This writer had the privilege of covering a special celebration of the Holy Liturgy of the Dormition of the Holy Virgin Mary at Kimisis Tis Theotokou Church in Southampton, Long Island on August 15, 2012.

The service was presided over by Archbishop Demetrios, primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America. But it was an even more special liturgy because Metropolitan Elpidoforos of Bursa, the new Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, assisted His Eminence during the liturgy.

My delightful interview following the service with Metropolitan Elpidoforos was conducted in English, and it was important for several reasons. Not only did he enlighten me as to my own family history in Asia Minor, but he extensively discussed his own family roots, showing me his warmth, humility and genuine friendliness.

This is most likely the only article written about of the new Archbishop of America during his visit to a rural Greek Orthodox Church on Long Island seven years ago. The following reflections are from my article, published in the Queens Gazette and Hellenic News of America, titled “Viewpoint: The Last Feast Day at the Original Building of the Greek Orthodox Kimisis Church of the Hamptons.”

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, assisted by Elpidoforos Lambrianiadis, Metropolitan of Bursa Abbey, Dean of Halki Theological School and representative of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, celebrated an Archieratical liturgy on August 15. It was in celebration of the Dormition of the Theotokos, the Virgin Mary.

His Eminence said in his homily, “One more time, we will come close to the Panagia in our original church. The Panagia (the Virgin Mary) is the highest form of human being. Mankind has “pseudo role models.” How are people role models when they are not true persons? She is a support of mankind, the benefactor of the family and of Hellenism.”

Metropolitan Elpidoforos was then introduced to the parishioners as the “right hand of Patriarch Bartholomew.” Our new Archbishop was born in Constantinople and grew up nearby, in Bursa. Elpidoforos is a graduate of the University of Thessaloniki, where he was a full professor teaching a unique course in Dogmatics and the Symbolism of Theology.

Metropolitan Elpidoforos also served as the special Chief Secretary of the Holy See. As he told the parishioners on that August day, “I came here in 2002 or 2003 as a deacon. I come here from the Mother Church, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Mother of All churches.

“The Mother Church has a weakness for the church of America. Patriarch Athenagoras, who was Archbishop of America, formed a love of America with Constantinople,” he added.  Patriarch Athenagoras, who was a native of Epirus, is a revered figure in the New York area from his longtime service in Astoria, Queens.

The Metropolitan, now Archbishop, continued, saying “No matter how large a church grows, the Mother church (the Patriarchate of Constantinople) loves you. This is an understatement.”

The new Archbishop comes from the historic city of Bursa, in what is now Turkey (in Greek, it is called Proussa). The fall of the Greek city of Proussa in 1326 marked the end of the Byzantine Empire’s military dominance of Asia Minor.

However, the city still remained the most important administrative and commercial center in the empire until Mehmed II conquered Istanbul in 1453.

During my interview with Elpidoforos, I showed him my grandmother’s baptismal certificate from Asia Minor — which was written all in Greek, not in Turkish. He discussed the situation in his homeland and the histories of our respective families, explaining that we have ancestors from the same area. The metropolitan later revealed that one of his grandfathers was also from Chios.

So very much of our ancestral history in Asia Minor has been lost to us, seemingly forever. Only international scholars such as Archbishop Demetrios and Metropolitan Elpidoforos can unlock the key to our history, which was lost in the destruction of official documents in the demise of the Ottoman Turkish Empire.

Perhaps our new Archbishop, who comes from an area so very rich in Greek history and culture, yet still a part of Turkey, can serve our Church as a kind of bridge between the cultures of the East and the West.

It was an exceptional encounter in a rural American church with a Metropolitan, now an Archbishop, who will influence our own lives and those of succeeding generations of Greek Orthodox Christians in America.

Dr. Despina Siolas, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist at NYU Langone Health, recently received a Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health.

This five-year research grant is the second such grant ever received at NYU Langone Health in the field of Medical Oncology.

The NCI Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award provides financial support and “protected time” to non-tenured clinician-scientists who are at an early stage in their academic career for intensive cancer research.

Dr. Siolas has been working in the laboratory of Dr. Dafna Bar-Sagi, a world-reknowned expert in pancreatic cancer, for the last five years.

Her research grant is entitled “Investigating the non-cell autonomous immune effects of mutant p53 in pancreatic cancer.” Pancreatic cancer is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the US by 2020.

In addition to her research, Dr. Siolas also actively treats her own cancer patients at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, where she focuses on gastrointestinal oncology.

Her patients suffer from liver, colon, and esophageal cancer, as well as that of the stomach and gallbladder, but her particular area of interest is treating patients with pancreatic cancer.

Dr. Siolas is an active member of the American Society for Clinical Oncology, the American Medical Association, the American Association for Cancer Research and the Hellenic Medical Society of New York.

Dr. Siolas is a graduate of Stony Brook Medical School, and she completed her dissertation research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

She received her BS in Biology from St. John’s University and her high school diploma from Benjamin Cardozo High School.

Jacqueline Christopher Waldman, a Queens H.S. student at the Baccalaureate School for Global Education in Astoria, New York, was selected by the Mid Atlantic Greek American Foundation to receive the Eleftheria Scholarship. The Eleftheria Scholarship was presented at the 30th Anniversary of the Hellenic News of America on Sunday, November 12, 2017.

This scholarship was established in honor of the Hellenic News of America, the unifying voice of the Greek American community. Aphrodite Kotrotsios, Co-Publisher of the Hellenic News of America said “through your hard work and determination you have proven to be a student that Your Community Foundation and Newspaper want to recognize and encourage to continue your educational effort. The award value and other information about your scholarship are provided below. You have been awarded the scholarship from the Velventino Society. We hope that this scholarship will assist you in your upcoming academic year.”

Co-publisher Aphrodite Kotrotsios explained “it is our hope that you stay connected with the Hellenic News of America as an ambassador as you continue on your path. We are interested in hearing about your academic plans, activates and goals. Please feel free to write to us about your news, your community’s news and developments. Congratulations and best wishes for a productive and successful academic year.”  Ms. Christopher-Waldman is a fifth generation Greek-American From Cephalonia and Limnos.

The post Queens Student Awarded an Eleftheria Scholarship appeared first on GreekReporter.com.

Prof. Demosthenes Triantafillou was honored as “Educator of the Year” in 2018 by a Greek Media outlet. A filled room with diplomats, businessmen, educators and parents came to honor Prof. Triantafillou for his unselfish, dedicated work in Long Island City New York.

“We all came from New Jersey for Educator Demosthenes who believes in Hellenism,” said Father Christos L. Pappas, protopresbyter of the Ascension Greek Orthodox Church of Fairview, New Jersey. “He has given to our church school. We are blessed with a very advanced and accomplished Greek afternoon school with classes ranging from kindergarten through ninth grade. We would not have the school we have if it was not for him.”

Prof. Triantafillou in his acceptance speech explained “Our Ascension has a complete Junior-High Gymnasium Program with grades 7, 8 and 9.

In 2007, the School Board decided that graduation will be taking place at the end of 9^thGrade. The NY State Regents Exams are recommended to be taken at the end of the 9^th Grade. Students who complete the 9^th Grade can also take the Ellinomathia Level I and II Exams. Our goal is to give our youngsters of our community the chance to learn advanced Greek in the upper grades!  It is a privilege!” Over twenty persons attended from the Ascension Church.

Principal Triantafillou is one of the most fascinating, enthusiastic and humorous educators I ever met,” said Kosta Koutsoubis, a parent at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Saviour in Rye, New York. His communication skills with students and peers are exceptional. He is a man of humility who gives merit to persons of achievement without self-interest. This is the type of man who encourages Hellenism.”

