The National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians will celebrate National Church Music Sunday on October 4, 2026.

This annual celebration occurs the first Sunday after the observance of the feast day of St. Romanos, the patronsSaint of the National Forum and church musicians, which falls on October 1st  and continues throughout the month of October.   The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America sets this day aside each year to recognize and honor all of its church musicians. 

The National Forum invites parishes throughout the Archdiocese to celebrate their musicians. Materials to celebrate National Church Music Sunday are made available to parish priests, choirs directors, parish council and Philoptochos, with the National Forum website listing 21 celebration ideas, commemoratives available from the National Forum, prayers for church musicians, and additional materials that support the development and education of church musicians, including many materials created specifically for youth.

> Access these materials and more at www.churchmusic.goarch.org 

This is a particularly special year for the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary.

The mission of the National Forum is to enhance and perpetuate the liturgical music of the Greek Orthodox Church, serving as the voice of church musicians, providing learning activities that strengthen church musicians spiritually, musically and educationally.

The National Forum also addresses specific church music needs of clergy, choir directors, organists, choir members, composers, church schools and congregations. As the musical arm of the Archdiocese, the National Forum also collaborates with other Archdiocesan departments to address church music needs. 

The National Forum has developed a number of new initiatives this year.

The Parish Music Leadership Initiative (commonly known as the MELI project) is an online program designed to educate and train the full gamut of our church musicians, youth and clergy. This program was recently debuted at the 2026 Clergy Laity Congress and received rave reviews, stressing the necessary step this is for our Archdiocese. This program will also be incorporated by Hellenic College Holy Cross, working in partnership with the National Forum and utilizing an endowment provided by the National Forum.

Additionally, the youth portion of MELI will become part of the Archdiocese’s new Department of Religious Education (DRE) Kids Sunday Series hymn track.

Another major youth initiative established by the National Forum is the Saint Romanos Church Music Festival. Patterned after the successful Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival, this festival will focus on the sacred hymnology of our church, creating the next generation of choir directors, choir members and chanters. This innovative program was enthusiastically approved by the Holy Eparchial Synod for Archdiocese-wide implementation.

> Previously: Saint Romanos Church Music Festival to celebrate youth musical excellence

These programs join the many others which the National Forum supports year after year. 

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In celebration of the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross, the Order of AHEPA, led by Supreme President E. Chris Kaitson, spearheaded $250,000 worth of scholarships for seminarians attending the Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Representing AHEPA on this incredible occasion, Supreme Secretary Themistocles Frangos attended the celebration on behalf of the Supreme President, speaking to the clergy and remarking the significance of the school. Additionally, Supreme Governor Greg Simones and AHEPA Board of Trustees Secretary Alex Geourntas joined the Supreme Secretary for this celebration of faith and philanthropy.

The scholarships were made possible by the AHEPA Educational Foundation via funds raised by the Supreme President and through the John George Tsitsos Scholarship Fund – an incredibly generous endowment designed to enable students of Hellenic descent to pursue their educational goals for years to come.

During today’s ceremony, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America spoke to the importance of the work AHEPA does to further education for the next generation of Hellenes, remarking the continued generosity of AHEPA’s educational arm.

The AHEPA Educational Foundation is the primary means of AHEPA’s philanthropic support for education – annually granting raised funds to alleviate the significant financial burden faced by today’s students.

“We look forward to continuing the incredible work of this program which actively builds bridges between AHEPA and the clergy who serve as pillars in our Hellenic communities. In this regard, our partnership with Holy Cross is truly one-of-a-kind, allowing us to support our faith, our culture and our future all through the ‘E’ in AHEPA,” said Supreme President Kaitson.

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Today, September 12, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presided over the regular Fall session of the Holy Eparchial Synod, at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Boston. 

At the beginning of the session, the Archbishop welcomed the members of the Holy Eparchial Synod, extended his wishes for a fruitful and healthy new Ecclesiastical Year, and expressed his joy over the progress of the Theological School.  

The Holy Eparchial Synod then addressed the items on its agenda and, among other matters: 

1. Commended the initiative of His Eminence Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh to communicate to the clergy of his Holy Metropolis the decision of the Holy Eparchial Synod concerning the criteria for the selection of prospective seminarians for Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. It subsequently resolved that the National Chancellor, through the local Chancellors, direct the Presiding Priests of the Parishes that they encourage prospective seminarians who meet the criteria set forth by the Holy Eparchial Synod.  
2. On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the election of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, resolved to fund an academic chair in the Department of Pastoral and Social Theology of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, to be named “Patriarch Bartholomew – Law and Theology.” 
3. Resolved that the teaching of the Greek language, and especially of liturgical texts, at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology be conducted in cooperation with Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and that the appropriate proposals be submitted to the administration of the School. 
4. Resolved to organize commemorative events marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in 2027, and appointed His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago as Chair of the Organizing Committee. 
5. Resolved that the Holy Metropolis of Chicago will host the 50th Clergy-Laity Congress in 2030. 
6. Proceeded with the formation of the three-person slate (triprosopon) for the filling of the vacant Holy Metropolis of New Jersey. Following a secret ballot, based upon the list of the clergy eligible for election to the episcopacy, recently approved by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as stipulated by Article 14 of the current Charter of the Archdiocese, the following received five votes each: 
   1. His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos,
   2. His Grace Bishop Anthony of Synada, and
   3. Very Rev. Archimandrite Bartholomew Mercado. 

The three-person slate was submitted today, by means of a corresponding letter from the Archbishop, to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Holy and Sacred Synod, with the request that, on the basis thereof, the election of the new Metropolitan take place. 

At the conclusion of the session, the Archbishop and the Synodal Hierarchs exchanged heartfelt wishes with regard to the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s enthronement upon the Throne of the Venerable Center of Orthodoxy. For this purpose, the Sacred Archdiocese is organizing a pilgrimage to the Phanar from October 19–25, in cooperation with the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle. 

From the Office of the Chief Secretary 

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Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church New York City is kicking off its Greek School (Pre-K to 12) on Saturday, September 19th. Every Saturday, the Greek School will teach 2 sessions based on levels on Saturdays from 10:00AM-11:30AM and 11:30AM-1:00PM. Tuition cost will be $1,550 for 1st child, $1,500 for 2nd child, and $1,450 for 3rd child. The Greek School begins September 19, 2026 and ends June 12, 2026. Graduation will be on Sunday, June 13th.

“The goal of Annunciation Church’s Greek School is to teach the Greek language while fostering a strong connection to Hellenic heritage. Our curriculum is designed to accommodate students of diverse backgrounds and varying levels of language proficiency,” said Fr. Sotirios Michalatos, parish priest of Annunciation Church. “In addition to language instruction, the program emphasizes Greek history and culture, helping students thrive in American society while taking pride in their Greek roots.”

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church New York City is located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side at West End Avenue and 91st Street. For more information on Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church New York City, visit www.annunciation-nyc.org, email [email protected], or call (212) 724-2070.

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