WESTFIELD, NJ – [Metropolis of NJ/ Photos: Douglas John Photography]
On the occasion of His name-day, His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey celebrated the Great Vespers for the feast of the Synaxis of the 12 Apostles at the Parish of St. Athanasios in Paramus, New Jersey, on June 29. Upon his arrival, His Eminence was greeted by clergy, Archons, Philoptochos members, seminarians and faithful from across the Metropolis of New Jersey.
During the Festal Vespers, His Eminence elevated Metropolis Chancellor, Fr. Gregory Gilbert, to the rank of Protopresbyter. Fr. Gregory, in turn, offered the vesperal sermon in honor of His Eminence’s name day. Fr. Gregory’s homily underscored the ministry of the two foremost apostles of Christ, Saints Peter and Paul. The lives of Saints Peter and Paul show us that apostolic action in the life of the Church occurs on the basis of allowing ourselves to be changed by Christ. In the Creed, after confessing our belief in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Fr. Gregory exclaimed that we most importantly proclaim our belief in the Apostolic nature of the Church. This apostolic nature of the Church is a call to mimic St. Peter’s proclamation of faith, that Christ is indeed the “Son of the living God”, which we learn and struggle to express during the course of our life. Fr. Gregory ended his sermon by congratulating His Eminence and wishing him many years on His name-day, emphasizing how His Eminence has lived up to the nature of his name, having left his home country to preach the true Orthodox faith in a foreign land where it had yet to be established.
At the end of the Vespers, His Eminence was joined by the Ladies of the Philoptochos to award the Metropolis seminarians the Walking with Christ Scholarship. The goal of this initiative -established by His Eminence- is to assist the young men of the metropolis pursuing the ministry of priest by offsetting the cost of their education. 5 young men, Demetrios Constantinou, Nikolaos Schwartz, Andoni Apostolides and Nikolaos Kavarakas were awarded the scholarship by His Eminence.
Following the vespers service, Proistamenos Fr. Nikolaos Mataragas invited all those attending to the Church hall for a dinner in Honor of His Eminence’s Nameday. During the meal, young people from the St. Athanasios GOYA showcased traditional Greek Folk dances to honor His Eminence’s visit.
