In support of National Hurricane Relief Fund, your Metropolis Philoptochos wants to be sure you are aware of the steps our Archdiocese is taking to collect relief funds for both Hurricanes Helene and Milton (Click here for detailed information on the National Hurricane Relief Fund). This will also clarify how your Metropolis of Atlanta Philoptochos will proceed going forward.

I begin this message in a spirit of gratitude for the way our Metropolis has come together to support those affected by Hurricane Helene. Unfortunately in hurricane season, there is very little rest, and now Hurricane Milton approaches our beloved Tampa Bay area, even as it still recovers. Therefore, this letter is sent to you, our Clergy & Parish Council Presidents in a spirit of preparation, so that all our parishes--and especially those in the path of the storm-- are aware that the same resources shall be available if--God forbid--homes or livelihoods should be affected when Milton makes landfall.

It has been nearly a week since Hurricane Helene left great devastation across our nation, much of it falling within the boundaries of our Holy and God-Protected Metropolis of Atlanta.

We are hoping that your parish Priest, President of the Parish Council & designated IT/Cybersecurity Personnel will make every effort to attend an important online meeting. Each Priest is asked to ensure that at least one of these lay individuals also attend (in addition to our Clergy): either your parish's IT-focused lay member, your Parish Council President, or ideally (if possible), both.

On Wednesday, August 14th, clergy and faithful from the Northeast Conference gathered at the Dormition of the Theotokos parish in Greensboro for Great Vespers of the feast. The service, which included both an Artoklasia and the chanting of the Dormition Encomia, was presided over by His Grace Bishop +SEVASTIANOS of Zela.

Plans are well underway for our Starry Night Fundraiser to benefit the DRC on September 21st, in Mobile, AL at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church (50 S. Ann St). The reception hour begins at 6 pm with dinner served at 7. A short presentation will then be followed by dancing until 11 pm (music from Nick Demos and the Islanders). Individual tickets for the event are on sale now for $65 and there is a limit of 200 .

On the Feast of Holy Pentecost, 2024, the parish of Saints Markella and Demetrios in Mary Esther, Florida was blessed to unveil new dome iconography including Christ the Pantocrator, Angels, and Old Testament Prophets.

Calling all Artists/Graphic Designers of ALL AGES! We are looking to create a new logo for the DRC.

This past weekend, St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church in West Palm Beach, FL opened their doors to the Metropolis Oratorical Speakers and their families. Friday started with a welcome dinner and speaker orientation led by Dr. Alexander Bellas. On Saturday, after the speeches, we took a tour of the Flagler Museum and enjoyed a ride down A1A on Palm Beach before the awards glendi. We want to congratulate all of our speakers. We are happy to announce Lambros (Knoxville, TN) and Zeke (Cumming, GA) will be representing the Metropolis at the National Festival in Buffalo, NY.

For Mother’s Day this coming Sunday, I pray that we will all recall the simple saying, “God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.”

TLAA 2024 has a few spots open for the Chant Academy in the Intermediate, Advanced and Master Class Level.

Join us on Saturday May 11th for a special 20th Anniversary Celebration!

We are thrilled to announce that applications for the 2025 HDF Odyssey for Directors are NOW OPEN! We have partnered with our friends at Kyklos in Thessaloniki to organize an amazing tour of Northern Greece focused on many of the rich Apokries traditions in that area. The trip will take place February 21 - March 3, 2025 and is open to members of the HDF family aged 21 and up. The application period will close on June 15th, and scholarship recipients will be announced by August 1st.

On the evening of March 24, 2024, faithful from around the Northeast Conference gathered in Winston-Salem to pray the Great Vespers for the feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos.

The Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate sponsor an all-expense paid Pilgrimage of Discovery to Constantinople for our young adults (23-30 years of age). August 4-11, 2024. Application due March 29, 2024. Click HERE to apply!

On Feb 10, 2024 Fr. Paul and Presvytera Joan Mayernick welcomed His Grace Bishop Sebastian of Zelon with open arms to St. Elizabeth the Wonderworker Church in Gainesville, Fla. His Grace hosted our award winning Afieroma dance group with a reception before they performed at the Gala in his honor later that evening.

On January 20, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Mobile and St. Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church in Gulf Shores co-hosted a Young Adult retreat for the Western Conference.  His Grace Bishop Sevastianos was in attendance, and Robert Krantz – Greek-American director, actor, and author – was the keynote speaker.

A record 4,000 participants gathered Jan. 11-15 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando to attend the 23rd Hellenic Dance Festival (HDF). The Metropolis of Atlanta-sponsored event hosted record numbers from across its Metropolis and beyond. Participants included 68 dance groups representing parishes from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, Virginia, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Kansas, and Nebraska. HDF also welcomed for the first time groups from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Thessaloniki, Greece, and the Hellenic Roots of the Greek School of Plato in Brooklyn, New York. The weekend was highlighted by the attendance and participation of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America. The 2024 event was the first in HDF history to include an additional full day of competition.