For the first time ever, the Greek flag flew in the Appellate Division, Second Department courthouse in Brooklyn Heights in a show of philotimo — the Greek word for “a love of honor.”
The appellate court honored the accomplishments of Greek judges and lawyers in its first-ever celebration of Hellenic Heritage Day, a holiday that is usually observed around Greece’s national independence day on March 25.
The two honorees of the ceremony described how the Greek concept of philotimo influenced them in their work as a judge and spiritual leader. In partnership with the Hellenic Lawyers Association, the court honored former Associate Justice Peter Skelos and Father Alexander Karloutos, the former vicar general of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
“Philotimo means being active in believing in something greater than yourself,” said Karloutos, adding later that “to be an American or to be Greek, it’s in many ways about the laws. It’s definitely the same way of thinking. It’s about philotimo-ism.”
The event included a lengthy interview of Karloutos by Second Department Associate Justice Helen Voutsinas, a Greek judge who helped organize the event. In addition to being one of the highest priests in the American Greek Orthodox church, Karloutos has long advocated for religious freedom and human rights, advising every U.S. president from Jimmy Carter to Joe Biden.
Voutsinas, addressing the audience, said that the court decided to honor the two men because lives and service embody the enduring Hellenic democratic ideals, which were born in ancient Greece. It brought together members of the judiciary and the greater Greek legal community including Court of Appeals Associate Justice Madeline Singas, the first Greek-American to serve on the state’s high court.
Skelos, who got choked up accepting the award, said that he owed part of his first judicial election to the campaign support from Karloutos and the Hellenic Lawyers Association.
“Philotimo was a cultural principle that guided the actions of those people. It guided their relationships with family, neighbors, colleagues, and most of all, it guided their actions with the community,” Skelos said. “Someday, I hope philotimo will return as a guiding principle of this great country.”
