Elects

Published by The National Herald, February 25, 2005

Patriarchate Elects Bishop Gerasimos to Succeed Late Met. Anthony

BOSTON – The Holy & Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople elected Bishop Gerasimos of Krateia, Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Metropolitan of San Francisco on Tuesday, February 22.

Metropolitan-elect Gerasimos will succeed the late Metropolitan Anthony, who died on Christmas Day this past December 25 due to complications from and advanced form of lymphoma.

Metropolitan-Elect Gerasimos received eight out of the 12 votes from the members of the Holy & Sacred Synod. Bishop Savas of Troas, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, received four.

The following hierarchs comprised the Holy & Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate the last year: Chrysostomos of Ephesus, Photios of Heraclia, John of Nicea, Archbishop Timothy of Crete, Emilianos of Kos & Nisyros, Dionysios of Prousa, Archbishop Demetrios of America, Archbishop Gregory of Thyeateira & Great Britain, Eireneos of Myriophyton & Peristasis, Chrysostomos of Myra, Apostolos of Mochomissia and Theoliptos of Iconium.

Metropolitan-Elect Gerasimos garnered the majority of the votes during the meeting of the Eparchial Synod of America last Thursday, February 17, for the triprosopon (three-person ballot). Gerasimos received six votes, Bishop Savas four votes, and the Archimandrite Nicholas Graff two (the very Rev. Graff is pastor of St. John the Divine Church in Jacksonville, Florida).

Traditionally, and according to longstanding practice, the Patriarchate, which ultimately governs the Church in America, elects the candidate who receives the majority of the votes on the triprosopon. In this case, it was Bishop Gerasimos of Krateia (now Metroplitan-Elect of San Francisco).

The National Herald is informed that Archbishop Demetrios attempted to exert pressure on the Patriarchate, including Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew himself, to vote in favor of Savas, rather than Gerasimos.

The Patriarch evidently took an impartial stand. During his introductory remarks, he told the members of the Holy & Sacred Synod, over which he presides, to vote freely and according to their conscience.

During the election process, Archbishop Demetrios voted against the candidacy of Gerasimos. This particular synodal session was the last one in the tenure of Archbishop Demetrios as a member of the Holy & Sacred Synod, as he was called to serve as a member of that Synod for one year, the period of which has elapsed.

According to sources, at the beginning of the election, the Archbishop even tried to present the Holy & Sacred Synod with a different outcome with respect to the Eparchial Synod’s decision a few days before, insisting that Savas, and not Gerasimos, had received the most total votes on the triprosopon.

Sources said the Archbishop also presented recommendation letters written by members of the Archdiocesan Council indicating their preference for Bishop Savas.

The Herald has learned that members of the Archdiocesan Council, as well as a high-ranking employee of the Archdiocese, were contacting members of the Council, urging them to show their support for Bishop Savas, ostensibly because he was the preferred choice of Archbishop Demetrios for the Holy Metropolis of San Francisco.

Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Ephesus, as well as other members of the Holy & Sacred Synod, reacted strongly the Archbishop’s efforts, sources said, and told him that the synodal process of election is a "sacred one."
The Patriarch Bartholomew instructed the Holy & Sacred Synod to adhere to the canonical process and vote conscientiously, sources added.

Metropolitan-Elect Gerasimos declined to offer any comments to the National Herald because, at press time, he had not yet received the official announcement from the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

"I thank you very much for communicating with me, but I can not make any statement now because I have still not received any official notification from the Mother Church," he said.

Bishop Anthimos of Olympos, who worked with the late Metropolitan Anthony in the Diocese (now Metropolis) of San Francisco for nine years, told the Herald, "The Metropolis here has been inundated with telephone calls and all kinds of messages by many clergy and laity who have been informed of the election, and they are calling to express their joy and enthusiasm for the election of Bishop Gerasimos of Krateia as the new Metropolitan of San Francisco."

Presvytera Aliki Kyriakou, longtime secretary of the late Metropolitan Anthony, told the Herald, "Glory be to the Name of God. The Holy Spirit has spoken, and It has granted us our new Metropolitan. We will help him with all our strength."

Fanis Economides, Vice Chairman of the San Francisco Metropolis Council, told the Herald, "We are very pleased with the election of Bishop Gerasimos as Metropolitan of San Francisco. We remained neutral. We did not take the side of any candidate because we were hoping that the Church, through our hierarchs and the Archbishop, would abide by their obligations. Sure enough, the Holy Eparchial Synod, as well as the Holy & Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, is giving us a very good hierarch."

Mr. Economides also said, "I know our new Metropolitan very well, but I did not have the chance to work with him. I’ve known him for many years, however, and I know that he is an exceptional clergyman. Our faithful here in California are delighted with his election. I can assure you that everybody will embrace him with love and respect, as is fitting to his position and office."

