The Hellenic Film Society USA announces the return of the NY Greek Film Expo, a celebration of Greek cinema taking place October 8–18, 2026, at premier venues in New York and New Jersey.

The New York Greek Film Expo showcases the best of contemporary Greek filmmaking alongside special presentations, filmmaker appearances, discussions and events celebrating the rich history and diversity of Greek cinema.

The 2026 Expo will feature 12 films, representing a range of genres and stories from Greece.

Katia Goulioni, one of Greece’s most acclaimed actresses, will be hosting the Expo.

This year’s Expo will feature screenings at:

• DGA Theater – Manhattan
• Village East by Angelika – Manhattan
• Melrose Ballroom – Long Island City, Queens
• Museum of the Moving Image – Astoria, Queens
• Barrymore Film Center – Fort Lee, NJ

The program includes feature films, filmmakers as well as actor appearances/speakers, and Q&A sessions.

Early bird special tickets and festival passes go on sale September 8, 2026.

For tickets, complete schedule, film information, and trailers, visit: hellenicfilmsociety.org

About the Hellenic Film Society USA

The Hellenic Film Society USA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization rooted in the belief that Greek cinema should be part of the American cultural landscape. They promote feature films, documentaries, and film shorts made by Greek filmmakers and those of Greek descent, as well as films that promote the cultures of Greece and Cyprus.

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Odyssey Charter School in Wilmington, Delaware celebrated a major milestone in its mission of Greek language and cultural education on September 9, 2026, with the unveiling and ribbon-cutting of its new K-5 Immersion Building during the school’s Όραμα Celebration: An Evening of Legacy.

His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presided over the Agiasmos Service at the entrance of the new building, blessing the facility and offering prayers for the students, educators, and families who will be shaped within its walls.

Others in attendance included Rev. Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Gregory-Telemachos Stamkopoulos, Director of Greek Education for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; Very Rev. Fr. Christoforos Oikonomidis, Dean of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Wilmington; Odyssey Charter School CEO Elias Pappas; Dr. Ioanna Lekkakou, Vice President of Hellenic Education and Global Outreach; as well as educators, students, alumni, parents, and community supporters.

In his archpastoral remarks, Archbishop Elpidophoros reflected on the significance of the new facility and the distinctive nature of Odyssey’s acclaimed Greek Language Immersion Program.

“Today we ask that this building become a place of illumination, where teachers are granted wisdom and students grow in knowledge and character,” the Archbishop said.

Highlighting the uniqueness of the program, he noted that Greek at Odyssey is far more than a subject taught in the classroom. Students learn mathematics and science through the Greek language and receive Greek language arts instruction from native-speaking educators, with half of their academic curriculum taught in Greek and half in English.

The Archbishop also underscored what makes the program particularly remarkable: most Odyssey students are neither of Greek heritage nor members of the Greek Orthodox Church, and many arrive at the school with no prior knowledge of Greek.

“Yet Greek becomes part of the way they learn, think, inquire, reason, and understand the world,” he said. “This should fill every Hellene with pride, because the greatest gifts of Hellenism became great precisely because they were shared.”

The new K-5 Immersion Building represents the latest chapter in Odyssey Charter School’s commitment to academic excellence and the promotion of Hellenic language and culture, providing expanded opportunities for future generations of students to experience the enduring values of Greek education.

Following the ceremony, guests gathered for a festive reception featuring traditional Greek dance performances, celebrating both the school’s growing legacy and its vision for the future.

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25 years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at Ground Zero held a memorial service honoring the lives lost on one of the darkest days in American history.

Gathering on the sacred ground, steps from the World Trade Center Memorial, attendees experienced prayer, heard the personal experiences of September 11 and learned of the resilience of St. Nicholas Church, the only house of worship destroyed on 9/11.

Attendees included New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani; His Excellency Ronald Hicks, Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York; Consul General of Greece in New York Iphigenia Kanara; Consul General of Cyprus in New York Kyriakos Pogiatzis; Consul General of Romania in New York Mihaela-Simon Florea; interfaith leaders; public officials; first responders; survivors; family of victims; chaplains; clergy; and faithful.

Presiding over the service, Archbishop Elpidophoros called on those gathered to reject division and uphold the values the Shrine represents.

“Never again shall intolerance and hatred bring harm to this hallowed ground, nor to our city,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said. “The Saint Nicholas National Shrine stands to declare that mutual respect, dialogue, and understanding are the only way forward.”

Archbishop Elpidophoros also reflected on the Shrine’s unique role as a living memorial at Ground Zero.

“We could not bring back those who unjustly perished,” he said, “but we could enshrine their nobility, their heroism, their courage, and ultimately their humanity in a sacred space open to all.”

The Archbishop noted that an entire generation of Americans has now grown up after September 11, making the work of remembrance even more important.

“Our collective responsibility of being a living memory will only grow as the years go on,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said.

> Read Archbishop Elpidophoros’s full remarks

In his remarks, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani emphasized the extraordinary spirit of compassion displayed in the wake of the attacks.

“We remember the generosity strangers showed to strangers, those who never made it home so that others could, the kindness so many summoned from deep within. We remember how many people helped. That memory can feel distant sometimes, but not here, not at St. Nicholas,” Mayor Mamdani said. “Here, memory is never far away, and here, we feel the resilience that defined our city not as an abstract concept, but as something material, as something tangible, as something as physical as the walls that rise around us and the pews in which we sit.”

Mayor Mamdani likewise pointed to Saint Nicholas as a powerful symbol of New York’s recovery. Reflecting on the rebuilding of both the Shrine and the city, he praised the resilience that transformed devastation into hope.

“No other church was destroyed on September 11. No other congregation found themselves so deep within a maelstrom and so deprived of the place of gathering and solace needed to endure it. And yet, this community, like this city, is resilient,” Mayor Mamdani said. “When this building was little more than a crater filled with rubble, you dug deep, in every conceivable way. You found the strength to rebuild, you found the strength to renew, you found the strength to recover. And you did not do it alone. I am moved by how many first responders treated this site with solemn reverence, carefully excavating and returning Bibles and candlesticks and treasured items. Within that resilience lived a deep desire to honor what we had lost by treating one another with dignity, with love, by making faith real.”

The memorial service began with the Presentation of Colors and the National Anthem, followed by remarks by St. Nicholas parish priest Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas, who led a moment of silence and reflection.

Following, His Excellency Archbishop Ronald Hicks offered a funerary hymn, Psalm 22 (23). Also giving readings were first responder chaplains, underscoring the unity that emerged in response to tragedy.

Among the most moving moments of the service were personal testimonies by Anthoula Katsimatides and Fr. Panteleimon Papadopoulos, who shared their experiences of September 11 and reflected on how that day shaped their lives and continues to shape the lives of New Yorkers and Americans.

Gathering beneath the magnificent dome of the National Shrine, the service reaffirmed Saint Nicholas’ enduring mission as a place of healing, reflection, and hope where the memory of those lost is preserved for generations to come. “May their Memory be Eternal,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said in his final blessing. “Αἰωνία ἡ Μνήμη Αὐτῶν.”

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On the morning of September 10, 2026, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America was greeted by students outside of the St. Demetrios and Greek American School of Astoria. Within the historic St. Demetrios Cathedral, as well as at Saints Catherine and George Greek Orthodox Church, His Eminence gave the Agiasmos for the new school year, blessing the community’s students and families, alongside school faculty and staff.

His Eminence offered the blessing as St. Demetrios School opens its doors to hundreds of students this year, with the mission of preserving the Greek language and Hellenic identity. The St. Demetrios School is the only institution in the United States offering a Greek Orthodox K–12 education, inspiring the next generation of Greek American families to live as faithful Orthodox Christians.

