Search This Blog

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Fire destroys Greek Orthodox church in Montreal

Greek church fire 3



Less than an hour after a prayer service wrapped up, parishioners watched as a cornerstone of the Montreal Greek community — the Koimisis Tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church — went up in flames.
"I got the news at 1 a.m. and cried all night. It's like a death. It's just awful," said Polly Tsonis who grew up going to the church.

Dozens gathered on a curb in Parc Extension on Monday evening, clutching each other as they watched their church burn.


"It's one of our Greek Orthodox churches that is really a pearl. There were so many pieces of art and religious icons inside," said park Extension city councillor Mary Deros.
Parishioners often referred to the church as Panagitsa.

Members of the community crossed themselves as they walked by the burnt out remains of the church on Tuesday morning.
"Hopefully it's going to be rebuilt and hopefully the right people get involved. We're like a big community in Montreal so I hope everybody's going to pitch in and get it rebuilt," said churchgoer Athina Potamytis.

Church members said Father Nikolaos Papageorgiou worked tirelessly to improve the church, decorating, as well as maintaining and repairing the building located at 7700 De L'Épée.
Catherine Constantinidis, a member of the Greek community, was born in Parc Extension in 1979.
"It was not only my baptismal church, and in the future the place where I'd also be married. It [was also] a gathering place for all the Greek community," she said.
"I can assure you every Greek is mourning the loss of the church."



No comments:

Post a Comment


Category

1915 Armenian Genocide 21st-century Christian martyrs‎ africa al assad Al Qaeda albania anti-Morsi protests Apostles Arab Christian Arab-Orthodox Archimandrite Tikhon Shevkunov army Asia Australia bank BBC Belarusian Orthodox Church Bethlehem bible Bible movies bible translations bulgaria Bulgarian Orthodox Church Byzantine byzantine music C.I.A. Cairo China Christian Armenians christianity christians christmas Christmas Traditions Christmas tree church Conspiracy Constantinople coptic church copts cyprus daily news Documentary Easter economy Ecumenical Patriarch Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople egypt egypt pope elder Elder Ephraim of Vatopaidi elder joseph of vatopaidi elder Paisios Elder Porphyrios english subtitles Epiphany europe food Fr Seraphim Rose france FREE books FREE Greetings Cards fyrmacedonia Georgian Orthodox Church germany greece greek greek food greek music Greek Orthodox Church Greek Orthodox Easter greek orthodoxy health and medicine Holy Fathers Holy Scripture Holy Tradition icon Internet Interview iran islam islamist israel Italy jerusalem Jesus Christ jews jihad killed libya mafia Middle East Miraculous Icon monastery money mother of god mount athos Mount Sinai Movie Trailers music muslim muslims news orthodox church Orthodox Church in America pakistan Palestine patristic tradition photo photos picture politics pope Prophecy protests quotes recipes religion romania romanian orthodox church Russia Russian Orthodox Church saint Saints science Shroud of Turin Son of God spy St Nicholas of Myra syria The Mount Athos Food Evolution theotokos travel turkey tv UK Ukraine Ukrainian Orthodox Church usa Vatican vatopaidi video war Watch FREE full movie world
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...