Archon News

Archon National Council and Regional Commanders Hold Joint Meeting

National Council and Regional Commanders meet during Archon Weekend. (Photos by J. Mindala)

On Friday, October 18, 2024, during the annual Archon Weekend of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (AEP), Archon National Council and Regional Commanders held a joint luncheon meeting at the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel. The Archons who were present offered overviews and briefings regarding their activities in their respective Metropolises.

After an invocation by the Rev. Protopresbyter Alexander Karloutsos, Archon Spiritual Advisor, Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, National Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, explained that while this was an official National Council meeting, the focus would be on the presentations from Regional Commanders.

Archon National Treasurer Peter J. Skeadas, recipient of the 2024 Nicholas J. Bouras Award for Extraordinary Archon Stewardship, then offered a Treasurer’s Report, explaining that many donors to the Exarch’s Appeal had increased their one-day sponsorship from $3,000 to $4,000. He discussed numerous donations the Archons had made, as well as expenses the organization had incurred, and provided a meticulously detailed financial report.

Archon Nicholas G. Loutsion welcomed five new Regional Commanders who have been recently appointed: Archons Gregory B. Saad of the Metropolis of Atlanta; Pericles C. Siatis of the Metropolis of Chicago; Michael P. Neamonitakis of the Direct Archdiocesan District; Michael D. Camarinos of the Metropolis of New Jersey; and Gerry Ranglas of the Metropolis of San Francisco. Archon Loutsion likened the role of the Regional Commanders to that of the angels depicted in the famous icon of the Ladder of Divine Ascent. He explained that this was because the Regional Commanders take information from individual Archons in the various regions and convey it to the National Council, and carry back the decisions and recommendations of the National Council to the regions.

There ensued a discussion of a map of the regions. Archon Loutsion said would be “a good tool for us and for Archons in each region,” as it would show where individual Archons were located, and where the AEP needed to recruit more Archons so as to maximize its efforts to support and defend the Holy Mother Church of Constantinople. The discussion focused on privacy issues; Archon John Gumas, recipient of the Archon Sophia Award for Excellence, recommended that a static map be created that did not depend upon Google Maps, so as to ensure full control about how much information was publicly available.

Psaros
Archon Michael Psaros addressing the meeting.

Archon Nikiforos Mathews of the Direct Archdiocesan District then offered a report on activities in his region, noting that the District “has an exceptional number of Archons,” and that many are involved in educating senators and congressmen in issues involving religious freedom and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Archon John V. Kassimatis, also of the Direct Archdiocesan District, noted that he had handed out Archon Education Cards (popularly known as “Rocky Cards” in honor of Archon Rocky Sisson, who originated them) in two parishes in order to raise awareness about the Ecumenical Patriarch and the difficulties he faces in Turkey today.

Dr. Limberakis exhorted the Archons who were present to identify people in their parishes who might be good Archons. He stressed that there was a particular need in the Metropolis of Detroit.

Archon James Speros of the Metropolis of Boston discussed presentations that Archons had sponsored in the Boston area, including one on the History of Women as Orthodox Deaconesses. He noted that he and his fellow Regional Commander for the Metropolis of Boston, Archon Constantine Sideridis, played a significant role in the 4th Archon International Conference on Religious Freedom, which was held in Athens, Greece in 2024. Archons James Speros and James Rockas, along with Angela Karageorgou of OnPoint Communications, developed a public relations plan for the Conference, resulting in its receiving tremendous coverage: 60 journalists attended the Conference, and its proceedings were discussed in over 400 articles.

Archons Sideridis and Speros also gave presentations on Archon issues at several parishes, and noted that there were PowerPoint presentations and scripts available on the Archons website that Archons nationwide could use to make their own presentations. Archon Christos F. Chrisafides had made such a presentation at Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Manchester, New Hampshire, and was working on getting a religious freedom resolution passed in the New Hampshire state house.

There followed a discussion of when Archon Sunday should be, and it was decided that in 2024, it would be November 24. Archon Speros recommended that the Archons arrange to make presentations in their parishes about the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Archons on that date.