Parents and community members filled in the standing room of St. Demetrios Cathedral to witness the blessing, many of whom are themselves alumni of the school which is so central to the Astoria Greek American community. The event served as the spiritual inauguration to the start of the academic year.

Also present for the blessing were prominent school leaders, as well as the Consul General of Greece in New York, Iphigenia Kanara, and Consul General of Cyprus in New York, Kyriakos Pogiatzis.

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“Agape mou” … my love.

Those are the words my brother John would whisper whenever he hugged me. It has been more than two decades since I last heard them.

John was killed on September 11, 2001, while working on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center. Like so many families, ours was forever changed. I miss him every day.

But through that loss, I have also found comfort, faith, and hope at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine. The rebuilding of St. Nicholas has been, for me, a bridge from tragedy to hope. This ground is sacred. It is where my brother and thousands of other innocent souls were lost, including the site of the original St. Nicholas Church, where John would often stop before or after work to light a candle, say a prayer, attend a service—or perhaps meet a pretty girl.

John was known as “Johnny Bodacious”—adventurous, funny, fearless, and always the life of the party. He loved to dance, and he had a larger-than-life personality. But beneath that joyful spirit was a deep faith and an extraordinary light that I was blessed to experience for 31 years.

Although I can no longer hug my brother, I still feel his presence at St. Nicholas—in the prayers offered each day, in the candles that are lit, and in the people who enter carrying burdens and leave with renewed hope.

What was destroyed was resurrected. What represented grief became a source of healing. And St. Nicholas has become part of some of my happiest memories. In 2023, I had my wedding service there. In the very place that once represented unimaginable loss, God blessed me with new life, new joy, and a new beginning.

That is the power of St. Nicholas. It is a Greek Orthodox church, but it is also a National Shrine open to everyone—people of every faith, people of no faith, those carrying grief, those seeking peace, and anyone looking for a place to pray, reflect, heal, or simply breathe. As our nation commemorates the 25th anniversary of September 11th, St. Nicholas carries an especially powerful message. It reminds us that even after our darkest days, we can rise with faith, courage, and hope. Faith can overcome fear. Light can overcome darkness. Love can overcome hate. Every day, people from across our nation and around the world walk through the doors of St. Nicholas and discover that sense of peace and hope. Since opening in December 2022, over 650,000 visitors have had that experience, made possible because of faithful supporters who believe in its mission. That is why I am asking you to become a National Supporter of St. Nicholas. Your generosity will help preserve a spiritual home for worshippers, a place of remembrance for families like mine, and mission driven ministries for the community at large.

Become a National Supporter of St. Nicholas today with your $100 gift. Please click here for more information. Let’s keep the light of St. Nicholas shining brightly in memory of loved ones, for the future of our nation, and the world.

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More than fifty clergy of the Metropolis of New Jersey gathered at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Wilmington, Delaware, on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, to welcome His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America for a luncheon and clergy meeting. 

The Archbishop was greeted by the Acting Chancellor of the Metropolis of New Jersey, Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Fr. Elias Villis, Cathedral Dean Very Rev. Fr. Christoforos Oikonomidis, and clergy from throughout the Metropolis. The gathering began with a prayer service inside the cathedral, where the clergy assembled beneath the church’s beautifully adorned iconography for a blessing. 

Following the service, Holy Trinity Cathedral hosted a luncheon that provided an opportunity for fellowship and discussion among the clergy. In his Archpastoral Exhortation, Archbishop Elpidophoros reflected on the recent departure of former Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey, who was elected Archbishop of Canada, and addressed the current period of transition within the Metropolis. He also prayed for Fr. Andrew Eugenis, Fr. John Manuel and Presbytera Flora Chioros who fell asleep in the Lord over the summer.  

Acknowledging the important role of parish clergy during such moments, the Archbishop emphasized that the faithful look to their priests for guidance and stability. “They look to you in every parish to be the example of stability and continuity,” he said, assuring the clergy that the Metropolis would continue to move forward “with confidence in the efficient and effective operation of the Metropolis.” 

