The fourth annual Archbishop Elpidophoros Nameday Gala, held on November 2, 2026, brought together more than 650 hierarchs, clergy, community leaders, benefactors, and faithful at Pier 60 in New York City to celebrate His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and honor the life and ministry of Archbishop Demetrios, formerly of America. The evening also continued the Gala’s growing legacy of supporting the camping ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America through the Archdiocesan Youth Summer Camp Scholarship Fund. 

Among the distinguished guests were Ambassador Aghi Balta, Greece’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations; Consul General of Greece in New York Iphigenia Kanara; and Consul General of Cyprus in New York Kyriakos Pogiatzis. 

Since its inception four years ago, the Nameday Gala has raised more than $1.6 million for scholarships benefiting Ionian Village and Metropolis and Archdiocesan camping programs. These funds help ensure that Orthodox children and young adults can experience the transformative spiritual and communal life of camp, regardless of their families’ financial circumstances. This year’s Gala raised an additional $700,000, with net proceeds designated to support the Archdiocese’s summer camping ministries. 

Guests were welcomed by Master of Ceremonies Presvytera Anthoula Vithoulkas and Gala Co-Chairman Fr. Panteleimon Papadopoulos. Reflecting on the spiritual significance of the annual gathering, Fr. Panteleimon spoke of celebration as an opportunity not only to honor the Archbishop but also to strengthen the Church’s commitment to its young people through Orthodox camping ministries. Emphasizing the lasting impact of these ministries, he remarked that in Orthodox Christian camps, “lives are transformed and children understand who they are and where they belong… camps are where they can be real and can be loved.” 

His Grace Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia, National Chancellor of the Archdiocese, also offered greetings on behalf of the Archdiocese and presented His Eminence with a $10,000 gift to benefit the Youth Summer Camp Scholarship Fund. 

The importance of this commitment was further illustrated by Elaine Allen, Treasurer of the Archdiocese, who provided a financial update on the Archdiocesan Youth Camp Scholarship Fund, outlining both the vision behind the initiative and the remarkable impact it has already made. 

“It was Archbishop Elpidophoros’ vision to provide camping scholarships to those youth who would benefit from our camping ministries but do not have the financial means to attend,” Allen said. “We had no such endowment or restricted funds for this purpose at the Archdiocese and so His Eminence decided that the proceeds from his Nameday Gala should go for this purpose.” 

The results reflect the growing reach of the initiative. Since the Gala’s establishment, approximately $1.6 million has been raised, with $1.3 million in net proceeds designated for ministry support. Of that amount, $406,000 has provided scholarships for Metropolis camps, while $340,000 has supported participation in Ionian Village, benefiting nearly 1,000 young people over the past three years. 

“The remaining $550,000 has been invested with the oversight of the Archdiocese Council’s Investment Committee to establish an endowment so that this ministry is available in perpetuity,” Allen explained. “Our goal with your help is an endowment of at least $1 million.” 

The evening continued with remarks by Fr. Steven Klund, Director of Ionian Village, who reflected on the profound spiritual and personal formation experienced by thousands of young Orthodox Christians through the ministry’s programs in Greece. He emphasized that the Archdiocese’s camping ministries remain among the most effective means of connecting young people with the life of the Church. 

Providing a glimpse of the impact of these programs, Fr. Steven announced that 4,400 children attended camps throughout the Archdiocese and Ionian Village in 2026. Of these, 372 would not have been able to participate without scholarships made possible through the previous year’s Gala.  

The evening’s central tribute then turned to Archbishop Demetrios, whose nearly twenty years of service as Archbishop of America left a lasting imprint on the life of the Archdiocese. 

George Tsandikos, former Vice Chairman of the Archdiocesan Council and past Chairman of Leadership 100, offered a biographical presentation highlighting the life, ministry, and enduring contributions of the beloved former Archbishop. Drawing upon years of collaboration, Tsandikos recalled Archbishop Demetrios’ unwavering commitment to theological education, Church unity, and pastoral care. He also reflected on the profound respect Archbishop Demetrios earned throughout the Orthodox world and across American society through his humility, wisdom, and steadfast leadership. 

A moving video presentation followed, chronicling Archbishop Demetrios’s remarkable journey as scholar, teacher, bishop, pastor, and Archbishop of America. The presentation highlighted his academic accomplishments, his service to Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, and his shepherding of the Archdiocese through some of the most consequential moments in its modern history. 

