Weekly Message November 9, 2025

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,

Earlier today at our 8th Grade Ring Day, two of our students, Dylan and Bosco, shared reflections about their experiences at A. Fantis that deeply moved me.

They began by saying, “This ring embodies the special Greek community and culture here that is truly like no other. But first let's address the two elephants in the room... neither of us is Greek.”

What followed was one of the most heartfelt and inspiring speeches I’ve heard from our students. They spoke about how, when they first came to A. Fantis, they didn’t know a word of Greek or anything about Greece’s rich heritage. Yet through their years at our school, they didn’t just learn about Greek culture—they lived it. They spoke about philotimo, parea, philosophia, and philhellenism, and how these values have become a part of who they are.

Their words reminded me of something profound: our mission at A. Fantis—and at our Cathedral—isn’t only to preserve Greek culture for those who already know it. It’s to share it. To open its beauty, its wisdom, and its values to everyone who walks through our doors.

Sometimes we focus on wanting “more Greek families” in our school, and yes, that connection to our roots is vital. But let us never overlook what Dylan and Bosco so beautifully expressed—that what we are doing is creating philhellenes: people who love Greece, its culture, and its values, even if they weren’t born into it.

This is the power of our community. We don’t close our doors—we open them. And through faith, education, and love, we continue to shape young hearts that carry the light of Hellenism and Orthodoxy wherever they go.

With pride and gratitude,

Father Ev