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EVERYTHING IS LEADING UP TO FDF; ARETE RECEIVES GIFT OF CYPRIOT COSTUMES

Our young people are "frantically" preparing, once again, to participate in the Folk Dance Festival which, this year, is being held in Ontario, California, Thursday, February 17 through Sunday, February 20. We wish them well as they learn new dances, as their parents sew new costumes, and as all of them, under the direction of their advisors and directors, raise funds to enable their participation. Most recently, the proceeds from the sale of loukoumades (honey-covered sweets) on January 30th went to help our youth go to FDF. We are also very grateful for the very generous donation of hand-made full costumes for the boys and the girls for Arete, who will be presenting a suite of Cypriot dances. The costumes are the gift of the Government of Cyprus, secured from its Cultural Ministry through the efforts of Consul General of Cyprus Nick Theophanous and his wife Soteria. This donation alone is worth many thousands of dollars!

Meanwhile, this year registration takes place on line, by logging on to http://www.gofdf.org. You may also use this site to make hotel resevations through the Ontario Convention Bureau. As for event packages, three are available: 1) full packages for $240; 2) events only packages for $200 (includes banquet but no other meals), and 3) event only packages (e.g. for Division 3--Ta Angelakia) for $80 (no meals or awards banquet; access to competition and evening events only). Please visit the site and indicate your FDF preference. We wish our groups well and commend them for their hard work in learning various ethnic folk dances and songs. This helps them appreciate their heritage and enables them one day to hand it on to their children.

ORATORICAL FESTIVAL TO TAKE PLACE APRIL 3RD

Participation in the Saint John Chrysotom Oratorical Festival is one more event to which our young people look forward, for it helps them attain confidence, as they stand up and speak (many for the first time) before an audience. At the Annunciation Cathedral, this event will take place on Sunday, April 3rd, following the Liturgy. The winners will go on to compete in the regional festival, which will take place on Sunday, April 10, at the Nativity of Christ Church in Ignacio. The winners of the regional festival will go on and compete in the Metropolis-wide festival, which will take place at the St. Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center on Saturday, May 14.

The Festival is named for St. John Chrysostom, who was born in the ancient city of Antioch in 347 AD to a noble and pious family. John studied to be a lawyer and was an exceptional student. He was led to a religious life, where he devoted himself to discipline and spiritual growth.

As a priest, St. John had the innate quality of winning the hearts of his audience, even though many times he would chastise them. He loved his people and would hold back nothing in order to inspire them, challenge them, and paternally lead them into upright living.

Chrysostom was also a great advocate of social justice and proclaimed the equality of all people before God. His sermons often spoke of the great disparity between rich and poor, and he placed the blame upon extortioners and the greedy rich. He did not camouflage injustice.

At the age of 49, he became Patriarch of Constantinople. He was an outspoken critic of the imperial court and frequently denounced the Empress Eudokia. After a series of exiles and returns to Constantinople, St. John was again banished in 403, and died two years later.

He earned the title, Chrysostomos, which means "golden mouth," because of his dynamic and forthright preaching. The Divine Liturgy most often celebrated in our Churches also bears his name, "The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom."

We observe the feast day of St. John Chrysostom on November 13th, and also honor him with St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory the Theologian on January 30th, the feast day known as that of the Three Hierarchs.

As one of our most honored Church Fathers, Patriarchs and Saints, and also because of his bold eloquence, it is fitting that our Archdiocese Oratorical Festival be named after this most celebrated preacher in the history of the Christian Church.

Annunciation Cathedral eighth grader Katherine Curd was rewarded with a ten-day, all expense paid trip to Narita, Japan next summer. Katherine, along with 9 fellow students from San Bruno Parkside Middle School, was selected to represent the city of San Bruno in its student exchange program with the city of Narita, home of the Tokyo International Airport.

Three of the school's faculty members nominated Katherine worthy of consideration for inclusion in the exchange program. Her academic standing, positive attitude, and extracurricular activities were among the criteria to determine 30 candidates from among 200 Parkside School eighth graders. A panel of nine teachers judged a speech competition in which the candidates participated, where ten finalists were selected to travel to Japan this July.

During their visit, the students will be living with Japanese host families, to learn and experience first-hand the culture and customs of the Japanese people.

ANNUNCIATION YOUTH TO ATTEND M.I.T.

Needless to say, we are proud of all our youth, but especially when they go on and excel. Case in point is Juliana Rotter, daughter of J. Ward and Barbara (and sister of Stephanie), who has been accepted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge (just across the river from Boston, right near Harvard), Massachusetts. M.I.T. is regarded by many as the premier technological school in the country and one of the very best in the world. Obviously, Juliana is highly motivated and extremely talented. She loves learning and exploring and we are sure that she will do well in school and in life. Currently a senior at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Juliana is active at the Annunciation Cathedral, where she has served as assistant pre-school teacher, and where she has, year after year, been a finalist in our St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival. Accordingly, she has gone on to represent the Cathedral at the regional festival and has partricipated in the festival at the Metropolis level as well.

When Juliana is not busy with academics or service to the community, she can be found engaged in karate, one of her favorite hobbies. We wish her well in her new academic pursuits. May God always be with you, Juliana, and may He continue to bless you.

NOT TOO EARLY TO THINK ABOUT 2005 SUMMER CAMP

Young people of our community have three camp options. One is our own camp, which for the last few years has been held at the Cassini Ranch along the shores of the Russian River, the last week in July or the first week in August. A second is the camp held at the St. Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center, in Dunlap, California. Finally, a third is the one held at the Ionian Village, on the shores of the Ionian Sea, in Greece.

During 2005 two summer sessions will be offered. One is for young people in grades 7 through 9. This will take place July 1st through July 19. The second is for young people in grades 10 through 12. This will take place July 25th through August 13th. For more information, visit the web site, www.IonianVillage.org. You may also call the Ionian Village office, at 646 519-6190.

2005 JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

The remainder of the Junior varsity games involving the Annunciation Cathedral teams is as follows:

Parishioners and friends of the Cathedral are invited to join family members and friends as we cheer on our teams. For game times and standings, visit the OYAA web site, at http://members.lycos.co.uk/oyaahoops

Following FDF, since we will not have dance practice for a while, basketball practice will also take place Tuesday nights.

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February 2005 Herald
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral