Devshirme

We are putting a link up on the Cathedral site (see column to the right) from the Family Center page to here – the idea is that you can check out the photos from the construction.  This is good motivation for me to post frequently.  Further motivation is provided by our new MacBook computer.  I finally made the transition to becoming a Mac person, and I am loving it.  On to the pictures:

This photo is from the upstairs classrooms in the auditorium and it shows the new ductwork being put in:

And here is a view of the entry to the foyer from the hall – check out the framed arch:

This article on the Metropolis of Boston website gives an update on Fr. Christopher Moody, who is going to Afghanistan as a chaplain.  Fr. Christopher is a veteran of the Iraq War and will now continue to serve our country in a double capacity, since he was ordained to the diaconate last year and the priesthood this year.  He is from the Lewiston, Maine parish and was at our Cathedral as the Metropolitan’s deacon last December for our festal vespers.  It should be a point of pride for us that our Metropolis has produced a military chaplain.  Fr. Christopher is a great guy – please keep him and his family in your prayers.

Here are a few more.  This picture shows the new windows from the outside:

The “festival stairs” in the back have been replaced with a new set.  Instead of the nasty old fake turf stuff they have composite flooring that never needs to be painted or anything.  They were also designed so we can slide under them with the forklift to move them. 

Chris F. told me an interesting story recently.  He recalled a time early in his childhood when the Tonna Room at the Cathedral had no carpet.  He mentioned that there was a crest or family seal or something in the middle of the room embedded or inscribed in the tile.  No one else seems to have a memory of this nor of there ever not being a carpet in the room.  I am fascinated by this – if such a thing exists I think we should have it visible.  There are plans to overhaul the Tonna Room in one of the next stages, but Al, Charlie and I decided to do a little detective work the other day.  Al and Charlie both doubted there was even tile under the carpet, and so we peeled back a piece of rug and discovered that there is indeed 9″x9″ tile under there.  Is there a seal in the middle of the room?  We will have to wait to discover that, but if anyone has any memory of this please comment.

Vacation Church School ended today and was a smashing success.  Here is the lowdown: Greg Abdalah, the youth director at St. George Cathedral, started the program last year as a St. George program and with an eye to expanding it to be a Council of Eastern Orthodox Churches program this year.  We had 29 kids from St. George, St. Mary and our Cathedral and they all can’t stop talking about it.  The theme was Champions And Defenders.  From Wednesday up until Saturday the kids came from 9-12 at St. George and learned about various saints and martyrs of the church.  Each day began with a service in a “catacomb church” – basically, St. George’s meeting room decked out in black and darkened to resemble a cave.  They then had sessions where they did activities and lessons.  Snacks were provided by the Men’s Club.  Today – Saturday – we had the morning sessions.  The campers returned for vespers at 5, and then everyone rolled to Fitton Field for a picnic at the Worcester Tornadoes game.  Most of the campers wore their new VCS shirts (as did I over my priest shirt) and everyone had a great time.  Two of our group even got to take part in the pie eating contest.  I had the girls and brought them both to their first ever ballgame.  This meant a lot to me since I am a huge sports fan and have fond memories of going to games with my ‘rents.  Vaia enjoyed her hot dog and the game but was utterly terrified by the sight of Twister (just as she is by Wally the Green Monster).  Raphaela, meanwhile, managed to do something I have not been able to do in my 37 years on this mortal coil- get a foul ball.  During warmups we were in the picnic area down the left field line and a ball came in and bounced and landed right under her stroller.  (I think everyone gets a foul ball at this place – the stands are right on top of the diamond and the setup makes Fenway seem like Riverfront Stadium).

The program was a great success.  We may do one-day ones during school vacation – we will see.  We will definitely do another camp next August so stay tuned.  Here is a picture of Raphaela’s souvenir.  If she follows in Daddy’s footsteps and collects baseball cards and memorabilia then this will be the first item in her collection:

I have often said – if we get nothing out of this remodeling but new windows then that is great.  Windows have now been replaced in both the church basement and in the auditorium.  The auditorium was basically a sieve the past few winters, with heating bills between 7-12k each month.  The new windows should change all of that.  This picture is from the inside.  As I was driving away yesterday I noticed the view from the front – the windows are striking – but at that point was not going to pull over to take a picture.  I will try to snap one today and post it later. 

Here are a couple of photos from the church basement, of which half is being turned into classrooms.  It is amazing to see it all coming together – every day there is something different.

I am happy to say that in addition to the usual demolition pictures I have some actual pictures of construction.  First off, the latest shot of the foyer area:

This view is outside of the foyer area, looking down along the Russell St. front of the auditorium.  I saw the backhoe and thought – finally!  The city is fixing the sidewalks.  But it was actually our construction crew digging to put in new pipes:

And some actual construction!  This is the church basement – half of it is being turned into classroom space.  Note especially the ceiling, which has been concealed by a drop ceiling for many years:

I had a small adventure last week with an old friend.  I left Worcester mid-day and drove through the alternating pouring rain and sunshine to Concord, New Hampshire, to see my good friend, the Very Rev. Archimandrite Agathonikos Wilson.  Fr. Agathonikos is the pastor of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Concord.  Traditionally, the priest there also takes care of the small Transfiguration church in Franklin, which is about a half hour north of Concord, and also the birthplace of Daniel Webster.  To give you an idea of where it is – it is right next to Tilton, which is some kind of shopping pilgrimage site.  The idea was that we would go up and celebrate a vesperal liturgy for the feast day of the church.  Fr. Agathonikos claimed it was the smallest church in the Metropolis.  I had my doubts – St. George in Southbridge is tiny.  However, Fr. Agathonikos was right – it is beyond small.  St. George has a tiny choir loft and organ and even has small side rows.  The church in Franklin was smaller than the narthex at St. Spyridon. 

The sign on the church says Transfiguration but also says St. Sotir.  The founders were largely Albanian.  They worshipped in Greek and remained in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.  When I think of Albanian churches, I usually categorize them as either being under the OCA or under Bishop Katre (I am not going to get into the history of the split here).  However, this church just remained under the Boston Diocese (now Metropolis).  So, the service…Fr. Peter Chamberas, who lives nearby, came with his son-in-law Fr. Mark Leondis.  I had hoped we could all serve together, but the altar barely fit me, so I had the distinct honor of having an archimandrite as my altar boy and an archpriest and the archdiocese youth director as my chanters!  After the well-attended service we went to the Tilton House Of Pizza  (the “T-HOP”) for fellowship and food.  What a great time – I think it may become a yearly tradition.  Some pictures…

This is the church:

This is the sign that I mentioned – it is tough to read in this picture, though:

The small altar:

This is a view of the entrance to the Blair Witch-like cellar.  The ten-year old in me wanted to explore it while Fr. Agathonikos was speaking:

And the organ, which is still operational but is no longer used.  I thought it was a piano at first.  I couldn’t tell the make, and I didn’t have a chance to play it since people were milling around after service:

Again, the latest.  Yesterday Johnny, Nick and Mark helped the Food Pantry Crew move all of the pantry stuff back into the stage area – the Food Pantry is again open for business:

Here is a picture of the rooms with the walls in between torn down.  Eventually this will be an open view of the park from the auditorium, with dividers so that meetings or small functions can be held in the rooms:

And the view from the foyer area: