Metropolitan also said that theChurch is � the body of Christ, not a secu-lar society or club with religious affiliations.It is always relevant to the times� and in-terprets its �long, valuable tradition to thesituation of the times.�

HUNDREDS GATHER for Holy Communion at the July 5 DivineLiturgy at the Marriott Orlando World Center hotel. At right:Archbishop Spyridon with Metropolitan Panteleimon of Tyroloisand Serentiou at the July 4th Doxology. (N

. Man

gina

s ph

oto)

(D. Panagos photo)

JULY - AUGUST 1998 PAGE 5ORTHODOX OBSERVER

ORLANDO, Fla. � Some 341 NationalPhiloptochos Society delegates held a suc-cessful 34th convention in conjunction withthe Clergy-Laity Congress.

President Mimi Skandalakis welcomedArchbishop Spyridon to the organization�sJuly 5 opening session, stating, �We are withyou 100 percent� as delegates gave him astanding ovation.

National Philoptochos Delegates Hold Successful Convention

By Jim Golding

Mrs. Skandalakis also reported on theefforts by local Philoptochos members tooffer assistance during the evacuation of firevictims.

His Eminence not only delivered hiscustomary address but, as was his practiceat the YAL convention and opening sessionof the Congress, he unexpectedly held anopen forum after his speech.

�Philoptochos is at the forefront of ourministries,� said the Archbishop. �You werealways there and you will continue to bethere into the next millennium.�

He cited examples of many womenthroughout history who have served theChurch in various ministries including teach-ing, iconography, missions, musicians andas monastics.

Archbishop Spyridon, referring to thewomen�s roles of ensuring family unity andas the �primary educators of the young,�called on the group to continue its supportof St. Basil Academy and to help find home-less, orphaned or abandoned children forthe school. �This institution must continueto be infused with new life,� he said.

Then, noticing a copy of �Roberts Rulesor Order� near the podium, asked, �Whyisn�t the Bible here? Do we need lawyers toteach us how to act in a Christian manner?�

Open forumHe suddenly challenged the women to

ask him whatever questions they had.

An English woman convert from Coloradoasked what message she could give to some-one wanting to come to the Orthodox faith.

His Eminence responded that �As amatter of principle, I would say that �MyChurch is your Church.�� He said that mem-bers born into the Church �must becomeOrthodox again� and not to become victimsof ethnic chauvinism or nationalism becausethose issues are �of secondary importance.�

But he explained that the early ChurchFathers were greatly influenced by Hellenicthought, adding �there is no Orthodox con-cept that does not bear the seal of Hellenism.

Several women expressed concernabout the recent court ruling involving$50,000 that was to be repaid to the Churchfollowing a legal case involving a formerPhiloptochos employee. A judge had ruledthat the funds be repaid to the Archdiocese,but the Philoptochos cite that the funds origi-nally were theirs.

The Archbishop assured the group that

�we will do everything possible to restorethe money to the Philoptochos.

Some women continued to press theissue, with some of the exchanges becom-ing a bit heated, prompting Judi Ganis ofPhoenix to plead that everyone �speak inChrist�s love.�

Archbishop Spyridon added that �wedon�t need lawyers to have a dialogue be-tween the Philoptochos and the Archbishop.Let�s open our hearts and show how to be awitness to this type of love.�

Another women, from Staten Island,N.Y., raised the issue of language in the lit-urgy, to which His Eminence responded thatit was a false issue, that each priest shouldgauge how much of one or both languagesto use in the services, based on the compo-sition of his parish.

To questions about St. Basil Academy,the Archbishop said that the school was fo-cusing on its original mission of ministeringto children from �needy, problematic fami-lies.� He said that, in the past, some of thechildren came from wealthy families and thatthe academy was not intended to be �aclassy boarding school.�

The Archbishop said the number ofchildren has risen from a low of 15 to �about33 children.� He said the children are sentto public schools to get �a better Americaneducation,� but favors reopening the Acad-emy day school with a �reasonable numberof students.�

He also expressed concern about the20 buildings on the academy grounds cur-rently not in use. �We should come up with

some original ideas with what we shoulddo� (with the buildings).

Large turnout at luncheonMore than 1,500 persons attended the

successful Philoptochos luncheon on July 7,where Mrs. Skandalakis, who concludes herfour-year term as national president, an-nounced that �Philoptochos is in greatshape. It is running in a business-like man-ner and every penny is accounted for.�

Mrs. Skandalakis then presented a checkfor $25,000 to Metropolitan Panteleimon ofTyroloi for the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

The luncheon�s guest speaker, AlanaSmith Shepherd, held the audience spell-bound as she explained the mission andwork of the Shepherd Center in Atlanta.

Founded by Mrs. Shepherd and herhusband following a severe neck injury totheir son, Shepherd Center is a specializedhospital that treats only victims of spinal cordand brain injuries.

She gave several examples of medicalsuccesses achieved at the Center, which alsohas the largest clinic for treating multiplesclerosis in the Southeast.

Mrs. Shepherd noted that 47 percentof patients with spinal cord injuries returnto their jobs after being treated at the Cen-ter. The national average is 17 percent.

Archbishop Spyridon made closing re-marks and presented awards to twoPhiloptochos members responsible for thesuccess of the Children�s Medical Fund Lun-cheon held in Boston.

He bestowed the Cross of St. Andrewupon Elaine Kevgas and the St. Paul Medalto Bessie Papagiotis.

His Eminence also accepted a check for$25,000 raised by the New Jersey Philopto-chos for St. Basil Academy.

Other businessDuring the organization�s deliberations

earlier in the week, Mrs. Skandalakis pre-sented a check for $45,000 to MetropolitanIsaiah for Hellenic College-Holy Cross. TheMetropolitan and other school officials gavea presentation on the seminary.

Delegates also attended a DomesticViolence Workshop conducted by Fr. Nicho-las P. Petropoulakos of Holy Trinity-St.Nicholas of Staten Island, and social workerPaulette Geanacopoulos.

Other presentations during the weekincluded St. Basil Academy, UNICEF andFamily and Society.

Other activities included excursions toSea World and EPCOT Center.

READ AND SPEAK GREEK

We accept VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, DISCOVER, CHECKS & MONEY ORDERSCard # ____________________________ Expiration Date: _____/______SEND TO: (Please put street and number. We ship UPS) q Check Box free catalogName: ________________________________ Phone: _______________Address:_____________________________________________________City ___________________________ State________ Zip ______________Your E-mail: ___________________________

GREEK LANGUAGE LESSONS IN ONE CDROM

by George Balanis PhD, MBAand Toula Balanis AA � AnoTek, Inc.

WRITE TO: AnoTek Tel: (310)450-5027 � Fax: (310)450-08672349 Hill Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405 � Email: georgeb@anotek.comAlso avai lable in books i l lustrated with ful l color pictures.

Details on Internet: http://www.anotek.com Þëéïò öüñåìáÜëïãï ðüëç

If you want to learn Greek quick and easy, our CDROM course is for you. You will learn the Greek languagetaught in Greek schools today. Our course covers 6 years of school and teaches Reading, Vocabulary, Pro-nunciation and Phonics, Grammar and Sentence Generation. You will learn the Structure of the Greek lan-guage and how does it differ from English. Our new software version (Ver. 2.0) improves the previous versionand adds female voice, more grammar and more dialogs. A new lower price makes it even more affordable.

� Read and Speak Greek CDROM Ver. 2.0 (Greek font included) $75.00

Beginner � Intermediate � Advanced

34th CLERGY � LAITY CONGRESS

THE ARCHBISHOP at a gathering of National Philoptochos Diocese presidents.(D.Panagos photo)

DELEGATES express their opinion at theplenary session as they vote to accept acommittee report and respond withenthusiastic applause after hearingArchbishop Spyridon speak. At the close of theCongress, the Very Rev. Gabriel Karambis, theCongress coordinator, reverences HisEminence who had just bestowed a pectoralcross upon him for his efforts.

(D. Panagos photo)

(N. M

angi

nas

phot

o)

(N. Manginas photo)

ORTHODOX OBSERVER JULY - AUGUST 1998PAGE 6

34 th CLERGY � LAITY CONGRESS

Archbishop Spyridon�s Addressfrom page 1

blood of blood. His Divine Blood flowsthrough each of us as we partake of HolyCommunion. We share His Holy Flesh andbecome, not only one with Him, but onewith each other. And we are linked andjoined together like the bones which makefirm the body of the Church. Rememberthe Scripture, and recall how even on theCross, not a bone of Him was broken.

And if we are in truth brothers and sis-ters, members of one family, then I hopeand pray that through the coming days, themost pervasive demeanor and most endur-ing impression will be the love of brothersand sisters for one another.

I know that this Congress faces chal-lenges. I know that there are a multitude ofissues and concerns pressing on the heartsand minds of all. But I also know that whenall is said and done, only three things willfinally remain: faith . . . hope . . . and love.And the greatest of these is love.

Whatever we may accomplish over thenext few days, whatever decisions and reso-lutions, whatever procedures and policieswe follow � even if we end up moving moun-tains the Scriptures speak of � if we con-duct ourselves without love, then we haveaccomplished nothing. Indeed, we havebecome nothing. For without love, all ofour words will become sounding brass anda clanging cymbal.

But think, my brothers and sisters, thinkof what we can accomplish with love in ourhearts and grace flowing from our lips.Think of the witness and the proclamationthat can come forth from a Congress domi-nated by the love of Christ! Think of whatthis Congress can be remembered for!

For this Congress, my first as your Arch-bishop, is commencing in a new era for ourChurch, an era that has its beginning in theemergence of Greek Orthodoxy at the com-mon table of American religious, cultural,and I dare say, political life.

During these years, our Church beganits journey flowing outward into the life andpulse of America. Yes, we were an immi-grant Church, brought to these shores bythe brave and hardworking protoporoi,among whom I am proud to count my owngrandfather, who was a priest in the firstdays of the Archdiocese.

Those early immigrants struggled, builtchurches and schools, and ultimately ful-filled the role of apostles and evangelists,for they brought our faith with them. Itdidn�t matter that many of them could nei-ther read nor write. Neither did many ofthe Apostles. But they knew their Ortho-dox Faith. They knew what it was to be-lieve in Christ, as has been handed downfor nearly two thousand years in the un-changing and unbroken line of apostolicsuccession. When we consider their sacri-fice, their labors and their faith, we can donothing less than dedicate every fiber of ourbeing to living this legacy of faith, fulfillingtheir dreams of hope, and following theirexample of love.

The fact that we are having our 34thClergy-Laity Congress; the fact that we haveso many hundreds of churches; the fact thatwe have a theological school and college �which are fully accredited and a member ofthe Boston Theological Institute, and readyto begin the Fall semester with at least 25new students in the School of Theology �with a possibility for 13 more; the fact thatSt. Michael�s Home for the Aged has justconcluded its expansion and continues theneeds of elderly; the fact St. Basil�s Acad-emy continues to serve the needy childrenof our Archdiocese, and with the active sup-port and help of the Philoptochos societiesacross America, we are continually seekingnew children to come and benefit from the

loving care that St. Basil�s offers; the factthat the Orthodox Christian MissionCenter�s budget continues to grow and thework of spreading the Gospel is being vi-brantly carried out; the fact that our faith-ful, the good people of our Archdiocese, arecontributing more generously than everbefore to the stewardship ministry of theChurch; all of these, are the proofs of theirfaith, their hope and their love. Now thequestion for us will be: What will we leaveto the generations that come after us?

I can tell you, from my past few dayswith the Young Adult League, that the ex-pectations of our youth are very high. Youshould know that they are ready to engagethe Church on every level, in the most sin-cere and genuine way. They are commit-ted! And they expect us to be committed aswell. Indeed, it is a very hopeful sign thatthere were as many delegates to this, theirannual convention, as there are to this Con-gress. This is cause for rejoicing! Our Youthare ready to live as Greek Orthodox Chris-tians in the 21st century, and they are look-ing to us to bequeath to them an Archdio-cese that is spiritually healthy, and preparedto give them their rightful place at the table.Now is the time to open the doors ofArchdiocesan administrative leadershiproles to the young people of our Church.Now is the time to harness their creativity,their vitality, their inspiration, in order torevitalize and even re-create, if you will, theministries of our Archdiocese. The day islong gone when we can afford to only teachand instruct these youthful and dynamicmembers of our Church community. Nowis the time let them take their place at thetable; to let them show us the way, and tolet them lead.

For unlike our grandfathers and grand-mothers, who had every expectation thattheir local �Greek Church� would always bethe uniform, homogeneous, and unvariedcommunity that they had founded, we knowthat our Church is changing in ways ourparents never anticipated. But don�t thinkthat they wouldn�t have welcomed new-comers to their table. There�s no hospital-ity like Greek hospitality.

Today, we know that our Church canno longer be self-understood as an isolatedpeninsula in the greater culture. We haveexpanded and embraced a broad and diversecommunity, precisely because we areAmericans. Inclusivity is the American way.And as we face the 21st century and the NewMillennium, our goal must be to find a placeat the table for all the members of ourChurch.

Today, to have one half of the pews ofa local parish filled with converts to our Faithis not unheard of. They need a full place-setting at the table. This is the reason I haveput such an emphasis on adult religiouseducation. We create difficulties for con-verts when we receive them into our Churchwithout ministering to their needs for knowl-edge, information, history and teaching. Ifit is true, as St. John Chrysostom says: �thatall should partake of the banquet of faith,�then we should give them the means to en-joy the bounties of God�s goodness.

The non-Orthodox and the non-Chris-tian spouses of our members need a placeat the table. Just because our Church doesnot practice inter-communion does notmean that we do not extend a warm wel-come to all, and so fulfill the law of love.How are we going to sanctify families, if theydo not feel welcome in our parishes? Yes,we need inter-faith ministries, and we haveestablished them. But on Sunday morning,my friends, which means more? a pamphletat the pangari, or a smile and a handshake?Let us not be deceived that these are intan-

See ADDRESS on page 23

ÍÅÁ ÕÏÑÊÇ - ÁÈÇÍÁÊÁÔ� ÅÕÈÅÉÁÍ ÐÔÇÓÅÉÓ ×ÙÑÉÓ ÓÔÁÈÌÏ ÌÅ ÊÁÍÏÍÉÊÁ ÄÑÏÌÏËÏÃÉÁ ÅÈÍÉÊÏÕ ÌÅÔÁÖÏÑÅÁ

ÃÉÁ ÁÍÁ×ÙÑÇÓÅÉÓ ÁÐÏ 15 ÉÏÕÍÉÏÕ - 15 ÓÅÐÔEMÂÑÉÏÕ 1998ÐÁÉÄÉÁ 2-11 ÅÔÙÍ ÐËÇÑÙÍÏÕÍ 25% ËÉÃÏÔÅÑÏ

455$ÁÐËÇÓ ÄÉÁÄÑÏÌÇÓ

ÁÐÏ +Tax 769$ÌÅÔ� ÅÐÉÓÔÑÏÖÇÓ

ÁÐÏ +Tax

ÅÉÄÉÊÅÓ ÔÉÌÅÓ ÊÁÉ ÁÐÏ ÁËËÅÓ ÐÏËÅÉÓ

$899 BOSTON$930 PITTSBURGH, PHILADELPHIA$960 WASHINGTON, BALTIMORE, CLEVELAND, DETROIT$993 FT. LAUDERDALE, MIAMI, TAMPA, ORLANDO,

CHICAGO, CINCINNATI, CHARLOTTE, RALEIGH DURHAM$997 DALLAS, ATLANTA, N. ORLEANS, INDIANNAPOLIS$1020 HOUSTON, W. PALM BEACH, MINNEAPOLIS$1100 LOS ANGELES, SEATTLE, SAN FRANCISCO

JULY - AUGUST 1998 PAGE 7ORTHODOX OBSERVER

Return to: Office of Admissions, 50 Goddard Ave. Brookline MA 02146

Name: _________________________________________________

Address:_________________________________________________

City: ______________________ State: _________ Zip: __________

Phone: _________________________________________________

Discover Your Potential

In today�s world it�s nice to find a secure place where you can develop yourpotential while working toward a successful career. Hellenic College provides aclose, family atmosphere for students to develop not only their minds, but alsotheir spirits. You can trust our accredited programs and dedicated faculty toprovide a strong educational foundation for your future. Graduates have theacademic preparation to enter the workforce and the spiritual preparation tosurvive in the world. Take a break from the pressure! At Hellenic College youhave the opportunity to discover your full potential.

Hellenic College has Programs in Classics, Elementary Education, HumanDevelopment, and Religious Studies.

Hellenic CollegeDiscover

NEW YORK, NY�His Eminence Arch-bishop Spyridon, Primate of the Greek Or-thodox Church of America, has gratefullyacknowledged a bequest to the Archdioceseof major gifts totaling nearly two milliondollars from the Estate of Aristomenes D.Coclin of Bridgeport, CT.

Specifically, they are: $1,245,818.66 tothe Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America(deposited in a special account subject toprovisions of the Archdiocesan Council);$611,583.71 to Hellenic College/Holy CrossSchool of Theology (Brookline, MA), as anunrestricted gift, and $135,907.49 to HolyTrinity Greek Orthodox Church, Bridgeport.

Aristomenes (Ari) D. Coclin, prominentbusinessman, noted philanthropist and de-voted churchman, passed away at the ageof 82, on August 11, 1983. President andfounder of the Coclin Tobacco Corp., Coclinwas born in St. Peter, Greece and immi-grated to Bridgeport in the 1940s. Activelyinvolved, with his wife Evangeline, for over40 years in Holy Trinity Church and the Arch-diocese, he was bestowed the title of MegasDeputatos by the late Ecumenical PatriarchAthenagoras for his service to the Church.He served as regional commander of theOrder of St. Andrew and as a member ofthe Executive Committee.

He was recognized as a great benefac-tor and philanthropist of the Greek Ortho-dox Archdiocese, Holy Cross School of The-ology, Holy Trinity Church and was a dis-tinguished member of the League of Greek

Archdiocese Receives a Two MillionDollar Bequest From Coclin Estate

Orthodox Stewards (LOGOS). A life mem-ber of the University of Bridgeport Board ofAssociates, Coclin initiated the first GreekScholarship Fund at UB. He also supporteda chair on the Bridgeport Symphony, was adonor to area hospitals and local charitableorganizations and was honored for his gen-erosity and devotion to Bridgeport institu-tions by Governor Ella T. Grasso, whonamed him a �Twentieth Century Pilgrim�,an honor documented in the state�s Ameri-can Revolution Bicentennial Book of 1976.

123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123

THE ORTHODOX OBSERVER HAS NEW TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS

TEL. (212) 570-3555 FAX: (212) 774-0239

ARI COCLIN

A R C H D I O C E S E N E W S

ORTHODOX OBSERVER JULY - AUGUST 1998PAGE 8

�We came as pilgrims and we left asmissionaries,� Fr. Dimitrios Constantelossaid as our group bade farewell to His AllHoliness Bartholomew at the EcumenicalPatriarchate at the end of our April 29-May4 pilgrimage.

Through the philanthropy of Mr. andMrs. Steve Yeonas of Washington, the tripmade it possible for active and retiredpriests, their presbyteres and widowedpresbyteres to visit the Patriarchate.

PILGRIMAGE GROUP with His All Holiness at the Patriarchate

Group Makes Pilgrimage to Patriarchate

By Mary P. Halleck, Ed.D.

We came from all parts of the UnitedStates and Mexico. Our mission was three-fold: to make it known that, by our pres-ence in Turkey, there is a strong interest inAmerica for the Ecumenical Patriarchate�swelfare and future to relate to the public theplight and importance of the Patriarch and

environment.We toured the grounds, prayed in the

chapel, marveled at the beauty of the im-maculately kept grounds and sadly visitedthe closed school with its idle desks. How-ever, the library of 300,000 volumes is opento scholars for research. The theologicalschool and its environs are ready for reopen-ing if and when Turkish officials give theword.

Attending the Patriarchal Synodical Di-vine Liturgy at the Church of ZoodochosPeghe at Balukli was overwhelming. For thefirst time, an American priest, Fr.Constantelos, was invited by the monks toparticipate in the Divine Liturgy.

Afterward, the trisagion was chanted atthe graves of the patriarchs on the churchgrounds. We visited the tomb of our belovedPatriarch Athenagoras.

A luncheon was held at the hospital and

VATICAN CITY (VIS) � According to acommunique from the Pontifical Council forPromoting Christian Unity, a meeting tookplace June 15-20 in Rome of the Catholicand Orthodox members of the Coordinat-ing Committee of the Mixed InternationalCommission for the Overall Theological Dia-logue between the Catholic Church and theEastern Orthodox Church.

This preparatory meeting for thecommittee�s 1999 plenary session was pre-

Catholic-Orthodox Mixed Commissionsided over by Cardinal Edward I. Cassidy,president of the pontifical council, and byArchbishop Stylianos of Australia.

For the Eastern Orthodox Church, par-ticipants included representatives from theEcumenical Patriarchate, the Greek Ortho-dox Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa,the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch,and the Patriarchates of Moscow, Serbia,Romania, the Church of Cyprus and theChurch of Greece.

e c u m e n i c a l p a t r i a r c h a t e

ISTANBUL (AÍÁ) - His All HolinessEcumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, leaderof 300 million Orthodox Christians world-wide, received Robert F. Kennedy Jr., theson of assassinated US Senator RobertKennedy.

Mr. Kennedy offered a book he has re-cently authored to the Ecumenical Patriarchand received His All Holiness� blessing andappreciation for his work.

Mr. Kennedy was due to address anecological seminar on the island of Halkiyesterday afternoon, on the issue of �OurEnvironmental prospects.�

Ecumenical Patriarch Receives RFK�s Son, Robert

CONSTANTINOPLE (ANA).� Arch-bishop of Athens and All Greece Christo-doulos, while visiting the EcumenicalPatriarchate, extended an official invitationto Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew tovisit Athens, which will take place next year.

During their meeting at the Phanar,thetwo Orthodox leaders exchanged views ona number of ecclesiastical issues, includingways to advance their work and performtheir duties. They also officiated at a jointservice at the Agios Georgios Cathedral inIstanbul.

Following their discussions, the twohierarchs announced the opening of aPatriarchical bureau in Athens and co-ordination of efforts of respective OrthodoxChurches to be represented in the EuropeanUnion.

Members of both delegations noted the�brotherly and peaceful atmosphere� inwhich discussions over the future relationsof the Autocephalus Church of Greece andthe Patriarchate occurred.

Archbishop Chistodoulos observed thatrelations between various Orthodox chur-ches, even the autocephalus ones, and theEcumenical Patriarchate were �protectingthem from the temptation of becomingsimply conventional institutions.�

�The Church of Greece is lookingforward to a more effective and extensivecooperation with you, and is ready torespond to your challenges and initiativesfor humanity�s better future,� the Arch-bishop replied to Patriarch Bartholomews�welcoming address yesterday.

Ecumenical Patriarch officiallyinvited to Athens by Christodoulos

Bartholomew underlined the Pa-triarchate�s great pleasure in welcoming theAutocephalus Church of Greece�s newArchbishop,in his first visit to the EcumenicalPatriarchate, which started on Saturday.

It should be noted that the GreekChurch achieved independent status lastcentury after the founding of the modernGreek state, while most of the regions innorthern Greece - liberated during the early20th century - are legally under the nominalauspices of the Ecumenical Patriachate.

The status of those ecclesiasticalbishoprics as well as leadership issues havelong created tensions between the twochurches.

The Archbishop�s visit, the first abroadsince his election last April, puts an end toseveral years of cool relations between thePatriarchate and the Autocephalus Churchof Greece, according to reports.

THESSALONIKI.� Ecumenical Pa-triarch Bartholomew is to conduct a two-day visit to the Mt. Athos monastic com-munity in October, for celebrations markingthe 1,000th anniversary of the founding ofthe Xenophon Monastery.

During his visit, the Patriarch will meetat Karyes with the President of the HellenicRepublic Kostis Stephanopoulos and PrimeMinister Kostas Simitis, who will also attendthe celebrations.

His All Holiness to visitMt. Athos in October

nursing home at Balukli, followed by an en-lightening tour of the home which is fundedby the Patriarchate.

The elderly, with no place to go in theirdeclining years are cared for here. His AllHoliness was instrumental in founding thehome and continues to supervise it. Fromthe manner in which he was greeted by theresidents, it was obvious that the Patriarchis a regular visitor to the nursing home.

Our trip ended with an audience withHis All Holiness at the Patriarchate. Fr.Tarasios gave us a tour of the Church of St.George. This writer was amazed. On a pre-vious visit, this church was dark, sooty andgrimy, but through the philanthropy of theAngelopoulos family, it has been restoredand the Patriarchate rebuilt.

His All Holiness led us to the churchfor vespers. It was there that I realized I wasa pilgrim among many. A delegation of la-dies from Bulgaria came to worship and paytheir respects. They chanted �ChristosAnesti� in Bulgarian and His All Holinessasked us to chant it in English. Fr. Elias ledus in chanting.

We all should make the effort to visitthe Patriarchate and recognize our culturaland theological heritage. This venerable in-stitution deserves the attention, the moraland financial support of the Orthodox com-munities.

Patriarchate; and to help retired clergy tovisit the Holy Patriarchate.

Each day provided a powerful experi-ence in learning of our cultural and religiousheritage. Arriving in Istanbul was very emo-tional for suddenly we realized that we wereat the roots of Apostolic Christianity. Thiswas where Christianity developed throughthe work of the Apostles and the bishopswhom they ordained.

The emotions we experienced in visit-ing the religious and historical shrines wasovershadowed by our visit with His All Ho-liness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.He is the epitome of �philoxenia.� He spentthe entire day with us.

Our trip to the island of Halki, one ofthe Princes Islands in the Sea of Marmara,was on His All Holiness� yacht �Halki,�which was a gift from Mr. and Mrs. LeoContakis.

The 45-minute trip will be etched for-ever in our memories. His All Holiness madeus all feel comfortable as he made it a pointto speak privately to each of us.

We were not the only visitors at Halki.Metropolitan Leo of Finland and his aide,Fr. Theodore, were present. In addition, amultinational committee of environmental-ists were there to confer with His All Holi-ness, who has been dubbed �the Green Pa-triarch� for his concern and efforts on the

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greeceat the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George. (N.Manginas photo)

IMPORTER/WholesalerCALL FOR FREE BROCHURE

(800) 362-4912(610) 352-2748

Fax: (610) 352-3085

Largest selection of Icons available � LOWEST PRICES GUARANTEED

The Most Beautiful Gift in the WorldPure 950o Silver Icons

(N.Manginas photo)

JULY - AUGUST 1998 PAGE 9ORTHODOX OBSERVER

e c u m e n i c a l p a t r i a r c h a t e

The Greek-Canadian Community, theOrthodox Ukrainian Community, as well asrepresentatives from the Government andmunicipality cordially and warmly welcomedEcumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, whopaid His first visit to the newly created Me-tropolis of Toronto.

Canada Welcomes Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

By Nicholas Manginas

During His stay in Canada, PatriarchBartholomew, escorted by MetropolitanSotirios of Toronto, met with the CanadianPrime Minister Mr. Jean Chretien, the Gov-ernor General and representative of theQueen of England Mr. Romeo Le Blank andthe Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. LoydAxworthy.

The Canadian officials expressed theirsatisfaction with the visit of the Primate ofOrthodoxy to Canada, thus honoring theentire Orthodox Church. They also extolledthe contribution of the Greek-Canadian com-munity to the development of this greatcountry.

The Patriarch visited Ottawa; Van-couver; Winnipeg, where He was welcomedby Ukrainians and Greeks together; London-Ontario; and Hamilton, where the Mayorand members of the Greek communitywarmly welcomed Him. It should also benoted that a few days before the Mayor hadhimself become an Orthodox Christian. TheEcumenical Patriarch also visited the mag-nificent Niagara Falls, Toronto, Montreal andLaval. In Ottawa the Patriarch met with theambassadors of Greece and Turkey.

Patriarch Bartholomew officiated in twoDivine Liturgies. The first took place at theHoly Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedralin Winnipeg. The second took place inToronto at the �Maple Leaf Gardens� sportshall. Many Orthodox hierarchs and thou-sands of faithful of various nationalities par-ticipated. The stadium was kindly offeredby Mr. Steve Stavrou.

In all cities which He visited, the Patri-arch was enthusiastically welcomed by thelocal clergy, the faithful and the local authori-ties. Everywhere, children and youth of the

versity of Vancouver, etc.Patriarch Bartholo-

mew was escorted byMetropolitan Photios ofImvros and Tenedos,Meliton of Philadelphia,Pandeleimon of Veroiaand Naoussa, BishopDionysios of Synada andSecondary PatriarchalDeacon Tarasios. ThePatriarch was also ac-companied to London-Ontario by ArchbishopSpyridon of America andthe Chancellor of NewJersey ArchimandriteEvangelos. In Vancouver, MetropolitanAntonios of Dardanellia and President of SanFrancisco attended the celebrations. InWinnipeg and Toronto Metropolitan Iakovosof Krini and President of Chicago as well asBishop Alexios of Troada. Finally, Metropoli-tan Methodios of Aneon and President ofBoston attended the celebrations inMontreal. The Ukrainian hierarchs from theUnited States, who are under the jurisdic-tion of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as is theUkrainian Orthodox of Canada, welcomedthe Patriarch in Canada.

In his arrival at the airport of Ottawa,Patriarch Bartholomew said: �We come con-veying to you a message very ancient butalso contemporary and always well-timed.This is the message of love and cooperationamong people, regardless of any differences

It should be noted that during their dis-cussions, Patriarch Bartholomew promisedevery possible support to the efforts of theCanadian Prime Minister to put an end to theUS embargo on Cuba and to secure the re-spect of human rights. Moreover, during dis-cussions with officials from the Canadian Gov-ernment, the issue of the reopening of theTheological School of Halki was brought up.

During the Patriarch�s meeting with theGovernor General, the President of Roma-nia Mr. Konstantinescu, who was at thesame building during his official visit toCanada, asked to have a meeting with thePatriarch. The meeting was organized andthe two men had a very cordial and inter-esting discussion.

Greek community dressed in traditionalGreek costumes, marked the cordial andtouching welcome ceremonies, asking forHis paternal blessing and awaiting to kissHis hand.

