AHEPA E-News Volume 17, Issue 13 | Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Archbishop Elpidophoros Visits AHEPA Global Headquarters

This afternoon, AHEPA had the honor to host His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America at AHEPA Global Headquarters. "We were thrilled His Eminence took the time from his busy Washington itinerary to spend valuable time with the AHEPA family leadership and visit our headquarters for the first time," Supreme President Jimmy Kokotas said. "We value the close relationship we have with Archbishop Elpidophoros and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and we look forward to our continued cooperation." The AHEPA and AHEPA family national officers who met with Archbishop Elpidophoros included: Supreme President Kokotas, Daughters of Penelope Grand President Georgette Boulegeris, Sons of Pericles Supreme President Ryan Marinos, and Maids of Athena Grand President Maria Ana Pantelous. Also attending were: Chairman of the Board Nicholas A. Karacostas, PSP; Supreme Vice President Louis G. Atsaves, Supreme Secretary Savas Tsivicos, Supreme Treasurer E. Chris Kaitson, Board Vice Chairman George G. Horiates, PSP; and Board of Trustees Member Carl R. Hollister, PSP. Executive Director Basil N. Mossaidis, Daughters of Penelope Elena Saviolakis, Stephanie Maniatis, MOA PGP; and Rory Puckerin also participated, representing AHEPA Headquarters personnel.

View more pictures from the visit!

Supreme President Attends Independence Day Dinner

Supreme President Jimmy Kokotas, along with Chairman of the Board Nicholas Karacostas, PSP, Supreme Secretary Savas Tsivicos, and Board Vice Chairman George G. Horiates, PSP, attended a Greek Independence Day dinner at the Blair House as a part of the White House's Greek Independence Day commemoration. AHEPA was honored to be included in this memorable celebration.

AHEPA Celebrates Greek Independence Day

In celebration of the 202nd anniversary of Greece's Independence, AHEPA family chapters, districts, and the Greek diaspora, are working together to promote this important day in our Hellenic history.

Mavroyannis Scholarship Application Opens

AHEPA Educational Foundation Chairman George Vorkas, on behalf of Supreme President Kokotas, is pleased to announce its continued partnership with the Mavroyannis Family to offer the Constantine and Patricia Mavroyannis Scholarship. The Constantine and Patricia Mavroyannis Scholarship is open to graduate students who are either Greek or of Greek heritage and are enrolled in a PhD program in either theoretical physics or physical chemistry in the Faculty of Science at a North American university. The scholarship is in the amount of $5,000 and will be awarded in the fall semester. Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Constantine and Mrs. Patricia Mavroyannis, this scholarship recognizes scholastic achievement and an interest and commitment to studying theoretical physics or physical chemistry by providing financial assistance to Hellenic graduate students to pursue their studies in these fields.

Learn More & Apply Here!

Spring 2023 AHEPAN Now Available

Hot off the digital press! The Spring 2023 digital edition of The Ahepan is out! Click the link below to check it out!

Read the Issue!

It's a New Congress! Help Grow the Hellenic Caucus

The 118th Congress is underway. AHEPA congratulates the newly established leadership of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues: U.S. Reps. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL) and Chris Pappas (D-NH), who will serve as co-chairs. We are also excited to see the Caucus establish vice chair positions and congratulate U.S. Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), who will serve in that role. We look forward to working with the Caucus’s leadership, and the entire Caucus body, to help it meet its goals and objectives for the 118th Congress.   The AHEPA family can assist the Hellenic Caucus by helping it to grow. Membership stands at 88 U.S. representatives.

View the Caucus membership list  Please review the list. If you do not see your U.S. representative listed, reach out to ahepa@ahepa.org to learn how to contact your U.S. representative and to ask them to join. Thank you.

Two Days Left for AEF Scholarship

The AHEPA Educational Foundation scholarship deadline is coming up in just two days! A reminder, if you or a student in your life is planning on applying for the 2023 AEF Scholarship, you must do so by March 31, 2023. The application itself needs to be postmarked Apply for the scholarship at the link below.

