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We Wish YouPeace, Health and Happiness

APRIL 19, 2020

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Easter 20202 THE NATIONAL HERALD, APRIL 18, 2020

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By Eleni Sakellis

While this year’s celebration of HolyPascha is a bit different than what weare used to, it still offers an opportunity

to remember the true meaning of the holiday.Though the Easter dinner may have fewer peoplearound the table and those keeping social dis-tance about six feet apart from each other, wecan still be thankful for God’s love and the loveof family and friends at this time. We may notbe able to see all our loved ones in person, butthey are always in our hearts wherever they areand thanks to technology, we can say ChristosAnesti via Skype or Facetime or Facebook or In-stagram or whatever other apps may be availableto us.

We are lucky in that sense that the technologyallows us to connect even though we are farapart. We should be thankful that although wecannot attend church in person, we can turn onthe computer and follow all the services stream-ing live on YouTube or Facebook.

Many have pondered what it was like duringother pandemics of the past, the 1918 flu, or theplague years of the Middle Ages and ancienttimes. How did people cope when they couldnot go online and connect with others or shopfor essentials that are delivered to our doors?

It was undoubtedly much more difficult andisolating for everyone and yet, humanity man-

aged to survive and indeed thrive. We know somuch more today about infectious diseases, howto prevent their spread, and how to treat thoseinfected. Humanity has faced so much over themillennia; we will get through this pandemic aswell. As cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, who cre-

ated the Peanuts Gang with Charlie Brown andSnoopy, said, “don't worry about the world com-ing to an end today. It is already tomorrow inAustralia.”

Sometimes our perspective makes the biggestdifference in facing a crisis. We may find our-

selves in a situation we cannot control, but thatdoesn’t mean our reaction should be negative.There is so much we can do from home, whetherwe work from home or contribute to charitableefforts that are making a difference in the livesof the most vulnerable among us, or staying con-nected to our friends and family through callsand texts, checking in with our elderly neighbors,making sure those who cannot go out at all havethe essentials they need. Even a kind word, froma social distance, can be encouraging in thesedifficult times.

The important thing this year is not that weinvited the entire family over to eat lamb fromthe souvla, but to stay safe and healthy so wecan celebrate all together next year.

I will still bake my koulourakia and ‘lambro-pites’ (Easter cheese pies), but I’m not sure abouta bunny cake this year. The cousins might haveto bake their own this time.

Families with young children can still arrangean Easter egg hunt to entertain the kids andthere are still plenty of sweet treats to enjoy asthere are every year, even if this year’s chocolatebunny wears a mask and gloves, like the onesdesigned by a sweet shop in Greece. And ofcourse, we can all look forward to being togetheragain next year.

Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti! Christ isrisen! Truly He is risen! Kalo Pascha andHappy Easter!

Kalo Pascha! Happy Easter!

By Constantine S. Sirigos

The news about Pascha sofar this year has beenabout trepidation and

frustration. The Church ofGreece, after dragging its feet(and pushed by a courageousPrime Minister Mitsotakis) didthe right thing and ordered ser-vices to be without congrega-tions behind closed doors.

Yes, many people are upsetthat one of the most beautifultimes of year has been marredby the coronavirus, but we willnot be robbed of our Pascha.

The Resurrection of Christ istimeless and can be experiencedwith every Liturgy and we mustnot forget that He hears ourprayers and is with us as muchin our homes as in our churches.Orthodox Christians are blessedduring this crisis, keeping theage-old tradition of homechapels, many with beautifulicons that have been in theirfamilies for generations.

On that note, I invite you tojoin me in a visit to some of myPaschas past.

The memories for me and mysisters Kelly and Dimitra beginand end with our father, Rev.Anthony Sirigos, who became apriest later in life, but who madeour home a little church as soonas he married our mother, Pres-bytera Catherine.

Just before Pascha the spiri-tuality intensified on two fronts– the quicker rhythm of prayersand Holy week hymns practicedwith my dad, and our mom’spreparations for the holidaytable.

When we were in our teens,my sister Kelly and I enjoyed theextra practices with the JuniorChoir of the Three HierarchsChurch in Brooklyn led by EllenDinas and Celeste Mitilineos,fine musicians and two of thekindest women I know.

Every Orthodox Church isbeautiful around Easter, butThree Hierarchs was special,

having arguably the mostbenevolent and talented priestsand chanters anywhere.

Father Angelo Gavalas, withhis resonant bel canto baritonevoice, filled the nave of the con-verted Presbyterian church inthe very heart of Brooklyn everySunday, but on Good Friday andHoly Saturday he presided inthe gymnasium that was turnedinto a virtual church with thehelp of parish florists like GusVellios and Bill Giannopoulosand their breathtaking ‘kou-vouklia’ – the flowered bier ofthe Crucified Christ.

The gym fit more people, sothe assistant priests presidedover the services in the nave,and that is where in its heydaythe wonderful choir reigned, ledby “Mr. Chris” Constantakos andaccompanied on organ by Katie

Hambas. After my altar boydays, I sang there, but mywarmest memories date frombefore the construction of thecommunity center and its gym,when the second service was inthe church hall in the basement.Again, thanks to the florists’touch, the services there werealso beautiful but they had asimplicity and peace I never ex-perienced again, conveyed byFather Angelo’s dad, the equallyrevered if less charismatic Fa-ther Harry.

My dad, Fr. Anthony Sirigos,before he became a priest, as-sisted one of the parish’s twofine chanters, Thanasis Rigasand Antonios Kamarinopoulos.Both were friendly, reverentmen with fine voices and a mas-tery of Byzantine chant.

