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Alaska Life

Photos: Alaska Greek Festival

By Bill Roth
Updated: August 21, 2023 Published: August 21, 2023

Father Vasili Hillhouse gave tours and blessed visitors at the Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church off O'Malley Road in Anchorage on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Eat, drink and Greek. Hundreds of people attended the 29th annual Alaska Greek Festival, a three-day event originally started as a fundraiser, to “build a proper Byzantine Orthodox-style church,” said Father Vasili Hillhouse.

“We also are doing this because the community of Anchorage loves it and supports it so well. It’s a beautiful gathering of various ethnic groups having a wonderful time celebrating Greek culture, eating Greek food and learning a little bit about the Orthodox faith,”

“We’re so grateful to the Anchorage community for supporting us for thirty years,” he said. “This new church building (finished in 2014), we don’t think of it as ours. We hope it enriches the community of Anchorage and it beautifies our city and is a sign of peace and love for everybody, not just us.”

The Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church is visible as dancers performed on stage on the final day of the Alaska Greek Festival on Sunday. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Father Vasili Hillhouse blessed visitors to the Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church during the Alaska Greek Festival on Sunday. (Bill Roth / ADN)

29th annual Alaska Greek Festival at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church on Sunday. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Church members, from left, Svetlana Drews, Ron Khoury and Salwa Abuamsha served Greek dinners like Lamb, Moussaka, and Pastitsio during the 29th annual Alaska Greek Festival on Sunday. (Bill Roth / ADN)

29th annual Alaska Greek Festival at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church off O'Malley Road in Anchorage on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Voris Sella "Northern Lights" dancers wore costumes from the Island of Paros during their performance at the 29th annual Alaska Greek Festival on Sunday. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Dancers perform on stage during the 29th annual Alaska Greek Festival on Sunday. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Tiropita, phyllo pastry filled with creamed feta cheese and herbs, was served at the 29th annual Alaska Greek Festival on Sunday. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Dancers perform on stage during the 29th annual Alaska Greek Festival at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church off O'Malley Road in Anchorage on Sunday. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Bill Roth

Bill Roth is a staff photojournalist at the Anchorage Daily News.

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