Many celebrations in His honor accom-panied the Patriarch�s presence in the citieswhich He visited. These days were named �Pa-triarch Bartholomew Days,� whereas streetswere given the name �Patriarch BartholomewWay.� Mayors who declared Him a freemanof their cities, extolled the Patriarch�s person-ality. The Patriarch was also awarded an hon-orary doctorate by the Ukrainian OrthodoxCollege of St. Andrew at Winnipeg. Finally, aspecial �Patriarch Bartholomew� scholarshipfor Hellenic studies was instituted by the Uni-

they may have, which was declared twothousand years ago and continues to silentlytransform human hearts and to create har-monious societies. A beautiful such exampleis definitely the tolerant and positively con-ciliar Canadian society.�

In his unadorned but full of meaningwelcoming addresses at the banquet inToronto, Metropolitan Sotirios of Torontosaid: �Welcome to the city of Toronto, theMetropolis of Canada. The mother Churchof Constantinople, the city of Constantine,is present today here in the Metropolis ofCanada. This is truly a blessing from God.The hearts of each one of us exceedinglyrejoice and are glad in this day which theLord as made. Toronto reverberates with life,energy, activity and progress. Most HolyFather, you climbed the pinnacle of the Or-thodox Church at a very young age becauseof these very same characteristics that youpossessed. You are an inspiration to all ofus, because of your youthful vitality; yourextensive scholarly background and erudi-tion; your energetic initiatives and activitieson behalf of the Church; your success andprogress in everything; and the depths and

richness of your spirituality.One of the famous landmarks in

Toronto is the C.N. Tower. It is the tallestfree standing structure in the world. YourAll Holiness, you are the most exalted andthe greatest visitor that we have ever hosted.Even more than this, You are our father-theHoly Father- the Ecumenical Patriarch-a pil-lar of light-our shining guide and mentor.You are our true leader, who has trans-formed authority and leadership into serviceunto the people of God. You apply in yourministry the words of our Lord: �whoeverwishes to be first among you, must be lastand a servant to all.� You do not seek to beserved, but you serve and expend yourselfin serving society, the environment, human-ity, and all creation in general.�

Furthermore, during the Grand Banquet

at Laval-Montreal, the Ecumenical Patriarchsaid: �We envisage the Orthodox diocesesand parishes developing and freely admit-ting those fellow citizens who so desire, sothat the humble ferment of the OrthodoxChurch may knead more widely the goodferment of the Canadian society, which willresult in the production of a glorious har-vest for the entire Canadian people, Ortho-dox and non Orthodox.�

This first visit of the Ecumenical Patri-arch to Canada was characterized as a land-mark by the Government and the local po-litical authorities, the church leaders of vari-ous Christian Churches, the Greek and othercommunities. Furthermore, the Canadianpress welcomed the Patriarchal visit dedi-cating extensive articles to the �Green Pa-triarch,� owing to His avid interest in thesalvation of the natural environment. Every-body extolled the Patriarch�s multidimen-sional work on the reconciliation, the dia-logue and peace among the peoples of theearth. The Prime Minister of Manitoba, inWinnipeg, Mr. Gary Filmon described thePatriarch as �a symbol of unity, love andpeace.�

A YOUTH rally in beautiful downtown Toronto draws thousands of children to welcomeHis All Holiness.

PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW happily receives flowers from these girls on his arrival inWinnipeg.

AT A brief service during His All Holiness� visit to St. Andrews Ukrainian Orthodox College

(Photos by N. Manginas)

NIAGARA FALLS also drew a visit from Partriarch Bartholomew,as they did from his predecessor, Patriarch Dimitrios in 1990.

ORTHODOX OBSERVER JULY - AUGUST 1998PAGE 10

EDITORIAL

O P I N I O N S

Pastoral ReflectionsBy His Eminence, Archbishop Spyridon

L E T T E R SL E T T E R SEditor,

The article �What is Happening to theFaith of our Children� by Fr. Frank Marangoswas most enlightening. As we approach the21st century instead of improving morally,our society is deteriorating like a cancer.Years ago we never heard of children killingchildren.

When we take out prayer and the TenCommandments from our schools, suchanti-social behavior is bound to happen.When children do not receive moral andemotional support at home, they turn todrugs, gangs and other risky behavior.

Moral training and spiritual values arejust as important as academics. We even seeviolence recently on some of our college cam-puses, where students turn to rioting becausethey want the right to drink alcohol.

Hollywood is also to blame becausethey show violent, and immoral movies andthey portray smoking as sophisticated andfun. No wonder so many of our teen-agersturn to smoking so readily.

Thank God, for good Greek OrthodoxChristian parents, who instill moral valuesin their children.

I feel sorry and pray for children whohave no moral upbringing.

William S. AndrewsChicago

Moral training needed

Editor,When will the American people (espe-

cially parents) wake up and realize, that they

Concerning children and adults

have lost the upper hand? The children arein charge, in the majority of the homes to-day. Thank God that�s not true in everyhome, or the crime scenes would muchworse. Why don�t we look back and see howpast generations coped with children? Whycan�t we learn from those who went before?Why do we think that we know everything,and that no one can tell us what to do, noteven if it�s for our own good?

When we were children, our parentswere in charge and every child knew it. Ifwe got in trouble in school, we also got introuble at home. The parents backed theschools and schools backed the parents.Today, instead of backing the schools andtheir desire to correct a child, we fight themand tell them not to mistreat our child.

Respect for parents and those in author-ity has flown out the window, and parentsencourage children to disrespect those inauthority when they criticize the school forthe discipline given to their child. You can�tcritique the school teachers and expect thechildren to respect the ones you find faultwith. We must teach our children what re-spect really means.

Today�s parents are so busy earningextra dollars, that they don�t have time tobe parents or children to their own parents.Why bring children into the world, and thennot care how they are raised?

This generation seems to think thatholding down a job, bringing children intothe world and living it up on weekends isthe whole reason for being on this earth.

No amount of money in the world cansubstitute for a parent�s time and devotionto their child.

Frances Glaros,Clearwater, Fla.

Editor,Americans have recently been bom-

barded by a proliferation of young peoplekilling each other, their teachers, parents andothers.

Many of these incidents, unfortunately,can be traced to a daily diet of televisionkillings.

Television has created a fantasy worldof evil, in some cases, with few repercus-sions to the programs� characters.

However, when many of these violentescapades of fantasy are carried out by realpersons, great tragedies occur and our en-tire society suffers.

Television has led a generation andmore of young people to believe that vio-lence, killing and gun-play are a part of life.

We all have a responsibility to shieldand teach our youngsters to run from tele-vision shows depicting brutal killings andviolence. Make no mistake about it, TV vio-lence leaves lasting impressions on manyyoung Americans, and these impressions arenot in anyone�s best interests.

John MiklosBaltimore, MD

What TV killing does

Editor,I would like to pose a question to our

Orthodox faithful. What is the secret to along and happy marriage? I will tell youmine.

As a young bride-to-be I fell very muchin love with my future husband. I wanted to

Church as bridegroom

immerse myself in his culture, his familyvalues and his religion. I accepted everythingabout him.

From then on I became Greek. I livedGreek. I raised our children according to ourOrthodox teachings.

I live my husband and our church with-out question and I know I receive this loveback ten-fold.

If I went into our marriage expectinghim to change for me because of one rea-son or another the marriage wouldn�t havesucceeded and a parting of the ways wouldhave been in order.

In the same way we must embrace ourChurch. Don�t we have better things to dowith our time than think up some hare-brained ideas about how to mold our greatChurch to meet our own needs? How aboutbaby-sitters (in-church nannies) so we don�thave to watch our kids during coffee hour?

How about the Pater Imon in five lan-guages to make our ethnic groups more athome or liturgies in English and hymns sowe don�t have to learn our Greek!

We should be embracing our Churchwith total love and devotion. We should behumbled by its great strength and history,not chipping away at her like assassins inthe night.

De we really know what we are doingand what we really want?

Maybe our new church converts andour other ethnic groups are here becausethey love our church for what it is.

Leave our church alone. She workedwell for our saints and forefathers.

Debra Ann MelidisGalesburg, Ill.

Beloved in the Lord:The days of summer are now well upon us, and I know

that many of our families will be enjoying their vacations. Thistime of family togetherness and relaxation is important, notonly for our physical lives, but for our spiritual life as well.While we are partaking of various forms of recreation, I wouldencourage all of us to consider our re-creation as well.

The Holy Apostle Paul writes in his Second Epistle to theCorinthians: �If anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation; oldthings are passed away; behold, all things are become new�(5:17). In this sublime and poetic exhortation, St. Paul gives

the most simple explanation of the reality of our Christian experience. Even thoughour lives may seem mundane, repetitive, busy and sometimes consumed with thethings of this world, �old things are passed away.� The limitations with which we wereall born: a certain span of life, the circumstances of our birth, family and heritage, theexigencies of the world around us; nevertheless, we are new creations in Christ Jesusand He has promised that if �we are buried with Him by baptism into death, that just asHe was raised up from the dead by the glory of God the Father, even so we should walkin newness of life� (Romans 6:4).

What then is this newness of life? What is the life and experience of the new cre-ation? We try to articulate this newness in a symbolic way every time we baptize aperson. The newly-illuminated Christian must be dressed in completely new clothing,which is white in color. The whiteness of the garments represents the purity whichcomes from the baptismal cleansing. Although the human eye cannot perceive the wash-ing away of sin, we know by faith that God is true to His word, and that each and every sinis washed away through the waters of baptism. Even in the case of small and innocentchild, there is the mark of sin, although there may be as yet no conscious act. For eachand every person is born into the world to live only for a certain length of days. Thisinheritance of a limited time of life is what we call �original sin� or the �sin of the Propatori,�the progenitors of the human race, Adam and Eve.

This spiritual reality of death, and the antidote for it, is summed up by the ApostlePaul in his epistle to the Romans: �For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God iseternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord� (6:23). This may the most powerful affirmationof our faith; that even though we know in our minds that each of us must pass throughdeath, yet we believe with all our hearts that God has given to us the gift of eternal life, alife after death, a life of resurrection. And that life begins in the here and now!

When St. Paul reminds us that we are �new creations,� he is speaking in the present;he is speaking of a reality that exists right now, even if we are not aware of it. It is thecapability to live a life that loves others truthfully, that forgives those who have done uswrong, to do good without expecting anything in return � all of these and more � thatdemonstrates the �newness� of our existence as creations of God. For we are not onlycreated by God, but through our participation in the Sacraments of the Church, we arere-created by the Holy Spirit.

During these summer months, when we all try to refresh our lives through vaca-tions, entertainments, family outings and the rest, may we also direct our energies tore-creating our hearts, minds and souls, that we may not only be refreshed ourselves,but be refreshing to others as well.

The 34th Biennial Clergy-Laity Con-gress in Orlando has concluded its work,and with a resounding voice has re-af-firmed that the Greek Orthodox Archdio-cese of America is, above all, the Churchof Jesus Christ.

These days in Florida were markedby the most comprehensive spiritual, re-ligious and educational programs for aCongress in memory. Workshops on ev-ery conceivable avenue of ministry wereattended by the majority of the delegates,even in the face of distractions posed tothe participants by Although attemptswere made to politicize the proceedingsof the Congress, the overwhelming con-cern of the sessions was one of spiritualgrowth through expanded horizons ofministry. The liturgical services, work-shops and religious education forums es-tablished a powerful presence that per-vaded the week.

There also was an open-door policyto the press in every committee and ple-nary session, as well as an open invita-tion for anyone to attend the plenary ses-sion. There were many unregistered ob-servers at the Plenary Session, who werefree to not only listen to the proceedings,but to interact with delegates. All thisopenness took place, despite a level ofuninvited sollicitation of delegates unheardof at a Clergy-Laity Congress.

In the end, no one can minimize thisspirit of openness that prevailed through-out the meetings. There were emotion-charged debates and discussions; evensome non-binding committee recommen-dations were infused with deep feeling,and as such provided many of the partici-pants with a kind of catharsis.

But the single most important fact ofthe Congress was that legalisticmanouvering and posturing were over-

A Clergy-Laity Congress of the Churchwhelmingly replaced by a Christian senseof responsibility and duty. As the Arch-bishop reminded the delegates at the be-ginning of the plenary session:

� . . . the spirit that must prevailthroughout all our deliberations must bedirected and guided by our love for oneanother. Because after this meeting,whether we have disagreed or not,whether our positions have prevailed ornot, we are still brothers and sisters inChrist, members of the one family of ourHoly Archdiocese.

Therefore, I exhort all of you, to re-member your calling and your vocation inChrist Jesus. Our Lord has called us tolove one another, in word and in deed.Remember that a word once spoken cannever be retrieved, and that love is bestknown through actions. Remember thatdifference of opinion or interpretation isno reason to feel excluded. We all have aright to our opinions, but our greater re-sponsibility is to conduct ourselves accord-ing to the highest standards of our GreekOrthodox Faith: and these are faith, hope,love, peace, gentleness, concord.

As your Archbishop, I know that theformalities of our meetings are important;they are the essence of the democraticprocess. But what is more important,what is more vital, is our spiritual integ-rity, our wholeness, our unity in Christ.

My friends, and I call all of you, myfriends, for regardless of our agreementon any given issue, the love of Christ foreach and every human person has madeus friends. Let us commence our work,and let us conclude our work in the lightof His love.�

The 34th Clergy-Laity Congress livedup to their high calling, and for this, ev-ery member of our Holy Archdiocese canbe proud.

JULY - AUGUST 1998 PAGE 11ORTHODOX OBSERVER

By Rev. Dr. Frank Marangos

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

CHICAGO �Officers of the organizationDOXA met in early May with the Rev. FrankMarangos, director of the Archdiocese De-partment of Religious Education to reviewthe vision, structure and future programs ofthe group and new Department initiatives.

During this two-day meeting, discus-sions centered on the interaction and coor-dination between the organization and theReligious Education Department to enhancethe catechetical programs throughout theArchdiocese.

Religious Education Group Holds Meeting

Those at the spring meeting includedChairman Paul Sieben, Vice Chairman ElaineMichaels; Secretary Irene Cassis and out-going Chairman Harry Colias.

DOXA is an association open to all cat-echists and anyone interested in furthering theinitiatives and agenda of the Archdiocese De-partment of Religious Education. The associa-tion structure provides for chapters at the par-ish, diocese and Archdiocese levels.

Initiatives of the Religious Educationdepartment include a new comprehensivefive-year catechetical plan, publication of amonthly catechetical periodical, and an an-nual religious conference.

The catechetical plan will presentChurch teachings on liturgy, scripture, the-ology, canons and ethics to help catechists,parish leaders and Orthodox Christians ofall ages examine their faith.

Efforts also are under way to publishthe first issue of a monthly catecheticalmagazine. The new magazine format willfocus on total parish education and will in-

clude catechetical material, religious homeschool lesson plans, and continuing educa-tion for Greek Orthodox Christians of allages. The periodical also will be posted onthe Internet.

An annual planner and catecheticalcompendium (two-volume set) for clergy,religious educators, youth workers and thefaithful Archdiocese is in production.

Apart from the planner, the compen-dium will include articles and insightful es-says written by Church leaders from theEcumenical Patriarchate and Archdiocese.

The compendium also will assist par-ish religious educators more effectively planand conduct their lessons through betterunderstanding of Orthodox dogma, doc-trines and theology.

Overall theme of the two publicationswill be the �Liturgical Year.� The planner willfollow the regular school-year calendar (Sep-tember-August).

Articles and educational resources forthe catechetical compendium will focus on:(a) major feast days, (b) theology of Ortho-dox worship, ( c) worship services, and (d)personal prayer. The two-volume set will beready for the 1998-99 liturgical year.

During non-Clergy-Laity Congressyears, a religious education conference foreducators, youth workers and adults inter-ested in continuing studies in the faith willconvene at Hellenic College/Holy CrossSchool of Theology during the summer.

In summers when congresses convene,religious education workshop portfolios incontinuing Orthodox studies will be offeredat the congress sites. This year about 25workshops took place in Orlando.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. � The Membersof the Board of the Orthodox Christian Mis-sion Center (OCMC) have approved AgapeCanister funding for six Orthodox orphan-ages in Europe, Africa, and Central Americaduring 1998.

A goal of $20,650 is in the process of be-ing raised, of which $12,000 has already beencollected and distributed to the orphanages.

Funds have been given to St. NicholasChildren�s Home in Cluj-Napoca, Romania;to St. Nicholas Orphanage and Children�sHome in Medzilaborciach, Slovakia; to Or-thodox Archdiocese orphanage in Aksum,Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia; and to St. InnocentOrphanage in Tijuana, Mexico.

In addition, the Agape Canister Programhas committed itself to raising funds for thegrowing orphanage ministry of the youngOrthodox Church in Madagascar, as well asfor the new Orthodox orphanage in Central

Agape Canisters CollectAmerica, the Hogar Raphael Ayau Orphan-age in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

In all, a total of $12,000 has alreadybeen raised and distributed this year to theseorphanages.

Agape Canister Program is calling uponall of its volunteers to meet the challenge ofraising the remaining $8,650.

Agape Canister funds are collected inplastic coin canisters which Agape Programvolunteers�called �Agape Partners��placed next to cash registers in business es-tablishments all across North America.

If you would like to become an AgapeCanister Partner and join in this effort ofsupporting Orthodox orphanages aroundthe world by placing an Agape Canister in abusiness, please contact the Agape Canis-ter Coordinator, at the Orthodox ChristianMission Center, (904) 829-5132, or send ane-mail to: ocmc@aug.com

Fr. Daniel ZeatasThe Diocese of Denver has announced

the death of the Rev. Daniel Zeatas.The Reverend Daniel Zeatas, a retired

priest of the Greek Orthodox Archdioceseof America, fell asleep in the Lord in Havre,Montana, on Saturday, May 9 1998.

Father Zeatas was born in Clinton, Mass.,and was a graduate of Holy Cross TheologicalSchool, then located in Pomfret, Conn.

His first assignment was as pastor atSts. Constantine and Helen Parish in Great

Falls, Mont. His funeral was in the samechurch on May 15, with burial at HighlandCemetery in Great Falls.

Father Zeatas also served parishes inPasadena, Calif., Manchester, N.H., Louis-ville, Ky., Ogden, Utah, Pocatello, Idaho,Wilkes Barre, Pa., Little Rock, Ark., Biloxi,Miss., and Vancouver, Canada.

Father Zeatas is survived by his sisterand brother-in-law, Dee and Jim Margarisof Havre, Mont.

m i s s i o n sm i s s i o n s

O B I T U A RO B I T U A RO B I T U A RO B I T U A RO B I T U A R YYYYY

For a free Odyssey Program Guidecall (888) 390-7474.

The Odyssey Channelis home to inspiring,entertaining, empoweringinterfaith programmingincluding specials like:

The Annual Greek OrthodoxEaster Special, Live

All Holiness EcumenicalPatriarch Bartholomew�s

United States Visit

Enthronement Ceremoniesof His Eminence

Archbishop Spyridon

ORTHODOX OBSERVER JULY - AUGUST 1998PAGE 12

JUNIOR AND SENIOR finalists in the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival finals withArchbishop Spyridon and Metropolitan Anthony. At far left are Fr. John and PresbyteraOrfanakos. At far right is Fr. Marangos.

Los Angeles Community Hosts 15th Oratorical Festival FinalsS T . J O H N C H R Y S O S T O M F E S T I V A L

LOS ANGELES � Twenty diocese final-ists participated in the final phase of the 15thannual St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Fes-tival on June 5, the weekend of Holy Pente-cost.

By Rev. Dr. Frank Marangos and

Presbytera Margaret Orfanakos

language.The results of the judges, who had the

formidable task of selecting the top threefinalists in each division, were announcedat an awards luncheon immediately follow-ing the speaking program.

The top three honors in the Junior Di-vision went to Mary Moloney from the St.Mark Church in Boca Raton, Fla., first place;Nicole Mazanitis from St. Spyridon Cathe-dral in Worcester, Mass., second place; andto Katerina Recachinas from the Holy Trin-ity Church in Bridgeport, Conn., third place.

The top three speakers in the Senior

Division were, first place John Takis fromthe Church of the Holy Trinity in Lansing,Mich.; second place George Callos, from theCathedral of Sts. Constantine and Helen inCleveland, and third place to Paul McClainfrom the Church of the Holy Trinity in Au-gusta, Ga.

The top speakers in the Junior Division,received a college scholarship of $850, $600and $400 respectively. While the top threehonorees in the Senior Division, wereawarded a college scholarship of $1,000,$750 and $500 respectively.

The 14 speakers, who received honor-able mention were presented with a $200United States Savings Bond.

Junior Division recipients are: ChicagoDiocese-Stefanie Lialios-Sts. Peter and PaulChurch, Glenview, Ill.; Denver Diocese-Danielle Holbeck-Prophet Elias Church, SaltLake City; Detroit Diocese-Yannis Paulus-Annunciation Church, Memphis, Tenn.;New Jersey Diocese-George Psomas-St.Nicholas Church-Wyckoff, N.J.; PittsburghDiocese- Jonathan Gromeck-AnnunciationChurch, Cleveland; San Francisco Diocese-

Alexis Boerger-St. Katherine Church,Redondo Beach, Calif.; Metropolis ofToronto and all Canada-Maria Meko-Meta-morphosis Church, Toronto.

Honorable Mention recipients in theSenior Division are: Archdiocesan District-George Tsiatsis-St. Nicholas Church-Flush-ing, N.Y.; Boston Diocese- Daphne Vlachou-DiMeo; Chicago Diocese-Andrew Argyrakis-Holy Apostles Church, Westchester, Ill;Denver Diocese-Marina Sofos, AssumptionCathedral-Denver; New Jersey Diocese-Georgia Kaidas-St. Demetrios Church-PerthAmboy, N.J.; San Francisco Diocese-HelenSimvoulakis-Annunciation Church-Modesto,Calif.; Metropolis of Toronto and all Canada-Vasili Mattheos, St. DemetriosChurch,Winnipeg, Manitoba.

In addition to the aforementionedawards, everyone received a beautifulplaque recognizing his/her achievements, aswell as, a certificate personally signed by HisEminence Archbishop Spyridon, FatherMarangos and Fr. John and PresbyteraOrfanakos. This year, as another tribute toall our youth, the two first-place speakerswere invited to speak at the Clergy-LaityCongress youth rally in Orlando on July 8.

A hierarchical Divine Liturgy was heldat the historic and beautiful Cathedral of St.Sophia near downtown Los Angeles on Sun-day morning. The highlight, was the wit-nessing of the ordination to the diaconate,of Demetrios Contos by His Eminence Arch-bishop Spyridon.

Afterwards, Archbishop Spyridon, thefestival participants and the newly ordainedDeacon Contos and his wife, DiaconesaCarol, were honored at a luncheon held atthe Cathedral.

Before departing for home the finalistsbid farewell to the host committee mem-bers who spent the past six months plan-ning the entire weekend. Although, we areunable to mention everyone, we wish torecognize and thank His Eminence Metro-politan Anthony; Fr. Spencer Kezios, Fr.Constantine Valantasis, Christina Ioakim andLinda Manios from St. Nicholas, Northridge;Fr. Efstathios Mylonas, Irene Albeck andJudie Christopoulos from St. Anthony, Pasa-dena; Fr. John Bakas and Fr. Paul Paris andKouli Pouridis from St. Sophia Cathedral.

The oratorical festival is a program ofthe Archdiocesan Department of ReligiousEducation.

The weekend began with Vespers at theSt. Anthony Greek Orthodox Church in Pasa-dena. The participants were welcomed byPresbytera Margaret Orfanakos, national co-chairman, and Fr, Constantine Valantasis,the host committee chairman.

A social honoring the finalists and theirfamilies took place at the home of Mr. andMrs. Gus Christopoulos of Pasadena.

St. Nicholas Church in Northridge wasthe site of Saturday morning�s main event,the presentations of the 20 orators.

Fr. Frank Marangos, director of the Re-ligious Education Department, welcomedthe finalists and their families by drawingattention to the Oratorical Festival�s corre-lation to the Holy Feastday of Pentecost.

Honoring the speakers with their pres-ence were Archbishop Spyridon and Met-ropolitan Anthony of the San Francisco Dio-cese. Their comments following the presen-tations reaffirmed the thoughts shared byothers in the audience who were similarlymoved by the inspiring and thought-provok-ing speeches that the entire Festival was,indeed, an appropriate way to commemo-rate the Feast of Holy Pentecost � the Daywhen the Church celebrates the miracle of

AUGUST ............

HOLY SCRIPTURE READINGS

1 S ......... Heb. 11:33-12:2; Mt. 10:16-222 SUN ......1 Cor. 1:10-17; Mt. 14:14-223 M ............... Gal. 5:22-6:2; Mt. 18:1-114 T 1 Cor. 12:12-26; Mt. 18:18-22, 19:1-

2, 13-155 W .......... 1 Peter 1:1-2:10; Mt. 20:6-126 Th ............ 2 Peter 1:10-19; Mt. 17:1-97 F ...................2 Tim. 1:8-18; Mk. 9:2-98 S ............... Rom. 14:6-9; Mt. 15:32-399 SUN ........1 Cor. 3:9-17; Mt. 14:22-3410 M .......... 2 Tim. 2:1-10; Mt. 21:18-2211 T ........... Rom. 8:28-39; Mt. 21:23-2712 W .........1 Cor. 16:4-12; Mt. 21:28-3213 Th .......... Eph. 6:10-17; Mt. 21:43-4614 F ..........2 Cor. 1:12-20; Mt. 22:23-3315 S Phil. 2:5-11; Lk. 10:38-42, 11:27-2816 SUN ......1 Cor. 4:9-16; Mt. 17:14-2317 M ...........2 Cor. 2:3-15; Mt. 23:13-2218 T ............ Col. 1:24-2:1; Mt. 23:23-2819 W ...........2 Cor. 3:4-11; Mt. 23:29-3920 Th ......1 Cor. 14:20-26; Mt. 24:13-2821 F ........... 2 Cor. 4:13-18; Mk. 3:13-2122 S ................1 Cor. 1:3-9; Mt. 19:3-1223 SUN ........Phil. 2:5-11; Lk. 10:38-42,

11:27-2824 M ............ 2 Cor. 5:10-15; Mk. 1:9-1525 T .... Titus 1:1-5, 2:15-3:2, 12-15; Mt.

5:14-1926 W .......... Heb. 10:32-38; Mk. 1:23-2827 Th ........... Gal. 5:22-6:2; Mk. 1:29-3528 F ............. Gal. 5:22-6:2; Mk. 2:18-2229 S ............Acts 13:25-32; Mk. 6:14-3030 SUN ....1 Cor. 15:1-11; Mt. 19:16-2631 M Heb. 9:1-7; Lk. 10:38-42, 11:27-28

1 T ..................1 Tim. 2:1-7; Lk. 4:16-222 W .............. Rom. 8:28-39; Jn. 15:1-113 Th ............ Heb. 13:7-16; Mt. 11:27-304 F ...... Heb. 11:33-12:2; Mt. 10:32-11:15 S .............. Heb. 6:13-20; Mt. 23:29-396 SUN ....1 Cor. 16:13-24; Mt. 21:33-427 M ............ Rom. 6:18-23; Lk. 21:12-198 T Phil. 5:5-11; Lk. 10:38-42, 11:27-289 W ................ Gal. 4:22-27; Lk. 8:16-2110 Th .......... Gal. 1:1-3, 2:5; Jn. 3:16-2111 F ............... Gal. 2:6-10; Jn. 12:19-3612 S ........... 1 Cor. 2:6-9; Nt. 10:37-11:113 SUN ......... Gal. 6:11-18; Jn. 3:13-1714 M ..1 Cor. 1:18-24; Jn. 19:56-11, 13-

20, 25-28, 3015 T ............ Col. 1:24-2:1; Mt. 10:16-2216 W ............. 2 Cor. 6:1-10; Lk. 7:36-5017 Th ........... Gal. 3:23-4:5; Mk. 5:24-3418 F .............. Gal. 4:18-21; Mk. 5:45-5319 S ............ 1 Cor.1:26-2:5; Jn. 8:21-3020 SUN ....... Gal. 2:16-20; Mk. 8:34-9:121 M ........... Gal. 4:28-5:10; Lk. 3:19-2222 T .............2 Tim. 1:8-18; Lk. 3:23-4:123 W ................ Gal. 4:22-27; Lk. 1:5-2524 Th .......2 Tim. 3:10-15; Lk. 10:38-42,

11:27-2825 F ................ Eph. 1:7-17; Lk. 4:22-3026 S 1 Jn. 4:12-19; Jn. 19:25-27, 21:24-

2527 SUN .......... 2 Cor. 6:1-10; Lk. 5:1-1128 M ............. 2 Cor. 4:6-15; Lk. 6:17-2329 T .............. Gal. 5:22-6:2; Lk. 5:12-1630 W .......1 Cor. 16:13-24; Mt. 24:42-47

........SEPTEMBER

ÅÔÏÓ 63 É Ï Õ Ë É Ï Ó - Á Õ Ã Ï Õ Ó Ô Ï Ó 1 9 9 8 ÁÑÉÈÌÏÓ 1147

� óåë. 14

ÏÑËÁÍÔÏ, Öëüñéäá.�Ôá ëüãéá áõôÜôïõ Óåâ. Áñ÷éåðéóêüðïõ ÁìåñéêÞò ê.Óðõñßäùíá èá ç÷ïýí êáé èá êáèïäçãïýíãéá ðïëý êáéñü üëïõò üóïõò ðáñåõñÝ-èçêáí óôéò åñãáóßåò ôçò 34çò Êëçñéêï-ëáúêÞò ÓõíÝëåõóçò ôïõ ÏñëÜíôï ôïðñþôï 10Þìåñï ôïõ Éïõëßïõ.

Ðßóôç... Åëðßäá... êáé ÁãÜðçÔÏ ÌÇÍÕÌÁ ÔÇÓ 34çò ÊËÇÑÉÊÏËÁÚÊÇÓ ÓÔÏ ÏÑËÁÍÔÏ

êáé ôï óðïõäáéüôåñï üëùí åßíáé ç ÁãÜðç

«Ãåìßæåé ç êáñäéÜ ìïõ áðü ÷áñÜâëÝðïíôáò ôçí ðßóôç óáò ôçí ÷áñÜ êáéôïí åíèïõóéáóìü óáò êáé ôçí ìåôáîý óáòáãÜðç» åßðå ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò ÷áéñåôß-æïíôáò ôïõò óõíÝäñïõò ôçò Íåïëáßáò.

Ï ð. ÄçìÞôñéïò Ãáâñßëïò óå ìéáäõíáìéêÞ ôïõ ïìéëßá Ýèåóå ôéò ðáñáìÝ-ôñïõò ãéá ôçí ðñïóôáóßá ôçò ïñèüäïîçòðßóôçò êáé ðáñÜäïóÞò ìáò.

Óå óõíÜíôçóç åñùôáðáíôÞóåùí ôùíóõíÝäñùí ôçò íåïëáßáò ìå ôïí Áñ÷éåðß-óêïðï äüèçêå ç åõêáéñßá óå üëïõò íáåêöñÜóïõí ôéò áðüøåéò ôïõò êáé íáëÜâïõí áðáíôÞóåéò áðü ôïí Óåâáóìéü-ôáôï óå èÝìáôá ïéêïãåíåéáêÞò æùÞò,ãÜìïõ, ïñèüäïîçò ëáôñåßáò êáé ðáñÜ-äïóçò, ôç ìåßùóç êáé Ýëëåéøç íÝùí

êëçñéêþí êáé ôïõ ñüëïõ ôùí ãõíáéêþí óôçóçìåñéíÞ Åêêëçóßá. «ÁíÞêïõìå óå ìéáÅêêëçóßá, äÞëùóå ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò, ðïõóÝâåôáé êáé ôéìÜ ôéò ãõíáßêåò ðåñéóóüôåñïáðü êÜèå Üëëç». Óå Üëëï óçìåßï êáé óåáðÜíôçóç ó÷åôéêÜ ìå ôéò éäéáéôåñüôçôåòôçò Åêêëçóßáò óôçí ÁìåñéêÞ, åîÝöñáóåôïõò öüâïõò ôïõ ãéá ôï ÷áëÜñùìá ôùíäåóìþí êáé ôçò éóôïñéêÞò óýíäåóçò ôçòÅêêëçóßáò ìáò ìå ôçí Ïñèüäïîç ÐáñÜ-äïóç. «Ìå öïâßæåé ôï ãåãïíüò ôçò ó÷åäüíðëÞñïõò áðÜëåéøçò ôçò ðñïóêýíçóçòôùí éåñþí åéêüíùí óôéò åêêëçóßåò ìáò»áíÝöåñå ðáñáäåéãìáôéêÜ, ôïíßæïíôáò üôéç ðñïóêýíçóç ôùí åéêüíùí ü÷é ìüíï óôïíÜñèçêá áëëÜ êáé óôï åéêïíïóôÜóéï-ôÝìðëï åßíáé óçìáíôéêü ìÝñïò ôçò Ïñèü-äïîçò ëáôñåõôéêÞò æùÞò.

