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HELLENIC COLLEGE/HOLY CROSS THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL

P R E S S   R E L E A S E

September 15, 1997


NEW YORK. -- With much joy His Grace Bishop Isaiah of Denver, President of Hellenic College/Holy Cross School of Theology, the Rev. Deacon John Chryssavgis, Acting Dean of Hellenic College/Holy Cross School of Theology and all the faculty and staff welcomed old and new students back to HC/HC to make the opening of the 60th year of classes at the Seminary.

On Saturday, September 6, His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon, Chairman of the HC/HC Board of Trustees, traveled to Boston in order to personally welcome back the faculty, staff and students. All gathered in the School Cafeteria for a community luncheon and were given the time with His Eminence to exchange ideas about the School, ask questions about recent administrative changes and any matters which are of concern to the students of our School.

It was the decision of His Eminence to meet with the students on a one-to-one basis, so that he could speak directly to them, answer their questions and share his hopes for them and their future. This unique opportunity for the students to spend time with the Archbishop will be continued as His Eminence visits the School in the future. Also, the Archbishop announced to the students his wish that each class studying at the School come to the Archdiocesan headquarters in New York in order to have the opportunity to share a luncheon meal together and continue this open dialogue throughout the academic year. These decisions of His Eminence were taken in order to establish a new tradition at our School and emphasize that a new course has been taken which encourages the students to be more actively involved in the life of the Archdiocese, as they share their vital ideas and experiences regarding HC/HC.

Following this open dialogue on September 6 with the students. there was an informal faculty meeting at which His Eminence shared his dreams and vision for HC/HC, and the role of the faculty within the life of this sacred Institution of the Archdiocese.

On Saturday, September 13, the Great Vesper Services celebrating the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was chanted by Prof. Photios Ketsetzis and members of the student body. His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon leas a standing room only Vesper Service which included the installation of His Grace Bishop Isaiah of Denver as President. In attendance among others were the Rev. Dr. Diane Kessler, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches, and Dr. Rodney Peterson, Executive Director of the Boston Theological Institute.

According to tradition, the Senior students of Holy Cross Seminary receive their rasso from the hands of the Archbishop. This year the following students received the rasso:
Dn. Stavros Akrotirianakis, Diocese of San Francisco; Dn. Stefanos Alexopoulos, Church of Greece; Chris Avromopoulos, Diocese of Chicago; John Coroneus, Diocese of San Francisco; Theologos Drakos, Metropolis of Toronto, Canada; William Flegas, Diocese of Denver; George Hazlaris, Diocese of San Francisco; John Katsoulis, Diocese of Chicago; Paul Keriotis, Diocese of Pittsburgh; Pantelis Klostri, Archdiocesan District; Joshua Makoul, Antiochian Archdiocese; John Mefrige, Antiochian Archdiocese; Michael Monos, Diocese of New Jersey; Dimitrios Moraitis, Archdiocesan District; John Nassis, Diocese of Chicago; Glen Nugent, Antiochian Archdiocese; Fr. Antonios Papathanasiou, Church of Greece; James Pavlow, Archdiocesan District; Soterios Rousakis, Diocese of Atlanta; Chris Salamy, Antiochian Archdiocese; Brian Sietsema, Diocese of Boston; Constantine Simeonides, Diocese of Pittsburgh; Michael Sintros, Diocese of Boston; Dn. Christopher Stamas, Diocese of Boston; Dn. Michael Stearns, Diocese of Chicago; Matthew Street, Antiochian Archdiocese; William Tragus, Diocese of San Francisco; Dn. Peter Andrew Vithoulkas, Archdiocesan District; Dn. Jeffrey Waynick, Diocese of Detroit; Dn. Yohannes Tewolde, Patriarchate of Alexandria.

