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On Friday, February 27th the community of the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Theologian in Tenafly, New Jersey celebrated the first Saluations to the Theotokos and then attended the opening of an exhibit called Icons in Bloom presented by the St. Philothea Philoptochos Society. The second such event displayed over 100 icons loaned by parishioners, friends and even borrowed from the Archdiocese and St. Michael’s Home. The sacred work was graced by floral arrangements inspired by the icons.
Rev. Protopresbyter Panagiotis Lekkas, Dean of the Cathedral, expressed his gratitude to his Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey, who graciously permitted the inclusion in the exhibit of the “epitrachelion” of Saint Iakovos Tsalikis, a sacred relic of the patron Saint of the Metropolis.
The Philoptochos President, Audrey Soussou described the three-day event as “more than just an event, it’s a reflection of who we are—our faith, our creativity, and our love that brings us together as a community. Proceeds from this event will help to continue and support our important philanthropic mission and secondly toward the conservation of our Cathedral mosaics.”
The icons were arranged in groupings: Christ, Jerusalem, Wedding traditions, Patron Saints, New Saints, the Panagia and the icon replicas from the parish’s Chapel of the Dormition of the Mother of God. The Philoptochos also created a commemorative book which captures the iconography of the Chapel depicting the 24 stanzas of the Akathist Hymn.
On Saturday, after services, the children of the community gathered to make votive candles which they placed next to their favorite icon in the exhibit. They also went on a Heavenly Treasure Hunt, designed by Sunday School Co-Director Presvytera Catherine Gilbert, to learn about different icons.
To close the event, Anastasia Economos, Chairwoman of Icons in Bloom said, “This weekend has been a blessing, closing with the Sunday of Orthodoxy, which celebrates the restoration of icons confirming our faith in the incarnation of the Word of God.”
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