Ceremony of Stavrophoria for Graduates
BOSTON – “May you be Axioi (worthy) of carrying the Cross as a witness of sacrifice and love and as the offering of the Gospel to everyone, AXIOI;” proclaimed Archbishop Demetrios of America as he presented the special graduation School crosses upon all the Holy Cross Orthodox School of Theology graduates at the ceremony of Stavrophoria, following a very special and spiritually uplifting vespers service for the feast of Saints Constantine and Helen, held at Holy Cross chapel on the eve of graduation day, May 2
Photo © Dimitrios Panagos/GOA
Later in the evening a reception and dinner honoring this year’s Honorary Doctorate recipient Professor Dr. Christos Yannaras took place in the Metropolis of Boston Cathedral Center. Dr. Yannaras in his short comments, said his was “deeply moved” and expressed joy and gratitude for the honor and said that since his first visit to the United States and his first contact with HC/HC he had “felt awe,” he had “sensed that in the United States he was facing a pioneering, avant-garde condition, where someone could not hide easily, where everything was absolutely challenging and direct and everything was indicating the future that was coming for the rest of the planet.” He went on to say that “to such an extreme challenge only theology can give an answer, theology which is always tied with philoshophy – the love of wisdom – the search for meaning for the existence of the world and history.”
Present at the dinner in addition to Archbishop Demetrios and Professor Yannaras were Metropolitan Methodios of Boston, Bishop Elias of Philomelion, Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos, Rev. Nicholas Triantafilou, the president of HC-HC, Dr. Thomas Lelon, the vice-chairman of the Board of Trustees, Rev. Dr. Thomas FitzGerald, dean of Holy Cross and Dr. Demetrios Katos, the newly elected dean of Hellenic College. Also present were the new Consul General of Greece to Boston Ilias Fotopoulos and his wife Youla.
Professor Christos Yannaras (left) with Archbishop Demetrios of America (center) Consul General of Greece in Boston Ilias Fotopoulos and his wife and Metropolitan Methodios of Boston (right) at the reception - Photo © Dimitrios Panagos/GOA