Archon Harry T. Cavalaris of the Metropolis of Atlanta discussed Archon initiatives in North and South Carolina. He also noted that as difficult as the situation is in Constantinople for the Ecumenical Patriarchate now, it was much worse in the not-too-distant past, and this should be a source of hope. He called upon Archons to attend services in the Phanar on the Feast of Saint Andrew the First-Called Apostle, saying that people from all over the world were in the Phanar on that day, and that the Archons should also have a presence there.

Camarinos
Regional Commander Michael D. Camarinos of the Metropolis of New Jersey discussing recent activities.

Also from Archons in the Metropolis of Atlanta, Archon Gregory B. Saad said that the Archons in that Metropolis had recently held their first quarterly meeting on Zoom, and described efforts to aid parishes in his region that have no Archons. He stated that in 2023, Dr. Limberakis visited the Sacred Patriarchal and Stavropegial Monastery of the Presentation of the Theotokos in Malbis, Alabama, and attended the GreekFest Charity Gala of Annunciation Church in Mobile, Alabama, which was focused on the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation (EPBF). He explained that each year, Annunciation parish chooses a local charity and an Orthodox charity to which to contribute, and that many people who were not even Orthodox Christians have asked for more information about the EPBF. Archon Saad also stated: “There are many people who want to be in this room with us; they just don’t know how to get here.”

Archon Nicholas Terezis in the Metropolis of Pittsburgh explained that in 2024, the Archons of his Metropolis continued to have three areas of focus: education, improving communications, and special projects. Education included youth engagement, including presentations at the Greek Orthodox youth camp, Camp Nazareth, and at Orthodox Christian Fellowship groups at area colleges. Improving communication, said Archon Terezis, involved in-person Archon gatherings, such as an Archon luncheon and business meeting. He distributed the Pittsburgh Archon Directory and detailed how it was being used in order to facilitate action and ensure that initiatives were carried out with maximum efficiency.

Archon Nicholas J. Tranto then discussed the Archons Sprout Program, as well the Ecumenical Patriarch’s Educational Initiative. He said that every parish will receive Archon Education Cards in order to increase awareness about the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Archon Hon. Steven G. Counelis in the Metropolis of San Francisco stated that the Archons of his region had mounted an initiative every month, including a religious education presentation at the Metropolis’ Greek Orthodox Folk Dance & Choral Festival. He also discussed the new West Coast Archon Lenten Retreat, which will be held in Pasadena, California.

Archon John G. Manos in the Metropolis of Chicago noted that all five of the 2023 Pilgrimage of Discovery participants offered presentations on the Ecumenical Patriarchate and their experiences in Constantinople in their home parishes. He also gave details regarding the annual Archon Meet and Greet at the National Hellenic Museum. Nine Archons from the Metropolis of Chicago, he said, attended the 4th Archon International Conference on Religious Freedom in Athens.

From Archons in the Metropolis of New Jersey, Archon Michael D. Camarinos thanked Dr. Limberakis for entrusting him with “this incredibly important opportunity,” and emphasized how important it was for young people to hear about the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as this would change the narrative for generations to come. He stated that he would dedicate his efforts to ensuring that the Metropolis’ hierarchs were behind the Archon Sprout program, and that it would be implemented.

Also in the Metropolis of New Jersey, Archon Andrew E. Manatos praised the Archon Sprout project, as well as the Pilgrimage of Discovery project. He also thanked Archon Michael Psaros, the 2022 recipient of the Nicholas J. Bouras Award for Extraordinary Archon Stewardship, for his tremendous generosity in service of the Holy Mother Church.

During the meeting, it was noted that Archon Psaros had just been honored by the Hellenic Republic with a postage stamp bearing his visage. Archon Psaros was one of four people selected for this singular honor; three of them were Archons.

Archon Psaros noted that the indictment of Mayor Eric Adams of New York City for taking bribes from Turkey could have a chilling effect on politicians accepting money from Turkey in return for political favors.

In closing the meeting, Dr. Limberakis praised the διακονία of the Archons to lessen the μαρτυρία of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

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