During the virtual Annual Meeting of the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians, Rev. Romanos Karanos received the prestigious Medallion of St. Romanos the Melodist for Exemplary Archdiocesan Church Music Accomplishments. This is the National Forum’s highest award, given to individuals who, through their work in church music, have made a significant impact on church music in the Archdiocese of America.
Arrangements were made through His Eminence, Metropolitan Methodios’ office to livestream the award presentation on Sunday, September 13, 2020. Not only was the congregation of St. Catherine Church in Braintree, MA able to view the presentation, coincidentally occurring at the same time as Father Karanos’ final day serving that parish, but church musicians attending the Annual Meeting from across the country were also able to observe.
In her letter sent for the presentation, National Chairman Dr. Vicki Pappas noted: “As a chanter, a teacher, and now as a clergyman, Father Romanos has fostered a rebirth of skilled Byzantine chanters in our Archdiocese. His teachings have instilled much knowledge in his students and even more important, a love and a fervor to enhance our services with beautiful chanting, to teach and support others to become chanters, and to produce new renditions of our hymns, a great many in English. His own skills in chanting and his ‘phronema’ towards this art have served as a model not only to his students, but also for clergy, chanters, and congregations. He has also created public performances that illuminate the beauty of Orthodox hymns beyond the faithful into the general public.”
Representing the National Forum at the ceremony were Heidi Mason, President of the Metropolis of Boston Church Music Federation, and George Theodossiou, both of Annunciation Church in Brockton. Also present was Father Alkiviadis Calivas, a past recipient of the same St. Romanos Medallion in 2004, and Father Theodore Toppses, installed on the same day as the new Proistamenos of the St. Catherine parish.
