Yesterday morning, St. Paul Greek Orthodox Church in North Royalton, Ohio welcomed faithful for the Hierarchal Orthros and Divine Liturgy, marking a prayerful beginning to the 48th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress taking place from June 30-July 2, 2026.
A spirit of anticipation and joy filled the church as His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America arrived with the official representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate—His Eminence Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria, His Eminence Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki, and Grand Archimandrite Iakovos (Krochak)—along with His Eminence Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh, the Congress’s host Metropolitan, as well as other members of the Holy Eparchial Synod.
The hierarchs were received with great respect and enthusiasm by Presiding Priest Fr. Costas Keares, Assistant Priest Fr. Anastasis Phyrillas, Archons, Parish Council members, a cheerful group of children who presented flowers, and parishioners.
His Eminence Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria presided over the Liturgy from the Throne, and Grand Archimandrite Iakovos Krochak served the liturgy with Archdeacon Dionysios Papiris.
In his homily, Metropolitan Arsenios offered words of spiritual reflection to the faithful, focusing on the Gospel reading for today from Matthew 8:15. He noted the importance of prayer, explaining that prayer is the start of the journey of the heart to God, and that faith is manifested not in moments of personal need, but in moments of praying for others.
“When we pray for another, the self receives—the heart widens,” Metropolitan Arsenios said. “We begin in a small way to love God closer. When we pray for one another, we become truly the Body of Christ … the same Body joined together by grace.”
Archbishop Elpidophoros also addressed the congregation, capturing the spirit of the day, the week ahead, and the significance of having the Patriarchal Representatives with us.
“What you have experienced today, is the essence of the Greek Orthodox Church in America,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said to the Patriarchal Representatives. “This is a singing, chanting, praying people, whose love for their Church and the traditions of their ancestors—physical and spiritual—is enthusiastic and overflowing.”
“We all know how close the bonds between a mother and her child are. As an Archdiocese—the First Eparchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the New World—we were conceived by the Mother Church of Constantinople. We were birthed by Her to be a shining city of Orthodoxy in this great Land of ours, America, now celebrating two hundred and fifty years of her Independence,” Archbishop Elpidophoros continued.
At the end of the liturgy, Archbishop Elpidophoros presented gifts of appreciation to Fr. and Presvytera Keares, Parish Council President James Trakas, Philoptochos President Mary Bozikis Olenik.
Following the Divine Liturgy, the parish hosted a festive and gracious welcome luncheon, offering guests an opportunity to continue fellowship in a joyful setting.
Source: Goarch / Photos: Orthodox Observer/Dimitrios Panagos