The spiritual and musicalrichness and joy of Good Fridayand Anastasis services with Fa-ther Angelo and the choir, or the

No One and Nothing Can Take Away Our Pascha

Continued on page 4

The closed Athens Cathedralduring a lockdown order by theGreek government to preventthe spread of the coronavirus.

AP PHOTO/THANASSIS STAVRAKIS

AP PH

OTO/THANASSIS STAVRAKIS

Easter 2020THE NATIONAL HERALD, APRIL 18, 2020 3

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Michael and Robin Psaros& Family

Christos Anesti

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Kalo Pascha

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CONSTANTINOPLE - His AllHoliness Ecumenical PatriarchBartholomew delivered a mes-sage to the Orthodox Churcharound the World following theDivine Liturgy of the Saturdayof Lazarus on April 11 at the Pa-triarchal Church of St. Georgeat the Phanar.

The Patriarch’s entire mes-sage follows:

“Brethren and children in theLord,

Once again, Holy and GreatLent has come to a conclusion.Today, we joyfully celebratedthe resurrection of Christ’s inti-mate friend, Lazarus, whichserves as a prefigurement of the“common resurrection.” Tomor-row, we shall enjoy the feast ofPalm Sunday, when we shallchant: “Blessed is the one whocomes in the name of the Lord.Hosanna in the highest!”

So we are entering Holy andGreat Week with compunctionand humility, having run thecourse of a Great Lent that wasdifferent from previous ones.The pandemic of the novel coro-navirus has changed our dailylife and our church life. Thechurches are closed to our faith-ful. The sacred taste of HolyCommunion is missing fromtheir senses. They do not see thefaces of their brothers and sis-ters in church. They are de-prived of the moving servicesand the fragrance of incense. Allof this surely evokes a sense ofalienation. We stay in ourhomes in order to protect our-selves from the lethal virus; yetwe are absent from ‘the Father’shome’ in which as Orthodox notonly do we feel ‘at home’ butwhich ‘is our home.’

Nonetheless, we wereobliged to make this agonizingdecision, extending these rulesto apply also to Holy Week. Forthe protection of everyone with-out exception. The cassock ofthe Patriarch ought to have cov-ered your lives once more, justas it did many times through thehistory of the martyric Throneof Constantinople.

Dear brethren and children,you should rest assured that ifyou are hurt by the closedchurches, your Patriarch is dis-tressed and troubled. However,I reassure you that there was noother way. At this critical time

of the pandemic, doctors andmedical scholars propose themandatory measures enforcedby the state. We, too, must con-tribute to the protection of ourneighbors. Naturally, we pray tothe God of love, the physicianof our souls and bodies, that Hemight strengthen the sick intheir suffering and support thedifficult work of doctors, nurses,and all those who self-sacrifi-cially strive to address this im-mense problem. This unprece-dented crisis has revealed thepower and value of love and sol-idarity, which transcend all hu-man standards and bear the sealof Divine grace.

We must acknowledge andaccept that these measures donot affect our faith. They do not

at all diminish the centrality ofthe Temple or of its sacred ser-vices in the lives of our faithful.These temporary restrictivemeasures are not decisionsagainst the Church. They do notpertain to our identity as believ-ers, but only to our identity ashuman beings that “bear fleshand dwell in the world.”

Indeed, we too continue toimplement these extraordinarymeasures consistently. In ourTradition, Pascha is not the only‘chosen and sacred day.’ The en-tire life of the Church is Pascha.Resurrection is ‘the glory of theChurch” and “the treasury of theKingdom.’ The Resurrection is

the entire faith, ethos and cul-ture of Orthodoxy. Every DivineLiturgy is Pascha. Resurrectionis every humble chapel, everysacred temple. The Saints andMartyrs of the faith, the sacredicons that we venerate, as wellas every act of love and charity:all of these exude the fragranceof the Resurrection. The lives ofour faithful are a daily Pascha.We know the meaning of theResurrection, because we knowthe meaning of the Cross. Weare the Church of the Cross andthe Resurrection. We have ex-perience from the Cross and thetaste of the Resurrection, whichis why we resoundingly pro-

claim: ‘Behold, through theCross, joy has entered the wholeworld.’

Thus, this Holy Week andPascha, beloved Christians, yourPatriarch and the clergy of thePhanar will pray more intenselyfor all of you. Here, in the greatMonastery of Orthodoxy, weshall deposit your names withlove in the Cup of Life. You are‘those who are absent for legiti-mate reasons,’ for whom we im-plore the Lord: ‘Save, O Lord,Your people and bless Your in-heritance.’ You will not receivethe ‘Holy Light’ by candle onPascha, but it will still kindleyour hearts. Open up yourhearts on that radiant Night ofthe Resurrection in order thatthe light of the sleepless lanternof the Holy Great Church ofChrist may shine in them. Freely‘empty yourselves of yourselves’in order to be illumined by theunfading light of the risenChrist. And then, you too willbecome ‘the light of the world,’as our Lord desired for thosewho follow Him.

Brethren and children, this

time shall quickly pass; the pan-demic will subside; By the Graceof God the wounds will behealed. I pray that all of us willemerge from this crisis, havingdiscovered the dimension ofdepth in all things and havingexperienced the ‘good transfor-mation,’ having understood thepower of the communion withGod, who is ‘life and light,’ andhaving appreciated the value ofthe divine gifts of health andlife, of sacrifice and renuncia-tion of individual rights for thesake of love.

