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HOLY CROSS HOSTS CONFERENCE ON THE GOA AT 100
On October 6 and 7, 2022, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology hosted a conference with the theme “The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America at 100 Years.” The conference was organized by V. Rev. Archimandrite Anton Vrame and Dr. James Skedros, both of whom also presented papers.
The first day of the conference, held at HCHC’s Maliotis Cultural Center, featured daytime panel discussions, moderated by Holy Cross faculty, on governance issues of the GOA, its ministries, its Archbishops from Alexander to Demetrios, and issues of acculturation. After Vespers and dinner, Dr. Alexander Kitroeff, Professor of History emeritus at Haverford College, delivered the keynote address on “The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese at 100.” A reception followed in the Maliotis atrium, where the centennial exhibition first shown at the Clergy-Laity Congress this summer is currently on view. As HCHC President George M. Cantonis observed in his welcoming remarks that evening, “It serves not only as a backdrop to the conference, but also visibly underscores the indissoluble connection between the Archdiocese and this institution, without which neither could exist.”
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America was unable to attend due to the coinciding visit of His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria to New York, but sent greetings, read aloud by His Grace Bishop Joachim of Amissos. His Eminence commended “all the participants for their offerings of scholarship and historical perspective. For we all need to understand how our Church has come to its present moment, in order to chart a steady and righteous course for the future.”
In his welcome, Rev. Dr. George Parsenios, Dean of Holy Cross, observed, “It is fitting that we celebrate the hundred-year anniversary of the Archdiocese at this school because the development of this school was critical for the development of the Archdiocese.”
The second day of the conference began with reflections on the ministry of His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos of blessed memory by His Eminence Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia and Fr. Vrame. Three panel discussions followed on: “Orthodox Unity, SCOBA, and the Assembly of Bishops,” “Liturgical Development of the GOA,” in which His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco participated remotely, and “The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese as ‘Political’ Actor.”
The proceedings were livestreamed and may be viewed by following this link: