As the nation begins a week of remembrance marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America joined public officials, Port Authority police officers, and community leaders for the dedication of the new Port Authority Memorial in Lower Manhattan. The memorial stands beside the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, overlooking the 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero.

Among those attending the ceremony were New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia, Port Authority Board Chairman Kevin O’Toole, Congressman Dan Goldman, State Senator Brian Kavanagh, Assemblymember Grace Lee, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, World Trade Center Memorial Fund President Paul Iannacone, as well as current and retired Port Authority police officers, family members, friends, and supporters.

The ceremony opened with the Presentation of Colors and the singing of the National Anthem, followed by remarks from civic and community leaders. Several speakers reflected on the symbolic location of the memorial, situated beside St. Nicholas National Shrine, the only house of worship destroyed in the attacks of September 11, and overlooking the footprints of the former World Trade Center.

Speaking before hundreds gathered beneath a clear September sky, Archbishop Elpidophoros reflected on the lives lost that day and the enduring responsibility to honor their memory. He emphasized the courage of those who placed the safety of others above their own during the attacks and acknowledged the families who have carried the weight of loss for a quarter century.

“It is deeply meaningful that we gather here beside our Saint Nicholas National Shrine,” the Archbishop said. “This little church was itself lost on September 11. Today, it stands again overlooking Ground Zero, not as though the tragedy never happened, but precisely because it did.”

Drawing a connection between the rebuilding of St. Nicholas and the resilience of the city and nation, Archbishop Elpidophoros described the shrine as a powerful symbol of hope born from tragedy.

“Saint Nicholas stands here as a witness that destruction need not have the final word; that from the deepest wounds can come renewed purpose; and that remembrance, joined with faith, can become hope,” he said. “As we dedicate this memorial and prepare to mark twenty-five years since that terrible day, we remember the sacrifice of those who ran toward danger to save others, the lives that were forever changed, and the enduring spirit that continues to unite us. It is in that hope, and in that spirit of remembrance, that we now pray.”

The new memorial will serve as a permanent tribute to the Port Authority police officers and all those whose lives were affected by the attacks, ensuring that their sacrifice and service remain part of the nation’s collective memory for generations to come.

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With the blessings of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the approval of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate are pleased to announce that the 2026 Athenagoras Human Rights Award will be presented to His Eminence Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop Emeritus of New York. The Award will be presented on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at the AEP’s annual Athenagoras Human Rights Award black-tie banquet at the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel in New York City.

Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, the Archon Grand Aktouarios and National Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, stated: “Throughout his sixteen years as Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan consistently demonstrated heartfelt and deeply informed concern for the human rights and human dignity, and particularly the well-being of all the Christians and people of other faiths around the world who are suffering for exercising their religious freedom. He has been a true friend and ecumenical partner of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, laboring indefatigably to strengthen the relationship between our Sister Churches. Cardinal Dolan’s long and distinguished record of defense of human rights make him a most worthy recipient of the Athenagoras Human Rights Award.”

Cardinal Dolan has exemplified the highest values of leadership to improve the global human condition. His service on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty and the Justice Department’s Religious Liberty Commission, among many other actions for religious freedom, demonstrate his lifelong commitment to the all-important cause of defending the freedom of conscience and the dignity before God of every human being.

Established in 1986, the Athenagoras Human Rights Award is given in honor of Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, who served as Archbishop of the Americas for 18 years before being elected Ecumenical Patriarch in 1948. He was universally acknowledged as a visionary leader and worked for peace among Churches and people throughout his life.

Previous recipients include Russian dissident Yulia Navalnaya; the Prince’s Trust (now the King’s Trust), an international youth charity founded by King Charles III while he was Prince of Wales; His Beatitude Theodore II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa; His Beatitude Epiphaniy, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine; President Joseph Biden (when he was vice president); former President Jimmy Carter; former President George H. W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush; Nobel Laureate and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev; Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel; Mother Teresa of Calcutta; former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; and the scientists who developed COVID vaccines and treatments. View a list of previous recipients.

See the original article here.

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Today, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America marked Labor Day with the following social media post:

On this Labor Day, I am reminded that everything around us was built by someone’s hands. The road, the harvest, the meal, the machine. I am also reminded that the ordinary protections of a working day, its hours and its safety, are the outcome of the pursuit of countless men and women who struggled. We honor all who labor: in the field and the factory, in the kitchen and the hospital ward, at the desk and behind the wheel, and in the home where the work never ends. Our Lord Himself worked with His own hands in the carpenter’s shop before He spoke a word in public.

May the Lord our God, Who sanctified human labor by the work of His own hands, bless the work of your hands, minds, and hearts. We offer this prayer as work itself is being remade. Artificial intelligence and robotics are entering the field, the clinic and the office, and no tool arrives innocent; each carries the purposes of those who built it and decided where it would be used. Let these technologies lighten the burden of human labor. Let them never become the reason a person is treated as a cog to be discarded, nor the pretext for handing to an algorithm a judgment that requires a conscience. The human person is created in the image and likeness of the living God and must never be reduced to something expendable.

See the original post on Facebook and Instagram.

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When Dia Drossos first stepped foot into the United Nations Headquarters, she felt the gravity of the location, what it stands for, and the important work conducted on its grounds.

 “Standing in the U.N. headquarters in New York makes you feel unstoppable and empowered,” Dia says. 

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s Girl Delegates to the United Nations program provided Dia the opportunity to enter the walls of the U.N., but also allowed her to represent her religious and cultural values on a global stage. 

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.  

Dia now attends Boston College, where she majors in International Studies and minors in philosophy and theology; she also figure skates for the school. She is originally from Chicago, and attends Ascension of Our Lord Greek Orthodox Church in Lincolnshire, Illinois when she is home.   

Curious about the challenges women face worldwide, Dia was inspired to join the Girl Delegates program because she wished to advocate for girls and women who do not have the same access to education she does.

“I have gained a more holistic perspective on life since joining this program,” Dia says. “The networking opportunities that take place on U.N. grounds are unlike any other, because everyone around you is so driven to make change.”

Dia’s faith drives her advocacy goals, and she is keen to show others at the U.N. and in her everyday life how empowering the Greek Orthodox faith is.  

By offering her opportunities for a new perspective, the Girl Delegates program prepared Dia for her college studies and laid the groundwork for her future professional career. She was able to connect with representatives from the Cypriot government, the Soccer Unity Project (a non-governmental organization [NGO] based in Boston), and other diplomats and advocates.  

As a Girl Delegate, Dia solidified her passion for international relations, and feels humbled that she could use her voice on behalf of the Archdiocese and alongside other Greek Orthodox girls. 

Dia also highlights the importance of woman-to-woman support and guidance. “Mentors like Niki Devaris-Morgulis continue to empower me,” she says. 

Likewise, the relationships she built with fellow Girl Delegates continue to have a positive influence on her life.

“Being a teenage girl can be so uncomfortable and confusing, but being surrounded by an environment where we are put forward and empowered changed the way I see myself and the way I see my peers,” Dia says. “The girls in this program continue to inspire me and are some of the people that I rely on when making key decisions in my life.”

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