CONSECRATION

The Chapel of

The Dormition of the Theotokos

 October 2013

            In October 2013, families and friends of the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Theologian  will gather with love and unity to experience a once-in-a-lifetime occasion that will complete our spiritual home, the Consecration of our chapel, the Dormition of the Theotokos.

            To consecrate a chapel means to dedicate the chapel into the service of God, to set it apart for exclusive use as a house of worship.  The practice of consecration dates back to early Christian times and occurs only once in the lifetime of a house of worship.  Once consecrated, the chapel will remain forever a holy place.

            As you know, construction of the chapel was completed long ago  That could be considered the birth of the chapel, while Consecration can be described as the baptism and Chrismation.  At baptism, the faithful are spiritually renewed, regenerated and filled with the Holy Spirit, pledging to live their life for Christ.  Through consecration, the chapel will be similarly renewed and will become a House of God.  It is filled with the Holy Spirit and will dispense this spirit to the faithful within its walls. 

            The beautiful, inspiring services performed at the consecration are woven with threads of the Old and New Testaments, the Theology of the Orthodox Church, and adorned with Eastern Christendom’s symbolism.  The Greek translation of the word consecration is egkainia and literally means renewal.  Because the consecration usually takes place some time after the opening of a church or chapel, it is an opportunity to renew the appearance of the chapel as evidence of a dedication to everlasting adoration.  For the faithful, it is also a time of joy when we rededicate and renew our commitment to follow Christ and serve His Church.

 All of us will have the opportunity to participate in the Consecration in a meaningful fashion.  There will be many different ways that we can support and sponsor this event which we will announce to you in the coming weeks.  In the meantime, if you have any questions or wish to serve on the Consecration Committee, please contact Father Panagioti, Parish Council President, Jimmy Bayiokos, or our Committee Chairmen, George Tsougarakis and George Papas.  Those who are able to lend financial support will be considered Godparents of the chapel, and they, along with the many parishioners who supported the initial construction of the chapel will be formally recognized and toasted at a special reception during Consecration Weekend.  And, of course,  everyone is invited to attend the beautiful Consecration services so that we may worship together as a parish to celebrate this special moment in our history.

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