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The Metropolis of San Francisco closed its 49th Annual Greek Orthodox Folk Dance and Choral Festival (FDF) yesterday, celebrating another successful event and looking toward the future of FDF.

At Sunday night’s award ceremony, participants were recognized for outstanding dance and choral performances, direction, instrumentals, and costume design. FDF also presented the Elios Award of Excellence, the Metropolitan Anthony Humanitarian Award, the Metropolitan Anthony Leadership Award, and numerous scholarships.

However, amid this celebration of past and present achievements is also a bright outlook on the future.

“Next year, God willing, we will mark a historic milestone as we celebrate 50 years of the FDF ministry,” said His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco at the awards ceremony. “For half a century, this sacred gathering has formed young people in faith, strengthened parishes, and united our Metropolis in joy. The legacy you inherit is beautiful; the future you are building is even more so.”

Metropolitan Gerasimos addressed this future directly on Saturday afternoon as well. After dancing a kalamatiano with the children aged eight and younger, the Metropolitan thanked their families for raising FDF’s next generation.

Throughout the weekend, speakers also referred with excitement to the newly-established National Greek Folk Dance and Cultural Ministry–an expansion largely inspired by the enduring success of FDF. 

At the awards ceremony, FDF presented a video message from His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America announcing this ministry.

“You should all be very proud of yourselves, because you have been the creative influence and motivation to the rest of the country to bring forth these wonderful convergences of faith and culture,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said at FDF’s opening ceremony.

The new ministry seeks to preserve and celebrate Hellenic dance and music, allowing cultural heritage to serve as a living witness to the beauty of the Orthodox faith.

“Orthodoxy does not erase culture–it purifies it, transfigures it, and offers back to God what we have,” Metropolitan Gerasimos said at Sunday’s Divine Liturgy. “Faith and heritage are not competing identities, but one shared life in Christ.”

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