Holy Week opens before us.Behold, the Bridegroom comes.Behold, we are ascending toJerusalem, while the Lord is de-scending to be crucified. Today,He hangs on the Cross. Wehymn Your saving Passion, OChrist, and we glorify Your Res-urrection. The extreme humilityof the Cross brings the victoryof the King of glory. We wishyou all a fruitful struggle, a fa-vorable journey with Christ onthe salvific way of the Cross andthe Resurrection. Many years toall! And blessed Pascha!”

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Dr. Nicholas Sarantopoulos, President /CEO

Message of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomewabout Holy Week

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of theworld's Orthodox Christians, leads the Orthodox Palm Sundayservice at the Patriarchal Church of St. George in Constantinopleon April 12. All services of the church are held without peopleto help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

NIKOLAOS MANGINAS/ ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE PRESS SERVICE VIA AP

serenity and happiness I felt be-ing with Father Harry and mydad now constitute some of thewarmest memories of my life.

I am certain some of youhave attended services in placeslike Constantinople or evenJerusalem to which the words“profundity” and “ecstasy” canbe attached, but there are nowords to describe what we feltwhen the two congregationsstreamed towards each otherand came together as one andFather Angelo and Father Harryhugged one another on Fridayand Saturday nights of HolyWeek.

All I can say is that the lovethat flowed from the father andthe son in those momentssealed the faith in the Resurrec-tion of Christ that the flowersand the hymns and the readingsand the icons led us to.

So, dear friends and readers,while some of the most impor-tant missing elements the coro-navirus took away from our tra-ditional Pascha cannot bereplaced, the love we alwaysfelt being in church with ourfriends and family will be therefor those of us blessed to be to-gether. But I daresay that formany in Greece this year, eventhose who are alone, there maybe a new and beautiful elementthat we may very well misswhen life returns to ‘normal’.

I live in Athens now, and ifmy intuition and imaginationserves me well, from one endof Greece to another, on themainland and on the islands,facing one another in our frontyards or our balconies, neigh-bors we know and neighborswho in our urban solitude wenever met, will see one anotherin a most profound way, and thelight of the candles they holdwill truly reflect the glow theresurrected Christ will put intheir hearts, and in the futurewe will not talk about thePascha the coronavirus tookfrom us, but the unique Paschawe shared with each other inthe most beautiful way.

Kali Anastasis!

No One andNothing CanTake AwayOur PaschaContinued from page 2

TNH Staff

ATHENS – Fearing a spike inCOVID-19 Coronavirus cases ifGreeks flaunt a lockdown andtry to get out their villages, is-lands, and outside their neigh-borhoods for Easter, the NewDemocracy government addedmore measures to keep peopleat home.

There's worry in the govern-ment the advent of better springweather combined with Easter– the traditional time for familygatherings – as well as cabinfever from people pent up fornearly three weeks would seemass flouting, said Kathimerini.

Much of Greece's populationannually flees the capital andcities to go to holiday homes atEaster but toll booths, ports, andbus terminals are being used tocheck to ensure that only peoplewith permanent residences cango to villages or islands.

It was later reported that therestrictions could go as far asbanning cars and vehicular traf-fic from 8 PM Saturday, April 18until the end of Easter the nextday to go along with measuresrequiring people traveling out-side cities to show tax formsproving they were going to theirpermanent residence, violatorsfacing fines of 300 euros($328).

Violators would also havetheir license plates taken awayfor 60 days if found to be break-ing controls that also limit traveloutside the home to essentialmissions such as going to super-markets, banks, hospitals andpharmacies, for which fines are150 euros ($114).

The new Easter plans includemore police checks on nationalhighways although it wasn't saidwhy those roads weren't closedbefore reaching toll booths tolimit entrances only to those al-lowed to be on them.

If necessary, police will alsodeploy surveillance aids such asdrones or helicopters to bettermonitor the road network.

“We need to be aware that,apart from posing a threat topublic health, moving fromcities to the provinces could alsocause social unrest as residentsof the latter have publicly spo-ken out against such moves,fearing a spread (of COVID-19)”a senior official of the Citizens’Protection Ministry not identi-fied told the paper.

The Church of Greece reiter-ated that services will be heldduring the Easter period withonly clergy allowed inside,along with chanters, but with-out worshippers, and urged peo-ple to stay away.

In reply to reports and socialmedia buzz that cathedrals willopen their doors to the faithfulfor a few hours every day duringOrthodox Easter Week, aspokesman for the Holy Synodof the Autocephalous OrthodoxChurch of Greece said theywon't.

“Under the present circum-stances, the Holy Synod doesnot urge any believer to cometo church. Churches are notopen to the faithful and that isthe point of holding holy ser-vices behind closed doors,” theMetropolitan of Nafpaktos andAgios Vlasios and Church ofGreece spokesman, Ierotheos,added.

Greece has fared far betterthan most countries in the worldin holding down the number ofcases and fatalities after PrimeMinister Kyriakos Mitsotakisbrought an early lockdown.

That requires people to stayhome except for important er-rands such as food shopping,going to doctors, hospitals,pharmacies, repair shops, opti-cians and other essential busi-nesses allowed to stay openwhile most are closed.

That includes churches thatwill be allowed to have onlyclergy, chanters, and supportstaff inside for televised servicesafter all other activities and wor-ship inside was prohibited, in-cluding Holy Communion, withtwo clerics facing charges fordefiance.

Government spokesman Ste-lios Petsas told reporters that“travel to relatives’ and friends’houses to celebrate (Easter) to-gether is not allowed,” as itwould violate terms for socialdistancing that people be atleast 1.5 meters (5 feet) apartand a ban on public gatherings.

The government aims to pre-vent overcrowding in homesand yards, which could createnew outbreaks during a timewhen families and friends tra-ditionally get together and roastlambs on a spit outside, with thewarmer weather seeing morepeople already coming out oftheir houses.

