St. Nicholas Church Holds 2007 Greek Festival

Rev. Father Paul Palesty and City Councilmember David Weprin (r.) at the church annual festival.

The congregation of the Greek Orthodox Shrine Church of St. Nicholas in 1971 was the first community organization to sponsor an ethnic festival in the New York metropolitan area. In 36 years, the St. Nicholas Church Greek Festival has grown to become a highlight of the fall season for the congregation and a growing circle of adherents who come to the church at 196-10 Northern Blvd., Flushing to enjoy four days of live Greek music, Greek and Cypriot food, games, a flea market and tours of the church, with its many notable architectural features and reliquary housing relics of St. Nicholas.

The 2007 festival celebrated the 52nd anniversary of the founding of the church, starting on Thursday, October 4 from 6 to 10 p.m.; Friday, October 5 from 6 p.m. to midnight; Saturday, October 6 from noon to midnight, and Sunday, October 7 from noon to 10 p.m. Admission was free. Youth was the main feature of the festival. The flea market, games, youth-oriented vendors, souvlaki, Greek pastries and loucoumades prepared with secret family recipes by the Greek Afternoon School division of the William Spyropoulos School, which is located on the church grounds, attracted young families of all ethnic backgrounds.

Enjoying food and friendship at the 2007 annual festival at the Greek Orthodox Shrine Church of St. Nicholas in Flushing were standing (l. to r.): Haida Mihaltses, Assemblymember Michael Gianaris and Steve Valiotis and seated (l. to r.): Claire Gianaris, state Senator Frank Padavan and the Rev. Father Paul Palesty, pastor. Photos Tony Barsamian

As is the case at almost every festival, tours of the church were offered. The church, built in 1971, received a commendation from the Queens Chamber of Commerce for its architecture, including six 30-foot by 12-foot panels depicting scenes from the Bible that encircle the walls of the church. The reliquary holds relics from the grave of St. Nicholas in Bari, Italy, which brought about St. Nicholas' designation as a shrine church. Lieutenant Daniel Heffernan of the 111th Police Precinct, who, with Inspector Scott Hanover, patrolled the festival, has a personal history with the relics.

"I was an altar boy at St. Kevin's Church in 1972 Flushing," Heffernan said. "We had a procession from St. Kevin's Church to St. Nicholas Church in 1972 when St. Nicholas' relics were presented by Bishop Francis Mugavero of the Brooklyn Diocese to his Eminence, Archbishop Iakovos, prelate of the Greek Orthodox Church of North and South America."

Senator Frank Padavan (2nd from left) helps (l. to r.): Nick Manekas, Renos Georgiou, and Teddy Perdik sell raffle tickets.

Andreas George, a Korean War veteran and author of In the Footsteps of St. Nicholas, wrote: "For more than 30 years, the church of St. Nicholas in Flushing has been the shrine church that houses tiny fragments of bones from the skull of St. Nicholas. They were brought to New York from his tomb in Bari, Italy. On December 5th, 1972, the relics were enshrined in an elaborate ceremony. The parishioners of St. Nicholas feel blessed. They are very proud to have in their possession some of the relics. They symbolize the migration of the saint from Anatolia and Europe to the New World in New York."

--Catherine Tsounis

Christina Fileas, Kathy and Denise Frangias, Christina Vourakis and Stephanie Ierome enjoy the Water Race Game, one of the many games at the festival. Photos Catherine Tsounis

Assembly member Mark Weprin and his youngest son, Isaiah, attended the festival and posed with the Rev. Father Paul Palesty, pastor of the Greek Orthodox Shrine Church of St. Nicholas in Flushing.