STATEN ISLAND, NY – Once again, Holy Trinity-St. Nicholas community in Staten Island honored couples celebrating more than 50 years of marriage with a modest ceremony held in the church immediately following the Divine Liturgy on January 15.

Eleven couples, all members of the community, were honored: Christos and Androula Papaiacovou with 66 years of marriage, Peter and Eleni Rassia 64 years, Harry (Haralambos) and Katerina Seremetis 64 years, Constantine and Helen Tzivas 62 years, Constantine and Maria Kapetanakis 56 years, Emmanuel and Stella Vlastakis 55 years, John and Christina Haritis 55 years, Anastasios and Chloe Anastos 54 years, John and Joanna Nichols 53 years, Konstantinos and Susan Arvanites 51 years, Fr. Nicholas and Presvytera Patricia Petropoulakos 51 years.

Presiding priest of the community Fr. Nicholas Petropoulakos blessed and congratulated the couples and offered them a commemorative gift on behalf of the parish.

In his remarks, Fr. Petropoulakos said that “all the couples together complete 630 years of marriage. It is with great joy that we honor today our worthy fellow human beings who for decades faithfully serve the institution of marriage and the values of the family. Their lives are a bright example for everyone to follow and show us the way to a happy family. I wish God to give you health and many more years of happy married life.”

Harry and Katerina Seremetis, originally from Lemnos, met at the Cretan House in New York and got married at St. Spyridon in 1958. “Honesty, communication and understanding are the secrets of our happiness. All newly married couples should know this advice. We wish God to keep us together for many more years,” they told The National Herald.

John Haritis, originally from Sparta and Kalamata, met his wife, Christina, originally from Kranidi, in 1964 at a GOYA conference in New Orleans and they were married in 1967 at the Church of the Three Hierarchs in Brooklyn. “All the years we are together we respect each other and with patience we overcome all problems,” they noted.

Anastasios and Chloe Anastos, both originally from Cyprus, are celebrating 54 years of marriage. They consider the secret of their marriage to be optimism, harmony, and a positive approach to everyday problems.

Emmanuel Vlastakis met his wife Stella in 1963 in New York and they got married in 1967 at Holy Trinity-St. Nicholas in Staten Island. He said, “we Cretans respect and honor the institution of the family. Man’s success depends on it. I wish newly married couples every happiness and joy in their lives.”