San Francisco’s Holy Trinity Cathedral welcomes and honors Metropolitan Theodosius

- Sunday, June 23, 2002, marked the celebration of the “feast of the Church”, Pentecost, and the commemoration of the Holy Trinity at the oldest Orthodox community in the contiguous United States. His Grace, the Right Reverend Tikhon, Bishop of San Francisco, the clergy, and faithful were honored to welcome His Beatitude, Theodosius, Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada, to Holy Trinity Cathedral for the annual celebration of its parish feast.

His Beatitude, Metropolitan Theodosius, joined the faithful of Holy Trinity and other area parishes in celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of Bishop Tikhon’s consecration to the episcopacy. Bishop Tikhon’s seventieth birthday and the anniversary of his ordination to the Diaconate thirty years ago. On behalf of the Synod of Bishops, His Beatitude expressed his gratitude for Bishop Tikhon’s fifteen years of ministry during which the Diocese of the West experienced unprecedented parish growth and gave him a panagia and monastic belt. The parish presented Bishop Tikhon with an icon of the Theotokos “Rescuer of the Perishing” and his patron saints, Stephen the Protomartyr and Tikhon of Zadonsk.

Archpriest Victor Sokolov, Dean of the Cathedral, noted at the banquet on Saturday that His Beatitude’s visit to Holy Trinity Cathedral and the Diocese of the West gave the faithful a blessed opportunity to express warm love and gratitude to His Beatitude as he approaches his retirement as primate of the Orthodox Church in America. The parish presented gifts to His Beatitude the Metropolitan to mark its appreciation for his ministry to the Church. His Beatitude recalled his first visit to Holy Trinity Cathedral in 1968, the first of many. In 1993, Metropolitan Theodosius welcomed His Holiness, Patriarch Aleksy II of Moscow and All Russia at Holy Trinity Cathedral. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors designated Sunday, June 23 as “Metropolitan Theodosius Day” in recognition of His Beatitude’s “dedication to the Church and the community.”

The weekend’s celebrations were marked by a reception to welcome His Beatitude by Father Victor and Matushka Barbara Sokolov on Friday, June 21. On Saturday, June 22, the hierarchs concelebrated the Vigil of Pentecost along with ten priests. Hundreds of faithful from the Cathedral and area parishes filled the temple to capacity. On Sunday, June 23, the hierarchs served the Liturgy of Pentecost and the Kneeling Vespers, after which a prayer service to the Holy Trinity and a Procession around the Church were held.

His Beatitude marked the life-long dedication to the Church of Professor Olga Raevsky-Hughes by presenting her with the Order of St. Innocent. His Beatitude also presented the Order to Cathedral Choir Director, Reader Stephen (Robert) Parent. At the conclusion of the Sunday liturgy, His Grace Bishop Tikhon gave episcopal gramotas to Cathedral Subdeacon Peter Taibbi and to Mrs. Anne Kirueshkin, a member of the Cathedral Choir. His Beatitude presented the Scouting religious recognition, the Alpha-Omega Award, to Sea Scout Anna Sokolov, who is also a member of the Choir. Former Air Force Chaplain Archpriest Michael Margitich and his wife Eleonor were awarded orders of St. Innocent for their life-long distinguished service to the Church as they celebrate the golden anniversary of their wedding.

During the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, His Beatitude ordained Subdeacon Jeremiah Crawford of the Protection of the Holy Virgin Church, Santa Rosa, to the Holy Diaconate at the request of His Grace, Bishop Tikhon.Holy Trinity Cathedral, the oldest Orthodox community in the contiguous United States, established 1857, is the seat of Bishop Tikhon of San Francisco and the Diocese of the West, Orthodox Church in America. The Very Reverend Victor Sokolov has been Pastor of the Cathedral since 1991.