'Mazi' with our Sponsors
May 28, 2026
Kalimera Mazi Readers
We're closing out May, with graduation caps still in the air and summer now in full view. This week, there's no shortage of headlines. The Holy Trinity Cathedral saga deepened around its suspended dean, Greece's opposition reshuffled as Alexis Tsipras and Tempi mother Maria Karystianou each launched new parties, and a Greek anesthesiologist was caught on camera allegedly soliciting a bribe. On a brighter note, Theo Angelis was sworn in to Washington State's Supreme Court, a 17-year-old in Queens fed 100 families in a day, and the world lined up behind Greece at UNESCO over the Parthenon Marbles.
As always, efharistó to our sponsors: North Shore Farms, Limani Restaurant, Divani Collection Hotels, Aria Hotels – La Divina, Sand Castle, and Ethnikos Kirikas / The National Herald. We couldn't do it without you.
Now grab your kafé and let's get into it.
ECONOMIC ESPRESSO
Greece Bets Big on Becoming a Transport Crossroads
Global and U.S. Market Pulse
At the Blue Strategy Summit, Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis laid out a plan to upgrade Greece's railways and ports into a strategic European hub, anchored by the Baltic-Black-Aegean corridor linking three seas through Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania, a freight route that bypasses the Bosporus. AKTOR chief Alexandros Exarchou pressed the same theme, making the case for Elefsina as Greece's next major port and tying it to LNG and a vertical energy corridor that could pipe American gas into Southeastern Europe.
CROSS-ATLANTIC CURRENTS
Athens to Dallas, Nonstop
Insights from Greece, Cyprus and America
American Airlines has launched a direct Athens–Dallas Fort Worth route for the summer, running through September 8 on wide-body 777s. It's part of a bigger push that brings the airline to 35 weekly flights and five U.S. hubs in peak season, a 25% jump in Athens service over last summer.
Treasures of Nestor's Kingdom Come Home to Athens
Insights from Greece, Cyprus and America
The National Archaeological Museum has opened "Pylos of Nestor: A Mycenaean Kingdom Revealed," running through October. Among the showpieces: the exquisite agate sealstone from the Griffin Warrior's unlooted grave, the only known crown from the Mycenaean world, and the Linear B "Tablet of the Tripods" that confirmed Michael Ventris' famous decipherment. The exhibition lands in Athens after a stop at LA's Getty Museum.
HELLENIC HORIZONS
A Priest's Son Takes the Bench in Washington
Greek & American Business Highlights
Greek-American Theo Angelis was sworn in as Washington State's newest Supreme Court justice on May 18 at the Temple of Justice in Olympia, with his father, retired Fr. John Angelis of Seattle's St. Demetrios, delivering the invocation. An Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate with degrees from Oxford and Yale, he steps onto the court as a fight over the state's income tax looms, and faces an election to keep the seat.
A Jungle by the Sea Hits the Runway
Greek & American Business Highlights
Greek-American designer Sophia Zarifopoulos took her "Jungle Feveress" collection to Vancouver Fashion Week, 12 looks inspired by a river-forest she walked in Crete. It follows her "Best New Designer" win at Athens Fashion Week last fall. Next on the vision board: a showroom in Paris and a debut EP.
Brooklyn to the Aegean, by Classroom
Greek & American Business Highlights
Project Connect, the Greek American nonprofit led by Brooklyn's Irene Notias, links more than 4,000 students in Greece, New York, and Florida with real ships at sea through its Adopt a Ship program. Over 12 years it has drawn in 1,100 classrooms and 400 captains, and helped over 170 young people land their first jobs in shipping. The group heads to Posidonia 2026 in June.
The Farmakeio Comes to Greenvale
Greek & American Business Highlights
Tom and Georgia Amigdalos built Pure Care Pharmacy & Wellness on Long Island around the European model they grew up with, where the pharmacist knows your name and your story. A year in, the independent shop stocks KORRES, APIVITA, and mastiha products, and customers keep telling them it feels like stepping into a Greek apothecary.