Fanny Zicopoulos, retired educator, recalls “Principal Triantafillou built St. Demetrios High School. I was honored to be selected as one of the creators of a kindergarten book for the Greek program. At the time, in 1979, materials did not exist. We created the first book with on of Principal Demosthenes Triantafillou, ” The book is entitled “Mathaino Ellinika”( I Learn Greek): First Book for Kindergarten. It was part of a series of three books.

Prof Triantafillou’s experience as an educator includes tenures as a public school assistant principal – he is licensed as a principal and a superintendent in New York State – and he is currently the director of the Greek schools of the of the Ascension Church in Fairview, NJ and of The Church of the Savior in Rye, NY.

He is President of the Greek Teachers Association “Prometheus”, who attended in full force. “We have a new vision: stabling a Pedagogical Greek Teacher’s Center in a NYC university. I am committed to having the Association take the lead in establishing a pension fund for its members.” The evening can be summarized by the 4^th century B.C. orator Demosthenes who said, “Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprise.”

Photo 1- Prof Demosthenes Triantafillou with award

Photo 2 – Prof Demosthenes Triantafillou with award, Father Christos L. Pappas, protopresbyter of the Ascension Greek Orthodox Church of Fairview, New Jersey with parish members and Greek Teachers Association “Prometheus”.

Photo 3 – Mathaino Ellinika”( I Learn Greek): First Book for Kindergarten. It was part of a series of three books, that was first of its kind in 1979.

The post Prof. Demosthenes Triantafillou Is 2018 Educator of the Year appeared first on GreekReporter.com.

A Greek-American police officer has been hailed as a hero after he saved a Greek-speaking teenager who fell through ice.

Officer Constantine Saoulis came to the rescue of the 16-year-old last month after the youth had gone out on the ice in the Little Neck Bay area of Long Island.

The teen went through the flimsy ice sheet and it was only quick thinking by Saoulis, who shouted at the teenager in Greek to remain calm, which prevented the victim from panicking and going under.

Saoulis then dived into the freezing water and pulled the teen out.

111th Precinct Deputy Inspector William McBride said Saoulis – a 35-year-old father of three – had been awarded the ‘Cop of the Month’ title for his quick thinking and brave actions.

McBride told a NYPD Community Council meeting: “I have been attending the 111th Community Council meetings for 37 years… This was the first time I heard of an NYPD officer being a capable swimmer, like a lifeguard, saving a drowning youth.”

Saoulis, who is originally from the Ionian island of Cephalonia, said: “I almost didn’t make it.”

“I saw a young boy like my son. I felt I had to save him,” he added.

However, it is all in a day’s work for Officer Saoulis, who is also a former New York City educator with two master’s degrees in Education and Special Education.

“My education background motivated me to be a police officer,” he said.

The post NYPD Hails Greek-American Cop for Heroic Rescue appeared first on GreekReporter.com.

President of the Greek Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Mrs. Stella Kokolis, President of the Federation of Hellenic American Teachers USA, attended the Feast Day of the Panagia Theoskepasti (Virgin Mary), the patron saint, in Andros on March 24^th.    A new message to Turkey, this time from the island of Andros, was sent by the President of the Republic upon his proclamation as an honorary citizen of Andros.

“In this context, we see the sea as an area of peace and peaceful coexistence and co-creation, with all the people and especially with our neighbors. And we remind them that a condition of this peaceful coexistence and coexistence is inherently the rules of international law which have been established…on the basis of friendship and good neighborliness, which we are sincerely seeking, is to make our seas, the Mediterranean and the Aegean, bridges that unite us…”¹ The President of Greece will attend NYC Greek Independence Day Parade on April 22^nd.

The post The Feast Day of Virgin Mary with President Pavlopoulos in Andros appeared first on GreekReporter.com.

A festive Christmas dinner of the AHEPA Family took place Sunday, December 9^th at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St. Paul in Hempstead, New York. The dinner honoring charitable donors was hosted by the AHEPA Family of Hempstead Long Island, which has many area chapters.