Ïé óýíåäñïé ôçò íåïëáßáò óå óåéñÜêáôáôïðéóôéêþí óõíáíôÞóåùí ãéá èÝìáôáðßóôçò êáé ëáôñåßáò áëëÜ êáé êáèçìåñéíïýôñüðïõ æùÞò üðïõ åîÝöñáóáí ôéò ãíþìåòôïõò êáé ôïõò ðñïâëçìáôéóìïýò ôïõò.¸íôïíç üìùò Þôáí ç åíôýðùóç êáé çéêáíïðïßçóç üëùí áðü ôçí áíïé÷ôÞáíôáëëáãÞ áðüøåùí ìå ôïí Áñ÷éåðß-óêïðï ôïõ ïðïßïõ ôá ëüãéá êáé ïé áðáíôÞ-óåéò óå êáõôÜ èÝìáôá âñÞêáí èåñìÞõðïäï÷Þ êáé áíôáðüêñéóç.

Ôï óõíÝäñéï ôçò Íåïëáßáò Ýêëåéóå ôïâñÜäõ ôçò 5çò Éïõëßïõ, ìå ðáíçãõñéêüåðßóçìï äåßðíï óôç ìåãÜëç áßèïõóá ôïõîåíïäï÷åßïõ. Ï Óåâ. Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïòðáñüôñõíå ãéá ìéá áêüìç öïñÜ ôïõòíåïëáßïõò «íá öñïõñïýí ôïõò èçóáõñïýòôùí ðñïãüíùí ôïõò» êáé ôïõò åíèÜññõíåíá ãßíïõí «áðüóôïëïé» êáé íá ìåôáäþóïõíôçí ðßóôç ôïõò óôïõò Üëëïõò óõíïìÞ-ëéêïõò ôïõò êáé íá ãßíïõí «ïäçãïß» ôçòíÝáò ãåíéÜò ðïõ êéíäõíåýåé íá ÷áèåß óôïíóçìåñéíü ðëïõñáëéóôéêü êõêåþíá.

ÄïîïëïãßáÓôéò 4 Éïõëßïõ, çìÝñá ôçò Áìåñéêá-

íéêÞò áíåîáñôçóßáò, ï Óåâ. Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïòÁìåñéêÞò ê. Óðõñßäùí ðñïÝóôç Áñ÷éåñá-ôéêÞò Äïîïëïãßáò óå åéäéêÜ äéáìïñöùìÝíçóå íáü áßèïõóá ôïõ óõíåäñéáêïý êÝíôñïõ.

ÌåôÜ ôï ôÝëïò ôçò Äïîïëïãßáò ï Óåâ.Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò áíáöÝñèçêå åêôåôáìÝíáóôéò ðñïóðÜèåéåò ôçò ãåéôïíéêÞò åíïñßáòôïõ Áãßïõ Äçìçôñßïõ ôïõ Daytona BeacháëëÜ êáé ôçò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ Áäåëöüôçôáòðïõ Ýäñáìáí óå âïÞèåéá ôùí ïéêïãåíåéþíðïõ êôõðÞèçêáí áðü ôéò ðõñêáãéÝò óôïâüñåéï êïììÜôé ôçò Öëüñéäáò. Åðáßíåóåüëïõò üóïõò «Üíïéîáí ôá óðßôéá óôïõòóõíáíèñþðïõò ôïõò ðïõ áíáãêÜóôçêáííá åãêáôáëåßøïõí ôá äéêÜ ôïõò êáé íáìåßíïõí Üóôåãïé». Ï ÓåâáóìéüôáôïòæÞôçóå åðßóçò üðùò ôá Ýóïäá ôïõ äßóêïõôçò Èåßáò Ëåéôïõñãßáò ôçò åðïìÝíçò(ÊõñéáêÞ 5 Éïõëßïõ) äéáôåèïýí åî ïëïêëÞ-ñïõ ãéá ôçí áðÜëõíóç ôïõ ðüíïõ ôùíèõìÜôùí ôùí ðõñêáãéþí.

ÐñÜãìáôé ôï ðïóü ôùí 5500 äïëá-ñßùí ðïõ óõëëÝ÷èçêå êáôÜ ôç äéÜñêåéáôçò Èåßáò Ëåéôïõñãßáò ôçò åðïìÝíçòäéáôÝèçêå ãé� áõôü ôï óêïðü. Ôçí ßäéá ìÝñáÜñ÷éóáí ïé åããñáöÝò ôùí áíôéðñïóþðùíêáé ðáñáôçñçôþí ðïõ óõíå÷ßóôçêáí êáéôï áðüãåõìá ôçò åðïìÝíçò.

Ôï Áñ÷éåðéóêïðéêü ÓõìâïýëéïÔï áðåñ÷üìåíï Áñ÷éåðéóêïðéêü

Óõìâïýëéï, ôïõ ïðïßïõ ç äéåôÞò èçôåßáïëïêëçñþíåôáé ìå ôçí ëÞîç ôçò Êëçñéêï-ëáúêÞò óõíåäñßáóå ãéá ôåëåõôáßá öïñÜ ôïÓÜââáôï 4 Éïõëßïõ. Ôá ðáñåõñéóêüìåíáìÝëç äåí áðïôÝëåóáí áðáñôßá êáé êáôÜóõíÝðåéá ïé åñãáóßåò ôïõ äåí åß÷áíäåóìåõôéêü ÷áñáêôÞñá.

Ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò áðåõèõíüìåíïòóôá ìÝëç ôïõ Áñ÷éåðéóêïðéêïý Óõìâïõ-ëßïõ, ôüíéóå ôçí áíÜãêç ëåéôïõñãßáò ôïõóþìáôïò óýìöùíá ìå ôéò áñ÷Ýò ôçò÷ñéóôéáíéêÞò åíáñìüíéóçò. Ðñïåéäïðïßçóååðßóçò ãéá ôïí êßíäõíï ðïõ åëëï÷åýåé «óôéòôÜóåéò õéïèÝôçóçò êïóìéêþí äåäïìÝíùí,êïóìéêþí ôñüðùí êáé ìåèüäùí» «...çÝëëåéøç åìðéóôïóýíçò êáé ï óôåßñïòáíôáãùíéóìüò óõ÷íÜ ïäçãïýí óôïíáëëçëïóðáñáãìü» êáôÝëçîå ï Óåâáóìéü-ôáôïò åêöñÜæïíôáò ôçí ðåðïßèçóç ôïõðùò ç Åêêëçóßá ôçò ÁìåñéêÞò èá óõíå÷ßóåéíá ðñïïäåýåé êáé í� áíèåß ìÝóá áðü ôçíáêëüíçôç ðßóôç, óå ðíåýìá óõíåñãáóßáò,ìå ïäçãü ôçí áëÞèåéá êáé ôçí áãÜðç.

Óôá ðëáßóéá ôïõ Üôõðïõ ÷áñáêôÞñáôïõ Áñ÷éåðéóêïðéêïý Óõìâïõëßïõ, ðáñïõ-óéÜóôçêáí åêèÝóåéò åðß ìÝñïõò åðéôñï-ðþí. ¸ãéíå éäéáßôåñç áíáöïñÜ óôçíÝìöáóç ðïõ äüèçêå óôçí öåôéíÞ Êëçñéêï-ëáúêÞ ÓõíÝëåõóç óôá ðñïãñÜììáôáèñçóêåõôéêÞò ðáéäåßáò. ¢ëëá èÝìáôá ðïõáðáó÷üëçóáí ôá ìÝëç ôïõ Áñ÷éåðéóêï-ðéêïý Óõìâïõëßïõ Þôáí ç ðñïïäåõôéêÜåëðéäïöüñá ïéêïíïìéêÞ åéêüíá ôçò Áñ÷é-åðéóêïðÞò, ç óçìáíôéêÞ ìåßùóç ôùíåëëåéììÜôùí ôïõ ðñïûðïëïãéóìïý êáéÜëëá ôñÝ÷ïíôá èÝìáôá.

Áñ÷éåñáôéêÞ Èåßá ËåéôïõñãßáÔï ðñùß ôçò ÊõñéáêÞò 5 Éïõëßïõ ï

Óåâáóìéüôáôïò ðñïÝóôç Áñ÷éåñáôéêÞòÈåßáò Ëåéôïõñãßáò ðïõ ðáñáêïëïýèçóáí1500 ðåñßðïõ óýíåäñïé êáé ðáñáôçñçôÝòìå ôéò ïéêïãÝíåéÝò ôïõò. Ìå ôïí Óåâáóìéü-ôáôï óõëëåéôïýñãçóáí ïé Ìçôñïðïëßôåòêáé Åðßóêïðïé ôçò ÉåñÜò Áñ÷éåðéóêïðÞòÁìåñéêÞò êáèþò êáé ï Óåâ. ÌçôñïðïëßôçòÔõñïëüçò êáé Óåñåíôßïõ ê. ÐáíôåëåÞìùí,åêðñüóùðïò ôïõ Ïéêïõìåíéêïý Ðáôñéáñ-÷åßïõ óôçí ÊëçñéêïëáúêÞ.

Åñãáóßåò ÅèíéêÞò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõÇ 34ç ÓõíÝëåõóç ôçò ÅèíéêÞò Öéëï-

ðôþ÷ïõ Áäåëöüôçôïò, Üíïéîå ôéò åñãáóßåò

Ðñüêåéôáé ãéá ôï áíþôáôï íïìïèåôéêüóþìá ôçò ÅëëçíéêÞò Ïñèüäïîçò Áñ÷éåðé-óêïðÞò ÁìåñéêÞò êáé ðåñéëáìâÜíåéáíôéðñïóþðïõò -êëçñéêïýò êáé ëáúêïýò-áðü üëåò ôéò êïéíüôçôåò ôùí ÇÐÁ. Óõãêá-ëåßôáé áíÜ äéåôßá õðü ôçí ðñïåäñåßá ôïõÁñ÷éåðéóêüðïõ êáé áó÷ïëåßôáé ìå üëá ôáèÝìáôá ðïõ áöïñïýí ôç æùÞ, áíÜðôõîçêáé åíüôçôá ôçò Åêêëçóßáò, ìå åîáßñåóçèÝìáôá Äüãìáôïò êáé ÅêêëçóéáóôéêþíÊáíüíùí. Áó÷ïëåßôáé åðßóçò ìå ôá éäñý-ìáôá, ôá ïéêïíïìéêÜ, ôá äéïéêçôéêÜ, èÝìáôáöéëáíèñùðßáò êáé åêðáßäåõóçò êáé ãåíéêÜôïí áõîáíüìåíï ñüëï êáé åðéññïÞ ôçòÏñèüäïîçò Åêêëçóßáò óôïõò ëáïýò ôïõÄõôéêïý Çìéóöáéñßïõ.

Ïé áðïöÜóåéò ôùí ÊëçñéêïëáúêþíÓõíåëåýóåùí õðïâÜëëïíôáé óôï Ïéêïõ-ìåíéêü Ðáôñéáñ÷åßï ðñïò Ýãêñéóç. Áêï-ëïýèùò, éó÷ýïõí êáé äåóìåýïõí üëåò ôéòêïéíüôçôåò, áíåîÜñôçôá áðü ôï åÜí åß÷áíáíôéðñïóùðåõèåß Þ ü÷é óôç óõíÝëåõóçðïõ ôéò õéïèÝôçóå.

Óýìöùíá ìå ôï åí éó÷ýåé Óýíôáãìáóôï äéåôÝò äéÜóôçìá ðïõ ìåóïëáâåß ìåôáîýôùí Êëçñéêïëáúêþí Óõíåëåýóåùí ëåéôïõñ-ãåß ôï Áñ÷éåðéóêïðéêü Óõìâïýëéï, ðïõ

Ôé åßíáé ÊëçñéêïëáúêÞ ÓõíÝëåõóçáðïôåëåßôáé áðü êëçñéêïýò êáé áðüëáúêïýò áìöïôÝñùí öýëùí. Óôá êáèÞ-êïíôá ôïõ Áñ÷éåðéóêïðéêïý ÓõìâïõëßïõóõìðåñéëáìâÜíåôáé ç åñìçíåßá êáé åöáñ-ìïãÞ ôùí áðïöÜóåùí ôùí Óõíåëåýóåùíêáé ç äéá÷åßñéóç ôùí ïéêïíïìéêþí êáéäéïéêçôéêþí æçôçìÜôùí ôçò Áñ÷éåðé-óêïðÞò êáèþò êáé ç ëÞøç áðïöÜóåùíìåôáîý êëçñéêïëáúêþí óõíåëåýóåùí.

Óôçí ÅëëçíéêÞ Ïñèüäïîç Áñ÷éåðé-óêïðÞ ÁìåñéêÞò õðÜñ÷ïõí óÞìåñá ðÜíùáðü 500 êïéíüôçôåò. ÊÜèå êïéíüôçôáäéïéêåßôáé óå óõíåñãáóßá áðü ôïí éåñÝá êáéôï êïéíïôéêü óõìâïýëéï. ÊåöáëÞ ôçòêïéíüôçôáò åßíáé ï éåñÝáò, ï ïðïßïò Ý÷åéêáé ôçí ôåëéêÞ åõèýíç, ìáæß ìå ôï êïéíïôéêüóõìâïýëéï, åíþðéïí ôïõ åðéóêüðïõ êáéêáô� åðÝêôáóç ôïõ Áñ÷éåðéóêüðïõ. ÇãåíéêÞ óõíÝëåõóç ôçò êïéíüôçôáò, ôçíïðïßá áðáñôßæïõí üëá ôá åãêýñùò åã-ãåãñáììÝíá ìÝëç ôçò, åßíáé ôï áíþôåñïäéïéêçôéêü óþìá ôçò.

Åí êáôáêëåßäé, ç êïéíüôçôá, ç ÅðéóêïðÞêáé ç Áñ÷éåðéóêïðÞ óõãêñïôïýí ôçíÅëëçíéêÞ Ïñèüäïîç Áñ÷éåðéóêïðÞ Áìåñé-êÞò, ðïõ áðïôåëåß Åðáñ÷ßá ôïõ Ïéêïõìåíé-êïý Ðáôñéáñ÷åßïõ Êùíóôáíôéíïõðüëåùò.

Ç åíüôçôá ðïõ ïéêïäïìåßôáé ðÜíùóôçí Ðßóôç, ç åíüôçôá ðïõ áíäñþíåôáéìáæß ìå ôçí Åëðßäá, ç åíüôçôá ðïõðïôßæåôáé êáé ôñÝöåôáé áðü ôçí ÁãÜðç,ç åíüôçôá ðïõ îåðåñíÜ ôï åöÞìåñï êáéáôåíßæåé ôï áéþíéï, ðïõ óöõñçëáôåßôáéáêüìá êáé ìÝóá áð� ôçí ðéü ÝíôïíçáíôéðáñÜèåóç, åßíáé ôï áãáèü, ôï ðïëý-ôéìï êáé áíáãêáßï áãáèü, ðïõ ðñïÝêõøåáðü ôéò äýóêïëåò ðïëëÝò öïñÝò äéåñãáóßåòôçò 34çò ÊëçñéêïëáúêÞò ÓõíÝëåõóçò ôïõÏñëÜíôï.

×éëéÜäåò ðéóôïß, áíôéðñüóùðïé ôùíêïéíïôÞôùí ôïõò, êëçñéêïß êáé ëáúêïß,áíôéðñüóùðïé ôùí ôïðéêþí Öéëïðôþ÷ùíáäåëöïôÞôùí, åêáôïíôÜäåò ïñèüäïîïéíåïëáßïé, áíôéðñüóùðïé óôï ÓõíÝäñéï ôçòÍåïëáßáò (YAL), ðáñáôçñçôÝò, ïéêïãÝíåéåòìå ðáéäéÜ êÜèå çëéêßáò, ôï ðëÞñùìá ôçòåí ÁìåñéêÞ Ïñèïäüîïõ Åêêëçóßáò, óõíÝ-ñåõóáí óôï ÏñëÜíôï ôçò Öëüñéäá ðïõðåñéêõêëþíïíôáí áðü ôéò êáôáóôñïöéêÝòðõñêáãéÝò ðïõ ðñïîÝíçóå öÝôïò çáóõíÞèéóôç ãéá ôçí ðåñéï÷Þ áíïìâñßá.

ÍåïëáßáÏé áíôéðñüóùðïé ôçò ïñãáíùìÝíçò

Ïñèüäïîçò Íåïëáßáò (YAL) Þôáí áðü ôïõðñþôïõò ðïõ ìáæß ìå ôïí Óåâ. Áñ÷éåðß-óêïðï ÁìåñéêÞò ê. Óðõñßäùíá êáé ôçíÉåñáñ÷ßá, Ýöèáóáí óôï îåíïäï÷åßï êáéóõíåäñéáêü êÝíôñï Marriot ôïõ ÏñëÜíôï.

×ßëéïé ó÷åäüí íåïëáßïé áð� üëç ôçíåðéêñÜôåéá óõììåôåß÷áí óôéò åñãáóßåò ôïõ16ïõ óõíåäñßïõ ôçò ÏñãÜíùóçò Ïñèïäü-îïõ Íåïëáßáò ðïõ åîåëß÷èçêáí áðü ôéò 2-5 Éïõëßïõ. Ïé åñãáóßåò Üñ÷éóáí óôéò 2Éïõëßïõ ìå ôç Èåßá Ëåéôïõñãßá êáé áêïëïý-èçóå ãåýìá ðïõ ðáñÝèåóå ãéá ôç íåïëáßáï Óåâ. Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò.

ôïõ Óôáýñïõ Ðáðáãåñìáíïý

Ìå Ýíôïíï ÷åéñïêñüôçìá åîÝöñáóáí ôïí åíèïõóéáóìü ôïõò êáé ôçí áãÜðç ôïõò ïé 1500ðåñßðïõ óýíåäñïé ìå ôéò ïéêïãÝíåéåò ôïõò óôïí Óåâ. Áñ÷éåðßóêïðï ÁìåñéêÞò ê. Óðõñßäùíáêáé óôïí Ìçôñïðïëßôç Ôõñïëüçò êáé Óåñåíôßïõ ÐáíôåëåÞìïíá áíôéðñüóùðï ôïõÏéêïõìåíéêïý ÐáôñéÜñ÷ç, åíþ åéóÝñ÷ïíôáé óôçí áßèïõóá ôïõ åðßóçìïõ äåßðíïõ.

(Öùô. Ä. ÐáíÜãïò)

ÏÑÈÏÄÏÎÏÓ ÐÁÑÁÔÇÑÇÔÇÓÓÅËÉÄÁ 14 ÉÏÕËÉÏÓ - ÁÕÃÏÕÓÔÏÓ 1998

Ç ÌÅÔÁÌÏÑÖÙÓÇ ÔÏÕ ÓÙÔÇÑÏÓ

ôïõ êáè. Ãåùñãßïõ ÌðåìðÞ

Ï ê. Ãåþñãéïò Ó. ÌðåìðÞò åßíáé êáèçãçôÞòÐáôñïëïãßáò,óôçí ÈåïëïãéêÞ Ó÷ïëÞ ôïõ ÔéìßïõÓôáõñïý, ôçò É. Áñ÷éåðéóêïðÞò ÁìåñéêÞò.

� óåë. 13

ðùò ×ñéóôÝ ìïõ Ýëáìøåò ôï öùò åðß ôïõòôñåßò Áðïóôüëïõò óôï üñïò Èáâþñ,öþôéóå êáé ôéò äéêÝò ìáò øõ÷Ýò...». Ìå áõôÜ

«...Ï ôüôå ôïýôïõò ôï öùò óïõ ëÜìøáò, öþôéóïí ôáò øý÷áò çìþí...»

Ýëëáìøç ôïõ Üêôéóôïõ, áãßïõ öùôüò, ãéá íá ìáòìåôáìïñöþóåé êáé ìáò êáé íá êáôáóôÞóåé ðñáãìá-ôéêÜ «ôÝêíá öùôüò» êáôÜ ôçí èáõìÜóéá Ýêöñáóç ôïõÁðüóôïëïõ Ðáýëïõ. (Åöåó.5,8)

Ç ãéïñôÞ ôçò Ìåôáìüñöùóçò ôïõ ÓùôÞñïò,ìéá áðü ôéò óðïõäáéüôåñåò ÄåóðïôéêÝò ôçòÅêêëçóßáò ìáò, åìöáíßóôçêå ðñþôá óôçí

Åêêëçóßá ôùí Éåñïóïëýìùí, ðñïöáíþò êáôÜ ôïí Å´áéþíá. ÕðÜñ÷ïõí Þäç ïìéëßåò óôçí Ìåôáìüñöùóçáðü ôïí Üãéï Êýñéëëï Áëåîáíäñåßáò, ôïí Ðñüêëï,ÐáôñéÜñ÷ç Êùíóôáíôéíïõðüëåùò êáé ôïí Âáóßëåéï,åðßóêïðï Óåëåõêåßáò, ï ïðïßïò Ýæçóå êáôÜ ôïíðÝìðôï áéþíá. Ãéá ðñþôç üìùò öïñÜ åìöáíßæåôáéóôï Ôõðéêü ôçò Åêêëçóßáò ôùí Éåñïóïëýìùí êáôÜ ôïíÝêôï áéþíá, áëëÜ óôç Êùíóôáíôéíïýðïëç åìöá-íßóôçêå ìåôÜ ôïí Ýíáôï áéþíá. ÓõíäÝèçêå ìÜëéóôáìå ôïí åïñôáóìü ôçò Ä´ ÏéêïõìåíéêÞò Óõíüäïõ ôçò×áëêçäüíïò (451). Ï ðåñßöçìïò êáíïíïëüãïò êáéÐáôñéÜñ÷çò Áíôéü÷åéáò ï Èåüäùñïò ï Âáëóáìþí(11ïò áéùí.) ìáò ðëçñïöïñåß ðåñß ôïõ ëåéôïõñãéêïýåèßìïõ ôçò ðñïóöïñÜò êáé åõëïãßáò óôáöõëéþí êáôÜôçí Êïßìçóç ôçò Èåïôüêïõ, ç ïðïßá üìùò ìåôáöÝñ-èçêå êáôÜ ôç ãéïñôÞ ôçò Ìåôáìïñöþóåùò. Ôáóôáöýëéá ôßèåíôáé åíþðéïí ôçò åéêüíáò ôïõ ×ñéóôïýêáé ï éåñåýò áíáãéíþóêåé åéäéêÞ åõ÷Þ åðß ôïýôù. Ïéêáñðïß ôçò öýóåùò ìåôáìïñöþíïíôáé êáé ìáñôõñïýíôç äüîá ôïõ èÝñïõò êáé áðïôåëïýí ìéá êïéíÞ Ýêöñáóçôçò áëëáãìÝíçò êáé äïîáóìÝíçò öýóåùò êáé ôçòáíèñþðéíçò õðÜñîåùò.

¸ôóé, êáôÜ ôç ãéïñôÞ ôçò Ìåôáìüñöùóçò æïýìåêáé ìåéò ôçí åéäéêÞ Ýëëáìøç êáé ôçí êáôÜ Èåüáëëïßùóç, ôçí åéäéêÞ ìåôáìüñöùóç, ãéá íá áíÝëèïõìåóôï äéêü ìáò üñïò Èáâþñ êáé íá æÞóïõìå ôçí åíÊõñßù èÝùóç ìáò. Ç Ìåôáìüñöùóç ôïõ ÓùôÞñïòóôï üñïò Èáâþñ, ìå ôçí ðáñïõóßá ôùí áãßùí

Áðïóôüëùí ÐÝôñïõ, ÉùÜííïõ êáé Éáêþâïõ êáé ôçóõììåôï÷Þ ôùí ðñïöçôþí ôçò ÐáëáéÜò ÄéáèÞêçòôïõ ÌùõóÞ êáé ôïõ Çëßá åßíáé ìéá ðñïåéêüíéóç, ÝíáìÞíõìá, ìéá õðïó÷åôéêÞ ìáñôõñßá, üôé êáé ìåéò èáìåôáìïñöùèïýìå êáé èá èåùèïýìå, üôáí æÞóïõìåêáé áêïëïõèÞóïõìå ôïí Êýñéï ôçò äüîáò êáé ôïõÜêôéóôïõ èåñìïõñãïý êáé áÀäéïõ öùôüò ôçò ÁãßáòÔñéÜäïò. Äéüôé ç Ýíôïíç áõôÞ äïãìáôéêÞ ðñïóÝããéóçôçò Ìåôáìïñöþóåùò ôïõ ÓùôÞñïò, êáôáäåéêíýåôáéêáé ìå ôçí ðáñïõóßá ôçò Áãßáò ÔñéÜäïò. Ìáæß ìå ôïíÊýñéï áêïýãåôáé êáé ç öùíÞ ôïõ Ðáôñüò (Ïýôïò Ýóôéï õéüò ìïõ ï áãáðçôüò, áõôïý áêïýåôáé, Ëïõê. 9,35).Áêüìç êáé ç èåßá íåöÝëç ðïõ ôïõò åðåóêßáóå åßíáéêáôÜ ôïõò ÐáôÝñåò ôçò Åêêëçóßáò ç áäéáöéëïíßêçôïòðáñïõóßá ôïõ Áãßïõ Ðíåýìáôïò. Ôçí äïãìáôéêÞ,÷ñéóôïëïãéêÞ Ýííïéá ôçò Ìåôáìüñöùóçò ôçí ôïíßæåéï åðßóêïðïò Äéïêëåßáò ÊÜëëéóôïò, üôáí ãñÜöåé «...ÔïáÀäéïí, Üêôéóôïí öþò áêôéíïâïëþíôáò áðü ôïðñüóùðï ôïõ ×ñéóôïý áðïêáëýðôåé ôçí èåüôçôáôïõ... ÁëëÜ ôçí ßäéá þñá, ôï áíèñþðéíï óþìá ôïõÊõñßïõ, áí êáé öùôïâüëï ìå Üûëç äüîá, ðáñáìÝíåéãíÞóéá õëéêü êáé áíèñþðéíï...» (Ìåôáìüñöùóç, åêä.Áêñßôá, ó.26).

Ê áé ï Üãéïò Ãñçãüñéïò ÐáëáìÜò ìå áðüëõôçâåâáéüôçôá ôïíßæåé üôé ôï öùò ôçòÌåôáìüñöùóçò åßíáé ôï öùò ôçò èåü-

ôçôïò, ç ïìïñöéÜ ôçò áíáëëïßùôçò äüîáò ôïõ Êõñßïõ,ç ìïíáäéêÞ áßãëç ôçò Áãßáò ÔñéÜäïò. (Ïìéëßá åéò ôçíÌåôáìüñöùóç, åêä. Áêñßôá ó.214-216) Óõìðëçñþíåéäå Ýíáò óýã÷ñïíïò óïöüò êáé Üãéïò ìïíá÷üò, ï ð.Èåüêëçôïò ÄéïíõóéÜôçò: «ÊáôÜ âÜèïò üëç çäéäáóêáëßá ôùí Ãñáöþí áíáöÝñåôáé óôï èåßï öþò,áöïý ï Èåüò åßíáé êáé öþò êáé ç áíáãÝííçóç ìáòóôï èåßï ÂÜðôéóìá óõíïäåýåôáé ìå ôï öþò... Çäéäáóêáëßá ðåñß ôïõ èåßïõ öùôüò áðïôåëåß ÐáôåñéêÞðáñÜäïóç, ãéáôß åßíáé êáèïëéêÞ åìðåéñßá åí áãßùÐíåýìáôé ôçò Ïñèïäïîßáò.» (Ìåôáìüñöùóç, åêä.Áêñßôá, ó.172-173). Ìå áõôÝò ëïéðüí ôéò óêÝøåéò ôéòåõëáâåßò, áò óõììåôÜó÷ïõìå óôçí ÷áñÜ êáé óôï èåßïöùò ôçò Ìåôáìüñöùóçò ôïõ ÓùôÞñïò. ¸ôóé, êáôÜôçí Ýêöñáóç ôïõ õìíùäïý èá ìåôáìïñöùèïýìå êáéìåéò ìå ôç äüîá êáé ôç ëáìðñüôçôá ôïõ ìåôáìïñ-öùèÝíôïò ×ñéóôïý. ÁìÞí.

«¼ôá ðÜíóåðôá ëüãéá ï éåñüò õìíùäüò ôçò Åêêëçóßáòðáñáêáëåß ôïí Êýñéï íá êáëýøåé ôéò øõ÷Ýò ìáò ìå ôïðáíÜãéï, Üêôéóôï öùò ôçò ÌåôáìüñöùóÞò Ôïõ. Êáéáõôü åßíáé ôï íüçìá êáé ï óêïðüò ôçò êáèáãéáóìÝíçòãéïñôÞò ôçò Ìåôáìüñöùóçò ôïõ Êõñßïõ. ÍáêáôáëÜìøåé ìÝóá ìáò ôç æùçöüñï êáé êáôáöþôåéíç

ôçò ôçí ÊõñéáêÞ 5 Éïõëßïõ ìå ôçí óõììåôï÷Þ341 åããåãñáììÝíùí áíôéðñïóþðùí êáéðïëëþí ðáñáôçñçôþí.

Ç ðñüåäñïò ôçò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ ÌéìÞÓêáíäáëÜêç êáëùóüñéóå ôïí Óåâáóìéüôáôïóôçí åíáñêôÞñéá ôåëåôÞ ôùí åñãáóéþíäçëþíïíôáò ôïõ åê ðñïïéìßïõ: «Åßìáóôå óôïðëåõñü óáò åêáôü ôïéò åêáôü» ìðñïóôÜ óôïðëÞèïò ôùí ðáñåõñéóêïìÝíùí ðïõ ðáñá-ôåôáìÝíá ÷åéñïêñïôïýóå üñèéï.