“The real threat is that wecould have a relaxation (of vig-ilance),” especially on the dayswhen the Resurrection is cele-

brated on Saturday midnightand Easter Sunday, when peoplewant to visit friends or relatives,said Petsas. He added, “we willdo whatever it takes to ensure”that this does not happen.

Mitsotakis' government wassaid to be eyeing a gradual eas-ing of the lockdown as soon asMay 10, but in staggered stagesand as he has continued tostress that citizens taking per-sonal responsibility will play abig part in the decision, guidedby scientific and medical data.


Greece Tightens Viseon Easter RestrictionsDuring COVID-19

A elderly man wearinga face mask to protectfrom coronavirus pullshis shopping trolley atthe Varvakios meatmarket in Athens, onTuesday, April 14,2020. Eating lamb,usually roasted wholeon a spit, is traditionalfor Greek Easter,which is by far themost importantreligious holiday of theyear in thispredominantlyOrthodox country. Dueto lockdown measurestaken to prevent thespread of the COVID-19 this year, thegovernment has saidtraditional familygatherings cannot beheld this Easter onSunday, April 19. A

P PH

OTO/THANASSIS STAVRAKIS

By Eleni Sakellis

Though this year’s celebra-tion of Easter will certainlynot be as festive as most

Greeks are used to, there are stillways to enjoy the holiday. Anas-tasia Baker, event planner, floraldesigner, and founder of ‘RSVPBy Anastasia,’ spoke with TheNational Herald about entertain-ing this Easter with traditions ofGreece and Cyprus as inspira-tion.

Baker told TNH, “one of thereasons I decided to include myname, Anastasia, in the name ofmy business is because of whatit represents. The root of thename, Anastasi, literally translat-ing to resurrection, is somethingthat has always been a source forstrength for me. In strange, un-precedented times like these, thestrength we can all find collec-tively in solitude, can foster ourown resurrection, be it mentally,physically, or creatively.”

She continued, “this solitudebegs the question – why deco-rate? Why bother with our tra-

ditions this year? To which I say,why not? Sure, we’ll be in ourown dining rooms with our clos-est few, maybe in suits anddresses, maybe (definitely) insweats. Why not take this timeto create a new tradition or enjoythe ones we have?”

She told TNH, “I’ve compiledsome traditions from all overGreece and Cyprus that I thoughtcould be incorporated throughdécor in a fun and interestingway in your homes. In islandslike Corfu and Lefkada, on Eastermorning, the streets are filledwith the sounds of breaking claypots. A way to incorporate thistradition in a way your neighborswill like, is to create a floral cen-terpiece in a clay pot:

• Fish out a clay pot you par-ticularly like at home or orderone online. I’ve consistentlyfound amazing pieces at jamali-garden.com and afloral.com.

• Before going on your nextsupermarket run, eyeball or mea-sure the opening of this vase,(bonus points if you bring it withyou) and select flowers at the

floral department accordingly.Some varieties in season I enjoyworking with are delphinium, ra-nunculus, freesia, and iris.

• Clean the bottom half ofyour flowers of any loose green-ery if there is any and cut thestems at an angle under runningwater. The height of your flowersshould typically be no more thanone and a half to two times theheight of a vase.

“A tip to make your flowerslast longer,” she says, is “add acouple drops of Raki (or Mastixaor Ouzo or any clear liquor) toyour water and always refriger-ate at night, ensuring thearrangement is not too close tothe walls of the refrigerator.”

Striking a mischievous note,she said: “Two Words: RocketWar. In Chios, Saitopolemos is atradition that was started as ameans to strike fear into thehearts of the Ottomans.”

One way to add a little sparkto your décor are theseSaitopolemos Sparkly Eggs:

• Use any kind of egg you’dlike. Wood, plastic or real, pro-vided they’ve been boiled or hol-lowed.

• In a small bowl, mix to-gether Mod Podge and glitter.Elmer’s Glue works just as well.

• Dipped Eggs – Create a neatline with washi tape. Dip quicklyand let dry in an egg crate, glitterside up. When completely dry,remove the tape.

• Polka dots – dip your fingerinto the mix and lightly tap youregg.

• Completely covered – Witha paint brush, brush on someplain Mod Podge or glue. Withthe glue still will, put your eggin a small bowl and slowly pourglitter directly onto the egg.

“A chic way to showcase theseis by stacking them insideApothecary Jars, vases or com-pote dishes. To really drive thisaesthetic home, serve yourTsoureki with sparklers for agood laugh,” she said.

“Traditions like these andmany more have survived someof the most trying times inGreece and Cyprus’ histories. Letthis year’s quiet Anastasi at homebe just as beautiful if not morethan any other year,” Baker con-cluded.

More information aboutAnastasia Baker and her com-pany, RSVP By Anastasia is avail-able online: www.rsvpbyanasta-sia.com.


Happy EasterΚαλό Πάσχα

The Sofia & Angelo K. Tsakopoulos Family

Katina Tsakopoulos

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Anastasia Baker Talks to TNH about Easter Entertaining

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Easter 2020THE NATIONAL HERALD, APRIL 18, 2020 7a

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A joyful Easter to everyone with all

the blessings of the resurrected

Christ

Μaria Allwin


By Cavan W. Concannon, Univ. of Southern California –Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and SciencesAssociated Press

Sometime in the late second century A.D., Christians in the cityof Rome organized a collection to send to the followers of Jesus inthe city of Corinth.

