BOSTON – Archbishop Elpidophoros of America aims to transform the Hellenic Cultural Center NYC of the Archdiocese which is located in Astoria, even changing its name, including the name of the chapel within it.

We reveal today that his plan, which he presented as a proposal at the Executive Committee meeting of the Archdiocesan Council on Sunday, June 30, shortly before the start of the Clergy-Laity Congress in San Diego, involves the renovation and conversion of the interior spaces of the Center into rooms and apartments. This is similar to what he did at the Archdiocese headquarters buildings in Astoria when he first arrived in order to accommodate his entourage from the Halki Theological School of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. They were eventually ordained and assigned to communities.

Additionally, the plan includes changing the name of the Center from the Hellenic Cultural Center of the Archdiocese to Cyprus House. The plan also involves changing the name of the chapel within the Center from St. Kosmas the Aetolian to St. Barnabas, the patron saint and protector of the Church of Cyprus, which owes its autocephaly to him.

Archdiocese officials, speaking to The National Herald on condition of anonymity, said that “this is on the Archbishop’s agenda, to inaugurate the Center as Cyprus House, to offset his presence at the inauguration of Turkish house, where he mingled with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ersin Tatar, the leader of the pseudo-state in Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus.” They also said that the Archbishop’s agenda also includes his upcoming trip to Cyprus, invited by his friends from AHEPA, which will hold its annual Convention there in the last week of July. This trip by the Archbishop aims to reverse negative perceptions and even suspicions among Greek-Americans that he is serving Turkey’s interests. AHEPA, as is known, has come under the control of expatriates of Cypriot origin, some of whom Elpidophoros has appointed to administrative positions and institutional bodies of the Archdiocese.

The issue of transforming the Center did not advance in the Executive Committee because they realized that if the Greek-American Community found out, there would be intense reactions. This is due to the fact that it is also seen as an attempt to dismantle and erase the work and legacy of the late Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America. Consequently, the plan has at least been temporarily set aside.

The Hellenic Cultural Center NYC on Crescent Street in Astoria was founded in 1985 through the initiative and guidance of the late Archbishop Iakovos, with contributions from the Greek-American community. Its purpose was the cultivation, preservation, and dissemination of Greek culture, the Greek language, and Hellenism in general. The Center was also intended to be used by Community organizations for their cultural events. Within the Center, a chapel was established in honor of St. Kosmas of Aetolia for symbolic, national, and educational reasons. The late Nikos Andriotis, then-president of the St. Demetrios community in Astoria, contributed to the creation and establishment of the Center.

The invitation for the inauguration of the Hellenic Cultural Center was sent personally by Archbishop Iakovos. It reads: “The Holy Archdiocese of North and South America invites you to the inauguration of the Greek Cultural Center, 27-09 Crescent Street, Astoria, New York, on Thursday, January 30, 1986, Feast of the Three Hierarchs. A reception will precede the inauguration at 6:00 p.m., followed by the inauguration at 7:30 p.m. and a short artistic program will take place in the halls of the Center.

We await your presence to honor the commencement of the operation of the first Greek Cultural Center of the Holy Archdiocese in America.

Iakovos, Archbishop of America.”

It is noted that for several years, the Center, which was eventually called the Hellenic Cultural Center NYC, recorded significant activity. However, lately, it seems to be in decline, although some events are still held there by Greek-American associations and organizations. The current director of the Center is Fr. Grigorios Stamkopoulos, who has been assigned other responsibilities such as Deputy Director of the Department of Greek Education, presiding priest of the St. Spyridon community in Manhattan, superintendent of the school of St. Demetrios of Astoria, and Database Administrator, Department of Information Technology of the Archdiocese.

Alongside these responsibilities, he maintains his position at the University of Thessaloniki. The National Herald wrote extensively about this particular clergyman on June 2023.

The Executive Committee of the Archdiocesan Council consists of the following: Archbishop Elpidophoros, Chairman, and the members: hierarchs of the Eparchial Synod – Methodios of Boston, Alexios of Atlanta, Nicholas of Detroit, Savas of Pittsburgh, Gerasimos of San Francisco, Apostolos of New Jersey, Nathanael of Chicago, and Constantine of Denver.

Also included are the following laypeople, appointed by Archbishop Elpidophoros: John Catsimatidis, Vice Chairman; Elaine Allen, Treasurer; Nicholas Karacostas, Secretary; Theodore Bozonelis, Maria Stefanis, Lazaros Kyrkos, Michael Psaros, Eleni Karlos, and George Dimos.