BROOKLYN – With the youth of the community taking part in the event, the 41st Annual Festival of the Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen was held in Brooklyn, which ran from June 4-9.

The festival of the parish is considered one of the largest and most successful in Brooklyn, attracting thousands of visitors from the wider New York area.

Sts. Constantine and Helen Cathedral Board of Trustees President Haralambos Paloumbis, spoke with The National Herald and congratulated the three young people in charge of the festival- Christos Argyriou, Maria Tampakis, and Gregory Poulon, for their excellent organization, and all the volunteers and sponsors for their help and support.

“This year,” he told TNH, “we gave the reins of the organization to the younger generation, young people under the age of 30. They made us proud with their zeal and dedication.”

Christos Argyriou, one of the three new organizers of the festival, thanked the volunteers who spent countless hours working for the good of the parish.

“I remember,” he said, “when I was a little kid with how much joy and longing my friends and I waited every year for the festival, to play, eat Greek sweets, and dance. Now that we have grown up, we have taken over the organization and we hope we have been worthy of the expectations of the council which trusted in us.”

Efstathios Bacas, a 50-year member of the community and three-time board of trustees president, recalled the efforts he and one group of Greek expatriates made for the organization of the first festival in 1977.

“The main purpose of our efforts was to raise money to help the community school Argyrios Fantis. After so many years I feel proud because the school continues to excel, and the festival is the largest in all of Brooklyn. Because of the location, many employees from nearby offices visit and enjoy Greek food and desserts. Many congratulations to the young generation who continue with passion and zeal the work of contributing to Hellenism and Orthodoxy.”

Marjorie Bacas, a member of the Philoptochos Society, noted that the society made all the favorite foods and sweets everyone loves.

Connie Pitsoulis, Co-President of the Parent Teacher Organization at the A. Fantis Parochial School, said that it is a pleasure for parents to help in various areas at the festival since a large portion of the proceeds go towards the school’s needs.

The festival’s organizers, left to right, Christos Argyriou, Maria Tampakis, and Gregory Poulon. Photo by Michalis Kakias