My Visits To The Cathedral
Well, I said that I would be visiting the Archdiocese Greek Orthodox Cathedral, situated on Manhattan's Upper East Side, for the beginning of the Ecclesiastical New Year , September first.
The doors were locked shut on that morning but I saw a sign outside that advertised bible study on Thursdays at 6:30 PM, so after a day of walking around the city aimlessly, I walked back up to the neighborhood of the Cathedral at around 6 PM, while lounging in a cheesy pizza store I noticed that this was the seedy part of the Upper East Side, well, East 74th and Second Avenue. My eye caught a gaggle of blacks selling stolen goods to the Mexican and Asian help that staffs the fast food joints on the block. Not to mention the garbage.
I strolled over to the Cathedral , and immediately noticed that it's surrounded by tenements housing racial minorities, and a bum, reeking of urine was sleeping ,stretched out, right before the closed doors. The building itself was as un-Orthodox as one could imagine, dreary red bricks--it resembled a mediocre bank. So much for the highest hierarchal church for New Calendar Orthodoxy in America, the doors always closed, evening prayers seem to never happen here, the place just looks shut down, dismal and glum.
The presiding Priest is named Father "Robert" Stephanopoulos. What a frankish and un-Orthodox first name, eh? This Stephanopoulos family the presiding priest hails from is symbolic of fallen New Calendarist Greek Orthodoxy in America--materialistic , brown nosers to a tee. From the perverted George Stephanopoulos ( who refused to have a ethnic identity during his brief tour as Clinton's advisor onto his consistent use of prostitutes who anally penetrate him, according to a source) , not to mention Nikki Stephanopoulos who promotes multiculturalism in her capacity as a GOARCH ( Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America) administrator. All very much in the world, all enemies of our legendary Greek race, much like all of "Greek-America"
The doors were locked shut on that morning but I saw a sign outside that advertised bible study on Thursdays at 6:30 PM, so after a day of walking around the city aimlessly, I walked back up to the neighborhood of the Cathedral at around 6 PM, while lounging in a cheesy pizza store I noticed that this was the seedy part of the Upper East Side, well, East 74th and Second Avenue. My eye caught a gaggle of blacks selling stolen goods to the Mexican and Asian help that staffs the fast food joints on the block. Not to mention the garbage.
I strolled over to the Cathedral , and immediately noticed that it's surrounded by tenements housing racial minorities, and a bum, reeking of urine was sleeping ,stretched out, right before the closed doors. The building itself was as un-Orthodox as one could imagine, dreary red bricks--it resembled a mediocre bank. So much for the highest hierarchal church for New Calendar Orthodoxy in America, the doors always closed, evening prayers seem to never happen here, the place just looks shut down, dismal and glum.
The presiding Priest is named Father "Robert" Stephanopoulos. What a frankish and un-Orthodox first name, eh? This Stephanopoulos family the presiding priest hails from is symbolic of fallen New Calendarist Greek Orthodoxy in America--materialistic , brown nosers to a tee. From the perverted George Stephanopoulos ( who refused to have a ethnic identity during his brief tour as Clinton's advisor onto his consistent use of prostitutes who anally penetrate him, according to a source) , not to mention Nikki Stephanopoulos who promotes multiculturalism in her capacity as a GOARCH ( Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America) administrator. All very much in the world, all enemies of our legendary Greek race, much like all of "Greek-America"
5 Comments:
You said:
I strolled over to the Cathedral , and immediately noticed that it's surrounded by tenements housing racial minorities, and a bum, reeking of urine was sleeping ,stretched out, right before the closed doors. The building itself was as un-Orthodox as one could imagine, dreary red bricks--it resembled a mediocre bank."
*You're talking about "racial minorities" as if they're desecrating our Church in some way. You mention poverty and demise, but you are more worried about the appearance of the physical structure? Seems like the spiritual integrity and the works of the Church reaching out to (or lack thereof) should be the priority here, brother. Please tell me I'm just reading into your blog wrong, but it sure seems like a superficial assessment of the worthiness of the Archdiocese, as if it were a 4 star hotel and not the house of God.
You are reading this all wrong.
To understand what I am getting at you should visit the Metropolis of the Genuine of The Greek Orthodox Church (of the Old Calendarist Greek Orthodox Church) and also called Hellenic Orthodox Traditionalist Church of America, located in Astoria ,Queens New York. Parishioners there are always there and the doors are almost always open to help and give spiritual succor. The building is said to be based St. Saviour in Chora in Constantinople. The building does matter, not bcs "it must resemble a four star hotel" but bcs it should try to link us to our Byzantine tradition, after all it is the Metropolis or Cathedral.
Th New Calendarist Cathedral on East 74th Street is very rich and endowed and could do more, in comparision to the Metropolis of the Hellenic Traditionalist Orthodox Church which actually does feed the homeless and help the poor in many ways.
The cathedral must move premises and relocate. If the church expects that worshippers will frequent its premises amidst the squallor of the tennements and racial detritus that surrounds the area they better rake their brains and come to their senses. The church has a spiritual message to impart, a spiritual message requires and demands surroundings of beauty,harmony,brightness, and peace where the message can be heard in peace and bring light to the soul.
Less and less worshippers will approach the area,( who wants to be offended by unsightly sounds and smells, and wondering if he'll make it to the car, after service, before being pounced by street gangs ?) the presence of racial minorities who, are the seed of the devil, by their mere presence violates and desecrates the area as an abode for a house of God.
The fathers of the church had better face realities and stop paying lip service to the demoniac and degenerate message of multiculturalism and concentrate on their true calling , spiritual consolation in surroundings and buildings conducive to spirituality.
HN,
Thanks for the clarification, I am a little more at ease with your response. However, as you state the Church "should try to link us to our Byzantine tradition"...is that what you truly think it is for? I understand the direction you are headed, after all the Church in this country serves several functions, but which first and foremost should be to preserve and increase the spiritual health of its parishioners.
Unfortunately, I don't live in New York or anywhere near there so I won't be visiting Astoria anytime soon. What bothers me is the Orthodox Church of America seems to often succumb to the pre-existing racial and ethnic tensions instead of trying to alleviate them. Our Church has not been strong in its evangelical pursuits, but did Christ not commission us to be "fishers of ALL men"? I am not pointing the finger at anyone here, but when we suggest moving our Church building, (as I'm sure you know the actual Church is not a physical structure, but a spiritual one) because our parishioners feel uncomfortable or scared of those who live in the surrounding areas, we need to ask ourselves what, if anything we have done to solve the problem. I am talking about the clergy, the Metropolitan, everyone. I would hope that we could get off our high horse and get humble. Too often I see separatism that is confused with "tradition". And by the way, this whole post is ONLY in response to your post, not anyone else who has posted thus far, as I cannot even stomach their comments.
....Kirie e lei son....
Disgusting! Sadly the same has happened in the Catholic Church, where churches often look more like business buildings than holy places to worship God.
Ethnic-based churches(with strong ties to the old country) are the only churches with any decency here in America.
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