wfn.org | [GOAA] Metropolitan Anthony of San Francisco Laid to Rest

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GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
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Email: communications@goarch.org

For Immediate Release
December 30, 2004

Contact:  Marissa P. Costidis
Tel.: 212.570.3588
Cell: 732.522.1637

METROPOLITAN ANTHONY OF SAN FRANCISCO LAID TO REST

San Francisco - Metropolitan Anthony of San Francisco was laid to rest
yesterday, after a moving Funeral Service at the Ascension Cathedral of
Oakland, Calif., which was attended by faithful and clergy from across the
country and around the world.

The faithful from the Metropolis were offered a number of opportunities to
pay their respects to their spiritual father, beginning with a Divine
Liturgy on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2004 at the Bishop Anthony Chapel of the
Annunciation Cathedral in San Francisco. In the evening, His Eminence
Archbishop Demetrios of America presided over a Trisagion (Prayer) Service
in the Chapel.	Offering remarks following the Trisagion were Archon
Theofanis Economidis, vice-president of the Metropolis Council of San
Francisco; Rev. Theodore Dorrance, president of the Metropolis Clergy
Syndesmos; His Grace Bishop Anthimos of Olympos; Consul General of Greece
in San Francisco, Dimitrios Touloupas; Honorary Consul General of Cyprus in
San Francisco, Nicholas Theophanous; His Eminence Metropolitan Sotirios of
Toronto, representing Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop
Demetrios.

Wednesday morning began with the Divine Liturgy presided over by His
Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago, the senior Metropolitan of the
Holy Eparchial Synod of the Archdiocese of America, assisted by five
priests from the Metropolis of San Francisco.

More than 1,500 faithful attended the Funeral Service, which began at
11:00am, and was presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of
America.  Metropolitan Sotirios of Toronto represented the Ecumenical
Patriarch.  Also participating in the service were Metropolitans Iakovos of
Chicago, Isaiah of Denver, Alexios of Atlanta, Nicholas of Detroit,
Tarasios of Buenos Aires, Bishops Anthimos of Olympos, Savas of Troas, and
Gerasimos of Krateia.  In addition over one hundred priests from across the
country took part in the service. Choir members from the Metropolis sang
during the Divine Liturgy and the Funeral Service that followed.  The youth
of the Metropolis, whom Metropolitan Anthony particularly loved and guided
over the years, were dressed in traditional Greek costumes and stood as
honor guards in the central aisle and by the casket of their spiritual
father. The laity of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America were
represented by Mr. Michael Jaharis, vice-chairman of the Archdiocesan
Council and Mrs. Georgia Skeadas, president of the National Philoptochos.

At the conclusion of the funeral service, condolences for and personal
memories of the departed Metropolitan were offered by Rev. John Bakas, dean
of St. Sophia Cathedral in Los Angeles; Rev. Stephen Kyriacou, dean of the
Annunciation Cathedral in San Francisco; Bishop John C. Wester,
representing the Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Francisco William Levada;
William Swing, Episcopalian Bishop of San Francisco, and Metropolitan
Anthimos of Olympos.  Metropolitan Sotirios of Toronto conveyed words of
comfort on behalf of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and
shared with the congregation thoughts, impressions and memories related to
the deceased hierarch.

The Eulogy was delivered by Archbishop Demetrios, who started by expressing
the gratitude of the Church to the clergy and laity, the doctors, nurses
and medical personnel, who assisted Metropolitan Anthony in various ways,
during the difficult time of the final weeks of his life at the hospital in
Sacramento, Calif.

Then, the Archbishop highlighted three specific aspects of the legacy that
Metropolitan Anthony leaves behind, the legacy of faith as a power to build
and to plant (Jeremiah 1:9-10), the legacy of faith as freedom, liberation
and independence (Galatians 5:13) and the legacy of faith as joy (John
16:11).

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