Home Community 2023 Annual Drawing Contest Results Announced

2023 Annual Drawing Contest Results Announced

Photo by Katerina Koutsoupias

ST AUGUSTINE, FL –  

Sofia Koutsoupias,12, of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Charlotte, NC was the winner of the Third Annual St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine Drawing Contest held by the St. Photios Foundation, Inc., in  in conjunction with the annual commemoration of the Fall of Constantinople [May 29, 1453].

The Contest encourages students, ages 9-12 of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, to learn about the Fall of Constantinople and to express what was learned, through art.

This year, the children were commissioned to learn about the Theodosian Walls, one of Constantinople’s most impressive surviving monuments from antiquity. The three judges commented: “the artists understood the topic they were to draw by using a variety of mediums” (Mariann Mantzouris), “the renditions demonstrate intricate details” (Smaro Milonas), and “these wonderful drawings from such young artists exhibit so much talent” (Prof. Laura Mongiovi).

Digital prints of the 8 x 10 originals will be on exhibit in the St. Photios museum special exhibit area through May 31, 2024. They depict a child’s perspective of an architectural marvel which began during the reign of Theodosius II in the early 5th century. Anthemius, who was Theodosius’ Praetorian Prefect (prime minister) at the time, is credited with supervising the three-tiered fortification that continued the line of defense begun by Constantine the Great. It was the largest and strongest barricade built in either the ancient or medieval worlds, an effective defense line for 800 years.

Sofia Koutsoupias won the $250 prize of the Drawing Contest.  

Participating were: Napoleon Gelis, 11 years old, of St. Demetrios, Fort Lauderdale, FL; Katharina Gabrielides, 10 years old, of Wesley Chapel, FL; Victor Constantin Acatrinei, 9 years old, of Annunciation, N. Miami, FL; Alexi Andrioti, 9 years old, of Holy Trinity, St. Augustine, FL; Nicholas E Coalson, 10 years old, of St. Nicholas, Corpus Christi, TX; Amalia Pieper, 11 years old, St. George, Chicago, IL; Diacos Sayers, 9 years old and Kostas Tsovilis, 11 years old, both of St. Demetrios, Daytona Beach, FL; and Vasili Moody 10 years old, of the Annunciation Cathedral, Atlanta, GA.

In a press announcement the trustees of St. Photios Foundation express their gratitude to William, Pamela, and Michael Toundas of Jacksonville, FL who have underwritten the entire cost of this project for the past three years.