o C V ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ Bringing the news ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ to generations of ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 The National Herald Greek-Americans NEWS c v A weekly Greek-AmericAn PublicAtion www.thenationalherald.com VOL. 16, ISSUE 826 August 10-16, 2013 $1.50 Metropolitan Isaiah Samaras Closes Salt Lake City’s Arrives Holy Trinity Cathedral in U .S. for By Theodore Kalmoukos As soon as I receive your as- DC and NY TNH Staff Writer surance that matters returned to normal, I will be very happy Salt Lake City, UT – Metropoli- to have the clergy resume their Meetings tan Isaiah of Denver has closed priestly duties.” the Greek Orthodox Cathedral On July 30, the Council sent of the Holy trinity of Salt Lake a letter to the parishioners in- To Visit Obama City in Utah by prohibiting its forming them that the finances three priests to celebrate the of the parish are in a dire con- At White House Liturgy, the Sacraments and any dition and they were forced to of the Sacred Services because take the action of reducing the And Investors the parish council was forced to clergy’s salaries. The Council reduce the salaries of the clergy wrote that “as we reviewed the In New York due to lack of funds of the financials at our parish council parish. meeting last evening it was By Constantine S. Sirigos In a letter dated July 31 to painfully evident that the com- TNH Staff Writer Parish Council President Dim- munity finances have reached a itrios Tsagaris and its members critical point. Our community is WASHINGTON, DC - Prime Isaiah wrote that “pursuant to out of money and unable to Minister Antonis Samaras of the motion voted on and ap- meet payroll this week. After Greece arrived in Washington, proved by your Parish Council much discussion of the possible DC just after midnight on Tues- at your meeting on July 29, options to relieve our commu- day, August 6, beginning a four- 2013 to reduce clergy salaries nity of its chronic deficit, a mo- day visit the United States which by 40$, I have no other choice tion was passed to reduce the will culminate in a meeting with but to direct your three assigned base salary of each of the three AP Photo/thAnAssis stAvrAkis President Barack Obama at the clergy to immediately suspend assigned clergy by 40% for a to- Ola Kala: The Flag still Flies and Tourists Keep Coming White House on Thursday. all priestly ministry to the tal annual reduction in expenses It will be Samaras’ first White parish.” of $124,890 which translates Tourists in front of the Parthenon take pictures of the passing Presidential Guard (not seen) House visit since he took over Isaiah made clear that the int o 30% of their total compen- during a ceremony to replace the Greek flag flying from the eas tern tip of the citadel, after it the reins of the coalition govern- Holy trinity Cathedral is sation package. This will take was torn down by strong winds in Athens on August 8. Greece is expecting a boost to its key ment whose membership was re- “closed” s ince he prohibited the effect July 31st.” tourism industry this year. More than a million visitors arrived in the January-March period, a cently reduced from three to two priests to even Liturgize. He The Council informed the 4.6 percent increase from 2012, according to the Bank of Greece. parties. The coalition now con- wrote that “they are not to cele- parishioners that Isaiah had sists of Samaras’ New Democracy brate any Liturgy, Sacrament, or been made aware of the situa- party and the PASOK Socialists Service whatsoever, effective tion but he had not responded. who back the austerity measures this date until further notice. They wrote that “last week a let- demanded by international This includes the Sunday Litur- ter was sent to His Eminence Letters of Terror: The Black Hand Story lenders and Greece’s European gies, beginning this Sunday, Au- Metropolitan Isaiah updating partners. gust 4th, and all scheduled wed- him on this critical situation. Some observers are down- dings and baptisms.” The Parish Council President has By Steve Frangos these detailed accounts of crime perspective. playing the significance of a visit He also wrote to the Council also left voice messages for His TNH Staff Writer are first recorded. Misguided While the Black Hand (Mano in August, when the pace of busi- to inform him after they restore Eminence but has not yet heard racial prejudices of the time, in- Nera) has long been associated ness slows in the Capitol as Con- the priest’s salaries in order to from him. Part One flamed by both the national in the popular imagination with gress goes on recess. Others, allow them to do their priestly It is with heavy hearts that press and the local police, must the Mafia and/or the Camorra however, believe it is crucial for duties: “Please inform me in the Parish Council must take CHICAGO - The difficulty in be separated from what we now we now know it was a method Samaras to establish a personal writing at such time as you have such action, but feel this is what writing about early Greeks and know to be true. With documen- of extortion not limited to any relationship with Obama, both put the financial affairs of the must be done to try and keep crime is not for the lack of avail- tation unavailable at the time, one crime organization or eth- to enlist stronger American sup- parish in order and representing our community solvent during able evidence. Quite the reverse. oral testimony by eye witnesses nic group in North America. The port for Greece as she faces its the General Assembly of parish- this trying time.” Published accounts and docu- (collected long after the events general outline of this form of economic crisis and the demands ioners in good standing, you are Tsagaris told TNH that “we ments of all sorts and cate- took place) and a broader un- crime is as follows: first, a of the Troika, and to offset the able to resume compensating decided to open both churches gories, on Greeks as criminals derstanding of overall events wealthy individual is identified; perceived friendship that has de- the clergy as required by the on Sunday morning. I person- and as victims, are readily avail- (than could have been expected next, an anonymous letter seek- veloped between the American Uniform parish Regulations. ally opened the Prophet Elias able for those who would but from those living through the ing money is sent to this person president and Recep Tayyip Er- Keep in mind that you must pay Church and I put a CD through look. Problems arise with un- daily events) we can now attend under the threat of death; then, dogan, the Prime Minister of them the amounts withheld by raveling these tales of crime to criminal activities among the Greece’s rival, Turkey. you as of this date. Continued on page 3 from the wider society in which Greeks from an entirely new Continued on page 5 During the first day of the visit Samaras met with the edi- torial board of the Washington Post and visited the Center for Strategic and International Stud- Documentary about Ray ies (CSIS). As if a reminder were needed that his country was in the midst Boom Boom Mancini Has of a devastating economic crisis, Samaras and his entourage took a detour to New York for a meet- Boosted Tavlarides’ Name ing with investors and financial industry officials at the St. Regis By Penelope Karageorge ington D.C.’s Saint Sophia Hotel on Fifth Avenue. TNH Staff Writer Cathedral. Call it Hollywood on Back in Washington on Au- the Potomac. According to the gust 8, Samaras will have a NEW YORK - Film producer producer, Greek Americans in- working lunch with U.S. Secre- Christopher Tavlarides pre- volved with film led the way for tary of State John Kerry at noon miered his first full-length fea- him in an important way, to the and the White House meeting ture documentary, The Good point that he named his film with his fellow Harvard alumnus Son, the Ray Mancini story to a company Saint Sophia Produc- will take place at 3:00 PM. packed house and enthusiastic tions. Among the film talents The Greek Prime Minister will reception at New York’s Cinema who helped and influenced him return to New York on Friday, Village last week. Fight pros and were millionaire Ted Leonsis and August 9 for a full day that be- film stars filled the audience, Ted and Jim Pedas. gins with a 9:15 meeting with along with just people who re- “There’s really a culture that’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg. After sponded to the emotional, mov- been created at the church to meeting with the editorial board ing story of Boom Boom encourage young people. My of The New York Times, Samaras Mancini, the lightweight boxing own father offered young people will pay a visit to Archdiocesan champion who crashed after enormous encouragement. If headquarters for a meeting with fighting Korean challenger Duk you needed an internship, you Archbishop Demetrios. Koo Kim, an epic bout that left called the priest. The priest The Hellenic Initiative (THI) Kim in a fatal coma. Mancini called someone. You’re part of will then host a luncheon at the himself, now 52, said: “This is the system.” Metropolitan Club. According to good as it’s going to get.