Greetings & Welcome!

On behalf of Father Stephen, Father Lukas, Deacon Joseph, our lay leadership, our Festival Committee, and the families of our Parish, we welcome you to the 2025 Roseville Greek Festival. Our stewards have gathered with grateful hearts on this weekend closest to the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anna (September 9), the blessed parents of Mary, the Birthgiver of Jesus, to whom we give all glory. Our festival is then a panigiri, a Greek word for a centuries-old, traditional festival held in Greek villages that celebrates a holy man or woman of antiquity. This weekend is, first and foremost, a celebration of our timeless love for our Patroness, Saint Anna, and the Orthodox Christian faith, as well as our Mediterranean roots from which our parish was born, and finally, about our Roseville community where we are so lovingly and blessedly situated.

Although a small group of Greek Americans started the Orthodox Christian mission in Roseville, this parish is part of a much larger, worldwide Orthodox Christian Church, the oldest Christian tradition in the world. This is not just an esoteric theological statement or an expression of cultural pride; rather, it is a fact supported by the history of Christianity itself. Today, this parish reflects the ideals of Hellenistic culture along with the broader American paradigm, consisting of approximately 250 families from diverse cultural backgrounds and traditions. (For example, on a typical Sunday, we recite the Lord's Prayer in various native languages, including English, Greek, Slavonic, Romanian, Arabic, French, Spanish, two Indian dialects, and Georgian.) All of us bear witness to the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ, striving to embody His love and live according to the ancient principles and disciplines of the Orthodox Christian Church. In this way, and in the most historically accurate and meaningful manner, we thank God for His many blessings and share fellowship with one another.

The support from our stewards and patrons has allowed our Festival to expand in size and reputation. Over the past quarter of a century, we have been fortunate to assist many charities, including the Tommy Apostolos Fund, the Sacramento Crisis Nursery, the Receiving Home, Saint Vincent de Paul, Roseville Home Start, Trinity Children & Family Services, and the families of deployed airmen and soldiers. These beneficiaries are in addition to the funds, ministries, and charities our community supports throughout the year—such as Scholarship Funds, Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, the University of St. Katherine, St. Basil Academy, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), the St. Anna Benevolence Fund, the Food Basket Program, Coats for Kids, Camp AGAPE/Kids 'n Cancer, St. Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center, Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC), campus ministries, the parishes of St. Anna in Nairobi, Kenya, and Mount Kenya, Kenya, mission efforts in Puerto Rico, an orphanage in Mexico, as well as two monasteries. This year, some of our festival proceeds will again support these charities, including the Tommy Apostolos Fund, which has been providing warm winter school clothes and backpacks to underprivileged children in the Roseville community since 1990.

As I thank the members of our parish for their tireless efforts in preparing for this annual festival, and once again thank you all for your attendance, I would be remiss if I did not invite you to join us for divine services during this food festival as well. Following the example of the Holy Disciple and Apostle Philip, I would like to say to everyone attending our festival, please, “Come and see!”

May our Gracious Lord keep the City of Roseville and our greater Placer County in His care, 

Most Respectfully, 

Rev. Fr. Christopher Flesoras