Reception in honor of Ecumenical Patriarch jointly hosted by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation and the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate

Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, the National Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Chair of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation, welcomed His All-Holiness, Archbishop Elpidophoros and some 250 Archons, their wives and FOUNDERS of the EPBF (those who are donating $100,000 payable over 10 years).

Commander Limberakis then offered a detailed history of the genesis of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation for the first time in the presence of His All-Holiness. Two years after his initial appointment as National Commander of the Archons by then Archbishop Spyridon, Commander Limberakis initially discussed the need for a Patriarchal Endowment at a meeting he had with His All-Holiness at the Phanar on August 31, 2000, as an agenda item for his meeting and, in the ensuing 25 years that prophetic agenda item became a $31,000,000 reality.

In 2017, the officers of the Archons, along with Fr. Alex Karloustos our Spiritual Advisor and Archons John Catsimatidis, Michael Psaros, and Tom Constance, Esq began to meet monthly at the Park Avenue Offices of Archon Catsimatidis in order to painstakingly and in a most deliberate manner formulate the EPBF bylaws, word-by-word and line-by-line under the guidance of Archon Attorney Tom Constance and his renown law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer The first decision made was to unanimously name the Foundation in honor of the most extraordinary and impactful worldwide spiritual father in the history of Christianity: His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Dr. Limberakis added that when His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros came to America in June 2019, the success of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation was assured, with the Archbishop’s unbridled and enthusiastic support. Today, the multimillion dollar and still growing Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation will ensure the economic footing of the Mother Church in perpetuity, and in the name of His All-Holiness Bartholomew.

Furthermore, Dr. Limberakis stated that the seed money for the EPBF was generated by the record proceeds of the 2018 Athenagoras Human Rights Award (AHRA) banquet, when the beloved Spiritual Advisor of the Archons Father Alexander Karloutsos, and his beloved Presbytera Xanthi, received the Athenagoras Human Rights Award. $1.3 million which was raised at that historic AHRA banquet was deposited in the EPBF bank account….and the $1.3 million has now grown to over $30 million, in part due to a $1 million matching grant from the Nicholas J. and Anna K. Bouras Foundation, facilitated by the Bouras Foundation’s trustee, the National Vice Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Hon. B. Theodore Bozonelis.

Dr. Limberakis announced that there are now 259 FOUNDERS who have each pledged $100,000 or more, including sixteen parishes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and many, many Builders who have given lesser amounts resulting in ~$20,000,000 in the bank and ~$10,000,000 in pledges.

Commander and EPBF Chair Limberakis emphasized that the two pillars of the EPBF are accountability and transparency, and three formal presentations were then offered to substantiate these pillars: Audit Committee presentation by Chair Archon Carl F. Hollister, Investment Committee presentation by Chair Archon John S. Koudounis and EPBF Treasury presentation by the Treasurer Chris E. Tsamutalis, CPA.

Dr. Limberakis then updated His All-Holiness on the Pilgrimage of Discovery (POD), an extraordinary Archon initiative offering 16 young adults an all-expenses-paid pilgrimage to the Ecumenical Patriarchate to witness firsthand the martyria and diakonia of His All-Holiness, the hierarchs, clergy and devoted staff of the Mother Church, along with the remaining Rum faithful. The POD was developed by the Chicago and Pittsburgh Archons, led by Archons Perry Siatis, Nick Tranto, Ted Argeropoulos, Prof. John Fotopoulos, and Prof. Alexandros Kyrou, as well as Prof. Elizabeth Prodromou and a huge support team in Chicago. Hellena Chrones was and continues to be a tremendous force in the POD.

Heather Marcella, a 2025 Alumni Participant in the POD, then offered personal reflections upon her experience this past August in Constantinople. She grew up in Southampton, New York, attending the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons, and graduated from Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business in 2018. She now lives in New York City and works at Deloitte as a CPA. Ms. Marcella spoke about the privilege of being selected as the representative from the Archdiocesan District to attend the Pilgrimage of Discovery this past summer and returned energized in her Orthodox Faith.

The Archdiocesan Youth Choir then performed a special concert, under the leadership of its director, Costas Tsourakis, who is also Director of Music for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and President of the A.D. Federation of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians. They chanted the beautiful hymn of praise and thanksgiving to the Mother of God, Ti overmachho and the Greek folk song Ι sto mongon pira there.

After the concert, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, to whom Dr. Limberakis referred to as "our superlative spiritual father in America for the past six years and true son of the Ecumenical Patriarchate," also offered remarks.

Archon and FOUNDER Dr. Stephen Yallourakis, who together with his beloved wife, Dr. Anna Yallourakis, donated $230,000 through the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation to restore the destroyed Patriarchal monastery on the island of Halki, subsequently made a special presentation to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew: EPBF cufflinks fabricated from the EPBF pin that Trustees Maria Allwin and Aphrodite Skeadas created with Archon John Mindala. Dr. Yallourakis also presented His All-Holiness with a stunning set of 18 karat gold EPBF cufflinks. Dr. Yallourakis noted that His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew noticed the EPBF pin at the Thyranoixia of the recently rebuilt Monastery underwritten by the Yallourakises and remarked wryly that he didn’t have one… a situation that was remedied most elegantly!

As a special memento of this historic Patriarchal Voyage a leather-bound book compiling personal expressions of love, respect and admiration for His All-Holiness written by Archons, Archons-elect, EPBF Trustees and FOUNDERS was presented to His All-Holiness. The personal messages of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco and His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos were the first expressions of devotion included in the book.

At the conclusion of the afternoon, Dr. Limberakis gave special thanks to Archons Steve Tenedios and Mike Angeliadis, co-owners of the exclusive Kyma restaurant in New York City, for generously catering the event and providing superlative hors d'oeuvres from Kyma. The Commander also recognized the presence of Archon-elect newly elected Supreme President of AHEPA Emmanuel Chris Kaitson.

At the conclusion of the Reception, His All-Holiness offered the Patriarchal Exhortation and the attendees left the reception inspired and ever-grateful for the historic and extraordinary Patriarchal Ministry of His All-Holiness BARTHOLOMEW, the 269th direct successor of St. Andrew, the First Called Apostle of Christ.

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation is a watershed initiative of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, established in order to ensure that the Ecumenical Patriarchate maintains financial security and is able to perform its global mission in perpetuity.