General News
Meropi Kyriacou Honored as TNH Educator of the Year
NEW YORK – Meropi Kyriacou, the new Principal of The Cathedral School in Manhattan, was honored as The National Herald’s Educator of the Year.
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Mourners on Saturday were paying respects following the death of the Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Irinej, many ignoring preventive measures against the new coronavirus even though the head of the church died after contracting the virus himself.
The coffin holding the patriarch's body was first brought to the Belgrade Cathedral before it was taken through central Belgrade to the massive St. Sava Temple where he will be buried in the crypt on Sunday.
Many believers and priests on Saturday did not wear face masks or keep distance inside the church, and some kissed the glass shield that was covering the patriarch’s body despite warnings from Serbia’s epidemiologists and a surge in virus infections.
Also on Saturday, Serbia's government further tightened measures against the virus, allowing only food stores, pharmacies and gas stations to remain open beyond 6p.m. and imposing strict controls about the use of face masks and other preventive measures.
After reporting thousands of daily new cases of infections in the country of 7 million, authorities have warned that the health system has been overburdened, particularly in the capital, Belgrade, where less serious cases are being transferred to other towns.
The 90-year-old Irinej died early on Friday, nearly three weeks after he led the prayers at the funeral of another senior church cleric in neighboring Montenegro, who also died after testing positive for the virus. Thousands attended that funeral and kissed the remains of Bishop Amfilohije that were laid in an open casket.
The Serbian Orthodox Church has asked mourners to keep their distance and wear face masks in line with the anti-virus recommendations, but even priests could be seen inside the Belgrade Cathedral without masks. Serbian epidemiologists have said is was no way to ban the traditional mourning ceremonies.
Patriarch Irinej and the Serbian Orthodox Church wield considerable religious and political influence in the country. The patriarch was known for his criticism of Western policies in the Balkans and close ties with the Russian Orthodox Church.
NEW YORK – Meropi Kyriacou, the new Principal of The Cathedral School in Manhattan, was honored as The National Herald’s Educator of the Year.
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Sabreen Jouda came into the world seconds after her mother left it.
QUEENS, NY – St. John’s Head Coach Rick Pitino will be honored for his outstanding contributions to Panathinaikos B.
PISCATAWAY, NJ – The Eastern Federation of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians (EFGOCM) presents its 31st annual ‘Spirit of Lent’ choral concert on Friday, April 26, 7:30 PM, at St.
CRETE – The Cretan Olive Oil Competition (COOC) celebrated its 10th anniversary and the accomplishments of Cretan olive oil producers with an awards ceremony and informative seminars in Heraklion, Crete, Greece, on March 31.
BOSTON – Archbishop Elpidophoros of America filed a lawsuit against Sotirios Tzoumas, publisher of the Athens-based ecclesiastical news agency Exapsalmos.