Oratorical Festival Participants Impress Metropolitan Methodios

Friday, May 14, 2010

His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios was very impressed by the quality of the essays which were presented at the Oratorical Festival finals on Saturday, May 8 in the Metropolis Center in Brookline.  Twelve young people representing parishes of the Metropolis presented their essays which were thoughtfully written and well presented.  All were winners.  The judges---the Rev. Frs. Constantine Cambas and Evangelos Thiani, and Charlene Colt, Esq.---named the two finalists, Alexa Kassos in the Junior Division, and Stacey Kourtis in the Senior division.  Alexa is from the St. Spyridon Cathedral in Worcester and Stacey from the St. Demetrios Parish in Weston.

The Oratorical Festival committee, chaired by the V. Rev. Agathonikos Wilson, consists of Michael Constantinou, John Klesaris and Elaine Otto.  The Metropolis of Boston Philoptochos Board offered a breakfast and a luncheon for all participants and their families.

The purpose of the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival is to give youth an opportunity to learn and speak about their beliefs, the Church and their heritage.  It is named after St. John Chrysostom who earned the title, Chrysostomos, “golden mouth”, because of his dynamic preaching.  The feast of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated on November 13.  He is also honored on January 30, the Feast of the Three Hierarchs, together with St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory the Theologian.