On Monday, November 13, 2023, on the feast day of St. John Chrysostom, the Baptism of Joseph Hamalis, son of Andreas Hamalis and Helen Hye-Won Cho, took place at the chapel of St. Maximos the Greek of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas.
The Baptismal Divine Liturgy was presided over by Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea and Exarch of Japan with co-celebrants Rev. Fr. Roman Kavchak and Rev. Fr. Anthony Lim. The infant was named Joseph in honor of Saint Joseph the Hesychast.
In his sermon, the Metropolitan referred to the rhetorical prowess of St. John Chrysostom, but also to the richness of his writings, and especially his unsurpassed hermeneutical work on the Bible.
It was a moving moment when the infant participated for the first time in the communion of the holy Body and Blood of Christ.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Metropolitan presented the newly illumined with a golden cross – an heirloom from the personal collection of the blessed Metropolitan of Pisidia Soterios, formerly of Korea, and the faithful expressed their wishes and congratulations to the Godmother Philothei Kim and the parents of the child.