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Area churches observe Sunday of Orthodoxy

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Among those anticipating in the Procession of the Icons at St, John in Boardman were from left: Spencer Oslin, Costa Kasamias, Andreas Theophanous, "Ce Ce" Schaer, Alex Schaer, Allison Reese and Kyra Tabak.

Father Thomas Constantine of St. John Greek Orthodox Church in Boardman, holding an icon of the Virgin Mary, celebrates the Sunday of Orthodoxy Service. The altar boys pictured are Panayiotis Constantine and Nectarios Georgepoulos.

Grand Marshall Kelly Pavlik is shown with Eileen Gilmartin, aka (Casey Malone) right and her mother, Julanem left. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS.

includes a procession of the icons by the priest, altar boys, children and various officers of church organizations.
One of the 1y churches each year sponsors of Sunday of Orthodox Vespers on Sunday night that members and clergy of all 17 churches celebrate together. This year the vesper service took place at St, John Orthodox Church in Campbell. The homilist was Father John Harvey. The St. John choir led by Dr. Nicholas Nicoloff chanted the responses.
The dominant theme of the Sunday of Orthodoxy since the year 843 AD has been that of the victory of the Icons that had raged off and on since 726 AD.  This iconoclastic controversy was finally laid to rest of that in 843 which was the first Sunday of Lent. The controversy was by some who wanted to remove icons which include Christ, the Virgin  Mary, saints and religious events, Orthodox Christians believe icons have a sacramental character making present  to the believer the person or event depicted in them. The interior of the Orthodox church includes icons on an icon screen called the iconostasis, separating the sanctuary from the nave.
No Orthodox home is without an icon corner where the family can pray daily. The icons are venerated by burning lamps in front of them and by the use of incense.

Leading the Procession of Icons were (from right) were St. John of Boardman altar boys Stelios Theophanous, Dan Wallace and Chris Murdock. Photos by Mike Varveris.   

Seventeen area Eastern Orthodox churches observed the Sunday of Orthodoxy on   the first Sunday of the Eastern Orthodox Lent this year.
On this Sunday, each of the churches annually commemorate of the restoration of Icons of the church on Sunday morning with a special service that follows that

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