Modern-day scholars don’t know what the crisis was that promptedthe donation – it could have been a plague or a famine. What theydo know from fragments of a letter sent by the Corinthian bishop,Dionysios, is that a large sum of money was shipped to Corinth.

As a scholar of early Christianity, I have written about this act ofgenerosity. At a time when countries across the globe are strugglingto fight the coronavirus and its economic impact, I argue modern so-ciety could learn from the actions of these early Christians.

SHARING RESOURCESSome of the earliest Christian texts, written in the first and second

centuries A.D., even before the time of Dionysios, show evidence for

the pooling of economic resources.The letters of the apostle Paul, written during the first century,

are among the earliest sources for Christian life. These letters fre-quentlydiscuss aid that Paul and his followers collected in Greeceand Turkey. The aid was intended for the “saints” in Jerusalem –likely a group of early followers of Jesus.

Paul says in his letters that the purpose of the aid was to “remem-ber the poor” in Jerusalem.

Scholars debate whether Paul hoped to help a community in fi-nancial need or to show Jewish followers of Jesus in Jerusalem thatPaul’s gentile converts were real members of the Jesus movement.

Paul got contributions from multiple cities and regions. But thiswas the exception rather than the rule. The pooling of resources andtheir use among the early Christians were generally directed locally.

Later literary evidence provides many examples of local charity.The second-century “Acts of the Apostles,” which provides a history

of the early church, contains legends about Jesus’ apostles shortlyafter his death. One such story describes how Jesus’ followers orga-nized a commune in Jerusalem soon after his death. Members relin-

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As we celebrate the glorious Resurrection of our Lord and Savior,

may our world be blessed with healing, hope and αγάπη.

Χριστός Ανέστη!

Peter, Aphrodite, Constantina, Erica and Nicholas Skeadas

GIOVANNI PAOLO PANINI /HERMITAGE MUSEUM VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Apostle Paul and his followers collected aid, likely for earlyChristians.

about Giving FinancialWhat Early Christian

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To the entire Greek American Community And Orthodox Christians everywhere.

A very Blessed Easter!!!Christos Anesti!!!

A sincere Supporter of The National HeraldHarry and Stella Pappas

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To the entire Greek Community

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quished property rights and shared everything in common.Similarly, the “Pastoral Epistles,” a collection of letters from the

second century, speak of a fund that entitled widows, provided theywere over 60 and had no other family to support them, to financialsupport from the community.

Two texts written by Roman Christians in the second century, the“Shepherd of Hermas” and the “First Apology” of Justin Martyr, aChristian philosopher, show that local groups in the city collected of-ferings from their members that could be used for the common good.

Literature from this period shows that local, organized groupswere common in ancient cities, ranging from burial societies, toguilds, to devotees of particular gods. Members of these groups paiddues that helped to fund burials, communal meals and other socialactivities.

These groups provided community, but also helped to managerisk.

A COLLECTION fOR CORINTHBy the end of the second century, a network of Christian groups

in Rome had begun directing some of their local capital toward non-local needs. This included helping Christians who had been sent tothe mines, which may have been linked to persecution of Christiancommunities.

This network also provided financial support for impoverishedChristian groups in other cities.

Dionysios wrote a number of letters to Christian communities inthe eastern Mediterranean regarding matters relating to theology,sexual practice and persecution of Christians. Fragments of theseletters survive in the accounts of Eusebius, a fourth-century Christianhistorian.

Dionysios’ letter to the Romans mentions the financial aid thatwas collected in Rome and sent to Corinth.

Archaeological remains from Corinth around this time speak to aheightened concern over health. During this period, healing deitiesappeared for the first time on local Corinthian coinage. It was duringthis time that the first inscriptions honoring doctors appeared.

There may have been fears of a plague, or an economic downturnin the city. The archaeological record indicates a marked drop in im-ports to the city at this time. Regardless of the cause, Corinth’s Chris-tian community found itself in trouble.

When a network of Christians in Rome learned about the situation

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Aid at a Time of CrisesCommunities Tell Us

Continued on page 10

The ruins of Corinth show that there might have been a plagueor another disaster.

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a b President

Panagiotis RizopoulosDistrict Treasurer

Secretary Dr. Dionyssios Tombros

AHEPADISTRICT 25

“Saint Philothei” Chapter HJ – 40 Psychico

The President, the Board of Directors and the members of the AHEPA “Saint Philothei” Chapter HJ – 40 Psychico,

wishto All Members of the AHEPA Family a

Happy Easter Health, Personal & Family Happiness and Progress.


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Kallinikos funeral Home, Inc. - Τοwers funeral Home, Inc. & Vanellas Chapel2681 Long Beach Road, Oceanside, New York 11572 • Τel: (516) 764-5191 • Fax: (516) 766-9454

www.Towersfuneralhomeny.com

THE ONLY GREEK ORTHODOX FUNERAL HOME IN NASSAU COUNTY

We also serve the areas of Brooklyn, Queens and Suffolk County

At your service since 1994 - RESPECT AND DIGNITY

William C. Kallinikos

Krissie Kallinikos

George Frangiadakis

Funeral Directors

the families and personnel

Happy EasterChrist is Risen

in Corinth, a local leader named Soter organized a collection to pro-vide aid, according to Dionysios. Thanking the Romans for their gift,Dionysios speaks about how the gift was part of a longer tradition inthis network of Roman Christians:

“For from the beginning this has been a custom for you, alwaysacting as a benefactor to siblings in various ways and sending financialsupport to many assemblies in every city, thus relieving the need ofthose in want and supplying additional help to the siblings who arein the mines.”