The Archbishop also encouraged the clergy to remain steadfast in their ministry while maintaining a strong spiritual foundation. Urging them to “carry on with the work of the Church on every level,” he reminded them not to lose sight of their own spiritual growth amid the demands of parish life and administration. 

“We can become caught up in the details of parish and general administration so much that we forget time for prayer, for meditation, and for the reading of Sacred Scripture, the Church Fathers, and the Lives of the Saints,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said. “We must nourish our own souls so that we may nourish others.” 

Also addressing the gathering, Fr. Christoforos welcomed the visiting clergy and expressed gratitude to Archbishop Elpidophoros and Fr. Villis for their leadership and pastoral care of the Metropolis during this transitional period. 

“It is reassuring to know that our Archbishop is close to his clergy and willing to listen to the concerns, challenges, and hopes that we carry in our pastoral ministry,” Fr. Christoforos said. 

Additional remarks were offered by Acting Chancellor Fr. Elias Villis, Vice President of the Metropolis Council Fr. John Katsoulis, and President of the Archdiocesan Presbyters Council Fr. Peter Orphanakos. The meeting concluded with a spirit of unity, fraternity, and shared commitment as the clergy continued discussions on the life and ministry of the Church throughout the Metropolis of New Jersey. 

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Sacred Orthodox art and iconography will be under the spotlight in Cambridge this October at a conference focusing on Greece’s Holy Mountain, Mount Athos. Organised by the UK-based charity, the Friends of Mount Athos (FoMA), the conference features a distinguished panel of experts on such themes as monumental, panel and icon painting in the past and present, the theology of the icon, and the influence of sacred art on the world today.

Held across the weekend of 16-18 October 2026 at Madingley Conference Centre, the conference will feature eight illustrated sessions aimed at a non-specialist audience, including a lecture and practical icon painting demonstration by the celebrated British iconographer and former Athonite Aidan Hart.

Speakers include the renowned Mount Athos iconographer and monk, Father Loukas of Xenophontas (online presentation); Markos Kampanis who currently serves as curator of the Mount Athos Art Archives of the monastery of Simonopetra; and Thanasis Semoglou (online presentation), a member of Greece’s UNESCO Memory of the World Committee, Associate President of the European Centre of Byzantine Monuments and a member of the Committee for the Preservation of the Athonite Heritage.

Joining the conference from the UK are Professor Marcus Plested, the 1643 Chair of Divinity at the University of St Andrews; and distinguished historian, Robin Cormack, Emeritus Professor in the History of Art at the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London.

The conference is being co-chaired by the V. Rev. Archimandrite Maximos Constas, Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at the University of Austin, Texas, who himself was for many years a monk on Mount Athos; and author and publisher, Dr. Graham Speake, a founding member and former Chairman of FoMA.

Dr. Graham Speake said, “We’re delighted to be able to host such a distinguished and diverse set of speakers from Greece and Mount Athos, the US and the UK. We feel this will be a unique opportunity to learn not just about the age-old practice of icon writingbut the theological significance of Orthodox holy art and its influence on the wider world.”

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On Sunday, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Saint John the Forerunner in Brooklyn, New York, commemorating the 70th birthday of Rev. Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Oleksandr Belya.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzus, His Grace Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia, Archimandrite Alexander Belya, Vicar of the Slavic Orthodox Vicariate of America, Bishop-elect of Nicopolis; Protopresbyter Olexander Belya, rector of the cathedral; as well as Protopresbyters Borys Babeshko, Ivan Voloshchuk, Igor Tarasov, Vasyl Deiak, Rostislav Zadorozhnyy, Petr Prakaptsou, Maksim Pliskou; Archimandrite Tikhon Gaifudinov; the guest of the celebration, Father Anatoly; Archdeacon Dionysios Papiris; and Protodeacon Volodymyr Oliynyk.

