Ilias I. Katsos was honored with the Panagiotis Sekeris Award at the 74th National Convention of the Pan Arcadian Federation of America’s Banquet

New York, Saturday 17 November 2018. Celebrating the Pan Arcadian Federation of America 74th National Convention, Ilias I. Katsos was awarded the Panayiotis Sekeris award and Stavros Demos was awarded the Theodore Kolokotronis award.The event took place at Terrace On The Park.Billy Chrissochos' old Phoenix Reign Bandmate Kostas Psarros perform with the Gregoris Maninakis and the Microkosmos Orchestra. 

Panagiotis Sekeris (1783 – 1846) was a merchant and a leading member of Filiki Eteria /Society of Friends, a secret organization founded in 1814 in Odessa, to overthrow the Ottoman occupation of Hellas. He was one of the most fascinating figures in modern Hellenic history although known by few, mainly because his identity in the Society’s hierarchy was kept secret as with all its leaders. Born in Tripolitsa he was the son of the merchant Dimitrios Sekeris. At the age of 15, he witnessed his father’s murder, which forced him to leave Tripoli and flee to Spetses. There, he stayed with his uncle and worked as an apprentice at his merchant business. Shortly afterwards, he went to Constantinople, where he soon became a wealthy merchant with a fleet of 15 ships, and also established branches of his business in Odessa and Moscow. 

Sekeris was initiated into the Filiki Eteria in 1818, in Constantinople by one of the three founders. His initiation was crucial to the Society because, through him the Filiki Eteria entered the circles of Constantinople merchants, who supported the economy, while his influence and abilities facilitated the expansion of Society’s network. Moreover, he initiated several merchants and ship captains from the Aegean and Ionian Sea himself. He became one of the 16 leaders that formed the “Invisible Authority" (later called the Invisible Authority of the 12 Apostles) , and the Society’s treasurer. 

Panagiotis with the death of Skoufas and the departure of Anagnostopoulos and Xanthos (the three founders of the Society) from Constantinople in February 1819, became the only head of the Society. All the allegiance letters and the contributions of new members were addressed to him. He also had to meet the economic demands of the prominent members and inform the dispersed leaders. 

To meet the growing financial needs he was forced to use not only his prestige but mainly his personal fortune. In 1820, having spent most of his fortune, he had to take loans from merchants in Constantinople for the current expenses of the Society. 

That resulted in the bankruptcy of his company. When the Greek Revolution broke out and which he directly helped start as the head of the Filiki Eteria he was forced to leave Constantinople and he went to Odessa, leaving behind his entire estate, which value exceeded one million kuruş. Although known by few today he was one of the most important men in Hellas’ modern history and without the Filiki Eteria and him the revolution would never have started when it did. They and he pulled the “Invisible” trigger.