AHEPA members in attendance at the dinner included Governor Demi Pamboukes, Lt. Governor Lou Katsos, District Marshal Paul Macropoulos, Director of Education Dr. John Siolas and Director of Civic Responsibility Anastasios Stampolis.

Demi Pamboukes, AHEPA District Governor, announced to the assembled crowd that local AHEPA groups have raised a combined total of almost $30,000 during 2018 to aid nearby Saint Basil’s Academy. St. Basils’ is the only residential Greek-Orthodox secondary school in the country.

President Anastasios Stambolis of the Constantine Cassis Chapter told the audience that St. Michael’s Home for Senior Citizens in Yonkers, New York is another charity which is currently benefitting from AHEPA donations. He also noted that AHEPA has contributed toward the ongoing expansion of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Stambolis also announced that the chapter continues to grow, with 100 new members initiated into AHEPA ranks that very day, the same day the chapter celebrated its 90th anniversary.

The Constantine Cassis Chapter of AHEPA is one of the most dynamic in the U.S. It is committed to the ideals of Hellenism and Education, and furthering the mission of the Order of AHEPA.

It consists of several chapters including Constantine Cassis, Daughters of Penelope Pasithea, Sons of Pericles Lord Byron, and Maids of Athena Victory.

For more information on AHEPA, please go to: www.ahepa170.org or contact them directly by emailing anstampolis@aol.com.

The post AHEPA Awards New York-Area Charity Donors appeared first on GreekReporter.com.

The Greek-American Teachers Federation, the Department of Greek Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and the Hellenic Paideia of America organized a day of celebration on March 10^th to honor the Greek language.

Greek has been declared as “an international language” by UNESCO, and this marks the third year that the language has had its own international day devoted to its appreciation.

As part of the worldwide celebrations of 2019 Greek Language Day, The Greek Ministry of Education wrote “It is important to learn and love the Greek language, because of its virtues but mainly because it has expressed a great culture, that shaped and codified the first and statutory layer of the upper vocabulary and the basic concepts of Western civilization.”

Over two hundred people attended the Stathakion Cultural Center’s celebration of the Greek language, Greek culture and the Greek Orthodox faith. The honorees for 2019 were Reverend Protopresbyteros John Antonopoulos, Dr. George Tsioulias, Vasiliki Filiotis and Stavros Haνiaras.

Each honoree received the “Historic Hellenic Language Award” and a certificate of recognition from Senator Michael N. Gianaris. New York State Assembly member Aravella Simotas praised the awardees, saying that they were all outstanding citizens.

She also presented the citations, which read in part: “a great state is enhanced by individuals who serve their communities with humility and distinction, which… so often goes unrecognized and unrewarded.”

Rev. Fr. John Antonopoulos is a longtime member of the Greek community of Astoria, and the only priest who has remained in Astoria ever since the 1960’s. Father Antonopoulos is universally known and loved in the Astoria community as a dedicated clergyman and one to be counted on in a crisis.

Now, Fr. Antonopoulos has a new title, that of writer/historian, upon the publication of his three books, all of which were based on primary sources. The new recipient of the Hellenic Language award told the assembled crowd of two hundred that “The wise men and great teachers say the humble support society… The church community is supported by the unknown and unseen deacons.”

For more information on Fr. Antonopoulos’ books, you may contact his office at (718) 728-8500.

Honoree Dr. George Tsioulis stated in his remarks that “We must teach, reach and motivate Greek American children… Teachers of the Greek language must integrate modern technology, such as the internet in their classroom, as well as use the own language of the students for motivation.

“Grandparents, parents and families must play a significant role in inspiring the students to learn the Greek language and culture. Cultural activities such as theater, dance, music and visits to Greece can help curb the dropout rate of Greek students from the Greek schools,” he added.

Hellenic Paideia President Filiotis stated in her address that “Parents must redefine their own ethnic identity, expressing their belief in Greek cultural achievement. They must come forward to offer their time and talents to perpetuate the Greek legacy.

