Culture

His Eminence Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia visited Oslo on the weekend of June 17-19, 2017 at the invitation of the Greek Parents’ Association of Norway to join in the festivities marking the end of the school year.

The Center for Family Care of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese will host its second family ministry conference, The Orthodox Family in a Changing World, in an effort to explore critical issues in the family life-cycle and practical methods to address them in the parish and the home.

The St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine, which commemorates 500 Greek settlers who arrived in Florida in the 18th century will celebrate the 249th anniversary of Greek Landing Day Greek Orthodox Shrine on St. George Street on June 26. The ceremony will begin at 11 AM.
In 1768, 1,402 people from Asia Minor, Greece, Italy, France, Corsica and Minorca sought a new life in the New World. About 500 of these pilgrims were Greeks and more than 200 died in the passage.

A survey undertaken by the Pew Research Center reveals that religion has reasserted itself as an important part of individual and national identity in the countries that were once part of the communist bloc and Yugoslavia where communist regimes persecuted believers and promoted atheism.

The 2017 Comprehensive Examination in Modern Greek administered by the Direct Archdiocesan District Office of Education will take place Monday, June 19, from 1:15 – 4:15 p.m.

The Metropolis of Boston and Annunciation Church hosted this year’s 34th annual St. John Chrysostom National Oratorical Festival the weekend of June 9-11, 2017

The congregation of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Salt Lake City welcomed Rev. Archimandrite George Nikas on June 4, Pentecost Sunday. Father Nikas, who will serve as Dean of the Cathedral, told parishioners that he comes with “an open heart and mind.”
Born in Athens, Greece, and raised on the East Coast of the US, Father Nikas, the son of a Greek Orthodox priest, said he is “hoping to learn from all of you, to share your vision for an even brighter tomorrow for our community and to help in ensuring that this parish continues to be a shining gem of our Holy Metropolis of Denver.”

On Friday afternoon, 13th/26th May 2017, while being on a pilgrimage visit, a group of eighty monks of the Vatopedion Monastery of Mount Athos, under their Hegoumen Archimandrite Ephraim visited the Patriarchate, at the presence of the Most Reverend Metropolitans Athanasios of Limassol from the Church of Cyprus, and Ioustinos of New Krini and Kalamaria from the Church of Greece.

The Salt Lake Tribune has spotlighted the attractiveness of the Orthodox faith in a state dominated by Mormons and Protestants. The recent adoption of Orthodoxy by Hank Hanegraaff, author and host of the long-running, “Bible Answer Man” broadcast, had joined the Greek Orthodox Church, has drawn mainstream media attention to the phenomenon.
Hanebgraaff now serves as a priest at Sts. Peter and Paul, a parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese in downtown Salt Lake City.

The prestigious Pew Research Center shined a spotlight on the resurgence of Orthodoxy in Russia and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe. A survey of 18 countries found that the recent increase in religious belief and identity is not accompanied by high levels of religious practice, such as regular church attendance.

The All Saints Greek Orthodox Church is celebrating its 100th anniversary in Weirton, WV. The parish was born just 10 years after Weirton was established as a city.

Holy Trinity Cathedral of Salt Lake City welcomed its new Dean on Pentecost Sunday, June 4. Rev. Archimandrite George Nikas succeeds the revered Rev. Matthew Gilbert, who died last September at the age of 58.

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America received yesterday the visit of His Grace Bishop Christoforos of Karpasia (Cyprus) who is visiting the United States in a mission to save the cultural heritage of Cyprus and Orthodoxy in the occupied areas of Cyprus.

Two new educational videos were released by the Department of Religious Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.The first is called “We Offer These Gifts: The Proskomide Service” and the second “Vested in Grace: The Liturgical Dress of Orthodox Clergy.”

On Tuesday morning, 9th May 2017, a Foreign and European Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Cyprus, headed by the President of the Committee Mr. George Lillika, visited the Patriarchate, escorted by the Ambassador of Cyprus in Tel Aviv Mrs. Thessalia Siambou.
The Committee was warmly received by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos with Geronda Secretary-General Most Reverend Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, and other Hagiotaphite Fathers.

America is already deep into Greek Festival season. Over the May 21 weekend, the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension in Oakland, CA, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, hosted its 45th annual festival. 20,000 visitors were expected to the event whose theme was ‘Come be a Greek, even if it’s only for the weekend.” The parish, led by Father Tom Zafares, was also pleased to also present its Orthodox faith and traditions to its neighbors.

With the blessings of His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver, The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver will host a Young Adult Conference on September 1 – 4, 2017 in Houston.

President Donald Trump included an historic visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Western Wall during his trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories. His Beatitude Patriarch Archbishop Theophilos III of Jerusalem welcomed Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the entrance of the courtyard of the Church of the Resurrection.

Hellenic College Holy Cross School of Theology graduated 52 students at its 75th commencement May 20, which also awarded an honorary doctorate of humanities to entrepreneur and philanthropist George Logothetis and an honorary doctorate of divinity to Fr. George Poulos, a 1948 graduate of Holy Cross Seminary in Pomfret, Conn.

The international media is paying increasing attention to the observations of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on major issues. During his recent visit to Cairo to participate in a peace conference sponsored by Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of the prestigious Al Azhar mosque, His All Holiness spoke about the world entering a “Post-Secular Age.”

This Mother’s Day weekend (May 13-14, 2017), the historic parish of All Saints, “a beacon of Orthodoxy in the Ohio valley,” celebrated its 100-year anniversary and His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios Geron of America together with the local hierarch, Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh led this feast of faith, joy and love.

Keynote Address of Michael G. Psaros, Treasurer of the Archdiocesan Council on the Centennial Gala Celebration
for All Saints Greek Orthodox Church
of Weirton, West Virginia
May 13, 2017

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America arrived today in Weirton, West Virginia to participate in the Centennial celebration of the Greek Orthodox Church of All Saints.

All Saints Greek Orthodox 2017 Parish Council