His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presided over the Divine Liturgy on the First Sunday of Luke, September 27, 2026, at the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Theologian in Tenafly, New Jersey. He was welcomed by the Cathedral Dean, Rev. Protopresbyter Panagiotis Lekkas, and the faithful of the community.

In his homily, Archbishop Elpidophoros expressed his joy at worshipping with the parish while serving as Patriarchal Vicar of the Metropolis of New Jersey. Reflecting on the Gospel account of the miraculous catch of fish, he focused on the example of Saint Peter and the transformative power of faith.

Using Peter’s response to Christ’s command to cast his nets once more despite a fruitless night of fishing, the Archbishop described faith as trusting in God’s word even when circumstances suggest otherwise. He noted that Peter’s willingness to act in faith ultimately led not only to a miraculous catch, but also to his calling as an Apostle.

The Archbishop emphasized that Christians are likewise called to move beyond fear, guilt, and doubt, trusting in God’s mercy and love. He explained that Christ’s invitation to Peter to become a “fisher of men” was a call to bring others into the fullness of life found in Him.

Concluding his homily, Archbishop Elpidophoros encouraged the faithful to follow the example of Saints Peter, James, and John by leading lives worthy of Christ’s calling and striving toward the Kingdom of Heaven.

Following the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence greeted the numerous groups of the Cathedral, including the Parish Council, Archons, Philoptochos, choir, altar servers, children and others.

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NEW YORK, September 27, 2026 — The National Greek Folk Dance and Cultural Ministry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the University of Ioannina have announced a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a framework for academic, cultural, and educational cooperation focused on the preservation, teaching, and resource development of Greek traditional dance and cultural heritage.

Approved by the Holy Eparchial Synod in October 2025 and inspired by the vision of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, the new ministry is an initiative dedicated to preserving, promoting, and celebrating Hellenic culture as a vital expression of the Orthodox faith.

The partnership is designed to connect academic research and expertise with the lived cultural experience of Greek diaspora communities in the United States in order to strengthen the transmission of Greek heritage to future generations.

Under the MOU, the institutions will explore collaboration in areas including Greek traditional dance, dance anthropology, folklore, cultural identity and heritage, education, and artistic expression. Planned areas of cooperation include educational programs and workshops, curriculum and resource development, scholarly research and publication, student and faculty exchanges, professional development for dance educators, and opportunities for students and researchers to pursue projects addressing cultural sustainability and the transmission of Greek dance traditions.

“This collaboration represents an important bridge between scholarship and community,” said George C. Demos of the ministry’s National Advisory Board. “By bringing together the academic resources of the University of Ioannina, the faith through culture mission of the new ministry, and the national reach of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, we can create new opportunities to preserve, understand, teach, and celebrate the traditions that connect generations of Hellenes and philhellenes.”

The partnership received an early public celebration at Kefi @ Mile High, a cultural weekend presented by the Hellenic Dance Academy of Denver, on September 25-26, 2026. The Denver gathering brought together members of the Greek-American community for workshops, discussion, and a glendi with folk musicians from the U.S. and Greece. The event featured the participation of ministry leadership along with Dr. Christos Papakostas, Professor in the Department of Primary Education and Director of the Laboratory of Language, Folklore and Culture at the University of Ioannina, who signed the MOU on behalf of the University.

The National Greek Folk Dance and Cultural Ministry mission is to promote, preserve, educate, and celebrate Hellenic dance, music, song, and cultural traditions to teach and spread the Orthodox Christian Faith, and to foster a dynamic community in which cultural heritage serves as a living witness to the beauty of the Orthodox faith, engaging current and future generations. Follow the Ministry on Instagram. For more information about Kefi @ Mile High, visit www.kefiatmilehigh.com.

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28 catechumens were received into the Orthodox Church this past Sunday through Holy Baptism and Chrismation at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Shrine Church in Flushing, New York. His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presided over the service, which marked a milestone in Orthodox Christian outreach across the Western Hemisphere.

The baptisms were the culmination of missionary work led by Fr. Samuel Davis and Archimandrite Chrysostom Onyekakeyah, directors of the Apostolic Mission to the African Diaspora in the Americas, West Indies, and Caribbean. Their ministry has focused on bringing the Orthodox faith to diverse communities, particularly members of the African Diaspora across the Americas, the West Indies, and the Caribbean, as well as African immigrants.

> Read: His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America’s full homily 

Through pastoral care, catechetical instruction, and community outreach, Fr. Samuel and Archimandrite Chrysostom have built missionary networks that welcome seekers from a range of backgrounds. The 28 newly illumined, children and adults, are the result of that work.

At the start of the service, the two priests led the catechumens into the narthex, where they professed their allegiance to Christ. Archbishop Elpidophoros then invoked the Holy Spirit upon the baptismal waters, anointed the water with oil, and immersed each catechumen three times. He then sealed each with the gift of the Holy Spirit in Chrismation, and the newly baptized received their first Holy Communion. Clothed in white robes and bearing candles, they were welcomed into full communion with the Church.

> Watch the Archbishop’s entire homily.

In his address, the Archbishop said the day reflected the essential apostolic mission of the Church: to go forth and make disciples of all nations.

“Before our very eyes, so many beloved souls have been united to Christ and incorporated into His Holy Body, the Church. Through the waters of Holy Baptism and the seal and the Gift of the Holy Spirit—Holy Chrismation, you have been born anew. You have put on Christ. You have entered into the Communion of the Saints,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said.

“And now I say to you: This is your Church. This is your family. This is your home,” His Eminence said.

The service at St. Nicholas, a parish known for its cultural breadth and deep community roots, celebrates a part of a broader trend of converts to Orthodoxy in America. The mission reaches communities throughout North America, the West Indies, and the Caribbean basin, and it brings people of diverse ethnic backgrounds into one Eucharistic assembly at St. Nicholas.

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Rev. Dr. Eugen J. Pentiuc, Dean of Holy Cross and Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies, will offer a weekly Bible Study every Thursday at 7:00 PM Eastern via Zoom.

Part of The Scriptorium Initiative at Holy Cross, funded by Lilly Endowment, this Bible Study is open to everyone: seminarians, clergy, faithful, seekers, and all who wish to discover more deeply how Scripture is read, interpreted, and lived within the Orthodox tradition.

Coming October 15, 2026. For more information and registration, visit thescriptoriuminitiative.org.

Recurring zoom link to the weekly Bible Study: https://hchc-edu.zoom.us/j/84399084787?pwd=sxU3jn3SdX2lsMLJI55aQkiKX0PnmB.1

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The Very Rev. Archimandrite Augustinos Psomas and the Rev. Protopresbyter Georgios Antoniou visited the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to receive the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros as they prepare to begin their new assignments. His Eminence has appointed Fr. Augustinos as Dean of Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and Fr. Georgios as Proistamenos of Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Media, Pennsylvania.

A native of Corfu, Fr. Augustinos studied theology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, and earned a master’s degree in Byzantine music. He most recently served the Dormition of the Theotokos community in Holmdel, New Jersey.

Fr. Georgios most recently served Saint Nicholas in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Before coming to the United States, he ministered in Greece and devoted many years to journalism and promoting the work of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

His Eminence asks the faithful to welcome both priests warmly and to keep them and their new parish communities in prayer.

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For Anna Maria Alonso, having a voice means embracing the responsibility to use it. Through the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s Girl Delegates to the United Nations program, Anna Maria was given the opportunity to advocate for issues impacting women and girls through the lens of her culture and faith. 

The program, founded by Niki Devaris-Morgulis and operating through the Archdiocese’s Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical, and Interfaith Relations, allows Greek Orthodox high-school girls to utilize their unique talents and uplift them to go forth and become the next generation of change-makers and peace-builders.

 Whether asking questions in a conference room at the U.N. or listening to women share stories of violence, displacement, and persecution, Anna Maria, through the Girl Delegates program, has come to understand advocacy as more than simply speaking, but an opportunity to speak for those who cannot. As a young Greek Orthodox woman with aspirations of becoming an international human rights lawyer, that responsibility has become central to the future she is building. 

