GREEK ORTHODOX HIERARCH TO VISIT ROCK ISLAND AND EAST MOLINE
QUAD CITIES, IL: Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago, will visit St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Rock Island at 8:30am and Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in East Moline at 7:00pm on Sunday, April 24, to celebrate Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week for Eastern Orthodox followers worldwide.
Eastern Orthodox Christians and others compute the date of Easter according to the Julian Calendar rather than the Gregorian Calendar that replaced it in the 16th century. The older calendar now trails the newer by 13 days, resulting in the possibility of Easter in the Eastern traditions falling on the same date as in the Western traditions, or up to five weeks later.
Holy Week, which begins on Palm Sunday marking the last entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem before his crucifixion, consists of numerous services each day. Each focuses on particular events recounted in the New Testament regarding that final week, the highlights being ornate ceremonies and rituals marking Christ’s Passion (Thursday evening), Crucificxion and Burial (Good Friday) and culminating in the midnight Resurrection Service on Eastern Sunday morning. Orthodox Christians commonly use the word Pascha, a Hellenized form of the Hebrew meaning “Passover” to refer to this holiday, the most splendidly celebrated of the year.
Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos servers as the Chancellor of the Metropolis of Chicago (equivalent to a Roman Catholic Vicar General), under the leadership of Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago. He regularly travels throughout the Metropolis of Chicago to visit most of the parishes annually. He has received nationwide recognition for his human rights activities and interfaith outreach, including his leadership in ending the death penalty in Illinois, state resolutions calling for religious freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and just recently this year, an official recognition by the United States of the genocide by ISIS against the Christian minority population of Syria and Iraq.
Eastern Orthodox Christians are the second largest Christian denomination worldwide. The Metropolis of Chicago oversees all Greek Orthodox parishes within Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, as well as large portions of Missouri and Indiana. You can find more information on His Grace Bishop Demetrios and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago on our website: www.chicago.goarch.org.
Bishop Demetrios will officiate Orthos/Divine Liturgy at St George Greek Orthodox Church at 2930 31st Street in Rock Island starting at 8:30 a.m. Bishop Demetrios will then officiate the evening Bridegroom (Nymphios) service at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church at 4900 Kennedy Drive in East Moline at 7:00 p.m. A reception will be held immediately following the services at both churches.
The general public is always welcomed to our services and media coverage of this rare visit by our Greek Orthodox hierarchy would be appreciated. Media is encouraged to contact John Ackerman, Director of Media Relations for the Metropolis of Chicago, to assist with your coverage and arrange interviews. Interviews with Bishop Demetrios, Parish Priest of Rock Island Father Michael Constantinides, Parish Priest of East Moline Father Thomas Alatzakis and others can be arranged before or after each service.
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