Orthodox Observer

12/16/2025

On Friday evening, December 12, 2025, faithful from Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches gathered at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Paramus, New Jersey, for the Annual Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches (SCOOCh) Pan-Orthodox Christmas Concert, hosted by His Eminence Archbishop Mor Dionysios John Kawak of the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of the Eastern United States.

The evening was a powerful witness to the shared faith, prayer, and hope that unite Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Christians as they prepare to celebrate the Holy Nativity of our Lord.

During the concert His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America underscored the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s steadfast commitment to dialogue with the Oriental Orthodox Churches.

“Beyond this anniversary, we rejoice that our relations as sister Churches have grown even stronger. Earlier this year, we celebrated together the Feast of Christ’s Resurrection, the victory of life over death,” His Eminence said.

Photos courtesy of Dimitry Faltas. The full story by the Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical & Interfaith Relations can be found at the link in the comments below.

12/16/2025

12/15/2025

It was in 1960, at St. Constantine and Helen Church in Detroit (now Westland), that Angelo Kircos‘s chanting ministry truly began.

When meeting Kircos—whether in person or across a Zoom screen—you feel the exuberance and joy of a man who has spent his life in service to his church, his family and his faith.

At 98 years old, his smile remains bright, his eyes wide with joy, and his voice strong, even after decades of chanting the hymns of the Greek Orthodox Church. Angelo jokes about his years, but his son Lazaros says, “You’re not old! You’re not even 100!” Lazaros is right; there is nothing old about Angelo.

Angelo remembers every detail of his life in Greece and in America, speaking with clarity and pride about coming to the US in 1955 with his young family to give them a chance for a better life.

Today, Angelo continues to serve as the chanter at St. George Church in Southgate, Michigan, where he is believed to be the oldest active chanter in the country—perhaps even the world. He can be seen at his stand on Sundays and throughout the week–a treasure to his community, to chanters, to his family and to the entirety of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Read the full story at the link in the comments below. Photos courtesy of the Kircos family and by Orthodox Observer/Marissa Costidis.

12/15/2025

His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presided over Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine on Sunday, Dec. 14, on the Sunday of the Forefathers.

On the Sunday of the Forefathers, His Eminence stated, we remember all the righteous figures from the Old Testament, whose lives and character revealed, in a prophetic manner, something of the mystery of the Coming of the Christ.

“​​In every case, their lives tell the story of God’s continual outreach to the human family, and His desire to include everyone in His Household and in His Kingdom,” His Eminence stated.

“This Christmas, my friends, let us be like the Holy Forefathers and Foremothers whom we celebrate this day. They sought to bring others to God, and we can do the same. With a simple loving word, with a phone call to someone we have ignored, with an invitation that is overdue. We can reach out and spread the message of God’s inclusive and embracing love in the world, in the little world that each of us inhabits daily.”

Photos by Orthodox Observer/Dimitrios Panagos

12/12/2025

What does it mean to be Greek American? Lily Talmers explores this question by blending Americana folk music with Greek rebetika melodies. “The songs help me seek connection to both things,” Talmers said. “I write music to be able to access music more deeply. Greek music is always a part of that vision.”

Story by Sara Tsugranis
Photos courtesy of Alex Brown & Bailey Lecat

12/12/2025

12/09/2025

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America was filled with joyful faithful on Monday, December 8, 2025 for the Christmas Open House. Now an annual tradition, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of American welcomed clergy, families and the Greek Orthodox community to sing Christmas carols, enjoy festive decorations, and share the joy of the season with friends and acquaintances.

Special guests at this year’s celebration included Greece’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Theoharis, Consul General of Greece in New York Iphigenia Kanara, and Consul General of Cyprus in New York Kyriakos Pogiatzis. Deputy Minister Theoharis and the Consul Generals were delighted to take part in the joyous event, greeting attendees and joining with the Archbishop in singing both Greek and American Christmas Carols.

Addressing those gathered, Archbishop Elpidophoros expressed his personal joy at seeing so many faithful come to “the center of their faith in America, their Archdiocese” to celebrate the Nativity alongside clergy and the dedicated Archdiocese staff. He noted that today’s celebration is an opportunity to be physically together, to celebrate the season—a chance to talk with one another, to share embraces, and to step away for a time from the “digital.”

Video by Orthodox Observer

12/09/2025

On Tuesday morning, December 10, 2025, the Secretary General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy of Greece, Ms. Maira Myrogianni, visited the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, where she was warmly received by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.

Their meeting included a productive and friendly discussion about current programs in both the United States and Greece, as well as opportunities for collaboration that would benefit Greece and the Greek-American community.

Archbishop Elpidophoros highlighted several Archdiocesan ministries that showcase the strong bonds between Greek Americans and Greece, noting the pride felt by participants. Among these initiatives are the Folk and Hellenic Dance Festivals—now a National Ministry of the Archdiocese—and the Greek Independence Day parades held across the country, along with the March 25th Greek Independence Day annual celebration at the White House.

Secretary General Myrogianni expressed her gratitude for the Archbishop’s leadership and his unwavering support for Greece, remarking, “We feel blessed to have you as Archbishop.”

Secretary General Myrogianni is in the United States for the the Greek government’s GREECE REBRAIN New York, a program of the Greek government to attract skilled Greek professionals from abroad back to Greece.

Photos by Orthodox Observer/Dimitrios Panagos

12/09/2025

At the Ceremonial Hall “Odysseas Elytis” of the University of Patras, the Department of Management Science and Technology conferred an honorary doctorate on His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America in a formal ceremony held before a full audience, despite heavy rain outside. Rector Christos Bouras led the event. The Metropolitan of Patras was present as the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch.

Video by Orthodox Observer/Panos Saatsoglou

12/09/2025

His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America welcomed Greece’s Deputy Prime Minister, Kostis Hatzidakis, to the Archdiocese headquarters on December 7, 2025. During their open and sincere conversation, both expressed gratitude for the opportunity to reconnect after many years and agreed to expand their relationship for the benefit of Greece and the Greek diaspora.

Video by Orthodox Observer/George Kokkinos

12/09/2025

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America was filled with joyful faithful on Monday, December 8, 2025 for the Christmas Open House. Now an annual tradition, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of American welcomed clergy, families and the Greek Orthodox community to sing Christmas carols, enjoy festive decorations, and share the joy of the season with friends and acquaintances.

Read more at the link in the comments below. Photos by Orthodox Observer/Dimitrios Panagos.

12/08/2025

In a unique kind of “from the heart” evening at the National Theater of Greece, on the main stage of the historic Tsiller Building, Dr. George Dangas stepped into the spotlight not as a surgeon in an operating room, but as a storyteller of the human heart.

The distinguished cardiologist—Professor of Medicine and Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Director of Innovation in Cardiovascular Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York—shared the stage with internationally acclaimed soprano Myrto Papatanasiu, accompanied at the piano by Dimitris Theocharis, for an event that wove together medical science and opera into a single, living lecture.

Read more from about the performance at the link in the comments below. Photo by Orthodox Observer.