Anna Maria is from Tampa, Florida and attends Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Clearwater, Florida; her family has also been active in the Laconia Society of West Florida for 35 years. She is currently a sophomore at the University of Central Florida, where she majors in International and Global Studies with minors in Legal Studies and Global Peace and Security Studies.  

Anna Maria’s academic work include international human rights advocacy, and she is particularly interested in advocating for human rights in conflict zones, including those in the Middle East, North Africa, and South America. Anna Maria is also currently conducting research on artificial intelligence (AI) policies and how AI is discussed in more positive or negative terms depending on cultural context.

A certified International Humanitarian Law advocate through the Red Cross, Anna Maria finds that her participation in the Girl Delegate program enhanced her first-hand knowledge of global issues, allowing her to teach youth in her community about humanitarian struggles. She is trilingual, speaking English, Greek, and Spanish.

Anna Maria joined the Girl Delegates program in the spring of 2025, and has attended the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) 69, CSW 70, and the FIFA-hosted One World, One Game, One Goal: Football as a Catalyst for Youth Mental Health and Well-Being event, in addition to many other events and virtual trainings.  

She credits her culture and faith with driving her passions in life, which likewise led her to join the Girl Delegates program. Anna Maria’s mother first mentioned the program at a family dinner, explaining it was created by a passionate woman promoting Greek Orthodox values and was the perfect avenue for Anna Maria to immerse herself in human rights advocacy. Anna Maria applied swiftly. 

“This program offers opportunities for girls to advocate and speak on areas that many girls across the globe do not have the privilege of speaking about, which truly inspired me,” Anna Maria says. “This program allows me to be a voice for those who have had their voices taken. And for that, I am incredibly grateful to Niki and the GOA.” 

Anna Maria is grateful for the opportunity to learn about global issues which may not present in mainstream coverage or discussed in everyday life. She often reflects on her experience speaking with diplomats, policy makers, and others who participate in advocacy efforts.

“At the U.N., we are one of the only groups representing Greek Orthodoxy. At that global stage, it is incredibly important that we utilize the morals, principles, ethics, and the love that our religion teaches us to bestow upon others,” Anna Maria says. “In a space like the U.N., we meet so many different cultures and people groups, witness different traditions, and hear intense stories and messages, and through it all, our religion teaches us to relay nothing but respect and kindness to those who we are different from. I can’t express how important it is that we utilize the principles we learn through Orthodoxy and put them into practice at the U.N.”

Anna Maria also gained lifelong friends and connections through the Girl Delegates program.

“The program brings together likeminded girls from all over America, and I can proudly say I talk to my fellow Girl Delegates at least once a day,” Anna Maria say. She enjoys connecting with her Girl Delegates socially, but sees herself working alongside them professionally in the future. 

“The UN presents you with the opportunity to connect with so many incredible professionals,” she says. “It is great that with a couple conversations, we can get the contacts of people who may let us enter elite professional spaces in the future, and it is all thanks to this wonderful program.” 

During CSW70, the Girl Delegates attended the side-event “Women’s Equal Right to Participate in the Judiciary and Women’s Access to Justice: More Women, More Access” at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, an international law firm in midtown Manhattan. Anna Maria credits this attendance with influencing her desire to attend law school and practice international law. 

Since then, Anna Maria has met other Greek women lawyers through the program, such as program director, Niki Devaris-Morgulis, and is inspired by women like her who create a pathway for the success of future generations of Greek women. 

“I would encourage other girls to join because this program helps set up your future and unlock opportunities and experiences that will help you discover exactly what you’re passionate about,” Anna Maria says. “It is also an incredible way of expanding your public speaking abilities, networking abilities, living out our faith on a global scale, and having impactful discussions for all the other young girls who couldn’t be there.”

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St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine honored Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at its second annual Beacon of Hope Award Dinner on Sept. 26.

The invaders of Ukraine, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America said in his address, more than anything else, “cannot stand free people, cannot stand free ideas,” and “cannot stand free societies.”

“This fight, this war, this invasion, is not about expanding territories. No, it’s not about soil. It’s about ideas. Because the invaders cannot stand free people, cannot stand free ideas, cannot stand free societies,” His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros said.

