Around
& About British Columbia
METROPOLITAN ARCHBISHOP SOTIRIOS VISITS BC
His Eminence Metropolitan Sotirios spent over a week in British Columbia at the end of January and the beginning of February, visiting the three church communities of the greater Vancouver area as well as the one in Victoria, Vancouver Island. He had a very busy schedule, serving at vesper and liturgy services, ordinations and attending meetings.
Metropolitan Sotirios announced that he would be making a return visit to British Columbia in September, this time to visit some of the smaller Greek communities such as Penticton, Kelowna, Kamloops and others and perhaps also the Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Bellingham, Washington, USA.
2013 CLERICAL MEETING TO TAKE PLACE IN BC
While visiting British Columbia His Eminence Metropolitan Sotirios announced that the 2013 Clerical Assembly would take place in Vancouver around July 1st. The past president of the National Philoptochos Society Eugenia West was here from Toronto to help the local Philoptochos chapters to find a suitable venue and to help organize the event. On Friday, February 3rd Metropolitan Sotirios attended the Philoptochos gathering at the Greek Orthodox Community of East Vancouver.
REGIONAL YOUTH RETREAT IN BC–MAY 2012
National Greek Orthodox youth retreats have been held in the past in Canada but now for the first time regional retreats are planned. This May 4-6th the first western region one will be held in British Columbia, in Victoria. Youths ages 14 to 25 are eligible to attend. Transportation from Vancouver to Victoria as well as all meals will be included in the registration fee. More details will be available through the Greek communities.
STS. NICHOLAS & DIMITRIOS- GREEK ORTHODOX COMMUNITY
On Sunday January 29th His Eminence Metropolitan Sotirios served at the Divine Liturgy at Sts. Nicholas & Dimitrios Church in Vancouver. After that service a lunch was served in the church hall but many of the congregation did not stay for this lunch with His Eminence. Perhaps the ten dollar fee turned them away. However those that did attend enjoyed a well cooked chicken dinner. After the dinner Metropolitan Sotirios spoke on the importance of “the Greek Letters”, the need to keep alive the Greek language and culture. He encouraged the leaders of the various Greek communities to get together to organize Greek day schools in BC. Of course as always Metropolitan Sotirios lead everyone in a round of singing Greek songs.
On Sunday evening he again served at St. Nicholas & Dimitrios Church, the vesper service for the Three Hierarchs, Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and St.John Chrysostom. After the vesper service some of the children of the various Greek schools presented a program of Greek poems.
The three highly influential bishops and ecumenical teachers of the early church spread the message and mission of Christianity with their emphasis on learning, intellectual ability and discipline and their use of the Greek language and thought. Therefore their feast day is also known as the “Day of the Greek Letters”. While all three saints have individual feast days in January, around 1100 under Byzantine Emperor Alexios I, January 30th was instituted as their common feast day as all three played a pivotal role in shaping Christian theology. The three are venerated as saints in Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Anglicanism and other Christian churches.
PRIEST ORDAINED IN VANCOUVER
On the evening of January 31st, during the Vesperal Liturgy at St. George Cathedral Deacon Constantinos Ekonomos was ordained to the priesthood by His Eminence Metropolitan Sotirios, assisted by Rev. Evangelos Bardouniotis (retired-Toronto), the area Greek priests, Rev. Fr. Dimitrios Partsafas (St. George Cathedral-Vancouver), Rev. Fr. Evangelos Aravantinos (Sts. Nicholas & Dimitrios Church-Vancouver), Rev. Fr. Konstantinos Tsiolas (Sts. Constantine & Helen Church – Surrey), Rev.Fr. Konstantinos Kaltsidis(Ypapanti Church-Victoria) and by priests from the Ukrainian and Russian churches.
Constantinos Ekonomos was born in Vancouver and baptized at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral. He was very active in the church, first serving as an altar boy, then tonsured as Reader and Sub-deacon in 2002. He was also very active in the Hellenic Community of Vancouver, involved in the youth and dance groups of the community and also served on the Board of Trustees. In 2005 he graduated from BCIT with a Diploma of Technology in Operations Management, then he continued his studies at the Toronto Orthodox Theological Academy where in 2008 he earned a Bachelors in Theology. He returned to Vancouver and then served the church as a Chanter and Youth leader. He was also the Director of Camp Metamorphosis BC, a youth summer camp. In May, 2011 he married his wife Kristina at St. George Cathedral. In June 2011 he was ordained to the Diaconate by His Grace Bishop Christoforos of Andida at St. George Cathedral.
The church was packed. There were probably over a thousand people to witness the ordination to the priesthood. Because of his popularity with the younger people of the community there were a large number of the youth in attendance. The service started just after six-thirty and lasted until well past nine o’clock. When it was time for Holy Communion three chalices were in use as a large number of people partook of the sacrament. Many of the young people decided to take communion from the newly ordained Rev. Fr. Constantinos Economos.
Metropolitan Sotirios announced that Fr. Constantinos would continue to assist at St. George for the time being until a decision was made as to which church he would be appointed to. A number of priests would be reassigned this summer and the final decision on placements would be made by June or July.
After the ordination service a free buffet supper was served in the Hellenic Community Centre. The majority of the people stayed for this meal and to wish the newly ordained priest and his wife well for the future. It was nearing midnight before most of the people had left.
VICTORIA CHURCH FEST
The feast day for the Ypapanti (Presentation of the Lord in the Church) Greek Orthodox Church in Victoria falls on February 2nd. For several years now His Eminence Metropolitan Sotirios has joined the community there in celebrating this and he did so again this year. He served vespers there on Wednesday February 1st and then the Divine Liturgy on Thursday February 2nd, assisted by Fr. Kosta Kaltsidis (Ypapanti-Victoria), Fr. Demetrios Partsafas (St. George-Vancouver), Fr. Evangelos Aravantinos (Sts. Nicholas & Demetrios-Vancouver), Fr. Costa Tsiolas (Sts. Constantine & Helen – Surrey) and Fr. Costa Economos, the newly ordained priest and by Deacon Achilles.
During the Liturgy the ordination of Dimitrios Vickery to the deaconate also took place. The church was full for the occasion and most of the people stayed after the church service for the free lamb luncheon served in the church hall. Raffle tickets were sold and a collection was taken. The community collected more money that way than it would have made by charging for the meal.
During his welcome remarks at the luncheon the president of the Victoria community said that most of us must have heard at some time or other remarks by Greek community leaders that the Bishop “takes fifteen percent of the communities’ money”. He stated that he can attest to the fact that this is not true.
At the lunch Metropolitan Sotirios spoke on the importance of keeping alive the Greek Orthodox faith and the Greek language and culture. And also as is his custom he had everyone laughing at some jokes and then leading them in singing Greek songs.
The church in Victoria is nearing its completion. Over the last few years the floor has been beautifully tiled, the hand carved pews added and the icons on the dome of the church finished. Shortly the icon painter from Greece will return to complete the icons on the walls. It is hoped that this will be done before Pascha. After that the community will be working on its next project-extending the hall and adding classrooms, etc.
There are only two options to get to Vancouver Island from the mainland, by air or by sea. Of course the ferry is the method used by almost all. Some people took the scenic trip by ferry on the afternoon of February 1st to attend the vesper service and stayed overnight for the Liturgy on the 2nd. Most people however made the trip in the early hours of February 2nd.
Many people took their cars, packing as many people as they could into each vehicle to save on vehicle fees while others went by chartered bus. One bus picked up people from St. George Cathedral while another one took those that gathered at Sts. Nicholas & Dimitrios Church. The only ferry that would get everyone to the church on time was the first ferry of the day, the seven am sailing so people started gathering at the pick-up points as early as four am. Once on board the ferry, the trip took them across open water and then among the narrow passages between the islands before docking by Swartz Bay. Then it was about a half hour drive to the church for arrival shortly after nine am where the service already was in progress. After the service and the lunch the majority of people made the return trip on the three pm ferry sailing.
The ferry service however did not make much money on all the extra passengers making the trip on the two days. During the winter months British Columbia seniors travel free from Monday through Thursday and most of the people that attended those two days of course were seniors.
GREEK DANCE CONFERENCE IN SURREY
The third annual Greek dance conference was held in Surrey from Feb. 3rd to 5th. This event has been organized by Fr. Kosta Tsiolas of Sts. Constantine & Helen Church who is the main dance instructor of the Diaspora Dance group of Surrey. Over two dozen participants, ranging in age from teenagers and up, took the opportunity to attend the workshops this year with Rena Karyofillidou, a dance instructor from Thessaloniki, Greece. Meals were included for the participants.
On the evening of Friday Feb. 3rd the registration took place at the Greek Orthodox Community of Surrey & Fraser Valley, in the basement hall of the church. This was followed by about two hours of dance instruction.