«Ç Öéëüðôù÷ïò åßíáé ç ðñþôç ãñáììÞóôç äéáêïíßá ìáò» äÞëùóå ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò,êáé óõíÝ÷éóå «åßóáóôå ðÜíôá ìðñïò êáé èáóõíå÷ßóåôå êáé óôçí åðüìåíç ÷éëéåôßá». ÏÁñ÷éåðßóêïðïò ôüíéóå éäéáßôåñá ôïí áíáíôé-êáôÜóôáôï ñüëï ðïõ Ý÷åé ç ãõíáßêá óôçíðñïáãùãÞ ôçò ïéêïãåíåéáêÞò æùÞò êáé ôïíðïëýôéìï ñüëï ôçò óôçí äéáðáéäáãþãçóçôçò íÝáò ãåíéÜò. Óå Üëëï óçìåßï ôçò ïìéëßáòôïõ óôïõò óõíÝäñïõò ôçò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ, ïÁñ÷éåðßóêïðïò æÞôçóå ôçí áäéÜêïðçõðïóôÞñéîç ôçò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ ðñïò ôçíÁêáäçìßá ôïõ Áãßïõ Âáóéëåßïõ êáé ôçí

ç ê. ÓêáíäáëÜêç ðáñÝäùóå åðéôáãÞ 45,000äïëáñßùí óôïí Óåâ. Ìçôñïðïëßôç Ðñïé-êïíÞóïõ ê. ÇóáÀá ãéá ôçí ÈåïëïãéêÞ Ó÷ïëÞôïõ Ôéìßïõ Óôáõñïý.

´Åíáñîç åñãáóéþíÇ åðßóçìç Ýíáñîç ôùí åñãáóéþí ôçò

34çò ÊëçñéêïëáúêÞò ÓõíÝëåõóçò ôçò ÉåñÜòÁñ÷éåðéóêïðÞò ÁìåñéêÞò Ýãéíå ôç ÄåõôÝñáôï ðñùß, 6 Éïõëßïõ, êáôÜ ôç äéÜñêåéáåðßóçìïõ ðñïãåýìáôïò åñãáóßáò.

Ï Óåâ. Ìçôñïðïëßôçò Ôõñïëüçò êáéÓåñåíôßïõ äéÜâáóå ôï ìÞíõìá ôïõ Ïéêïõ-ìåíéêïý ÐáôñéÜñ÷ç Âáñèïëïìáßïõ ðñïòôïõò óõíÝäñïõò ôçò ÊëçñéêïëáúêÞò. ÏéðáôñéêÝò íïõèåóßåò ôïõ Ðáíáãéüôáôïõåß÷áí ùò óçìåßï áíáöïñÜò ôçí «åí ×ñéóôþåíüôçôá» êÜôé ðïõ ðñÝðåé íá åßíáé «ïôåëéêüò óêïðüò êáé ï ðñþôéóôïò óôü÷ïò».Óôç óõíÝ÷åéá ôïõ ìçíýìáôïò ôïõ ï Ïéêïõ-ìåíéêüò ÐáôñéÜñ÷çò äéåõêñßíéóå üôé çåíüôçôá ãéá ôïí Ïñèüäïîï ×ñéóôéáíü «äåíóçìáßíåé âåâáßùò ïìïéïìïñößá êáé áãåëï-ðïßçóç» áëëÜ «óýìðíïéá ðíåõìáôéêÞ» êáéç Ýëëåéøç ôçò, ïäçãåß óå Ýñéäåò ðñïóùðéêÝò,

Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò Óðõñßäùí: Ðßóôç... Åëðßäá... êáé ÁãÜðç

ùò ðñüåäñïò ôçò ÅèíéêÞò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ, ìßëçóå ìåðåñçöÜíéá ãéá «ïéêïíïìéêÞ åõìÜñåéá ôçò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ».Óôç óõíÝ÷åéá ðáñÝäùóå åðéôáãÞ 25.000 äïëáñßùí óôïíÓåâ. Ìçôñïðïëßôç Ôõñïëüçò êáé Óåñåíôßïõ ê. ÐáíôåëåÞ-ìïíá, ðñïóöïñÜ ôçò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ ðñïò ôï ÏéêïõìåíéêüÐáôñéáñ÷åßï. ÊáôÜ ôç äéÜñêåéá ôïõ ãåýìáôïò áíáêïéíþ-èçêå åðßóçò ç ðñïóöïñÜ 25.000 äïëáñßùí ôïõ ôìÞìáôïòôçò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ ÍÝáò ÉåñóÝçò óôçí Áêáäçìßá ôïõ ÁãßïõÂáóéëåßïõ.

ÊáôÜ ôç äéÜñêåéá Üëëùí åñãáóéþí ôçò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ

� óåë. 15

óõìâïëÞ ôçò þóôå íá âñïõí åêåß èáëðùñÞ êáé áðïêïýìðéôá ïñöáíÜ, ôá Üóôåãá êáé åãêáôáëåëåéììÝíá ðáéäéÜ.

Ï Óåâáóìéüôáôïò ðñïôßìçóå ôï äéÜëïãï ãéá ìéááêüìç öïñÜ ðáñïôñýíïíôáò ôéò óõíÝäñïõò íá ôïõìéëÞóïõí. «ÑùôÞóôå ìå åõèÝùò ü,ôé êé áí èÝëåôå» åßðå,äßíïíôáò ôçí åõêáéñßá íá åêöñáóôïýí áðüøåéò êáé íááðáíôÞóåé óå áðïñßåò êáé åñùôÞóåéò.

Ðåñéóóüôåñá áðü 1.500 Üôïìá ðáñáêÜèçóáí óôïêáèéåñùìÝíï ãåýìá ôçò Öéëïðôþ÷ïõ ôçí åðïìÝíç. Ç ê.ÓêáíäáëÜêç, ðïõ Ýêëåéóå öÝôïò ôçí ôåôñáåôÞ ôçò èçôåßá

åãùéóôéêÝò äéáêñßóåéò, óõãêñïýóåéò êáé äéåíÝîåéò.Ç «éó÷ýò åí ôç åíþóåé» êáôÝëçîå ï Ïéêïõìåíéêüò

ÐáôñéÜñ÷çò óôï ìÞíõìÜ ôïõ, ðáñáêéíþíôáò ôï ðëÞñùìáôçò Åêêëçóßáò óôçí ÁìåñéêÞ íá âáäßóåé ìå ôÝôïéåò óêÝøåéòðñïò ôçí áíáôïëÞ ôçò ôñßôçò ÷éëéåôßáò.

Ïìéëßá ôïõ Áñ÷éåðéóêüðïõÏ Óåâ. Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò ÁìåñéêÞò ê. Óðõñßäùí óå ìéá

åìðåñéóôáôùìÝíç ïìéëßá ôïõ Ýèåóå ôï ôüíï êáé ôï ðëáßóéïôùí åñãáóéþí ôçò êëçñéêïëáúêÞò ðïõ åðáêïëïýèçóå.

Ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò ôüíéóå ôçí áíÜãêç íá áíïßîåé çÅêêëçóßá óôçí ÁìåñéêÞ ôçí áãêáëéÜ ôçò óå üëïõò üóïõòäéøïýí íá ìåôÜó÷ïõí ôçò Ïñèüäïîçò ëáôñåõôéêÞò æùÞòêáé ðáñÜäïóçò.

«ÐñÝðåé íá åîáóöáëßóïõìå êáé íá ðñïóöÝñïõìå ìéá�èÝóç óôï ôñáðÝæé� óå üëïõò. Ôïõò ìç Ïñèüäïîïõò êáéìç ÷ñéóôéáíïýò óõæýãïõò ìåéêôþí ãÜìùí, ó�áõôïýò ðïõäåí ìéëïýí åëëçíéêÜ áëëÜ êáé ó�üóïõò äåí ìéëïýí ÁããëéêÜ,óôéò ìåéêôÝò ïéêïãÝíåéåò, óôéò ïéêïãÝíåéåò ì�Ýíá ìüíï ãïíéü,óôïõò Ïñèüäïîïõò êÜèå Üëëçò äéáöïñåôéêÞò åèíéêÞòðáñÜäïóçò Þ êáôáãùãÞò, áëëÜ ðéï ðïëý óôïõò íÝïõòìáò» ôüíéóå ìå Ýìöáóç ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò.

Óå Üëëï óçìåßï ôçò ïìéëßáò ôïõ áíáöÝñèçêå, ãéá ìéááêüìç öïñÜ, óôçí áíÜãêç äéáôÞñçóçò ôçò «áõèåíôéêÞòìáò ðßóôçò êáé ðáñÜäïóçò» ðïõ Üëëùóôå áðïôåëïýíôï æçôïýìåíï ðïõ ðïèåß ç íÝá ãåíéÜ êáé áíáæçôïýí ïéðñïóÞëõôïé óôçí Ïñèïäïîßá. «Ç Åêêëçóßá ìáò åßíáé ôïóýíïëï åêáôïíôÜäùí ÷éëéÜäùí Åëëçíïñèïäüîùí ðïõ ôçíóõíáðïôåëïýí êáé åßíáé ï ðñáãìáôéêüò ëüãïò ðïõåßìáóôå óÞìåñá åäþ... Äåí ôïõò áíôéðñïóùðåýïõìå,ãéáôß äåí åßìáóôå êõâÝñíçóç. Ôïõò õðçñåôïýìå ãéáôßåßìáóôå üëïé ìéá ïéêïãÝíåéá» õðåíèýìéóå óôïõòðáñåõñéóêïìÝíïõò ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò.

¼ôáí ï Óåâáóìéüôáôïò åõ÷áñßóôçóå éäéáßôåñá ôïõòóõíôáîéïý÷ïõò êëçñéêïýò ôçò Áñ÷éåðéóêïðÞò, ãéá ôçíéäéáßôåñç êáé óõíå÷éæüìåíç äéáêïíßá ôïõò óôïõò áíÜ ôçíåðéêñÜôåéá íáïýò êáé éäéáßôåñá óôï ãåãïíüò üôéóõíå÷ßæïõí íá ðñïóöÝñïõí êáé íá äéáêïíïýí ôéòêïéíüôçôåò åêåßíåò ðïõ äåí Ý÷ïõí ìüíéìï éåñÝá, ôïáêñïáôÞñéï îÝóðáóå óå Ýíôïíï êáé ðáñáôåôáìÝíï÷åéñïêñüôçìá êáé ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò äÞëùóå ôç óèåíáñÞôïõ âïýëçóç ãéá ôç äéáôÞñçóç, ðñüïäï êáé áíÜðôõîçôçò Áñ÷éåðéóêïðÞò ÁìåñéêÞò ëÝãïíôáò: «Ïé áðüóôïëïéÐáýëïò êáé ÐÝôñïò, ï áðüóôïëïò ÁíäñÝáò äåí ÝêëåéóáíðïôÝ ôïõò ïýôå ìéá åêêëçóßá. Óôçí ÁìåñéêÞ, óôçí ÷þñáôçò åëåõèåñßáò, ôçò åëåýèåñçò óêÝøçò, ôçò åëåýèåñçòèñçóêåõôéêÞò Ýêöñáóçò, Ý÷ïõìå Üñáãå ôï äéêáßùìá Ýóôùêáé íá óêåöôüìáóôå ôï êëåßóéìï ìéáò åêêëçóßáò;»

ÅðéôñïðÝò êáé ÏëïìÝëåéáÏé óõíåäñéÜóåéò ôùí åðéôñïðþí êõñéÜñ÷çóáí ôç

ÄåõôÝñá êáé Ôñßôç üðïõ ìÝóá óå áíïé÷ôÝò êáé äçìï-êñáôéêÝò äéáäéêáóßåò óõæçôÞèçêáí üëá ôá ôñÝ÷ïíôáèÝìáôá ðïõ áðáó÷ïëïýí ôçí ïñãáíùìÝíç Áñ÷éåðéóêïðÞáëëÜ êáé ôéò áðëÝò êïéíüôçôåò-ìÝëç.

Ôá ðïñßóìáôá, ïé ðñïôÜóåéò êáé ðñïâëçìáôéóìïß ôùíóõíÝäñùí, üðùò äéáìïñöþèçêáí ìÝóá óôéò åðéôñïðÝò,ðñïùèÞèçêáí óôéò äýï óõíåäñéÜóåéò ôçò ÏëïìÝëåéáò ôïáðüãåõìá ôçò 8çò êáé ôï ðñùß ôçò 9çò Éïõëßïõ.

Ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò, ðïõ Üíïéîå ìå ðñïóåõ÷Þ ôéòåñãáóßåò ôçò ïëïìÝëåéáò, ôüíéóå åéóáãùãéêÜ üôé: «ôïðíåýìá ðïõ ðñÝðåé íá åðéêñáôÞóåé åßíáé ôï ðíåýìá ôçòáãÜðçò ìåôáîý ìáò» êáé óõíÝ÷éóå ëÝãïíôáò: «áó÷ÝôùòðïéÝò áðüøåéò åðéêñáôÞóïõí, íá èõìüìáóôå ðÜíôá ðùòåßìáóôå üëïé áäÝëöéá åí ×ñéóôþ».

×áñáêôçñéóôéêü ôùí äéáäéêáóéþí åßíáé üôé ï

Ìå ìåãÜëï åíäéáöÝñïí ðáñáêïëïýèçóáí ôçí ïìéëßá ôïõ Óåâáóìéüôáôïõ óôï 16ïóõíÝäñéï ôçò ÏñãÜíùóçò Ïñèüäïîçò Íåïëáßáò (YAL), íÝïé êáé íÝåò áð� üëç ôçí ÁìåñéêÞ.

(Öùô. Íéê. Ìáããßíáò)

ÉÏÕËÉÏÓ - ÁÕÃÏÕÓÔÏÓ 1998 ÏÑÈÏÄÏÎÏÓ ÐÁÑÁÔÇÑÇÔÇÓ ÓÅËÉÄÁ 15

ÈÅÓÓÁËÏÍÉÊÇ.� Ìå ôç óõììåôï÷Þåêðñïóþðùí üëùí ôùí ÷ñéóôéáíéêþíÏñèüäïîùí Åêêëçóéþí êáé åðßêåíôñï ôçíÉåñïõóáëÞì, èá ãéïñôÜóåé ï Ïñèüäïîïò×ñéóôéáíéóìüò ôá 2.000 ÷ñüíéá áðü ôçíêáôÜ óÜñêá ãÝííçóç ôïõ ×ñéóôïý. Áðü ôïíÌÜñôéï ôïõ 1999 Ýùò ôï ÌÜéï ôïõ 2000,óåéñÜ åêäçëþóåùí èá åêôõëé÷èïýí ãýñùáðü ôñåéò âáóéêÝò ðüëåéò - óôáèìïýò ãéáôçí åíáíèñþðéóç ôïõ Õéïý ôïõ Êõñßïõ. ÔçÍáæáñÝô, ôç ÂçèëåÝì êáé ôá Éåñïóüëõìá.Ï ó÷åäéáóìüò ðñïâëÝðåé êáé ôçí áíÝãåñóçíáïý óôç ÂçèëåÝì, ùò «äþñï» óôïí Éçóïý,óôçí ðüëç ðïõ ãåííÞèçêå. ¹äç, åêðï-íïýíôáé ó÷Ýäéá ãéá ôçí êáôáóêåõÞ ôïõêôéñßïõ, êáé ç Åêêëçóßá ôçò ÊýðñïõäéÜèåóå 200.000 äïë. ãéá ôçí áíÝãåñóÞôïõ, ðñïûðïëïãéóìïý Üíù ôïõ 1 åêáôïì-ìõñßïõ äïëáñßùí.

Ãéá ôï ðñüãñáììá ôùí åêäçëþóåùíåíçìåñþèçêáí åêðñüóùðïé ôïõ Ôýðïõáðü éåñÜñ÷åò ðïõ óõììåôÝ÷ïõí óôçíôñßôç óýóêåøç ôçò óõíôïíéóôéêÞò åðéôñï-ðÞò ôùí Ïñèüäïîùí Åêêëçóéþí, ãéá ôéòåïñôáóôéêÝò åêäçëþóåéò ôùí 2000 ÷ñü-íùí. ÄéåîÜãçêå óôç Èåóóáëïíßêç, êáôüðéíðñüóêëçóçò ôïõ õðïõñãïý Ðïëéôéóìïý,ÅõÜããåëïõ ÂåíéæÝëïõ. Óõììåôåß÷áí 35åêðñüóùðïé Åêêëçóéþí êáé èåïëüãïé,ðëçí ôçò Ðïëùíßáò.

Ôçí Ýíáñîç ôïõ åïñôáóìïý ôçòåðåôåßïõ èá óçìÜíåé Èåïëïãéêü ÓõíÝäñéïôïí åñ÷üìåíï ÌÜñôéï, ìå èÝìá ôïíÅõáããåëéóìü ôçò Èåïôüêïõ, óôç ÍáæáñÝô,ðüëç üðïõ óõíôåëÝóôçêå ôï Èåßï ÌõóôÞ-ñéï. Ðåñßðïõ 80 èåïëüãïé èá áíáëýóïõíôï ñüëï ôçò ãõíáßêáò óôçí Åêêëçóßáäéá÷ñïíéêÜ. Èá ðëáéóéùèåß áðü ðïëéôé-óôéêÝò åêäçëþóåéò - åêèÝóåéò æùãñáöéêÞò,óõíáõëßåò åêêëçóéáóôéêþí ÷ïñùäéþí- êáéèá êïñõöùèåß ìå óõëëåßôïõñãï ôùí

Åêäçëþóåéò ãéá ôá 2000 ÷ñüíéááðü ôç ãÝííçóç ôïõ ×ñéóôïý

åêðñïóþðùí ôùí ïñèïäüîùí åêêëçóéþí,åíþ ïé åêðñüóùðïé ôçò ×ñéóôéáíïóýíçòèá óõíáíôçèïýí ìå ôçí çãåóßá ôïõ ÉóñáÞë.

Ç êåíôñéêÞ åêäÞëùóç èá ðñáãìá-ôïðïéçèåß ôçí ðåñßïäï ôùí ×ñéóôïõ-ãÝííùí ôïõ 1999, ôá ïðïßá �êáôÜ ôïåêêëçóéáóôéêü çìåñïëüãéï� åïñôÜæïíôáéóôéò 6-7 Éáíïõáñßïõ. Áðü ôéò ðñþôåòçìÝñåò ôïõ ìÞíá èá âñßóêïíôáé óôçíÉåñïõóáëÞì ïé áñ÷çãïß üëùí ôùí Ïñèü-äïîùí Åêêëçóéþí êáé èá ðñáãìáôïðïéçèåßðáôñéáñ÷éêü óõëëåßôïõñãï.

Ôï ðñüãñáììá ôùí åðåôåéáêþíåêäçëþóåùí èá êëåßóåé èåïëïãéêü óõíÝ-äñéï ôï ÌÜéï ôïõ 2000. Ôá óõìðåñÜóìáôáôùí äýï óõíåäñßùí èá åêäïèïýí óååéäéêïýò ôüìïõò, ïé ïðïßïé äå èá åßíáé ôïìüíï åêäïôéêü Ýñãï ðïõ èá ðáñá÷èåß, ìåôçí åõêáéñßá ôùí 2.000 ÷ñüíùí áðü ôçãÝííçóç ôïõ ×ñéóôïý.

Ôï óõíïëéêü ðñüãñáììá ôùí åêäç-ëþóåùí ðñïûðïëïãßæåôáé óôá 2-3 åêáô.äïë. Åêôüò áðü ôéò ðáíïñèüäïîåò åêäçëþ-óåéò, ïé êáôÜ ôüðïõò Åêêëçóßåò èáõëïðïéÞóïõí åðéìÝñïõò ðñïãñÜììáôá.

ÅéäéêÜ óôç Ñùóßá, ìå ôçí åõêáéñßá ôùí2.000 ÷ñüíùí èá åãêáéíéáóôåß ðáíçãõñéêÜ ïÍáüò ôïõ ÓùôÞñïò óôç Ìüó÷á. Ç êáôá-óêåõÞ ôïõ Ý÷åé ïëïêëçñùèåß -Þäç ëåéôïõñãåßåí ìÝñåé- åíþ ôï Ýñãï åßíáé óå öÜóç åãêáôÜ-óôáóçò ôïõ áðáñáßôçôïõ åîïðëéóìïý.Åêðñüóùðïò ôïõ Ðáôñéáñ÷åßïõ Ìüó÷áòåîÞãçóå üôé ç åðÝôåéïò Ý÷åé ìåãÜëç óçìáóßáãéá ôçí Ïñèïäïîßá óôç ÷þñá ôïõ, ýóôåñááðü ôá 70 ÷ñüíéá áèåúóìïý. Óýìöùíá ìå ôïíßäéï, «ôï 70% ôùí Ñþóùí Ý÷ïõí âáðôéóôåß,âñßóêïíôáé ùóôüóï óå óôÜäéï �÷ñéóôéáíéêïýõëéóìïý�. Åßíáé äýóêïëï íá áðáãêéóôñùèïýíáðü ôï ðáëáéü êáèåóôþò ðïõ ôïõò ãáëïý-÷çóå, êáé ôï 2000 åßíáé åõêáéñßá íá åìâá-èýíïõí óôï ÷ñéóôéáíéóìü».

ATHENS

BOOKSTORE

ÂÉÂËÉÁ ÓÔÁ ÅËËÇÍÉÊÁ�ÑïìáíôéêÜ �ÉóôïñéêÜ�ÐáéäéêÜ �Âéïãñáößåòêáé ðïëëÜ-ðïëëÜ Üëëá

ÔçëåöùíÞóôå ÄÙÑÅÁÍãéá íá ëÜâåôå Ýíáí

ÄÙÑÅÁÍ ÊÁÔÁËÏÃÏ

ÁÈÇÍÁÚÊÏÂÉÂËÉÏÐÙËÅÉÏGREEK LANGUAGE

BOOKS�Romace �History

�Children�s �Biographyand many many more

Call TOLL FREE forour FREE CATALOG

1-800-559-1611

Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò áëëÜ êáé ï åêðñüóùðïòôïõ Ïéêïõìåíéêïý Ðáôñéáñ÷åßïõ Ìçôñï-ðïëßôçò Ôõñïëüçò êáé Óåñåíôßïõ ê.ÐáíôåëåÞìùí, ðáñÝìåéíáí êáé ðáñáêï-ëïýèçóáí ôï óýíïëï ôùí óõíåäñéÜóåùí,ìå ðñïóï÷Þ êáé ðáôñéêü åíäéáöÝñïí.

Ç óõæÞôçóç êáé ðïëëÝò öïñÝò çÝíôïíç áíôéðáñÜèåóç áëëÜ êáé ôï ÝíôïíïåíäéáöÝñïí üëùí ãéá ôá èÝìáôá ôçòÅêêëçóßáò Þôáí êýñéá ÷áñáêôçñéóôéêÜ ôùíóõíåäñéÜóåùí ôçò ïëïìÝëåéáò. «ÅßìáéðåñÞöáíïò ãéá ôï ÷ñéóôéáíéêü ðíåýìáäéáëüãïõ ðïõ åðåêñÜôçóå» äÞëùóå ïÁñ÷éåðßóêïðïò óôçí áñ÷Þ ôçò äåýôåñçòóõíåäñßáóçò. Êáé ðñüóèåóå: «Åßìáééäéáßôåñá óõãêéíçìÝíïò áðü ôá ðñïöáíÞðñïóùðéêÜ óáò áéóèÞìáôá... ðáñá-êïëïýèçóá ìå ìåãÜëç ðñïóï÷Þ ôïõòðñïâëçìáôéóìïýò óáò. Èá êáôáóôïýí ç

âÜóç ãéá ðåñáéôÝñù óêÝøç êáé ìéáêáéíïýñéá áñ÷Þ».

Ç ïëïìÝëåéá åíÝêñéíå, Üëëïôå óôçíïëüôçôá ôïõò êáé Üëëïôå ìå ðñïóáñìïãÝò,ôéò áíáöïñÝò ôùí åðéôñïðþí ÏéêïíïìéêÞòÅðéóôáóßáò, ÉäñõìÜôùí, Ïéêïíïìéêþí,Äéïéêçôéêþí, Íïìéêþí èåìÜôùí, Óôñáôç-ãéêïý ó÷åäéáóìïý, ÈñçóêåõôéêÞò åêðáß-äåõóçò, Ìåéêôþí ãÜìùí, Íåïëáßáò,ÅëëçíéêÞò åêðáßäåõóçò, ÉåñáðïóôïëéêïýÝñãïõ, Åðéêïéíùíéþí ê.á.

Óå ðíåýìá åíüôçôïò êáé áäåëöïóýíçòÝëçîå ôï âñÜäõ ôçò 9çò Éïõëßïõ, ç 34çÊëçñéêïëáúêÞ ÓõíÝëåõóç ôïõ ÏñëÜíôï ìååðßóçìï äåßðíï óôï ïðïßï ðáñáêÜèéóáíç Éåñáñ÷ßá, ï êëÞñïò êáé üëïé ïé óõì-ìåôÝ÷ïíôåò, åíþ ôçí åðïìÝíç ôï ðñùß ïÓåâáóìéüôáôïò ðáñáêÜèçóå óå ãåýìá ìåüëïõò ôïõò éåñåßò, ðñïôïý áíá÷ùñÞóïõíïé óýíåäñïé êáé ï ßäéïò ãéá ôéò Ýäñåò ôïõò.

34ç ÊËÇÑÉÊÏËÁÚÊÇ ÓÕÍÅËÅÕÓÇ� óåë. 14

Ï Óåâ. Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïòÁìåñéêÞò ê. ÓðõñßäùíáìÝóùò ìåôÜ ôçí åðé-óôñïöÞ ôïõ áðü ôçíÊëçñéêïëáúêÞ ôïõÏñëÜíôï, ðáñåõñÝèçêåóå ðáíïìïãåíåéáêÞóõãêÝíôñùóç ãéá ôáåèíéêÜ ìáò èÝìáôá,ðïõ äéïñãÜíùóå ç Ïìï-óðïíäßá Åëëçíéêþí Óù-ìáôåßùí Ìåßæïíïò ÍÝáòÕüñêçò êáé óôçí ïðïßáêýñéïò ïìéëçôÞò Þôáíï Õðïõñãüò ÅèíéêÞòÁìýíçò ôçò ÅëëÜäïò ê.Áêçò Ôóï÷áôæüðïõëïò.

(Öùô. Ä. ÐáíÜãïò)

ÍÅÁ ÕÏÑÊÇ.�Ôéìçôéêü ãåýìá ãéá ôïí áðï÷ùñïýíôá ðñÝóâç ôçò ÅëëÜäïò óôéò ÇÐÁ ê.ËïõêÜ Ôóßëá ðáñÝèåóå óôçí Ýäñá ôçò É. Áñ÷éåðéóêïðÞò ï Óåâ. Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò ÁìåñéêÞòê. Óðõñßäùí. Ôïí Óåâáóìéüôáôï ðåñéóôïé÷ßæïõí áðü áñéóôåñÜ ï ðñüîåíïò ôçò Êýðñïõ ê.Ðáíô. ÇëéÜäçò, ï åðé÷åéñçìáôßáò ê. Ôæüí Êáôóéìáôßäçò, ï ðñüîåíïò ôçò ÅëëÜäïò ê.×áñÜëáìðïò ÌÜíåóçò, ï ê. ËïõêÜò Ôóßëáò, ï ðñÝóâçò ôçò Êýðñïõ óôï ÏÇÅ ê. Æáê÷áßïò,êáé ï ê. Ô. ÌðÝëëïò. (Öùô. Ä. ÐáíÜãïò)

ÔÇÓ ÏËÕÌÐÉÁÊÇÓÃÉÁ ÅËËÁÄÁ

ÁÐÏ ÂÏÓÔÙÍÇ* - ÍÅÁ ÕÏÑÊÇÃÉÁ ÁÈÇÍÁ - ÈÅÓÓÁËÏÍÉÊÇ

ÁÍÏÉÎÇ ÊÁÉ ÖÈÉÍÏÐÙÑÏ1ç Áðñéëßïõ Ýùò 10 Éïõíßïõ êáé 1ç Óåðôåìâñßïõ Ýùò 31 Ïêôùâñßïõ

732 $ÐáñáìïíÞ Ýùò 1 ìÞíá

+TAX 761 $ÐáñáìïíÞ Ýùò 3 ìÞíùí

+TAX 791 $ÐáñáìïíÞ Ýùò 6 ìÞíåò

+TAX

422 $ÁðëÞ ÌåôÜâáóç

+TAX920 $ÐáñáìïíÞ Ýùò 1 Ýôïò

+TAX×ÙÑÉÓ ÐÅÑÉÏÑÉÓÌÏÕÓ

�Åêðôþóåéò ãéá ôá ðáéäéÜ êÜôù ôùí 12 åôþí�Ìå $100 åðéðëÝïí ðåôÜôå óå ïðïéïäÞðïôå åóùôåñéêü óçìåßï ôçò ÅëëÜäïò

�Ãéá åðéóôñïöÝò áðü 15 ÁõãïýóôïõÝùò 15 Óåðôåìâñßïõ ðñïóèÝóôå $65.

�Áðü Âïóôþíç ìå ôéò êáô� åõèåßáí ðôÞóåéò ìáò ìüíï�ÅéäéêÝò ôéìÝò éó÷ýïõí êáé áðü 71 ðüëåéò ôçò ÁìåñéêÞò.

�Éó÷ýïõí ðåñéïñéóìïß.

Áðïôáèåßôå ôþñá óôïí ôáîéäéùôéêü óáò ðñÜêôïñá Þ óôçí ÏëõìðéáêÞ Áåñïðïñßá!

Ç Ä É Ê Ç Ó Á Ó Á Å Ñ Ï Ð Ï Ñ É Ê Ç Å Ô Á É Ñ Å É Á

ÅÉÄÉÊÇ ÐÑÏÓÖÏÑÁ... ME BOEING 747×ÙÑÉÓ ÐÑÏÁÃÏÑÁ...

ÏÑÈÏÄÏÎÏÓ ÐÁÑÁÔÇÑÇÔÇÓÓÅËÉÄÁ 16 ÉÏÕËÉÏÓ - ÁÕÃÏÕÓÔÏÓ 1998

55 East 59th Street (17th floor) � New York, New York 10022

Tel: (212)753-1100 � E-mail: HOMERIC@aol.com

For reservations and information contact:

NATIONWIDE TOLL FREE: 1-800-223-5570

1 9 9 8 S U M M E R S P E C I A L S

The Most Popular Air-Only Program To Athens from Homeric Tours Via American International AirwaysINCREDIBLE SUMMER AIRFARESQUALITY SERVICE � BOEING 747 � NON-STOP FLIGHTS � BEST PRICES

CALL NOW � LIMITED SPACE

*599 applies to the following:� May21-June14 departures with Jun 12,28 & July 05 & 11 returns

� Sept. 05 & 12 departures with returns by Oct. 12, 1998Add an additional $50 for returns between August 15 to September 15.

ONE WAY SPECIALS: $299 TO $419. CHILD�S FARE: $299-$369

BUSINESS CLASS UPGRADES: ONE-WAY: $125 ROUNDTRIP: $250

$

599Child�s Fare: $549

$ *

669Child�s Fare: $619

Up to 1 Month Stay

729Child�s Fare: $649

More than 1 Month Stay

$Selected Dates

MAY 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31JUN 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10,

11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 27, 28JUL 02, 04, 09, 10, 13, 18, 26, 30AUG 01, 03, 07, 08, 15, 22, 27SEP 05, 12

JUN 12, 28JUL 05, 11, 19, 27, 31AUG 02, 08, 09, 13, 16, 21, 23, 26, 28SEP 01, 06, 08, 09, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15,

16,17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 28OCT 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11,12

Departure dates earlier than June 03, 1998 and return dates after September 13, 1998 and select depar-tures between June 01-19 will be operated by other carriers.