In His Eminence’s remarks, Archbishop Elpidophoros recognized that the fight of the Ukrainian people is the fight for free civilizations, for human dignity, democracy, and against autocracy.

“In the face of terror from the skies and on the ground, the noble Ukrainian people have shown the world a bravery and a determination worthy of the greatest of kingdoms of this world,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said.

“Tonight we pray in Ukrainian”

Opening the ceremony, the Ukrainian national anthem was sung, and the Lord’s Prayer was also led in Ukrainian by His Eminence Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. Opening remarks were made by Michael G. Psaros, Vice Chairman of the Shrine, who cited Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people’s heroic defense of the free civilizations as a cause for the award.

“President Zelensky’s tenacious and unconquerable commitment to his country, to his people, and to freedom reflect the spirit of St. Nicholas itself — a place where faith, resilience, and the eternal light of hope stand as a witness to the world,” Psaros said.

The Beacon of Hope Award honors individuals whose lives and leadership reflect courage, resilience and moral clarity in the face of adversity. It is presented to first responders, community leaders and humanitarians. The Shrine’s Board said Zelenskyy has shown those qualities throughout a presidency defined by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In announcing the award earlier this year, the Shrine’s Board of Trustees cited Zelenskyy’s leadership “in defense of freedom and human dignity” and his reported words at the outset of the full-scale invasion, “I need ammunition, not a ride.” Pointing to the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the Board said it was especially fitting to honor a leader who embodies hope rising from darkness.

The award also described Zelenskyy’s “unwavering commitment to his people and to the principles of freedom” as reflecting “the spirit of the National Shrine itself—a place where faith, resilience, and the light of hope stand as a witness to the world.”

> Read also: Archbishop Elpidophoros, Ecumenical Patriarch meet with Ukrainian President

Ukrainian envoy advocates for ambition, tired of ‘resilience’

Among the evening’s speakers was Olga Rudnieva, co-founder of Superhumans War Trauma Center, which provides prosthetics and reconstructive surgery to people wounded in the war. Rudnieva was born in a part of eastern Ukraine now under Russian occupation. She told guests she returned to Ukraine after the full-scale invasion began and started building the center in 2022, when “everybody told us that we are absolutely crazy to build a hospital during the wartime.” Superhumans now operates three centers, with 650 staff across Odesa, Dnipro and Kyiv.

“The world says that we are resilient, and you know, I’m tired of being resilient,” Rudnieva said. “I want to be called ambitious, because we are an ambitious country. We don’t want just to survive; we want to build a better country.”

Zelenskyy had been expected to accept the award in person, but the demands of the war kept him away. Andrii Melnyk, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations, accepted it on his behalf at short notice. Melnyk told guests that the situation in Ukraine “has never been as dangerous as it is today” and that the award should serve as “a wake-up call to our American friends.” He, too, took issue with the language often used to describe his country.

Melnyk, who grew up in the Soviet Union, framed his appeal around the United States’ own image of itself. “Let me ask you, good people: what happened to the America that we once knew, admired, and looked up to?” he said. “For us, this America has always been a Beacon of Hope. And I can tell you, being here today, speaking with you, I have a feeling that this America is still there.”

The Ukrainian ambassador said he would bring the award home “as a Beacon of Hope that the United States and the great American people will stand by Ukraine and will leave no stone unturned to stop the war.”

“I am frankly sick and tired of hearing how resilient Ukrainians are,” Melnyk said. “Ukraine’s perseverance should never become an alibi for our partners not to go all in, not to pull out all the stops.”

Zelenskyy addressed the ceremony in a video message. “Hope does not grow by itself,” he said. “Even in the darkest times, it needs something like sunlight that helps a harvest grow. For us, that light is knowing that so many people are with us, that people like you are with Ukraine.”

With Ukraine preparing for another winter of Russian attacks on its energy system, Zelenskyy urged faster implementation of Ukraine’s agreements with the United States, including on the production and supply of Patriot air defense systems. “This really matters,” he said. “Please, speak about these wherever it can make a difference.”

> Previously: First responders honored at inaugural Beacon of Hope

The inaugural dinner, held last year in the presence of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, honored NYPD, FDNY and PAPD first responders for their service on September 11.

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