Following the tribute, Archbishop Elpidophoros addressed the gathering, turning the focus of the evening to his predecessor and reflecting upon their longstanding relationship. He praised Archbishop Demetrios for his steadfast fidelity to the Gospel and his unwavering commitment to the Church throughout a period of profound change. 

“You have held to the constant virtue and Message of the Gospel,” Archbishop Elpidophoros remarked. “You willingly embraced the Holy Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ from your youth and remained faithful to that calling throughout your ministry.” 

Speaking personally about the unique responsibilities and burdens entrusted to those who serve as Archbishop, His Eminence praised Archbishop Demetrios’s courage and pastoral sensitivity, particularly in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. 

“Your Eminence’s pastoral heart opened wide to embrace not only the grief-stricken families of our parishes who lost loved ones,” he said. “You enfolded your loving arms around this City of New York, and indeed the Nation.” 

Archbishop Elpidophoros further reflected on the honoree’s integrity, scholarship, and unwavering dedication to the Church, noting that Archbishop Demetrios consistently met the challenges of his ministry with faith, wisdom, and love. 

In a gesture of gratitude and lasting recognition, Archbishop Elpidophoros announced that a scholarship would be provided in Archbishop Demetrios’s honor for a seminarian at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. He also presented the former Archbishop with a crystal work of art entitled The Journey of the Magi.

“God surely revealed Your Eminence as a wise man who has instructed and guided generations of priests, laymen, and laywomen,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said. “You have been gracious to include all of us on your journey.” 

Receiving a standing ovation from the assembled guests. Archbishop Demetrios then offered heartfelt remarks of appreciation, reflecting on his years of ministry in America and expressing gratitude to the clergy and faithful whose prayers, love, and support accompanied him throughout his archpastoral service. 

Addressing Archbishop Elpidophoros, he said, “Thank you from the depths of my soul and heart. On this, the occasion of your Nameday, you were so kind to share the joy of the day with this kind of honor to me. I wish you many happy, blessed, apostolic years in your work here in the United States.” 

Reflecting more broadly on the significance of the Church and the privilege of serving within it, Archbishop Demetrios continued: “There is a truth here, in the sense that what happens here is basically the work of the Church. We, as individuals, are not so important. It is that we are part of the Church, that we are part of a sacred institution that, for two thousand years, is still functioning.” 

After expressing his gratitude for the many organizations, clergy, and individuals, including former staff, who had accompanied and supported his ministry throughout his nearly twenty years as Archbishop, Archbishop Demetrios offered a crystal gift in return to Archbishop Elpidophoros in a gesture of appreciation and fraternal affection. 

Concluding his remarks, Archbishop Demetrios turned to the words of the Book of Revelation, directing attention to the ultimate source of every blessing and every ministry within the Church: 

“The blessing and the glory and the thanksgiving and the honor and the might and the power to our God forever and ever.” 

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To undertake this ambitious project, the parish engaged Canadian iconographer and fine artist Zoran Rnjak, whose work in traditional Byzantine iconography spans almost three decades.

The undertaking began with one of the church’s most prominent and symbolically significant architectural features: its towering central dome. Rising approximately 21 metres above the church floor and having a diameter of 9.5 meters, the dome is crowned by a monumental depiction of Christ Pantokrator, surrounded by angels and accompanied by an extensive iconographic program featuring the Most Holy Mother of God, St. John the Baptist, prophets, and the evangelists.

The full painting process can be seen on the artist’s YouTube channel here.

The scale of the project required months of preparation, meticulous planning, and the execution of large iconographic compositions, many of which were painted on canvas in the artist’s studio before being permanently installed within the church.

Beyond the significance of this project to the Kitchener parish, its realization speaks to the continuing vitality of Byzantine sacred art in North America. Far from being confined to the historic churches and monasteries of the Old World, the centuries-old tradition of monumental iconography continues to find expression in contemporary Orthodox communities across Canada and the United States.

Continuing the Church’s Iconographic Program

Building upon the completion of the dome, the parish community has elected to continue the iconographic program along the eastern portion of the church, toward the altar. This next phase is now underway, with proposed compositions depicting some of the most significant events in the life of Christ and the Church, including the Nativity, Resurrection, Transfiguration, Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, and Ascension of Our Lord.

Additional depictions of saints are also envisioned, gradually bringing the parish closer to its long-awaited aspiration of a richly adorned and unified sacred interior.

For the parish of St. Peter and St. Paul, the project represents more than an artistic addition to its church. It is a lasting expression of Orthodox faith, sacred tradition, and the community’s commitment to enriching its spiritual home for generations to come.

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Today, November 2, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Martyrs Akindynos, Pegasios, Aphthonios, Elpidophoros and Anempodistos of Persia. It is the name day of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.

The date carries a second meaning for the Archdiocese. On November 2, 1991, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was enthroned in Constantinople, 35 years ago today. The same day, the Ecumenical Patriarch decided the next deacon he ordained would receive the name Elpidophoros. The Archbishop has called the feast “a twofold celebration” for exactly this reason: the memory of his patron saint and the anniversary of his spiritual father’s enthronement fall on the same day.

Who was St. Elpidophoros?

St. Elpidophoros lived in Persia in the fourth century, during the reign of King Shapur II, one of the harshest persecutors of Christians in the ancient world. The Church’s tradition places his martyrdom in the 330s or 340s; the sources differ on the exact year.

The story begins with three Christians who served at the royal court, Akindynos, Pegasios and Anempodistos. When their faith became known, Shapur had them tortured. According to the Synaxarion, they came through each torment unharmed. A soldier named Aphthonios, who witnessed this, declared himself a Christian and was beheaded.

Elpidophoros was a man of rank at the Persian court. Moved by the endurance of the three confessors, he too proclaimed his faith in Christ before the king. He was beheaded together with some seven thousand Christians who followed his example. Akindynos, Pegasios and Anempodistos were later thrown into a furnace. Tradition holds that the king’s own mother was converted by their witness.

The Church has long read the five names as a single sentence about grace. Akindynos means “free of danger.” Pegasios recalls a spring that never runs dry. Aphthonios means “abundant,” Anempodistos “unhindered.” Elpidophoros, from the Greek elpis and phero, means “bearer of hope.” In his 2019 name-day remarks, the Archbishop described the five together as grace that is secure, overflowing and abundant, overcomes every obstacle, and brings great hope. When Archbishop Iakovos greeted the newly-enthroned Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in 1991, he prayed that these five names would describe the new patriarchal reign.

Tonight’s celebration

Tonight, the Archdiocese gathers to celebrate the Archbishop’s name day, in what has become an annual tradition: the evening raises scholarships so that young people can attend the Church’s summer camps.

The Archbishop’s Nameday Gala dates back to the tenure of Archbishop Iakovos, when it drew the faithful from across the Archdiocese in support of a cause within the Church. Archbishop Elpidophoros revived it in 2023 and tied it to a new purpose, the Archdiocesan Youth Summer Camp Scholarship Fund. The fund offers need-based aid for Ionian Village in Greece and for the camps of every Metropolis, so no child misses camp because their family cannot afford it.

The first gala, in November 2023, netted $430,000. A grants committee directed $100,000 to Ionian Village scholarships, $20,000 to each Metropolis for its camp, and $150,000 to start an endowment for future campers. In the first summer alone, 275 young people went to camp with this help. The 2024 gala raised more than $400,000, and the 2025 gala, with more than 550 clergy and faithful attending, raised over $500,000.

Tonight’s gathering continues this work. It is fitting for a man whose name means “bearer of hope” to mark his feast by opening the doors of camp to children who might otherwise stay home. Those who wish to contribute can do so at goarch.org/nameday.

Χρόνια πολλά, Your Eminence!

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CONSTANTINOPLE—Renovation work at the Halki Theological School is expected to be completed in January 2027, according to the Abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery on Halki, which has housed the School since its founding in 1844.

Speaking to the Orthodox Observer on Oct. 23, 2026, His Grace Bishop Kassianos of Arabissos highlighted the pivotal role of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America in the initial planning of the renovation, as well as the substantial financial support provided by shipowner Athanasios Martinos to bring the project to fruition.

“I would like to thank Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, whom I have known for 30 years,” he said. “He was also one of my professors during my postgraduate studies in Thessaloniki.”

> Previously: Archbishop Elpidophoros discusses Halki seminary with the Associated Press

Bishop Kassianos was born in Istanbul in 1978. He studied theology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where he completed his postgraduate studies in 2010. He was ordained to the episcopacy in 2017, serving as an auxiliary bishop of the Metropolis of Chalcedon. In March 2020, he became Abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery on Halki.

“Archbishop Elpidophoros had already drawn up plans for the renovation of the Halki Theological School when he was still Metropolitan of Bursa,” Bishop Kassianos explained.

During Archbishop Elpidophoros’s tenure as abbot, from 2011 to 2019, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki prepared a study for the renovation and restoration of the School’s buildings. The study was subsequently published in a dedicated volume.

Archbishop Elpidophoros was succeeded as abbot by then-Bishop Cyril of Erythres, now Metropolitan of Imbros and Tenedos. He served until Bishop Kassianos of Arabissos succeeded him in March 2020.

In 2019, during his tenure as abbot, Bishop Cyril drew on the existing study and approached Athanasios Martinos, asking him to fund the project.

“When I took over as abbot, we began the renovation work,” Bishop Kassianos said, noting that the project got underway during his tenure.

Bishop Kassianos also emphasized the importance of this support: “By the grace of God, and thanks to the generosity and support of Mr. Athanasios Martinos, we expect the work to be completed around January.”

Athanasios Martinos, Archon Exarch of the Holy and Great Church of Christ, is funding the project through the Athanasios and Marina Martinos Foundation, with technical oversight provided from Thessaloniki.

The renovation plans include the construction of an underground auditorium and the conversion of the old barn into a modern conference hall. The previously unused attic is also being converted into accommodation for students and visiting professors.

Extensive work is also underway in the historic 1896 building to upgrade fire safety, accessibility, air conditioning, and digital infrastructure.

The renovated spaces, including the School’s theater and dining hall, already reveal the scale of the transformation taking place across the historic complex.

Completing the renovation, however, will not automatically mean that the Theological School can reopen. That still depends on a decision by the Turkish authorities.

The Halki Theological School has remained closed since 1971, when a ruling by Turkey’s Constitutional Court brought private institutions of higher education under state control.

Its reopening has been a longstanding priority for the Ecumenical Patriarchate and a personal goal of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who called for it in his enthronement address in 1991.

For decades, the United States and the European Union have also urged Ankara to allow the School to reopen.

The issue has gained fresh momentum over the past two years. In 2024, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan instructed Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin to examine the possibility of reopening the School.

The Halki Theological School was founded in 1844 by Ecumenical Patriarch Germanos IV at the Holy Trinity Monastery, which, according to tradition, was founded by Saint Photios the Great in the ninth century.

The School stands on the Hill of Hope on Halki, the second-largest of the Princes’ Islands. The present building, designed by architect Periklis Fotiadis, was inaugurated in 1896, following the devastating earthquake of 1894, which had severely damaged the original building.

Generations of clergy, theologians, and hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne studied at the School, among them the current Ecumenical Patriarch, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

For Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, Halki holds deep personal and spiritual significance. In a November 2025 interview with the Associated Press, he described the School’s continued closure after more than 50 years as “a political and diplomatic anachronism.”

On October 23, 2026, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate visited the Halki Theological School while in Constantinople for celebrations marking the 35th anniversary of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s enthronement. They were welcomed by Bishop Kassianos of Arabissos.

The abbot led them on a tour of the School’s facilities, now in the final stages of renovation, including the impressive theater, the dining hall, and the library, which will house 85,000 books of great historical value.

The visit gave the Archons an opportunity to see the progress of the work firsthand and the transformation of the historic complex.

As his interview with the Orthodox Observer drew to a close, the abbot expressed his heartfelt hope that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew would live to see the School reopen.

“My fervent prayer for Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who has just marked 35 years as Patriarch, is that God grant him many more years of life and the blessing of one day seeing this School open its doors again.”

> Read: Optimism ahead of pope’s visit to Turkey for reopening of Istanbul’s Greek Orthodox seminary

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“Greece is part of AHEPA. Its founders came from Greece, so this bond will always exist. And today it is stronger than ever.”

This was the message from AHEPA Supreme President Chris Kaitson, who spoke about the organization’s enduring ties to Greece in exclusive on-camera remarks to the Orthodox Observer during the AHEPA Awards 2026.

The annual awards ceremony was held Saturday night, Oct. 31, at the Athenaeum InterContinental hotel in Athens. Hellenic Parliament Speaker Nikitas Kaklamanis attended, along with about 500 members of the AHEPA family, chapter presidents, officers and guests. The evening joined the recognition of excellence with charity, launching a philanthropic campaign to support Agia Sofia Children’s Hospital.