A 17-Year-Old Fed 100 Families in a Day
Greek & American Business Highlights
Theodoros Psahos, raised on Astoria's Greek-American values, runs Projekt NYC entirely as a volunteer, drawing no salary. On May 2, his nonprofit backed 17-year-old Chelsy Ovilla as she rallied 30 volunteers from ten high schools to feed over 100 families in Elmhurst. Psahos credits the philotimo he grew up with for the whole model.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Holy Trinity Cathedral in Turmoil
Diaspora in Focus
Archbishop Elpidophoros has placed Archimandrite Chrysostomos Gilbert, Dean of New York's Holy Trinity Cathedral, on liturgical suspension pending an investigation into what the Archdiocese describes as inappropriate communications with an adult. The complaint was anonymous. Many parishioners, who credit Gilbert with revitalizing the Cathedral and tripling its Greek School enrollment, have rallied to his defense and are demanding his reinstatement.
A Love Letter, Shot in Black and White
Diaspora in Focus
Greek-American street photographer Eva Mallis has her outdoor show "My Love Letter to Queens" up in Astoria Park through the end of July. Her black-and-white images capture the people of the most multicultural place in the country, where residents speak over 130 languages. Photoville curated the exhibition.
Canada's Lupus Patients Pick Their Doctor of the Year
Diaspora in Focus
Greek-Canadian Dr. Konstantinos Tselios was named Rheumatologist of the Year for 2026, winning Lupus Canada's Patients' Choice Award, an honor decided by the patients themselves. An assistant professor at McMaster, he's built its Lupus Clinic and Biobank and published over 100 papers. He hopes the recognition signals just how strong the Greek scientific presence abroad has become.
Malliotakis Leads the Charge for a Women's Museum
Diaspora in Focus
Greek-American Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York is the chief sponsor of the bill to plant a Smithsonian American Women's History Museum on the National Mall. The measure had broad bipartisan backing earlier this year, but the House rejected the revised version 204-216 after Republicans added language limiting the museum's scope (banning 'biological men'), with Democrats objecting to the changes. The long-sought museum's path forward is now uncertain.
Cairo's Greeks: Fewer, but Unbowed
Diaspora in Focus
Christos Kavalis marks 25 years leading the Greek Community of Cairo, now fewer than 3,500 across Egypt but still anchored by its hospital, nursing home, and cultural center. In a wide-ranging interview, he frames the demographic decline as the central challenge while insisting the community's strength was never in its numbers. His school is adding mandatory Greek language and history to, as he puts it, raise philhellenes.
George Kolovos, Engineer and Benefactor, Dies at 88
Diaspora in Focus
George P. Kolovos, who endowed the Centennial Term Chair in Hellenic Studies at UCLA, has passed away. Born near Sparta in 1937, he arrived by ship in 1956 with little and rose to lead the Radar Systems Group at Hughes Aircraft, helping design antenna systems for the F-15, F-16, and F-18.
Hellenic Pride Takes the Field at Fenway
Diaspora in Focus
The Alpha Omega Council marks its 50th anniversary with the 9th annual Greek Heritage Night at Fenway Park on June 2, as the Red Sox host the Orioles. The night honors author Adam Zervos and the Hellenic Women's Benevolent Association, with Greek dance, a first pitch, and souvlaki and baklava in the stands. Tickets come with a Greek Red Sox jersey.
West Coast Faithful Walk at Holy Cross
Diaspora in Focus
A record year at Hellenic College Holy Cross culminated in the graduation of 15 students from the Metropolis of San Francisco on May 16, alongside nearly $180,000 in Philoptochos scholarships. The ceremony also honored Jeannie Ranglas, the longest-serving Philoptochos president in the Metropolis of San Francisco, who used her remarks to underscore the vital role of the country’s only accredited Greek Orthodox college and seminary.
Seventh Graders Take On Euripides
Diaspora in Focus
The Hellenic Classical Charter School's Staten Island campus staged Euripides' "Bacchae" on May 20, its 7th grade theater troupe earning warm applause under Greek teacher Katerina Petrakou. The young cast had prepared in part by walking the ancient theater at Epidaurus on a recent trip to Greece. It was the campus's first such production, now set to become an annual tradition.
