Our Saint Sophia Cathedral Community has decided to embark on a project to commemorate Veterans from our parish who served in our military services since World War I. This includes Veterans of Greek and Cypriot Armed Forces. We ask all current parish members to help us identify the names and accomplishments of veterans so that we may include them in a Commemorative Veterans Album which we plan to make available to all our parishioners, as well as others who may request it. Other parishes have honored their Veterans with albums, ceremonies and plaques inscribed with Veterans’ names, and it is now Saint Sophia Cathedral’s turn to do likewise and honor her Veterans. We plan to do so with the highest possible standards and honors.
This task will require the cooperation and the efforts of all of us. It will demand a considerable investment in time to research records, examine artifacts, and review personal, as well as official, archives. We may even have to ask some of our elder members to reach back into memory and confirm information about relatives and friends. The effort is not tied to a specific timetable. We prefer to “get it right,” rather than meet a specific deadline. Our Veterans’ sacrifices should be acknowledged so that future generations can appreciate their example and commitment.
The attached Form is our starting point. Every parishioner who has, or had, a service member in his or her family, or has a friend or relative who served in the military should make every effort to fill in as much of the requested information as possible. The Form can also be found on the Saint Sophia website under “Ministries”. Click on “Volunteers”, and then go to “Veterans” and to “Saint Sophia Veterans Album-Request for Data”. For Veterans of Greek and Cypriot Armed forces use the Form found under Click for Addendum. You may download it, fill it in, and then e-mail it to the office@saintsophiadc.com. Send hard copies of your completed form to the Saint Sophia Office marked: Attention “Veterans Album”.
Our Saint Sophia website highlights the Veterans Album effort under this special banner. Further information and progress reports about the Veterans Album effort will be posted under this special Banner.
When we complete this effort, we expect to account for all the names of Saint Sophia members who served in the military since World War I. We are counting on our current members to help us make this noble aim a reality.
Please call Demo Kolaras (Home: 703-847-9493), (Work: 202-739-2600 ext. 4043), or send him an e-mail with any questions you may have: dkolaras@aol.com.
Click Here to view the list of Veterans as of March 13, 2015.
