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Athens News Agency - April 28, 2002

[ “The Lonely Path of Integrity” presented by Gerald Tremblay ]

Montreal, Que. (ANA) - On the initiative of Municipal Counselor Helen Fotopoulos, in Montreal's splendid City Hall on April 26, Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay presented The Lonely Path of Integrity, a book written by Greek journalist Justine Frangouli-Argyris, inaugurating a new era for the City of Montreal in favor of culture and promoting ethnic communities.

Mrs. Frangouli-Argyris is a well known journalist in the Greek and Greek American press who is based in Montreal. Her book is a biography of His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon, formerly of America, who resigned after just three years at the helm of the Greek Orthodox Church in the United States, and a fact-based account of the circumstances which forced him to resign.

The Mayor, in the presence of the former Archbishop, and surrounded by a crowd of distinguished guests, read excerpts from the book's summary, dedicated to the days and life of Spyridon: "Power games, political expediencies, personal ambitions, financial interests and vindictive acts made up the web of intrigue spun by those who wished to vilify Spyridon, both as an Archbishop and as a man." Turning towards His Eminence, the mayor noted that "you stand here tall and high beside me." The mayor also referred to his policy to promote the intellectual achievements of Montreal's citizens irrespective of ethnic origins.

Counselor Fotopoulos, whose idea it was to organize the event, noted that the City of Montreal, for the first time, opened its doors for a book presentation, and that "because The Lonely Path of Integrity refers to centuries-old values, Hellenism and Orthodoxy, being a historical document at the same time," she stressed.

The author, presenting her collaborators in the new English-language edition of Spyridon's biography, translator Jerry Stamatelos and the editor Charles Phillips, said she felt privileged to write the book, which first came out in Greek last year and is still selling very well in Greece. "It has been a rare privilege indeed to be entrusted by His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon, a person of high distinction in the contemporary Orthodox world, to write his biography. Now, we can celebrate because his biography can reach beyond the boundaries of the Greek community: the very lonely path of integrity is lonely no more," she said.

A gathering of more than 1,200 people followed the same evening in honor of the former Archbishop at the Hellenic Community Center, organized by the Hellenic Community of Montreal and the Hellenic Congress of Quebec.

Christos Syrros, a member of the Quebec National Assembly, Municipal Counselor Mary Deros, President of the National Philoptohos Society Evanthea Condakes and her husband Leo, Vice President of the National Bank of Greece Dimitris Yantzoulis, grand benefactors of the Greek American community Dimitris and Georgia Kaloidis, and many prominent members Montreal's Greek community also attended.

Speakers that evening were the President of the Hellenic Community Bill Katsambanis, President of the Hellenic Congress, Nick Katalifos, the Former President and Vice Chairman of the Archdiocesan Council of America John Catsamatidis, Dartmouth College Professor Dr. John Rassias, Chairman of the Archdiocesan Com­mission on Greek Culture and Education (1998-1999), the author, and Archbishop Spyridon himself.

His Eminence spoke of the dire need to preserve Orthodoxy and Hellenism in America, a society which has the tendency to absorb all ethnic differences and which, in turn, is subjected to the distractions of multicultural pluralism.

Archbishop Spyridon stressed that it is vital to preserve Hellenism in America through a sound Greek education while, at the same time, exhorting his listeners to support the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Revenues from the book sales that evening amounted to $8,000. The proceeds were donated to the local Hellenic Community's schools and its Cultural Department.

[ Athens News Agency - April 28, 2002 ]