Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina , Greece regains official representation in New Orleans . The honorary consulate reopens, closing a chapter that was forced to open with the closure of the previous consulate due to the devastation caused by the natural disaster.
Archbishop Elpidophoros of America sent his wishes and blessing for the development in his message, placing particular emphasis on the deep and historical roots of the Greek Diaspora in the city, as well as the role it played in the first steps of Orthodoxy as an organized presence in America.
The history to which the Archbishop referred begins long before the great waves of immigration of the 19th and early 20th centuries. As early as the mid -18th century , many Greeks found themselves in New Orleans, among them the sailor Miguel Dragon , who arrived there in 1766 .
Organized church life began a century later. In the early 1860s, Greek merchants, including Nikolaos Benakis and Ioannis Botasis , began efforts to establish a church. In 1864, Benakis offered his house on Bayou Road for services, marking the beginning of the parish life of Holy Trinity .
Two years later, in 1866 , the community built its first church at 1222 North Dorgenois Street, in the Treme neighborhood. This is the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, which has been recognized by the Archdiocese of America as the first holy church built by Greeks in North and South America . This historic first was emphasized by the Archbishop himself during his pastoral visit to the city last year, describing the Holy Trinity as the Mother Church of Orthodoxy on the American continent.
John George , CEO of the homonymous group, with activities in the sectors of distribution, real estate and hotel businesses, and co-owner with his wife Deithel of two newspapers, assumed the duties of honorary consul .
His connection with the Greek community and the Church is long. He is Archon Kastrinsios of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, a member of the “Archbishop Iakovos Leadership of the 100” Fund, and has served the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in various positions of responsibility, including as president of the parish council.
Messages for the reopening of the consulate were also sent by House Speaker Mike Johnson , Majority Leader Steve Scalise , Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis , and US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle . The composition of the envoys, including two of the most powerful figures in the US Congress, shows the importance attached to the city’s development and relationship with Hellenism.
