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news
ORTHODOX OBSERVER
DIOCESE
JUNE 2001
Denver Diocese to Build Its First Center
Fire Damages Buffalo’s Annunciation Church BUFFALO, N.Y. A three-alarm fire heavily damaged Annunciation Church on May 20, but no one was injured. An investigation into the fire continues but arson is strongly suspected as the cause of the blaze, which began beneath the floor of the nave. Little by little we starting to get things back together, the parish priest, Fr. James Doukas, told the Observer in early June. Thank God no one got hurt. He said one firefighter lost his bearings in the thick smoke and nearly ran out of oxygen, but he was rescued. The fire began late in the day, at the end of community s four-day Greek festival. According to published reports, some parishioners who remained at the church in the evening noticed the flames shooting up from the basement and immediately notified the fire department. For the foreseeable future, services are taking place in the Demakos Community Center next door to the church. Thank goodness we have the Demakos center, Fr. Doukas said. The center also houses the Greek school and Sunday school classes. The interior of the church sustained extensive smoke and heat damage. Fire damage was confined to part of the floor, pews, ductwork and air vents. The iconostasion was not damaged. Fr. Doukas observed that all the candles on a large stand in front of the icono-
stasion melted in the heat, but the Resurrection candle that had been placed on a stand on the altar side of the iconostasion did not melt. Damage estimates are at least $3 million, and could go as high as $5 million. We re hoping the insurance will cover the expenses, said Fr. Doukas. It may be Christmas, at the earliest, but more likely next year, before the church can be used for services. The building that houses Annunciation Church was a former Presbyterian house of worship built between 1903 and 1907. There was no damage to the structure itself. To prepare the hall for services, the parish received some most welcome assistance from Fr. George Savas of Holy Spirit Church in Rochester, along with his son, and a retired Antiochian Orthodox priest and a parishioner who built an iconostasion frame upon which several icons have been placed. The parish had an extra wooden altar table. Since the tragedy, the more than 750 parishioners and the greater Buffalo community, including area churches and the bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese have offered their support. Annunciation parish was founded in 1907. The church is located at 146 W. Utica St., in Buffalo. Phone number is (716) 8829485.
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DENVER Groundbreaking ceremonies took place May 19 for the construction of the first Greek Orthodox Diocesan Center between Chicago and San Francisco. Metropolitan Isaiah presided over the festive occasion at which many priests and parishioners were in attendance from throughout the Diocese including Missouri, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado. The Metropolitan announced that over one million dollars had been received for the project with another million dollars in pledges. With the backing of the Colorado State Bank and Trust, the fundraising drive is continuing under the direction of Stewardship Advocates, which is headed by Fr. Anthony Scott. Another million dollars is expected to help to endow the operational activities of the center, especially youth programs. Through the love and generosity of the faithful members of the Assumption Diocese Cathedral, a portion of the 10acre property was leased and allocated to the Diocese for the purpose of the construction of the center. It will be the first time since the establishment of the Denver Diocese in 1979 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople that per-
manent offices will exist for the Diocese Youth, the Diocese Philoptochos, and the Diocese Choir Federation, as well as for home missions to help the smaller parishes in the plains and mountain states. Construction of the project is expected to begin this June with a foreseeable completion date of June 2002. The architect of the Diocese Project is Mr. Christ J. Kamages of EKONA Architects and Planning from San Francisco, California. A unique feature of the center will be an archives section where articles and documents from each of the forty-eight parishes of the Diocese will be displayed showing the unity of the parishes of the Diocese from a historical perspective. The first immigrant settlers of these parishes will be honored in this archives section. Through the prayers of not only the faithful people of the Diocese, but of all people of faith, the Diocese of Denver Center will help to strengthen the moral fiber of our American society which today stands at a dangerous crossroads, especially among the young people, as well as to support the ministries of the Orthodox Christian parishes of all jurisdictions.
DEDICATION CEREMONY, outside St. Sophia Cathedral, of the Statue of the Blessing Hand.
Southern Californians Welcome Archbishop LOS ANGELES On his recent pastoral visit to Southern California, Archbishop Demetrios joined with heads of other churches and community leaders to salute the efforts of St. Sophia Cathedral at neighboring St. Thomas Roman Catholic Church in bringing together the ethnically diverse neighborhood known as the Byzantine-Latino Quarter, and met with some 300 youth at St. Anthony s Church in Pasadena. His Eminence attended a lunch in his honor at the Cathedral hall with guests that included Metropolitan Anthony, Presiding Hierarch of the Diocese of San Francisco, Cardinal Roger M. Mahoney, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles, and Episcopal Diocese Bishop John Bruno. We celebrate community spirit, said Archbishop Demetrios, the community of Los Angeles, the coming together of religious leaders of all religions. We are celebrating being human. In walking around the neighborhood, Metropolitan Anthony said he noticed no graffiti, no drug dealing, no prostitution
and no litter. It s amazing what is happening around here. At the luncheon, Fr. John Bakas, dean of St. Sophia Cathedral, sang a Mexican song accompanied by a children s mariachi band. Afterward, he led those in attendance outside to for the dedication of the Statue of the Blessing Hand, officiated by Archbishop Demetrios. In Pasadena, the Archbishop and Metropolitan welcomed young people from throughout the region at a prayer service, pastoral assistant Bill Tragus reported. At a breakfast at St. Anthony s, His Eminence held a question and answer session with the youth, where he encouraged them to stay close to the church and grow in faith throughout their lives. A GOYA member and altar boy from the parish, John Rigas, read a prayer from the children to the Archbishop. Fr. Efstathios Mylonas, pastor, noted The answers of the Archbishop were direct and went to the hearts of the young questioners.