Thursday, June 20, 2019

Firecrackers not camper-friendly apparently

Is throwing firecrackers into a cabin the best idea? No. Is it something to fire someone over? My list of camp activities that should get a camp director fired has firecrackers near the bottom. Trust falls and participation trophies should be met with automatic witchducking.


(GNN) Evagoras Constantinides, a Greek Orthodox priest who served for years as the director of the Ionian Village summer camp program of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has been relieved of his duties following the use of firecrackers to awaken campers.

According to an eyewitness, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution by what he called a “well-connected” Fr. Evagoras, the campers had slept beyond their wake up call and he was angry and tossed firecrackers into their sleeping quarters, startling the teen-aged boys.

According to the eyewitness, one camper who has autism and was in the cabin suffered an adverse reaction to the explosion of the firecrackers.

The eyewitness said that other boys in the cabin were also traumatized, while another suffered pain in his ears after the incident.

The autistic camper’s family, which is from New Jersey, is allegedly planning legal action, according to another source from the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey who spoke to the family.

Constantinides, who has been the director of the Ionian Village summer program of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America for several years, also serves as the parish priest at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Brooklyn, New York.

He is also the registrar of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

Although no official announcements have come from Ionian Village or the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, the official website of the Archdiocese has removed Constantinides as the Director Ionian Village and his name is no longer listed on the Ionian Village website for the 2019 season.

Constantinides was embedded with the past administrative leadership at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and had been “protected” by the now-resigned Archdiocese Chancellor Bishop Andonios, who is Constantinides’ godfather.

But with Andonios gone, no one is left to protect the priest who has often been seen violating priestly protocol.

Although he was relieved of his duties as director of the Ionian Village summer program that attracts hundreds of Greek Orthodox youth from throughout the United States, Constantinides remains the parish priest at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Brooklyn, as well as Registrar of the Archdiocese.

6 comments:

  1. You write: "Is throwing firecrackers into a cabin the best idea? No. Is it something to fire someone over? My list of camp activities that should get a camp director fired has firecrackers near the bottom."

    Huh? Are you insane?

    What healthy parent would want their child to be under the watch and protection of priests no less (!!!) who throw firecrackers into sleeping quarters? Firecrackers are not benign -- they can easily ignite large fires; every year, they burn and kill people when they are not responsibly used.

    I was in the military for a long time and am well acquainted with what constitutes normal/appropriate behavior when a bunch of guys are camped together and what is abnormal/bizarre/wrong.

    This priest's actions are, without question, abnormal and wrong. His judgment is terrible. Any NCO who did something like this in my unit would be punished, without question. Any parent who sent their child to Ionian Village under the watch of this unstable priest should be livid.

    This is yet another example of the GOA being filled with far too many emotionally unstable clergy and lay leaders. As if the GOA faithful need another excuse to run as far away from the Greek Archdiocese as they can.

    I am eternally perplexed as to why so many ignore the flagrant problems and decide to stay and support it.

    But to repeat, you are crazy if you think this priest should not be punished for his behavior which easily could have burned or killed children at an (allegedly Orthodox) camp.

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    Replies
    1. You think that was my point? I think it was more that I don't like senseless feel-good activities. Maybe the tongue-in-cheek wording was too hard to read.

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    2. "Are you insane?...This priest's actions are, without question, abnormal and wrong..."

      And in other news, A spokesperson for Diablo the Terrible claims that the wimpification and feminization of western culture is now complete...

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    3. Traumatized?!? The whole thing is really very laughable. He probably should have put them in a metal trashcan to avoid a fire. Otherwise...sounds like a good wakeup for boys who insist on being lazy. Maybe that's just the Marine in me... ;-)

      Lord have mercy on my callousness, and Lord have mercy on our societal softness!

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  2. isn he qa celihate priest? sound like it none the less he should be defrocked -- this is behavior that should not be tolertated --- why go to ionian village anyway - the goa just bought a beautifual campsite in connecticut

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