2001, Hellenic School of the Hellenic Community of Johannesburg in the LINDEN area. Unveiling ceremony of the bust of the great benefactor of Hellenism and Orthodoxy in South Africa Stefanos Bogiazoglou, who passed away on April 30, 1999. In the photo, his close friend Christoforos Gerontoudis addresses the large audience and the representatives of all the Greek and Ecclesiastical authorities of South Africa, referring to the life and biography of Stefanos Bogiazoglu.
2001, Hellenic School of the Hellenic Community of Johannesburg in the LINDEN area. Unveiling ceremony of the bust of the great benefactor of Hellenism and Orthodoxy in South Africa, Stefanos Βogiazoglu, who passed away on April 30, 1999. In the photo, his close friend Christoforos Gerontoudis with the newly arrived Ambassador of Greece to South Africa Mr. I. Economides.
2002, The members of the choir of the church of Panagia Pantanassa in the celebration of the 25th of March.
2002, Visiting Buenos Aires
2002, Visit to one of Buenos Aires’ most famous grills (Parrillas).
2002, Buenos Aires, Avenida 9 de Julio.
2002, The members of the choir of the church of Panagia Pantanassa.
2002, 9 October. On the occasion of the inauguration of the new library of Alexandria (October 16, 2002, in the presence of the President of Egypt and 3,000 other selebrities from all over the world), 18 Greek Orthodox parishioners of the Church of Panagia Pantanassa (Johannesburg, South Africa) decided to come to Egypt 7 days before the inauguration, to visit the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine and climb to the summit of Mount Sinai, accompanied by Archbishop of Johannesburg and Pretoria Mr. Seraphim. The day they arrived in Cairo (October 9, 2002) they watched (the same night) the performance of the opera “AIDA” next to the Pyramids of Cairo.
2002, 9 October. On the occasion of the inauguration of the new library of Alexandria (October 16, 2002, in the presence of the President of Egypt and 3,000 other selebrities from all over the world), 18 Greek Orthodox parishioners of the Church of Panagia Pantanassa (Johannesburg, South Africa) decided to come to Egypt 7 days before the inauguration, to visit the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine and climb to the summit of Mount Sinai, accompanied by Archbishop of Johannesburg and Pretoria Mr. Seraphim. The day they arrived in Cairo (October 9, 2002) they watched (the same night) the performance of the opera “AIDA” next to the Pyramids of Cairo.
2002, 9 October. AIDA at the Pyramids of Egypt.
2002, 9 October. AIDA at the Pyramids of Egypt.
2002, 9 October. AIDA at the Pyramids of Egypt.
2002, October 10. Visit to the Patriarchal Church of St. George in Cairo.
2002, October 10. Inscription in the basement of the Patriarchal Church of St. George in Cairo, near the spring mentioned in the inscription.
The Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine of Mount Sinai is built on the slopes of Mount Sinai, on the peninsula of the same name and belongs to the autonomous Church of Mount Sinai, at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level. The Monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to testimonies, it is considered the oldest Christian monastery in the world, although the Holy Monastery of St. Anthony near Cairo is considered to have a similar distinction. Historically, the oldest evidence for the existence of monastic life in the area is of 381-384 AD. During the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, between 527 and 565, the monastery was built on the spot where the “burning bush” of Moses was located. The place is considered sacred to Christians, Muslims and Jews. In response to a request from the monastery’s monks for protection, the monastery received from Muhammad a “peculiar obligation” or Testament (Ahtnamame), validated by the imprint of his own palm, which describes the rights of Christians living with Muslims. (Wikipedia).
2002, October 12, Christoforos and Melpo Gerondoudi approach the top of Mount Sinai (2285 meters altitude). In the background is the holy monastery of St. Catherine (1500 meters altitude). The group ascent started after midnight on October 11, from a hotel that is on the level of the holy monastery, to reach after about 5 hours at the top with the sunrise (785 meters altitude difference). In the last 100 meters climbing is very difficult and dangerous. Nevertheless, 300 to 500 visitors from all over the world (most of them Orthodox from Russia) climb to the top of Mount Sinai every day. The spectacle is spectacular (if one watches the ascent from the height of the holy monastery), since each rider has electric lighting.
2002, October 12, very close to the top of Mount Sinai. Christoforos and Melpo Gerondoudi and Mr. Anastasios Vouros.
2002, 12 October. Metropolitan Seraphim, Mr. and Mrs. Gerondoudis and Mr. Anastasios Vouros at the top of Mount Sinai.
The summit of Mount Sinai (Wikipedia)
2002, 12 October. Descent from the top of Mount Sinai.
2002, 12 October. Descent from the top of Mount Sinai.
2002, 12 October. The visitors from South Africa (Johannesburg) outside the sanctuary of the church of the Greek Orthodox Monastery of St. Catherine, at the foot of Mount Sinai in Egypt (altitude 1500 meters above sea level), after our descent from the top of Mount Sinai. Because we had Metropolitan Seraphim with us, the person in charge of the temple opened a door and we saw the “burning bush of Moses”, at the back of the sanctuary of the temple.
1: Archbishop Seraphim, 2: Mrs. Danae Kiltsildi, 3: Mr. Tasos Zervos, 4: Mrs. Agatha Michael, 5: Mr. Augustinos Michael. 6: Mr. Anastasios Vouros, 7: Mrs. Melpo Gerondoudi, 8: Mr. Christoforos Gerondoudis, 9: Mr. Antonis Primikirios, 10: Mr. Stavros Dalakas, 11: Mrs. Penelope Dalakas, 12: Mr. Tasos Spyridis, 13: Mrs. Jean Anne Georgiou, 14: Mrs. Frances Kazan, 15: Mrs. Keti Zervou.
