DIOCESE OF SAN FRANCISCO AND WESTERN AMERICA: January 18, 2007
News from the Diocese of San Francisco and Western America

A new monastic community, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, has been established in Mexico as part of the diocese under His Eminency Archbishop Kyrill. Its brethren conduct the full cycle of divine services daily. Hieromonk Nektary, ordained to that rank by His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, is the skete's superior.

Hieromonk Nektary holds a doctorate degree in history, and besides his monastic and priestly vocation, teaches history, art history, Church history and linguistics at the Ibero Americana University in Mexico City. The Holy Trinity Skete will be the first Orthodox church in Mexico City to hold Nativity and all other services according to the traditional Orthodox calendar. The Skete's address is Rio Danubio 42. Tel: (52) 55 5208 89 45.

On January 20, with the blessing of the Ruling Bishop, the clergy and parishioners of the churches of San Francisco and Western America will participate in a "Pro-Life Walk."

The new DVD (in English), "The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts", that premiered on the first day of the Western American Diocese Pastoral Conference in Sacramento, California, in November, is now available for purchase. This film, prepared by the Diocesan Service Rubrics Department and a professional studio, will serve as a liturgical aid for clergy, servers, choir directors, readers and chanters in preparing and celebrating the Presanctified Liturgy.

The explanation of the order of the Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts is presented by the Dean of the Pacific Deanery, Protopriest Alexei Kotar (in front of St John's relics in the San Francisco Cathedral).

In between his explanations footage of the Presanctified Liturgy is shown. This enables the viewer to visually and in a very clear way, grasp why and how things are done at the Presanctified Liturgy.

This is the first DVD in a series of planned instructional liturgical videos.

DVD price: $25.00. Orders of 5 or more – $15.00.

To purchase the DVD please contact the Diocesan office.

Western American Diocese
ATTN: Archpriest Serge Kotar
598 15th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 751-4623