Resignation

Published by The National Herald, July 15, 2005

Principal’s Resignation Adds More Fuel to Fire In Corona

NEW YORK – The resignation of Helen Lydakis, former principal of the School of the Metamorphosis of the Transfiguration Church in Corona, has added fuel to the fire which has divided the Greek Orthodox community in Corona for the past two years.

Mrs. Lydakis resigned two weeks ago, after serving in the school for 38 years. She has since been replaced by the school’s science teacher.

Trouble at the Transfiguration community broke out two years ago when its then Parish Council President, Vasilios Livanos, accused its former pastor, the Very Rev. Cleopas Strongylis, of mismanaging the Church’s finances (criminal charges against the archimandrite have yet to be filed). Division in the community ensued, ultimately leading to the dissolution of the (now replaced) parish council under Mr. Livanos, the former members of which continue to insist on their right to maintain their former positions.

This past February, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s Spiritual Court imposed a penance upon the members of the ousted council, prohibiting them from receiving Holy Communion or participating in any other Church Sacrament until they repent.

In an interview published in the National Herald’s Greek edition on July 9, and during an open press conference on July 8, Mrs. Lydakis claimed she was forced to resign due to the "callous and irresponsible" behavior of Rev. Nicholas Kouvaris, current pastor of the Transfiguration Church.

"There were scenes that shamed us and insulted us both as human beings and as educators," Mrs. Lydakis told reporters and parents of school children. "We were giving a daily battle of nerves against the psychological war waged by the pastor," she added, alleging that, among other things, Rev. Kouvaris was hindering the teachers’ work; pushing some of them to resignation; issuing threats; and issuing negative criticism of parents and teachers, as well as harassing children, whose parents belonged to the community’s Archdiocese-ousted former council.

"I just want to say to her, a big thank you. I respect her, but I also respect institutions," Rev. Kouvaris said in a short statement to the Herald earlier this week.

"I think her resignation is overdue," said His Grace Bishop Savas of Troas, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, in an interview with the National Herald earlier this week. "Her interview was an unfortunate closing to her career in Corona, and was full of inaccuracies," he said, adding that the school will continue to operate under a new principal.

"Mrs. Orfanos, a science teacher who was well loved, has been named principal," the Bishop said. "A letter has been sent to all the parents. I urge the parents to return to the school. The (teaching) positions have been filled; there is no threat to the school. Mrs. Lydakis offered valuable service. I don’t want to denigrate that, at all, but the school is more than a single person. It is a joint effort."

In her interview with the Herald, Mrs. Lydakis stressed that, among other things, she had never been involved in the politics of the community, and had only attended a PTA demonstration outside the Archdiocesan Headquarters in Manhattan on May 24, 2004 after parents threatened to withdraw their children from the school if she didn’t attend. "I was losing children," she said. "I decided to go with the parents so that I wouldn’t lose any more children. I wasn’t shouting. I was just present."

But a letter signed by Mrs. Lydakis, which was faxed by the Archdiocese to the National Herald, disputes that claim. In the letter, Mrs. Lydakis urged the parents of the school to participate in the demonstration and bring their children along with them.

"Certain actions by the Archdiocese are concerning the future of our School," Mrs. Lydakis wrote. "The purpose of this event is to support and secure the continuation of the operation of our School, and to make our voice heard… We urge you to participate in this event and take your children with you. Buses will be provided for your transportation from and back to the School."

The letter concluded by asking parents to sign a short statement of participation below her signature and return it to the School. At the bottom of the page, below the statement and Mrs. Lydakis’ signature, an underscored paragraph written in capital letters states: "I expect you to join our teachers and I, and with one voice let them know, that our school will stay open."

Mrs. Lydakis was not available to comment on the letter as, according to Mr. Livanos, she was on vacation in Greece.

"The Archdiocese had not shown any interest in the school, and Mrs. Lydakis had to get involved in order to save it," Mr. Livanos said. "I have taken thousands of dollars out of my pocket to help the school survive," he said, adding that the school currently employs half the number of teachers it did last year. "What is going to happen to the school? How will it go on," he asked?

"Mrs. Lydakis was under a lot of pressure and was afraid that the school would close," said Demetris Spanos, Vice President of the dissolved parish council. "The demonstration was an open message to the Archdiocese organized by the PTA, which said they wanted to close the school down. What was she supposed to do?"

In her interview with the Herald, Mrs. Lydakis alleged that Bishop Savas had threatened to fire her over the phone. "I told him, ‘I have never thought of doing such a thing, and have not planned it.’ He said he will make me wait (in line) at the unemployment office," Mrs. Lydakis said.

But Bishop Savas told the Herald he told Mrs. Lydakis to leave the school "in response to misinformation she gave me about her role in organizing the demonstration. When I called her and asked her why she would have done such a thing, she claimed that she hadn’t been involved. It is very disingenuous of her to suggest that she was not involved in the politics of the community."

Mrs. Lydakis told the Herald that she had not been involved in the politics of the community after promising not to during a private audience with Archbishop Demetrios, he said.

"She was given an hour-long audience with His Eminence, and he urged her not to involve herself in a political manner in the workings of the school and the parish," Bishop Savas said. "We have information that she was to meet with Mr. Livanos later that day for dinner."

As for Mr. Livanos’ recent trip to Greece, where he met with members of the Hellenic Parliament to appeal for their assistance in the situation, the Chancellor explained, "The Hellenic Parliament has no jurisdiction. It’s all smoke and mirrors. The rules of the Church are spelled out clearly in our Uniform Parish Regulations."

The Archdiocesan Chancellor also said that Archbishop Demetrios regretted the "sad situation" in the community.

"He regrets the misinformation that’s in circulation; the false image that’s been projected of the community of Corona; the denigration of the efforts of the Archdiocese, the new priest, parish council and school board to preserve the community and its school. It’s a truly lamentable situation, and we pray that people come to their senses and realize the harm that has been done not only to the community of Corona, but also to the community throughout the area," Bishop Savas said.



Volume 7 Number 29 - Tuesday, July 19th, 2005	A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY