“Love your mother, children, there’s no love anywhere that could be sweeter than this.”- Ancient Greek playwright Euripides, 358 B.C. 1
A beautiful hall decorated with white tablecloths and flowers. Happy children sat for a breakfast with Mothers and Grandmothers. Smiles! Noise and chatter of joy filled the Cathedral School hall at the “Mother’s Day Tea,” on Friday morning, December 10th in the TCS Undercroft at 319 E74th Street, NYC.
PTA president Tim Simmons and members with Principal Merope Kyriakou greeted all. Prominent persons attended including Dr. John G. Siolas, a member of the High Council for Greek Education in the U.S.A.I watched with amazement young children, filling a New York City parochial school hall, which was in danger of closing a few years ago. There must have been children under the age of eight. Working mothers and fathers were leaving their children on the way to work in New York City. A special video presentation of each child was shown on the hall screen.
The school population is multiethnic, multi-cultural. Their parents are united in having their children learn a traditional Greek language and culture education with Greek Orthodoxy. Many parents were learning Greek to communicate with friends and relatives.
“We must preserve our language, culture, and Hellenism,” said His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros in a previous Greek education conference. “This is our inheritance that will be passed to our children. Our Greek culture and Greek Orthodoxy uplift us and makes us universal in the United States and in the world. Greek paideia emphasizes the concepts of democracy, freedom, and human rights. It is the basis of science, arts, philosophy, architecture, music, and dance. Our Greek language is not better than other languages. But our language is not ordinary and not like others. Greek is the prototype (basic) language of our religion. How many languages can say they are the prototype language of their religion?”2
V. Rev. Archimandrite Chrysostomos Gilbert, Principal Merope Kyriakou, PTA President Tim Simmons and parents have created an exceptional school that remembers the contribution of Mothers at their Tea on May 10th. For more information, contact PA@CATHEDRALSCHOOLNY.ORG
The 203rd anniversary of Hellenic independence and 50 years of illegal occupation of Cyprus (July 20, 1974-July 20, 2024) was celebrated on Sunday afternoon, April 14, 2024. The parade followed 5th Avenue from 64th to 79th Streets. The Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York sponsored the event. NYC Mayor Erice Adams marched with his own banner, showing support to the Greek American community. The Greek Independence day program. The Hellenic Independence Day Parade has been a NYC tradition since 1938. Five generations of many families have attended through the years.
The 2024 Grand Marshalls included: George Karlaftis, Kansas City Chiefs Super Ball Champions; Greek Minister of Defense Nikos Dendrias; Cyprus Minister of Transport Alexis Vafiades; Honorary Marshals, Elected Mayor of Himara Dionisios Freddie Belerus, Chios Mayor Dr. Ioannis M. Malafis and others. Miss Katerina Karandrakas is the 2024 Miss Greek Independence.
Announcers
Organizers and Parade announcers are the following: Parade General Chairman Philip Christopher; Parade Co-Chair Nomiki Kastanas and Yannis Stroumbakis; Parade Executive Georgea Kontzamanis; Announcers Demetrios A. Filios, Nomiki Kastanas, Dimitris Filippidis,and Michael Stratis. Churches, organizations, parochial schools, colleges, universities, and businesses participated. For more information of prominent persons and societies who participated, contact www.nycgreekparade.org.
Cathedral School kindergarten
Why is the New York City Hellenic parade a success after 100 years? Greek Language, culture and Greek Orthodoxy has been the unifying factors in Greek society, since the time of the Eastern Roman Byzantine Empire, that unified diverse populations through Hellenism. “Our 25 Archdiocesan Day schools and more than 500 afternoon schools spread across the country are essential to shaping the minds and hearts of our children,” said Mrs. Athena Tsokou Kromidas, leading Greek American educator/administrator/former President of the High Council of Education of the Grek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. “The children learn not only Greek in an excellent education program, but culture and the Greek Orthodox religion. Children are happy in a secure, protected environment. They see Greece in school plays in a Hellenic education atmosphere. This all begins with the priest, who teaches Greek Orthodoxy in school.”
Mrs. Tsokou Kromidas, who has 46 years of experience teaching from grade school to university level, explained “when I go to Day & Afternoon schools, I see the children well ared for professionally. Second and third generation students are entering our schools. Parents continue to support parades, because they learned to love Hellenic culture in a parochial school education that teaches history and religion. Children are proud of their heritage. These reasons are why they are marching on Fifth Avenue today. The New York City Hellenic Independence Day Parade is a great holiday showing the American public who and what we are. Our Greek pride, filotimo, hospitality are our Greek traits with a love of freedom.”
Greek Orthodoxy has been the basis of a Hellenic curriculum from the Byzantine Empire, 400 years of foreign occupation in the Hidden Greek Schools, to our modern era in 2024. “We can speak to the soul every person of every religion, language, and culture in the world through our Greek education” said His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros at a recent education conference.1
Dimitris Filippidis had a historic HellasFM interview, Thursday, April 11th with politician Vangelis Meimarakis, who came for the NYC parade. “We are protecting European borders from a hostile power,” said Mr. Meimarakis, a member of the European Parliament. “We are vigilant, promoting freedom and watching Cyprus. Our borders belong to Greece and the European Union. We share democracy with America. We are loyal allies. Why is the European Union safe? We are maintaining our borders.”