“It is an honor for me to be in District 25,” Kaitson told the Observer, referring to AHEPA Hellas, the organization’s district in Greece. “We have a common history,” he added, pointing to AHEPA’s Greek roots and the importance of preserving that bond.

Greece and the United States: A bond with a past and a future

In his address to the gathering, Kaitson spoke of AHEPA’s founding in the United States by immigrants from Greece and said Hellenism has been the foundation of the organization’s path ever since. The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association was established in Atlanta in 1922.

“The bond between the United States and Greece will continue to grow stronger, because that is what we must continue to support,” he said.

He placed particular emphasis on historical memory and on the hardships faced by the first generations of Greek immigrants. He recalled AHEPA’s fight against discrimination and against the Ku Klux Klan, connecting the organization’s origins with its continuing mission of solidarity and service to society.

“It is very important for our members in the United States to remember the past, to remember where we come from and what difficulties we faced,” he said.

He also congratulated the district’s current and past officers, and its chapters, on what they have accomplished, and looked ahead to the work they will do together.

“The future is in this room”

The heart of his speech was the younger generation and the need to give young people a real role in how the organization operates and makes decisions.

“But where is the future? The future is in this room,” he said, speaking of the young men and women of the Sons of Pericles and the Maids of Athena, the youth organizations of the AHEPA family.

“They are our future, but they are also our present,” he said, and called on AHEPA and the Daughters of Penelope to include young people in their activities and in decision-making.

“They are smart young people who have a lot to offer,” he said. They need to be given an active role, he explained, so that they know how much their participation is wanted and needed.

Describing his meetings with members of the Sons of Pericles, he said: “They are very capable young professionals. They are not kids; they are adults.”

His appeal was also directed at the young. He urged them to learn AHEPA’s history and to draw on the experience of older members who have worked for decades “with blood, sweat and tears.”

“That is our goal: to hand over an AHEPA that is better and stronger than the one we received,” he said, comparing that aim to every family’s wish to grow stronger and withstand life’s hardships.

He ended his speech with a blessing: “God bless AHEPA. God bless Hellenism. God bless Greece and the United States.”

Kaklamanis brings a national message

In his greeting, Secretary General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy at the Greek Foreign Ministry spoke in moving terms about the special contribution of AHEPA and of Hellenism in the diaspora.

His remarks also carried a national message. He invoked the historic “OXI,” Greece’s “No” to Fascist Italy’s ultimatum on Oct. 28, 1940, and spoke of the lasting importance of defending freedom and national sovereignty. In that context, he referred to Greece’s armed forces and their readiness to confront any hostile threat, linking historical memory with today’s responsibility to the homeland.

His presence and remarks highlighted the importance of the Greek state’s relationship with the organized Greek diaspora, and the contribution of Greeks abroad in supporting Greece.

A warm welcome from Tsounakis

AHEPA Hellas Governor Anargyros Tsounakis welcomed the Supreme President and the organization’s officers to Greece for the annual event with particular joy and warmth.

Among those attending were a representative of His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece; Nick Karacostas, chairman of the AHEPA Board of Trustees and a past Supreme President; and Basil Mossaidis, AHEPA’s Executive Director in the United States.

Awards Committee Chairman John Chrysoulakis, a professor emeritus, longtime AHEPA officer, and former Secretary General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy at the Greek Foreign Ministry, was especially moved as he spoke about the committee’s choices and the paths the honorees have taken.

The 13 honorees of the AHEPA Awards 2026

This year’s ceremony recognized people and institutions whose work spans science, education, culture, business, sports and social solidarity.

The honorees were:

• Dr. Magdalena Simonis: Award for Medical Excellence and Public Health
• Stella Kokolis: Award for Greek Education and the Preservation of National Identity
• Christoforos Charalambakis: Award for Academic Excellence and the Greek Language
• Danai Bezantakou: Award for Maritime Leadership and Youth Empowerment
• David Nachmias: Award for Cultural Heritage and Musical Tradition
• Byron Nicolaides: Award for International Entrepreneurship and Lifelong Learning
• George Tsarouchas: Award for Innovation, Technology and New Entrepreneurship
• Alexandra Gravas: Award for Cultural Diplomacy and Musical Excellence
• Stavros Nicolaou: Award for Leadership in Public Health and the Greek Diaspora
• Antonia Moropoulou: Award for Scientific Excellence and the Preservation of World Cultural Heritage
• Dr. Thomas Bisbas: Award for Frontier Research and Astrophysics
• Viohalco Group: Award for Industrial Leadership and Social Contribution
• ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with Cancer: Award for Humanitarian Service and Social Solidarity

For the children of Agia Sofia

The charity gala was the opening event of a broader AHEPA Hellas campaign to support Agia Sofia Children’s Hospital in Athens, the largest pediatric hospital in Greece.

