Source: The National Herald BY TNH STAFF PHILADELPHIA – The participants at the biennial Clergy-Laity congresses of the Archdiocese of American always pay close attention to the speech of Michael Jaharis, the Vice Chairman of the Archdiocesan Council. The speech of Jaharis, a respected entrepreneur and philanthropist, along with that of Archbishop Demetrios, constitute a state of the Church message to the community as a whole. The full text of Jaharis’ speech follows: Your Eminence, Most Reverend Hierarchs, Reverend Fathers and Friends, I am honored to address you on behalf of the Archdiocesan Council and to welcome the honorable representatives…
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Source: Leadership 100 The Executive Committee of Leadership 100, meeting on Friday, June 20, 2014, unanimously approved a special gift of $1 million toward the rebuilding of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, to be designated as the St. Nicholas National Shrine, according to George Tsandikos, Chairman. In addition, the Executive Committee approved an appeal to Leadership 100 members to make individual gifts. “Taken together our goal is to raise several millions of dollars in support of what is a truly historic undertaking by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America that will commemorate the sacrifices of September 11 while making visible…
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America NEW YORK – The 42nd Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America will convene in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 6- 10, 2014, at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown Hotel and it will focus on the theme of this Congress “The Orthodox Christian Family: A Dwelling of Christ and a Witness of His Gospel.” Concurrently with the Clergy-Laity Congress, the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society will convene its Biennial National Convention in the same venue. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, setting the focus on the Orthodox Family with the theme “The Orthodox Christian Family: A Dwelling of Christ and a…
Source: The National Herald BY THEODORE KALMOUKOS NEW YORK – Father John Vlahos, currently the pastor of the Church of the Holy Resurrection in Brookville, NY, has been assigned as the new Dean of the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Manhattan. He will be formally installed by Archbishop Demetrios of America on Sunday, June 22 and will begin his new duties immediately thereafter. In May of 2008, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America assigned Father John Vlahos to the Church of the Holy Resurrection, where he serves as the second proistamenos in the history of the parish. The…
Source: The Pappas Post An article published on the official website of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America paints an alarming picture for the future of the Church in America. According to statistics cited by the story penned by Peter S Kehayes, 60% of Greek Orthodox families of the last generation and 90% of Americans with Greek roots are no longer in communion with the Church. The article affirms that the issue lies with the large number of mixed marriages that take place in the Greek American community. According to statistics, the intermarriage rate is between 75% and 85%. Kehayes goes as…
Source: The National Herald BY THEODORE KALMOUKOS NEW YORK – The Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, which was convened in a two-day session at the Archdiocesan Headquarters in New York on March 17 and 18, decided to begin the process to elevate Archimandrite Apostolos Koufalakis to the bishopric rank. Koufalakis presently serves as Chancellor to Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco. Gerasimos had raised the issue of Koufalakis’ elevation in the past, but Archbishop Demetrios had stalled it because of Koufalakis’ close friendship and ties to the originators of the 2010 scandal at St. Irene Chrysovalantou…
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America NEW YORK – The Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America convened for its regular scheduled meeting in the synodal chamber at the Archdiocese headquarters on March 17 and 18, 2014. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America presided at the meeting, and of all the Members of the Synod participated. During the meeting, the Synod deliberated on matters relating to the life and the work of the Church, which included the following: 1) Liturgical Matters: The Synod discussed matters that relate to the celebration of the Sacraments of Baptism and Marriage…
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Protocol Number 187/13 December 25, 2013 The Nativity of Christ For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given…. (Isaiah 9:6) To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, In the culmination of this blessed season with…
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America NEW YORK – On Sunday, November 10, 2013, at a duly called parish assembly meeting of the St. Nicholas Church at Ground Zero, a major step forward was taken. Under the leadership of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, and with the full support of the parish priest, the Rev. Fr. John Romas, and the Parish Council, the community unanimously approved a resolution to make the community a national shrine of the Holy Archdiocese of America. This advance in the nature of the only House of Worship that was destroyed by the terrorist attacks of…
Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America In an unprecedented action, two Orthodox Christian churches—one Greek and one Antiochian—have merged together to form a new parish in northeastern Tennessee. Holy Resurrection (AOCA) in Johnson City and Holy Trinity (GOA) in Bluff City joined together in their first liturgy on June 23, the Feast of Pentecost. The new parish, which has taken the name Christ the Savior, comes under the jurisdiction of His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. The parish is served by Fr. Stephen Mathewes, an Antiochian priest who had been assigned to…
Source: City Weekly (Salt Lake City, UT) by Stephen Dark The Metropolitian Isaiah, head of the Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Salt Lake City (which is a single parish with two churches — the Holy Trinity Cathedral in downtown Salt Lake City and Prophet Elias Church in Holladay) has ordered that both churches discontinue offering sacrament, liturgy, weddings and baptisms indefinitely as of Sunday, August 4, 2013. The surprise decision marks a bitter climax in a power struggle for the future of the Salt Lake City-area’s Greek Orthodox parish. A call seeking comment from Rev. Matthew Gilbert of the Holy…
“After this I will pour out my spirit on all humanity….Your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions.” Joel 2:28 Since the imposition of a Charter on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America without the input and approval of the Clergy and Laity within that particular Orthodox grouping in the United States, the consequences have been chaotic. There is no accountability within the Archdiocese. The Metropolitans each report directly to the Patriarch in Istanbul. They see the Archbishop as a figurehead. Each Metropolis sees itself as an independent entity. The Metropolitans in these geographic areas…