December 11, 2006VOL. 44, NO. 22Oakland, CA

Symbolic step toward
Catholic-Orthodox unity

By Voice staff

To commemorate the historic meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Turkey on Nov. 29, Bay Area Catholic and Orthodox Christian leaders met for prayer at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in San Francisco the same evening.

San Francisco Archbishop George Niederauer and Oakland Bishop Allen Vigneron joined Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Gerasimos for the ecumenical service that included the blessing and dedication of an icon of "Madonna in Trono". Father Michael Pappas, pastor of Holy Trinity, and San Francisco’s Auxiliary Bishops John Wester and Ignatius Wang also participated in the service.

“We pray for peace in the whole world, the stability of God’s Holy Churches and for the unity of all,” said Father Pappas.

The Catholic bishops in unison prayed that the “fellowship and deliberations” between the pope and the patriarch would be “fruitful and to the benefit of our Holy Churches and all our faithful.”

It is believed to be the first time that an archbishop of San Francisco participated in a service with a metropolitan that was exclusive to the two faith communities. A metropolitan is equivalent to an archbishop in the Greek Orthodox Church.

Metropolitan Gerasimos, a native of Kalamata, Greece, was enthroned as head of the diocese of San Francisco on April 2, 2005. The diocese includes 57 parishes and eight missions.

The split between the Catholic and Orthodox churches occurred in 1054. When Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople embraced in Jerusalem in 1964, it was the first meeting between an Orthodox patriarch and a pope since the 15th century. The following year both Churches decided to lift the excommunications exchanged in 1054.

“It is on this foundation of mutual love that new relations between the churches of Rome and Constantinople have developed,” Pope Benedict said during his meeting with the patriarch in Istanbul.

Niko Misthos (left), George Angelopoulos (center) and Orestis Tzortzis hold candles during the prayer service.

Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox bishops pray together during the service. They are, from left, Bishop Ignatius Wang, Bishop John Wester, Bishop Allen Vigneron, Archbishop George Niederauer, Metropolitan Gerasimos, Bishop Anthimos, and Father Michael Pappas, pastor of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

Before the service, Bishop Vigneron talks with Bishop Anthimos, retired bishop of Olympos, Greece.

George Pappas (left) and George Angelopoulos lead the procession into the church.

Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Gerasimos blesses an icon of “Madonna in Trono” at the beginning of the ecumenical service at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in San Francisco, Nov. 29.

Bishop Vigneron greets Father James Adams, a retired priest of the Greek Orthodox Church. Looking on are Bishop Wester and Tom Karas, president of the Holy Trinity parish council.

LUIS GRIS PHOTOS

back to top

home