BROOKLYN, NY –
Eight Grade students from A. Fantis School, the parochial school of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Brooklyn Heights, recently returned from an unforgettable journey through Greece—a deeply immersive experience that brought their years of study to life and strengthened their connection to their faith and heritage. This annual capstone trip was made all the more meaningful as it marked the conclusion of a landmark academic year, during which A. Fantis School was honored as a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.
Over the course of eight days, students explored the spiritual, historical, and cultural heart of Greece. From worshiping at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew in Patras and venerating the relics of Saint Nektarios in Aegina, to walking the steps of the Acropolis and witnessing the discipline of the Evzones Presidential Guard, each moment was more than sightseeing—it was an encounter with the living legacy of Hellenism and Orthodoxy.
“This trip was a continuation of a ministry I’ve lived for over 20 years—sharing my love for Greece with others,” said Rev. Fr. Evagoras Constantinides, priest of Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral and spiritual leader of the school. “To see our students standing in the same places they’ve learned about in class—praying in the monasteries, walking the streets of Nafplio, visiting Parliament—it’s where education, faith, and identity intersect in the most powerful way.”
The itinerary included visits to Ancient Olympia, Kalavryta, Nafplio, the Acropolis, the Hellenic Parliament, the Presidential Mansion, and the island of Aegina. Students walked the sacred grounds of Mega Spileon and Agia Lavra, honored the memory of those lost in Kalavryta’s WWII massacre, and reflected on modern Greek democracy during a tour of the Hellenic Parliament hosted by Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on the Hellenic Diaspora, Fillipos Fortomas.
This pilgrimage was made possible through the love and support of the A. Fantis community and the parish of Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral. Fr. Evagoras expressed heartfelt gratitude to the students and their families, as well as to the faithful of the Brooklyn Cathedral, for their encouragement and support in making such transformative educational opportunities possible.
The A. Fantis Greece Trip affirms the school’s mission: to educate the whole child—mind, body, and soul—through an Orthodox Christian lens.
[A. Fantis]
