Saints Constantine
and Helen Greek Orthodox Church
West Avenue, Newport News, VA 23607
| THEN: | ||
| I remember touring this magnificent church with my Brownie Troop 82 back in 1956. The sight of the colorful ceiling inside the dome - navy blue with stars to resemble the heavens, and replete with images and metaphors - has remained with me for nearly fifty years. What a wondrous thing to behold it was! | ||
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Carol Buckley Harty of NC - 01/04/03 | |
| NOW: | NOW: | ||
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| Saturday, October 28, 2000 | Saturday, October 18, 2003 | probably about 2003 | |
| Carol Buckley Harty of NC - 01/04/04 |
Courtesy of Dave Spriggs ('64)
of VA - 10/19/03 Thanks, Dave! |
Courtesy of http://www.schgochurch.va.goarch.org/ - 05/17/04 | |
|
West Avenue Newport News, VA 23607 |
Saints Constantine and
Helen Greek Orthodox Church 60 Traverse Road Newport News, Virginia 23606 757-872-8119 |
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Carol, today is Epiphany, the
manifestation of Christ to the gentiles. Everyone in the Roman, Episcopal and
Orthodox
churches celebrate it; others may celebrate it as well. This is, of course,
the day the Wise Men reached the Christ Child.
Do you remember what happened
annually on January 6 in Newport News? I'm sure that many will remember that
the
priest of
Sts. Constantine and Helene Church
took a bejeweled cross down to the coal piers. He was accompanied
by all the young men of the congregation. He threw the cross out into
the river and the young men dived for it. The one
who came up with the cross was expected to have an excellent year full
of faith, love and success. It was quite an honor
to retrieve the cross. I don't believe it is done any more and that's a
shame. Today will be mostly sunny and we happen
to have a temperature of 72 degrees so it wouldn't be a bad day to go into the
water. But in many years past, it was very
cold and certainly took a literal 'leap of faith' to jump in for the cross!
- Kathy Pilgrim Clark ('63) of VA
- 01/06/05
Thanks, Kathy!
Hi, Kathleen:
Since you described
this (Epiphany) scene so well in
your recent message
to Carol, take a look at a photo,
and notice the ice in the James River. As you said in your message, the
practice has been discontinued in Newport News.
It is sure celebrated at Tarpon Springs, Florida each year. Of course, it is
much warmer.
- Joe Madagan
('57) of FL - 01/07/05
Thanks, Joe!
The Epiphany celebration at the
Greek Orthodox Church was discontinued for two
reasons -
murky, dangerous waters and too cold, icy. My uncle, Jim Mariades, was one
of the first
to retrieve the cross at the bottom of the coal piers. At the time he was
a 1st Lt. in the USMC
-
his last assignment was Commandant of the Marine Corps Barracks, Brooklyn Naval
Yard.
He is now retired, 82 years young, and can still proudly wear his Colonel's
uniform.
- Evelyn Vretos ('55) of VA -
01/09/05
Thanks, Evelyn!
I have a notation in my 1965
Anchor - in my mother's handwriting - that on Epiphany of 1965,
the bejeweled cross was retrieved by Harry Pasquier ('66).
I remember that I used to have the accompanying news article as well,
but some of my darling angelic little boys relieved me of 90% of my news
clippings
when they raided my yearbooks back in about 1977.
- Carol Buckley Harty ('65) of VA - 01/10/05
Gold
Filigree Divider courtesy of
http://webclipart.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.geocities.com%2FParis%2FRue%2F3695%2Fborder2.html
-
12/15/03