“Greek education’s purpose is to provide students with the tools to become their own teachers throughout their life… We must study Greek in order to prevent our own decline. Greek is the language of the Bible and the basis of Christianity. It is the obligation of parents to support an education in the Greek language that will transmit these truths.”

Stavros Haviaras, the founder of the Chian Federation, is a larger-than-life figure who in his remarks said that he wants the next generation to love Greece, and his island of Chios.

Mr. Haviaras is an active member in the Greek Orthodox community. He is αn Archon, a Prince of the Church, of our Ecumenical Patriarchate, in the Order of Saint Andrew. Havarias was awarded the Historic Hellenic Language Award for his longtime involvement in the community and his continued efforts to keep our Greek culture and heritage alive.

The post Day of Greek Language and Culture Celebrated at Stathakion Cultural Center appeared first on GreekReporter.com.

Greek cuisine has a culinary tradition some 4,000 years old, and it is an indelible part of the history and culture of Greece. Its flavors change with the seasons and the geography of its origin. Greek cuisine, historically a forerunner of Western cuisine, spread its culinary influences via ancient Rome throughout Europe and beyond.

The 28^th Annual Hermes International Expo, sponsored by the Eastern Mediterranean Business Cultural Association (EMBCA) and the Queens Chamber of Commerce  hosted the gala event “Taste of Hellas” on April 11, 2019 in Queens, New York City.

For over 28 years, the Hermes Expo has been a facilitator for Greek, Greek-American and American businesses seeking to work together in our Hellenic and Philhellenic communities.

The expo has developed into a networking and educational platform which brings together thousands of people each year from various professional backgrounds. It has become a diverse exposition catering to a variety of ethnic groups and business partners.  Its motto is “it’s not about who you know, it’s about how well they know you.”

This year, the focus of the expo was “Trade, Tourism and Investment Opportunities Through Gastronomy” in honor of the sixteen businesses from Greece in addition to the American and Greek-American businesses participating in the show. Delectable samples of food and wines were provided by all the sponsors.

This year’s Expo participants included Eleftherios Kyriakakis, the founder of Mikel Coffee Company;  Panayiotis Koutsikos, Chamber of Commerce of Bulgaria; Salvatore Ritorto, Exec. VP of Greencrown Energy; and Andreas Kelemidis, Owner and President of Oinos Wines. A packed hall listened to discussions on finance, energy, trade, tourism and investment opportunities in Greece.

Vendors at the gala event included the Swift Joy Harmony Company, whose founding members originated in Smyrna, Asia Minor; Helen Hovris of Med Professionals-Greece; Louis Katsos, the recipient of the “2018 Pan-Arcadian Federation Geros tou Morea Chapter” award, and Jacqueline Donado, an associate of the Queens Chamber of Commerce.

Ambassador of the United States to Greece, Geoffrey Pyatt, addressed the Expo in a letter read to the assembled crowd. He stated, “A key part of the Embassy’s work in Greece ls to build bridges for economic investment and cooperation between the United States and Greece. I also appreciate your ongoing efforts to promote commerce, communications and culture among businesses from both sides of the Atlantic.”

Aphrodite Kotrotsios, the newly-named publisher of the Hellenic News of America, told the crowd that “Prosperity is on the rise in Greece. Greek companies are once again looking for new opportunities in the United States. This year, for the first time, sixteen companies from Greece participated in Hermes Expo International 2019.

“Companies showed off Greek foods, wines and tourism opportunities. Greece presented products and services to American consumers and potential business associates. The Expo is a premiere destination for businesses looking to network and find new markets in the United States and abroad,” she added.

Kotrotsios has brought fresh eyes to issues facing the Greek-American business community.

“We need to combine efforts and work together to move forward,” she believes. “We are the next generation. It is up to us to keep the flame alive; we will pass on the torch to the next generations.

She continued, saying, “It is our duty to promote our Hellenic heritage. Helping one another prosper, grow and make a difference in our communities is our goal. We will fulfill this purpose as we unite, meeting the professional demands of the 21st century. We believe in our mission. The mission is you.”