The workshop continued on Saturday and Sunday at the Sullivan Hall, at 152nd Street and 64th Avenue in Surrey. On Saturday there was an early start, about nine o’clock and the workshop ended about five o’clock. On the Sunday the dance workshop did not begin until after two o’clock but again it was a very intensive dance session until evening.
On Saturday evening a gala dinner dance was held at the Eaglequest Golf Center in Surrey. Tickets to that event were sixty dollars per person. The proceeds of this event, as well as other fund raisers are to be used to buy costumes for the Diaspora dancers.
The next dance conference has been set for the end of February 2013, this time with two guest dance instructors.
DIASPORA DANCE GROUP GOING STRONG
The Diaspora Dance group is based out of the Greek Orthodox Community of Surrey and Fraser Valley. The dancers range in age from about four years old to adult and come from all over- Surrey, Delta, Tsawwassen, Langley, Burnaby, and Vancouver. Fr. Kosta Tsiolas instructs the older ones while Eleni Diamantopoulos looks after the younger ones. Dance practice is held on Sunday afternoons in the church hall.
On Sunday Feb. 12th a pot luck supper was held after the dance practice. Several new fund raisers were announced for the purpose of raising funds for the purchase of costumes. Fr. Kosta and Eleni announced that thanks to previous fund raisers and the donations from the dance conference gala dinner there were now enough funds to purchase the first three costumes for the group.
METROPOLITAN SERVES IN SURREY
On Sunday, Feb. 5th, the last day of his trip to British Columbia Metropolitan Sotirios served Divine Liturgy at Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Surrey. The church was packed for the occasion.
After the service a lunch was served in the church hall. If everyone would have stayed there would not have been enough room in the hall to accommodate them all. Not everyone stayed as always there are a number of people who object to paying for a meal while others simply can not afford it or do not have the time due to other commitments.
As was his theme throughout this visit to BC His Eminence stressed that it is everyone’s responsibility to preserve the Greek Orthodox faith, the Greek language and culture. He encouraged everyone to become members of their respective Greek communities and to support the various activities of the communities. The communities do not belong to any individuals but to all Orthodox Christians.
The luncheon ended with His Eminence leading everyone in singing. No visit by his Eminence is complete without the usual round of ethnic songs.
URGENT APPEAL FOR KIDNEY DONOR
There is a 21 year old Greek man in Vancouver who urgently needs your help. At age 13 he was diagnosed with only having 40% kidney functions. Since then he has continuously been in and out of hospital. He received a kidney donation from his mother but unfortunately the new kidney twisted in his body after a few months, the organ suffocated and had to be removed. This is a very rare occurrence and only the first time it happened at Vancouver Children’s Hospital. Since then he has been on dialysis 5 times a week for 5 hours each time to cleanse his blood, an emotionally and physically draining procedure.
His family and friends have been tested but there has not been a match. Fellow Greeks of Canada and USA, if there is anyone out there who could consider being tested for Anthony please contact Sophie Charalambides by phone 604-722-1260 or by email sophiehair@hotmail.com
PHAROS LECTURE
Pharos, the Canadian Hellenic Cultural Society has been presenting lectures and other events pertaining to the Greek culture for over thirty years now. On Monday evening, January 30th Pharos presented its first talk of 2012 at the upper hall of the Hellenic Community Centre in Vancouver.
The illustrated presentation by Professor Florence Yoon, UBC Department of Classical, Near East & Religious Studies was titled “Helen: from Homer to Hollywood” Helen has inspired storytellers from Homer and Euripides to modern day writers such as Margaret Atwood. She has also been a popular theme of Hollywood. Over the years her story has been presented in many different ways, from the traditional mythology to the modern adaptations, according to the individual artistic interpretations and aims.
Those who have not yet attended any of these informative talks by Pharos are missing out on an opportunity to learn more of the Greek culture and heritage. Pharos meets usually on the last Monday of the months of October through April (except December) so it is still not too late to take advantage of the rest of this season.
Pharos also is pleased to announce two concerts representing aspects of Greek culture presented by Early Music Vancouver. Both concerts are at Christ Church Cathedral. On Friday March 1st the German Group Vocal Me presents: Music of Kassia, the First Female Composer of the Orient. Friday, April 20th features “Alexander the Great: Hero, Warrior, Lover” when the Boston Camerate will join forces with the Turkish-American ensemble Dunya for a program offering illustrations from Alexander’s fabled history.