A NETWORK Of SUPPORTThis story offers a window into an early shift occurring within

some forms of early Christianity.While early Christians had formed networks that provided for

hospitality and the sharing of news, ideas, and texts, sharing moneywas definitely not the norm in the second century.

For example, news, ideas, and texts moved through the networkof Ignatius of Antioch, the bishopof Antioch in the middle of thesecond century. However, despitethe fact that the community inAntioch was experiencing dis-tress, financial help was not of-fered.

Dionysios’ letter is an indica-tion of how some early Christiannetworks had begun to grow ex-tensive and stable enough to di-rect their resources both to localand non-local needs.

Further, this could happen be-cause members of this networkof Christian associations thoughtof themselves as “siblings,” asfamily. Sibling – or, in Greek,adelphos – was the name mostfrequently used by Christians formembers of their associations.

CHRISTIANS AND CRISESThis impulse to channel care

into the wider world during a crisis appears to stands in sharp contrastto what a few high-profile American Christians have said in responseto the coronavirus pandemic.

Jerry Falwell Jr., a prominent evangelical leader and president ofLiberty University, has been heavily criticized after announcing thatstudents would be allowed to return to campus. He’s said the concernsabout the virus are overblown.

Conservative political commentator, Glenn Beck, who has spokenoften of his faith, urged the government not to sacrifice the economyfor the sake of protecting the vulnerable, elderly, and immunocom-promised.

On his March 24 radio show, Beck said, “I would rather have mychildren stay home and all of us who are over 50 go in and keep thiseconomy going and working even if we all get sick. I’d rather diethan kill the country. ’Cause it’s not the economy that’s dying, it’s thecountry.”

According to polling by the Pew Research Center released onMarch 19, a majority of white evangelicals believe “that the crisis hasbeen blown out of proportion by the media.”

This stands in contrast to the impulse among some early Christians,and, no doubt, many modern Christians as well. In times of crisis,they sought to connect and share.

The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news,analysis and commentary from academic experts. TheConversation is wholly responsible for the content.

Early Christian Communitieson Aid at a Time of CrisesContinued from page 9

A priest prays as he is takingpart in a holy Monday cere-mony held without worship-pers in Athens Cathedral dur-ing a lockdown order by theGreek government to preventthe spread of the coronavirus.

AP PHOTO/PETROS GIANNAKOURIS

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AMERICAN HELLENIC EDUCATIONALPROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION

GOLD COAST CHAPTER NO. 456Manhasset, New York 11030

Order of AHEPA

PRESIDENT

Chris Pappas

VICE PRESIDENT

Dr. Michael Georgis

TREASURERTed Malgarinos

BOARD OF GOVERNORS

John G. Levas

Dr. Dean Pappas

Leonard Zangas

HONORARY

GOVERNORS

Evens Cyprus

Tom Gardianos

We are the largest chapter on Long Island.

Our meetings are held at the Port Washington Yacht Club,

located at One Yacht Club Dr., Port Washington, NY,

on the first Wednesday of each month, at 6:00 pm.

Join us! We are fun! Contact Chris Pappas, president,

at [email protected] for more information.

The Gold Coast Chapter is conducting a membership drive.

Please contact our chapter’s President or Secretary if you want

to join our wonderful group. We have more that 145 members to date.

For additional info or other inquires please e-mail:[email protected]

Membership is open to everyone who believes in the mission of the organization.

The members of the Gold Coast Chapter#456 wish everyone

Happy Easter! Christos Anesti!

2022

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Koulourakiatis Lambris(Easter Cookies)

1 pound unsalted butter (4sticks), at room temperature2 cups sugar10 large eggs, at roomtemperature1 cup milk2 cups vegetable oil3 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoonbaking powder1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1 shot glass cognac5 pounds unbleached, all-purpose flour4-5 large eggs, or more for eggwash

In the bowl of a mixer withthe paddle attachment, creamthe butter and sugar, then addthe eggs one at a time, beatingwell after each addition.

Add the baking powder,vanilla, milk, oil, and cognacand beat well.

Lower the mixer speed andadd the flour slowly, as much asthe butter mixture will take toform a dough that doesn’t stickto your fingers and can be rolledinto koulourakia shapes.

You may have to mix in the

last bit of flour by hand, and becareful not to add too muchflour, or over-beat or over-han-dle the dough since the resultswill be tough cookies.

To make shapes, take abouta teaspoonful of dough and rollit into a ball, then roll betweenyour hands or on a flat surfaceto form a strip 3-4 inches long,then twist to form the tradi-tional koulouraki shape.

If preferred, you can makethe shapes larger and make anadditional twist, but be advised,the koulourakia do puff up, soleave at least an inch or twoaround them when you placethem on an ungreased cookiesheet. Continue making thekoulourakia shapes and placingthem on cookie sheets.

Preheat the oven to 350 de-grees.

In a small bowl, beat one totwo of the eggs for the egg washand brush the koulourakia be-fore placing in the lower thirdof the oven and baking for about10 minutes until thekoulourakia are puffed up andjust beginning to color aroundthe edges.

Remove from the oven, brushthe koulourakia with additionalegg wash, and return them tothe upper rack of the oven, ro-tating the pans, to finish bakingfor another 10 minutes or untilthe koulourakia are goldenbrown.

Set the koulourakia to coolon the cookie sheet on a wirerack for 5-10 minutes and thenremove them from the cookiesheet and allow to cool com-pletely on wire racks beforestoring in an airtight container.If desired, different shapes canbe made with this dough, suchas rings or s-shaped coils, brushwith egg wash and bake as di-rected above.

