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Published by
The National Herald,
September 3, 2005
Three
Churches Survive Hurricane, Community Relief
Efforts Underway |
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By Demetris Tsakas
Special to The National Herald
NEW YORK –
Communication with the Greek Orthodox community
of Louisiana was virtually impossible this week,
as telephone service was cut off shortly after
Hurricane Katrina pounded the Gulf of Mexico,
leaving hundreds, possibly thousands, dead and
massive destruction in her wake.
Tens of
thousands of Gulf Coast homes were destroyed;
millions left homeless, without shelter or
power; looters were running rampant; and scores
of people were even contending with alligators,
venomous snakes and other wild animals displaced
by the storm.
The enormous
devastation Katrina wreaked upon parts of
Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama is only now
beginning to come to light, even as the
situation in New Orleans grows worse by the
hour. Large parts of the coastal regions of
these states have experienced extensive
flooding, destruction of buildings and homes,
and loss of life. Insurance estimates exceeded
$20 billion, with damages likely exceeding
Hurricane Andrew levels, and gas prices soared
past $70 a barrel as flow of crude oil from the
Gulf was interrupted.
According to a
report posted by the Macedonian Press Agency,
three Louisiana Greek Orthodox churches (in
regions not directly in the path of the
hurricane) suffered little to no damage: Holy
Trinity Church at Baton Rouge, Saints
Constantine & Helen Church in Monroe, and Saint
George Church in Shreveport.
The extent of
the damages caused by the floods to the Holy
Trinity Cathedral in New Orleans was unknown at
press time, however. The Metropolis of Atlanta
reported that Rev. Anthony Stratis, dean of the
Cathedral, was in Florida staying with friends,
but that the Cathedral’s condition was unknown
because no one had been able to visit the
church.
Meanwhile the Greek American community is taking
measures to provide immediate assistance to the
afflicted areas.
DISASTER RELIEF
The Greek
Orthodox Archdiocese of America established its
Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Fund, as His
Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America made a
public appeal on August 30 to the Greek Orthodox
faithful of America to contribute to a special
collection scheduled for this Sunday, September
4, or next Sunday, September 11, in every parish
throughout the Archdiocese during Divine Liturgy
services.
"Beloved
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I write this
letter on behalf of the Holy Eparchial Synod of
the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in the
wake of the fatalities, heavy damage and trauma
caused by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana,
Mississippi and Alabama. This natural disaster
has affected entire communities throughout these
States, and today, many thousands of people are
mourning the painful loss of their loved ones,
their homes, and their businesses as a result of
the violent storm," the Archbishop wrote.
"As an Orthodox
Christian community, our first and foremost
response must be a call to prayer for the
eternal rest of those who lost their lives, and
for comfort and strength to be granted by the
merciful God to those left behind. Our prayers,
however, must also be joined by a tangible
expression of material assistance, so that those
affected by this tragedy may receive the help
that they need to recover from this overwhelming
catastrophe," he wrote.
"In this
difficult period of aftermath, we are moved as
Greek Orthodox Christians to remember the
inspiring words of St. Paul, ‘weep with those
who weep (Romans 12.15),’ and ‘put on heartfelt
compassion (Colossians 3.12),’ " His Eminence
added.
Financial
contributions for the Fund should be sent to the
Archdiocese (10 E. 79th Street, New York, NY
10021) and designated specifically for the
"Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Fund."
AHEPA also
mobilized this week by opening its Emergency
Relief Effort for immediate assistance to
hurricane victims. AHEPA responded swiftly to
the disaster, which hit Mobile, Alabama where
the Greek American organization maintains ten
senior citizen housing complexes and the
Penelope House, the first shelter for battered
women and their children in that State.
AHEPA Supreme
President Gus James urged members, chapters and
districts to donate to the Relief Effort "in the
Hellenic spirit of philanthropy, civic
responsibility and good citizenry… I encourage
members of our entire AHEPA family to make
contributions to assist our fellow citizens
affected by one of the worst natural disasters
ever to hit our country," he said in a
statement.
Mr. James
appointed AHEPA Supreme Treasurer Cosmos
Marandos and Supreme Governors K. Gus Hazifotis
and Anthony Kouzounis to oversee and coordinate
the donation drive. All checks for the AHEPA
Relief Effort should be made payable to the
AHEPA Charitable Fund, earmarked "Hurricane
Katrina" and forwarded to AHEPA Headquarters
(1909 Q Street, Suite #500, Washington, DC
20009).
NO ONE EXPECTED
IT
People were in
a state of shock. "No one had expected the
immensity of this disaster," Eleni Malachias,
67, told the National Herald from Shreveport by
telephone earlier this week. The New Orleans
resident was speaking from her daughter’s home,
where she found shelter along with her husband
Efstratios as soon as the Big Easy’s residents
were ordered to evacuate. The couple owns Café
Maspero in the city’s famed French Quarter.
"We’re among the lucky ones," she told the
Herald, adding that she and her husband are
desperately trying to communicate with friends
and co-workers. "My husband was born in New
Orleans, and at 72, he says he has never seen
any hurricane hit the city so savagely and
destroy everything," she added.
Mrs. Malachias
was born in the village of Megalo Pefko in
Attica and immigrated to the States after World
War II. "I pray for the water to subside so we
can go back home. And I also pray for
electricity to return so we can talk to our
friends in all the afflicted areas," she said.
The
catastrophic effects of Katrina have already
labeled the hurricane as the "American tsunami."
The Associated Press reported that an estimated
80 percent of New Orleans, already situated
below sea level, was under water which reached
as high as 20 feet deep in places, while miles
and miles of homes in the city and surrounding
areas were swamped. The city’s water was unsafe
to drink without boiling, as breaches in at
least two levees allowed water from the polluted
Lake Pontchartrain to inundate entire sections
of the city.
The United
States Coast Guard said it had rescued 1,200
people by boat and air, while New Orleans Mayor
Ray Nagin said hundreds, if not thousands, of
people were stuck on roofs and in attics as
rescue boats were bypassing the dead to reach
the living in body-strewn waters. The Mayor also
said that an estimated 80 percent of residents
had fled the city.
Louisiana
Governor Kathleen Blanco declared a state of
emergency. "At first light, the devastation is
greater than our worst fears. It’s just totally
overwhelming," she said.
In Mississippi,
more than 1,600 National Guardsmen were
activated shortly after the Katrina struck. The
area suffered an estimated 55 deaths. The storm,
which was a Category 4 hurricane when it made
landfall, swept sailboats onto city streets in
Gulfport and obliterated hundreds of waterfront
homes, businesses, community landmarks and
condominiums. A foot of water swamped the
Emergency Operations Center at Hancock County
courthouse, which sits 30 feet above sea level,
and the back of the courthouse collapsed.
"There’s just nothing left. It’s never going to
be the same. It’s over," said Jack Crochet, 56,
of Biloxi looking at the wreckage of his house
near the town’s beach.
Alabama
experienced similar levels of devastation as
718,000 homes and businesses were left without
power and water reached car roofs in some
communities. At 11 feet, flooding in Mobile
matched the record set in 1917, according to the
National Weather Service.
And Florida
suffered 11 deaths and a power outage which
affected more than 200,000.
Evan C.
Lambrou and Zoe Tsine contributed to the above
story.
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