Orthodox Hierarchs to Host Prayer Service for UN Community, Public

NEW YORK, NY [SCOBA/SCOOCH]—Members of the United Nations community will join hundreds of Orthodox Christians from across the metropolitan New York City area for the annual Orthodox Prayer Service and reception at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral, 319 East 74 Street, New York, NY at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, October 6, 2003.

His Excellency, Ambassador Armen Martirossian, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN and His Excellency, Ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis, Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN are among those who will speak after the service.

His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America and host of this year’s service, will also address the gathering.

Organized under the auspices of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas [SCOBA] and the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches [SCOOCH], the event marks the third time that an Orthodox prayer service has been celebrated for the UN community.

“Last year’s service, held at New York’s Saint Vartan Armenian Cathedral, attracted over 200 participants, including ambassadors to the UN from Armenia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Finland, Moldova, Russia, Syria and Ukraine,” according to Mr. David Wagschal, a spokesman for the Orthodox Church in America. “Speakers at last year’s service included His Excellency, Sergey Lavrov, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, and Mr. Benon Sevan, Undersecretary-General of the UN.”

The public is invited to attend the service and reception.

For further information contact Mr. David Wagschal at 516/922-0550 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).