Source: Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
The Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate held the first-ever Pilgrimage of Discovery (POD) Alumni Retreat on May 16-18, 2025, in Chicago. The event was organized by the Pilgrimage of Discovery Alumni Leadership Network (ALN), a branch of the Archon Youth Participation Activities Engagement Committee, to bring together as many of the 21 young adults that participated in the first two Archon POD programs in 2023 and 2024.
Funded by the Archons, the POD is a religious and educational journey through Constantinople awarded to Orthodox Christian young adults across America who went through a rigorous application process. In the words of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, it is a wonderful opportunity for the faithful “to explore their spiritual roots, connect with fellow believers in these historical lands, enriching the lives of those who embark upon it and deepening their understanding of the Orthodox Faith.” The POD is a National Archon program and is co-chaired by Metropolis of Chicago Regional Commander Archon Perry Siatis, Archon Hon. Jeffery Chrones, and Hellena Chrones.
The Alumni Leadership Network (ALN) is a continuation of the journey back home where the pilgrims that participated in previous POD pilgrimages, now alumni of the program, receive further education about the Church, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and Archon key issues, and spread the word to communities across the country. Archon Dr. James Schooley (Columbus, OH) chairs the ALN and oversaw the inaugural retreat, which included a mixer with POD Committee members and local Archons, meetings of the ALN to explore how they can help the Archons, and a presentation at a local Chicago parish.
“In the past two years, the Archons, with a very talented group of Pilgrimage of Discovery Committee members, have arranged for 21 young adults from across all Metropolises to visit Constantinople and meet His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew,” said Archon National Commander Dr. Anothony J. Limberakis. “This is a very effective way of educating our young adults about the history of our Church and about our Church leadership and creating ambassadors for the the Holy Mother Church. Now, through the Alumni Leadership Network, we can continue that education and engagement with these very impressive young adult ambassadors and help them on their journey as they become Church leaders today and in the future. This summer, we will send another 16 to the Phanar. As we continue each year, the number of our ambassadors will multiply, as will the strength of the Archon message serving the needs of the Great Church of Christ.”
Each participant in the POD becomes a member of the ALN alumni group upon the completion of the pilgrimage to Constantinople, and all 21 young adults have continued to be active in their Churches, as well as helping the Archon mission.
“The young men and women selected to be a part of the Pilgrimage of Discovery already have taken on leadership roles in their churches across the country and represent every one of our Metropolises,” said Archon Schooley. “So you take these motivated and passionate individuals, send them on this life-changing experience, and they return changed and energized not only to grow in their relationships with each other, but with Christ and involvement in His Church. These alumni leaders are not simply the future of the Church but the present, and through continued education, mentoring, networking and service, they will help the Church not only stay relevant but thrive in the 21st century. They will be a beacon of Orthodoxy for America and the world to see!”
Alumni from the first two cohorts of the POD reveled in the opportunity to meet for the first time in Chicago and reengage with each other, POD Committee members, and Archons. Over half of the program’s 21 pilgrims thus far, from all corners of the country, used their time, talent, and treasure to attend the weekend retreat because they felt so strongly about their work ahead. They reflected on past pilgrimages, explored ways to share their experience in the Ecumenical Patriarchate with others, and discussed the future of the program, with another 16 pilgrims set to embark on this journey of a lifetime in August. Powerful messages were conveyed during Sunday’s presentation, and parishioners were visibly moved.
“I have had the blessing of visiting the Holy Lands and Constantinople,” said Marina Dimas, a 2024 POD alum from Chicago, IL. “I find it extremely ironic that in these places—where our faith originated, these epicenters of Christianity—our faith does not thrive. Christians are oppressed; they are not protected; they are not supported. It was eye-opening to witness this oppression firsthand in Constantinople. The 2024 cohort had the chance to visit the Chora Church, which has now been converted into a mosque. While we were there, we had about 10 minutes to look at the icons and spend some time reflecting before we were asked to leave, as the [Muslim] call to prayer was about to begin. We left feeling somber, sadness and even anger. That was just a taste—a very, very small taste—of what the Rum [Orthodox Christian minority] community endures every day.”
Marina Dimas’s experiences were shared by all the POD alumni. Her words reflect the broader sentiment of these young ambassadors of the Archons: “Upon returning home from these trips, I realize that I have taken for granted the freedom to worship as I choose in this country. In my experience, the Orthodox Church in America is blessed with abundance. We become concerned about little things, such as who is hosting coffee hour, whether the coffee will even be good, and which week our friends are going to camp so we can all be together. That is a blessing. In the West Bank or in Istanbul, they worry that they will eventually disappear. We must do our part to share the stories of struggle from the Rum community and help our brothers and sisters preserve our rich Orthodox faith and traditions.”
The following POD alumni participated in the weekend’s events: Eliana Davis ’24, Marina Dimas ’24, Cally Kobza ’ 23, Peter Kokkinias ’24, Sophia Kyrou ’24, Sophia Looney ’24, Christen Massouras ’23, Demitri Maroutsos ’23, Andrew Pavlides ’ 24, George Valcarcel ’23, and Elyse Zappia ’24.
In addition to Archon Dr. Schooley, numerous local POD Committee members participated in the ALN Retreat weekend including the POD Committee Co-Chairs, Metropolis of Chicago Regional Commander Archon John Manos, Archon Dr. John Fotopoulos and Tina Manikas. Local Archons also participated: Archon Alexander Gianaras, Archon Dean Maragos, and Archon Theodore Theophilos.
“It was thrilling to see the deep and lasting connection the alumni made with each other from the one short week they spent together in Constantinople,” said Hellena Chrones, one of the POD Co-Chairs. “Clearly, the experiences they shared that week together were so moving and meaningful, it connected them in a lasting way.”
The weekend culminated on Sunday, May 20, at St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago, where the POD participants gave a presentation to parishioners and thanked the Archons for affording them the life-changing experience. The young adults spoke from the heart, relaying their firsthand experiences and leaving the audience in tears, wanting to hear more. After the presentation, POD participants met with laypeople from the St. Andrew community and, with the Archons, provided the opportunity to answer questions and share more information.
A special thank you to Rev. Father Kosmas Kallis, protopresbyter of St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church, for supporting the Archons in allowing the POD ambassadors to present on the Pilgrimage of Discovery program — a transformative, 7-day, all-expense paid journey to Constantinople, where they visited Holy sites, learned more about their Orthodox faith and met His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew.
The POD alumni wish to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and many other generous donors, whose unwavering support has made the Pilgrimage of Discovery and Alumni Leadership Network program possible. In a card the POD committee received from the alumni retreat participants, the following note was written beneath the photo of a lighthouse, “This lighthouse represents the hope and illumination of the Phanar, and the light we are now touched by through our encounter with His All-Holiness and our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Queen of Cities. With love, gratitude and prayers.” Christos Anesti!
For more information and to support the Pilgrimage of Discovery, please visit pilgrimageofdiscovery.org