Koulourakia withOrange Flavor1 pound sweet butter1 cup Greek extra virgin oliveoil2 cups sugar1 cup orange juice5 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract2 teaspoons finely gratedorange zest2 tablespoons baking powder3-4 pounds all-purpose,unbleached flour2-3 eggs for the egg washSesame seeds (optional)

In the bowl of a stand mixerwith the paddle attachment,cream the butter with the oiland the sugar. Add the orangejuice, vanilla, orange zest, andthe eggs one at a time beatingwell after each addition. Lowerthe mixer speed and add thebaking powder and the flour

gradually. You may need to in-corporate the remaining flourby hand depending on the sizeof your mixer. Add as muchflour as needed to make adough that doesn’t stick to yourfingers and can be made intocookie shapes. Roll the doughinto cookie twists, the tradi-tional shape for koulourakia,but circles, S-shapes and figureeights can also be made. Placethe cookie shapes on ungreasedbaking sheets an inch or twoapart since the koulourakia willpuff up. In a small bowl, beatthe eggs for the egg wash. Brushthe koulourakia with the eggwash, and if preferred, sprinklewith some sesame seeds on top,and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for about twentyminutes until golden brown, ro-tating the pans from the lowerto the upper rack and brushingagain with egg wash about halfway through the baking process.Cool on the baking sheets onwire racks for a few minutesthen transfer to wire racks tocool completely before servingor storing in an airtight con-tainer.

Smyrneika Koulouria

5 cups unbleached all-purposeflour1 teaspoon salt3 4 cup sugar6 ounces butter, melted3 ounces milk, lukewarm1 teaspoon baking soda2 eggs, beaten1 tablespoon vanilla extract1 beaten egg white

Sift the flour in a large bowl,make a well in the center, andadd melted butter, eggs, salt,sugar, and vanilla. Dissolve bak-ing soda in the milk and add tothe flour mixture.

Knead the dough until youhave a soft, pliable dough.Shape dough into s-shapes,braids, and snails. Place on agreased baking sheet and brushwith beaten egg white. Bake ina preheated 350-degree oven

for 20 minutes, rotating the bak-ing sheets about half waythrough the baking process.Cool completely on wire racksbefore serving or storing in anairtight container.

Koulourakia me Krasi(Wine Cookies)3 and 1/2 cups unbleached,all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup sesame seeds1 cup Greek extra virgin oliveoil1/2 cup dry white wineAdditional sesame seeds, ifdesired

In a large mixing bowl, whisktogether the flour, baking pow-der, baking soda, salt, sugar, andsesame seeds. Make a well inthe center and add the oil andwhite wine. Stir until just com-bined. Form one to two-inchcookie shapes, and place on un-greased baking sheets about oneinch apart. If desired, roll thecookies in additional sesameseeds before placing on the bak-ing sheets. Bake in a preheated350-degree oven for about 20minutes or until lightly golden,rotating the pans to ensure evenbaking. Cool completely on wireracks before serving or storingin an airtight container orcookie jar. If preferred, lightlytoast the sesame seeds on a bak-ing sheet in a preheated 350-degree oven for a few minutesbefore adding to the flour mix-ture for a more robust, nutty fla-vor.

KoulourakiaMethismena(Drunk Cookies)3 and 1/4 cups unbleached,all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon cinnamon3/4 cup Greek extra virginolive oil1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup sweet red wine,Mavrodaphne1/4 cup cognac, Metaxa1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, whisktogether the flour, baking pow-der, salt and cinnamon. In a sep-arate bowl, whisk together thesugar, oil, wine, cognac, and thevanilla. Pour the wet ingredientsinto the dry and stir until justcombined.

Take a scant tablespoon ofthe dough, roll into strips, andthen form circles or other cookieshapes. Place on ungreasedcookie sheets and bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven forabout 20 minutes until the cook-ies are lightly golden brown, ro-tating the pans about halfwaythrough the baking. Cool com-pletely on wire racks beforeserving or storing in an airtightcontainer or cookie jar.

TNH’s Top 5 Favorite Koulourakia Recipes for Easter

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CHRISTOSANESTITOM AND EVA DUSHAS

By Eleni Sakellis

Koulourakia for Pascha area traditional favorite andare always a centerpiece ofthe dessert table at theEaster feast. The stacksand stacks of koulouriamade with love are aspecial treat after thefasting of Great Lent. The following recipes aresome of our mostrequested over the years.The variations are endlesswith classic Greekflavorings includingorange, masticha, andcinnamon. The tradition of makingkoulourakia goes back wellbefore Christianity. TheMinoans in Ancient Cretemade snake-shapedkoulourakia reflecting thehealing power of snakesthat were part of theirreligious practice. In more recent Greektradition, typical Easterkoulourakia shaped liketwists are flavored withvanilla. Orange flavoredkoulourakia are alsoparticularly popular. Theorange juice and orangezest impart a fresh,fragrant essence to thesetasty cookies.

PIXABAY.COM

PHOTOS: TNH/ELENI SAKELLIS

Easter 2020THE NATIONAL HERALD, APRIL 18, 2020 15a

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ΤHE HELLENICAMERICAN ASSOCIATION

fOR PROfESSIONALS IN fINANCE

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Wishes allHAPPYEASTER

www.haba.org

2021

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The Reverend Clergy

the Members of the Parish Council

Philoptochos, Youth

and All Parish Ministries & Organizations of the

GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF GREATER SALT LAKE

Holy Trinity G.O. Cathedral/Prophet Elias G.O. Church

Joyously extend Paschal Greetings and Best Wishes

to our Omogeneia praying for all of our Risen Lord’s

abundant blessings

as we celebrate His glorious Resurrection.

