TRIUMPHAL CELEBRATION OF SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY
IN
LOS ANGELES
The celebration of the Sunday of Orthodoxy was truly an historic occasion as the four Orthodox Hierarchs in the western United States, along with members of their respective flocks, joined together in worship at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles, California. His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos, as the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, served as the Presiding Hierarch, along with concelebrants His Grace Bishop Joseph of the Antiochian Diocese of Los Angeles and the West, His Grace Bishop Maxim of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Western America, and His Grace Bishop Benjamin of the Orthodox Church of America's Diocese of the West. Also participating in the Divine Liturgy were the deans of the four Cathedrals: V. Rev. John Bakas - St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Rev. Michael Najim - St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, V. Rev. Nicholas Ceko - St. Stephen Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, and Rev. Michael Senyo - Holy Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Cathedral.
This Divine Liturgy was inspired by previous Pan-Orthodox gatherings for Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers. Held at the majestic St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles, over 1,100 Orthodox faithful gathered in worship to share their common faith, and to celebrate the triumph of Orthodoxy and the restoration of icons in the Church.
In his homily, Metropolitan Gerasimos spoke about the significance of the Sunday of Orthodoxy and the restoration of icons in our churches in the year 843, commenting that the "struggle against iconoclasm has not fully ended." He further explained, ". . . there is a new spirit of iconoclasm at work in the world today. This new iconoclasm desecrates the icon of Christ, not by destroying images of wood and paint, but rather through hard or neglect of the weakest and most vulnerable members of our society: the poor, the lowly, the outcast. In some cases, we see human beings in our world today being treated with the same savagery and viciousness that the iconoclasts directed against holy icons."
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the Hierarchs led the traditional procession of icons around the Cathedral, along with the serving and visiting clergy. They were accompanied by the Archons of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from Southern California who continue to work tirelessly to preserve and protect the Ecumenical Patriarchate from religious persecution and oppression. The Hierarchs led the reading of the powerful Synodikon, along with the entire congregation - a resounding declaration of our faith and a demonstration of our unity as Orthodox Christians.
The community of St. Sophia hosted the Hierarchs and serving clergy for a Lenten luncheon following the Divine Liturgy, while the faithful were treated to an abundance of Lenten refreshments provided by members of churches of the four jurisdictions. During this time of fellowship, there were various booths displaying Orthodox books and icons.
Over 150 youth from all four Orthodox jurisdictions participated in a special gathering later that same afternoon at which they had the opportunity to dialogue with the four Hierarchs, asking questions about their faith, the challenges of being an Orthodox Christian in a secular society, and how to respond to people of other denominations when questioned about Orthodoxy. His Grace Bishop Benjamin led this discussion, along with the other Hierarchs and clergy.
The evening prior to the Divine Liturgy, a special gathering was sponsored by the Archons in southern California. Dr. Michael Patzakis, Archon Didaskalos Tou Genous, and his wife, Susan, coordinated this event which was held at the Wilshire Country Club. The Hierarchs were all in attendance, along with the Archons, their spouses, and special guests. Regional Archon Commander and member of the National Council of the Archons, Theofanis Economidis, Archon Ekdikos, greeted the distinguished guests and provided a historical perspective on the important connection between the Archons and the restoration of icons in the Orthodox Church. Economidis called to mind the millions of Christians who have sacrificed their lives to maintain the faith over the centuries, and the obligation of all Orthodox Christians, and especially all Archons, to not only uphold the faith, but also defend the plight of the Ecumenical Patriarchate which is threatened with extinction by the Turkish State. University of Southern California Political Science Professor Richard Dekmejian spoke on Impact of Radical Islam on Christianity. His remarks emphasized the need for Greek-Americans to continue to mobilize their efforts and maintain a strong and unified voice with US government leaders who can support legislation to protect the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as well addressing the religious freedom issues faced by the Orthodox Church and all other Christian Churches in Turkey.
There was a true spirit of harmony and unity amongst all those present for this weekend celebration, which was planned since the Hierarchs began meeting regularly in 2007. Future Pan-Orthodox events including retreats for clergy and laity, other Liturgical gatherings, and youth events are being considered for the coming year.