Membership

1904-2004 Celebrating 100 Years of Holy Wisdom

Application Form | About Membership | Appeal to Young Adults

Application for Membership

You may apply for membership by downloading and sending the Application for Membership (PDF) with payment to Saint Sophia Cathedral using the following mailing address:

Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral
36th Street and Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20007-1424

The form is in PDF format and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

About Membership

We look forward to welcoming you as a member of our expanding family.

The Cathedral, adorned in the mosaics of 10th Century Byzantine iconography, has become a beacon of Orthodoxy in our Nation's Capital.

The Clergy's religious education program for adults and children is faithful in its adherence to the Tradition of the Greek Orthodox Faith.

The services are offered in both Greek and English.

The hymnology presented by our Chanter and Choir is authentically Byzantine.

Some of the vital activities of the Cathedral are:

• Weekly Sunday school - for children 4 through 18; a Nursery is also provided.
• JOY - an active Junior Orthodox Youth, ages 9 through 13.
• GOYA - an active Greek Orthodox Youth of America, ages 14 through 17.
• GOYAL - an active Greek Orthodox Young Adult League, ages 18 and over.
• Cathedral Chanter and Choir - authentic Byzantine music.
• Inquiry into Orthodoxy - a 5 week, 20 hour program on the teaching of the Faith.
• Greek Language Classes - a comprehensive program for the young and adults.
• Philoptochos - Ladies Auxiliary assisting the poor.
• Festivals - in the Spring (May) and Fall (October).
• Religious retreats to the Patriarchate, the Holy Land and other religious places.
• Private consultations with the Clergy.

We believe that you will be pleased and satisfied with the quality of the religious services and programs offered, as well as being part of one of the Nation's finest Orthodox communities.

The membership application is enclosed and should be returned with your annual contribution. All parishioners share the responsibility for maintaining our beautiful Cathedral and continuing the many meaningful initiatives before us. Your support is welcomed and needed. Should you have any questions, please contact the Cathedral office.

An Appeal to Young Adults - The Lord calls you to a positive involvement

As the young adults of our Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral, you will inherit from us and will, in time, pass on to your children the responsibility of leading this community and maintaining this beautiful Cathedral, which those who preceded you worked so long and hard to create.

Please note the contents of the preceding cover letter. Become members of the Cathedral and join committees. Participate in the General Assembly meetings and the election of the Parish Council. Become involved in determining the direction the Cathedral will follow in the new Millennium. Assist in continuing the many meaningful religious and social initiatives that are shared by all of our parishioners. Our Faith and Cathedral needs your active support.

There are young adults who regularly attend and participate in the services provided by the Cathedral. They are employed, pay taxes and yet choose, for some reason, not to accept their own fair share for the Faith. We now call them to come forward and become members.

The Church will always fulfill its moral responsibility to these individuals, but will these same individuals fulfill their moral and financial responsibility to their church? While other countries may grant state funds to the Church, in the United States, the church is on its own, which means its funding structure is solely dependent upon its members, if it is to exist.

Should you be joining for the fIrst time, please be aware of the contents on the enclosed Membership Application Information sheet.

Take your place as a new and supporting member of Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral by bringing a copy of your Baptismal Certificate to the office for it contains the needed information. Should you have any questions, require additional information or assistance please contact the Cathedral office. We look forward to welcoming you as a member of our growing family.

May Christ Bless You,

Rev. Dr. John T. Tavlarides
Dean

Mitchel J. Papanicolas
President
Parish Council