JANUARY 2017 • Vol. 82 • No. 1322 www.observer.goarch.org • e-mail: [email protected] $1.00 What’s Inside ENCYC LICAL Feast of the Three Hierarchs and Greek Letters Day To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the GOA/D. Panagos photo Presidents and Members of the Parish Coun- Epiphany Events cils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Archbishop Demetrios throws the cross at the Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church annual Epiphany celebration in Tarpon Springs. Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the P. 6 Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America A look back Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Highlights of 2016 Our commemoration of the Feast of P. 2 the Three Hierarchs represents a strong Leadership 100 and holy tradition in the Orthodox Church Ionian Village receives grant of affirming that these three saints, Basil P. 4 the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, and John NJ Philoptochos Chrysostom, are exalted examples of per- Sets the pace for St. Nicholas support uu to page 3 Medical Fund Luncheon P. 5 Philoptochos sets biennial event for November P. 7 Honoring anniversary Connecticut parish, Archons to honor Ecum. Patriarch’s 25 years P. 9 Reflections The Invisible Church P. 11 Family connections Care teams P. 19 OCMC A recap of 2016 P. 23 IOCC milestone A quarter century of assistance ABC News-Live Stream P. 27 Archbishop Demetrios (at right behind President Clinton) at the Inauguration of President Donald Trump. Scholarships Agris scholarships available P. 27 Archbishop Attends Inauguration; Honors Priebus, Bilirakis, Gigicos HDF by Stavros H. Papagermanos Washington’s Lafayette Square. Atlanta Metropolis dance festival President Donald J. Trump and Vice P. 28 WASHINGTON – Archbishop Deme- President Mike Pence, together with their trios attended the Inauguration of Presi- families and a select group of guests, were dent Donald J. Trump on Jan. 20, and in attendance. participated in other events surrounding Shortly after, Archbishop Demetrios, the occasion that included awarding the accompanied by Fr. Alexander Karloutsos Medal of St. Paul to key Greek Orthodox were seated at the prominent dignitaries’ members of the new president’s staff. platform at the Capitol for the Presidential The morning of the inauguration, Inauguration and swearing in of the 45th at the invitation of the Presidential In- president. auguration Committee, he attended On Saturday, Jan. 21, His Eminence GOA photo Orthodox Observer photo the traditional Inauguration Day Prayer President Trump greets Archbishop Demetrios at Service at St John’s Episcopal Church on uu to page 3 the National Cathedral Prayer Service. 2 ARCHDIOCESE NEWS JANUARY 2017 To contact and Paul at the Vatican on June 29. A 2016 Retrospective JULY – AUGUST – The 43rd Clergy-Laity Congress takes National Ministries Many significant events in the Church for the victims of the March 22 terrorist at- place in Nashville July 3–7. The National took place in 2016, foremost of which tack on the Brussels airport, which killed Philoptochos Convention takes place Archives was the Holy and Great Council of the more than 35 people. concurrently. National Philoptochos Pres- 212.570.3517 Orthodox Church, the first such council ident Maria Logus presents a $100,000 [email protected] to convene in more than 1,000 years. APRIL check to Archbishop Demetrios for the As chronicled in the issues of the – Total National Philoptochos dona- construction of St. Nicholas Church and Communications Orthodox Observer, the following high- tions top $1 million for St. Nicholas National Shrine. The national organiza- th 212.774.0244 lighted the Church’s year. Church and National Shrine. St. Nicho- tion also celebrated its 85 anniversary. [email protected] las Church in Appleton, Wis., donates – The National Forum of Greek Ortho- JANUARY $100,000 for the church and national dox Church Musicians, meeting concur- Greek Education – Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew shrine. rently with the Clergy-Laity Congress, convenes a synaxis of the heads of all – The Holy Eparchial Synod of the marks its 40th anniversary. 212.774.0233 Autocephalous Orthodox Churches Jan. Archdiocese holds its spring meeting [email protected] 21-28 at Chambesy, Geneva, Switzerland, April 13-14. SEPTEMBER in preparation for the Great and Holy – Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, – A sudden tornado inflicts extensive Internet Ministries Council planned for June. Pope Francis and Archbishop Ierony- damage to Ionian Village on Sept. 8, 646.519.6690 – Daily construction at the site of St. mos of Athens and All Greece, travel to downing more than 600 trees and damag- [email protected] Nicholas Church and National Shrine the island of Lesbos in mid–April to view ing several buildings. is fully under way as the mechanical work the Syrian refugee problem. – Archbishop Demetrios receives a visit Inter–Orthodox, Ecumenical begins. from Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, the Re- and Interfaith Relations MAY publican vice presidential candidate on 212.570.3593 FEBRUARY – MARCH – Archbishop Demetrios visits St. Sava Sept. 15. [email protected] – Archbishop Demetrios sets theme for Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in New – Stavros Niarchos Foundation fulfills the upcoming Clergy-Laity Congress, York on May 4 after the cathedral was de- $5 million pledge for the construction of Ionian Village “You are the Voice of Christ in a stroyed by a fire on May 1, Easter Sunday. St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and 212.570.3538 Changing World.” – St. George Church in Piscataway, N.J., National Shrine, Sept. 21. [email protected] – The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox celebrates its centennial. – Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras visits Bishops in the United States publishes – HCHC graduates 55 students at com- Archdiocese headquarters on Sept. 22. Center for Family Care the first-ever Atlas of American Orthodox mencement ceremonies May 21. Christian Monasteries. – Joint Committee of Orthodox and OCTOBER 845.424.8175 – San Francisco Folk Dance Festival Catholic Bishops convenes May 22-24 – National Missions and Evangelism [email protected] and Choral Festival marks 40th year. in Contoocook, N.H. Conference, hosted by the Metropolis – The Archbishop Iakovos Leadership – Archbishop Demetrios receives hon- of San Francisco, convenes Oct. 3-5 in Parish Development 100 Endowment Fund approves $3.67 orary doctorate May 28 from St. Tikhon’s Portland, Oregon. 847.825.1432 million in grants at its Feb. 17 meeting. Orthodox Theological Seminary in New – Hierarchs of the Assembly of Canoni- [email protected] – The Annunciation Cathedral Philop- Canaan, Pa. cal Orthodox Bishops of the United tochos in Atlanta donates more than States hold their seventh annual general Philanthropy $155,000 toward the construction of St. JUNE assembly in Detroit on Oct. 4. 212.774.0283 Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and – St. Nektarios parish in Charlotte, N.C., – The first official biography of Ecumeni- [email protected] National Shrine in New York at a Feb. 28 hosts the 33rd St. John Chrysostom Na- cal Patriarch Bartholomew, written by fund-raiser. tional Oratorical Festival, June 10-11. Fr. John Chryssavgis, is released Oct. 11. Public Affairs – Architect Santiago Calatrava, meets – The Holy and Great Council of the – Two parishes celebrate their centennials 212.774.0400 with Archdiocese officials in New York Orthodox Church convenes at the in October. Dormition Church-Somer- [email protected] on March 1, including Archbishop Deme- Orthodox Academy in Crete June 19- ville, Mass. (Oct. 22-23), and St. Nicholas trios, Bishop Andonios of Phasiane and 26. Some 300 hierarchs representing Church-Bethlehem, Pa. (Oct. 22-23. Registry Jerry Dimitriou, executive director of 10 of the 14 Autocephalous Churches 212.570.3558 administration, to discuss progress on attended. NOVEMBER St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and – Metropolitan Methodios of Boston – Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew [email protected] National Shrine. represents Ecumenical Patriarch Bar- marks the 25th anniversary of his en- – Archbishop Demetrios offers prayers tholomew at the Feast Day of Sts. Peter thronement on Nov. 2. The Orthodox Religious Education Observer published a commemorative 646.519.6300 issue in October. [email protected] How to Contact Archdiocesan Institutions, – Annunciation Church in Akron, Ohio, Metropolises and Related Agencies and Organizations marks its 100th anniversary Nov. 4-5. Stewardship, Outreach & Evangelism Archbishop Demetrios presided at the 646.519.6160 Direct Archdiocesan District Tel. 212.288.3215; www.thecathedralnyc.org Archierarchal Divine Liturgy. [email protected] 212.570.3500; www.goarch.org Hellenic College Holy Cross School of Theology – Efstathios and Stamatiki Valiotis Metropolis of Chicago 617.731.3500; www.hchc.edu 312.337.4130; www.chicago.goarch.org Saint Basil Academy pledge $10 million on Nov. 13 toward the Youth and Young Adult Ministries Metropolis of Boston 845.424.3500; www.stbasil.goarch.org St. Michael’s Home expansion project. th 646.519.6780 617.277.4742; www.boston.goarch.org St. Michael’s Home – Archbishop Demetrios receives 9 [email protected] Metropolis of Denver 914.476.3374; www.stmichaelshome.org Century New Testament Codex from 303.333.7794; www.denver.goarch.org St. Photios National Shrine Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago Metropolis of Atlanta 904.829.8205; www.stphotios.com at a ceremony Nov.