ISLAND PARK, NY – Dozens of volunteers, including many young people, worked hard for the success of the Greek festival of the Church of the Panaghia of Island Park, Long Island.
The festival began on Thursday afternoon, August 17 immediately after the blessing performed by the presiding priest of the community, Rev. Fr. Economos John C. Paizis. The festival runs through Sunday, August 20 with the raffle drawing.
The community’s president, Peter Rizik, spoke with The National Herald’s photojournalist, Costas Bej, noting the success of the festival.
At the same time, Rizik noted that on Saturday and Sunday the weather conditions were ideal for the outdoor event and the number of visitors exceeded every expectation.
The festival is one of the largest fundraising events organized by the community and one of the largest cultural events open to the wider community of Island Park and the surrounding area.
This community, as TNH reported, was named Panaghia of Island Park, because 57 years ago the icon of the Panaghia, which Peter Katsounis kept in his house, shed tears. The weeping icon prompted the people to establish the community to serve the needs of the expatriates living in the area.
Previously all of them were members of St. Paul’s Hempstead and St. Demetrios of Freeport and later of Merrick.
The year of church’s founding dates back to 1981, when the architects proceeded to purchase an old church from another denomination. In November 1988, the architect Demetris Siderakis began to draw up the projects and three years later work began. On Monday, August 15, 1993 (The Dormition of the Virgin Mary) services were conducted in the new Church for the first time. On Sunday, November 21st of the same year the community moved permanently to the new Church.
In 1994, on the feast day of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, (August 15th) Archbishop Iakovos visited the Community for the first time and performed the Ceremony of the Thyranixia (Grand Opening). The inauguration of the holy church was made on May 22, 1999.
The Greek and Sunday Schools as well as the Junior G.O.Y.A. help sustain the community’s Orthodox faith, Greek culture, and heritage. As noted on the church’s website, “the Ladies Philoptochos is always ready to assist in any endeavor and Church Choir has been warming the hearts of parishioners with their hymns every Sunday and on major holidays. Our Dance Group does us proud every time they perform. The beautification of the Church is now almost complete thanks mostly to the generous donations of the pews, the Ikonostasi, Stasidia (standing pews) iconographies, and stained glass windows by parishioners.”
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