Clifton's Littlest Singers Steal the Day
Diaspora in Focus
St. George's Greek School in Clifton, NJ closed its year on May 21, sending off four graduates with honors from AHEPA and the Daughters of Penelope. For the first time, toddlers from the new bilingual "Family and Me" program joined in, singing and collecting awards of their own.
68 Years and Counting in Albany
Diaspora in Focus
AHEPA Supreme President Chris Kaitson visited Albany Chapter 140 on May 21, honoring life members and a deep roster of veterans, including John Karatzou at 68 years of service. Chartered in 1927, the chapter is now counting down to its centennial.
FOOD & CULTURE
Nine Greek Tables for any Weekend
Tastes and Traditions Explored
We rounded up some of our favorite Greek brunch spots for Memorial Day Weekend — but honestly, these are worth bookmarking all summer long. From Astoria to Manhattan to Brooklyn, here’s where to brunch when you’re craving a little taste of Greece.
Crete Is the World's Best Place to Eat Right Now
Tastes and Traditions Explored
National Geographic has crowned Crete the top spot on its list of the 15 Best Places in the World for Food, citing the island's fresh European Region of Gastronomy distinction. Long credited as the blueprint for the Mediterranean Diet, Crete backs it up with some 40 million olive trees, thyme honey, nutty graviera, fiery raki, and tavernas where lamb still cooks slowly over open flame.
Meraki Brings Lefkada to Williamsburg
Tastes and Traditions Explored
Eva Explores: Alexandros Karavias opened Meraki Greek Bistro in Brooklyn in 2024, expanding the island-style taverna he'd run in Miami for a decade. Blue-and-white decor, Greek music, and a menu built on his Lefkada fishing roots, octopus, branzino, lamb kebab, plus cocktails like the Baklava Sour. The aim, he says, is simply to make guests feel at home in Greece.
Drama in a Glass at Molyvos
Tastes and Traditions Explored
Cava Oinos brought Wine Art Estate to Molyvos on May 21, pairing the Drama winery's bottles with a curated menu for an intimate group. Winemaker Akis Papadopoulos poured everything from a 2024 Malagousia to his Xinomavro, the grape some call the Greek Barolo.
Potato Salads, the Greek Way
Tastes and Traditions Explored
Recipe of the Week: In honor of International Potato Day on May 30, we’re sharing a few Greek-inspired potato salad recipes that are anything but ordinary — think lemon, olive oil, herbs, artichokes, asparagus, and all the Mediterranean flavors we love. Perfect for summer gatherings, beach weekends, or an easy lunch at home.
Greece's Olive Makers Get Innovative
Tastes and Traditions Explored
At the 2026 Food Expo near Athens, Greek olive producers showed off how far the humble olive can stretch. Among the standouts: an eight-oil "olive oil bar" with tasting notes, tapenades blended with fig and spice or prickly pear and curry, oils infused with white truffle and shallot, and a Greek-Australian line of olive leaf iced teas. (Per Greek Liquid Gold.)
Santorini on Bloomfield Avenue
Tastes and Traditions Explored
Can't swing the airfare to Greece this summer? Sardela, a new Greek seafood spot, just opened in Montclair, NJ with a blue-and-white exterior, faux bougainvillea, and an interior modeled on Santorini down to the detail. Owner Xenofon Lampryniadis spent a year bringing it to life on Bloomfield Avenue, joining the town's growing Greek dining scene.
Goldie Hawn's Greek Partner Gets Her Due
Tastes and Traditions Explored
"Anthea Sylbert: My Life in 3 Acts" premieres June 13 on Cosmote TV across Greece and Cyprus. The film traces the Brooklyn-born, twice Oscar-nominated costume designer turned Hollywood executive, from "Chinatown" to her producing years alongside Goldie Hawn.
Voices from Eleven Countries, One Volume
Tastes and Traditions Explored
Book of the Week: Juilliard-trained pianist and writer Eleni Traganas released "Lucent Voicings" on May 12, an anthology drawing poetry and prose from The Woodside Review's first year. Contributors span England, India, Nigeria, Brazil, and beyond. The launch sold out at Manhattan's Nicholas Roerich Museum, where Traganas paired the reading with a classical concert.
Rhode Island Marks 107 Years Since the Pontian Genocide
Tastes and Traditions Explored
The Assumption Greek Orthodox community in Pawtucket gathered on May 17 to commemorate the 107th anniversary of the Pontian Genocide, joined by State Senators Leonidas Raptakis and Lori Urso and State Rep. Joseph Solomon Jr. The lawmakers introduced Senate and House resolutions recognizing the Greek, Pontian, Assyrian, and Armenian Genocides, honoring the survivors and their descendants so that such atrocities are never forgotten.
Authentic Gyros Heads North to Tallahassee
Tastes and Traditions Explored
The Central Florida chain Authentic Gyros & Grill is expanding to the state capital, adding a Tallahassee location to its three spots in Orlando and Kissimmee. Born in 2011, the Mediterranean comfort-food stop is taking over a former Bojangles on West Tennessee Street, with a menu running from gyros and seafood plates to wings, burgers, and desserts. (Per the Tallahassee Democrat.)
ECONOMY & SOCIETY
A New Hospital Rises in Sparta
Snapshots of Change
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis toured the construction site of the SNF General Hospital of Sparta, one of three public hospitals funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation's Global Health Initiative. Due in 2027, the 140-bed facility will serve Laconia and the southeast Peloponnese, replacing a hospital whose buildings date to 1939. He also pointed to dozens of new emergency units opening by August.
A Hidden-Camera Bribe Shakes a Greek Hospital
Snapshots of Change
Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis publicly apologized to a patient who filmed an anesthesiologist at an Athens oncology hospital allegedly asking for €100-150 to do work he's obligated to provide free. Calling the "fakelaki" practice an exploitation of human suffering, Georgiadis ordered the doctor's removal from the public health system and full legal action.
Greece to Grow at Twice the Eurozone Pace
Snapshots of Change
The European Commission's spring forecast has Greece's economy expanding 1.8% in 2026, double the euro area's projected 0.9%, even amid an energy shock rippling out from the war in Iran. Unemployment is set to keep falling toward 8.3% this year, while public debt as a share of GDP continues its steady decline. Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis pointed to the numbers as a sign of the economy's resilience.
A Wooden Giant Gets a Second Life
Snapshots of Change
Patriarch Bartholomew announced that Prinkipo's historic Greek orphanage, one of the largest wooden buildings in Europe, will become a hotel. Plans to convert it into centers for interfaith dialogue and ecological research fell through for lack of funds, and the church chose a hotel over letting the 1898 structure collapse. A Turkish firm and a Greek one are partnering on the restoration.
🇬🇷 Two Greeks Spared Jail Over Aghia Sophia Flag
Snapshots of Change
A court in Constantinople handed a 42-year-old woman from near Sparta and her cousin a 10-month sentence, suspended for five years, over a flag they unfurled inside Aghia Sophia on Holy Thursday. The pair, part of a tourist group, were arrested at their hotel and charged with inciting hatred. With the sentence suspended, they are expected to return to Greece.
Tsipras Returns to the Arena
Snapshots of Change
Former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has ended a three-year hiatus, launching a new left-wing party, the Greek Left Alliance, at an outdoor event beneath the Acropolis ahead of next year's elections. He centered his pitch on housing, labor protections, and inequality. A polarizing figure since the debt-crisis years, he is credited by supporters with shielding ordinary Greeks and accused by critics of campaigning against austerity only to sign a bailout.
A Tempi Mother Enters the Political Fray
Snapshots of Change
Maria Karystianou, who became the face of the campaign for justice after the 2023 Tempi rail disaster that killed her daughter, has formally submitted the founding declaration of a new party, "Hope for Democracy," to the Supreme Court Prosecutor, backed by 650 signatures. She framed it as a movement for transparency and real change, pushing back on those who would cast it as merely a party of protest.
The World Lines Up Behind Greece on the Marbles
Snapshots of Change
At UNESCO's intergovernmental committee, a broad majority of member states backed Greece's call for the permanent return and reunification of the Parthenon Marbles. Greece argued the sculptures were taken illegally by Lord Elgin without a sultan's firman, a point Turkey pointedly reinforced. Britain held to its line that the acquisition was lawful and the marbles stay put.
Greece's Mountains Are Losing Their Snow
Snapshots of Change
A new University of Cambridge study finds Greece's mountains have lost more than half their snow cover since the mid-1980s, a steeper drop than seen in the Andes or Himalayas. In Arachova, where every drop of water comes from snowmelt, springs are drying and the ski season now starts in January instead of December. The town is pivoting to summer tourism, if the water holds.
Crete Just Built a Lyra You Can See From Space
Snapshots of Change
A village near Matala has a striking new landmark: the largest Cretan lyra ever made, eight meters tall and 600 kilos. Baker Michalis Zouridakis dreamed it up over a decade, had it built in a Serres workshop after no one on Crete would take it on, and hauled it home by crane truck and ferry. He calls it a reminder of the island's authentic identity.
⛪ Paphos Fills Its Empty Throne
The Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus elected Archimandrite Gregory Ioannides as the new Metropolitan of Paphos, his 11 votes settling a seat vacant for a year since Metropolitan Tychicos was deposed. A liturgy scholar trained in Athens and Rome, Ioannides promised an open door for all. Tychicos, for his part, maintains his removal was pre-decided and says he will appeal to the courts.
🏔️ A Somber Search on Mount Olympus
Snapshots of Change
Search crews on Mount Olympus recovered a body Monday at a high, inaccessible spot below the Zonaria area, during operations for a 25-year-old Spanish mountaineer missing in the region since last week. Authorities had not yet confirmed the identification, with formal procedures to follow once the recovery was complete.
🚒 Greece Gears Up for Fire Season
Snapshots of Change
Greece is heading into wildfire season with its largest fire-protection force yet: more than 17,700 firefighters, set to climb past 18,800, backed by a fleet of nearly 4,300 vehicles and 80-plus aircraft and helicopters daily. The arsenal now includes 100 drone bases and mobile drone centers with thermal imaging, part of a prevention effort that has run to roughly €667 million since 2022.
⚖️ Prosecutor Moves to Send a 17N Leader Back to Prison
Snapshots of Change
The Supreme Court Prosecutor's Office has proposed annulling the release of Alexandros Giotopoulos, sentenced to 17 life terms for leading the November 17 terrorist organization. The deputy prosecutor found he was let out wrongly, having not served the full 25 years required by law. A judicial council will weigh the proposal in early June, and could return him to prison.
TRAVEL & CONNECTIVITY
🏝️ A Tiny Cycladic Secret Makes Europe's A-List
Expanding Horizons
Donoussa, the little island in the Lesser Cyclades, has been named one of Europe's top authentic summer escapes, landing second on German travel site reisereporter.de's list of under-the-radar gems. The draw is everything it lacks: no mass tourism, no crowds, just turquoise water, golden-sand beaches like Kedros and Livadi, quiet hiking trails, and an unhurried Cycladic pace. (Per reisereporter.de.)
📖 Athens' Shelves of Forgotten Treasures
Expanding Horizons
Athens' second-hand bookstores remain quiet havens for the out-of-print, the rare, and the long-loved. At Bookinist, founded 13 years ago by Nasos Koulis, the shelves run deep in history and folklore, including small local editions that were never reprinted. Koulis keeps a waiting list for titles that may take a year to surface, and has noticed a surprising surge in demand for discontinued children's books.
🛢️ Athens Extends Fuel Relief Into Summer
Expanding Horizons
The Greek government will extend its 15-cent diesel subsidy through June, keeping the fuel some 30 cents cheaper than in March, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced at Tuesday's cabinet meeting. He also pointed to a one-off €150-per-child payment landing at the end of June, automatic and reaching nearly a million families, part of an energy-crisis response the government puts at over €800 million.
🚘 GOINGS-ON: MAY 28TH - JUNE 7TH
Spotlighting some upcoming community events:
STAMFORD, CT – Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church hosts its annual Ethos Greek Festival (May 28-31)
LOCUST VALLEY, NY – The Pan-Rhodian Society of New York ‘Apollon’ hosts its Greek Night Mixer 2026, a vibrant night of networking, cocktails, and community spirit at The Valley Piano Bar and Lounge (May 29)
BOISE, ID – Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church hosts its annual Greek Food Festival (May 29-30)
SAN JOSE, CA – St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church hosts its annual Greek Festival (May 29-31)
ASTORIA, NY – The internationally acclaimed theatrical play ‘Mirrors’, written by Ada Tsesmeli Edwards, arrives in New York for a limited run at Newtown Stage (May 29-31 and June 5-7)
GLENDALE, CA – ‘Antigone’ by Sophokles, newly translated and adapted by Kenneth Cavander and directed by Andy Wolk, this live theatrical performance celebrating Hellenic culture takes place at the Antaeus Theatre Company (May 30)
ASTORIA, NY – The Greek Cultural Center hosts its Annual Fundraiser Dinner, celebrating its 52nd anniversary at the Stathakion Cultural Center (May 30)
WASHINGTON, DC - The 5th Project Glow Festival takes place (May 30-31)
NEW YORK, NY – Daughters of Penelope Evryklea Chapter #36 Manhattan hosts their annual event at Skinos Restaurant (May 31)
ASTORIA, NY – Koukla Espresso Bar hosts a Blue Full Moon Party in collaboration with Anemi Modern Greek (May 31)
GARDEN CITY, NY – The work of artist Despina Myriokefalitaki-Zografos will be on view in a solo exhibition titled ‘Strolleroptera’ at the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center (June 1-June 21)
HARTFORD, CT – St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral hosts its annual Greek Festival (June 4-7)
WHITESTONE, NY – Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church hosts its annual Greek Festival (June 4-7)
NEW YORK, NY – AHEPA Delphi Chapter 25 prepares to kick off the summer season with an unforgettable sunset cruise with entertainment provided by George Andreakos (International Sounds) (June 5)
BETHESDA, MD – St. George Greek Orthodox Church hosts its annual Greek Festival (June 6-7)
MOONACHIE, NJ – The Hellenic Federation of New Jersey Annual Gala takes place. The Federation will honor Pan Gregorian Enterprises, Inc. and the P.G.E.I. of America Charitable Foundation, Inc. with the Alexander the Great Community Service Award and George A. Tsougarakis, Esq. with the Alexander the Great Lifetime Achievement Award (June 7)
NEW YORK, NY – A Greek 'Mamma Mia'-inspired immersive cooking class and dance party in New York takes place every Thursday night at Pappas New York. Features wine and flowing hors d’oeuvres - but also lessons about Greek cuisine and how to cook your own Grecian delicacies alongside professional chefs (thru July 23)
THROWBACK HEADLINES 🗞️
The National Herald Archive
Digitalization thanks to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)
May 28, 2002
2000 U.S. Census Shows Increase in Greek-American Population - New York Has Largest Greek-American Population, California Second
Bush: We Will Not Forget America’s Fallen
Simitis in Rome for NATO–Russia Summit
Christos Lambrakis Shows Improvement
Cycle of Violence Continues in the Middle East
Association of Greek Physicians of North America
Millions in Danger from India-Pakistan War
Greek-Americans Fighting for their Diner
New Drug Claimed to Surpass Viagra
America's Stance Won't Change on Cyprus
🇬🇷 GREEK WORDS/PHRASES OF THE WEEK
Δεν παίζεται
then PEH-zeh-teh
Literal: “It can't be played”
Meaning: It's amazing/unbelievable
