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This morning, the final day of the Metropolis of San Francisco’s 49th Annual Greek Orthodox Folk Dance and Choral Festival (FDF) began with participants celebrating the Divine Liturgy together in the event’s main ballroom.
Filling the space nearly to capacity, the dancers, family, and clergy worshipping together served as a visual reminder that FDF’s spirit is not one of competition, but one of joy in shared faith and heritage.
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America celebrated the liturgy alongside fellow hierarchs His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco, His Eminence Metropolitan Kyrillos of Krinis, and His Grace Bishop Ioannis of Phocaea, as well as many Metropolis of San Francisco priests.
In his homily for the occasion, Archbishop Elpidophoros reflected on the Gospel reading and its connection to FDF’s theme, “SHINE.”
“Can you imagine the light of your souls, and hearts, and minds shining so brightly that in every face you encounter, you literally behold the Holy and Divine Face of Jesus?” asked Archbishop Elpidophoros.
“It is a question of our vision. It is a matter of our consciousness, our awareness to see the spark of God within every human soul,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said. “Here, in the Divine Liturgy, is the practice ground for all of us to cultivate this kind of vision.”
> Read His Eminence’s full homily
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