Archbishop Christodoulos: Illness “Is the Will of God” Archdiocese Fire Relief Fund Now Has $3.8 Million Ancient Olympia
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O C V ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ Bringing the news ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ to generations of ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 The National Herald Greek Americans A WEEKLY GREEK AMERICAN PUBLICATION c v www.thenationalherald.com VOL. 11, ISSUE 533 December 29, 2007 $1.00 GREECE: 1.75 EURO Archbishop Christodoulos: Illness “is the Will of God” Ailing Prelate Discusses Health Problems and Greek Americans in Exclusive with TNH By Theodore Kalmoukos Special to the National Herald BOSTON – Archbishop Christodou- los of Athens and All Greece is fully aware of the seriousness of the health problem that he has faced since June, but he does not despair, as he empathically said in an exclu- sive interview with the National Herald. “I hope in the love of God. Let His will be done,” the ailing prelate of the Church of Greece told the Herald from his residence in Athens where he is fighting liver cancer that has spread to other parts of his body. Last fall, a liver transplant had to be aborted in Miami when doctors found that the cancer had spread. His health seems to have taken a turn for the worse, al- though at times he feels relatively well. Archbishop Christodoulos His exclusive interview with the National Herald was picked up Church all the time, in situations of worldwide by both the electronic happiness and sadness. I have and print media of Greece. placed myself into the hands of God TNH/COSTAS BEJ Archbishop Christodoulos does and in the medical knowledge and Sing praises to the Lord, sing praises... not feel any regret about his time as ability of my doctors to whom I an Ecclesiastical Leader, because as have absolute trust. I know the Greek Americans celebrated the Christmas holiday in a festive spirit throughout the country with friends and family at church and at home. he stated, “I have done my duty to magnitude of my situation, but I do Above, The Pancyprian Choir held its annual Christmas concert last Friday, December 21, at Saints Catherine & George Church in Astoria. Dr. its fullest capacity.” not despair. I hope in the Love of Constantinos Giannoudis was the conductor. The singers delighted concert-goers. He proved to be one the most God. Let His will be done.” dynamic and charismatic church Asked how much this unexpect- leaders of our time and changed ed ordeal has changed him Arch- the way contemporary Greek Or- bishop Christodoulos said, “Pain thodox faithful in Greece and can influence the person in two abroad view the Church. He has a ways: either to harden and make Archdiocese Fire Relief Fund Now Has $3.8 Million lot of love, respect and admiration him angry towards God, making for the Greek American community. him antisocial and more distant By Evan C. Lambrou of Michael Jaharis, vice chairman the Sudan and past administrator Alex is involved because of his con- The Archbishop has been open from Him, or to mellow him, make Special to The National Herald of the Archdiocesan Council; Geor- of United States Agency for Inter- nections. They’re serving as advi- about his failing health and wishes him more humane and give him the gia Skeadas, president of the Na- national Development. sors to the committee,” Andonios to continue to keep the Hellenic will to see life and his relationship NEW YORK – The Archdiocese tional Philoptochos Society; Jerry Dimitriou, chief adminis- told the National Herald in an in- community informed. with his Creator and fellow man in Greek Fire Relief Fund Committee George Behrakis, chairman of the trator of the Archdiocese, and Arch- terview. “The health problem that I face a different way. The boundaries of will meet in January to identify Archbishop Iakovos Leadership bishop Demetrios of America are The Committee last met in Octo- is known to everyone,” he said. “It this dual approach depend on the specific needs and projects and 100 Endowment Fund; Dr. Antho- the Fund’s signatories, Andonios ber, and approved a $252,000 for was my wish from the very begin- measure of his faith. The one who make decisions on how to disburse ny J. Limberakis, national com- said, and Rev. Alexander Kar- International Orthodox Christian ning to inform the Greek people believes, which means he trusts $3.8 million currently sitting in an mander of the Order of Saint An- loutosos is playing an advisory role. Charities to purchase animal feed about the going of my health with- God and His will, will face pain and interest-bearing account, according drew (Archons of the Ecumenical “Jerry is involved because he’s for livestock which can not graze out any reservation or secrecy nei- the sickness and every type of tribu- to Bishop Andonios of Phasiane, Patriarchate); Peter Kikis, president the chief operations officer. He’s in because so much land was scorched ther any hiding of the truth. I do be- lation as a visit from God. Perhaps who is coordinating the Commit- of the Archdiocese Faith Endow- charge of the Archdiocese’s fi- by the wildfire disaster at the end lieve that the leaders of the Church at some point he might ask the big tee’s work. ment Fund; and Andrew Natsios, nances and knows what we need to do not belong to themselves. First The Special Committee consists President Bush’s special envoy to do administratively, and Father Continued on page 4 and foremost we belong to the Continued on page 7 Greek American Businessman Quantum Arrested While Recuperating Physics And From Multiple Bypass Surgery Man’s Brain By Evan C. Lambrou gage fraud scheme” while he await- By Evan C. Lambrou Special to The National Herald ed sentencing for laundering mon- Special to The National Herald ey from defense contractors to Cun- NEW YORK – New York financier ningham, federal prosecutors in NEW YORK – Physicians often rely Thomas Kontogiannis, who is re- California alleged earlier this on the work of scientists outside the covering from open heart surgery month. field of Medicine to make progress in and is in custody of U.S. marshals A federal judge in San Diego treating and curing illnesses, but not at an outpatient clinic, appears to was concerned that Mr. Kontogian- too many people realize that quan- have continued “an illegal mort- nis, with an estimated net worth of tum physics can be applied at the bio- $300 million and close ties to his logical level. native Greece, posed a flight risk; Dimitri V. Nanopoulos, distin- cancelled his bond; and ordered guished professor of Physics at Texas him arrested. A&M University, was recently hon- Mr. Kontogiannis has allegedly ored by the Hellenic Medical Society Eirineos’ continued running an unrelated of New York for, among other things, $100 million mortgage fraud scam his contributions to quantum-in- Petition Gets well after he pled guilty in the Cun- spired models of brain function. ningham case. While he was stateside to accept Mr. Kontogiannis, considered a the Society’s 2007 Distinguished Hel- Thrown Out key figure in the corruption case lene award, Dr. Nanopoulos took against former Congressman Ran- some time to discuss particle and cos- JERUSALEM – The Israeli High dall “Duke” Cunningham, pled mological physics, and how physics Court of Justice canceled an injunc- guilty last February 9 to making il- research helps advance Medicine. tion freezing Israel’s belated recog- legal payments to then Rep. Cun- “The human brain is the most nition of Theophilos III, 1the Greek ningham (the California Republi- complex object in the universe that Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, can was convicted of a number of we know of. Discovering the mecha- ending a two-year bitter political, le- crimes in November 2005, to in- AP/THANASSIS STAVRAKIS nisms of its physical function is a mat- gal and religious dispute within the clude being on the take for $2.4 Holidays in Greece ter of using different scientific disci- Church and the Holy Land. million from military contractors, plines in order to investigate that, The High Court dismissed all pe- and is now serving an 8-year prison A family takes a photograph at an illuminated star in front of Athens City Hall this past December 20. The and because the brain is such a tition, to include Theophilos’ peti- sentence). city of Athens had a series of festivities planned for the Christmas and New Year holidays. unique object structurally, we decid- tion demanding that the Israeli Gov- According to Mr. Cunningham’s ed to look at it from another perspec- ernment “show cause” for failure to plea, in which Mr. Kontogiannis tive than biologists do,” he told the affirm his election more than two was listed as “Coconspirator #3,” National Herald. years ago, and by Theophilos’ prede- the Greek American developer In treating conditions like cessor, former Patriarch Eirineos I, from Long Island bribed the former Alzheimer’s disease, Dr. Nanopoulos asking the Court to stop the Govern- eight-term congressman and Viet- Ancient Olympia Rises from the Ashes explained, the human brain can also ment’s recognition of Theophilos. nam War Navy ace. be looked at as a system of physical The Court ruled that the Govern- Mr. Kontogiannis admitted that By Yiannis Sofianos throughout the Greek countryside. Mr. Loving told the Herald that, structures which operate as a bio- ment’s affirmation of Theophilos as he orchestrated a laundering plan, Special to the National Herald But today at least, it seems like after graduating, he didn’t find the chemical computer with memory rightful and lawful Greek Orthodox using his mortgage banking firm to the area is quiet and peaceful. A job he was looking for, so he decid- banks and other hardware.