Bishop George of New Jersey Dies from Stroke Hillary, Chelsea and I Had the Honor of Visiting the Ecumenical Patriarch
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VOL. 64 NO. 1168 DECEMBER 1999 http://www.goarch.org/goa/observer E-mail: [email protected] ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS PRESIDENT CLINTON CHRISTMAS ENCYCLICAL VISITS ECUMENICAL Christmas 1999 PATRIARCHATE Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and His name shall be called Emmanuel which means God with us. (Matthew 1:23) To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presi- dents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Day and Afternoon Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Ortho- dox Family in America Brothers and Sisters in Christ, On the bright and joyous Feast of the Nativity ac- cording to the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, we wor- ship and praise and glorify the God who hears and answers prayer. In the fullness of time, the Scrip- tures say (Gal. 4:4), the Creator of the world responded in love to the prayers of all people: the people of an- cient Israel longed for a deliverer; the Magi of the East sought a king; the poor of the earth cried out for a benefactor; the ill and infirm prayed for a healer; the entire human race longed for a Saviour-God. And on N. Manginas this night of the Nativity some two thousand years ago, ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS welcomes the God answered their prayers and their intense longing Clinton family to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. by giving them His Son, a Son whose name according to the prophecy of Isaiah would be Emmanuel, which by Nicholas Manginas means God with us. To natural eyes this babe in the arms of the Virgin CONSTANTINOPLE. President Bill Clinton paid his first visit to the u page 9 Ecumenical Patriarchate at the Phanar during his recent trip to Turkey. Earlier this week in Istanbul, Bishop George of New Jersey Dies from Stroke Hillary, Chelsea and I had the honor of visiting the Ecumenical Patriarch. byJim Golding The Rev. Athanasios Demos, the current My heart is still moved by that experi- head priest of the parish, told the Observer ence, he said later in an address to BETHESDA, Md. Bishop George of that the bishop had turned from the podium, Greek political and business leaders in New Jersey, elected to the episcopacy in May took four steps toward him and complained Athens. 1998 and elevated to the diocese throne in of dizziness and weakness. President Clinton also expressed April of this year, died of a massive stroke at We got him on the floor and removed his his excitement over the symbolic gift age 66 while visiting his home parish on tight clothing, he said. A nurse in the hall took Patriarch Bartholomew offered him Sunday, Nov. 21. his pulse and someone called for an ambu- and said: by this beautiful gift pre- The Bishop (Fr. George Papaioannou) lance, but Bishop George put his left hand to sented to me, a magnificent piece of served St. George Church for 27 years as his head and said dont bother them, then his parchment written in Byzantine Greek pastor. He was stricken as he finished speak- hand fell. Fr. Demos said. He was sur- lettering, contains one of my favorite ing at a stewardship dinner in the Presbytera rounded by the people who loved him in the Bible passages, the fifth verse of the Maria Grand Hall, named for his beloved wife church he loved. 11th chapter of Hebrews: Faith is the who died of cancer in 1996. u page 6 substance of things hoped for, the evi- dence of things unseen. The Presidents hour-long visit DIOCESE OF CHICAGO: took place Nov. 17. A little after 6 p.m. he, first lady Hillary Clinton, their Metropolitan Iakovos Honored on 30 Years Anniversary u26 daughter, Chelsea, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, their counselors and the U.S. ambassador to Ankara en- Archdiocese News u 2 - 3, 6 Diocese News u 2 7 Parish Profile u 12 tered the center of Orthodoxy at the Challenge u 25 Ecumenical u 7 People u 12 Phanar. Archbishop Demetrios of America Classified ads u 2 4 Ecum. Patriarchate u 4-5, 28 Reflections u 21 and Metropolitan Demetrios of Seva- steia welcomed the President and his Clergy Updates u 23 Greek section u 13 -17 Relating to the Faith u 22 entourage at the gate, while the bells of St. George rang joyously. Contemporay Issues u 1 9 Opinions u 8 Religious Education u 6 Culture and Heritage u 23 Orthodoxy Worldwide u 18 Voice of Philoptochos u 11 u page 28 PAGE 2 ORTHODOX OBSERVER DECEMBER 1999 ARCHDIOCESE NEWS Archons to Present Athenagoras CBS Christmas Special To Include Award to Archbishop Tutu Greek Orthodox Segment NEW YORK Nobel Peace Prize Lau- sity of South Africa. After three years as a reate Archbishop Desmond