Oratorical Festival

Oratorical Festival

The Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical and Fine Arts Festival

 

Background 

The Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical and Fine Arts Festival is a long-standing tradition that provides a unique opportunity for our youth both to learn about their faith and to display their talents in various areas. The Oratorical Festival begins at the parish level and is divided into three divisions: Elementary (optional/parish festival only) for grades 4–6, Junior Division for  grades 7–9, and Senior Division for grades 10–12.

Those who are successful at their individual parish festivals in the Junior and Senior divisions are invited to participate in a day of fellowship at the Metropolis Festival, where the top three finalists in each category and division will be awarded. Those who place first in the Junior and Senior Speech (only) divisions will then move on to participate at the National Festival, which is hosted by a different metropolis each year.

2025 Metropolis Festival 

With the blessings of His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael, we are pleased to announce that the 41st Annual Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical and Fine Arts Festival will be held on Bright Saturday, April 26, 2025 at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 601 South Central Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 60644. We are excitedly anticipating a weekend of spiritual celebration and fellowship for all in attendance. Please keep in mind the following important dates and information as you begin your preparations:

General Information

The Metropolis Festival will offer 6 categories (Speech, Essay, Poetry, Iconography, Vocal Solo, and Vocal Chant), each with 2 divisions (Senior/10th-12th grades and Junior/7th 9th grades). Once again, our Metropolis youth are invited to register for as many as two separate events at the Metropolis Festival. The guidelines for the Metropolis Festival are contained in the Metropolis Information Packet below.  

In addition to the Metropolis Information Packet, we have also included below a list of this year’s National Topics, Tips, and Resources (for Speech, Essay, and Poetry). The Music Selections (for Vocal Solo and Vocal Chant) are contained in the Metropolis Information Packet. Please take time to read through these documents and forward copies to all of your parish youth. 

Metropolis Information Packet

2025 National Topics, Tips and Resources

2025 Oratorical Festival Honorees 

Xristos Anesti!  Thank you once again for helping to make the Metropolis Oratorical and Fine Arts Festival such an inspirational weekend.  We are forever grateful to Father Apostolos Georgiafentis, Marina Demas, George Demos, Mary Zouras, and the Assumption-Panagia community for hosting us, especially as we were able to gather in person to celebrate the talents of our youth and our ministry.

Congratulations to the following 2025 Metropolis Oratorical & Fine Arts Festival Honorees:

Speech

Junior Division

1st Nicole Mulla

2nd Paul Houck

3rd Sophia Palas

 

St. George

St. Mary’s

St. Nectarios

 

Chicago, IL

Minneapolis, MN

Palatine, IL

Senior Division

1st Constantine Zouras

2nd Jacob Cash Baffes

3rd Susanna Brown

 

Ascension of Our Lord

SS. Constantine & Helen

St. Nectarios

 

Lincolnshire, IL

Palos Hills, IL

Palatine, IL

 

Essays

Junior Division

1st James Georgeon

2nd Lia Mackris

3rd Efremia Siozios

 

St. Demetrios

SS. Peter & Paul

Assumption

 

Hammond, IN

Glenview, IL

Chicago, IL

Senior Division

1st Julia Voulgarakis

2nd Sophia Anteliz

3rd Aspasia Rovolis

 

Assumption

Ascension of Our Lord

St. Mary’s

 

Chicago, IL

Lincolnshire, IL

Minneapolis, MN

 

Poetry

Junior Division

1st Anthony Milak

2nd Constantine Chipain

3rd Yianni Papadopoulos

 

Holy Apostles

Assumption

SS. Peter & Paul

 

Westchester, IL

Homer Glen, IL

Glenview, IL

Senior Division

1st Shaun Canas

2nd Christos Kotis

3rd Stella Tagalakis

 

St. George

St. John the Baptist

Ascension of Our Lord

 

St. Paul, MN

Des Plaine, IL

Lincolnshire, IL

 

Iconography

Junior Division

1st Josephina Stamatis

2nd Mia Carrozza

3rd Vasili Xinos

 

St. John the Baptist

SS. Peter & Paul

Holy Cross

 

