None of the three Greek-American children who attended the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Conn. were reported among the 20 students killed, along with six adults, by a gunman identified by Adam Lanza, 20, who then shot himself, police said.
The victims were between the ages of 5-10. According to a statement of the Director and Press Officer of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Stavros Papagermanos to AMPE, two of the teachers and a librarian were Greek-Americans but escaped, officials said. All six of the Greek-Americans are members of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption in Danbury.
So far though, no names of Greek students or teachers weree included in the list of the 26 victims although none of the names had been released. Also, there is always the chance of a family, especially in case of mixed marriages, not to be a member of the Greek Orthodox community.
Upon hearing the horrible news, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America immediately contacted Fr. Peter Karloutsos, the priest of the nearby Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption in Danbury and expressed his deep pain and concern about the terrible incident and its devastating effects on the local community, and offered any support on behalf of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
The Archbishop stressed that, “This is a crime whose magnitude and nature is impossible to believe, an abominable act of the kind that our society should work hard to prevent.” He called upon the Orthodox faithful across the country to pray fervently for support and healing from God to the many families and individuals affected by this violent act and for the repose of the souls of the innocent victims of this enormous tragedy.
A scheduled visit of the Archbishop to the Greek Orthodox Church of the Archangels in Stamford, Conn. on Dec. 16, has been postponed. Instead, the Archbishop will visit the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption in Danbury, in order to offer pastoral support and guidance to the people of the area and pray with them in a Divine Liturgy.
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