Passing of the Baton...
Bishop
Gerasimos enthroned as new Metropolitan of San Francisco Metropolis
His
Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos was enthroned as Metropolitan of San
Francisco during a solemn ceremony at the Annunciation Cathedral in
Oakland, California on Saturday, April 2, 2005. His Eminence Archbishop
Demetrios, Archbishop of America and Exarch of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate, presided over the ceremony which was attended by more than
1500 faithful and clergy from the Metropolis and from across the country.
As quoted by Bishop Anthimos…”This
is the passing of the Baton from our beloved Metropolitan Anthony of late
memory to our newly enthroned Metropolitan Gerasimos.”
After the ceremony, a delicious lunch
was served in the Cathedral Cultural Center. His Eminence Metropolitan
Gerasimos, a very energetic and learned man, spoke eloquently on the topic
of the family.
“People in the 21st century are
yearning to connect with the spiritual reality of the Church and the
wisdom the Church has to offer about living a life in abundance. We must
be prepared to effectively reach out our hand to them. This Metropolis has
experienced, under the leadership of Metropolitan Anthony ,a surge of
expressions that seek to address these needs in various ways. Continuing
in this spirit of progress, the Metropolis will begin an initiative
directed towards meeting the needs of the family—the foundation of our
home and ourselves. This initiative will provide the Metropolis with a
framework for responding to the challenges affecting our children, our
young adults, our families, and the elderly, endeavoring to bring together
the wisdom of our Faith and modern insights.”
“Now, I stand before you, called to
serve you, my beloved people of this Metropolis, as your shepherd,
following in the footsteps of your much loved spiritual Father and Bishop
for many years, my respected friend and co-worker, Metropolitan Anthony of
blessed memory.”
We welcome His Eminence with open arms to the
Metropolis of San Francisco. May we, as Philoptochos women, continue to
make great progress in our philanthropic efforts with the help of our
newly elected Metropolitan Gerasimos. Axios!
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