The post Gastronomy Expo at 28th Annual Hermes International Event in NYC appeared first on GreekReporter.com.

An art exhibition was held Sunday, April 21 at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in  Whitestone, New York. But it was no ordinary art show — this one had a purpose of helping to introduce Greek art to a new, younger audience.

Artists Marianthi Raptis and Matina Botoulas have had numerous exhibitions in New York City. However, their dearest wish is to leave something to the next generation of Greek-Americans. “We want Greek art and culture transmitted to the next generation,” explained both the artists.

“I worked 30 years as a textile designer and colorist for home furnishings and wallpapers in NYC,” explained Marianthi Raptis. “I find great pleasure in expressing myself in art, painting different subjects. Landscapes, portraits, and flower painting are my enjoyment at this time of my life.”

Many of the paintings on exhibit portray idyllic scenes of the Greek countryside and the whitewashed buildings of Greek villages. One depicts a scene of a typical Greek bakery. Yet another portrays the vibrant red poppies of Greece as they first open to the sun.

There are also faithful representations of traditional Greek costumes and farming scenes of years gone by.

Describing her budding art career, Matina Botoulas says, “I am entering a road I never dreamed.”

The painter, a Greek native who lives in Flushing, New York, relates “I loved drawing from a young girl in Angelona, Laconia, Greece. I married my husband, Nick Botoulas of Tripolis, Greece. We immigrated to the US, raising our daughters Marilene and Georgia, while pursuing careers. At sixty-five, I began a career as an artist. I am inspired by my environment,” she says.

“My daughters inspired me with a gift of artist supplies. I began expressing in art my impressions of my surroundings.” she added.

Americans in general are not shy about entering new careers, regardless of age. In addition, retirement can be a time in which creative impulses can finally take flight and be fully explored.

The innovative paintings of both Greek-American artists show that not only can one find fulfillment in this creative pursuit later in life, but their artworks, showing scenes from bygone days in Greek history, can serve as a link to the next generation.

Marianthi Raptis and Matina Botoulas are the unsung artists whose colorful and joyous works remind the younger generation of the beautiful land their forefathers left behind.

All Photos by Marilena Botoulas

The post Greek-American Art Exhibition at Holy Cross Church Whitestone, New York appeared first on GreekReporter.com.

This writer had the privilege of covering a special celebration of the Holy Liturgy of the Dormition of the Holy Virgin Mary at Kimisis Tis Theotokou Church in Southampton, Long Island on August 15, 2012.

The service was presided over by Archbishop Demetrios, primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America. But it was an even more special liturgy because Metropolitan Elpidophoros of Bursa, the new Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, assisted His Eminence during the liturgy.

My delightful interview following the service with Metropolitan Elpidophoros was conducted in English, and it was important for several reasons. Not only did he enlighten me as to my own family history in Asia Minor, but he extensively discussed his own family roots, showing me his warmth, humility and genuine friendliness.

This is most likely the only article written about of the new Archbishop of America during his visit to a rural Greek Orthodox Church on Long Island seven years ago. The following reflections are from my article, published in the Queens Gazette and Hellenic News of America, titled “Viewpoint: The Last Feast Day at the Original Building of the Greek Orthodox Kimisis Church of the Hamptons.”

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, assisted by Elpidophoros Lambrianiadis, Metropolitan of Bursa Abbey, Dean of Halki Theological School and representative of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, celebrated an Archieratical liturgy on August 15. It was in celebration of the Dormition of the Theotokos, the Virgin Mary.

His Eminence said in his homily, “One more time, we will come close to the Panagia in our original church. The Panagia (the Virgin Mary) is the highest form of human being. Mankind has “pseudo role models.” How are people role models when they are not true persons? She is a support of mankind, the benefactor of the family and of Hellenism.”