The initiative aims to mobilize businesses, foundations, organizations, private donors and Greek diaspora groups. The needs it will cover are to be identified together with the hospital’s administration, so that the assistance answers specific priorities.

The evening in Athens thus marked the start of a continuing effort to turn the collective strength of AHEPA and Hellenism into real support for the hospital’s work, for the benefit of the children and their families.

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As faithful gathered at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Norwalk, Connecticut, the first three rows were filled with children leaning over the pews to catch a glimpse of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America’s arrival. The parish’s faithful, young and old, waited for this moment for 50 years.

The Archbishop arrived at St. George Church on Friday, Oct. 30 for the Vespers of Consecration, where he processed the relics of the New Martyrs of the island of Samothraki. In his homily, the Archbishop remarked:

“From Chora on the Island of Samothrace, come the relics of Her New Martyrs: Michael, George, Emmanuel, Theodoros, and a second George. Is it not auspicious that two of these five bear the Holy Name of your Patronal Saint? A triad of Georges now surrounds you, in imitation and homage of the Holy Trinity Itself!”

During the Vespers, Chancellor of the Archdiocesan District Fr. Elias Villis, Vicar of the Archdiocesan District Fr. Peter Orfanakos, and local area clergy served alongside parish priest Fr. Nicholas Dassouras. National Chancellor His Grace Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia was also in attendance. Through tear-filled eyes, Fr. Dassouras was bestowed the high Offikion of Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne. His family looked on with love and his parish was filled with joy as they pronounced AXIOS!

The following morning, Oct. 31, the parish finally beheld the sight of their Church consecrated after decades of anticipation.

Archbishop Elpidophoros presided over the Service of Consecration. Serving alongside him were His Grace Bishop Nektarios of Dikolea, His Grace Antonios of Phasiane, Fr. Nicholas Dassouras, Fr. Elias Villis, Fr. Peter Orfanakos, and additional local clergy.

The chanting of Fr. Cherubim Tsinoglou and the Doxologia Choir, from Greece, filled the air, and the delight amongst the parishioners was tangible. Over 200 people prayed together as the Consecration of the Holy Altar took place.

“Your Eminence, on behalf of the entire family of St. George, I would like to express our deepest gratitude for the extraordinary blessing you have bestowed upon us today,” Fr. Dassouras said. “Today is truly a historic and sacred moment in the life of our community. After so many years, 50 years, of prayers, sacrifices and dedication our beloved church has been consecrated for the glory of God.”

At the end of the service, Presvytera Penelope Dassouras happily exclaimed, “We did it!” Echoing the emotions of all those present, this phrase honored the history of the parish and how far the faithful have come as a community. Many parishioners were brought to tears as the hierarchs anointed the walls of the Church with Holy Chrism; the altar boys were especially struck by the enormity of the day and the liturgical rite they witnessed.

Archbishop Elpidophoros admired the parish, saying that it was a “Wonderful, magnificent Byzantine church … Look at this community, the church is full after such a long service, with men, women, seniors, youth, children, babies–that is a vibrant, living community.”

Following the service, a banquet was held in the church hall, where Parish Council President John Aslanidis and others offered remarks reflection on the historic commemoration.

“Our community has been blessed with great spiritual leadership from the past presiding priests to our current beloved Fr. Nicholas,” Aslanidis said. “We continue to flourish and grow. But this [consecration] is not the end. This is a new beginning, a new phase. A phase of growth, opportunity and flourishment.”

The parish’s Greek school sang and the Greek Pontiako youth dancers performed while the parish continued their celebration and thanksgiving to God. The community of Saint George Greek Orthodox Church looks forward to the future of the parish now having a spiritual uplifting. The walls of the Church were anointed along with the hearts and souls of those present.

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