Ç áíáãêáéüôçôá ôçò óõíåñãáóßáòìåôáîý ôïõ Ïéêïõìåíéêïý Ðáôñéáñ÷åßïõêáé ôçò Åêêëçóßáò ôçò ÅëëÜäïò óå üëïõòôïõò ôïìåßò ôçò åêêëçóéáóôéêÞò æùÞò Þôáíáðü ôá âáóéêÜ óôïé÷åßá ðïõ ôïíßóèçêáí,êáé áðü ôéò äýï ðëåõñÝò, êáôÜ ôçíåðßóçìç åðßóêåøç ðïõ ðñáãìáôïðïßçóåï íÝïò Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò Áèçíþí êáé ÐÜóçòÅëëÜäïò ×ñéóôüäïõëïò, óôïí ÏéêïõìåíéêüÐáôñéÜñ÷ç Âáñèïëïìáßï êáé óôï Ðáôñé-áñ÷åßï óôï ÖáíÜñé.

Ôá èÝìáôá ðïõ áðáó÷üëçóáí ôéò äýï

ÅðïéêïäïìçôéêÞ óõíÜíôçóç Ïéêïõìåíéêïý ÐáôñéÜñ÷ç - Áñ÷éåðéóêüðïõ Áèçíþí

Ôïõ Íéêüëáïõ Ìáããßíá

áíôéðñïóùðåßåò êáé ôïõò ÐñïêáèçìÝíïõòôïõò Þôáí: Ç ßäñõóç Ãñáöåßïõ ôïõÏéêïõìåíéêïý Ðáôñéáñ÷åßïõ óôçí ÁèÞíáãéá ðåñáéôÝñù óýóöéãîç êáé ðñïþèçóçôùí ìåôáîý ôùí äýï Åêêëçóéþí ó÷Ýóåùíêáèþò êáé ôçí ðáñáêïëïýèçóç êáéðñïáãùãÞ ôùí æçôçìÜôùí ðïõ áíáêýð-ôïõí êáé áðáó÷ïëïýí ôï Ðáôñéáñ÷åßï. Çðáñïõóßá ôçò Åêêëçóßáò ôçò ÅëëÜäïò óôçíÅõñùðáúêÞ ̧ íùóç ìå áõôïôåëÞ Áíôéðñï-óùðåßá, ðïõ èá óõíåñãÜæåôáé ìå ôçíáíôßóôïé÷ç Áíôéðñïóùðåßá ôïõ Ïéêïõ-ìåíéêïý Ðáôñéáñ÷åßïõ óôéò ÂñõîÝëëåò óôïÃñáöåßï ôçò «ÅðéôñïðÞò ôçò ÏñèïäüîïõÅêêëçóßáò óôçí ÅõñùðáúêÞ ¸íùóç». Ïéó÷åôéêÝò ëåðôïìÝñåéåò ôùí ãñáöåßùíáõôþí èá êáèïñéóèïýí êáôÜ ôç óõíÜ-íôçóÞ ôçò ðñïóå÷ïýò öÜóçò ôùí äéÞìå-ñùí óõíïìéëéþí ðïõ èá äéåîá÷èïýí ôï

Öèéíüðùñï óôçí ÁèÞíá.ÓõæçôÞèçêáí áêüìç ç óõíåñãáóßá

ôùí äýï Åêêëçóéþí óôéò åêäçëþóåéò ãéá

ôá 2000 ÷ñüíéá áðü ôç ÃÝííçóç ôïõ×ñéóôïý ðïõ ðñïåôïéìÜæåôáé áðü üëç ôçíÏñèïäïîßá.

ÊáôÜ ôçí ôåôñáÞìåñç ðáñáìïíÞ ôïõóôçí Êùíóôáíôéíïýðïëç ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïòÁèçíþí ×ñéóôüäïõëïò, ðñáãìáôïðïßçóåðñïóêõíçìáôéêÞ åðßóêåøç óôç ÌïíÞÆùïäü÷ïõ ÐçãÞò ÂáëïõêëÞ, üðïõ ôÝëåóåôñéóÜãéï óôïí ôÜöï ôïõ áïéäßìïõ Ðá-ôñéÜñ÷ïõ ÄçìÞôñéïõ. ÐáñÝóôç ìå ôïíÐáôñéÜñ÷ç êáé ìßëçóå óôçí Ýíáñîç ôïõÏéêïëïãéêïý Óåìéíáñßïõ óôç ×Üëêç,åðéóêÝöèçêå ôïí Ìçôñïðïëßôç ÃÝñïíôá×áëêçäüíïò óôçí Ýäñá ôïõ, ðáñÝóôç óôçäåîßùóç ðïõ ðáñáôÝèçêå ðñïò ôéìÞ ôïõóôçí ïéêßá ôïõ Ãåíéêïý ÐñïîÝíïõ ôçòÅëëÜäïò óôçí Êùíóôáíôéíïýðïëç ÖþôéïõÎýäá, åðéóêÝöèçêå ôï Ãåíéêü Ðñïîåíåßïôçò ÅëëÜäïò, êáèþò êáé ôï ÍïìÜñ÷ç ôçòÐüëåùò. Óå üëåò ôéò åêäçëþóåéò ðáñá-âñÝèçêå ï ÐñÝóâçò ôçò ÅëëÜäïò ÄçìÞ-ôñéïò Íåæåñßôçò.

Óôéò óõíïìéëßåò ðïõ äéåîÞ÷èçóáíìåôáîý ôïõ Ïéêïõìåíéêïý Ðáôñéáñ÷åßïõêáé ôçò Åêêëçóßáò ôçò ÅëëÜäïò, ðñùôï-óôÜôçóáí ï ÐáôñéÜñ÷çò êáé ï Áñ÷éåðß-óêïðïò. ÁìöïôÝñùí ïé ðáñïõóßåò ÞôáíêáèïñéóôéêÝò ãéá íá ïäçãçèïýí ïé óõíï-ìéëßåò óå áßóéï ðÝñáò, ÷ùñßò íáõÜãéï.ÂÝâáéá ï ÷ñüíïò èá äåßîåé êáôÜ ðüóïíáãáèÝò åßíáé ïé äéáèÝóåéò êáé ç óôÜóç ôçòÅêêëçóßáò ôçò ÅëëÜäïò áðÝíáíôé óôïÏéêïõìåíéêü Ðáôñéáñ÷åßï.

Ôçí ÊõñéáêÞ 14 Éïõíßïõ ôåëÝóèçêåóôïí ÐÜíóåðôï Ðáôñéáñ÷éêü Íáü ôïõÁãßïõ Ãåùñãßïõ Èåßá Ëåéôïõñãßá óôçíïðïßá ðñïåîÞñ÷ïí ïé äýï ÐñïêáèÞìåíïéêáé Ýëáâáí ìÝñïò ÉåñÜñ÷åò ôùí äýïÅêêëçóéþí.

Ðñïóöùíþíôáò ï ÏéêïõìåíéêüòÐáôñéÜñ÷çò ôïí Áñ÷éåðßóêïðï áíáöÝñ-èçêå óôïõò äåóìïýò ðïõ óõíäÝïõí ôéò äýïÅêêëçóßåò ëÝãïíôáò ìåôáîý Üëëùí: «¼í-ôùò ç åí ×ñéóôþ ôù Êõñßù êáé Èåþ çìþíåíüôçò çìþí ôùí Ïñèïäüîùí êáé éäßá ôçòÁãßáò ôïõ ×ñéóôïý ÌåãÜëçò ÅêêëçóßáòìåôÜ ôçò èõãáôñüò êáé áäåëöÞò Áãéù-ôÜôçò Åêêëçóßáò ôçò ÅëëÜäïò, ïõäÝðïôåÝðáõóå, ðáñ�üëáò ôáò éóôïñéêÜò óõãêõ-ñßáò ôïõ áðùôÜôïõ ðáñåëèüíôïò êáé ôáòðñïóðáèåßáò ôïõ å÷èñïý ðáíôüò êáëïý,ôïõ áíèñùðïêôüíïõ äçëïíüôé ðïíçñïýðíåýìáôïò, üðùò ðñïêáëÝóç æçôÞìáôáêáé øõ÷ñÜíç ôáò áåßðïôå èåñìÜò êáéáäåëöéêÜò ó÷Ýóåéò áõôþí ðñïò áëëÞëáò».

Áðáíôþíôáò ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò Áèç-íþí åîÝöñáóå ôçí åõãíùìïóýíç ôçòÅêêëçóßáò ôçò ÅëëÜäïò ðñïò ôçí ÌåãÜëçôïõ ×ñéóôïý Åêêëçóßá, ôï ÏéêïõìåíéêüÐáôñéáñ÷åßï, ëÝãïíôáò ìåôáîý Üëëùí:

ÊÙÍ/ÐÏËÇ.� ÉóôïñéêÞ, Þôáí ç óõíÜíôçóç ðïõ ðñáãìáôïðïßçóáí óôï ÖáíÜñé ïÏéêïõìåíéêüò ÐáôñéÜñ÷çò Êùíóôáíôéíïõðüëåùò ê. Âáñèïëïìáßïò ìå ôïí Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïÁèçíþí êáé ðÜóçò ÅëëÜäïò ê. ×ñéóôüäïõëï. Ìå ôéò óõíïìéëßåò ôïõò, ðñïóðáèÞóïõí íáóêïñðßóïõí ôá üðïéá óýííåöá õðÞñîáí óôéò ó÷Ýóåéò ôùí äýï Åêêëçóéþí, åíéó÷ýïíôáòôï ðíåýìá ôçò åíüôçôáò êáé ôçò êïéíÞò ðïñåßáò. Óôï óôéãìéüôõðï ïé äõï ÉåñÜñ÷åòöõôåýïõí óõìâïëéêÜ Ýíá äÝíôñï óôï ðñïáýëéï ôçò èåïëïãéêÞò ó÷ïëÞò ôçò ×Üëêçò,üðïõ êáé Ýãéíå ç Ýíáñîç ôïõ Ïéêïëïãéêïý Óåìéíáñßïõ. (öùô. Í.Ìáããßíáò)

«Ç ÌåãÜëç ôïõ ×ñéóôïý ÅêêëçóßáõðÜñ÷åé �êáý÷çìá ìÝãá ôïõ ÃÝíïõò çìþí�,äéüôé åâÜóôáóå ôï âÜñïò ïëïêëÞñïõ ôçòìåãÜëçò èñçóêåõôéêÞò êáé ðïëéôéóôéêÞòêëçñïíïìéÜò çìþí. Äé� áôñýôùí ðüíùí êáéáëáëÞôùí óôåíáãìþí äéÝóùóå ôçí ïñèüäïîçíðßóôéí êáé ôçí åõáããåëéêÞí ãëþóóáí êáéåðñÜôõíå êáé åôüíùóå ôçí áõôïóõíåéäçóßáíôïõ ÃÝíïõò ùò Ëáïý ôïõ Èåïý, éäßùò êáôÜôïõò óêïôåéíïýò ÷ñüíïõò ôçò âáâõëùíåßïõáé÷ìáëùóßáò áõôïý. ×Üñéí ôáýôçò ôçòáäéáêüðïõ ìçôñéêÞò óôïñãÞò êáôÝóôç êáéäõíáôÞ ç áíÜêôçóç ôùí èñçóêåõôéêþí êáéáíèñùðßíùí äéêáéùìÜôùí ôùí õð�áõôÞíÏñèïäüîùí ×ñéóôéáíþí. Äéêáßùò ï óïöüòðñïêÜôï÷ïò çìþí ×ñõóüóôïìïò ï Ðáðá-äüðïõëïò Ýãñáöåí üôé �ç ÌÞôçñ Åêêëçóßááðïôåëåß ðåñßëáìðñïí ðíåõìáôéêüí öÜñïíêáôáõãÜæïíôá ôçí ïéêïõìÝíçí� êáé ï åêÜóôïôåÐáôñéÜñ÷çò áõôÞò åßíáé ðáôÞñ ðáôÝñùíðÜíôùí ôùí Ïñèïäüîùí êáé ï óõíáðôéêüòêñßêïò ôùí åðß ìÝñïõò Ïñèïäüîùí Åêêëçóéþí,ç óåðôÞ áõôþí êïñõöÞ».

Óôï äéÜóôçìá ôçò ðáñáìïíÞò ôïõóôçí Ðüëç, ï Áñ÷éåðßóêïðïò åß÷å, ðáñïõ-óßá ôïõ ÐáôñéÜñ÷ïõ, óõíÜíôçóç ìå íÝïõòôçò Ðüëçò, ìáèçôÝò, öïéôçôÝò êáé åñãáæï-ìÝíïõò, óôïõò ïðïßïõò áðçýèõíå ðáôñé-êÝò íïõèåóßåò. Ðñïóöùíþíôáò ôïíÐñïêáèÞìåíï ôçò Åêêëçóßáò ôçò ÅëëÜäïòåê ìÝñïõò ôùí íÝùí, ï ðñüåäñïò ôïõÌïñöùôéêïý êáé Êáëëéôå÷íéêïý ÓõíäÝ-óìïõ Öåñßêéïú, ÐáíôåëÞò Âßãêáò åßðåìåôáîý Üëëùí: «Åßìåèá ëßãïé, áëëÜ ðéóôïßóôçí ôáõôüôçôÜ ìáò, óôá Þèç êáé óôáÝèéìÜ ìáò. Óå ðåßóìá üóùí êÜíïõíäõóïßùíåò ðñïâëÝøåéò ãéá ôï ìÝëëïí ìáòóôçí Ðüëç, ðñïóðáèïýìå ìå üëåò ôéòäõíÜìåéò ìáò, ðïõ ìáò ÷Üñéóå ï Èåüò íáêñáôÞóïõìå áêÝñáéç üëç ôçí êëçñïíïìéÜðïõ ìáò êëçñïäüôçóå ç ðëïýóéá éóôïñßáìáò. Ïé íÝïé ôçò ÌåãÜëçò ôïõ ÃÝíïõòÓ÷ïëÞò, ôïõ Æáððåßïõ Ðáñèåíáãùãåßïõ,ôïõ Æùãñáöåßïõ Ëõêåßïõ, ïé öïéôçôÝò ìáòóôá äéÜöïñá ðáíåðéóôÞìéá ôçò Ðüëçò, ïéåñãáæüìåíïé íÝïé ìáò, ïé Áèëçôéêïß Óýë-ëïãïé ôïõ ÐÝñá êáé ôùí Ôáôáïýëùí êáé ïÌïñöùôéêüò êáé Êáëëéôå÷íéêüò ÓýíäåóìïòÖåñßêéïú áðïôåëïýìå ôïõò óçìåñéíïýòèåìáôïöýëáêåò ôçò ìåãÜëçò áõôÞòêëçñïíïìßáò ôïõ ÃÝíïõò ìáò óôçí Ðüëç.

Ç âáñéÜ áõôÞ åõèýíç äåí ìáò áðï-èáññýíåé, áíôßèåôá åíéó÷ýåé ôá ïñÜìáôÜìáò ãéá ôçí ðåñáéôÝñù åðéâßùóç ìáò, åäþ-ó�áõôÜ ôá éåñÜ ÷þìáôá ðïõ åðß áéþíåò çÅêêëçóßá êáé ôï ÃÝíïò ìáò, ðñïüäåøå,äçìéïýñãçóå êáé ðñüóöåñå ðïëéôéóìü êáéóõíå÷ßæåé ôçí ðïñåßá ôïõ.

Ç áðåñéüñéóôç áãÜðç êáé ç óôïñãÞôïõ ðíåõìáôéêïý ðáôÝñá êáé ÐáôñéÜñ÷ïõìáò ê.ê. Âáñèïëïìáßïõ ìáò ÷áñßæåé åëðßäáêáé äýíáìç».

Ôïí Áñ÷éåðßóêïðï Áèçíþí êáé ÐÜóçòÅëëÜäïò ×ñéóôüäïõëï óõíüäåõóáí ïéÌçôñïðïëßôåò Êïñßíèïõ ÐáíôåëåÞìùí,Ðáôñþí Íéêüäçìïò, Íåáðüëåùò Äéïíý-óéïò, Éåñéóóïý Íéêüäçìïò, Óåññþí ÌÜ-îéìïò, Êßôñïõò Áãáèüíéêïò, êáé Âåñïßáò êáéÍáïýóóçò ÐáíôåëåÞìùí, ï Áñ÷éãñáì-ìáôÝáò ôçò ÉåñÜò Óõíüäïõ ð. ÄáíéÞëÐïõñôóïõêëÞò, ï Áñ÷éì. ð. ÉãíÜôéïòÃåùñãáêüðïõëïò õðåýèõíïò Ôýðïõ ôçòÁñ÷éåðéóêïðÞò, ï Ãåí. Áñ÷éåñáôéêüòåðßôñïðïò ôçò Áñ÷éåðéóêïðÞò ÁèçíþíÐñùôïðñ. ÈùìÜò Óõíïäéíüò, ï Áñ÷ùíïöéêéÜëéïò ôïõ Ðáôñéáñ÷åßïõ ÊáèçãçôÞòÂë. ÖåéäÜò, ï Áñ÷éäéÜêïíïò Äéïíýóéïò ê.á.

ÔÝëïò ï ÐáôñéÜñ÷çò Âáñèïëïìáßïòáíôáðïêñéíüìåíïò óôçí ðñüóêëçóç ôïõÁñ÷éåðéóêüðïõ íá åðéóêåöèåß ôçí Åêêëç-óßá ôçò ÅëëÜäáò, åßðå üôé ôçí åðßóêåøçèá ðñáãìáôïðïéÞóåé óôçí ðåñßïäï, ìåôÜôï ÐÜó÷á 1999.12345678901234567890123123456789012345678901231234567890123456789012312345678901234567890123123456789012345678901231234567890123456789012312345678901234567890123123456789012345678901231234567890123456789012312345678901234567890123

ÃÉÁ ÄÉÁÖÇÌÉÓÅÉÓ ÓÔÏÍÏÑÈÏÄÏÎÏ ÐÁÑÁÔÇÑÇÔÇ

ôçëåöùíÞóôå(212) 570-3555

JULY - AUGUST 1998 PAGE 17ORTHODOX OBSERVER

Commission on Greek Languageand Culture Gains Momentum

By Eleni Daniels

NEW YORK � An informal gatheringof nearly 50 area Greek language teachers,parents, students and other concerned in-dividuals, Greek Language and Culture Com-mission members met June 23 at Holy Trin-ity Cathedral to discuss the Greek Ameri-can parochial school system.

The second in a series of meetings (thefirst was held in Boston on May 22), gaveindividuals the opportunity to voice theiropinions, concerns and problems with thesystem. It achieved exactly this and muchmore.

The 23-member Commission, underthe auspices of the Archdiocese and super-

vision of Archbishop Spyridon, is chargedwith assessing the current status of theGreek language parochial educational sys-tem.

Their report, to be given to the Arch-bishop, is due by March 1999 and will in-corporate statistics from questionnaires sentto all parishes by the Department of Educa-tion, as well as information from futuremeetings.

Commission members included the fol-lowing Hellenes and Philhellenes fromacademia, business, politics and the publicsector: Chairman John A. Rassias, presidentof The Rassias Foundation at Dartmouth Col-lege, N.H.; Phyllis Franklin, executive directorof the Modern Language Association ofAmerica in New York; Jean Van Buskirk, di-rector emeritus of the Sisters Program, Balti-more; Effie Papatzikou Cochran, associate pro-fessor of English at John Jay College of Crimi-nal Justice, New York; Constance Tagopoulos,assistant professor of modern Greek literatureand language at Queens College, New York;and Peter Bien, professor emeritus of Englishat Dartmouth College.

�The problems and issues of concernfacing the Greek American educational sys-tem in the U.S. are many and quite similarto those voiced at the Boston meeting,� saidProfessor Rassias.

The lively discussions consisted of twosections. The first part allowed audiencemembers to voice their opinions, problemsand frustrations. Part two involved commis-sioners explaining the Commission role andoffering suggestions and proposals for Greekeducational system.

The Greek American day and afternoonschools represented included the Cathedralschool in Manhattan ; the Metamorphosisschool, Corona, N.Y.; the Greek-AmericanInstitute, Bronx, N.Y.; St. Paul, Hempstead,N.Y.; St. Demetrios school, Astoria, N.Y.;Three Hierarchs, Brooklyn; Kimisis tisTheotokos, Island Park, N.Y.; St. Markella,Wantagh, N.Y.; A. Fantis parochial school,Brooklyn; St. Nicholas, Flushing, N.Y.; andSt. George, Norwalk, Conn.

Teachers� concerns focused on lack oftraining; inadequate teaching materials and

tools, lack of a curriculum for each gradelevel; learning incentives for students, andteachers� salaries and benefits.

The issue of methodology was a pointof contention. Teachers expressed their frus-tration in finding new ways to teach and, atthe same time, help raise the Hellenic con-sciousness in their students.

Another teacher stressed that studentsare tired after a full day in school and can-not thoroughly follow a Greek afternoonschool lesson. Thus, emphasizing the levelof energy that a teacher must maintain inorder to keep her students mentally stimu-lated during class.

Yet another, brought attention to theimportance of teaching the Greek languageand culture in order to survive as Hellenesin the Diaspora.

On the subject of Hellenic culture, acommissioner asked to consider how cul-ture is taught in schools and on what as-pects receive more attention. Suggestionswere even made to teach Greek culture andliterature in English too.

Parents and teachers shared their prideas well as disillusionment in some areas ofthe school system. They are eager to seerealistic improvements in the areas ofteacher training; curriculum development;and awards for students based on academicmerit rather than solely for religious partici-pation.

Ideas for improvement came from boththe audience and the commissioners. Theseincluded creating a fun, pleasurable atmo-sphere in the classroom; teacher trainingworkshops both here and in Greece; ex-change programs with families in Greece;separate teaching programs; for recent im-migrants with Greek-speaking parents, andfor families where Greek is not spoken athome; and training parents to work closelywith teachers.

The Commissioners were open to thevibrant and stimulating ideas and discus-sions during the course of the meeting. AndProfessor Rassias was very pleased with theturnout.

�I believe that our purpose was well-served. It was an honest exchange of ideasand I think the totality focused very sharplyto what we actually heard in Boston,� he said.

�These things are common not only toGreeks - it�s a plain language learning phe-nomenon in general. It�s the hardest disci-pline in the world and one that is most scru-tinized. Everyone wants to challenge whatthe teachers do,� Rassias emphasized.

Due to the large number of Greek Ameri-can schools in the area, the Commissionagreed to meet again in New York this fall.

Other meeting sites will include Chi-cago, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

More information on the Commissionon Greek Language and Culture contact Pro-fessor Rassias at (603) 646-3155 or theArchdiocesan Department of Education at(212) 570-3554.

ORTHODOX OBSERVER JULY - AUGUST 1998PAGE 18

NAME: DANIEL PAYNE

HOMETOWN AND PARISH: Ft. Collins, Colo.-St. Catherine�s Church in Greenwood Vil-lageAGE: 30SPOUSE: ElizabethCHILDREN: Katherine Payne, 3; Anna Payne,1 1/2.PREVIOUS EDUCATION: BA in sociology and inphilosophy with a concentration in religionfrom Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas;one year at Luther-Northwestern Theologi-cal Seminary in St. Paul, Minn.; attendedSt. Thomas School of Theology in Denver.PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE:Operations manager for a company in Ft.Collins that caters to the tourist industry,providing a variety of products for retailsale.GRADUATING CLASS: 1999FAMILY BACKGROUND:Baptized in the United Methodist Churchas an infant; mother was organist for sev-eral Methodist churches in Ft. Smith, Ark.;after my parents divorced, my brother andI moved with our father and new step-mother to Tulsa, Okla., where we grewup. I was confirmed in the Lutheran Churchas a teen-ager; my experiences in theLutheran church provided me with thecalling to serve the Lord in the ordainedministry.HOME PARISH INVOLVEMENT:Served St. Catherine�s as a reader and asan altar server.� What were your most memorable mo-ments growing up?Playing football while growing up and serv-ing in the Lutheran church at a young ageas an altar server. Later I became an assis-tant liturgist. I began preaching at age 15,an activity I greatly enjoyed.� What prompted you to go to the Semi-nary?I came to Holy Cross because I heard theLord�s calling to serve Him in the ordainedministry. After experiencing the liturgicallife of the Orthodox Church for severalyears, I felt that I could no longer ignorethe call to serve Christ as a priest. I hadbeen out of the Lutheran seminary for sev-eral years, during which time I began learn-ing Orthodoxy.� Who was the most influential personin your decision to aspire to the priest-hood?Three men greatly influenced the desireto answer God�s calling. My mentor grow-ing up was my pastor, Daniel Breunsbach,who taught me the importance of livingthe experience of my baptism every day.Second, my professor of theology atBethany College, Dennis Bielfeldt, helpedme to understand the theology of Chris-tianity. Thirdly, Fr. Demetrios Nicoloudakisinfluenced my decision to come to HolyCross and the other person who greatlyinfluenced me in coming to seminary wasmy wife, Elizabeth. She recognized that Ineeded to answer God�s calling.� How has Holy Cross affected you?Holy Cross has enhanced my prayer andworship life. Experiencing the services thatare offered on a daily basis at the chapelhas allowed for the development of adeeper relationship with Christ; becausecorporate worship is the emphasis at thechapel, I have developed friendships thatwill last for eternity. There is a bond that isestablished between brothers and sistersin Christ when they worship together.� What is your favorite course?Dogmatics and ethics, liturgics and liturgi-cal theology and field education experience.

� What are your campus activities?Currently, I am the president of the classof 1999. 1 am also the student represen-tative on the Ecumenical Affairs commit-tee of the school. I work at the bookstoreas the receivables accountant.� What is your favorite recreational ac-tivity?I enjoy reading historical novels. One ofmy interests is Celtic Christianity.I enjoy doing genealogical research. Vis-iting historical sites and learning history,especially military history fascinates me.� What�s the toughest part about beinga seminarian?Trying to balance the time. I generally take18 hours a semester plus the additional10 hrs of field work each week. It is verydifficult to find time for being with the chil-dren and my wife. I work about 10 hrsper week, and my wife works about 25hrs per week when I am able to be athome with the children. Homework andtime for chapel services are generallywhere the sacrifices have to be made.Other difficulties are how to provide forthe family financially as I spend timestudying. The financial obligations are avery tough part of being a seminarian.� What gifts do you hope to bring toyour service to the Church?I believe that God has given me the gift ofteaching. Theology and biblical studies Ihave always loved. Eventually, I would liketo study for a Ph.D. in dogmatics and usethat degree to teach in the church. I be-lieve the greatest gift God has given tome is the zeal to proclaim the Word ofGod. The Gospel must be proclaimed inorder that all may come to the savingknowledge of Jesus Christ.� What are your major strengths andweaknesses?The greatest strength that I have is faithin God. All that I do comes from that faiththat He is present in my life, working formy salvation. Another strength is my de-sire to learn. I am constantly reading inorder to learn about God, the world, andmyself.My weaknesses can be seen in my lackof knowledge of the customs and ways ofrelating in the Greek culture. As a result, Itend to be shy and somewhat timid be-cause I am still learning the rules of relat-ing.� Who is your favorite saint?St. Thomas the Apostle. One moment inthe Gospel according to St. John, he statesvery boldly that the disciples should goup to Jerusalem and die with Jesus. Thenext moment he doubts that Jesus wasraised from the dead. After the resurrec-tion he goes to India to proclaim the risenChrist. In his actions we see the aspectsof the Christian life. When we are young

See SEMINARIAN on p. 27

H C / H C R E P O R T

BROOKLINE, Mass. - The 54th meet-ing of the North American Orthodox-RomanCatholic Theological Consultation took placeat Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Or-thodox School of Theology, co-chaired byArchbishop Rembert Weakland of Milwau-kee and Metropolitan Maximos of Ainou,Bishop of Pittsburgh.

The main theme of the Consultationwas baptism and its relation to ecclesiologyas part of a continuing discussion of mutualrecognition of sacraments. MetropolitanMaximos delivered a paper entitled �TheMeaning of Christian Baptism for the Bap-tized and the Church.� A paper by Fr. GeorgeBerthold, �Baptism in the West,� was alsoread.

Professor John Erickson presented astudy entitled: �Baptism and the Church�sFaith.� And Fr. John Long SJ, presented anoverview of the theology of baptism foundin the documents of the international andNorth American Orthodox-Roman Catholicdialogues as well as other ecumenical docu-ments.

This meeting brought to a conclusionthe intensive study the Consultation hasmade on the relationship of baptism andecclesiology.

On the basis of these discussions therewas general agreement that it would be pos-sible to work toward a joint statement onthis topic. It was decided that a draft textwould be prepared for the next meeting tobe held Oct. 29-31 at St. Paul�s College,Washington.

The Consultation will also discuss theAleppo Document, a recent proposal on a

Orthodox/Roman CatholicConsultation Holds 54th Meeting

common date for Easter.This meeting was the first at which the

Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishopswas officially represented. The Consultationalso welcomed a new member fromCanada: Fr. Peter Galadza of the SheptytskyInstitute, St. Paul University, Ottawa.

The North American Orthodox-RomanCatholic Theological Consultation has metregularly since 1965 and was the first offi-cially established dialogue between the twoChurches anywhere in the world. The Con-sultation is sponsored by the Standing Con-ference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops inthe Americas (SCOBA) and the Bishops�Committee for Ecumenical and InterreligiousAffairs of the National Conference of Catho-lic Bishops (NCCB) and the Canadian Con-ference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB).

In addition to the two co-chairs, themembers of the Consultation are: (from theRoman Catholic Church) the Revs. Brian E.Daley, SJ, Frederick McManus, George C.Berthold, Peter Galadza, John P. Galvin,Sidney H. Griffith, ST, John F. Long, SJ,David M. Petras, and Ronald G. Roberson,CSP (staff), Sister Donna Geernaert, SC,and professors Thomas E. Bird and RobinDarling Young; (from the OrthodoxChurch): Archbishop Peter, the Revs. Tho-mas E. FitzGerald, Nicholas Apostola,Alkiviadis Calivas, James Dutko, AlexanderGolitzin, Emmanuel Gratsias, StylianosHarakas, Paul W. S. Schneirla, RobertStephanopoulos, and George D. Dragas(staff); Dr. Robert Haddad, and professorsSusan Ashbrook, Lewis Patsavos and JohnH. Erickson.

PROFILE:PROFILE:Seminarian

BROOKLINE, Mass. � Field educationwill take on a new dimension this fall atHoly Cross School of Theology.

Under the direction of HarryProvidakes, students will combine field-work in six Boston-area hospitals and twonursing homes, with weekly discussionclasses at Holy Cross.

Under a new arrangement with thehospital facilities, students will work un-der the supervision of the local hospitalchaplain, learning specifically how to min-ister to people in crisis situations, especiallythose who have experienced difficult sur-geries or other life-threatening situations.

Fr. Providakes, associate pastor of St.Vasilios in Peabody, Mass., will teach from

Hospital Ministry Training a Highlight This Fallhis own experience as a hospital and prisonchaplain. He serves as a chaplain for all Or-thodox Christians with the MassachusettsDepartment of Mental Health. He alsoworks with the state Department of Cor-rections in prison ministry.

The Rev. Dr. George Economou, pas-tor of Assumption Church in Pawtucket,R.I., will assist Fr. Providakes and will sharehis experiences in hospital and institutionalministries.

Holy Cross students who seek ordi-nation are required to spend one year work-ing in weekly hospital visitations, or byworking in a hospital setting under achaplain�s supervision for an entire sum-mer.

KKKKKontos Fontos Fontos Fontos Fontos Foodsoodsoodsoodsoods famous for its POCKETPOCKETPOCKETPOCKETPOCKET-LESS-LESS-LESS-LESS-LESS PITPITPITPITPITAAAAA,is proud to present its original products once again.

BOX 628, PATERSON, NJ 07544 � Fax: (973) 278-7943

KONTOS FOODS, INC � EVRIPIDES KONTOS, President

F i l l oK a t a i f i

Delicious, traditional products made

offered to Communities, Or-ganizations, Church festi-vals and all other functions.

SPECIAL DISCOUNTS

Courteous Service � WE SHIP EVERYWHERE in the US & CANADA

S p a n a k o p i t aT y r o p i t a

with the highest quality ingredients

(973) 278-2800

JULY - AUGUST 1998 PAGE 19ORTHODOX OBSERVER

PEOPLE

P A R I S H p r o f i l e

L

AT H O SICONS

1-860-423-4707Tel./Fax:

SPECIAL OFFER

8x10 � reg. $205. Now $1503 ½ x 4 ½ � reg. $49. Now $35

THE HOLY CROSSSYMBOL OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITHAvailable now in two sizes as shown.100% pure Silver 24kt. Gold detail.

Silver treated against tarnish.You never have to polish.

PREPAID OR COD PLS.ALLOW 2/3 weeks for delivery.

MAIL YOUR ORDER TO: ATHOS ICONSPO Box 554, Mansfield, CT 06250

Christ J. Kamages, AIA, of San Francisco,was unanimously elected chairman of thePatriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute atthe Graduate Theological Union at Berke-ley, Calif.

Others elected were Paul G. Manolis,president and director; Helen L. Lambros,vice president; Fr. Thomas J. Paris, vice chair-man; Ronald Radakovich, secretary; andNicholas Tarlson, treasurer.

Mr. Kamages succeeds Helen Lambrosas chairman. Ms. Lambros had served in thatposition for seven years, during which timethe Institute experienced extensive growthand development.

Confirmed as judgeThe U.S. Senate recently named

Broward County, Fla., Circuit Judge WilliamDimitrouleas a federal judge. JudgeDimitrouleas, 47, is a 1975 graduate of theUniversity of Florida Law School. He workedas an assistant public defender from 1976-77, then moved to the State Attorney�s Of-fice from 1977 to 1989.

Runs for sheriffLou Blanas of Sacramento, Calif., is run-

ning for sheriff of Sacramento County. Heis a 30-year veteran of law enforcement, in-cluding several years with the Sheriff�s De-partment as an undersheriff.

Elected chairman

Advance Parish to Boardwalk

Name: St. NicholasGreek Orthodox ChurchLocation:Atlantic City, N.J.Size: about 200 familiesDiocese: New JerseyFounded: 1924Clergy: Fr. Prokopios Nikas (Uni-versity of Athens �57, political sci-ence degree; Hartford SeminaryFoundation �68, MA in religiouseducation; attended Niagara Uni-versity in Albany, N.Y.)Noteworthy: an island of faith in asea of casinos

ocated a half-block from thefamed Boardwalk, St. Nicholasparish will soon complete con-struction of a new church adja-

worked as peddlers, and in restaurants asdishwashers, cooks and busboys. Manyyears later, by the early �20s, every smallrestaurant in the city was Greek-owned ormanaged, many along or near the Board-walk.

More families arrived after 1900. Ac-cording to Mrs. Nestor�s article, by 1910they established a coffee house on Ken-tucky Avenue that served as a meet-ing place for many years.

In the early 1920s, commu-nity leaders began efforts to forma permanent Greek Orthodoxparish. A meeting with Archdio-cese representatives at the OddFellows Hall on Nov. 19, 1924, re-sulted in the community receivingapproval to establish a parish.The first priest was Fr. Geor-giou Dougekos, whoserved from 1924-26.

Establishing thechurch�s presence sincethen almost reads like a triparound a Monopoly game board.Services first took place on amonthly basis in rented space at the Ro-man Catholic Church of the Ascension onKentucky and Pacific avenues. In 1932, thecommunity purchased the house on nearbyMt. Vernon Avenue for $6,000 and builtits first church, as noted above.

Years later, when a new church loca-tion was being considered, the parishlooked into buying property on Pacific,North Carolina Avenue and VentnorHeights, before purchasing the present loton Mt. Vernon and Atlantic Avenue (ifyou�re following along on your gameboards, the italics denote the yellow andgreen properties near the �Go to Jail�square).

This site, half a block from the Board-walk, is where the new church is being builtat a cost of nearly $800,000. Prior to this,in 1977, the parish had acquired an adjoin-ing lot and built its community hall.

Over the years, parish groups estab-lished several organizations, including an

AHEPA chapter in 1929, then the Maidsof Athena and Sons of Pericles in the late1930s.

Fr. Nikas arrived in the communityin December 1990, the 34th priest toserve the parish. A native of Fili, Attica,near Athens, he emigrated to the UnitedStates in 1962.

Since his ordination in 1963, he hasserved in several communities and

taught at the College of Steuben-ville, a Roman Catholic schoolin Ohio.

Fr. Nikas describes hisministry as �wonderful and chal-lenging.� He added, the parish-

ioners �love their church andwork very hard to support it.�But he also described it as a dif-

ficult ministry because a num-ber of members do not see the

priest as head of the parish. Fr.Nikas reflected that �Christ also

had a difficult time� and that his �re-sponsibility to present the gospel� is

his major challenge in the community.About 80 percent of the Liturgy is cel-ebrated in Greek.

Along with the various adult groups,including Philoptochos and choir, St.Nicholas has Sunday School with 65 stu-dents, a Greek school with 35, GOYAand JOY chapters, and a dance program.

Fund-raising is mostly throughstewardship and donations. There is noGreek festival, although the parish takespart in a smaller ethnic festival in theGreater Atlantic City community.

Its outreach ministry includesGoyans� involvement with a local res-cue mission and homeless shelter, andFr. Nikas� communication with senatorsand congressmen on �ethnic interestsfor Greece.�

But Fr. Nikas considers his mainoutreach �to present the Holy Gospeland treasury of the Greek OrthodoxChurch and its traditions.�

�compiled by Jim Golding

The �Koumbaro Club, a Long Island-based social and fraternal organization thatperiodically honors those who have profes-sionally demonstrated their dedication toimproving quality of life, recently selectedNew York Gov. George Pataki as their 1998�Honorary Kombaro� for helping to improvethe quality of life through lowering the taxburden, ensuring quality education, attract-ing new business, and keeping Long Islandfree from crime. Among other honorarymembers are the Very Rev. John Hero-poulos, director of the Office of the Arch-bishop at the Archdiocese, and Dr.Herodotus Damianos, owner of Pindar Vine-yards in northeastern Suffolk County.

Mike Margarites (left), Koumbaro Clubfounder, presents Gov. Pataki with hismembership plaque.

They�re �Koumbari�

cent to its present house of worship.The community has outgrown the

smaller building that has served as itsspiritual home since 1933. The new edi-fice will have double the seating capac-ity, about 400.

St. Nicholas Church is at the �cen-ter of the action� in this city of 40,000,on which the popular board game Mo-nopoly is based. �We�re in the middleof the casinos,� remarked Fr. Nikas, whohas served the parish eight years.

He said that about 80 percent ofhis parishioners come from Greece, andthat �80 percent work in the casinos,but they don�t like what they see.� Thepriest describes his community as �veryconservative.� Most of the immigrantshail from northwestern Macedonia andthe island of Chios.

The popular resort draws highnumbers of Greek Orthodox touristswho come to see entertainers fromGreece, and also attend services at St.Nicholas, especially during Holy Week.

Although the church was estab-lished in 1924, only two years after thefounding of the Archdiocese, the GreekOrthodox presence in Atlantic City origi-nated before 1900, according to a his-torical article by Sophie Nestor.

Mrs. Nestor is the daughter ofProdromos Prodromou, a former par-ish president (1932-33) under whoseadministration the community built theexisting church.

A key factor that accounts the origi-nal presence of the Greek communityis the tourist industry.

Along the BoardwalkA hundred years before the first ca-

sinos opened in 1978, the 5-mile-longBoardwalk and its amusement piers wasa tourist attraction. The pioneer Greeksettlers came in the late 19th century and

ATLANTICCITY

The Pan-KalymnianNational Convention

to be held in

Campell, OhioSeptember 4, 5, and 6

Please call us for further information and details(330) 755-1530 or (330) 743-2333

ORTHODOX OBSERVER JULY - AUGUST 1998PAGE 20 newsDIOCESEFund-RaiserBenefits PAOI

SAN MARINO, Calif. � Dina and BillOldknow, together with the PatriarchAthenagoras Orthodox Institute�s SouthernCalifornia Auxiliary, hosted more than 200guests on May 17 at their �Farewell to TheOldknow Home� Lamb Festival Benefit.

The event included such guests as de-signer James Galanos, Los Angeles CityCouncil President John Ferraro, formerCouncilwoman Peggy Stevenson, ZoningCommissioner Chris Kezios, Fr. John Bakas,dean of St. Sophia Cathedral and Fr. Spen-cer Kezios of St. Nicholas Church inNorthridge.

The Fund Raiser benefited the PAOILIBRARY at Berkeley, raising more than$30,000.

Also present were Fr. ConstantineZozos from Santa Barbara and Fr. MichaelK. Courey, St. Katherine�s in RedondoBeach.

Event Coordinator and co-president ofPAOI, Southern California Auxiliary HelenStathatos used multi-colored pastel table-cloths with beautiful potted Spring flowercenterpieces adding to the beauty of an al-ready glorious California day.

Fr. Kezios gave an informative historyof the beautiful Oldknow home and gar-dens from its beginnings in 1913 when theCharles S. Eatons commissioned prominentLos Angeles architect Robert D. Farquharto design this magnificent Palladian Villareminiscent of the Beaux Art Period. Fr.Kezios wished the new owners manyhappy, prosperous years in their new homeand prayed that they too would be as lov-ing a family and as charitable a family asthe Oldknows had been in the 35 years theyresided in this home.

Over the years, the Oldknows raised,through benefit parties in this home, morethan $500,000 for Church, community andcharitable organizations.

Bridgeport ChurchHosts Ionian VillageCamp Reunion

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. � More than 100young men and women- Ionian Villageyouth campers- recently held a reunion atHoly Trinity Church, according to informa-tion from Fr. Demetrios Recachinas, pas-tor.

Christian Fellowship and prayer wasthe center of their program. The groupspend the Saturday visiting in New Yorkwhile Saturday night candlelight ceremonybrought back beautiful memories of thecamp days, Sunday they attended the Di-vine Liturgy.

The parish, GOYA, PTO and thePhiloptochos hosted meals throughout theweekend. In his message to the youth,Archbishop Spyridon, stated that �theIonian Village summer camp strengthenyour spiritual and enhance your heritage,you also returned home with inspired faithand greater commitment to the Church.Apply now what you have leave to yourdaily life as Orthodox Christian.�

Father Recachinas impressed upon,them that �it is gratifying to see our Ortho-dox Church with promising young stew-ards as you.�

Jason Frangenes and DespinaLimberis, co-chairpersons of the event andall committee members expressed theirgratitude for their help that the parish of-fered during the entire weekend.

HAVERHILL, Mass. � Holy ApostlesSts. Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Churchcelebrated its 90th anniversary May 9-10.

In 1907 the Greek Orthodox immigrantsliving in Haverhill decided that a house ofprayer was needed. The first priest, Fr. IsihiosRaptakis served as the spiritual leader. OnPalm Sunday, 1908, in a church generouslydonated to the community by the Anglicans,the first Divine Liturgy was held.

The church today serves the spiritualneeds of over 750 active families with theGreek Orthodox population in Haverhillbeing approximately 5,000 people.

The Orthodox community joyfully cel-ebrated its 90th anniversary. The eventsspanned the weekend, commencing Satur-day evening, May 9, with a banquet anddance. The event was held in the parish com-munity center which was packed to capac-ity with hundreds of enthusiastic parishio-ners. Guest speakers included religious andcity officials.

State and national political officials alsowere in attendance presenting proclama-tions to the parish to commemorate theevent. Past parish priests were in attendanceas well as former church members who

RECIPIENTS of the 1998 Hellenic Times Scholarships at the NY Hilton.

35 Receive HT ScholarshipsNEW YORK.�More than 1,500 people

packed the New York Hilton on May 15 asthe Hellenic Times Scholarship Fund hon-ored actress Marilu Henner, and presented$75,000 in scholarships to Greek Americanstudents, while Sony recording artist AnnaVissi gave a show-stopping performance.

This year, the Hellenic Times awarded35 scholarships to students from 15 states.Recipients were selected from over 1,000candidates nationwide. The Hellenic Timesnow awards more scholarships to GreekAmerican students on an annual basis thanany other organization nationwide.

Nick Katsoris, general counsel of theRed Apple Group, served as dinner chair-man and presented the Humanitarian Awardto Marilu Henner.

Ms. Henner is best known for her roleon the television series Taxi with Tony Danzaand Danny DeVito followed by another hitseries, Evening Shade, with Burt Reynolds.

She has also brought her talent to thesilver screen with roles in Johnny Danger-ously, LA Story, and Noises Off; to Broad-way in the musical Chicago; to the talk showarena with Marilu; and to publishing worldincluding her recently released �MariluHenner�s Total Health Makeover.�

Henner fought back tears as she re-called her mother, Nikoletta Kalogeropoulos,who ironically passed away from arthritiscomplications exactly 20 years ago. �She hadthe biggest spirit,� Henner said of hermother who was an entrepreneur by run-ning a dance school and a beauty shop outof their home. She also commented that hermother had a gift for talking and advisingthe young children in the neighborhood.

Henner then recounted various storiesabout her Greek roots including when herbrother, Loren, wanted to trace theirmother�s heritage and so he went to theGreek Orthodox Church and asked for thebaptismal certificate of Nikoletta Kaloge-ropoulos, and the man at the church asked�What was her father�s name?� and Lorenreplied, �Athanassis Kalogeropoulos.� Andthe man asked �What was her mother�sname?� Loren replied �Eftaxia Diktakis.� Andthen the man asked �What is your name?�and Loren replied �Loren Henner.� And theman asked �Can you spell that?�

Henner beamed with ethnic pride andsaid that �whenever I tell people I�m halfGreek, they say which half? And I say �it�smy soul�.�

CHICAGO � The 75th Anniversary ofthe foundation of St. George Church of Chi-cago was celebrated April 24 with more than350 persons attending, including Metropoli-tan Iakovos of Krinis.

Fr. Christos J. Vagias, presbyter, washonored at the event for his 25th anniver-sary as the parish�s spiritual leader.

Dinner-dance chairman was Dr. JamesAscot. Peggy Caro and Effie Gineris wereco-chairs.

A commemorative album was preparedin which former priests, parishioners andfriends of St. George expressed their con-gratulations and best wishes.

FR. MAKARIOS WITH ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE MEMBERS

350 Attended 70th

Anniversary Dinner DanceCHICAGO � A gala event in mid-May

marked the 70th anniversary of St. BasilChurch.

Among the dignitaries present werestate Attorney General Jim Ryan, ChicagoPublic Schools CEO Paul Vallas and Metro-politan Iakovos of Krinis. The comedy ofHope Mihalap made the evening complete.

Mrs. Kathy Kalisperis Smith and MissPam Danegelis were the event co-chair-women.

Fr. Chris Kerhulas dedicated this greatevening to the active youth of St. Basil. Hechallenged the new youthful parish councilto continue the great inner city work that isnow in place, and to take the church familyinto the next 70 years with strong, commit-ted, creative, and support-oriented program-ming for the parish�s very young member-ship. Almost two-thirds of the 300 familiesand members of St. Basil are under 45.

75th Year Anniversary

Holy Apostles Parish Celebrates 90th AnniversarySee SCHOLARSHIPS on page 27

came from great distance to join in the cel-ebration.

The following morning, Sunday, May10, a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was cel-ebrated by Metropolitan Methodios, assisted

by the Very Rev. Archimandrite Makarios J.Niakaros, pastor. Following the Divine Lit-urgy, the Ladies Philoptochos Society�ELPIS� hosted a reception for the hundredsin attendance.

PAOI Features ExhibitBERKELEY, Calif. � The Patriarch

Athenagoras Orthodox Institute Women�sBoard will present an opening night gala forthe presentation of �Ancient Gold, TheWealth of the Thracians,� at The Palace ofthe Legion of Honor Museum in San Fran-cisco, Friday, Aug. 7.

The exhibit features 200 gold and sil-ver treasures from 1200 BC to 400 B.C.,gleaned from Bulgarian museums.

For more information, call the PAOI at(510) 649-3450.

JULY - AUGUST 1998 PAGE 21ORTHODOX OBSERVER

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Philoptochos

B O O K SAugoustinos N. Kantiotes. �Miracles,

Orthodox Homilies on Miracles in Nature,Man, Holy Scripture, the History of Na-tions, and the Church,� Translation andForeword by Asterios Gerostergios, Bel-mont, Mass., Institute for Byzantine andModern Greek Studies, 1998. 272 pp. 22drawings. Paperbound $17.15.

Miracles is a collection of 22 selectedOrthodox homilies on miracles in nature,man, Holy Scripture, the history of nations,and the Church. Bishop Augoustinos, usingthe results of modern scientific knowledge

A Selection of Homilies Focuses on Miracles

By Fr. Asterios Gerostergios

and the philosophical trends of the times asa springboard, was able to make availableto the readers the eternal truths containedin the Holy Writ. For the author, man andthe universe are illuminated by the light ofJesus Christ. The Lord, being the greatest

miracle He Himself, is the One Who per-forms wonders in heaven and on earth. Thebishop, having the �sixth sense� of the faith,is dazzled by the mysteries of God in thespiritual and material universe. He describeshis amazement with great eloquence andpower in this book. He also calls on the read-ers to admire these miracles of God. Just asSt. Basil the Great wrote his �Hexaemeros�using the scientific knowledge of his timeto describe the wonders of God in natureand in the spiritual world, the author ofMiracles offers to the Church a �NewHexaemeros� by describing in a new waythe wonders of God in the material and inthe spiritual creation.

The readers of this English edition will bestrengthened in their faith. Miracles will be en-joyed by all pious Christians and in particularby the priests and preachers of the word of God,college students, and Sunday School teachersof the Orthodox Church in the Diaspora.

NEW YORK � National PhiloptochosPresident Mimi Skandalakis traveled to NewEngland in mid-May to present donationsto children�s hospitals from funds raised bythe sixth National Philoptochos Children�sMedical Fund luncheon held in Boston in1997.

Mrs. Skandalakis presented two checksof $50,000 each to Boston Children�s Hos-pital, in care of Dr. Davis Weiner, hospitalpresident, and to Hasbro Children�s Hospi-tal in Providence, R.I., where SandyStamoulis and Dr. Erhlich received the do-nation.

In Boston, the National Philoptochospresident was accompanied by luncheon co-chairs Elaine Kevgas and Bessie Papigiotis;sponsors� chairmen Janice Argeros, Anna

MEDICAL FUND GROUP �(from left) Sandy Stamoulis of Hasbro Children�s Hospital, andPhiloptochos representatives Bessie Papigiotis, Mimi Skandalakis, Elaine Kevgas, AnnaDemetrakas, Angela Panichas and Esther Mitchell.

Philoptochos Presents $100,000 to Children�s HospitalsDemetrakas and Esther Mitchell; NationalBoard members Angela Panichas and EvelynPavloglou; publicity chairman RosePapinickolas, and Children�s Hospital lun-cheon coordinator Bess Pappas.

In Providence, the group was joined bythe Hasbro Children�s Hospital coordinatorHelene Lazarides and the Rhode Island hostcommittee members, the Revs. AndrewGeorge and Evangelos Georgiades. Thegroup visited with three patients and theirfamilies from Greece who traveled to Hasbroto undergo surgeries performed by Dr.Michael Erlich.

About $180,000 was raised to help chil-dren suffering from major illnesses. The re-maining funds were donated to the NationalPhiloptochos Children�s Medical Fund.

Bishop�s Book Sings Praises of Greek NationAugoustinos N. Kantiotes. The Greek

Nation (To Hellenikon Ethnos), ThreeSpeeches on the Greek Nation, its Miracu-lous Survival and Unique Contributionsto Mankind. (In Greek and English). Trans-lation and Foreword by Asterios Gero-stergios. Belmont, Massachusetts: Institutefor Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies,1998. 96 pp. Paperbound $6.95.

The Greek Nation contains threespeeches on the Greek nation, its miracu-lous survival and its unique contributionsto mankind. The venerable author, BishopAugoustinos N. Kantiotes of Florina, Greece,presents the causes of the greatness of themiracle of the Greek nation with incompa-rable eloquence and strong arguments, aswell as the reasons of its downfall duringthe various phases of its history.

Factors contributing to the Greekmiracle, among others, are its antiquity, the

height which its civilization reached, its po-litical science, its love of letters, its love ofMotherland, freedom, philosophy and theword, as well as its geographical locationand its poverty.

The reader of this booklet will be edi-fied in many ways and will understand therole of Divine Providence in the lives of in-dividuals and nations, and will thank Godfor His interventions in leading the humanrace to salvation. These three speeches arepart of the just published book Miracles:Orthodox Homilies on Miracles in nature,Man, Holy Writ, the History of Nations, andin the Church. They are published here inspecial edition both in Greek and English inorder to not only enlighten the young En-glish-speaking Greek generations in theDiaspora but also all Greek-speaking people,and to help them enjoy and marvel at thebeauty of the Greek language which theauthor so beautifully uses.

of Special Interest

BROOKLINE, Mass. �A 10-year dreamof Metropolitan Methodios became a real-ity June 14 at the Diocesan Awards Dinnerwhen, in a surprise announcement, GeorgeBehrakis of Tewksbury, Mass., said he willdonate $500,000 towards the purchase of adiocesan camp and retreat center.

Retreat Center To Become Reality

By Sophia Nibi

He presented the Metropolitan with asite plan of the property and a framed origi-nal copy of the Diocesan Council�s unani-mous decision to proceed with the purchase.

A great benefactor of the Church, Mr.Behrakis, an Archdiocesan Council Execu-tive Committee member and Hellenic Col-lege-Holy Cross trustee, had visited thisparticular piece of property in Contoocook,N.H., which was recommended to the Di-ocesan Council by a committee chaired byChristos Papoutsy of Rye, N.H. Mr. Papoutsypledged $100,000 towards its purchase.

A year ago, Mr. Behrakis shared withMetropolitan Methodios his commitment toassist in making this dream a reality. Inmaking his surprise announcement at thedinner, Mr. Behrakis said that �now, ourchildren and future generations will not haveto relocate every year for the camp experi-

ence. Our children will now have a perma-nent camp to call home.�

Mr. Behrakis noted that sinceMethodios� enthronement as bishop of Bos-ton, the Metropolitan has had three majorgoals: to build an administration center tohouse the New England Diocese offices, toestablish a Philoxenia House to serve thosein need from around the world, and to pur-chase a diocesan camp and retreat center.

The first two goals were quickly real-ized early in the Metropolitan�s tenure. Thethird goal is at hand.

Metropolitan Methodios has wantedsuch a center �to serve as a place of retreat,reflection, spiritual growth and renewal forevery diocese family member : clergy, par-ish councils, Philoptochos, young adults,college students, senior citizens, marriedcouples, families, and the Hellenic societ-ies and federations.

Metropolitan Methodios, totally sur-prised by the announcement, thanked all inattendance and commented on how trulyblessed our Diocese is to have faithful, dedi-cated and generous lay leaders such asGeorge and Margo Behrakis serving theChurch. All who attended the banquet ex-pressed their gratitude to Mr. and Mrs.Behrakis with a standing ovation.

ORTHODOX OBSERVER JULY - AUGUST 1998PAGE 22

IOCC LEADERS with local clergy and Metropolitan committee members at the Clevelandbanquet. (Ted Theodore photo)

Georgian PatriarchVisits Baltimore toDiscuss Relief Efforts

6th Annual IOCC Banquet Held in ClevelandThe Cleveland Committee of Interna-

tional Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)held its 6th annual banquet in benefit of thephilanthropic work of the organization onMay 19.

The pan-Orthodox banquet has becomea tradition in the Cleveland area and servesas a catalyst for raising approximately$120,000 annually.

Cleveland is well known for its long-standing pan-Orthodox endeavors and in-ter-Orthodox cooperation.

Of the 35 Orthodox churches in theGreater Cleveland area, 23 parishes wererepresented by over 450 guests in atten-dance from the Serbian, Greek, Russian/OCA, Ukrainian, Albanian, Antiochian, Ro-manian and Carpatho-Russian traditions.More than $39,000 have been received inpledges and $4,000 raised from the banquet.

The evening�s festivities began with thesinging of the Paschal Troparion, �Christ isRisen,� in Greek, Serbian, Arabic and English.

Fr. Peter Metallinos, host pastor, offeredthe invocation. Master of ceremonies forthe dinner program was Fr. Irinej Dobrijevic,IOCC�s Church Liaison Officer. DianeZamiska, local chairperson, welcomed the

guests and offered her appreciation to ev-eryone present and most especially to theoutgoing committee members, who hadserved together with her for the past twoyears.

Fr. Demetrios Simeonidis, who willsucceed Zamiska, then introduced theCommittee�s incoming officers.

Having presented a video on the workof IOCC, Chairman Ajalat brought to life theexperiences of IOCC�s work around theworld and put into perspective the missionof IOCC in response to the call of JesusChrist in the Parable of the Last Judgment(Matthew 25). His address drew upon hisbroad experience in IOCC�especially histour of seven countries in 1997, wherein heled an IOCC team in visiting Orthodox pa-triarchs, leaders and the IOCC field offices.

The day began with a luncheon at theUnion Club to honor major donors and pro-vide them with an opportunity to meetmembers of the IOCC Board of Directors.

The luncheon was hosted byCleveland�s Bert Moyar, vice chairman ofthe IOCC Board, and his wife, Marjorie,chair of the local IOCC nominating com-mittee.

BALTIMORE � Patriarch Ilia II, leader ofthe Orthodox Church in the Republic of Geor-gia, came here in late May to pray with fellowclergy and discuss relief efforts in his countrywith officials of the Baltimore-based Interna-tional Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC).

The Patriarch, on a two-week tour ofthe United States, was welcomed at theAnnunciation Cathedral by four priests anda deacon representing the Greek andAntiochian Orthodox churches and the Or-thodox Church in America.

The Rev. Constantine Monios, cathe-dral dean, stood at the entrance holding agold-plated book of the Gospels, the tradi-tional greeting for a member of the hierar-chy. The clerics filed into the sanctuary, sing-ing the Easter anthem �Christ is Risen.�

Fr. Monios said Patriarch Ilia�s visitcame seven months after that of Ecumeni-cal Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constan-tinople, the spiritual leader of the world�s300 million Orthodox Christians. �It is agreat honor to see you standing at the patri-archal throne that was graced on Oct. 23 oflast year by the Ecumenical PatriarchBartholomew,� Monios said.

After the service, Patriarch Ilia, 65, saidhe has been busy with the task of rebuild-ing since the country gained its indepen-dence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

�During the 70-year period of the Com-munist regime, there was a very heavy pres-sure on the church as well as the nation,� Pa-triarch Ilia said through a translator. �A lot ofcathedrals and monasteries were destroyedand a lot of clergymen were repressed.

�Our main purpose in Georgia today isto give faith back to our people so thatpeople should start to think and to work.�

The church is also helping to foster eco-nomic redevelopment in Georgia, he said.�Our people have to find ways to overcomethe social, economic problems,� he said.

Before the prayer service, Patriarch Iliamet with officials at the International Ortho-dox Christian Charities (IOCC) at its worldheadquarters at the Rotunda in North Balti-more to discuss humanitarian work in hiscountry and throughout the Orthodox world.

The Georgian Patriarch has been aleader in organizing relief and developmentprojects. In 1974, he established Lazarus,the humanitarian organization of the Geor-gian Orthodox Church that is a model forrelief efforts in other Orthodox churches.

�We cooperate with them in terms ofbroadening their capacity,� said ConstantineTriantafilou, IOCC executive director. �Allof our programs [in Georgia] run throughLazarus

Triantafilou said that IOCC projects inGeorgia include a program that employspeople who have been displaced by inter-nal ethnic strife to make blankets; feeding1,500 people a day in soup kitchens; anddistributing more than 33,000 food pack-ages each month.

Archbishop ChristodoulosReceives Archbishop of Cyprus

TIRANA, Albania � The Office of Pub-lications for the Orthodox Church recentlypublished the fifth edition of its newchildren�s magazine Gezohu� (�Rejoice�).

The monthly magazine is geared to-wards children ages 6 to 13 and distributedthroughout the country through the Church.Future plans include selling the magazinein bookstores in the major cities.

Archbishop Anastasios had desired fora long time to begin such a children�s maga-

Albanian Church �Rejoices� Over New Children�s Magazinezine. In September 1997 an editorial com-mittee, including a professor of child psy-chology, was selected and proceeded todecide the magazine�s name and format.Current editor is George Bushaka, one ofAlbania�s best-known children�s writers andpublishers.

The magazine�s content includes a va-riety of spiritual and educational themes. Itfeatures popular Bible stories, teachingsabout Orthodox feast days, adapted lives ofthe saints, and other religious topics, as wellas social and moral children�s stories, sci-entific articles, special sporting events, in-terviews and proverbs.

The multi-color magazine is full of il-lustrations, including photographs of histori-cal monuments. Also, special contests in-viting students to submit their artwork, po-etry and other writings are a regular featureof the publication.

DURRES, Albania � The Orthodox stu-dent organization �Sons of Light� sponsoreda three-day retreat here May 15-17 that at-tracted 113 university students.

Conference theme was �Our Relation-ships With God, the World, Our Families,and Our Future Spouse.�

Students participated in a variety ofspiritual and social activities, including morn-ing and evening worship services, four mainpresentations with small group discussions,time for confession and counseling, orga-nized skits, activities, games, and songs.

Presenters included theologians andspeakers from Albania, the United States,Greece, and Kenya, including Fr. Luke andFaith Veronis.

Student ConferenceHeld in Durres

MELBOURNE, Australia � A memorialservice and lecture organized by theRomiosini Association of Australia took placeMay 29 here as part of the annual com-memoration of the Fall of Constantinople in1453 AD.

The service commemorated the mar-tyrs of the siege during the Turkish conquest.

