ROSELAND, NJ – GNUSA – Photos by Douglas John Photography
The Annual North New Jersey Region Three Hierarchs and Greek Letters Celebration was held on January 24 at the Parish of Ss. Nicholas, Constantine and Helen in Roseland, New Jersey.
Greek School students from Ascension of the Savior in Fairview, St. George Piscataway, St. Athanasios Paramus, St. George Clifton, the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Theologian in Tenafly, Ss. Nicholas, Constantine and Helen Roseland, St. Demetrios Union, St. Nicholas Wyckoff, and St. Andrew Randolph participated in the event.
More than 500 attendees warmly welcomed Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey to the parish, together with the parish proistamenos, Fr. George Khitiri. Also present were the Consul General of Greece in New York, Iphigenia Kanara, and the Director of the Department of Greek Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Fr. Gregory Stamkopoulos.
Fr. Khitiri opened the celebration by emphasizing the significance of the gathering. “This event gives us the opportunity for all communities to gather and share thoughts about this great celebration”, he said, noting that in the faces of the young children “we see the future of the Greek Diaspora and Hellenism”.
Consul General Kanara highlighted the importance of preserving cultural identity among the younger generation. She stressed the responsibility shared by families and educators, noting, “Priests, teachers, parents, grandparents, we struggle because we love our children and we want the best for them. We have the responsibility to help them learn the Greek language, so that in addition to preserving cultural identity, strengthening ties with the homeland, and facilitating communication, learning Greek enhances their analytical skills, strengthens their memory and they learn other things and other languages more easily”.
Fr. Stamkopoulos recognized three students from the Metropolis who achieved perfect scores on the Greek Regents Exam. Metropolitan Apostolos presented each of them with the “Three Hierarchs Award” -Diplomas in acknowledgment of their outstanding accomplishment.
The keynote address was delivered by Zoe Logothetis, Director of the St. George Greek Afternoon School in Clifton and the newly appointed head of Greek Education for the Metropolis of New Jersey, succeeding former president Demosthenes Triantafillou.
Metropolis of New Jersey Philoptochos President Eleni Constantinides offered congratulations to all participating schools.
Following a meal offered by the community, Metropolitan Apostolos spoke about the enduring connection between faith and Greek education. He praised parents for their dedication to raising children within the Church and commended grandparents for preserving the Greek language at home.
“The Three Hierarchs were not only pillars of light of the Church but also genuine bearers of the Greek spiritual tradition,” His Eminence said. “Knowing in depth the philosophy and literature of the ancient Greeks, they perceived that there were truth and benefit in it and transmuted it in the light of the Revelation of Christ.”
He continued, “Today, in an era of confusion, fragmentary knowledge and spiritual fatigue, the message of the Three Hierarchs remains extremely timely; education without ethics leads to a dead end, while faith without knowledge risks becoming fruitless. The Orthodox tradition calls us to a holistic education where the mind is enlightened, the heart is cultivated, and man walks towards the truth ‘in love’.”
The celebration concluded with performances by each Greek School, including poems, essays, songs, and skits.
