ST. AUGUSTINE, FL – [Story & Photos by St. Photios Shrine]
On Thursday, June 26, 2025 in the narthex of the Chapel of St. Photios, Metropolitan Dimitrios of Xanthos, V. Rev. Maximos Politis, Rev. Fr. Gregory Stamkopoulos, Rev. Dn. Athanasios Kartsonis and event chair, Thomas Lekas, president of the parish council of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in St. Augustine, led the annual commemoration of the souls of the 500 Greeks who came to America in 1768 under the British Indentured Servitude Act.
Archbishop Elpidophoros of America sent heartfelt greetings marking the courage of the valiant immigrants and expressed gratitude to Polexeni Maouris Hillier, outgoing Executive of the St. Photios National Shrine, for being a faithful steward to their legacy over the past two decades. Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline presented the City of St. Augustine Greek Landing Day Proclamation to Archon Carl R. Hollister, the new Executive Director of the National Shrine.
The faithful proceeded to the Tolomato Cemetery for the blessing of the graves by the Orthodox clergy and V. Rev. Timothy Lindenfelser, Bishop’s Chancellor for Canonical Affairs of the Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine. Red carnations were left on the vault of Lucy Darling, the daughter of Ioannis Giannopoulos (Juan Genopoly).
Led by evzone, Mark Lasoff, the assembly proceeded to the Ioannis Giannopoulos’ sculpture in the Garden of Educators of the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse. Stella Kokolis, the Federation of Greek American Educators President, spoke of the placement of the statue and the new plaque citing those responsible for the bust that was created by Greek sculptor Demetrios Talaganis in 2019. She introduced Fr. Gregory Stamkopoulos, Director of the Greek Education Department of G.O.A. Stunning bouquets of flowers were presented to Mrs. Kokolis and Mrs. Hillier on behalf of Elaine Fraser, owner of the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse.
All returned to the Shrine where a formal reception was hosted by members of the Sts. Anargyroi Philoptochos Chapter of St. John the Divine Greek Orthodox Church in Jacksonville.
Paula Marchman Lekas and the ladies of the Kimisis Tis Theotokou Philoptochos Chapter and members of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in St. Augustine hosted the Greek Landing Day Banquet. The dinner was underwritten and prepared by the Triantafyllopoulos family of the Athenian Owl Restaurant in Jacksonville, FL.
Archon Anthony Megas, 1st VP of the St. Photios Foundation, served as the master of ceremonies, introducing the dais after the invocation was offered by Metropolitan Dimitrios, assisted by Dn. Kartsonis. Greetings were read from Shrine President, Metropolitan Sevastianos of Atlanta, Supreme President of AHEPA, Archon Savas Tsivicos, and President of the National Philoptochos Society, Debby George.
V. Rev. Maximos Politis offered insight on the holiday and introduced the keynote speaker, Mrs. Hillier. Without missing a single guest, she shared a Shrine memory regarding everyone in attendance, from the wisdom and insight of Metropolitan Dimitrios, the steadfast support through the years of the Hon. Ramelle Petroglou, former mayor of St. Augustine and the Shrine Founder families, representatives from the three area churches, Flagler College, community institutions, government agencies, and AHEPA family members.
She introduced Carl and Cynthia Hollister, to whom Archbishop Elpidophoros entrusts the Shrine, and quoted her husband Allan who said, “Carl, Polly would not be leaving St. Photios unless she knew the Shrine would be in good hands”. With confidence in the integrity that the Hollisters will afford the Shrine, and the talents and skills of the Shrine Manager, Gina Bingman, Hillier will step away on July 11th.
Carl Hollister presented the St. Photios medal to two individuals: Stella Kokolis, president of the Hellenic American Teachers Federation, for her decade of Shrine promotion within the Greek education system and for providing the statue of Ioannis Giannopoulos in the Garden of Educators at the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse; and to trustee emeritus, Archon Manuel Tissura, who served over 25 years on the Board of the St. Photios Foundation, raising over $100,000 and designing the Hierarchs Exhibit in the Shrine Museum.
The evening ended with the parish of Holy Trinity presenting a memorial brick honoring the service of Allan and Polly Hillier. This brick will be installed in the parish courtyard.