Tutu has ac- high school teacher he began studying the- cepted Archbishop Demetrios invitation ology and was ordained as a priest in 1960. to receive the Athenagoras Human Rights The years 196266 were devoted to Award for the year 2000. further theological study in England lead- The award will be presented March 4 at the an- ing up to a Master of Theology. nual banquet of the Order of St. Andrew in New York. From 1967 to 1972 he taught theol- Previous recipients have included President ogy in South Africa before returning to Jimmy Carter, Mother Teresa and Elie Wiesel. England for three years as the assistant di- The 1984 recipient of the Noble Peace rector of a theological institute in London. Prize, Archbishop Tutu was born in 1931 In 1975 he was appointed dean of St. in Klerksdorp, Transvaal. His father was a Marys Cathedral in Johannesburg, the first teacher, and he himself was educated at black to hold that position. Johannesburg Bantu High School. From 1976 to 1978 he was bishop of Following high school, he trained as a Lesotho and, in 1978, became the first teacher at Pretoria Bantu Normal College black general secretary of the South Afri- and in 1954 he graduated from the Univer- can Council of Churches. St. Photios National Shrine Receives Major Gift ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. St. Photios The Endowment Fund of the Shrine Orthodox Observer National Shrine has received a $10,000 has been established to help secure the ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS reviews his narration during the videotaping at the cathedral gift from Harry, James and Joanna future work and progress of the National with Nick Furris, GOTelecom senior producer/director. (Below) Mary Golding and Elias Kefalidis Cavalaris of North Carolina. Harry and Shrine. When asked about his generous will present a reading on St. Basil the Great and his association with Christmas during the James are Archons of the Ecumenical Pa- gift, Archon Harry Cavalaris said, I only Greek Orthodox segment of the CBS Christmas Special. triarchate. hope that his gift helps inspire others The St. Photios National Shrine is a throughout this Nation to support our one self supporting Archdiocese institution and only National Shrine. that honors the memory of the first colony Archon Harry Cavalaris is Atlanta Dio- of Greeks and succeeding generations of cese Council president, a vice president immigrants to the New World. It also of the National Shrine board and St. serves to preserve, enhance, and promote Photios Feast Day Luncheon chairman. Hellenic ethnic and cultural traditions and The luncheon is scheduled for Sunday, Orthodox Christian teachings. Feb. 6. (Related story below) Shrine Luncheon to Honor Bishop John The Feb. 6 St. Photios Day Luncheon will highlight the feast day of the Shrine, will mark the 30th anniversary of the Na- including the annual board of trustees tional Shrine and the occasion to honor meeting on Feb. 5. Bishop John of Amorion on his 40th anni- At the luncheon, Bishop John will be versary as a priest, 30th year as a bishop, honored for his many years of service with and 20th as St. Photios National Shrine a proclamation and an honorarium. president, as well as his retirement from Cost of the luncheon will be $35. the Shrine. Those also wanting to participate in the gift Orthodox Observer Archbishop Demetrios; Bishop Ale- may do so at one of the following levels: NEW YORK The Greek Orthodox Archbishop Demetrios opens the seg- xios of Atlanta, the current St. Photios 1. Patron $100, one luncheon ticket Archdiocese has been selected to partici- ment which, through Byzantine iconogra- board chairman; and Bishop Dimitrios of 2. Benefactor $500, two luncheon tickets pate in the CBS TV Christmas Eve spe- phy, Orthodox hymnology and readings, Xanthos, former longtime director and 3. Grand Benefactor $1,000, two luncheon cial An American Christmas to be broad- invites the viewer to celebrate Christmas current Shrine coordinator, have been tickets. cast Dec. 24 at 11:35 p.m. (EST). through the lens of Orthodox Christianity. invited to attend. Reservations and contributions may The one-hour special will also air on Participating with His Eminence are Among those in attendance will be the be sent to: The St. Photios National Shrine the Odyssey Network Dec.25 at 2 a.m., the Byzantine Choir of Holy Cross School Very Rev. Nicholas T. Graff, newly appointed Foundation; Bishop John of Amorion Lun- and Dec. 26 at 3 p.m.. of Theology and two 15-year-old high chief executive director of the Shrine, and cheon; PO Box 1960; St. Augustine, FL An American Christmas is an engag- school students: Mary Golding, a mem- other Church and civil dignitaries. 32085. Information is available from the ing drama filled with heart-warming mu- ber of St.