FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Fr. Mark Leondis, 561-961-9147, or

Fr. Christopher Metropulos, 561-251-0067

South Florida Christians celebrate Sunday of Orthodoxy on March 1

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. – Faithful Christians and parish priests from all the Orthodox Christian parishes across South Florida will gather at the St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Fort Lauderdale at 6 p.m. Sunday, March 1, to pray for suffering and persecuted Christians throughout the world. This prayer gathering marking the Sunday of Orthodoxy is being organized by the Orthodox Christian Clergy Association of South Florida.

“We are truly blessed to be able to come together in prayer this weekend to offer our Christian witness to the world that we stand with our persecuted and suffering brothers and sisters,” said Fr. Mark Leondis, the organization’s president and parish priest at St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church in Boca Raton. “We invite all Christians to come pray with us this Sunday night during our Pan Orthodox Vesper Service.”

The homily will be offered by Fr. Kirrill Gvosdev, with responses chanted by George Theodoridis, master chanter at the St. Sophia Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Light Lenten refreshments will be served after the service in St. Demetrios’ Community Center. The services will also be broadcast live on the Internet at www.myocn.net.

For more information, contact Fr. Leondis at 561-961-9147, or Fr. Christopher Metropulos, host parish priest and executive director of Orthodox Christian Network, at 561-251-0067. St. Demetrios is located at 815 NE 15th Ave. in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 33304. The parish’s phone number is 954-467-1515.