Christ is Risen!
With the blessing of HE Metropolitan Nicolae, the Metropolitan stage of the Religion Olympiad (15th edition) took place on Sunday, May 4, 2025, in several locations in the Archdiocese of the United States of America. A total of 55 students (25 from Group B and 30 from Group C) from 11 parishes participated. The tests were based on the 2024/2025 Sunday School curriculum.
This year, the Olympiad's motto was: “Creating the World, Confessing the Faith, Saving the People – In the Light of Eternal Truth.”
Thanks must be addressed to V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Ene and Prof. Stelian Adrian Ghinea who took care of compiling the tests and grading the papers, as well as to all the teachers involved in this edition. A thought of consideration is also due to the parishes that hosted this edition of the Religion Olympiad with much joy and love.
We have the special privilege of congratulating all the students who qualified for the metropolitan stage of the Olympiad for the work they have done and to urge them to permanently keep in their hearts the love and interest towards our ancestral Orthodox faith.
The following students won prizes at the metropolitan phase of this year's Religion Olympiad:
1) EASTERN USA
GROUP B
1st PLACE:
MATEI SUSANU (St. Nicholas Church, Woodside NY)
2nd PLACE:
ELSA ELENA TREPCA (Life Giving Spring Church, Long Valley NJ)
ANTONIE BUJOREANU (St. Nicholas Church, Woodside NY)
ANA FILOTEIA MILEA (Life Giving Spring Church, Long Valley NJ)
3rd PLACE:
NOAH NICHOLAS TREPCA (Life Giving Spring Church, Long Valley NJ)
MARIA GRIGORAŞ (St. Nicholas Church, Woodside NY)
DANIEL AVRAM (Holy Trinity Church, Philadelphia PA)
GROUP C
1st PLACE:
ADRIAN CHIRNOAGĂ (Life Giving Spring Church, Long Valley NJ)
2nd PLACE:
LISA DASCALU (St. Nicholas Church, Woodside NY)
IUSTINIAN GRIGORAŞ (St. Nicholas Church, Woodside NY)
3rd PLACE:
IRINA DARIE (Holy Trinity Church, Philadelphia PA)
2) CENTRAL USA
GROUP B
1st PLACE:
MARIA NEAGA (Buna Vestire Cathedral, Olmsted Twp OH)
ARSENIE NEAGA (Buna Vestire Cathedral, Olmsted Twp OH)
2nd PLACE:
ECATERINA SIRCA (Buna Vestire Cathedral, Olmsted Twp OH)
3rd PLACE:
THEODORA FLEŞER (Holy Trinity Church, Troy MI)
ALEXANDRA VINTILESCU (Holy Trinity Church, Troy MI)
GROUP C
1st PLACE:
SERAFIMA SIRCA (Buna Vestire Cathedral, Olmsted Twp OH)
2nd PLACE:
ALEXANDRU CĂRBUNE (Sts. Constantine and Helen Cathedral, Chicago IL)
MIHAI MUREŞAN (Sts. Constantine and Helen Cathedral, Chicago IL)
3rd PLACE:
SOFIA CIUPE (Sts. Constantine and Helen Cathedral, Chicago IL)
3) WESTERN USA
GROUP B
1st PLACE:
PARASCHEVA MARIA DRĂGOI (Sts. Joachim and Anna Church, Seattle WA)
2nd PLACE:
ANDREI DRĂGOI (Sts. Joachim and Anna Church, Seattle WA)
3rd PLACE:
FILIP MUNTEAN (Elevation of the Holy Cross Church, Upland CA)
GROUP C
1st PLACE:
ANASTASIA DRĂGOI (Sts. Joachim and Anna Church, Seattle WA)
2nd PLACE:
BRIANNA NEGREA (Holy Ressurection Church, Sacramento CA)
3rd PLACE:
DARIAN VERES (Elevation of the Holy Cross Church, Upland CA)
MIHAELA BURLAC (Sts. Joachim and Anna Church, Seattle WA)
4) SOUTHERN USA
GROUP B
1st PLACE:
HARRY ANDRES ORTIZ-PAŞNICU (St. John Cassian Church, San Antonio TX)
ALEXANDRU CHIRA (St. John Cassian Church, San Antonio TX)
2nd PLACE:
ELENA GRACE SCULL (St. John Cassian Church, San Antonio TX)
LASZLO ALEXANDER BARTOS (St. John Cassian Church, San Antonio TX)
3rd PLACE:
LUCA PÎRVULESCU (Holy Protection of the Mother of God Church, Houston TX)
GROUP C
1st PLACE:
ANA MARIA ARON (St. John Cassian Church, San Antonio TX)
2nd PLACE:
ANDREA ARON (St. John Cassian Church, San Antonio TX)
3rd PLACE:
IARINA TEODORA STOIAN (St. John Cassian Church, San Antonio TX)
ZIAN PÎRVULESCU (Holy Protection of the Mother of God Church, Houston TX)
Students placing 1st at the Metropolitan stage receive free participation at our Metropolia’s Summer Camp (2025) in Allegan, MI (transportation not included).
May our loving and merciful Lord bless everyone: students, parents, teachers, and organizers, a hundredfold for sacrificing their personal time, the hard work and the efforts they made!
