CHERRY HILL, NJ – On January 12, after the Divine Liturgy, the vasilopita was cut at St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church in Cherry Hill. Every year, the traditional cutting of the vasilopita is held for all those present, including the presidents of the church organizations. On this day, the community also raises a sum of money as a New Year’s gift for the children of St. Basil Academy in Garrison, NY.
The V. Rev. Archimandrite Father Christoforos Oikonomidis presided over the cutting of the vasilopita. Among those present was Cherry Hill Mayor Susan Shin Angulo, the first Korean-American woman to serve as a mayor of any municipality in New Jersey, according to officials.
Also on January 12, Fr. Christoforos Oikonomidis administered the oath of office to the 2020 Parish Council of St. Thomas Church before the congregation and following the Divine Liturgy.
Those sworn in for 2020 were: Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Anastasios Efstratiades, Esq., Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Demetrios Rozanitis, Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Stathis Karadonis, Gerasimos Kappatos, Alex Kokolis, Constantine Horiates, Christopher Diamantoukos, Stavros Antonakakis, Gerasimos Mellesaratos, Elias Iliades, MD, Nicholas Kostiou, William Fotiou, DCM, George Gavras, and Charles Sandilos, Esq.
The oath of office will be administered on a later date to Nicholas Gasparinatos and Marina Shook as well as to Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and AHEPA Supreme President George Horiates who was on an AHEPA mission to Greece, Cyprus, and Jerusalem.
