HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE FOR HIS EMINENCE METROPOLITAN GERASIMOS

April 10, 2008

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE FOR METROPOLITAN GERASIMOS

Click here to download Metropolitan Gerasimos' schedule

His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco will be traveling to Las Vegas, NV, Central California, and the San Francisco Bay Area to celebrate Holy Week Services.

Metropolitan Gerasimos will begin the weeklong trip at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Las Vegas, NV where he will celebrate the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy for Palm Sunday in the morning, and the Nymphios/Bridegroom Service that same evening.

He will travel to the greater Sacramento area where he will begin a three-day visit to the area parishes.  The Nymphios/Bridegroom service on Holy Monday will be at St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church in Roseville, CA, and the same service will be prayed on Holy Tuesday at St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church in Elk Grove, CA.  Metropolitan Gerasimos will lead the Service of Holy Thursday Matins at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Sacramento, CA on Holy Wednesday evening.

The community of St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church in Stockton, CA will welcome Metropolitan Gerasimos for Vespers and Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great on Holy Thursday morning.  That same evening, he will lead the faithful in the solemn service of the Holy Passion of Our Lord at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Modesto, CA.

Metropolitan Gerasimos will return to the Bay Area for the remainder of the Holy Week services.  He will participate in the service of Apokathelosis, the Taking Down of Christ from the Cross, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in San Francisco, CA on Holy Friday afternoon.  The service of the Epitaphios and Lamentations on Great and Holy Friday Evening will be at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension in Oakland, CA.

Holy Saturday Morning, the service of the First Resurrection, will be held at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Resurrection in Castro Valley, CA.  Metropolitan Gerasimos will celebrate the Paschal Vigil and the Divine Liturgy at the Metropolis Cathedral of the Annunciation in San Francisco, CA.  On Holy Pascha, the Agape Vespers will be celebrated at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross in Belmont, CA.

Assisting Metropolitan Gerasimos during various times throughout Holy Week will be: Sotirios Vlavianos, Pete Sotiras and Christos Kanakis.  Vlavianos was born in Greece and has studied Theology at the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki and at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA, with a focus on pastoral theology and patristics.  He is currently pursuing a Juris Doctor degree from the Aristotelian University in Thessaloniki. Vlavianos also holds a Diploma in Byzantine Music and has participated in many international Orthodox youth activities, theological conferences and camps.  Sotiras grew up in Marin County, just north of San Francisco.  He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from UC Berkeley.  Following graduation, he attended Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology where he graduated with a Master of Divinity degree in 2005.  Since that time, Sotiras has been serving as the Director of Youth and Family Ministries for the Metropolis of San Francisco.  Christos Kanakis is a native of the San Francisco area and is currently in his second year at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.  He will complete his Master of Divinity degree in May 2009.  Kanakis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Francisco State University in Philosophy and Religion.