- The
St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine is
a living memorial to all Greek
- immigrants.
It is a place where we honor the memory of the
500 Greek settlers who in 1768 came to America
with British entrepreneur, Dr Andrew Turnbull.
It is also where we honor the memory of all
Greek Orthodox pioneers whose love of freedom
and desire for a better life for themselves
and their children brought them to this New
World. These are our ancestors whose families
established the communities of the Greek
Orthodox Archdiocese of America. These are our
ancestors whose memory we honor. Archbishop
Demetrios celebrated the 25th anniversary of
the Dedication of the Shrine in February 2007.
Many attendees remembered the 1982 event where
1000 people joined the clergy and civic
officials in solemn procession down St. George
Street to open the doors of this sacred place
located in Casa Avero in America’s oldest
city, St. Augustine, Florida. The Avero House
was built in 1740 and is listed on the U.S.
National Register of Historic Places. Research
by the late Dr. Epaminondas Panagopoulos
revealed that on June 26, 1768 British
politician and entrepreneur Andrew Turnbull
arrived in St. Augustine with plans to create
the largest European agricultural settlement
in the New World. He called his land grant New
- Smyrna
after the birthplace of his Greek wife. Within
the first eight years, 900 individuals
perished due to the harshness of the land
coupled with inhumane treatment. In 1777,
three escaped by foot to St. Augustine where
they pled their case to Governor Patrick Tonyn.
- He
gave every survivor papers freeing them from
their indentured servitude, 20 shillings and a
place to stay at Avero House. This sanctuary
housed nearly every one of them for at least
one night. It became known as the Minorcan
chapel as many continued to find fellowship
and worship there over the years.
- The
2008 26th annual St. Photios National Shrine
Pilgrimage weekend will be
- held
February 1 through 3rd. St. Photios Chapel is
the setting for Sunday’s Divine
- Liturgy,
followed by the St. Photios Feast Day Luncheon
at the historic Casa Monica Hotel.
- The
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese will join the City
of St Augustine in celebrating the
- 240th
anniversary of Greek Landing Day in
America on Thursday, June 26, 2008. That
evening of remembrance will be followed by
three days of activities giving an opportunity
for us to witness our Orthodox Faith and our
Hellenic heritage.
- Additional
programs include Light A Candle, Friends’
Membership, the Wall of
- Tribute,
the annual Essay Contest, as well as the St.
Photios Shrine Archbishop Iakovos Endowment
Program and Enhancement Project. Founded by
Archbishop Iakovos in 2001, these two
components insure that the Foundation can meet
the preservation needs of the Shrine while
growth can continue in perpetuity.
- The
St. Photios National Shrine is located in the
Colonial Spanish
- Quarter
in historic downtown St. Augustine, at 41St.
George Street. The
- beautiful
gardens of the Constantine Sisters Courtyard
and the magnificent
- chapel,
whose icons were written by iconographers
George
- and
John Filippakis, are why many call St Photios
“the jewel of St.
- George
Street.” Pilgrimages to the National Shrine
are encouraged.
- The
Shrine is open Monday through Saturday, 9:00
a.m. to 5:00
- p.m.,
Sunday from 12–6:00 p.m. except for major
holidays. It is a
- self-supported
Archdiocesan Institution, thanks to the
generosity of
- its
benefactors and friends. The Shrine operates a
Gift Shop and
- the
National Shrine Church Supplies established as
a mutual benefit
- program
enabling churches to find the lowest cost
ecclesiastical
- items
while ensuring an income for the Shrine (800)
222-6727 or
- churchsupplies@stphotios.com
- ST.
PHOTIOS FOUNDATION
- BOARD
OF TRUSTEES
- Archbishop
Demetrios of America, Chairman
- Metropolitan
Alexios of Atlanta, President
- Bishop
Dimitrios of Xanthos, Archdiocesan Consul
- Polexeni
Maouris Hillier, Director
- Harry
Cavalaris, Vice-President
- Nicholas
Furris, 2nd Vice-President
- Maria
Carantzas, Treasurer (Atlanta)
- Anthony
Megas, Secretary (Atlanta)
- METROPOLIS
REPRESENTATIVES
- Rev.
Peter Balkas (Chicago)
- William
Bisbikis (Detroit)
- Vanette
Caroussis (New Jersey)
- Christos
Daphnides, (Archdiocese)
- Cina
Daskalakis (New Jersey)
- Rev.
Dean Gigicos (Atlanta)
- Lily
Katos (Archdiocese)
- Angelo
Koukoulis (Pittsburgh)
- Terry
Mitchell (Boston)
- Rev.
Paul Pantelis (Boston)
- Rev.
George Pappas (Pittsburgh)
- George
Parandes (Atlanta)
- Rev.
Nicholas Pathenos (Detroit)
- Dr.
Steve Petrou (Atlanta)
- Harry
Plomarity (Denver)
- Paul
Sogotis (San Francisco)
- Joanne
Stavrakas (Chicago)
- Dr.
Manuel Tissura (Atlanta)
- Gary
Vrionis (San Francisco)
- EX-OFFICIO
MEMBERS
- Dr.
Anthony Limberakis, Order of St. Andrew
- Georgia
Skeadas, Ladies Philoptochos Society
- James
A. Regas, United Hellenic American Congress
- Ike
Gulas, Order of AHEPA
- Nicholas
Furris, St. John the Divine,
- Jacksonville,
FL
- Rev.
Nikitas Theodosion, SHRINE CHAPLAIN
- Holy
Trinity, St. Augustine, FL
- Andrew
Lekos, Holy Trinity, St. Augustine, FL
- Gary
Peterson, Holy Trinity, St. Augustine, FL
- Rev.
George Savas, St. Demetrios,
- Daytona
Beach, FL
- Maria
Augustine, St. Demetrios,
- Daytona
Beach, FL
- Tasso
Kyriakes, St. Demetrios,
- Daytona
Beach, FL
- EMERITUS
BOARD
- Bishop
John of Amorion
- Ted
Johnson
- Dr.
George Croffead
- Peter
Bouras
- Eula
Carlos
- Charles
Masterpolis
- Ted
Pappas
- Dr.
Steve Poulos
- Ernest
Villas*
- Honorary
Member
- Paulette
Poulos
- *deceased
-
