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Autobiography of Father Anthony Kosturos
Chapter 11
Marriage and Ordination
The time had now arrived to proceed to become a priest of our Orthodox Church. Since I was to be a married priest, according to custom that
was the first order of business. Arrangements were made, after consulting Bishop Cavadas when he would be free to conduct the Sacrament of
Marriage, that Mary and I be married in the Holy Trinity Church of Lowell, Massachusetts, where she had grown up. It is coincidental, yet
interesting, that the marriage was to take place in the Holy Trinity Church. Who knew at the time that I would be serving Holy Trinity in
San Francisco? The date was set: September 12, Sunday.
Bishop Cavadas had served at Holy Trinity in San Francisco in the middle twenties. He had baptized me there. It's nostalgic to look at
the parish records of baptisms and see your baptism recorded in the parish you now serve. Now, Mary and I had the privilege to be married
by the Bishop who baptized me in Holy Trinity of San Francisco, coupled now with the privilege of having the Sacrament conducted in Holy
Trinity of Lowell, Massachusetts. This was significant in another way too. My parents had never seen Bishop Cavadas since he left San
Francisco in the middle twenties. They were to see him now, after all these years, and I wondered if he would recognize them. The answer
to this question is readily answered. As soon as he saw them, he embraced them. What a poignant moment for my parents, and surely, for
him. He had served them a few years, had actually "checked" out my father as a suitable mate for my mother by behest of Uncle Peter.
Now, he was to marry their son, who was headed for the Priesthood.
The Marriage Service was peaceful and meaningful. Everything unfolded well. The reception was at a hall of the area, with a limited number
of invited present. Some of those present were Seminarians. It was now obvious that the next step would be my ordination to the Diaconate.
It should be noted that in keeping with Greek Orthodox tradition, you must marry first if you wish to become a Deacon and then a Priest.
You cannot marry after you are ordained. Ordination to the Diaconate was arranged for October 3 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Ordination
to the Priesthood was set for October 8 at the Seminary Chapel in Brookline, Massachusetts. What time? During Liturgy, which began at
6:00 in the morning. Again, the privilege of being ordained by Bishop Cavadas was accorded to me. To be ordained in the presence of all
the Seminarians was a special privilege. My heart was filled with memories of my years there, and my mind and heart were flooded with
inexpressible feelings of gratitude to our Lord for having called me and allowed me the gift of Priesthood. Its awesome nature brought
tears to my eyes.
From the moment of my ordination to the Priesthood, my wife was now known as Presvytera. This word comes from the word Presbyter
(a priest). It was a foregone conclusion, based on our Seminary training that the wife of a priest was not to be called publicly by
her first name. She was to be shown the special place she holds as a priest's wife and be referred to by her spouse and all parishioners
as the Presvytera. Bishop Cavadas had stressed the importance of our observing this custom so that parishioners would realize that she
shared the life of her spouse within the framework of the priestly mission of service. And it was her place to call me "Father" publicly,
so that all the parishioners would understand the sublime nature of my priesthood.
Parish Appointment and Journey to West
Presvytera and I were informed by Bishop Cavadas that Archbishop Athenagoras appointed me to serve as an Assistant Priest in Los Angeles.
While in Boston, my father purchased a Dodge car. We were to drive cross country. We bid Presvytera's family goodbye, a very emotional
scene, and we departed for my assignment to Los Angeles. October 25, 1948 we were crossing the mountains before reaching Salt Lake City,
Utah. As I drove around a bend, a car headed in the opposite direction was moving on our side of the two-lane highway. I swerved to avoid
it, and, suddenly, our car skidded, began to move into the other lane, headed for a downward direction, beyond the other lane. I turned the
wheel of the car to a void going down an embankment. The car turned upward toward the highway, but the car tipped over on its side, and we
were in the car looking up at the mountain, frightened but safe. I turned off the ignition to prevent a fire. Then each of us, one stepping
on the other to leave the car, stood on the highway with our car on its side. Another driver came along, stopped, and helped us upright the
auto. We thanked him sincerely, and we proceeded toward Salt Lake, with a large dent on one side of the car. Fortunately, no damage was done
to the engine of the car. You may imagine how grateful we were to our Lord for having been spared a serious accident or even death. More
than grateful, Presvytera was expecting our first son. The next day was the Feast of Saint Demetrius. We made sure we attended the Liturgy
at the Holy Trinity Church in Salt Lake City. How could we do otherwise, having just experienced a harrowing event which could have produced
tragic circumstances not just for us but also for the family of Presvytera, the first of four daughters to leave her home for the West.
Notice again, that the church in Salt Lake was named Holy Trinity.
Arrival in San Francisco
Our first stop in the Bay Area was my parents' home.
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