GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA 8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY 10021 Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212) 774-0215 Web: http://www.goarch.org Email: communications@goarch.org
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 28, 2007
Contact: Anton C. Vrame, PhD., Director Department of Religious Education Tel: (617) 850-1218; Fax: (617) 850-1489 E-mail: tonyvrame@mac.com
ATLANTA METROPOLIS AND MIAMI CATHEDRAL PLAN ORATORICAL FESTIVAL FINALS
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Religious Education, under the direction of Dr. Anton Vrame, has announced that the 2007 St. John Chrysostom Archdiocese Oratorical Festival will be hosted by the Metropolis of Atlanta and the parish of St. Sophia Cathedral in Miami, Florida during the weekend of June 15-17, 2007. The Miami host committee, under the co-chairmanship of the Very Rev. Stavroforos Mamaies, Mrs. Evangeline Mekras Scurtis and Dr. Elaine Andrews Lailas are currently finalizing the events.
The eighteen national finalists and their families, upon their arrival in Miami and check-in at the Intercontinental Miami, will attend a Paraklesis at St. Sophia Cathedral and be welcomed by the His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta and the Very Rev. Stavroforos Mamaies, Dean of the Cathedral. A dinner social and ice-breaker will follow with His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and Dr. Anton Vrame.
The Oratorical Festival will be held on Saturday morning at the St. Sophia Cathedral in Miami. It is expected that many faithful will attend this exciting annual event. The results of the Oratorical Festival will be announced at the Awards Luncheon that will be held immediately after the presentation of the speeches at the Cathedral. The top speaker in each division will receive a $2000 college scholarship; second place speakers will receive a $1500 college scholarship and the speakers who receive third place recognition will each be awarded a $1000 college scholarship. The other metropolis finalists will receive a rank of Honorable Mention and will be given a $500 US Savings Bond. Anyone wishing to donate to the Oratorical Festival Foundation, which makes these scholarships possible, may do so by contacting the Department of Religious Education at 800-566-1088.
A Hierarchical Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on Sunday at St. Sophia Cathedral. Celebrants will be His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios, as well as, Fr. John Orfanakos, Archdiocese Co-chairman of the Oratorical Festival, and the Very Rev. Stavroforos Mamaies.
The Oratorical Festival theme for 2007 is The Menaia. While all parish festivals and district Oratorical Festivals have already taken place, individuals may still have the opportunity to hear the speakers at one of Metropolis Oratorical Festivals held throughout the Archdiocese, most of which take place during the month of May.
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