Service in Melbourne Commemorates Fall

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia - Fifteen Rus-sian pilgrims set off from the Pacific port ofVladivostok for a 6,250 mile walk to Mos-cow where they will mark the 2,000thChristmas 18 months from now.

The walk has received the blessing ofPatriarch Alexy II and is expected to bematched by somewhat shorter processionsfrom other corners of the far-flung RussianFederation.

The pilgrims plan to cover up to 16miles a day, although the bleak prospectsof crossing Siberia in winter will mean re-sorting at times to mechanized transport.Along the way, the pilgrims plan to holdchurch services, establish churches, set upcrucifixes and do various other Christianworks, they said.

�The procession is a Christian actionwhich symbolizes the rebirth of Orthodoxyin Russia, the growth of national self-aware-ness and the striving of the people for har-mony and peace,� walker Pavel Fadeyev toldreporters.

Russian Orthodox believers will cel-ebrate the 2,000th Christmas, the birth ofJesus Christ, on Jan. 7, 2001, 13 days afterother Christian churches, which use a dif-ferent calendar.

Russians Begin 6,250-MileMillennium Pilgrimage

ATHENS, Greece � Visiting Arch-bishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos met withArchbishop of Athens and All GreeceChristodoulos at the Athens Archdioceseoffices for talks on ecclesiastical and nationalissues.

In answer to several press questions,Archbishop Christodoulos reiterated that�those who react to his views from time totime will get used to him voicing his opin-ion.�

Later in the day, President of the Re-public Kostis Stephanopoulos received HisBeautitude Archbishop Chrysostomos fordiscussions on the latest developments re-garding the Cyprus problem.

The Archbishop of Cyprus later met withNational Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulosat the national defense ministry.

Afterwards, Archbishop Chrysostomosstated that �we are carrying out a struggleof national survival in Cyprus.

On his part, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos saidthat the Church of Cyprus and the armedforces in both countries have a common lovefor the homeland and a need to defend thesovereign rights of Hellenism.

He said that after 24 years (followingthe Turkish invasion of Cyprus) the peopleof Cyprus are struggling for justice and thesafeguarding of human rights throughoutCyprus.

Finally, Archbishop Chrysostomos metwith Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Sec-retary General Aleka Papariga.

After the service, a lecture was given in thechurch hall, by academician KostasHadjielias, who spoke on the importance ofpreserving Romiosini in Australia and in allother countries of the Diaspora. He said thatalthough the city fell to the Turks, Romiosinicontinues to survive through the power ofthe undivided Orthodox Faith.

LONDON (ENI).� Difficulties betweenOrthodox churches and other members ofthe World Council of Churches (WCC) inGeneva are just �family disagreements�, ac-cording to Catholicos Aram I, moderator ofthe WCC�s central committee. His com-ments, in an interview in London with ENI,follow growing criticism by some Orthodoxchurches, particularly the Russian andSerbian churches, of the WCC�s priorities.

�Family Disagreement�

JULY - AUGUST 1998 PAGE 23ORTHODOX OBSERVER

gible qualities. We make our churches whatthey are, according to the measure of faithand grace that we are willing to accept andto practice. Is it really enough for us to waitfor them to come to us, or do we take theinitiative and reach out to their needs onthe local level? If we truly are one family, aswe claim to be, we must embrace all thosewho are even loosely connected to our par-ishes, and offer them the same place at thetable that we would offer our own brotheror sister, our own sons and daughters. Rec-ognizing that the spouses of Greek Ortho-dox Christians are part of our wider familycan only enrich our parishes and our Arch-diocese.

And what about those whose lives havebeen broken, or in some sense shatteredby personal circumstances? What aboutsingle parents, people who have gonethrough divorce, and the children of di-

vorced and broken homes? What aboutfamilies that have blended from just thesekinds of situations, situations our immigrantparents and grandparents did not expectfrom their children. Is there going to be aplace at the table for everyone in ourChurch?

The complexion of our Church haschanged and is changing still. The table mustbe ever-widened so that everyone feels wel-come and sees themselves as being part, atleast in some degree, of the greater whole.

There must be a place at the table forour non-Greek speakers and our non-Englishspeakers. There must be a place at the tablefor fellow Orthodox Christians from otherethnic traditions, so that they feel honoredand respected by their Greek Orthodoxbrethren. There must be a place at the tablefor all women who desire to serve theChurch. There must be a place at the tablefor all of our youth, because our future is

created in the present.If we take nothing else away from this

Congress, I pray that we shall take away anexpanded view of ourselves as Greek Or-thodox Christians, who are part and parcelof American culture. And with that expandedself-understanding, comes the willingnessand the responsibility to share our faith fullywith others, even if they don�t fit into ourpre-conceived notions of who should belongto our Church. Let our stamp on Americanreligious culture be the love of Christ, amessage of hope that is filled with the con-tent of our faith.

We can and should spend the next fewdays debating and discussing the processby which all this should happen, but it willnever happen unless we demonstrate in tan-gible ways our love for each other, our un-derstanding of our own Faith, and a visionfilled with hope.

I know that this task is not easy. At theend of this month, I will mark two years sincemy election as your Archbishop. Change,accepting change, and negotiating change

is difficult, especially when we all care sovery deeply about what we believe.

But these are times of change. As aChurch that is composed primarily of Ameri-cans of Greek descent, we are in a processof evaluating and coming to judgmentsabout what means to be Greek OrthodoxChristians who are part of America. Americahas been called a melting pot, but this isreally not accurate. We want to retain thoseprecious characteristics of our heritage, ourlanguage and our history. We don�t wantto lose them. But we want them to work inthis great and marvelous experiment calledAmerica.

And from coast to coast, the circum-stances of our Church vary widely, such thatwhat works in a community, for example,in Chicago, might not work in Atlanta. Soas we consider ourselves as a whole, weare left wondering whether we will be ableto find the means to hold on to the core, theheart of our identity.

Archbishop Spyridon�s Addressfrom page 6

34th CLERGY � LAITY CONGRESS

GREEK MUSIC & VIDEO

GREEK MUSIC & VIDEO SUPERSTORE25-50 31st STREET, ASTORIA, NY 11102

When in New York, visit our musicSuperstore, with 6,000 ft of show-room, where you will find any GreekCassette, Compact Disc or Video in theMarket. You may find all Greek Musicand Video at unbelievably low prices.

CONSIGMENTS FOR CHURCHFESTIVALS - PLEASE CALL

1998 GENERAL CATALOGKõêëïöüñçóåKõêëïöüñçóåKõêëïöüñçóåKõêëïöüñçóåKõêëïöüñçóå êá- êá- êá- êá- êá-ôÜëïãïò ôïõ Êáëï-ôÜëïãïò ôïõ Êáëï-ôÜëïãïò ôïõ Êáëï-ôÜëïãïò ôïõ Êáëï-ôÜëïãïò ôïõ Êáëï-êáéñéïý, ìå êáôá-êáéñéïý, ìå êáôá-êáéñéïý, ìå êáôá-êáéñéïý, ìå êáôá-êáéñéïý, ìå êáôá-ðëçêôéêÝò ðñïóöï-ðëçêôéêÝò ðñïóöï-ðëçêôéêÝò ðñïóöï-ðëçêôéêÝò ðñïóöï-ðëçêôéêÝò ðñïóöï-ñÝò êáé üëåò ôéòñÝò êáé üëåò ôéòñÝò êáé üëåò ôéòñÝò êáé üëåò ôéòñÝò êáé üëåò ôéòíÝåò êõêëïöïñßåòíÝåò êõêëïöïñßåòíÝåò êõêëïöïñßåòíÝåò êõêëïöïñßåòíÝåò êõêëïöïñßåòáð' ôçí ÅëëÜäá.áð' ôçí ÅëëÜäá.áð' ôçí ÅëëÜäá.áð' ôçí ÅëëÜäá.áð' ôçí ÅëëÜäá.Åðßóçò êõêëïöïñåß ïÅðßóçò êõêëïöïñåß ïÅðßóçò êõêëïöïñåß ïÅðßóçò êõêëïöïñåß ïÅðßóçò êõêëïöïñåß ïÃåíéêüò ìáò Êá-Ãåíéêüò ìáò Êá-Ãåíéêüò ìáò Êá-Ãåíéêüò ìáò Êá-Ãåíéêüò ìáò Êá-ôÜëïãïò ãéá ôï 1998.ôÜëïãïò ãéá ôï 1998.ôÜëïãïò ãéá ôï 1998.ôÜëïãïò ãéá ôï 1998.ôÜëïãïò ãéá ôï 1998.224 óåëßäåò ãåìÜôåò224 óåëßäåò ãåìÜôåò224 óåëßäåò ãåìÜôåò224 óåëßäåò ãåìÜôåò224 óåëßäåò ãåìÜôåòáðü üëç ôç ÅëëçíéêÞáðü üëç ôç ÅëëçíéêÞáðü üëç ôç ÅëëçíéêÞáðü üëç ôç ÅëëçíéêÞáðü üëç ôç ÅëëçíéêÞìïõóéêÞ êáé âßíôåïìïõóéêÞ êáé âßíôåïìïõóéêÞ êáé âßíôåïìïõóéêÞ êáé âßíôåïìïõóéêÞ êáé âßíôåïðïõ õðÜñ÷åé óôçíðïõ õðÜñ÷åé óôçíðïõ õðÜñ÷åé óôçíðïõ õðÜñ÷åé óôçíðïõ õðÜñ÷åé óôçíáãïñÜ.áãïñÜ.áãïñÜ.áãïñÜ.áãïñÜ.

VIDEOTRANSFERSFREE UPON

REQUEST

ANTZELA DIMITRIOU100%

CD: 4960-752 $ 24.98CS: 4960-754 $ 15.98

N. KARVELAS (VISSI)ENA HRONO ...

CD: 4915-912 $ 25.98CS: 4915-914 $ 15.98

ZIG ZAGSKONI (SINGLE)

CD: 4218-212 $ 9.98

KAFTES EPITIHIES '98THE LATEST HITS

CD: 4915-112/3 $ 39.98CS: 4915-114/5 $ 29.98

THALASSA - 55 NONSTOP ORIGINAL HITS

CD: 4914-362/3 $ 39.98CS: 4914-364/5 $ 29.98

GIANNIS VARDISAMA DIS TA PEDIA...

CD: 4236-842 $ 22.98CS: 4236-844 $ 12.98

LITSA GIAGOUSIAPISTIA (SINGLE)

CD: 5813-02 $ 9.98

TH. ADAMANTIDISVAVEL

CD: CDMBI-10719 $ 21.98CS: TCMBI-10719 $ 9.98

MARINELASE APROVLEPTES...

CD: 5586-892 $ 19.98

EL. KOSTANTOPOULOUENSTIKTO

CD: CDFM-459 $ 21.98

LEFTERIS PANTAZISTHALASA (SINGLE)

CD: 5958-02 $ 9.98

GIORGOS MAZONAKISPEDI... (Remixes)

CD: 5673-592 $ 19.98

VIKTORIA HALKITIINE FORES

CD: 4236-092 $ 21.98CS: 4236-894 $ 11.98

EFFI SARRITET-A-TET

CD: 4237-732 $ 21.98CS: 4237-734 $ 11.98

ÊÁÉ ÐÏËËÅÓ ÁËËÅÓ ÊÕÊËÏÖÏÑÉÅÓ, ÌÁÆÉ ÌÅ 20 ÊÁÉÍÏÕÑÃÉÅÓ ÊÑÇÔÉÊÅÓ ÊÕÊËÏÖÏÑÉÅÓ ÓÅ CD.

NEW SUMMER RELEASES

GARGANOURAKISSEVDADES KE...

CD: CDCRET-1263 $15.98

KAKLIS-ALEFANTINOSOLA GIA TIN AGAPI

CD: CDCRET-1242 $15.98

KRITIKA MERAKIA #2VARIOUS ARTISTS

CD: CDCRET-1243 $15.98

I MEGALI SINANTISIVARIOUS ARTISTS

CD: CDCRET-1256 $15.98CS: TCCRET-1256 $ 9.98

K. MELISOURGOUSERIANI CYCLADES

CD: CDCRET-1356 $15.98CS: TCCRET-1356 $ 9.98

MIL&MYR SKOULASKRITIKI KANTADA

CD: CDCRET-1210 $15.98CS: TCCRET-1210 $ 9.98

STAVRAKAKIDESASTROFEGIA

CD: CDCRET-1297 $15.98

MOUSIKI THISAVRITIS KRITIS No 1

CD: CDCRET-1401 $15.98CS: TCCRET-1401 $ 9.98

25-50 31st STREET, ASTORIA NY 11102 � FAX: 718-932-4911TEL 718-932-8400 - CALL FREE: 800-473-3522 or 800-GREEK 22TEL 718-932-8400 - CALL FREE: 800-473-3522 or 800-GREEK 22TEL 718-932-8400 - CALL FREE: 800-473-3522 or 800-GREEK 22TEL 718-932-8400 - CALL FREE: 800-473-3522 or 800-GREEK 22TEL 718-932-8400 - CALL FREE: 800-473-3522 or 800-GREEK 22

After much demand, weare adding one more ser-vice to our customers. Weconvert videos from theGreek system (PAL-SECAM) to the American(NTSC) and vice versa.Your order will be done byprofessional quality digitalconverter, at new low-lowp r i c e s .

ONLY $25.00

FOR FIRST 2 HRSPrice includes blankcassette and S&H.

55originals

See ADDRESS on page 27

ORTHODOX OBSERVER JULY - AUGUST 1998PAGE 24

FOR 30 YEARS THEULTIMATE IN GREEK& AMERICAN MUSIC

of NEW YORK

e-mail: Trojan888@aol.com

STEFANAArtistically designed and

handmade utilizing:leather, flowers, pearl

beads, crystal-likeflowers and silk flowers

Custom framing available

HandcrHandcrHandcrHandcrHandcraftedaftedaftedaftedaftedHeirHeirHeirHeirHeirloomsloomsloomsloomslooms

TTTTTel.& fel.& fel.& fel.& fel.& fax (781) 862-8435ax (781) 862-8435ax (781) 862-8435ax (781) 862-8435ax (781) 862-8435Free catalog available

We Ship Anywhere

Wedding and Christen-ing items, Favors, Marti-rika, Vaptistika, Ecclesi-astical items.We ship anywhere!(718) 721-9190(718) 721-9190(718) 721-9190(718) 721-9190(718) 721-9190

KENTRIKON-NOUFARO23-33 31 St.

Astoria, NY 11105

COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL INVESTMENTSLARGE AND SMALL RESTAURANTS

CALL YOUR SOUTH FLORIDA CONNECTIONG R E E K S P O K E N F L U E N T L Y

THOMAS DELIS Realtor Associate954/568-0082 days 954/781-0140 evenings

HUBERT & WEST, INC. Realtors2000 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Suite 203, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33306

C L A S S I F I E D A D SLEGAL SERVICES REAL ESTATE/BUSNS MUSICIANS

Dr. Kimon A. LegakisAthens University Law SchoolUMaster of Law, Hervard Law School

Doctor of Law, GreeceUCertificate of International Law, Hague Academy of Int�l Law

L e g a l C o n s u l t a n tO F F I C E S

209 Garth Road

Scarsdale, N.Y. 10583

& (914) 725-4717(914) 725-4717(914) 725-4717(914) 725-4717(914) 725-4717Fax: (914) 725-4936

14 Nikitaras StreetAthens 106 78, Greece

& (011-301) 383-3340& (011-302) 992-7111

Fax: (011-301)382-0838

With emphasis on: Settlement of Inheritance, Taxes, DisputedProperties, Civil, International Family and Business Law in Greece

GEORGE KENT�GREEK�AMERICAN�INTERNATIONALORCHESTRA & ENTERTAINMENT

EXPOSÉ REQUESTED! �BOOK EARL�BOOK EARL�BOOK EARL�BOOK EARL�BOOK EARLY FOR 10% REBY FOR 10% REBY FOR 10% REBY FOR 10% REBY FOR 10% REBAAAAATE!�TE!�TE!�TE!�TE!�

CALL KENT 1-914-476-3020or write: 118 Bolmer Ave., N.Yonkers, NY 10703-1637Send for stereo cassette albums �Zorba� or �Athena� $11.00 for one, $20 for both to address above.

ONLY TRUST YOUR SOCIAL TO A PROVEN NAME GROUP OF FULL TIME PRO-FESSIONAL MUSICIANS ENTERTAINERS, AT AFFORDABLE PRICES, WHO�SONLY BUSINESS IS MUSIC. PERFORMING AUTHENTIC GREEK MUSIC OF ALLREGIONS, COLONIES OF GREECE. FEATURING THE �PRIME VOICE OFGREECE...� THE CLARINO & BOUZOUKI PLUS VOCALS. BEWARE! OF GREEKBANDS PROMISING AMERICAN MUSIC, THEN PLAYING TAPES! ALL OURMUSIC IS PERFORMED �LIVE�...OUR AMERICAN SOUNDS PURE AMERICAN,WITH NO ACCENT!

INTERNET: http://www.vali.com � Email:Music@vali.com

Featuring

Gus Vali&

Gabriel

Tel.:201.768.9100

TEL: 1-800-421-0639 or 713/626-0808FAX: 713/626-3019

E-mail: 73344,334 @compuserve.com

U.S IMMIGRATIONVISAS AND CITIZENSHIP

James D. Prappas*

Attorney and Councelor at Law3555 Timmons Lane, Suite 1450

Houston, Texas 77027

*Board certified Immigration and Nationality LawTexas Board of Legal Specialization

36 West 44th Street � Suite 1300,New York, NY 10036

U.S. IMMIGRATION � TAXATIONBUSINESS LAW

INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTIONSWILLS & ESTATES

Dr. ARES D. AXIOTISATTORNEY AND COUNSELOR AT LAW

Tel.: (212) 840-3422 or (203) 255-3312

MEMBER OF N.Y. AND CT BARS

ÄÉÄÁÊÔÙÑ ÐÁÍ/ÌÉÏÕ OXFORD, ENGLANDÔ. ËÅÊÔÙÑ ÍÏÌÏËÏÃÉÁÓ ÐÁÍ/ÌÉÏÕ CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND

RANGAVES PETERSMALL DANCE BANDSLARGE ORCHESTRAS

American � Italian � FrenchGreek � German � Latin

3342 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95407Call Peter 707-526-1138

MISCELLANEOUS

Leading CharLeading CharLeading CharLeading CharLeading Charterterterterterand Tand Tand Tand Tand Tour Operour Operour Operour Operour Operaaaaatortortortortor

NOBODY CAN BEAT OUR PRICESMAIN OFFICE: 55E. 59th Street, New York, NY 10022Tel.: (212) 753-1100 Toll Free: (800) 223-5570

ÅËËÇÍÉÊÏ ÔÕÐÏÃÑÁÖÅÉÏ

40-12 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria, NY 11105Tel.: (718) 545-2323Fax: (718) 545-2366

ÕÐÅÕÈÕÍÏÔÇÔÁ

& ÓÙÓÔÅÓ ÔÉÌÅÓ

Ëåõêþìáôá ãéáóõëëüãïõò êáé

êïéíüôçôåò

LETTERHEADS ¦ LOGOS ¦ ENVELOPES ¦ BUSINESS CARDSJOURNALS ¦ MAGAZINES ¦ BOOKS ¦ BOOKLETS ¦ WEDDINGINVITATIONS ¦ SIGNS ¦ BANNERS ¦ COMPUTER GRAPHICS¦ PAPER SIGNS ¦ COLOR BROCHURES ¦ MENUS ¦ ADS

PROF. SERVICES

D I M I T R I O S P A N A G O SPHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO

Web page:http://www.panagos.com

Å WEDDINGS Å BAPTISMS Å PORTRAITS Å NEWS Å PASSPORTS

111 Broadway (Rt. 107), Hicksville, N.Y. 11801

(516) 931-2333

The Wedding Belle(410) 563-09993825 Eastern Avenue

Baltimore, Maryland 21224Original favors for all occasionsMartirika, Wedding Crowns &Decorated Candles, Coufetta,

Unique Stephana CasesWE SHIP ANYWHERE

WEDDINGS

KOSTAS TASLISKOSTAS TASLISKOSTAS TASLISKOSTAS TASLISKOSTAS TASLIS& His Orchestra& His Orchestra& His Orchestra& His Orchestra& His Orchestra

Greek and American MusicKlarino - Bouzoukee etc.

Featuring Katerina - Vocalist

PMT TO: Omikron Record Co. P.O.Box 91347 Bacon Str., Winchester, MA 01890

___ #CDs @15.00 ___ #CASSETTES @ $10.00TOTAL DUE: $ _____ ( )Check ( ) M.O.

ORDERORDERORDERORDERORDEROUR NEWESTOUR NEWESTOUR NEWESTOUR NEWESTOUR NEWEST

RELEASERELEASERELEASERELEASERELEASE

Call Kostas(781)729-2643

Add$3.00 ea.

s & h

SE THEMAMESE THEMAMESE THEMAMESE THEMAMESE THEMAME& GREEK MAKARENA& GREEK MAKARENA& GREEK MAKARENA& GREEK MAKARENA& GREEK MAKARENA

RESULTSIS WHAT YOU GETBY ADVERTISING

IN THEORTHODOXOBSERVER

CALL:Tel: (212) 774-0235

1998 YEARBOOK

ARCHDIOCESE YEARBOOK

1998

The 1998 edition of the Archdiocese Year-book can be ordered by sending a check ormoney order for $15 per book postpaid to:

(make checks payable to Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America)YEARBOOK

GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA8 E 79ST., New York, NY 10021

(Please do not send cash � Allow up to 2 weeks for delivery)

Order Now!

ÁÈÇÍÁ-ÊÁËËÉÈÅÁÃùíßá ÓðÜñôçò êáé ÓïöïêëÝïõò.2 õðíïäùìÜôéá, óáëüíé, êïõæßíá,ìðÜíéï. ÌåãÜëï ìðáëêüíé ìðñï-óôÜ, ìéêñüôåñï ðßóù. 5ïò üñï-öïò äéáìðåñÝò. Ôçë. êõñßáÐåôñÜêç. (973) 267-3434

or (973) 455-1838

CAPE SOUNION AREARare large hilltop parcel, 11 plusstremata, overlooking sea andvalley. Thirty minutes from Ath-ens airport, in area of yearround and vacation villas. Firmprice $375,000 (US). Subject toincrease. For serious inquiriesonly! Call:(207) 282-1197

WE NEED TWO TO FOUR MOTIVATEDCOACHABLE LEADERS SEEKING FINANCIALFREEDOM. CALL (800) 399-2914

MYKONOSFOR SALE150 stremmata

20 min from town. Hill topoverlooking the sea.Call:Dallas: (214) 987-3487Mykonos:(0113-0289)24 249

KALAMATA(STOUPA)

Beautiful seaside village nearKardamili. Private house,garden. Terrace with Seaand Mountain views.100meters from beaches/shops.$150,000 (212) 477-6720

PERICLES REAL ESTATEFOR ALL YOUR

REAL ESTATE NEEDSNEW YORK STATE & GREECEWe Are THERE For You!

Esther Pericles, Broker(914) 561-6681

MOVING ?

A N D Ask your parish to forward your name and newaddress to the Observer in order for you to continue

receiving the newspaperI F you move but your new home is located in the

district of the same parish, then list your new addressbelow:

If you are moving, please attach your old label tothis coupon and mail to the �Orthodox Observer�

8 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10021

NAME___________________________________________

ADDRESS______________________________________

CITY___________________STATE ________ZIP_______ �OUR NEWVOICE ´

FAX ´

(212) 570-3555

(212) 774-0239

RESTAURANTIN NEWPORT NEWS VA.

FOR SALE or LEASE1,000,000 in Sales annually.Building 7,350 sq.ft. Landaprox. 1.38 acres. Parking for150+ cars. Serious inquiriesonly. Write to: P.O.Box 12173,Newport News, VA 23612

HOTEL- KOS ISLAND GREECECentral harbor, 300 yd. popular beach 2134m2,52 rooms and 9 staff rooms. LRG AC Bar. In houselaundry. Heating & Solar. Built 1981 by owner.Only $800,000. CALL: (860) 536-1978www.hippocrates.gr/hotels/paradise.

JULY - AUGUST 1998 PAGE 25ORTHODOX OBSERVER

challengeYouth Ministry

ChallengeChallengeChallengeChallengeChallenge is the youth supplementto the Orthodox Observer producedby the Department of Youth & Young

Adult Ministries.Articles reflect the opinion of the writers.Write to the Office of Youth & Young

Adult Ministries, Greek OrthodoxArchdiocese of America

8 East 79th Street,New York, New York 10021

� To subscribe to the Youth OfficeListserver, send an e-mail to:m a j o r d o m o @ l i s t . g o a r c h . o r g� In the BODY of the e-mail, type in:subscribe youth

Email: youthoffice@goarch.org

What DoYou Think?

YO

UT

H S

PO

TL

IG

HT

Young people are intrigued by their tal-ent, charisma and economic success; ad-vertisements with slogans such as �I wannabe like Mike� encourage the young fans ofprofessional sports athletes to emulate theirdress, their behavior, and their attitudes.Kids everywhere are purchasing MichaelJordan, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O�Neillproducts, just to name a few. Whether theydesire it or not, professional athletes arerole models and they have been granted aforum through which they may affect livesand serve as positive examples to their fans,especially young people. But do they al-ways live up to this high ideal?

Webster�s dictionary defines �rolemodel� as �a person, so effective or inspir-ing in some social role, job, etc. as to be amodel for others.� Effective they may be indisplaying their athletic abilities but mostprofessional sports athletes fall short of in-spiring the kind of behavior that we wouldlike our young people to emulate. Of course,there are good role models in the sportsarena but, unfortunately, it seems that theyare few and far between. For example, re-cent statistics indicate an alarming rate ofout-of-wedlock children fathered by profes-sional sports athletes. The exact percent-age is unknown as many of these cases aresettled out of court and out of the publiceye to protect the image of the athlete, butit is estimated that �one out-of-wedlock childfor every player is a good ballpark figure.For every player with none, there�s a guywith two or three.� (Sports Illustrated; May4, 1998) Granted, professional athletes havealways had many sexual opportunities, butshould these temptations encourage irre-sponsible behavior?

In addition, more often than not, wehear of incidents in which players resort toaggressive behavior, violent confrontations,and the shouting of obscenities simply be-cause they do not agree with a call or theyfeel in some way threatened by anotherplayer. Take a moment to observe youngkids playing at a basketball court or abaseball field and you�ll see much of thesame behavior. What kind of a messageare many sports athletes then sending totheir very impressionable young fans? Verysimply, that resorting to violence and reck-

Out in Left Field: Sports Role Models

Speaking of role models, Sts. Peter &Paul, whose feast day we celebrate on June29, were two athletes of the first centurywho effectively displayed their athletic abili-ties. No, Sts. Peter and Paul were not pro-fessional athletes, per se, but they were ath-letes for Jesus Christ. Their goal was thesalvation of their souls and in order to attainthis they ran a race. They ran the race of lifeto reach the finish line, the Kingdom of God.

As all athletes do, they too needed togo through training in order to achieve theirgoal but their training consisted of spiritualdiscipline. It was difficult. To reach the King-dom of Heaven, they knew that they had totrust God, rely on His Will, offer themselvesselflessly to serve others and humble them-selves by suffering physical and mental pun-ishment from those who didn�t believe. Theywere able to endure all this and emerge vic-torious through a daily diet of prayer, fast-ing, and repentance of heart.

Sts. Peter and Paul were Christian ath-letes who lived up to the high ideal of a trueOrthodox Christian. Thus, let�s imitate theirfaith and perseverance so that we too may�run with endurance the race that is setbefore us, looking unto Jesus, the authorand finisher of our faith, who for the joythat was set before Him endured thecross, despising the shame, and has satdown at the right hand of the throne ofGod.�

By Maria Karalekas

C To pop singer Jewel. In a recent interview she said, �We all affect theworld no matter how public or

anonymous we are... I think we do have aresponsibility to ourselves and to each otherto be kind and responsible... What kids getnowadays is usually so affected, so manipu-lated, so hyped, so hip... When I watch MTVor listen to the radio, I�m horrified.�

D To �Ally McBeal� for pushing the envelope on nudity on network televi-sion. Granted, it was only for a quick

second that we saw Courtney Thorne-Smith�s character with no clothes on, but itwas a cynical bid to win ratings throughscandal, and will no doubt have othersshows racing to catch up.

D To John Starks of the New YorkKnicks. Before being ultimately shutout of the playoffs by the Chicago

Bulls, after winning a game against the Bulls,Starks said, �We won because God was withus tonight.� God wasn�t with the Bulls, John?God is always with us, and we should nevermake the mistake of confusing earthly suc-cess with having God�s favor.

D To Leonardo DiCaprio for his decision to play a sadistic killer in thenew film, �American Psycho.� As

he has a huge teen following, a violent filmof this nature will undoubtedly have a dis-turbing effect on teenagers and other fans.Taking into consideration the recent out-break of violence by young people, he woulddo well to consider the consequences of hischoices.

By Fr. Mark LeondisWhen asked who is your role model,

most American youth will respond to a ma-jor sports figure or musician. A few yearsago, I was running a discussion group at anOCF (Orthodox Christian Fellowship) re-treat. For an ice-breaker, I asked the ques-tion, �if there is one thing you would like tobe in this life, what would it be?� The an-swers varied from athletes, successful busi-ness people and millionaires. One youngman answered hesitantly, �A Saint. If thereis one thing I would like to be it is a Saint.�

This is a powerful response for a youngcollege student. In our holy Orthodox Tra-dition, we are blessed to have role modelsof the highest degree. A Saint, literally mean-ing �a holy person� is a role model for usall. With God as the source of true holi-ness, all Christians are called to be saints.Fr. George Poulos in his book, OrthodoxSaints, states that these men and women...of names that appear on religious calend-ers. They are flesh and blood human be-ings who acted above and beyond the callof Christian duty.�

The greatest youth workers contest thatthe best way to reach young people isthrough a story. Christ used stories andparables to communicate the message of thekingdom. What better way to reach youngpeople than through the lives of the saints.By using these real life stories, not only arewe opening up a whole new world to them,but also giving them positive Christian rolemodels to look up to. In today�s society,we need to read the lives of the Saints,teach the lives of the Saints and live thelives of the Saints.

ELENA GOTTREICHSaints Peter & Paul, Glenview, IL

PROFILE: 16 years old; Junior atGlenbrook South High School; favor-ite subjects are History and English;member of her H.S. Debating Team;is thinking of majoring in either medi-

cine or banking once in college; involved inJunior Olympics; GOYA basketball player

SERVICE: member of GOYA; serviceprojects include going to Colorado to cleanup a monastery and going to �ProjectMexico� and building a house for a needyfamily; helped raise money throughfundraisers to defray the cost of theseprojects; Sunday School student; frequentlyreads epistle in church; helps clean herchurch once a week; involved with a schoolcommunity project called �Key Club�; visitsnursing homes; raised money to benefit theMultiple Sclerosis Foundation

ADVICE TO PEERS: �The decisions youmake today will affect you for the rest ofyour lives.� Put everything into perspective.Don�t get caught up in the present moment.Think about how your actions today will af-fect your future lives.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Your body isa temple of God. We deface the image ofGod within us when we don�t live accord-ing to His commandments. We owe Godour lives and everything we do should re-flect our beliefs and our faith in Him.

