ΝEW YORK – Across the globe, the faithful celebrated the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross on September 14. The vespers service began the celebration the night before on September 13 at Holy Cross Church in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and Holy Cross in Whitestone honoring their namesake feast with many priests, members of the community, and Orthodox Christians in attendance from all over the New York tri-state area.
In Bay Ridge, the faithful gathered for the services led by Fr. Gerasimos Makris assisted by other priests from the region. The service included the procession of the Holy Cross through the streets. The Parish Council President Demetris Kalamaras told The National Herald that the community is going through a period of regeneration and social contribution.”
At the same time, he noted that the Greek community festival, which is one of the biggest cultural events and one of the biggest fundraisers of the year, will take place from Thursday until Sunday.
The festival is the only one that takes place in the area during this period and Kalamaras invited the entire Greek community to attend the event for a taste of the homeland in Brooklyn, assuring them that they will have a wonderful time and enjoy Greek hospitality.
Kalamaras took over the duties of the President in January 2016 and has set as a priority the strengthening and upgrading of the Dimitrios and Georgia Kaloidis Parochial School, the Greek Afternoon School, and the Sunday school.
The Parish Council is working to strengthen the organization of the Greek-Orthodox Youth GOYA, Scouts, and other community groups.
“The goal remains to upgrade the role and prestige of the Holy Cross community in the wider American society,” concluded Kalamaras.
The celebration of the feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross culminated in the Divine Liturgy on Thursday, September 14.
Ierotheos Bishop of Efkarpia of St. Irene Chrysovalantou in Astoria presided over the vespers at Holy Cross Whitestone and thanked His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and the community for inviting him to celebrate the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross. Archbishop Demetrios officiated the vespers at Hellenic College–Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, MA. Ierotheos noted the significance of the Cross as a symbol of the faith, mentioning many examples from the Old Testament that foretold the Cross, and how it reminds us of the life everlasting that awaits all the faithful. A meal was shared by everyone in attendance in the Vasilios and Athanasia Kartsonis Hall of the church following the vespers.
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