Des Plaines, IL

Glenview, IL

Justice, IL

Senior Division

1st Diamanto Mesiacos

2nd Thanasi Maglaras

3rd Melani Luhm

 

St. Athanasios

Ascension of Our Lord

Kimissis Tis Theotokou

 

Aurora, IL

Lincolnshire, IL

Racine, WI

 

Vocal Solo

Junior Division

1st Eleni Katsoulis

2nd Nicoletta Anderson

 

St. Nectarios

Kimissis Tis Theotokou

 

Palatine, IL

Racine, WI

 

Vocal Chant

Junior Division

1st Demetri Christofer

2nd Maria Zouros

3rd Vasileios Yannoulis

 

St. Spyridon

Ascension of Our Lord

St. John the Baptist

 

Palos Heights, IL

Lincolnshire, IL

Des Plaines, IL

Senior Division

1st Maria Malamis

2nd Hara Klimediotis

3rd Georgios Vasilakis

 

Ascension of Our Lord

St. John the Baptist

St. Sophia

 

Lincolnshire, IL

Des Plaines, IL

Elgin, IL

 

Wishing you all the best and looking forward to celebrating with everyone again next year.

With love and gratitude,

Audrey Polite

Andrea Tsakopoulos

Metropolis Oratorical Festival Committee Co-Chairs

2025 Oratorical Festival Event Booklet 

Click on the following link to view our 2025 Oratorical Festival Booklet.  

https://chicago.goarch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2025-Packet.pdf

2025 Photos

Click on the following link to view our 2025 Oratorical Festival photographs, taken by Lex Alexander.  

216

https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCcd8j

 

2025 National Festival

Congratulations to Constantine Zouras (Ascension of Our Lord, Lincolnshire, IL) and Nicole Mulla (St. George, Chicago, IL), our Chicago Metropolis representatives for Senior and Junior Speech, respectively, who will participate at the National Oratorical Festival at St. Nichaolas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the weekend of May 30th – June 1, 2025.  Good luck to Constantine and Nicole!

2025 Metropolis Festival Poster

This year’s poster features the icon written by Evanthia Fotopoulos of St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Schererville, Indiana, the winner of the 2024 Senior Iconography Division.  We hope that you will print and display it in a prominent location in your parish.

2025 Metropolis Festival Poster

National Festival

The National Festival, which includes the Metropolis winners for the Speech category only, is scheduled to take place during the weekend of May 30, 2025 at the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Support – Event Sponsorship

For 41 years, the youth of our Metropolis have been given a forum to share their love of Jesus Christ and witness their Orthodox faith. Whether through the medium of speech or essay, poetry or iconography, vocal solo or vocal chant, the youth of our Metropolis have expressed their faith for more than four decades. We are honored to continue this tradition in 2025 at the Metropolis of Chicago Festival, which will take place on Bright Saturday, April 26, at the host parish of Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago, Illinois.

Thanks to the generosity of individuals and organizations across our Metropolis, we have been able to expand the offerings of our Metropolis Festival over time, appealing to the diverse strengths and interests of our youth. Two years ago, we increased the scholarships awarded to our first-place speech participants to help cover their travel costs to the National Festival. For the first time last year, we also extended these gifts to first-place participants across the other five categories.

As someone who has given of your time, talents, and treasures in support of Orthodoxy, we ask that you consider including this year’s Metropolis Oratorical Festival as a recipient of your philanthropic giving. With your help, we can once again organize a memorable program for our youth and their families—one that will strengthen their faith and warm their hearts.

Donation Letter

Donation Submission Form

Online Submission Form

 

Contact Information

We ask that you forward this Metropolis Festival information to everyone at your parish who is involved in a youth ministry, as well as parents of your church school registrants.  In the meantime, please do not hesitate to e-mail or call us with any questions.  We look forward to celebrating with everyone in April!

Chicago Metropolis Oratorical Festival Committee

Andrea Tsakopoulos, Co-Chair: (219) 789-4474

Audrey Polite, Co-Chair: (219) 742-7679

Email: oratoricalfestival@gmail.com