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2013 SESSION

13101487D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 708
Offered January 10, 2013
Celebrating the life of the Reverend Dr. Constantine Nicholas Dombalis.
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Patron-- Loupassi
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WHEREAS, the Reverend Dr. Constantine Nicholas Dombalis, a beloved spiritual leader to the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Richmond who shared a message of faith and service with the larger world community, died on November 16, 2012; and

WHEREAS, a native of Norfolk, Constantine Dombalis grew up in Raleigh and first attended Wake Forest University with the intent to study pre-law before he felt a greater call that led to his enrollment at Hellenic College; and

WHEREAS, Constantine Dombalis furthered his education at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church before returning to Virginia in 1954 to serve as pastor of Saints Constantine and Helen in Richmond; and

WHEREAS, three years after his arrival, the Saints Constantine and Helen Church was destroyed by a fire; Father Dombalis oversaw the building of a new church on Malvern Avenue where parishioners continue to worship today; and

WHEREAS, over the course of Father Dombalis’ tenure, which spanned more than four decades, Saints Constantine and Helen Church grew from 85 families to over 700 and became a cathedral with the influential leader as its dean; and

WHEREAS, Father Dombalis helped Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral share its Greek Orthodox faith and rich cultural and culinary heritage with the people of Central Virginia through the Greek Festival, which annually draws tens of thousands of people; and

WHEREAS, Father Dombalis inspired and comforted parishioners with his thoughtful and timely homilies, while building friendships in the community that spanned social, racial, political, and theological divides; and

WHEREAS, Father Dombalis, whose involvement in community affairs was based on his firm belief in the power of education, the importance of community service, and the presence of God in all of life’s trials, encouraged individuals from all walks of life to work together; and

WHEREAS, Father Dombalis’ commitment to the importance and value of all individuals led to his service on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, as ambassador representative to the United Nations, and through appointment to the United States Commission on Civil Rights in 1983; and

WHEREAS, Father Dombalis also served as Archdiocesan Vicar of the 12 Greek Orthodox churches in Virginia prior to his retirement from Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral in 1996; and

WHEREAS, a remarkable man, Father Dombalis’ legacy resides in the hearts of those who felt his love, gained strength from his words, and benefited from his compassionate actions; and

WHEREAS, Constantine Dombalis will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 57 years, Mary; children, Nicholas and Christopher, and their families; numerous other family members and friends; and former parishioners; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of a beloved and respected spiritual leader, the Reverend Dr. Constantine Nicholas Dombalis; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of the Reverend Dr. Constantine Nicholas Dombalis as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.