Beloved Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
 
Christ is Risen!  Χριστός Ἀνέστη!
 
Throughout human history there are periods marked by violence, destruction, and the loss of life. One of these is the Pontian Greek Genocide – the systematic killing of the Christian Ottoman Greek population carried out in Anatolia during World War I and its aftermath. Nearly three quarters of a million people lost their lives needlessly.

The Greek Parliament has designated May 19 as a day to commemorate the Pontian Greek Genocide. It is a day of remembrance, prayer and reflection. It is a day of standing for life, and for the rights of all human beings to live in freedom, to determine their own destiny, and to maintain their faith and their culture.

Please remember our Pontian Greek brothers and sisters in prayer this Sunday, May 17 by offering a Trisagion service at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. By remembering them, we honor not only them, but also ourselves, who are heirs to their faith, their determination, and their courage.

May the Risen Christ come into the hearts and minds of all people, and especially those who govern, that the paralysis of human prejudice and fear of those who are different from us may give way to acceptance and, ultimately, to the love of one another.

With Love in Risen Lord,
+ G E R A S I M O S
Metropolitan of San Francisco