"I am so proud of you, Papou!"

Allow me to introduce myself: My name is Xenia Katerina Smith. I am almost five years old. I’d like to tell you about this wonderful day! My mommy, Matushka Kyra Smith, woke me up very early at 6:00 AM today, Sunday, April 1, 2012. At 7 o’clock we left our house and my daddy, Priest Matthew Smith, drove all of us to St. Mary of Egypt Church in Atlanta, Georgia for their parish feast day. When we got to church I lit my candle at my favorite spot: by the icon of the Baby Jesus and His Mommy, the Theotokos.

Then the Bishop came in and they put some special flowing clothes on him and everybody was praying. Wow! The choir sounded so beautiful!

My Papou (that’s Greek for Grandfather), Archpriest Stavros Rousos, was in his wheelchair. You see, he fell down about 1½ years ago and broke the bones in his right leg and hip. I am his special nurse at home! Today a man named George (we called him Goga) and our monk, Father Antonios, pushed him around so he could pray with Bishop George.

After the men put the Bishop’s fancy Church robes on him, another man was reading the hours, just like in our chapel. But then he stopped and Bishop George cut some hair from Cyprian’s head and made him read from the Bible. That made him (Cyprian Lawrence) a Reader for our chapel, my Baba (Matushka Deborah Rousos) told me.

Later all the priests came out in their Church robes and the Bishop called my Papou forward. He put a special golden hat on him. I am told it’s called a Miter. It is so beautiful and sparkly. Are those real diamonds, I wonder? I am told it was given to my Papou because he has worked hard for God all his life and now the Bishops want to give him this award. He is a priest a long, long time ‒ almost 35 years.

My little sister, Aemilia, was pretty good in Church. She is one year old.

Before Church ended, the Protodeacon prayed for my Papou and also for my daddy, because he was made a Priest exactly one year ago today! "Happy anniversary, daddy!"

When my Papou came to see me after church was over, my first words were: "I am so proud of you, Papou!"

Xenia Smith [with help from her Baba, Matushka Deborah]
Protection of the Mother of God & St. Nektarios of Aegina Russian Orthodox Chapel
Chattanooga, Tennessee