|
How can one hundred years of
history be compressed into a single weekend? The answer is: hard
work, planning, researching, and implementing. The results of
all this was proven through the success of the Centennial Celebration.
Penny Zavichas as Council President and spearhead for the Celebration
is to be commended. The volunteers who provided their time, ideas,
skills and talents are due credit; we can only give a blanket
thank you to all as to name each would fill a page.
The church of St. John was
in its glory to welcome visitors at the Opening Tours and History.
To epitomize its ambiance, a small incident tells it all: On
this Saturday there was also an event involving "bikers"
for a fund raising. Two of the neatly dressed "bikers"
came to the church while Connie Davis welcomed visitors. One
said to her "We've passed this church for so many years
and never saw the inside." When they were leaving, after
an intense study of the interior, one remarked "What a beautiful
church! THIS IS WHAT A CHURCH SHOULD LOOK LIKE AND FEEL LIKE!"
This was a true tribute to the faith that is imbued into its
very walls and to those who made it so.
The history of one hundred
years was on display through scrapbooks, photos, and artifacts
in the Founders Room, located in the parish house. There was
also a running video, which was only the beginning of a longer
one being produced for purchase (details
below).
click here to see
congratulatory letter
from Metropolitan Isaiah |
Upon arrival, His Eminence,
Metropolitan Isaiah went first into the church honoring a hundred
years not only of existence but endurance of the Greek Orthodox
faith in a community shrinking in numbers. The determination
of the few will not let it close.
His Eminence then visited the
displays in The Founders Room, which we hope everyone is able
to view at some time.
A visit to Roselawn Cemetery
was next on the agenda. As most of us know, the original planners
of St. John included the purchase of sections within the cemetery
for the interment of Greek Orthodox faithful. Greek flags along
with the American flag had been placed on the graves of those
known and also those whose names have been lost but known to
have been interred there. His Eminence read the Trisagion at
each section. His eminence was greatly moved by the number of
young men who immigrated to a foreign land, faithful to the end
to their Greek Orthodox faith. |
Should the original founders
of St. John have looked down upon the Vespers and Memorial Services,
it would awe them to see the complement of Clergy and celebrants
gathered to sing "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal,
have mercy on us."
DINNER AND OPENING PROGRAM
- October 8
His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah
of the Denver Diocese welcomed the approximately 200 attending
the dinner on Saturday evening. His presence and his instructions
to us, members of his flock, were inspiring. We hope those who
follow us will continue the precedence established.
Georgiann Lymberopoulos, Mistress
of Ceremonies introduced Vasiliki Limberis Th. D., Associate
Professor of Ancient Christianity Temple University. Dr. Limberis
spoke of her early days coming to St. John from Salida and the
spiritual meaning of our lives. We are proud as a community to
have had her as a speaker as we see the influence St. John had
in her growth. We saw the joy and pride in the faces of her Limberis
and Kochivelos 'kin" who were in the audience.
The evening ended with happy
guests visiting, looking through the Commemorative Book and looking
forward to the next stage of the Celebration.
SUNDAY ORTHROS AND LITURGY
In photographs of early events
at St. John The Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, we are amazed
at the number of people who were there ;today's attendance rivaled
those photographs.
Seldom, if ever, has our church
been blessed as to have a Metropolitan, ten clergy and five altar
boys at one service. To add to this was the Assumption Cathedral
Choir under the direction of Jim Maniatis. It is difficult to
put into words the sound of all those voices singing praises
to God, but suffice it to say it was truly glorious. This you
will be able to judge from the video mentioned earlier.
St. John's Church was overflowing
with those who had come to re-live their times as members of
this community. Many who may have been baptized here, and others
who had received Holy Communion here for the first time, took
the opportunity to prepare themselves on this special occasion.
Metropolitan Isaiah's homily
spoke of the great efforts under extreme conditions the forefathers
of St. John's to establish their contact to their God and their
native land. In reading the Rules and Conditions what was expected
we read: All Greek-owned businesses were to be closed on Sunday
during the time of church services. They were devout and honorable
men who inspired their countrymen in becoming supporters of their
faith.
During the service, the names
of the deceased from this parish who were interred in the cemeteries
in Pueblo, Trinidad, Salida, Colorado Springs were recited: a
total of 449 names, which were identifiable.
From the Orthros to the final Dismissal, it was a Sunday in St.
John
the Baptist Church that we who attended will long remember.
OUR UTMOST APPRECIATION
AND THANKS ARE GO TO THE CLERGY WHO HELPED IN THE PREPARATIONS
AND SERVED ST JOHN'S GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH ON THIS SPECIAL OCCASION:
His Eminence Metropolitan
Isaiah, Presiding Hierarch
Rev.
