The Church of Zoodohos Peghe in the Bronx celebrated its Feastday with Great Vespers of the Life-Giving Fountain on Thursday evening, May 9, 2024. Proistamenos Vasilios Louros and members of the community welcomed His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, Chancellor of the Archdiocesan District Fr. Elias Villis, President of the Clergy Syndesmos for the Archdiocesan District Fr. Peter Orfanakos, Archdeacon Dionysios Papiris and Deacon Jeremiah Mandoras and many other clergy from the area.  Remarking on this beautiful day honoring the Holy Mother, His Eminence said, “In many ways, the Feast of the Ζωοδόχος Πηγή is a reminder to all of us that the foundation and basis for our life is to be found in our connection to the Holy, rather than our reliance upon the secular. Yes, we must eat, and be housed, and clothe ourselves, but as the Lord said: Do not worry about your lives – what you will eat and what you will drink. And do not worry about your physical body, what you will wear. Is not life much more than food and the body much more than clothing? My Beloved Christians: Life is so much more! And the Theotokos can show us the way. The Church can show us the way. So that we satisfy the deepest yearnings of our hearts and souls and quench the thirst for life with the very Water of Life that flows from God to us.” 

His Eminence then honored two outstanding servants from the community, Dr. Nick Germanakos and Stelios Baktidy, with the Medal of St. Paul. 

Following the service clergy and faithful gathered in the community center for a reception and festive Greek Dance presentation by the children of the community.

Photo: GOARCH/Dimitrios Panagos