On Sunday 28 August an Artoclasia was held after the Service of the Holy Eucharist in honour of Saint Kosmas Aitolos, who is also the patron Saint of the Hellenic School in Cape Town. His Eminence Archbishop Sergios, Metropolitan of Good Hope officiated at the Service of the Artoclasia together with Father Nikolaos Giamouridis. Deacon Michael Simos and Deacon Father Nicholas Esterhuizen.
In his address after the Service, His Eminence said that Saint Kosmas Aitolos, is not only well- known for many of his prophesies which are already being manifestedin the world today, he also walked almost all of Greece to establish more than two hundred schools. The Greek people were under Ottoman oppression and they were losing their mother tongue. Saint Kosmas was determined that they should not lose their rich Orthodox heritage and the Greek language which is the language of the church and of the written word of the Bible.
His Eminence said that it is unfortunate that so few of us read and write although some of us do still speak Greek. He commended the community and the teachers for their perseverance in keeping the Greek school going under often difficult circumstances and urged the parents to respond by taking their children as often as possible and participating in the school events. He also thanked the parents and grand-parents who make the effort to speak to the children in Greek and to support the Greek school.
Two children from the Greek school Nikola Augostatos and Michael Comitis spoke about the life of Saint Kosmas Aitolos in Greek and English respectively.
