On Saturday, October 5, 2024, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presided over the Divine Liturgy of Consecration for Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, celebrating alongside Metropolitan Savas, Bishop Joachim of Amissos, Protopresbyter Fr. George Callos (Chancellor), Presbyter Fr. Constantine Kokanos (PGH Clergy Syndesmos President), Presbyter Fr. Michael Gavrilos (Proistamenos), and Presbyter Fr. Demetri Constantine.
The services included both Orthros and Consecration followed by the Divine Liturgy. During the Consecration service, the hierarchs, clergy, and faithful processed around the church three times, setting the church aside as a separate, sacred area for the purpose of worship.
The Holy Relics of New Martyrs of Samothraki Saints Michael, George, Emmanuel, Theodoros, and George were also placed in the altar, and Archbishop Elpidophoros read the prayer of Consecration, referencing the power of God to renew both nature and humanity.
In his homily, His Eminence described the Consecration service as the “creative and dynamic” “In-Spiriting” of a church, “the animating of the Temple through these ritual acts of sanctification by which this church is consecrated to Almighty God.”
The Archbishop likewise compared the service to the sacraments of Baptism and Chrismation: “Just as we baptize in water those who come to the Illumination that the Church offers, we wash the Holy Altar. And just as we chrismate the newly-baptized to receive the in-breathing of the Holy Spirit, we chrismate the walls, the icons, the sacred liturgical objects of the Temple with the same Chrism we have received from the Mother Church of Constantinople.”
After the completion of Dormition’s consecration services, the community celebrated with a banquet, where Mayor of Oakmont Sophia Facaros, Parish Council President Chris Ioannou, parish priest Fr. Michael Gavrilos, Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh, and Archbishop Elpidophoros of America addressed the parish’s faithful.
Photos: GOARCH/Dimitrios Panagos
