Local Catholics form Orthodox community

Mary Samandar hails from Palestine. Since coming to Milford 17 years ago, she's practiced her Roman Catholic religion at St. Mary's Church. She's still a St. Mary's parishioner, but today she also celebrates the Greek Orthodox religion at a local church with roots to her homeland.

The Dormition Church of Theotokos Orthodox Church of Jerusalem has been renting space at Trinity Lutheran Church for more than two years, bringing the Greek Orthodox service here once per month.

"I had been looking all the time we were here," said Samandar, whose family owns the Post Road News and Deli in Milford. "When I would talk with my cousin, Somia, we would say we wished we could have our community here. We looked for our community that shares our language, our foods."

She's found that connection to Palestine in the new church, where services are given in English and Arabic, and where the traditional icons of the Greek Orthodox Church grace the altar.Samandar said she believes it is important for her to support the new church, to help it grow and to spread the word that it's here.The Rev. Father Anastasios Majdalani leads the 40-member congregation once a month, traveling from his home in Massachusetts to do so.

Father Majdalani overseas the Greek Orthodox of Patriarchate of Jerusalem assemblies in New England. He began seeking parishioners in Milford several years ago after learning that a substantial number of Christians live here who have immigrated from the Middle East.

Half the parishioners who attend the services at Trinity come from Milford. The other half live in surrounding communities, including New Haven and Woodbridge.

"By calling two houses, each house showed me others," he said, explaining how the church took hold in Milford. Initial services were held in private homes, until arrangements were made with Trinity Lutheran Church to rent space.

The Greek Orthodox Church originally formed in the Holy Land, and members often refer to it as the oldest Christian Church. Much of the Greek Orthodox service is consistent with Christian traditions, but worship traditions differ.

According to a Greek Orthodox website, the church is labeled 'Greek Church' because Greek was the first language of the ancient Christian Church from which the faith was transmitted."Christianity originated in Palestine, spread rapidly throughout the Mediterranean, and by the end of the fourth century was recognized as the official religion of the late Roman or Byzantine Empire," the website explains.

The five major administrative centers of Orthodox Christianity remained essentially whole until about the fifth century, when divisions emerged primarily over the understanding of Christ."After the Great Schism, Orthodox Christianity continued to develop apart from Western Christianity," the website explains. "Tenaciously conservative, relying on its dynamic concept of tradition, it preserves the classical forms of Christianlife and dogma to this very day."

Sam Nosh, a parishioner at the Trinity-based Greek Orthodox Church, was Episcopalian before converting to Greek Orthodox. He said he lived in Beirut several years, and converted while living there.

It was quite coincidental, he said, when he returned to the United States and met Father Anastasios, who grew up in the same Beirut Church in which he was baptized. It was that meeting that led him to the Milford church.

Sasha Treiger, another parishioner, said he was baptized in the Holy Land and had been studying Arabic for a number of years. He teaches the history of Christianity at Southern Connecticut State University, and said he met Father Majdalani at an Easter service in Cambridge, Mass.

"Most of the service was in Greek, and suddenly I heard Arabic being spoken," Treiger said.

He sought out the speaker and found Father Majdalani. That is how he learned of the Milford-based church.

Samia Samander has lived in Milford a number of years. She came here from the Middle East and was looking for cultural ties to her past. Today she is treasurer of the new Greek Orthodox Church here.

"Samia is there at every service," said her cousin, Mary.Father Majdalani's wife, Nissren, said the goal is to establish weekly services here when membership and funding allows, and to eventually secure their own building.

"Our goal is to build our own church," she said. "Everyone wants to have their own home, right?"

For now, the monthly Sunday services are preceded by Bible studies on Saturday evening at Trinity Lutheran Church on Robert Treat Parkway. There is also Sunday school for children. The Sunday worship service starts at 1 p.m.

The next local service will be Dec. 16 and will include a Christmas celebration. Parishioners said they plan to have a Santa Claus and invite parents to bring gifts for their children.At the following service, Jan. 6, the parish will celebrate "the old Christmas," Father Majdalani said.

"In Jerusalem, where Jesus was born, they still celebrate Christmas January 6, the epiphany," he said.

Father Majdalani said he welcomes parishioners. For information, people may contact Mary Samandar, 878-7113, or Father Majdalani at 508-353-4562.

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