Metropolitan Elpidophoros was then introduced to the parishioners as the “right hand of Patriarch Bartholomew.” Our new Archbishop was born in Constantinople and grew up nearby, in Bursa. Elpidophoros is a graduate of the University of Thessaloniki, where he was a full professor teaching a unique course in Dogmatics and the Symbolism of Theology.

Metropolitan Elpidophoros also served as the special Chief Secretary of the Holy See. As he told the parishioners on that August day, “I came here in 2002 or 2003 as a deacon. I come here from the Mother Church, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Mother of All churches.

“The Mother Church has a weakness for the church of America. Patriarch Athenagoras, who was Archbishop of America, formed a love of America with Constantinople,” he added. Patriarch Athenagoras, who was a native of Epirus, is a revered figure in the New York area from his longtime service in Astoria, Queens.

The Metropolitan, now Archbishop, continued, saying “No matter how large a church grows, the Mother church (the Patriarchate of Constantinople) loves you. This is an understatement.”

The new Archbishop comes from the historic city of Bursa, in what is now Turkey (in Greek, it is called Proussa). The fall of the Greek city of Proussa in 1326 marked the end of the Byzantine Empire’s military dominance of Asia Minor.

However, the city still remained the most important administrative and commercial center in the empire until Mehmed II conquered Istanbul in 1453.

During my interview with Elpidophoros, I showed him my grandmother’s baptismal certificate from Asia Minor — which was written all in Greek, not in Turkish. He discussed the situation in his homeland and the histories of our respective families, explaining that we have ancestors from the same area. The metropolitan later revealed that one of his grandfathers was also from Chios.

So very much of our ancestral history in Asia Minor has been lost to us, seemingly forever. Only international scholars such as Archbishop Demetrios and Metropolitan Elpidophoros can unlock the key to our history, which was lost in the destruction of official documents in the demise of the Ottoman Turkish Empire.

Perhaps our new Archbishop, who comes from an area so very rich in Greek history and culture, yet still a part of Turkey, can serve our Church as a kind of bridge between the cultures of the East and the West.

It was an exceptional encounter in a rural American church with a Metropolitan, now an Archbishop, who will influence our own lives and those of succeeding generations of Greek Orthodox Christians in America.

The post My Memories of America’s New Archbishop Elpidophoros appeared first on GreekReporter.com.

Dr. Despina Siolas, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist at NYU Langone Health, recently received a Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health.

This five-year research grant is the second such grant ever received at NYU Langone Health in the field of Medical Oncology.

The NCI Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award provides financial support and “protected time” to non-tenured clinician-scientists who are at an early stage in their academic career for intensive cancer research.

Dr. Siolas has been working in the laboratory of Dr. Dafna Bar-Sagi, a world-reknowned expert in pancreatic cancer, for the last five years.

Her research grant is entitled “Investigating the non-cell autonomous immune effects of mutant p53 in pancreatic cancer.” Pancreatic cancer is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the US by 2020.

In addition to her research, Dr. Siolas also actively treats her own cancer patients at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, where she focuses on gastrointestinal oncology.

Her patients suffer from liver, colon, and esophageal cancer, as well as that of the stomach and gallbladder, but her particular area of interest is treating patients with pancreatic cancer.

Dr. Siolas is an active member of the American Society for Clinical Oncology, the American Medical Association, the American Association for Cancer Research and the Hellenic Medical Society of New York.

Dr. Siolas is a graduate of Stony Brook Medical School, and she completed her dissertation research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

She received her BS in Biology from St. John’s University and her high school diploma from Benjamin Cardozo High School.

The post Greek-American Scientist Despina Siolas Receives Grant In Medical Oncology appeared first on GreekReporter.com.

Lousios Gorge has been inhabited for centuries in Greece, mainly by hermits and monks who lived in caves. Two monasteries located near the gorge remain open to visitors: Philosophou and Prodromo. The historian Pausanias described Lousios Gorge as the place where Zeus was bathed as an infant; Lousios in Greek means “wash.” He claimed it […]

Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.