British Columbia
By Dimitrios & Katerina Angelatos
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY HONOURS GRADS
The Fall 2008 convocation ceremonies took place at Simon Fraser University in October. A number of Greek-Canadians were among those who had earned their certificates, degrees or diplomas in the last year.
There were several recipients of Masters degrees. Katrina Assonitis earned her Master of Resource Management –Faculty of Applied Sciences, Stavroula Valia Lestou received a Master of Business Administration and Diane Tzingounakis earned her Master of Education. Irene Morrison (Angelatos) received a graduate Diploma in Education. Receiving Bachelor of Arts –Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences were Panagiota Dais, Blair Stratas Polychronopoulos, Themistoklis Raptis and Julia Tsirogiannis.
There were also four Greek-Canadians who had earned a Certificate in Hellenic Studies (Faculty of Arts & Sciences). These were Alicia Costa, Paraskevi Giouzelis, Alexander Grammatikos and Georgis Tzemis. These awards were handed out earlier in a separate ceremony.
Not all the graduands were present at the ceremonies as these take place usually many months after the courses are completed. By that time many of the recipients have left to continue their studies elsewhere or have launched their careers far from home. Wherever they are we extend them best wishes for success in their chosen fields.
VANCOUVER SAYS GOOD-BYE TO GREEK CONSUL
On the evening of November 5th the Hellenic Canadian Congress of BC hosted a party at the Arbutus Club to honour and say good-bye to the Consul of Greece in Vancouver, George Aravositas.
Mr. Aravositas served longer than most previous Consuls, having stayed five years instead of the usual four year term. He arrived in Vancouver in October 2003 as a single man but is now leaving as a family man, with his wife Katie and an infant son.
He is held in high esteem for his diplomatic efforts to raise the profile of Hellenes in BC and beyond. He was commended for his involvement and dedication to the Hellenic Studies program at Simon Fraser University. Mr. Aravositas expressed his gratitude to the Consulate staff, the Hellenic Canadian Congress, all the Greek organizations, the media, Hellenic Studies of SFU and to the everyday people for their support and dedication. He was leaving British Columbia with fondest memories of everyone. He had been kindly received and had made many friends that he felt sure would remain friends for a life-time, no matter where he went.
As a token of appreciation Mr. Aravositas was presented with a plaque, a certificate of merit for his services to the Hellenes of BC from 2003 to 2008. Mr. Aravositas and his wife Katie was presented with a Royal Canadian Mint set of 2010 Olympic coins and a jade inukshuk, the symbol of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic games as well as a bouquet of flowers and gifts for their infant son.
VANCOUVER CONSULATE OF GREECE NOW A CONSULATE GENERAL
The Consulate of Greece in Vancouver has been elevated in status. As of September of 2008 it has become a Consulate General.
The area of jurisdiction for the Consulate of Greece in Vancouver includes British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut. An Honorary Mission of Greece operated in Vancouver for many years before the establishment of the Consulate of Greece in Vancouver in 1976. Since that time eight Consuls have served the Hellenes of the area. In September of this year the Consulate has been elevated ito status of Consulate General.
The official date of the posting of the new Consulate General, Georgios Ayfantis was Nov. 8th but he and his wife Marina were introduced on November 5th at the HCC going away party for the previous Consul, Georgios Aravositas. Mr. Ayfantis said he was proud to take over from Mr. Aravositas who had set very high standards in serving the Hellenes in western Canada.
Georgios Ayfantis was born in Athens, Greece in 1955. He is a graduate of Athens University Law School. He furthered his education in France and joined the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1895. He served in a variety of the Foreign Ministries Departments in Athens, including Diplomatic Cabinet of the late Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, the NATO Dept., the Human-Rights Dept and others. From September of 1994 to September 1996 he was posted as Consul to the Consulate of Greece in Bucharest, Romania. From October 1997 to August 2000 he was posted to the Permanent Representative of Greece to the Council of Europe in Strasburg, France. From September 2000 to August 2004 he was posted to the Embassey of Greece in Ottawa, Canada as Political Advisor and Deputy to the Ambassador. He then served as A6 Middle-East Department Deputy Director from May 2006 to October 2008.
PHAROS OCTOBER LECTURE –ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF ANCIENT SIKYON
Matthew Maher of the UBC Department of Classical, Near Eastern & Religious Studies was the guest speaker for the October 27, 2008 Pharos lecture which took place in the upper hall of the Hellenic Community Center. He talked on the archaeological survey of ancient Sikyon, located on a triangular plateau on the south shore of the Gulf of Corinth and the methods used to discover the massive ruins under the modern village and fields of Vasiliko.
The survey which began in 2004 has unearthed a wealth of information about the ancient city without actually cutting into the surface The area was divided into grids and above ground searches by field walkers for artefacts was made in the square. The intensive survey of ceramic evidence was the largest and the core part of the project. By the number, weights and types of chards found in each area and the evidence of wells and cisterns it was possible to trace human presence and activity over the various periods of history –the Hellenistic/Roman, late Bronze Age and Byzantine. Through the use of GPS ground mapping the remains of many ancient buildings were discovered, including a theatre probably one of the largest in Greece.
Although the survey is now complete so much information has been collected that it will take years to sort through it all, providing material for many different research projects.
PHAROS – NOVEMBER LECTURE
The last lecture of 2008 was held on Monday, November 24th in the upper hall of the Hellenic Community Center in Vancouver. The visiting art historian Dr. Maria Panayotidi-Kesisoglou, professor of Byzantine Archaeology at the University of Athens spoke on “The Apogee of Byzantine Monumental Art”. She used examples of iconography in churches and monasteries as well as other forms of art found throughout the Byzantine Empire and show how the classical art evolved into religious art.
METROPOLITAN SOTIRIOS CELEBRATED ST. NICHOLAS FEAST IN VANCOUVER
On December 6th The Greek Orthodox Community of East Vancouver celebrated the feast day of St. Nicholas, one of the feasts of the church of Sts. Nicholas and Dimitrios. His Eminence Metropolitan Archbishop Sotirios conducted the Divine Liturgy on Saturday morning, assisted by the priests of the Greek Orthodox churches of the area, Fr. Demetrios Partsafas of St. George Cathedral (Vancouver), Fr. Evangelos Aravantinos of Sts. Nicholas & Dimitrios Church.( Vancouver east), Fr. Konstantinos Tsiolas of Sts. Constantine & Helen Church (Surrey) as well as a few visiting priests.
Following the Liturgy a celebratory lunch was served in the church hall for a nominal fee. As has always been the custom during the visits by His Eminence a sing-song followed. His Eminence led everyone in signing troparions, hymns and traditional Christmas carols.
DOUBLE BAPTISM CELEBRATED AT ST. NICHOLAS-VANCOUVER
Sts. Nicholas & Dimitrios Church in Vancouver was the scene of a double baptism on Sunday November 23rd . Both grandsons of the representatives of Patrides-Western Bureau – Dimitrios & Katerina Angelatos were baptised on that day. 15 month old Kirin Makari Dyck is the son of their eldest daughter Margarita. His godmother was Vicki Kouveletsos. 13 month old Reichen Christos Seth Morrison is the son of the youngest daughter Irene. His godmother was Anthea Angelatos. Also being received into the Greek Orthodox Church through chrismation was 4 year old granddaughter Emmalia Katerina Dyck. Her sponsor was Irene Lakoumentas.
A luncheon followed in the private party room of Andreas Restaurant in Langley, attended by family and friends.
