NASHUA –N.H.- Saint Philip Greek Orthodox parish in Nashua New Hampshire celebrated its patron Saint with a Vesper Service and Artoklasia on Tuesday evening November 13. Fr. Grergorios Trakas presiding priest of the Assumption parish of Manchester New Hampshire officiated at the vesper Service assisted by Rev. Alex Chetsas presiding priest at St. Philip parish in Nashua and Fr. Athanasios Chininis presiding priest of the Transfiguration parish in Lowell Massachusetts and former priest of St. Philip’s for 17 years. About forty congregants participated in the Vesper Service from Nahua and other neighboring cities.
Fr. Trakas preached about the life and the martyrdom of St. Philip who was one of the twelve Apostles. He said that “when Jesus arrived at Lazaro’s home his sister told him that if you were here our brother wouldn’t have died” and emphasized that “when someone is holly his prayer is been heard.” He also said “in the Orthodox Faith we have the saints who intercede.”
Fr. Chetsas emphasized the need to attack the faithful and the youth to the church and convince them to get involved. He said that “the church does good things for the people” and he added that “we are called to live the Liturgy after the Liturgy”.
In the city of Nashua the pioneers Greek immigrants at the beginning of the 20th century had established two communities St. Nicholas and the Annunciation in the same neighborhood been divided politically with the Venizelos and King in Greece parties.
(Photo by TNH/Theodore Kalmoukos)
In 1972 a miracle happened and the two parishes were united into one unified parish under the name of St. Philip with its first priest Fr. Soterios Alexopoulos who served the parish diligently for 25 years. Fr. Soterios is retired today he was present at the vesper Service and the faithful had formed a line to greet him. Under his pastorship the parish of St. Philip flourished, with a big congregation in the Liturgy and also very strong Greek and Catechetical Schools directed by presbyera Eleni Alexopoulos a graduate of the St. Basil’s Academy in Garrison New York when St. Basil was also a Teacher’s College.
The city of Nashua is about 45 miles from Boston right on the border of the two states Massachusetts and New Hampshire with advanced economy due to high tech industry and no sales tax. It has one of the biggest shopping centers of New England the Pheasant Lane Mall.
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