On Saturday, March 8, 2003, the Orthodox Christian Mission Center was honored, along with IOCC, as co-recipients of the Athenagoras Human Rights Award.

Among others, reflections were offered by Archbishop Demetrios of America, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, and two previous recipients of the award. Archbishop Iakovos, former Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America, and Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and all Albania. Archbishop Iakovos established the Mission Center and enabled it to become a ministry under SCOBA and Archbishop Anastasios’ vision and influence has shaped how Orthodox missions are carried out in the world today.

Offering their blessings by their presence were two SCOBA hierarchs, His Beatitude Metropolitan Herman of the Orthodox Church in America and His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A. The Founding Director of the Mission Center, His Grace Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos, was also on hand to receive this honor.

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios presented the Athenagoras Human Rights Award to the Executive Director, Fr. Martin Ritsi, and the President of the Board of Trustees of the Mission Center, Helen Nicozisis. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios said, “This evening’s recipients of the 18th Annual Athenagoras Human Rights Award, the two SCOBA agencies, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) and the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) exemplify the rich apostolic mandate upon which the life of the Church is built. The Orthodox Christian Mission Center is the vehicle for the accomplishment of our work set before us by the Lord in His Great Commission to go forth into all the world to preach the Gospel.”

During the banquet, a fifteen-minute video tribute was shown presenting OCMC’s and IOCC’s history, programs, growth, success and vision. The video emphasized that these sister SCOBA agencies are both founded on apostolic commissions that seek to follow the words of Christ in the Gospel.

Helen Nicozisis commented on the event and stated, “It was such a blessing for the Mission Center and IOCC to be showcased and shared with other committed Orthodox Christians. Many of those in the audience have been ardent and long-standing supporters of both ministries over the years.” Fr. Martin Ritsi added, “The honor of this award goes out to a myriad of persons who make the ministry of OCMC possible, including our hierarchs, the board of trustees, the staff, the benefactors, those who pray for missions and most especially for our missionaries those who are in the field, sacrificing to see the love of Christ spread and made manifest to the ends of the earth.”

Click on to www.ocmc.org to see more photos.

Photos are courtesy of the Communications Department of the Orthodox Church in America.