Orthodox archbishop to speak on terror aftermath

PLYMOUTH -- Michael J. Champion, archbishop of Cleveland, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, will be in Michiana Saturday and Sunday to present "Diary from Ground Zero," his experiences in New York, and to conduct community prayer services, all of which are free and open to the public.

Champion has just returned from spending more than two weeks in New York, where he volunteered to help in recovery operations. His presentation will tell of the ministers and faithful from throughout America who went to help following the terrorists' attacks Sept. 11.

"He sees the Holy Spirit filling the hearts of ministers and faithful all over America and inspiring them to come to New York to help in the recovery operation," said Archimandrite Theodosius of the Protection of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church in Plymouth.

The archbishop will speak in Plymouth at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Rees Theater, 100 N. Michigan St. His talk will follow a prayer service at the Protection of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church, 119 E. LaPorte St., which starts at 10 a.m. There will be a processional from the church to the theater.

Champion will celebrate vespers at the church at 6 p.m. Saturday and, on Sunday, he will be joined by other area clergy to celebrate Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the church.

He also will be the principal speaker at a community prayer service at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Memorial Chapel at Culver Academies, Culver. All of the services will be conducted in English, Archimandrite Theodosius said.

For more information, contact Archimandrite Theodosius at the Protection of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church, Plymouth, at (219) 936-9465.

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