Following the Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Elpidophoros awarded Fr. Oleksandr the Medal of Saint Paul, the highest honor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The Medal of Saint Paul is awarded to individuals who demonstrate exemplary leadership and dedication at the local parish level or the national stage.

“You see, we are here at the Divine Liturgy, the icon of the Wedding Banquet of the Son of God. We are all invited guests. Unlike the characters in the Parable who did not want to attend, we have made a conscious choice to be present and to participate,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said. “The truth is, we do not understand with complete realization all of our motivations. And there are many! But somehow, our presence within the Church is always enough to commence the spiritual path.”

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Last night, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and the Metropolis of New Jersey hosted a farewell banquet honoring the ministry of His Eminence Apostolos, newly-elected Archbishop of Canada and former Metropolitan of New Jersey.

> Previously: Archbishop Elpidophoros extends congratulations to Archbishop-elect Apostolos of Canada 

The event was held at the Venetian in Garfield, New Jersey.

Archbishop-elect Apostolos offered a farewell address, expressing gratitude to God for giving him the strength and energy to serve the Metropolis of New Jersey. He closed his remarks with a message to the faithful:

“I will never forget my ministry in the New Jersey Metropolis,”Archbishop-elect Apostolos said. “You’re amazing people … Don’t lose your faith. Keep your faith strong and your ministry visible to everyone in this beautiful Metropolis. I love you and I pray for you.” 

> Read: Communiqué of the Holy Eparchial Synod, 22 July 2026

Archbishop Elpidophoros also offered remarks, thanking Archbishop-elect Apostolos for his service to the Archdiocese of America and wishing him prayers for his ministry in the Archdiocese of Canada.

“We all send with Your Eminence our fervent and heartfelt prayers for your every success–both spiritual and material–in your coming Archpastoral Ministry in Canada,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said. “But in sending with you our prayers and best wishes, we also ask that you not forget us, for your six-year ministry in this Metropolis was fruitful, and the seeds that you planted will continue, by God’s mercy and grace, to grow and to thrive.”

The event featured a special video presentation, and Archbishop Elpidophoros also presented him with gifts of a hierarchical staff and an engolpion.

Additional speakers included the Honorable Iphigenia Kanara, Consul General of Greece in New York; the Honorable Kyriakos Pogiatzis, Consul General of Cyprus in New York; Fr. Peter Delvizis, Representative of the Metropolis Clergy Syndesmos; John Vasilioiu, President of the Federation of Hellenic-American Societies of Philadelphia and the Greater Delaware Valley; Dr. Panos Stavrianidis, President of the Hellenic Federation of New Jersey; Eleni Constantinides, President of the Metropolis of New Jersey Philoptochos; and the Honorable H. James Polos, who served as Master of Ceremonies.

Archbishop-elect Apostolos’s enthronement will take place on Saturday, 19 September 2026, at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Toronto, Ontario. His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain will preside at the enthronement.

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Many Orthodox Christians are wary of ecumenical spaces. Some believe ecumenism is a great heresy, erroneously equating it with religious syncretism. Still others believe the project is completely pointless. In the early years of the ecumenical movement, many worked in joyful anticipation that, by God’s grace, the numerous fractures and schisms in Christianity might finally be healed. Now, however, the dream of full eucharistic communion between disparate Christian communities seems increasingly unrealizable. The upshot is that many Orthodox Christians struggle to see the value of ecumenism. Many ask, ‘Is ecumenism worthwhile?’ 

This question was at the forefront of my mind when Fr. Bartholomew Mercado, the chaplain at Hellenic College Holy Cross (HCHC), encouraged me to participate in a new ecumenical initiative. A program co-sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Canadian Council of Churches, and the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. The initiative I’m referring to is the North American-Turtle Island Regional Ecumenical Theological Institute (or NATI-RETI). The ambitious goal of this program was as follows. From August 3rd–16th, 2026 NATI-RETI would gather together a cohort of emerging theologians from various Christian communities in the United States and Canada. Phase one would take place in Detroit and phase two in Toronto. The participants would live in a tight-knit community for two weeks and undergo an intense, immersive study program focused on the overarching question, ‘Where Now for Visible Justice?’   