AHEPA Educational Foundation Scholarship Application

AHEPA Family Call to Action

As the death toll continues to rise in Türkiye and Syria, AHEPA is looking to our chapters to support the endeavor of our brothers in AHEPA Chapter No. 601 in Constantinople. Since 1922, the Order of AHEPA has been a generous, philanthropic organization who digs down deep to help people in need. Today is such a day. The Supreme President, Jimmy Kokotas, has asked the entire Ahepa family to collect funds and send them to our chapter in Constantinople as we have since we were first made aware of this tragic event. The magnitude and scope of this natural disaster has not been properly conveyed to our chapters and our members. For those of you who wish to make personal donations, please feel free to do so through the AHEPA website by clicking on the charitable foundation link on the donation page. The funds collected during the months of February and March will go to efforts to assist people in need of food, water, blankets, and other necessities. Chapter 601 has visited the effected area, and the region is devastated. As a philanthropic organization, it is our duty to assist if we can. Donate online at ahepa.org/donate or send a check to AHEPA headquarters. God bless the first responders from all over the world who are on site helping save peoples lives.

AHEPA 2023 Supreme Convention - Save the Date!

Book Your Hotel Room Now!

While It Lasts! Get Your AHEPA Centennial Merch

Get it while it lasts! AHEPA centennial commemorative merchandise is available that includes a commemorative coin and stand and decanter set. Years of service and chapter officer pins, award plaques, and AHEPA t-shirts, watches, patches, and more!  Check it all out in the AHEPA Marketplace catalog.

Upcoming Events & Deadlines

March  31 | AEF Scholarship Application Deadline April  2 | Philadelphia Greek Independence Day Parade 30 | New York Greek Independence Day Parade

Greek American News Digest  Editor's Note: Editorials, commentaries, opinion pieces, and articles are shared for information purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy positions of the Order of AHEPA, its affiliated organizations, and members U.S. Repatriates Stolen Artifacts to Greece Archaeology (March 27) According to a statement released by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, 29 artifacts were repatriated to Greece in a ceremony at the Greek Consulate. The objects were all seized during criminal investigations and include a gold Eid Mar Coin of unknown provenance, which was minted in 42 B.C. and commemorates the murder of Julius Caesar; a bronze calyx krater dated to 350 B.C. that was looted from a chamber tomb and smuggled into Switzerland and then the United States; and a collection of marble sculptures depicting a family group dated to between 5000 and 3500 B.C. read more Hits and myths: why has Hollywood abandoned ancient Greece? The Guardian (March 24) The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King will be back in North American cinemas next month, to celebrate 20 years since Peter Jackson first debuted his Oscar-winning film. Its return to the multiplexes comes at a time when we seem to have more JRR Tolkien-inspired fantasies to choose from than a 1980s branch of Games Workshop. read more Cyprus and New Jersey National Guard to sign partnership agreement on Thursday Cyprus Mail (March 27) The US State Partnership Programme (SPP) agreement between the New Jersey National Guard and Cyprus will be signed on Thursday, and consists of a variety of military fields, authorities said on Monday. read more Parthenon fragments returned by the Vatican go on display in Greece CNN (March 25) The Vatican has returned three fragments of the Parthenon sculptures kept by the Vatican for centuries to Greece. The decision to return the 2,500-year-old marbles was announced by Pope Francis last year, who described the decision as a gesture of friendship. One of the fragments depicts the head of a boy, another the head of a horse, and the third the head of a bearded man. read more Greek Independence Day Marked with Military Parades and Multiple Cultural Εvents The National Herald (March 25) Greece celebrated its Independence Day on Saturday, March 25, with a military parade in Athens and other cities. At 06:21, a gun on Lycabettus Hill fired 21 rounds to symbolize the date of the Greek uprising against the Ottoman Turks in 1821. The anniversary coincides with the religious celebration of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, and the firing of the guns was followed by a military band playing related hymns. read more Greece to hold national election on May 21 Politico (March 28) Greece will hold a parliamentary election on May 21, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Tuesday. “The country and its citizens need clear horizons,” Mitsotakis said during a Cabinet meeting. “The national elections will be held at the end of the four-year term, as I had committed from the start. They will take place on Sunday, May 21.” read more Now Available!