Fr. Luke Uhl, Chancellor
Very Rev. Fr.. Makarios Mannos
Very Rev. Fr. Christodoulos Papadeas
Rev. Fr. Constantine Raptis
Rev. Fr. Constantine Balomenos
Rev. Fr. Louis Christopoulos
Rev. Fr. Stephen Powley
Rev. Fr. Nicholas Dotson
Rev. Fr. Barnabas Powell
Rev. Dn. Paul Zaharas
To His Eminence Metropolitan
Isaiah our heart felt thanks for honoring our parish and being
tireless in your prayers, your homilies and your one-to-one visits
with many of us.
Chronia Polla!
Celebration Continues:
Following church services. a crowd of approximately 350 excited
guests (not all Greek, but happy enough to be thought so) arrived
for the pre-dinner Hors d'oeuvres at the Pueblo Convention Center.
The reunion of old friends was exciting as they compared notes,
caught up on their lives. They had come from far and near: Texas.
Wyoming, California, New York, Washington, Nevada, Iowa, Utah,
Georgia, New Mexico, Illinois, Indiana and across the state.
Two women, recent transplants from Johannesburg, who are Orthodox,
joined the festivities.
An honored guest coming for
the occasion was Helen Polychronos from New York. Her father
served St. John in 1938. In recent years she has been in contact
with people in our community, and although it was somewhat difficult
for her with a leg cast, she felt she truly wanted to share such
a momentous occasion.
As writer of the Messenger
newsletter, I must confess that I become quite emotional when
the Colors are presented or when I see the American flag pass
in parade. This was so when the Pueblo Veterans Ritual Team presented
not only the American flag but the Greek flag as well, followed
by the National Anthem of both countries.
His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah
gave the opening Prayer, welcoming all who returned to their
"village" to celebrate a once in a lifetime event,
100 years of their home church.
After a traditional Greek dinner of lamb and Greek dessert of
bakalava and kourambeides, Georgiann Lymberopoulos introduced
guest speaker, Harry Mark Petrakis. Mr. Petrakis and Metropolitan
Isaiah have known one another for many years and anecdotes remembered
made for an entertaining program. Mr. Petrakis knows well the
Greeks about whom he writes. A Greek reading any one of his many
books will find the characters are evocative of Greeks known
to the reader.
A
blessing from His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah ended the program.
Georgiann Lymberopoulos then
introduced the entertainment for the evening:
Due to an almost last minute
cancellation by the Folk Dance group from Utah, Stella Brokolakis
of Denver brought to us the Daughters of Crete for the dance
group performance. Our thanks to them for pulling it together
in time to entertain our guests.
The evening ended with the
Chris Dokos Greek Band from Salt Lake City bringing to the floor
the young, the old, the experienced dancers, the novices. The
dances they had learned as members of the youth groups sponsored
by St. John, by the weddings celebrations held at St. John; at
picnics in the park - where there was an open space and Greek
music, they had danced. Now they danced to celebrate 100 years
of continuance of religion and culture.
COMMEMORATIVE ALBUM
OF THE HELLENIC ORTHODOX COMMUNITY - 1905-2005
The Commemorative Album is
an excellent account of the 100 years of St. John. Those who
attended the Celebration as well as those who had placed ads
in the book have received copies. There are copies available
through the Church office or by mail at P.O. Box 3011, Pueblo,
CO 81004. The cost of the book is $15 plus $5 if it is to be
mailed.
A great deal of research is
reflected in the book for the photos, the history and documentation.
The Editing Committee for the Centennial Celebration under the
guidance of Gina Trovas Schaarschmidt read and re-read to assure
authenticity and accuracy. We know there are errors and we ask
(as is repeated in the liturgy) forgive us our sins both known
and unknown.
ON OCTOBER 26, THE CENTENNIAL
COMMITTEE DEPOSITED
the largest collection of photos and print documents of Greeks
in Southern Colorado to become part of the archives at the Robert
Hoag Rawlings Library in Pueblo. Included in the collection is
a listing of the Baptismal Records as translated by Alex Ellis,
and a listing of Orthodox deceased recorded at St. John the Baptist.
Recently a listing of approximately 500 Greek miners killed in
mining accidents in Southern Colorado was uncovered. This will
be part of the history
Collecting such data is a continuing project. Although many stories
were submitted for the Commenorative Album, we would like to
add whatever photos we can locate of interest to the Greek collection:
You, your parents, your cousins, your grandparents; your social
events.
Records deposited in such archives
are secured and will be available for viewing and copying according
to the rules of the Library. The Collection will be added to
at the Library by the end of February. PLEASE LOOK FOR WHAT YOU
WANT TO SHARE. Contact any Committee member: Marian Kochivelos,
Mary Carlino, JoAnn Limberis, Marcia Lepetsos, Penny Zavichas,
or Anna (Konogeris) Floyd. Penny will make a personal attempt
to contact persons she can ascertain are not in any photo to
encourage them to add to the data.
Many of the photos on display in the Founders Room during the
Centennial will remain there.
"Finally, brethren,
whatever is true, whatever is honest, whatever is just, whatever
is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, if there
is any excellence, if here is anything worth of praise, think,
about these thing." Phillipians 4:8
CLICK
HERE FOR
CENTENNIAL BOOK ORDER FORM |
