WASHINGTON, DC — His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America has proclaimed May 19, 2024, as “AHEPA Sunday” in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
The Encyclical, issued by Archbishop Elpidophoros, states:
“On this AHEPA Sunday, when the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America celebrates the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, let us give thanks to God for AHEPA’s resilience and commitment to Hellenic causes worldwide. Not only is AHEPA a tremendous supporter of our Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Mother Church of Constantinople, but the members and friends of AHEPA champion both Greece and Cyprus in the halls of American power. Especially this year, when we observe the tragic fiftieth anniversary of the unjust and illegal Turkish invasion of the sovereign island Nation of Cyprus, the voice of AHEPA is needed now more than ever.
“We all know the members of AHEPA to be faithful members of our Church and
parishes. They are our neighbors, our friends and our family. That is why we reserve the third Sunday of May as AHEPA Sunday, to recognize these fellow Hellenes of the
Diaspora for the amazing contributions they have made to the Omogeneia and to our Hellenic roots.
“Therefore, let us take this opportunity to acknowledge AHEPA in every parish
across the country, celebrating the history and impact of this marvelous organization of the Greek-American experience with gratitude and appreciation for their most significant contributions to the Church and the Omogeneia.”
“We also sincerely appreciate the blessings Archbishop Elpidophoros has bestowed upon the AHEPA family and our members in advance of AHEPA Sunday,” Supreme President Savas C. Tsivicos said. “The AHEPA family cherishes the close ties and shared history it has with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. From Saint Photios National Shrine, Saint Basil Academy, and Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine; to scholarships for seminarians and groundbreaking memberships in Leadership 100 and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation; to the support of parishes, including their establishments, by local AHEPA chapters dating to the 1920s, we are proud to have walked together, side-by-side, for over a century.
