August 7, 2018
NEW YORK – His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America celebrated the great feast of the Transfiguration of Christ, August 5-6, 2018
On Sunday August 5, 2018, and in advance of the feast, His Eminence celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Transfiguration, in the picturesque town of Mattituck, Long Island, where many Geek Orthodox faithful keep vacation homes, while others reside in the area permanently.
Following the Divine Liturgy and the blessing of the loafs (artoclasia), the Archbishop surprised everyone and elevated the Rev. Hieromonk Ignatios Achlioptas, the pastor of the community, to the office of Archimandrite. Fr. Eleftherios Constantine, the Archbishop’s deacon assisted in the Liturgy. The parish presented his Eminence with their contribution to assist the fire victims in Greece and made an additional collection for towards the same goal. Thereafter, the community hosted a luncheon in honor of the Archbishop.
On the feast day of the Transfiguration, Aug. 6, 2018, Archbishop Demetrios presided at the Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Transfiguration of Christ at the Greek Orthodox Church of Sts. Constantine and Helen in Jackson Heights, N.Y. Taking part in the Liturgy were the Very Rev. Archimandrite Chrysostom Panos, Chancellor of the Direct Archdiocesan District; the parish priest Very Rev. Archimandrite Iakovos Koutsakis and the Rev. Fr. George Anastasiou, priest of the nearby Greek Orthodox Church of the Transfiguration in Corona, N.Y., and Fr. Eleftherios Constantine, the Archbishop’s deacon. The Church of the Transfiguration has been severely damaged by fire in May 2017 and it is in the process of reconstruction. The parish of Sts. Constantine and Helen hosts the congregation of the Corona parish while their Church is rebuilt.
Archbishop Demetrios in his sermon to the congregation explained the importance of the feast of the Transfiguration and spoke about light as the main element of the Transfiguration.
“How fervently are we praying to God for this great gift of His light, so we can be the illumined people of love and truth?” the Archbishop asked and stated: “We are sons and daughters of light, so let us ask God to fill our hearts and lives with the light of His Transfiguration, dissolve the gloom and darkness of injustice, corruption and poverty all over the world.”
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