2002, October 16
2002, The Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Petros VII
2002, October 17. The Patriarch of Alexandria Petros VII with the visitors from South Africa coming to the concert of Dimitris Papadimitriou, which was given in the imposing “Reading Hall” inside the “Conference Hall” of the Library of Alexandria, with the sound of music and the Alexandrian poetry bridging the place with time and with the Greekness of the idea of the magnificent Library of Alexandria of the Hellenistic years.
2002, October 17. The imposing “Conference Hall” of the Alexandrian Library.
2002, October 17. In the imposing “Conference Hall” of the Alexandrian Library.
We attended the concert of Dimitris Papadimitriou with the participation of: Eleftherias Arvanitaki, Tasos Apostolou, Thodoris Vouzikaris, Fotini Dara, Alkinou Ioannidis and with Alexis Kostalas in the role of narrator. Cavafy poetry, set to music by a composer born in Alexandria, was heard on the premises of the new Library. The concert, which was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, with production organizer Vassilis Mentzelopoulos, of “Firm”, admittedly gave an authentic and quality Greek color at the opening of the library. The events continued until October 31.
2002, October 17, Alexandria Ismailia. Dinner of the visitors from South Africa at a Greek fish tavern in Ismailia (Alexandria-Egypt)
2002, The sloping roof of the building allows the indirect use of sunlight in most parts of the library and at the same time gives a clear view of the sea.
2002, The library was designed to converge towards the sea, while a part of it is immersed in a water tank, so as to symbolize the ancient Egyptian sun projecting from the sea.
2002, The entire library building is surrounded by granite stone from Aswan, on which calligraphic letters and representative inscriptions from all cultures of the world are designed.
2002, The entire library building is surrounded by granite stone from Aswan, on which calligraphic letters and representative inscriptions from all cultures of the world are designed.
2002, A view from the inside of the new library
2002, The architectural structure, the simplicity of the sea horizon, the combination of the simple with the spectacular of advanced technology, give Bibliotheca Alexandrina together with its mission the character of “the new lighthouse of spirit and culture”
2002, The architectural structure, the simplicity of the sea horizon, the combination of the simple with the spectacular of advanced technology, give Bibliotheca Alexandrina together with its mission the character of “the new lighthouse of spirit and culture”
2002, The architectural structure, the simplicity of the sea horizon, the combination of the simple with the spectacular of advanced technology, give Bibliotheca Alexandrina together with its mission the character of “the new lighthouse of spirit and culture”
2002, Visit of His Excellency the President of the Hellenic Republic Mr. Konstantinos Stefanopoulos to the Hellenism of South Africa.
2002, on the occasion of the visit of His Excellency the President of the Hellenic Republic Mr. Konstantinos Stefanopoulos to South Africa, the President of the Lemnian Brotherhood of South Africa Mr. Christoforos Gerontoudis prepared, on behalf of the Federation of Greek Communities and Associations of South Africa, a commemorative book/album, concerning the structure and contribution of Hellenism in South Africa from the end of the 19th century until 2002. In the photo above, Mr. Gerontoudis offers the Album to H.E. the President of the Hellenic Republic, during the official dinner.
2002, The inside cover of the album.
2002, The President of the Lemnian Brotherhood of South Africa Mr. Christoforos Gerontoudis with the members of the Board of Directors of the fraternity, in the privately owned office of the fraternity in Germiston.
2003, The members of the choir of the church of the Northern Suburbs of Johannesburg, Our Lady «Pantanassa».
2006, Part of the building facilities of the Naval Academy of Hydra.
2008, The sunset in Constantinople (Istanbul).
2008, Visit to Hagia Sophia.
2008, Hagia Sophia.
2008, Hagia Sophia.
2008, Hagia Sophia.
2008, Visit to Cappadocia. 1: Chr. Gerontoudis, 2: M. Sainis, 3: Gr. Chatzieleftheriadis, 4: A. Viglas.
2008, Lunch with Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Anastasios at the “Old Greek House Hotel” in Sinasos (now Mustafa Pasha) in central Asia Minor, Cappadocia, (about 250 km southeast of Ankara and about 50 km southwest of Caesarea). Its population before the Greek-Turkish Population Exchange in 1924 amounted to about 3,000 Greeks and 500 Turks.
2008, Lunch with Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Anastasios at the Old Greek House Hotel in Sinasos (now Mustafa Pasha) in central Asia Minor, Cappadocia, (about 250 km southeast of Ankara and about 50 km southwest of Caesarea). Its population before the Greek-Turkish Population Exchange in 1924 amounted to about 3,000 Greeks and 500 Turks.
2008, Mr. Christoforos Gerontoudis with H.B. the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew, outside the church of St. Basil in Caesarea, Cappadocia.
2008, The Paşabağ area (Monks Valley) has the best collection of fairy chimneys in Cappadocia. It is located midway between Göreme and Avanos. The fairy chimneys here look like giant mushrooms, many of them double or trifoliate, sitting on wide pedestal-shaped bases. These multi-headed chimneys make the Paşabağ unique.
2008, The famous Camel Rock.
2008, Visit to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Office of His Beatitude Patriarch Bartholomew.
2008, Visit to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Office of His Beatitude Patriarch Bartholomew.
2008, November. The distance from Mount “Athos” (The holy mountain) to the west side of Lemnos is 60 kilometers. Very rarely (when visibility is very good), you can see the monasteries from Myrina. The photo shows the holy monastery of Agia Lavra.
2008, Mount Athos. The sunset as seen from Myrina Lemnos in July.
2012, Lookout point, Kruger National Park, South Africa.
2012, Christoforos Gerontoudis with his 5 sisters in the tavern “Sinialo” in Myrina, Lemnos.