I elected to attend NATI-RETI because I was intrigued by both the unique format of the program and the timely topics it would address. Importantly, I also hoped I might discover an answer to the vexing question posed above: ‘Is ecumenism worthwhile?’  

After spending fourteen days fully immersed in an ecumenical space, rigorously exploring the most pressing social issues of our time, I have arrived at the following conclusion: ecumenism is, indeed, a worthwhile and absolutely vital endeavor. To understand why I think this, allow me to summarize some of my experiences at NATI-RETI.  

During the training, we explored six pressing issues facing Christians living in North America: Climate Justice, Secularism and Laicity, Racism and Anti-Racism, Interfaith Dialogue, Solidarity with Indigenous Communities, and Wealth Disparity and Poverty. We explored these topics in a variety of creative ways. Numerous hours were dedicated to reading and discussing scholarly articles and books. Breaking up into smaller study groups, we analysed both Christian and non-Christian responses to these problems. We also attended multiple plenary sessions, led by leading academics.  

Additionally, we participated in special exercises and site visits to supplement the academic activities. Notably, we visited the Freedom Dreams EcoVillage in Detroit and discovered how a small group of dedicated volunteers are transforming abandoned lots and piles of rubble into vibrant community gardens. We visited several historically significant destinations associated with the Underground Railroad, such as the Second Baptist Church of Detroit and Sandwich Baptist Church in Windsor and learned about their contribution to abolitionism. We visited the Toronto Bahá’i Center and engaged in complex interfaith dialogue. We walked through a former Mohawk residential school, now turned into a museum, and read first-hand accounts of survivors who had been ripped out of their homes and forced to undergo the most dehumanizing abuses and tortures imaginable. 

These experiences helped me to identify four reasons why it’s vital for Orthodox Christians to remain involved in ecumenical work. First, we can learn a lot in ecumenical spaces. I learned how a small group of passionate Christians can slowly resurrect a dying community by teaching its young people carpentry and gardening skills and lovingly using these skills to transform a desolate neighborhood into a beautiful oasis. Imagine if Orthodox parishes invested in their communities in this way? I engaged in an in-depth discussion with members of the Bahá’i community and learned many practical ways we might better foster a sense of belonging in our churches. I learned from the lived experiences and perspectives of Indigenous people who continue to exemplify compassion, hope, and love despite the horrors of colonialism.   

Second, we can share our rich theological and spiritual heritage in ecumenical spaces. Despite the rising number of inquirers flocking to our parishes, most people are still unfamiliar with Orthodoxy. At NATI-RETI, I got the chance to discuss the cosmological theology of St. Maximus the Confessor, the ecotheology of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and the inspiring (noncolonial) missionary efforts of St. Herman of Alaska. I was also able to introduce the members of my cohort to our spiritual and liturgical tradition by reading the Trisagian prayers in Greek, and teaching everyone how to sing a Byzantine hymn. Virtually none of my cohort had encountered Orthodoxy before meeting me.  

Third, we can model Christian love by participating in ecumenical spaces. In an increasingly polarized world filled with profound injustices, the Church should be at the front lines, teaching society how to show love and respect to those with whom we disagree. Actions, as they say, speak louder than words. We can preach to others, imploring them to be quick to listen and slow to speak. But it’s far more effective to exemplify this behavior. Orthodox Christians can model this by personally connecting with and building genuine friendships with people of different faith backgrounds. 

Finally, we can partner with non-Orthodox people to address societal problems. We shall never achieve visible justice without working alongside others. We may not agree with our neighbors on essential matters, such as church polity or biblical interpretation or dogma. But we can still work together to feed and cloth the homeless, to be a voice for the marginalized and persecuted, and to stand up to bigotry and hatred in all its nefarious forms.  

NATI-RETI showed me that ecumenism is most certainly worthwhile.   

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