Greek American Heritage Society of Philadelphia

08/20/2026

We mourn the passing of Peter C. Bandy, who died on August 14, 2026, at the age of 102. A World War II B-17 waist gunner, decorated veteran, entrepreneur, devoted family man, and longtime member of the Philadelphia-area Greek Orthodox community, Mr. Bandy leaves an extraordinary legacy of faith, service, and perseverance.

We had the distinct honor of interviewing Mr. Bandy several years ago. His story, in his own words, remains preserved in our Interview Series library. Learn more about his remarkable life here:

At 91, he can still recall key details encompassing the moments of his WW II service. “The sky is unmerciful, I don’t know how they missed us” recalls Bandy, as bombs exploded all around him. At the age of 18, Peter C. Bandy of Philadelphia was drafted into WW II. Less than a year later, […]

08/18/2026

✈️🇬🇷 She flew planes, built businesses, and broke barriers before it was cool to do so.

This month, we honor and celebrate our founder, Mary Creticos! 💙🤍

From training as a WASP pilot to becoming Bucks County's first female Real Estate Broker, Mary never played small. She sewed dresses for Philly's high society in the 1940s, road tripped around the Mediterranean, then rode a motorcycle all the way to Alaska and Mexico. Talk about living life on your own terms.

Her love of flying led her to buy her own farm just to build a private airstrip. That same land later became the seed money that helped launch the Greek American Heritage Society of Philadelphia.

Mary's roots run deep. Her father helped found the first Greek Orthodox Church in Philadelphia, and her own Greek school days shaped the values she carried her whole life.

Thank you, Mary. Your vision is our foundation 🙏🏼✨

08/16/2026

Interested in learning more about the history of Greeks in the world? Any student registered at an Ontario university can apply to take the course “Greeks in the World. A History of Greek Migration and Diaspora in the 20th Century” at York University this fall. The history of the Greek diaspora to North America, Australia and Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries, is taught by Prof. Sakis Gekas, HHF Chair of Modern Greek History. To learn more about AP/HIST 3356 3.00: Greeks in the World. A History of Greek Migration and Diaspora in the 20th Century:

https://futurestudents.yorku.ca/requirements/visiting

08/16/2026

St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Philadelphia is accepting applications for an Office Administrator position with weekday hours.

08/03/2026

AHEPA marked America’s 250th anniversary in Philadelphia and honored Dr. Elias Iliadis for his healthcare work and Greek-American community service.

07/25/2026

"Find your people. Those are your people, your instant friends."
That's the advice Moorestown pharmacist Kathy Iliadis gave her three kids before they left for college. It's advice that grew out of her own Greek-American upbringing in Kearny, NJ, and decades of staying rooted in parish life ever since.
She met her husband in a Rutgers Modern Greek class, raised a family across four states while never losing touch with their Orthodox faith, and still reflects on what it really means to be Greek-American. Kathy's story is a reminder of how community gets built, one generation at a time.

The Moorestown pharmacist spoke with Cosmos Philly about her Greek-American upbringing, her work during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, and helping younger generations find their place in the community. When Kathy Iliadis sent each of her three children to college, her advice was direct: find the Gree...

07/24/2026

Nolan and Wyeth worked in different media and for different audiences, but each had to decide which parts of Homer’s world to show and what kind of Odysseus viewers would encounter.

For Greek Americans in the Philadelphia region, the film offers a timely reason to revisit a work central to Greek literary and cultural history. Wyeth provides a local connection: an important American illustrated interpretation of The Odyssey was created in the Brandywine Valley and later found a home in a Philadelphia collection.

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has a Philadelphia connection through N.C. Wyeth’s paintings, a rediscovered canvas and his Chadds Ford studio.

07/21/2026

President of the Greek American Heritage Society of Philadelphia Dr. Elias Iliadis will be honored this week at the AHEPA National Supreme Convention, hosted in Philadelphia, for his leadership in preserving Greek-American heritage, advancing education, and serving the community.

AHEPA will honor Elias Iliadis near Independence Hall and Army veterans Carl Hollister and Nicholas Vamvakias aboard the Battleship New Jersey.