Students receiving their Holy Cross School cross are:
Peter Goritsan, Diocese of Chicago; Ryan Gzikowski, Diocese of Pittsburgh; Bus Lazarakis, Diocese of Denver; Larry Legakis, Diocese of Detroit; Chris Alexander Politz, Diocese of Denver; John Smiliotopoulos, Diocese of Boston; Spiro Bobotas, Diocese of Boston; Evangelos Evangelides, Diocese of Boston; Nicholas Georgiou, Diocese of Chicago; Paul Gikas, Diocese of San Francisco; Jacob Gorny, Diocese of San Francisco; Scott Hoffhines, Diocese of Chicago; Michael Kallas, Diocese of San Francisco; John Katsoulis, Diocese of Chicago; Paul Keriotis, Diocese of Pittsburgh; George Ketrenos, Diocese of San Francisco; John Kokinos, Diocese of Boston; Euthym Kontaxis, Diocese of San Francisco; Jim Kordaris, Diocese of Chicago; Nicolaos H. Kotsis, Diocese of Detroit; Daryle Lamoureux, Diocese of Boston; Vasile Mihai, Diocese of Atlanta; Daniel Payne, Diocese of Denver; Timothy Robinson, Diocese of San Francisco; Peter Stratos, Diocese of San Francisco; Demetrios Tonias, Archdiocesan District; Nicholas Voyagis, Diocese of Detroit; Paul Zaharas, Diocese of Denver; Paul Zamora, Diocese of Denver; Zisis Nterekas, Metropolis of Toronto, Canada; Joshua Utomo, Metropolis of Hong Kong; Nicholas Louh, Antiochian Archdiocese; Jimmy Shadid, Antiochian Archdiocese.

The new students for the Academic Year 1997-98 are:

Holy Cross School of Theology

Master of Divinity

Homer L. Cox III, Antiochian Archdiocese; Michael Diamond, Diocese of New Jersey; Bill Gikas, Diocese of New Jersey; Nicholas Halkias, Diocese of Pittsburgh; Konstantinos Kalogridis, Diocese of New Jersey; Dn. Boulos Khoury, Antiochian Archdiocese; Gary Kyriacou, Diocese of San Francisco; Elenitsa Lewis, Diocese of New Jersey; Adam Metropoulos, Diocese of Boston; Eric Morrow, Diocese of Denver; Philippe Mousis, Diocese of Boston; Andis Nikolla, Church of Albania; Antonios Sarigiannis, Archdiocesan District; Dn. Peter Smith, Antiochian Archdiocese; Peter Syrakis, Archdiocesan District; Harry Theodore, Diocese of Detroit; Simon Thomas, Diocese of San Francisco; John Vlahos, Diocese of Chicago; Steven Zimnes, Diocese of New Jersey; Peter Zougras, Archdiocesan District.

Master of Theology

Anestis Kyriakides, Church of Greece; Fr. Geoffrey Ready, Canadian Orthodox

Hellenic College

Religious Studies

George Anastasiou, Archdiocesan District; Spiro Doukas, Diocese of New Jersey; Chrisanthos Kerkeres, Diocese of Chicago; Jennifer Molesa, Diocese of San Francisco; Michael Prevas, Diocese of Chicago; Damon Smith, Diocese of Denver; John Stamos, Diocese of Chicago; Andrew Walsh, Diocese of Chicago

Elementary Education

Christa Gongopoulos, Diocese of Denver

Human Development

Erta Hysenbegasi, Church of Albania; Anna Pipilas, Diocese of Chicago; Nick Stremmenos, Diocese of Boston

Classics

Danais Danassi-Afentaki, Church of Greece; Eleni Goudanas, Church of Greece

On Sunday, September 14, the Orthros and Divine Liturgy were chanted followed by the Litany of the Procession of the Most-Precious Cross of Christ of which a relic is kept at the Seminary. His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon presided at the Liturgy assisted by His Grace Bishop Methodios of Boston, His Grace Bishop Isaiah of Denver, President of HC/HC and numerous deacons and presbyters from the Seminary and the Archdiocese.

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