Mr. Meimarakis continued saying “ Peace with neighbors promotes our tourism that is the basis of our economy. We will always promote democracy and not stand on the other side. Cyprus and Greece are one. We are bonded by Greek Orthodoxy and Greek civilization. Cyprus and Greece can have a better future in the European Union. All Greek factions support Cyprus’ entry into the European Union. Our Cypriot brothers and Greece move forward as one political faction. Every Greek in the United States must register to vote in the upcoming Greek elections by April 29th.”
“There is a 4th generation of Greeks in the United States of America for 100 years,” Mr. Meimarakis believes. “They have influence. A real Greece exists in America with Greek culture and religion. The 2024 New York Hellenic Parade is exceptional in the United States of America after 100 years. All American factions are united to support Greece. We must continue to meet with representatives face-to-face, have coffee and not rely on the Internet. The Internet cannot replace human, personal interactions. I spoke the truth and followed a middle path of common sense.” For more information, visit Dimitris Filippidis on Facebook.
April 19th is the 200th anniversary of George Gordon, Lord Byron’s death. He inspired Western civilization to fight for Greece’s freedom. In 1823, there was a sharp decline in American interest in the Greek cause, because of a civil war among leaders. At the end of 1823, Lord Byron embraced the Greek cause, arriving at Missolonghi. From this moment, Pan Hellenism became strong. It was unquestioned in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere. Byron’s sacrificial death in the first siege of Missolonghi influenced Greece’s Independence. In 2021, official documents reveal he gave part of his fortune to create a modern Greece. “They never fail who die in a great cause,” said Lord Byron. On Sunday, April 14th, Greek Americans remember this great struggle for freedom after 400 years of genocide and slavery at the 203rd Anniversary of Hellenic Independence.
The preschool to 6th grades of the Holy Trinity Cathedral performed Greek songs and poems commemorating the 25th of March Greek Independence day on Friday, March 22 in the school hall. The theme was the 10th of April 1828 The Exodus of Missolonghi.
Honored guests included: NY Consul General of Greece Konstantinos Konstantinou; Elias Lambiris, President of Cathedral parish council; Will Sakellaris; President of School Board and prominent business and education leaders. V. Rev Archimandrite Chrysostomos Gilbert is Archdiocesan Cathedral Dean.
The Archdiocesan School of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is at 319–337 East 74th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City. The school is part of the national cathedral of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and the episcopal seat of Archbishop Elpidophoros of America. Mrs. Merope Kyriacou is the Principal.
Young children recited: poems in Greek saying these ideas: Long live out immortal Greece and Greece never dies. Amazing to hear American born children, many who are not of Greek descent speaking about freedom in Greek.
“I teach every Thursday at our beautiful Cathedral school, getting to know our students,” said Archimandrite Chrysostomos Gilbert. “We have a wonderful school principal in Merope, our Maestro Theodore Alvanos who taught our children, the Greek national and Ti Ypermacho hymns, Ms. Athanasia Fillos, Ms. Efi Kitsanta and staff.”
NY Consul General of Greece Konstantinos Konstantinou addressing students.
“The Cathedral School is doing a wonderful job,” said NY Consul General of Greece Konstantinos Konstantinou. “I hear about their excellent work in New Jersey and neighboring areas. It is a Greek school with Greek values. March 25th was the beginning of the quest for freedom after 400 years of occupation by the Ottoman empire. The Greek revolution began abroad in Diaspora Greek communities of Europe, such as Odessa, Ukraine. The Greek Diaspora began the revolution. Greece is the birthplace of democracy. America and Greece share the tradition of freedom and justice for all.
Prominent persons included Elias Lambiris (left to right), V. Rev Archimandrite Chrysostomos Gilbert, NY Consul General of Greece Konstantinos Konstantinou, Principal Merope Kyriakou, and Will Sakellaris.
“I have the privilege to see our children grow up in the Cathedral School,” explained Mr. Will Sakellaris, the Cathedral School Board Chairman. “I am impressed every time I walk through the halls. The school is growing. I thank everyone for their commitment.”
What was “The Exodus of Missolonghi”? During the Greek war of independence from Ottoman occupation, Turkish troops besieged the city of Missolonghi. The Greek population, already decimated by famine and epidemics, attempted a heroic liberation that ended in tragedy when the Turks killed most of the population of the city. Eugene Delacroix, a Phil-Hellene, and the leading French Romantic painter of the 19th century was influenced by Lord Gordon Byron’s works, who died in the second siege of Missolonghi.
Painted by Eugène Delacroix, Greece on the ruins of Missolonghi is one of the most celebrated French paintings of the 19th century.
Eugène Delacroix, Greece on the ruins of Missolonghi is one of the most celebrated French paintings of the 19th century. His work was the single Art reason exciting Europe to push for the Freedom of Greece in 1821 from the Ottoman Empire. Most of the painting is dedicated to the figure of Greece herself, represented as a young woman wearing traditional costume. Her posture and expression recall traditional religious images of the Virgin weeping over the body of Christ. The image of suffering Greece succeeded in conveying the plight of the Greeks to the French public. Philhellenes took the Hellenists’ idealized portrait of Greece. This portrait associated ancient Greece with the ideals of freedom and democracy. This vision was transformed into a call for the liberation of Greece from the Ottoman Empire. Philhellenism finally became a political movement, designed to bring pressure on the superpowers of the time to free the country that was the foundation of European values from eastern despot.1
The Cathedral School was originally established to serve Greek families. It has evolved into an educational institution that embraces diversity. The school has a broader mission of promoting Hellenism that instills creativity and academic excellence among its graduates. They carry the values and cultural heritage, guiding them throughout their lives.”
Greek American Experience 