Valerie Roumeliotis, President of the San Francisco Metropolis Philoptochos, told the Herald, "We are honored and very, very pleased with the Patriarch’s and the Synod’s decision. We are looking forward to embracing our new spiritual leader, and I know that Metropolitan Anthony is watching and listening, and I see a big smile on his face. We are all absolutely delighted with the choice. Now we need to get ready for the enthronement.

We will meet with our new leader, and then I think a decision on when the enthronement will take place will be made. Firstly, on March 2nd, we will be burying Metropolitan Anthony at the Life-Giving Spring Monastery of the Theotokos at St. Nicholas Ranch. After that, we will be focusing on our new leader and his enthronement, and we are looking forward to making it a spectacular event because the entire Metropolis is genuinely excited and absolutely delighted."

Mrs. Roumeliotis added, "I had the privilege in meeting him at Metropolitan Anthony’s funeral, and I found him to be very spiritual and highly spirited, and I think his dynamics are perfect. I think, if you will, he is a very good fit."

Dr. George Bebis, Professor Emeritus of Patristic Theology at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, also said he is happy with the Patriarchate’s decision: "I was very pleased, and I glorify God for the worthy elevation of our beloved Bishop Gerasimos of Krateia to the rank of Metropolitan of San Francisco. I know him as my student, and as a friend, and I do appreciate his humility, his immanent goodness and his devotion to the ministry of the Church."

Gerasimos road from Krateia to San Francisco was apparently not so smooth, however.

The Herald is informed that, during the Eparchial Synod’s proceedings last week, Archbishop Demetrios reportedly attempted to alter the triprosopon selection.

In his attempt to promote Bishop Savas of Troas, sources said, the Archbishop recommended that the Eparchial Synod not follow the official voting process, but to instead select the triprosopon by acclamation with only the three auxiliary Bishops (Savas of Troas, Gerasimos of Krateia and Andonios of Fasiane), and to completely disregard the remaining 35 candidates on the official list.

The members of the Eparchial Synod reacted strongly, sources said, and told the Archbishop that the synodal voting process should be adhered to for all the candidates.

The Archbishop was insistent, sources said, but the other members on the Eparchial Synod made it clear to him that "these things are not serious, nor canonical," and urged him "to proceed according to the correct and canonical ecclesiastical process and practice."

When Demetrios sensed that his proposal was not getting anywhere, sources said, he then attempted to change the general manner of the election. Members of the Eparchial Synod then told him that, "since you had in it mind to change the process, you should have informed us in advance," and again urged him to proceed with the customary canonical way which has been in practice at the Archdiocese for many years.

Archbishop Demetrios spent almost the entire afternoon and evening trying to convince the Eparchial Synod, using numerical and mathematical tactics, sources said, but the Eparchial Synod rejected the Archbishop’s efforts.

Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit raised the issue of possibly transferring an already existing Metropolitan to the vacant Metropolis of San Francisco, sources said. Metropolitan Nicholas told the Synod that "many congregants of his were asking him about the transferring, and if it was possible for him to be transferred," but the Archbishop told Nicholas that it would not be ecclesiastically correct.

Metropolitan-Elect Gerasimos has been serving as Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod since his elevation to the episcopacy, which took place at the Annunciation Cathedral in Boston on February 9, 2002.

He was born on August 2, 1945 in Kalamata, Greece where he completed his primary and secondary education. In September 1969, he matriculated to Hellenic College in Brookline, graduating with high distinction in 1973. He continued his studies at Holy Cross, earning his master’s in Divinity with high distinction in 1976. Following graduation, he was appointed Registrar of Hellenic College/Holy Cross, a post he held until 1979. On December 16, 1979 he was ordained to the Diaconate and appointed Archdeacon to His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos, formerly of North & South America, serving in this position until 1996.

From 1980 until May 1986, he was Director of Student Life at HC/HC. During this period, he helped develop the Orthodox Action Line, the telephone call-in ministry of the School. In September 1986, he pursued graduate studies at Boston College. Upon successfully completing his master’s degree, he was entered BC’s doctoral program, earning a Ph.D. in Education & Counseling Psychology in June 1993. His doctoral dissertation was a study of intellectual deficits populations with severe alcoholism.

Metropolitan-Elect Gerasimos taught at Hellenic College for a number of years, as well as at Northeastern University, where he holds the title of Senior Lecturer. He also served as a staff member at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Boston’s Department of Psychology (1991-1995).

In 1990, he was reappointed Director of Student Life at HC/HC, a post that he held until 1998, when he became Director of Admissions and Records. In 2000, he was named Administrative Assistant to the President of HC/HC, Rev. Father Nicholas Triantafilou.



Volume 7 Number 9 - Tuesday, March 1st, 2005	A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY