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Published by the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America,
January 19, 2005
Greek
Orthodox Archdiocese to Celebrate Greek
Letters |
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New York, NY –
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Greek
Education has announced several events, to be led
by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America,
in observance of Greek Letters and Culture.
Celebrated annually throughout the United States
by the Archdiocese and its institutions in
conjunction with the Feast Day of the Three
Hierarchs on January 30, the event commemorates
the fourth century scholars and theologians, St.
Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian and
St. John Chrysostom, who espoused Christianity
with Hellenism, its language, philosophy, drama,
poetry and art. Three Hierarchs Day was first
celebrated in the year 1100 A.D. when the
Byzantine Emperor Alexis Comninos proclaimed that
January 30 be set aside to honor these men whose
writings contributed to the formulation of Greek
Orthodoxy, Greek Culture and education.
Following is the schedule of events in
metropolitan New York.
Friday, January 28 - 9:00 a.m.
His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios will celebrate
the Divine Liturgy for teachers and students
(grades 5-12) of the Greek American Day Schools on
Friday, January 28 at the Archdiocesan Cathedral
of the Holy Trinity (319 E. 74th St, NYC). At the
conclusion of the Liturgy, the Archbishop will
bestow The Three Hierarchs Award of Excellence on
the students who achieved a score of 100 in the
2004 Comprehensive Examination of Modern Greek
January 28 - 4:30 p.m.
His Eminence will cut the traditional Vasilopita
at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese (10 East 79th
Street) in honor of the administrators and
teachers of the day and afternoon schools.
Principals, teachers, and school board and PTA
board members are invited to attend and receive
the blessings of the Archbishop.
Saturday, January 29 - 7:00 p.m.
His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios will preside at
the Great Vespers at the Three Hierarchs Church
(1724 Avenue P, Brooklyn), followed by a
presentation by the students of the community’s
schools in celebration of “Greek Letters”.
Sunday, January 30 - 9:30 a.m.
His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios will celebrate
an Archieratical Liturgy at the Archdiocesan
Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in celebration of
the Feast Day of the Three Hierarchs. In
celebration of Greek Letters, the Archdiocesan
Office will host a Reception and Lecture in the
Cathedral Center beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Dr. George Demacopoulos, assistant professor of
Theology at Fordham University, will speak on “ A
New Feast in the Orthodox Church: The Return of
the Relics of St. Gregory the Theologian and St.
John Chrysostom to the Ecumenical Patriarchate in
Constantinople”.
VIDEO PREMIERE
There will also be a video documentary, funded by
the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the
Order of St. Andrew, documenting the return of the
relics entitled: “The Return of the Holy Relics of
the Saints Gregory the Theologian and John
Chrysostom from Rome to the Church of
Constantinople November 27 - 30, 2004”.
Responding to the request of His All Holiness
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and recognizing
the importance of St. John Chrysostom and St.
Gregory the Theologian to Orthodox Christians
around the world, Pope John Paul II agreed to
return the relics of these two great Fathers of
the Church and Ecumenical Teachers to their
original resting place in the Ecumenical
Patriarchate in Constantinople.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, accompanied by
Archbishop Demetrios of America and other
hierarchs, traveled to The Vatican to officially
receive the relics from the Pope in a ceremony on
November 27, 2004. The relics were then returned
to Constantinople and enshrined inside the
Cathedral of St. George at the Patriarchate on
November 30, during a Pan-Orthodox Liturgy
ceremony commemorating St. Andrew the Apostle, the
patron saint and founder of the Church of
Constantinople.
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