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Published
by The Hellenic News of America, November 19, 2005
IOCC CHICAGO COMMITTEE
HONORS BISHOP DIMITRIOS
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Chicago
(IOCC) - Calling International Orthodox
Christian Charities an "organization of
action," His Grace Bishop Dimitrios was
honored Sunday as a man of action by IOCC's
Chicago Metropolitan Committee.
Bishop Dimitrios, ecumenical officer of the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, was the
honoree at the committee's ninth annual
Pan-Orthodox Grand Banquet.
"When we stand before Christ, he will not
ask us if we are a lawyer or a millionaire or
even a cleric; he will ask us if we fed the
hungry, clothed the naked, and visited the sick
and imprisoned," Bishop Dimitrios told the
crowd of 300 at The Carlisle in Lombard, Ill.
"I am man of few words. I much prefer
action. That is why I am so supportive of IOCC.
It is an organization of action," he said.
Bishop Dimitrios was recognized for his
longstanding support of IOCC, the official
humanitarian aid agency of Orthodox Christians.
In addition to his work for the Greek
Archdiocese, Bishop Dimitrios is general
secretary of the Standing Conference of
Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA),
the parent organization of IOCC. In both
capacities, His Grace has been active in
promoting the work of IOCC.
"Your commitment to the Orthodox Church, to
people around the world, your humble spirit,
your quiet approach and your quick wit are
inspiring and contagious," said IOCC
Executive Director Constantine M. Triantafilou.
"On behalf of the board of directors of
IOCC, the staff and all our beneficiaries, I
thank you."
Among those attending the banquet were Orthodox
faithful from the Greek, Serbian, Antiochian,
OCA and Romanian churches in Chicago.
"The banquet exemplified the pan-Orthodox
spirit," said Dr. George Dalianis, chairman
of the Chicago committee. "The warmth and
congeniality that permeated the evening is what
made it so special."
The Chicago committee is one of 27 such groups
across the country that advance the humanitarian
mission of IOCC through fund-raising and
volunteer work.
In addition to Bishop Dimitrios, the other
attending hierarchs were His Eminence
Metropolitan Iakovos of the Greek Orthodox
Diocese of Chicago, His Grace Bishop Job of the
Diocese of Chicago and the Midwest (OCA), and
His Eminence Archbishop Nicolae of the Romanian
Orthodox Archdiocese in America and Canada.
Keynote speaker for the evening was Alexis
Troubetzkoy, international church liaison for
IOCC. Master of ceremonies was longtime Chicago
newsman Bud Photopulos, and banquet chairwoman
was Margo Anos.
Since its founding in 1992, IOCC has delivered
more than $160 million in humanitarian
assistance in 23 countries.
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