On Sunday, April 6th the Parish conducted its annual St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival after Divine Liturgy. Father John Stefero presided over the event. Nick Pappas was Master of Ceremony and Ted Saffos hosted and facilitated the judges. Eight students, five in the Junior Division and three in the Senior Division, participated in the Oratorical Festival this year. The participants were:
Junior Division Senior Division
(7th – 9th Grade) (10th – 12th Grade)
Alexis Blais Andrew Beamer
Despina Giannopoulos Andriana Psomiadis Lozier
Stephan Noonen Lydia Pappas
Christine Nikitakis
Tanya Pappas
Three guest Judges from the Fredericksburg area (but outside of the Church community) were invited to listen and evaluate each of the students speeches. The Judges were:
David Conan – Director of the King George Department of Social Services
Erin K. Dooley – Graduate of Rutgers School of Law and Attorney at Law
Paul Lewis – Director of Fredericksburg Athenaeum
After eight very impressive testimonies, the judges deliberated and announced the results. Andriana Lozier and Lydia Pappas (Senior Division) and Christine Nikitakis and Alexis Blais (Junior Division) will represent the Nativity of the Theotokos at the Regional Oratorical festival this Saturday, April 12 at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Virginia Beach. First place winners received a medallion of St. John Chrysostom and a $50 gift card to Borders. Second place winners received a $25 gift card to Borders.
Although these four individuals placed in the top positions, everyone was a winner. Each student received a Certificate of Merit from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s Department of Religious Education, a letter of recommendation to be sent to their school guidance counselors and a memento bag provided by the Sunday School Director. And the Parish received the pleasure of witnessing eight bright and courageous youths take a bold step in becoming strong defenders of Orthodoxy like St. John Chrysostom.
The grace of your words illuminated the universe like a shining beacon. It amassed treasures of munificence in the world.
From Apolytikion for St. John Chrysostom
