At the Hellenic Dance Festival’s award ceremony on Sunday, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America announced the establishment of a new national ministry at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
The National Greek Folk Dance and Cultural Ministry, approved by the Holy Eparchial Synod in October, was inspired by the already-existing folk dancing festivals.
The ministry was created to promote, preserve, educate, and celebrate Hellenic dance, music, song, and cultural traditions to teach and spread the Orthodox Christian Faith, and to foster a dynamic community in which cultural heritage serves as a living witness to the beauty of the Orthodox faith, engaging current and future generations.
“This new ministry represents a historic and inspiring next chapter for Greek folk dance and culture throughout our Archdiocese,” Fr. Sampson Kasapakis, Hellenic Dance Festival Chair, stated in a social media post in October. “It builds upon the legacy and success of HDF and FDF, and allows us to unite our collective efforts under a new national initiative to further the perpetuation of Greek folk paradosi and faith.”
Photo by Orthodox Observer/Brittainy Newman