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ!!! CHRIST IS RISEN!!!ΚΑΛΟ ΠΑΣΧΑ

και ΚΑΛΗ ΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΗ!!!A BLESSED PASCHA TO ALL!!!

GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH Of GREATER SALT LAKEHOLY TRINITY CATHEDRAL 279 South 300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84101Tel.: (801) 328-9681 | Fax: (801) 328-9688Office Email: [email protected]

Prophet Elias Church 5335 Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84117Tel.: (801) 277-2693 | Fax: (801) 424-1296Parish Website: www.gocslc.org

V. Rev. Archimandrite George Nikas, Dean - Rev. Protopresbyter Mario Giannopoulos, Parish PriestMETROPOLISOF DENVER

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Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church

27 Forsyth St., New York, NY 10002 • Tel.: (212) 226-0499www.stbarbaragoc.com

We pray to God that this pandemic

will be over soon.

The merciful God will protect us

and lead us to a better

and more loving world.

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a b Happy Easter

By Michalis Kakias

NEW JERSEY – The New Jer-sey-based, Greek-American-owned Venus Jewelers hastaken the initiative to offer afree Easter meal to 150 doctorsand nurses fighting the coron-avirus at Saint Peters UniversityHospital in New Brunswick.

The director of the jewelrystore, Dr. Peter Stavrianidis, toldThe National Herald, “we must,in the unprecedented situationthat humanity is experiencing,all together, send a message ofhope, solidarity, and recogni-tion.”

“Under the auspices of FLAG(Front Line Appreciation Group)in Somerset, we raised a re-spectable amount of money andbought food from local restau-rants, turkeys, potatoes, pastriesand more, which will be sent tothe hospital in this simple ex-pression of our gratitude for theenormous battle that doctors

and nursing staff are wagingagainst the pandemic, endan-gering their own lives,” he said

“At the same time,” Stavrian-idis added, “with the purchase

of food, we gave an economicboost to our local restaurants.As the owner of the Venus jew-elry store, I am well aware ofthe difficulties faced by local

businesses, owners, and em-ployees. We have a duty and aduty to help our local commu-nity as much as we can.”

Stavrianidis made sure tosend, “a big thank you to allthose who contributed to thiseffort, George Parais, GeorgeExarchakis, Maria Emmanoui-lidis, Spyros Moskonas, DionysisBourodimos, Dimitris Aposto-lakis, Harilaos Triantafyllides,Panagiota Kalimanis, DimitrisManioudakis, Nikolaos Theo-dosiou, Kirk Likakis, Jose Sibaja,Fr. James De Fillipps, SalvatoreScire, Thomas Abode, DanielleRusso, Marisa Gallagher, Lor-raine Farr, Ryan Lenczewski,and Robert G., Lorraine Farr,Joyce Miller, Tatiana Bacchione,Cheryl Palent, and Joan Simon.”

Greek-Americans and FLAG Donate Free EasterMeal to Healthcare Workers in New Jersey

TNH FILE/MICHALIS KAKIAS

Left to right: JasonStavrianidis, Dora(Stavrianidis) fountoukidis,and Dr. Peter Stavrianidis.

By TNH Staff

ATHENS – It will be a somberEaster in Greece this year withchurches closed over the

COVID-19 Coronavirus andsocial distancing guidelineskeeping families apart, andtraditional dinners off thetable, resulting in a big drop in

Easter Hit by COVID-19Too, Churches Closed,Lamb Sales Plunge


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We wish everyone all the best for Blessed Easter

and for the Risen Christ to bestow His blessings on everyone

in a world full of love and without suffering.

May the Holy Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior

bring renewed hope, faith, love, and joy to us all.

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!From the Pancretan Association of America

Board of Directors President Eleftherios Dramitinos

www.pancretan.org

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EISEMAN LEVINE | LEHRHAUPT & KAKOYIANNIS, P.C.

Καλό Πάσχαμε υγεία

Peter Kakoyiannis, Partner

805 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022 • Tel.: (212) 752-1000

sales of lamb.Greek Easter is on April 19, a week after the

Catholic Church marks the commemorationwith family gatherings essentially prohibitedbecause people can’t be close to each other tohelp stem the spread of the virus.

No family dinners means no need for lamb inmany cases with the President of the HellenicLivestock Association (SEK), Takis Peveretos,

telling Kathimerini sales will fall 25 percent and500,000 of 2 million lambs and goats won’t besold for slaughtering.

This is because the traditional lamb will haveto be baked in the oven this year and not on thespit outdoors, as is customary, leading livestockbreeders to ask for the government to subsidizetheir losses as it’s doing for other businesses.

The New Democracy government is trying todevise some kind ofscheme to make surepeople abide by alockdown over Easter anddon’t try to get to theirvillages or to islands, manyof which want them keptaway despite family ties.

Τhe Holy Synod, theruling body of the GreekOrthodox Church, said thatall Easter services will beheld without any publicgatherings as reportsemerged with worry somepriests would be underpressure in parts of thecountry to admit people,the Church advising thelockdown be obeyed.PH

OTOS: EUROKINISSI


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Dr. Ahmed Mohiuddin, MD, fACCPresident and CEO

Medical Center of Boston International, Inc.Contact information:

Medical Center of Boston International, Inc. 411 Waverly Oaks Road, Suite 333, Waltham, MA 02452

Tel.: (781) 894-8858 • Fax: (781) 894-8856

Best Wishes

for Very Blessed and Joyous Easter

to all our Greek-American friends


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Best wishes for a blessed

and joyous Easter to All

The Behrakis Foundation

Christ is risen

we wish you peace, health and happiness · choir of the three hierarchs church in brooklyn led by...

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