British Columbia
PHAROS – “THE MANY FACES OF SOCRATES”
Professor Robert Todd, UBC Department of Classical, Near East & Religious Studies, was the guest speaker for PHAROS. The lecture took place on January 28th at the Hellenic Community Centre in Vancouver. Professor Todd had been a guest speaker for PHAROS previously, first 21 years ago and then again 11years ago.
On this occasion Professor Todd talked about the difficulty of getting to the “real” Socrates. Socrates, born in 469 BC was well known in Athens during his lifetime. He died in 399 BC but has not been forgotten over the ages. He is still discussed today, over two centuries later. All the information we can gather as to his accomplishments or his teaching come to us from reports or writings of others. Some portray him as a democrat, others see him as a more authoritarian figure but his true character will remain a mystery.
The March meeting of Pharos has moved from the normal last Monday of the month to March 21st. This lecture is a joint presentation of PHAROS and SFU Hellenic Studies where Professor John Iatrides, South Connecticut State University will talk on “The Greek Civil War and the Truman Doctrine”.
The last Pharos lecture of the 2004/2005 season will take place on Monday, April 25th when Erik de Bruijn, the president of the Vancouver Society-Archaeological Institute of America will talk on his research on Greek divers in antiquity.
Prof. Robert Todd, UBC –Dept. of Classical, Near-Eastern and Religious Sudies, lecturing for Pharos
Ο
καθηγητής Robert Todd,
UBC
– Τμήμα κλασικών, Εγγύς Ανατολής και
Θρησκευτικών σπουδών
κατά την διάρκεια της
ομιλίας του στον Φάρο.
P. 2
Prof. Todd receiving a token of appreciation from Pharos president Richard Spratley
Asking a question of the Pharos guest speaker is Prof. Tasos Kazepides (2nd from left). Next to him is Prof. John Gaitanakis, also of UBC.
P3.
SERBIANS INVITE FELLOW ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS TO CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF NEW CHURCH & CULTURAL CENTRE.
Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish and Serbian folk dancing groups performed their ethnic dances in celebration of the grand opening and consecration of the St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian Cultural Centre, located at 7837 Canada Way in Burnaby.
A gala banquet was held in the new community hall of the centre on the evening of March 4th. The new church was consecrated on Saturday, March 5th . On the afternoon of Sunday March 6th the various ethnic dance groups performed during the “open house”, followed by a barbeque, music and dancing.
Patrides representatives Dimitrios & Katerina Angelatos were given an extensive tour of the new center by Mike Gordic, the president of the Serbian community on the Sunday afternoon.
Like the Greeks, the Serbs came to Canada seeking a better life for their families. Like the Greeks, they became Canadians but also like the Greeks they are proud of their heritage and seek to preserve it in their adopted land.
The first Serbs came to Vancouver in 1900. In the early 1940’s they purchased land on East Hastings Street. Their plans to build a church were put on hold because of the outbreak of WW11. They formed benevolent organizations to help Serbs in their homeland and abroad. In 1947 a community hall, called the “Blue Danube” was opened. In 1953 the parish council was formed and in 1957 the “Blue Danube” changed its status and became St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church. Over the years the parish grew, especially with the influx of Serbs from ex-Yugoslavia in the 1990’s. It is estimated between 15,000 to 20,000 Serbs live in British Columbia today but only a small number of those are actually members. The church purchased land on Canada Way in Burnaby, close to New Westminster. Construction was begun on March 4, 2002 and the consecration of the new church and the opening of the Serbian Cultural Centre took place two years and six million dollars later.
The church is not entered from outside but rather from the mall area that joins the church and the hall. The church is a traditional church providing only a few seats for those who are unable to stand. Capacity is about 200 people but on those days when the church is filled to capacity the overflow can be accommodated in the mall area without fear of inclement weather. As well as the large hall on the main level, there are Sunday school rooms on the upper level overlooking the hall. A café will also soon be opened on the upper level. There is also an area especially geared for the youth. In the basement is a large auditorium, seating over two hundred fifty people for use as a theatre, for lectures etc. There is also a large outdoor courtyard as well for picnics and other uses. Outdoor parking is limited but there is also some underground parking.
The Greeks should check out the design for this new church and community centre. They would do well to use it as a model in future construction.
A view of the Serbian Orthodox church and cultural centre
Some of the cooks trying to keep up with the demand for sausages during the open house at the Serbian Cultural Centre.
In front of the church doors, the president Mike Gordic (left) with Dimitrios Angelatos of Patrides
From the back courtyard, a view of the glassed-in two level “mall” connecting the church and community centre.
