By Michalis Kakias
STATEN ISLAND – Thousands of people attended the festival at the Holy Trinity-Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Staten Island on Friday September 8 through Sunday, September 10. Both Greeks and non-Greeks enjoyed Greek traditional cuisine, sweets, loukoumades, entertaining music and traditional dances, a marketplace with a variety of goods, and many games for children.
Bishop Sebastian, who visited the festival on Saturday, said, “Every time we attend a Greek festival, we feel joy and pride. It is striking to see the crowd attending the Staten Island festival, especially with the participation of the children and youth actively involved in living Hellenism and Orthodoxy.”
The presiding priest of the community, Fr. Nicholas Petropoulakos, spoke about the importance of the festival, which, he said, gives the parishioners, Staten Island residents, and expatriates from other communities the opportunity to get together and have fun.
Tasos Anastas, president of the Parish Council and festival director, noted that every year preparations begin months in advance with the planning and organization. “In the last few weeks leading up to the event,” he added, “we are even more active. The festival has grown to the largest in all Staten Island with thousands of people attending.”
Paulina Grillos, Vice President of the festival, congratulated all members of the community on the harmonious and flawless cooperation they had with each other and noted that all the proceeds would be allocated to the church’s operating expenses and programs.
New York State Assemblymember and New York City mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis expressed her joy at participating in the festival of the community in which she grew up and where she is a member today. “It is the only Greek church,” she said, “in Staten Island and we are all loved as a family. Celebratory events like this give us the opportunity to show our tradition, heritage, and culture all over the world.”
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