{{stub}}His Eminence Metropolitan '''Anthony (Gergiannakis)of San Francisco''' was the first [[bishop]] of the [[Diocese of San Francisco ]] of the [[GOARCH|Greek Orthodox Archdioceseof America]] of America after it was created in the general reorganization of the Archdiocese archdiocese in 1979. He Previously, he was previously the titular Bishop of Assimos, assigned to the Eighth Archdiocesan District in Denver, Colorado in 1978. At the general elevation of the bishops to [[metropolitan]]s, but before the [[diocese]]s were designated metropolises, he was designated Metropolitan of the Dardanelles and All Hellespont, and the presiding bishop of San Francisco. In 2002, coincident with the elevation re-designation of the dioceses to as metropolises, Metropolitan Anthony in 2002 he was designated the Metropolitan of San Francisco.

He Metropolitan Anthony was born on [[March 2]], 1935, in the village of Avgeniki on the island of Crete, the third of six children, and grew up during the German occupation of World War II. For his early education he attended the ecclesiastical school of Chania, Crete.He attended continued his education at the [[Theological School of Halki|Halki Theological School]] and in Turkey, graduating in 1960. While at Halki he was [[ordination|ordainordained]]ed a [[priestdeacon]] on [[July 27]], 1958.  On [[September 29]], 1960, he was ordained a [[priest]]. Emigrating After his ordination as a priest he emigrated to the United Statesof America. While serving as a [[parish]] priest, he earned a Master of Divinity degree from Yale University. He continued his studies for a doctorate at the University of Chicago and the University of Wisconsin.  In 1974, he was appointed Dean of St. George Cathedral in Montreal, Canada, where he served until his elevation to the episcopate. On [[May 21]], 1978, he was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] [[titular Bishop]] of Amissos. As Bishop of Amissos, Bp. Anthony served the Eighth Archdiocesan District in Denver, Colorado in 1979. On [[June 7]], 1979, he was [[enthronement|enthroned]] as the first bishop of the then newly created [[Diocese]] of San Francisco.Five Metr. Anthony was enthroned as the first bishop of the newly-created Diocese of San Francisco on [[June 7]], 1979. He served as the Bishop and later Metropolitan of San Francisco for over twenty-five years, overseeing the western states of California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii. At the general elevation of the bishops to [[metropolitan]]s, but before the [[diocese]]s were designated metropolises, he was elevated to the titular title of Metropolitan of the Dardanelles and All Hellespont, but remained the ruling Bishop of San Francisco. In 2002, after the re-designation of the dioceses to metropolises, Metropolitan Anthony was given the title of Metropolitan of San Francisco. During his tenure at San Francisco, Metr. Anthony led the expansion of ministries and programs of the diocese. His tenure saw the founding of over twenty new parishes and missions in the Metropolis of San Francisco, nearly one parish for each year of his ministry. In addition he saw the establishment of three monasteries. He initiated the establishment of St. Nicholas Ranch, the Greek Orthodox conference and retreat center located in the Sierra Nevada foothills. He was also the driving force behind the construction on the premises of St. Nicholas Ranch of the [[Monastery]] of the Theotokos the Life-Giving Spring. He initiated the Bishop Anthony Student Aid Endowment Fund, a multi-million dollar scholarship account that provides funding for seminarians and students from the Metropolis to attend Hellenic College and Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts. He also served as a member of the Holy Eparchial [[Synod]] of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.  Metr. Anthony passed away on [[December 25]], 2004 in San Francisco at the age of 69,five weeks after being diagnosed , in November, with Burkitts Lymphoma[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burkitt%27s_lymphoma]], he passed away on a rare form of cancer. ==Source==*[[December 25http://www.annunciation.org/met_anthony_obituary.html Metropolitan Anthony's Obituary]], 2004 in San Francisco at the age of 69.