2005 -- H 6460

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LC03165

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2005

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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING THE JOYOUS 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHURCH OF THE

ANNUNCIATION IN CRANSTON

     Introduced By: Representatives Jacquard, and Davey

     Date Introduced: May 04, 2005

     Referred To: House read and passed

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     WHEREAS, The Church of the Annunciation was the first Orthodox Christian parish

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established in Rhode Island and is the third oldest Greek Orthodox parish in New England; and

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     WHEREAS, The Church of the Annunciation is a parish of the Greek Orthodox

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Archdiocese of America, under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople;

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and

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     WHEREAS, The parish was founded by Greek immigrants in 1905 who used various

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buildings throughout Providence in which to worship before they purchased a church building at

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333 Smith Street, near the State House; and

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     WHEREAS, In 1920 they erected their first church of Orthodox architecture at 265 Pine

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Street, and had a congregation of 127 families. In 1921 the Reverend Peter Mihailides arrived in

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Providence to become the parish's first permanent Priest. A kind and wise man, Father Mihailides

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served the parish until his death in 1956. Under his direction, church membership tripled and

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became a magnet around which the Greek community in Providence could come together and

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worship, help one another, and express the concerns and needs of the Greek community; and

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     WHEREAS, By 1965 the parish had grown to over 300 families, which led to the

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creation of the current church edifice at 175 Oaklawn Avenue, in Cranston; and

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     WHEREAS, On March 24, 1968 the first divine liturgy was served. Shortly thereafter the

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Reverend Peter Mihailides Center was built next to the Church, and was dedicated on December

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7, 1969 in honor of Father Mihailides; and

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     WHEREAS, Today the Church of the Annunciation consists of 650 families living in 30

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of the 39 cities and towns of Rhode Island and offers a numerous array of services to its

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congregants including Sunday Church School, Greek Language School, and numerous parish

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organizations for its members of all ages, which enrich the lives of its communicants, but also

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enriches the greater Rhode Island community through its ecumenical and charitable endeavors;

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now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

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Providence Plantations hereby heartily celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Greek Orthodox

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Church of the Annunciation, thanks them for all they have done to enrich the lives of so many

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people, and wishes them many more birthday celebrations as they continue to serve God, their

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congregants and the Greek Orthodox Community of Greater Providence; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Father Andrew George of the Church of the

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Annunciation.

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LC03165

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