�Run the Race�

YOUTH WORKER TIPS:Who�s Your Role Model?

less behavior is an acceptable response tosolving one�s problems and it�s all right tothrow a temper tantrum every once in awhile if you don�t agree with something.

Some may say,�Well, it�s just notcool for a player tobe pushed aroundby another player or togive in to an unfair call with-out a fight or some trash talk.�According to whose standards isthis acceptable behavior? If we�retalking about the world�s standardswhich teach �An eye for an eye anda tooth for a tooth� or�Give as good as youget,� then, yes, it�sdefinitely not cool toback down in the faceof aggression. As Orthodox Christians,though, these are not the criteria we use tomeasure the appropriateness of our behav-ior. Christ taught us that �blessed are themeek, for they shall inherit the earth.� (Matt.5:5) The worldly definition of meek is�too submissive; spiritless,� while theBible tells us that meekness is �strengthunder control.� Quite a contrast! But thenagain, �He was in the world, and the worldwas made through Him, and the world knewHim not.�

Christ�s teachings have always been for-eign and in opposition to the reigning cus-toms and beliefs of society but �What will itprofit a man if he gains the whole world,and loses his own soul?� (Mark 8:36) Thereis nothing more valuable to us than the sal-vation of our souls and saving our souls doesnot depend on how �cool� or �tough� weare but rather on the inner strength we ex-ert to remain humble and meek when weare tempted by arrogance and pride. It�sunfortunate that most of society�s role mod-els, with a very few exceptions, are thosewho are famous for all the wrong reasons.Christ said, �Learn from Me, for I am gentle[meek] and lowly in heart.� (Matt. 11:29) Heis the ultimate role model because He notonly taught us through His words, but mostimportantly, He showed us through His ex-ample how to �love your enemies, blessthose who curse you, do good to those whohate you, and pray for those who spitefully

use you and persecute you.� (Matt. 6:44)Is this the rule that sports figures live by?Are these the standards that determine ourbehavior and our reactions?

The truth is it takes a lot moreeffort to �turn the other cheek�

when our egos are threatenedthan it does to react with an-ger and hostility. Thus, we

must decide and choose whichmaster we are going to serve.

If it is Christ we wish to followand if we seek the salvation of our

souls, then we must make everyeffort to discipline ourselves and

our children towards humil-ity and selflessness.

Christ said, �If anyonedesires to come afterMe, let him deny

himself, and take up his cross, and followMe.� A high calling indeed which requiresobedience and self-denial but promises ev-erlasting peace, joy and �exceeding great-ness of His power toward those who be-lieve.� (Eph. 1:19)

ORTHODOX OBSERVER JULY - AUGUST 1998PAGE 26

M A R K O S travelserviceDAILY DEPARTURES

with

V NON-STOP FLIGHTS ON JUMBO747V EASY CONNECTIONS from anywhere in the U.S.A.at UNBELIEVABLE LOW RATES!

289$

Call Markos Travel Now!NATIONWIDE TOLL FREE

800-243-7728CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS

800-842-8260

644 SILAS DEAN HWY.WETHERSFIELD, CT 06109

449$

*

*One Way áðü

Round trip

OTHER FLIGHTS

*A LimitedNumber of Seats

Owner:Markos

Hatzikonstantis

...BOOK NOWAND SAVE!

+ THE PLANNER +1998-1999

The Orthodox Daily Organizer & CalendarTheme: �Liturgical Worship�

Use THE PLANNER to keep track of your work or schoolschedules, personal appointments, church activities and much more...

� Bible readings, saints� feasts, holy days, national holidays noted each day� An organized, clear calendar week on a 2-page format� Monthly calendar for quick reference� Fasting periods visually marked with graphics� Weekly inspirational passages� Web site information ORDER NOW!

Name:_________________________________________________________

Address:_______________________________________________________

City:____________________________________State:______Zip:_________

Send me __________ copies at $5.00 each, plus $1.00 for s & h (for each planner)*Send your check or money order to: Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministries

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America8 East 79th St, New York, NY 10021� (212)570-3560 � (212) 570-3587 - FAX

�

OUR 4TH GRAND HELLENIC CRUISEOnce in a lifetime winter escape

January 15 - 25, 1999

OLYMPIC COUNTESSof the Greek

� Magnificent Greek ship� Greek Captain, Greek Crew, Greek atmosphere� Fabulous Greek Entertainment exclusively for our group

SUPER EXCITTING ITINERARY: San Juan, Santo Domingo, Guadeloupe,Barbados, Orinoco River (Venezuela), Puerto Ordaz (Venezuela), St.Lucia, Martinique, St. Croix. Plus extraordinary lectures on board.

Space is very limited. Book now and $AVE! For colorful brochures and reservations call or fax the experts:

$UPER DEALS from $999 pp (cruise only)

Mail requests to: Odyssey Travel Center, P.O. Box 30409, Bethesda, MD 20824-040928 years of service to the Greek Community

ODYSSEY TRAVEL CENTER, INC.7735 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, Maryland 20814

Tel.: (301) 657-4647Since 1970 In the Nation�s Capital The No. 1 Tour Operator to Greece

Fax: (301) 587-7988

One Person FREE For Every 9 Paid

10-Day and 11-Day Spectacular Cruises

COMPARE OUR PRICES � THEY�RE A FANTASTIC BARGAIN!Special rates offered to Community groups, organizations,GOYA, Young Adult League (GOYAL, AHEPA and others.

34 th CLERGY � LAITY CONGRESS

Archbishop Spyridon�s Addressfrom page 23

If you know the history of our Churchthrough the centuries, you know that this isnothing new. The legacy of Hellenism issomething that goes back thousands of yearsbefore the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.And it took centuries for the harmony be-tween Greek thought and Christian beliefto come to pass. Remember how in theearly Church, it was often the Greek Chris-tians who felt excluded, who felt that theywere being left out of their place at the table.

But God has His own ways of bringingabout His will for His children. The Lordsaid it best: What is impossible for man, ispossible with God. As we face the chal-lenges of finding our way in this vast Ameri-can culture, let us keep our hope in God,Who will always show us the way. Our taskis to remain faithful to Him; to our Holy Tra-dition; and to the life of the Church. Thisfaithfulness to tradition is the very thing thatis inspiring so many converts to come toOrthodoxy in recent years. They are yearn-ing for the authentic faith of Christ, as it hasbeen preserved in our Holy OrthodoxChurch. And this is what our young peopleare looking for as well. They have benefitsthat our parents and grandparents never had.But for all our material, educational and so-cial success, our youth still crave the spiri-tual riches of our Greek Orthodox Tradition.Our responsibility to them; our responsibil-ity to our forebears; and our responsibilityto ourselves is to live out our Faith in all itsfullness. This wonderful land of Americagives us the right to do so, with a freedomunparalleled in the world. What a shame itwould be if we sold our birthright, as Esauthe brother of Jacob did, for the satisfactionof our own egos. You may remember thestory of Esau and Jacob. Esau traded hisinheritance to his brother than for no otherreason than he was hungry. He felt the needfor immediate satisfaction. It was an all ornothing proposition. But the life of theChurch, the life of Christ, is a continuousspiritual process. We cannot legislate spiri-tual maturity for our Archdiocese. Itemerges under the inspiration of the HolySpirit. At any given moment, in any givenlocale, we must do the serious work of theChurch, and find the best means to bring allour faithful to the fullness of the life in Christ.And this means we all must change.

For some of you, change brings aboutnew hope and a new sense of pride. Forothers, it brings disappointment and frus-tration. For yet others, it brings feeling ofinsecurity and even fear.

I want you to know that I do under-stand the difficulty and the complexity of thisevent of change. For example, the recogni-tion of the vitality and creativity of this vastwestern hemisphere, and the establishmentof new eparchies in Canada and Central andSouth America by the Patriarchate, hascaused some of you to fear that the Arch-diocese is being compromised. On the con-trary, this is a logical and needful step in thedevelopment of these countries, and it is thelove of the Mother Church which is expand-ing opportunity for all Orthodox living in theWestern Hemisphere.

How then are we to respond? Withfear-mongering? With panic? With fore-casts of doom and catastrophe? Rather, asmature Christians, let us keep all these de-velopments in the proper perspective, andnot allow ignorance, or agendas foreign tothe work of Christ to prevail in the Church.The agenda of the Church is plain andsimple. It is not about power. It is not aboutmoney. It is about the Christian service oflove and ministry of reconciliation that iscentered in the transformation of the hu-man person by living the Liturgy in the powerof the Holy Spirit.

The same could be said for other is-sues of the past two years: the elevations ofthe Diocesan Bishops to the rank of Metro-politan, the changes at the Hellenic College/Holy Cross, the reorganization at the Arch-diocese headquarters in New York, the tran-sitions in the National Boards � all of thesecan be seen from different angles and per-spectives. This is natural enough. But whatis unnatural is to misuse these changes tocreate fear and confusion among the faith-ful. Our joint responsibility, your duty asleaders of the Greek Orthodox communi-ties from around the nation, is to protectand promote the mission of the Church. Andthat mission is the salvation of the world.That mission is one of love, mercy and for-giveness. That mission is the same missionour Lord gave to His Apostles: �Go there-fore into all the world. Make disciples of allnations, baptizing them in the Name of theFather and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,and teach them to observe everything I havecommanded you.� This mission is notAmerican. It is not Greek. It is not Russianor Serbian, or Bulgarian or anything else. Itis Christian. And it can only be fulfilled bypeople who live, think and act as Christians.For as the Lord said: �They will know thatyou are Christians if you love each other.�We can say whatever we want. We canwrite whatever we desire. But if love is notmanifest in concrete deeds and actions, theworld will not believe us.

The same goes for this Clergy-LaityCongress. It doesn�t matter how many reso-lutions we make. You cannot legislate love.So remember, my friends, when you are try-ing to persuade your neighbor over the nextfew days, and convert him or her to yourown way of thinking, think about convert-ing your own heart. If we demonstrate ourlove for each other, then and only then, willwe have the certainty that the will of Godhas been performed.

As I consider the period of change, bothas your Archbishop and as a person, I readilyadmit that is has been difficult and complexfor me. When I arrived in this blessed Arch-diocese, I quickly learned that the expecta-tions of some, were not the expectations ofothers. I realized that the hopes and dreamsof the faithful of this Church spanned thewhole range of their own personal experi-ence. I have been challenged every day bythe innumerable expectations of so many,to find the means to meet the needs of all. Iknow that what is pleasing to some, can bedisappointing to others. I know that changecan be painful, because I too have experi-enced this pain.

But I must tell you that as I have trav-eled the length and breadth of this Nation, Ihave been encouraged by the faithful whoattend Church every Sunday, who ministerto our youth, who instruct our children inthe faith and in our heritage, who sing in thechoirs, who support with their time, their tal-ent and their resources the ministries of theirlocal parish, their Diocese and this Archdio-cese. When I have embraced these people,and looked into their eyes, and witnessedtheir faith in action, and seen that they trulybelieve in their Church, I am strengthened. Iam renewed and I am refreshed. The prayers,the encouragement, the support, and the loveof the Greek Orthodox People of America hasbeen my greatest joy during these past twoyears. Whenever the administrative burdensof this Church have weighed heavy on myshoulders, it has always been the good,humble, decent Greek Orthodox Christiansof this Archdiocese, who have inspired meto carry on.

You see, I hope that each one of youwho is here at this Congress understandsthat it is the hundreds of thousands of Greek

JULY - AUGUST 1998 PAGE 27ORTHODOX OBSERVER

SEMINARIAN PROFILEfrom page 18

ARCHBISHOP SPYRIDON�S ADDRESSfrom page 26

SCHOLARSHIPSfrom page 20

we are emboldened to do about anything.We are full of zeal. As we get a little olderwe doubt whether all of this is real or not.But we still have faith to reach out and be-hold the risen Lord. And when we have ex-perienced the risen Lord, we are againemboldened to serve Him in building HisKingdom.� What is your most noteworthy memoryat Holy Cross?My first Holy Week, when we attended aseminar taught by Fr. Calivas. He explainedthe practices and theology surrounding thismost Holy Week. We also served the chapelas a class.� How can the Church reach the un-churched?By truly being the Church. When the Churchoffers itself as a place where all are welcometo come and worship, no matter of race, thenthe unchurched will come. The church mustbe willing to reach out to support all whoare suffering and in need of comfort. Bywelcoming all people, not just a certain

group which we define, then the church ful-fills Christ�s commandments. Christ ispresent in the unchurched, and it is our re-sponsibility to reach out to them in love andcare as we would Christ Himself.� How can the Church keep its youngpeople?We can keep the youth in the church bymaking church meaningful to them. I re-member in my confirmation class at theLutheran church that for three years welearned about the Christian faith and whywe are Christians. The first year we learnedthe Old Testament; the second, we learnedthe New Testament; and the third, welearned Luther�s catechism by heart. Dur-ing this period of intense instruction, we hadto sacrifice our time and energy if we wantedto be members of the church. By this I amnot saying that we should introduce confir-mation into the practice of the Orthodoxchurch- rather, I am suggesting the impor-tance of meaningful education for the youththat demands sacrifice, something similarto the Jewish Bar Mitzvah, where the youngJewish boy is totally immersed into theteachings and customs of Judaism.

�I�m so thrilled and honored to be aGreek. I promise that I will make all of youproud with the name. Take Marilu Henneroff those books right now,� she said point-ing at the display of her books in the back ofthe room, �I�m changing it tomorrow toMarilu Kalogeropoulos.�

Henner also congratulated the schol-arship recipients. �Thank God for these kidshere,� she said, �stay in school and get agood education, because it really pays off.�

The scholarships were distributed byVice-Chair Margo Catsimatidis who ex-claimed �Every student deserves a chance.�

Also featured was an exclusive debutconcert performance by Sony Internationalrecording artist Anna Vissi. With tambou-rines clapping, maracas shaking and neonnecklaces being passed about the crowd,

Vissi electrified the crowd with her dynamicon-stage presence for nearly two non-stophours.

Born in Cyprus, Vissi has become thetop recording artist in Greece and Cypruswith numerous gold and platinum albums.Earlier this year, She won eight Greek Mu-sic Awards including Best Album and BestSong for �Trauma.� The talented vocalist isnow making waves on American shores aswell with her recently debuted English single�Forgive Me This.� Continuing in this un-precedented direction, Sony plans to haveVissi record an entire English language al-bum.

Following the award presentation, JohnCatsimatidis, Hellenic Times publisher andRed Apple Group chairman, personallythanked the event benefactors and sponsors.

Orthodox Christians who make up this Arch-diocese that are the real reason we are here� all of us. We don�t represent them, forwe are not a government. We serve them;for they are our family. They are our broth-ers and sisters.

As Archbishop, I am also grateful to themembers of the Archdiocesan Council fortheir service; but I must tell you, no moregrateful than I am to the thousands of par-ish council members who give so willinglyof their time, their talents, and their re-sources to serve our Church every day.

I am grateful to the members of Lead-ership 100 who have given our Archdiocesea bountiful endowment, but no more grate-ful than I am to the yiayiades who live onSocial Security and never miss a tray that�spassed in Church.

I am grateful to the committee chairsand members, but no more grateful than Iam to the youth workers, the Greek andSunday School teachers, the choir membersand altar boys, who every day offer of them-selves to make our parishes work togetherfor the glory of God.

This is the meaning of liturgy � thepeople�s work, and throughout our Arch-diocese, there are people who strive to makethe St. George�s and St. Nicholas� and St.Katherine�s places where anyone can feelwelcome, and find a place at the table ofour Church.

I am grateful to the National Board ofPhiloptochos and the Boards of our nationalinstitutions, for their sacrifices for these in-valuable national ministries. But I am no

more grateful to them, than I am to the tensof thousands of faithful Philoptochos womenwho have been the backbone of our com-munities for decades. And as much as Ivalue the contribution of the Trustees of ourNational Ministries, I value the employeesof these same institutions, and all the vol-unteers who do so much to make them whatthey are.

I stand here before you today, as yourArchbishop, full of gratitude and full of hopefor the future, because I see in your facesthe limitless possibilities that God wants usto have. We can accomplish great thingstogether, for the sake of our faith and thesake of our precious children, but I say again,only if love guides all of our deliberationsand actions.

During the past two years, it has beenmy utmost desire to be a responsible stew-ard of the offerings of the faithful of this HolyArchdiocese. A faithful steward is a stew-ard not only of financial resources, but ofthe deeper treasures of the human heart.

We are called to be good stewards ofthe unity of this Archdiocese. The spiritual,administrative, and canonical unity of thisHoly Archdiocese of America must be pre-served, enriched, and passed on to a gen-eration yet to be born. We are called to beunited in faith, in good works, in fellowship� in, by and through love. As vast as ourChurch in America is, as diverse as the per-sonal experience of each one of us, as com-plex as the character of our communities,we are one, united, Greek Orthodox Arch-diocese of America!

We are called to be good stewards ofthe faith that has been passed down to us.

Religious education has been given thecharge and is creatively producing materi-als to meet the needs of young and old alike,those born Orthodox, those who are em-bracing the faith every day, and those whohave not even heard of the Good News ofOrthodox Christianity. Religious Educationis a priority today, and into the New Millen-nium.

We are called to be good stewards ofthe preaching ministry of the Church. Newinitiatives are taking place and must be fur-ther developed to preach Orthodoxy, to liveOrthodoxy, and offer Orthodoxy to this greatcountry of America. Home Missions is apriority today, and into the New Millennium.

We are called to communicate the Faithusing every means at our disposal throughthe incredible advancements of our Infor-mation Age. For this reason, the Commu-nications Department of the Archdiocesehas been empowered to use the Internet,to use the Orthodox Observer, to employ arevitalized Publications effort, to expand ourvideo ministry through GOTelecom, to bringthe Good News of Jesus Christ to our ownpeople and to the world. Communicationsis a priority today, and into the New Millen-nium.

We are called to be good stewards ofour most precious resource � our families.For this reason, new initiatives are takingplace and must be further developed toreach out to our non-Orthodox spouses, toour venerable aging parents, to our children,to single parent families, to the neediestamongst us. Families are a priority today,and into the New Millennium.

The Lord said that a good steward isone who brings new treasures out of oldones, and we have an ancient and awesomeheritage, the legacy of Hellenism. For thisreason, new initiatives are taking place, notonly to enrich our faithful with the treasuresof the Greek language, but with the wholepanoply of Greek culture, philosophy andlearning. The legacy of our forefathers is apriority today, and into the New Millennium.

We are called to be good stewards ofthe material blessings that God has show-ered upon us in this great land of America,and that the faithful entrust to the Churchout of their own gratitude and love for God.For this reason, every effort has been made,and will continue to be made, to offer thefaithful of this Archdiocese, the most com-prehensive and exhaustive procedures, au-dits and a fully open and disclosed programof financial accountability. That which isoffered to the Church, is offered to ChristHimself; therefore, it is not any law that re-quires accountability, but rather our LordWho demands it, and we shall be faithful toHis demand. Financial accountability is apriority today, and into the New Millennium.

Finally and most importantly, we arecalled to be good stewards of our ParishCommunities. The life of every Parish be-gins at Hellenic College and Holy CrossGreek Orthodox School of Theology. Holy

Cross is the pride and joy of this Archdio-cese of America. I know in my heart thatHoly Cross is the key which will open thegates to the New Millennium of Orthodoxyin America.

This Clergy-Laity Congress must makea commitment and take a stand to ensurethat every young man and every youngwoman, who aspires to the priesthood or alife of service in the Church, has the oppor-tunity to fulfill their calling. For it is theseyoung men and women who will be servingus today and our children tomorrow. As anArchdiocese, it is our holy obligation to en-sure, that as we enter the new Millennium,every Parish will be ministered to by a de-vout, well-educated, well-trained priest. Itis our sacred responsibility to encourage andnurture vocations to the Holy Priesthoodwithin our families, within our local parish,and throughout the Archdiocese.

At this moment, I would like to thankall of the retired clergy of our Archdiocese,who after four and even five decades of faith-ful, dedicated service, continue to ministerto the needs of those parishes that at timesdo not have the resources to maintain a full-time priest.

The dawn of the New Millennium is notime to speak of scaling back the ministry ofthis Archdiocese, of consolidating parishesfor lack of priests, of closing parishes whichhave sanctified the faithful for generations.At the dawn of the New Millennium, is iteven conceivable that we will preside overthe closing of churches which our parentsopened? Do we honor the sacrifice of ourforefathers and the blessings of God by re-treating from the two thousand year oldmission of the Church? Saint Paul neverclosed a church. St. Peter never closed aChurch. St. Andrew never closed a church.In America, the land of liberty, of freedomof expression and freedom of religion, dowe even have the right to consider closing achurch?

The Vineyard of the Lord, Which Hisright hand has planted, our beloved Arch-diocese of America, has a single root �Hellenic College and Holy Cross. The fruitof this vine is what feeds and sustains ourfaithful all across this great country. I wantto take this moment, to thank my belovedbrother in the Lord, Metropolitan Isaiah, forthe love and the care with which he hascultivated this vine over the past year. Allof us who have gathered together for thisClergy-Laity Congress can do no less, thanto offer our very best: our prayers, our tal-ents and our resources to ensure that Hel-lenic College and Holy Cross continue tobe the light set on the Hill, that will illumi-nate our way into the New Millennium.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, truly wehave gathered in His Holy Name. Let usrejoice in His presence among us. Let usrejoice in each other. Let us set about ourwork in the knowledge that He is with usthrough His grace, love and His infinitemercy. Amen.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES: St. Basil Academy is now accepting applications for the following positionsfor the 1998-1999 Academic Year commencing on September 1, 1998:

FULL-TIME: Six (6) Student Life Staff positions for the following shifts:Afternoon (1pm to 9pm shift) � Evening/night (9pm to 8am shift) � Weekends (8am to4pm and 1pm to 9pm)Must have experience working with children; knowledge of the Greek language andculture and Greek Orthodox religion preferred; knowledge of therapeutic recreation aplus. Must possess a valid drivers license and provide references. Salary commensuratewith shift; housing & medical coverage are provided.PART-TIME: Four (4) Tutors for the following hours 4pm-6pm2 Special Education tutors � 1 Language Arts tutor � 1 Mathematics tutor-also- � 1 Registered Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse � 1 Psychologist/Social WorkerFax resume to:

Human Resources Department, St. Basil Academy @ (914) 424-4172.

Rte 2 Box 8A � Garrison, NY 10572 � tel. (914) 424-3500

St. Basi l Academy

ORTHODOX OBSERVER JULY - AUGUST 1998PAGE 28

ORLANDO, Fla. � Hundreds of wild-fires burning unquenched for more than 40days did not stop nearly 900 young adultswith an unquenched burning for spiritualfulfillment from attending the 16th annualYoung Adult League National ConferenceJuly 2-5.

By Jim Golding

The four day gathering of young peoplefeatured spiritual workshops, forums, wor-ship services and a trip to Sea World wherethey were entertained by Shamu the killerwhale.

Following the Divine Liturgy on July 2,officiated by Atlanta Diocese vicar BishopAlexios of Troas, young adults were greetedat a brunch by Archbishop Spyridon.

�It brings joy to my heart to see yourfaith, your joy, your enthusiasm and love forone another,� His Eminence said. He dis-cussed at length the importance of knowingwhat faith in God means and to be obedient.

�Learn as much as you can about whatfaith in Christ is,� he told them, and ex-pounded on the theme of �one faith, onefamily and one future.�

Keynote speaker Fr. James Gavrilos ofSt. Mark�s Church in Boca Raton, delivereda powerful, attention-grabbing 30-minutepresentation on the Church as family andits unifying elements of salvation, theology,liturgical life and ascetic struggle.

�The early Church was bound by thecommon experience of redemption and sal-vation in Jesus Christ,� Fr. Gavrilos said.�They were too busy sharing and rejoicingthe great work that Jesus Christ has done intheir lives.�

By contrast, Fr. Gavrilos cited the con-trast of a modern, pluralistic society, inwhich Orthodox faithful ask: �Can�t wechange. Can�t we modernize and becomerelevant?�

He told the young adults it was their�sacred duty to preserve and protect the faiththat was once and for all delivered to thesaints.�

The priest from Boca Raton also saidthat today�s Orthodox lack the excitementfor worship that early Christians possessed,including its ascetic life.

Answering a common criticism that suchan emphasis in not practical in today�s mod-ern life, he declared that �the Church hasnever been practical. �That which is practicalis not necessarily correct, and that which iscorrect in not necessarily practical.�

Meeting with His EminenceAfter a series of spiritual workshops,

YAL members convened with ArchbishopSpyridon in a question-and-answer forum.Questions dealt with topics that includedmarriage, divorce, proper worship, theshortage of priests, tradition, and the roleof women in the Church.

�We belong to a Church that respectswomen more than any other Church,� saidHis Eminence. �The problem arises whenwe confuse roles�we will not permit a con-fusion of roles. We won�t re-invent thewheel.� The Archbishop emphasized that thequestion of women in the priesthood wasnot a proper theological argument, but �itdoesn�t mean that women don�t play animportant role in the Church.�

Part of that question from a woman

shaking things up.�At her first conference, Christina

Kalavrouzitios of New York said of the YALConference in general that she enjoyedmeeting others in her age group and �willdefinitely go to another one.�

Bill Thanos and Jerome Pappas, bothof North Carolina, commented on how well-organized the conference was.

Grand banquetClimaxing the four-day conclave was

the grand banquet, complete with a towncrier and trumpeter who heralded the eventsof the program, from announcing the open-ing of the ballroom, to the benediction byArchbishop Spyridon.

Keynote speaker was a young British

Inclusiveness is Themefrom page 1

best performance in over five years,� withthe deficit, more than $1 million about threeyears ago, reduced to about $476,000, withmost of that caused by extraordinary ex-penses relating to the doubling of insurancecoverage.

In response to the issue of staffing de-cisions at HC/HC, Archbishop Spyridon saidthat �the Church has taken care of sustain-ing the livelihood of the reassigned clergy.

He also stated the fact that Holy Crosshas not lost its accreditation, and has evenacquired additional accreditation in the pastyear from other Orthodox seminaries inGreece and elsewhere.

Patriarchal messagePrior to His Eminence�s speech, Met-

ropolitan Panteleemon of Tyroloi andSerention, the Ecumenical Patriarchate�srepresentative to the Congress, delivered thepatriarchal message in which he focused on

the theme of unity in the context of Ortho-dox Christianity.(Complete text appears inthis issue of the Observer).

�Unity for us Orthodox Christians doesnot, of course, mean uniformity, or beingturned into a herd,� said the Metropolitan.�It rather means spiritual harmony, concur-rence of faith and love towards the Lord JesusChrist. Only the unity in Christ is full andreal, since all other types of unity based onother principles are unstable and fragile.�

He also said that unity �means the re-lease and liberation from the desire for self-projection and vain egoistic distinction. Suchantagonisms arising from this distinction arethe main cause of personal clashes and dis-putes, which lead to schisms and divisionsof any society, even the Church.�

The Metropolitan urged the faithful inthe Church in America to work for the unityof the Church for a common future in thenew millennium through an indissolublefaith in Christ.

16th YOUNG ADULT

LEAGUE CONFERENCE

Wildfires Don�t Overpower YAL Fires of Faithfrom Corpus Christi, Texas,

dealt with whether girls mayparticipate in the cross-div-ing ceremony duringEpiphany. His Eminenceresponded with �I see no

problem with girls diving forthe cross as long as they are

not dressed provocatively.�On the issue of Church tradi-

tion, a man from Boca Raton askedwhether the Church in America is, indeed,�something new� and �different from (theChurch in) other parts of the world becauseof our identity as Americans.�

Archbishop Spyridon answered that hewas fearful that the Church in America waslosing its historical connection to traditionalOrthodoxy, and cited several examples.

�I�m frightened by the fact that iconveneration has been all but abolished,� said

the Archbishop. He specifically referred tothe defunct practice of venerating the iconson the iconostasion, in addition to those inthe narthex. �The first thing a Protestant re-jects is the icon, and that is frightening whenthey transform it into something decorative.We must open our eyes before it�s too late,�adding, �our role is to Orthodoxize Americaand not vice versa.�

Anglican priest, theRev. Mark Farr, whoserves as director offaith communities forthe America�s Prom-ise organization,founded by Gen.Colin L. Powell.

Rev. Farr com-pared his organiza-tion�s commitmentto young people inAmerica to that of theGreek OrthodoxChurch for its youngpeople. Speaking ofthe �societal crisis� inAmerica in whichmore than 1 million

HIS EMINENCE meets with Young Adult League board members during the YAL conference(D.Panagos photo)

ARCHBISHOP SPYRIDON addresses theYoung Adult League Convention

young people are members of teen-agegangs, Fr. Farr said that �faith groups suchas the Greek Orthodox Church have theanswer� through their existing structure andservice to their communities. He made aplea to the Young Adult League members totake an active part in helping the mission ofAmerica�s Promise.

In his comments that followed the key-note speaker�s, Archbishop Spyridon toldthe young people to �guard the treasures ofyour forbears� by maintaining the OrthodoxChristian faith and �the truth of Christ�sministry in your mind.�

The Archbishop continued, �Your pres-ence here speaks of your desire to knowthe Lord.� He encouraged them to presenttheir faith by reaching out to their peers whomay have fallen away from the faith and notto be hesitant because it may not be con-sidered �cool or hip.�

�Christ Himself calls you to guide a lostgeneration,� the Archbishop said. �You canbe cool and hip and be champions for Christat the same time.�

Archbishop Spyridon also presented theMedal of St. Paul to George Gigicos, headof the local organizing committee for theconference.

Commenting later about the conferenceto the Orthodox Observer, Mr. Gigicos saidhe felt �there were no low points� to theconference. �The entire thing was an abso-lute success,� and praised the work of thehost committee.

Committee members included JasonCaros, Helen Demos, Dean Gionis, StaceyGionis, Krisa Gionis, Barbara Hughes, MichaelHughes, Elina Kassianides, Arthur Papa-nastasiou, George Poole, Steve Snyder, GinaTalantis, Martha Theodore, Georgia Trian-tafyllou, Olga Tsirambiris, Pete Tsirambiris,Sally Tsirambiris, Angela Vlahakis, MatinaVourvopoulos and Hannah Wiggins.

Positive reactionsA sampling of opinions from some

young adults showed a very positive feelingabout the conference.

�A lot of people here were spirituallyhungry,� said one woman from Philadelphiaattending her first conference. �They don�twant a diluted Orthodoxy.� She said thatwhile some attended the workshop on in-terfaith topics, the greatest gift is to teachthem what agape and their faith means.�

�The workshops were very beneficial,there always is something new presented,�said Mary Siatis of Fairfax, Va. She especiallyliked the open forum with ArchbishopSpyridon. �It was interesting to hear himspeak on different issues such as abortionand birth control.�

Tom Arianas of Merrick, N.Y., attend-ing his fifth conference, said he was �reju-venated� and �inspired to go back and start

HIS EMINENCE at the Youth Rally

(N.Manginas photo)

(N.Manginas photo)