FAIRVIEW, NJ – On Holy Tuesday, the Bridegroom service was held at Ascension Greek Orthodox Church in Fairview.

Presiding priest of the church, Fr. Christos Pappas, shared with The National Herald the blessing he feels because this year’s Easter is celebrated with the participation of all the faithful, compared to last year where, as he said, only priests, chanters, and a small number of parishioners attended in person.

Fr. Pappas said, “Palm Sunday was reminiscent of the pre-pandemic era with worshipers filling the church. During today’s service, the hymn of Kassiani of great poetic beauty is sung in the Orthodox churches. A poetic rendition of the incident described in the Gospels and has to do with the sinful woman who showed her repentance by washing the feet of Christ with precious myrrh and wiping them with her hair. I wish everyone a happy and blessed Easter.”

Chanter Efthimios Chrysikos also spoke to TNH and sent his warmest wishes to the Greek community, adding that he reads the newspaper daily and has been a subscriber since 1962. He said: “With the late publisher of Ethnikos Kirikas Babis Marketos, we were very good friends, as well as with his colleagues George Generalis, Kostas Papafotiou, and others. In the ’60s, I worked at the Golden Room, the only Greek spot in Manhattan where all the Greeks, politicians, artists, businessmen, diplomats, government ministers frequented. Marketos, Onassis, George Papandreou, Andreas Papandreou, were, among others, regular guests. At first as their waiter and later as the manager I had close friendships with everyone. I wish the National Herald to continue its glorious history and to be, as always, impeccable and democratic.”

Parish Council President Peter Frangiskou, referred to the difficult situations that the Church experienced due to the pandemic, the lockdown that kept the faithful from coming to church to pray in person, and expressed the joy of all for the return to normalcy, wishing that these holy days of Easter, the faith in Christ and the Resurrection to give strength, courage, and hope for a better tomorrow. He also invited everyone to the three-day festival of the parish that will be held June 10-12.

The sexton of the church for 20 years Demetris Balaskas wished personal and family happiness to all Greeks.