The Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension sits on Lincoln Avenue in the Oakland Hills, just below Highway 13, a modernist cathedral that has anchored the East Bay's Greek Orthodox community for more than a century. Chartered in 1917 as the Hellenic Community of Oakland and Vicinity, it is the oldest Greek Orthodox parish in the East Bay and was elevated to cathedral status in February 1992. Today, descendants of the founding families worship alongside newer members drawn from across the Bay Area, joined by Eritrean Orthodox faithful who have made the cathedral their spiritual home.
A Church Built on Pioneers' Faith
The story of Ascension Cathedral begins with Greek settlers who opened businesses in and around Oakland in the 1890s. Before 1905, those who wished to worship had to cross the bay by ferry to San Francisco or wait for an Orthodox priest to make the trip east. By 1914, Greek and Syrian-Lebanese families were already gathering for the Divine Liturgy in a rented Oakland hall with clergy ferried across from the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in San Francisco. Three years later, the Hellenic Community of Oakland and Vicinity was formally chartered by the State of California on February 16, 1917.
On May 21, 1921, Oakland's first Greek Orthodox church, dedicated to the Koimisis (the Dormition of the Mother of God), was blessed with more than 250 people in attendance. The downtown property and building were sold in 1960 to make way for the present complex, which was constructed in the Oakland Hills and dedicated to the Analypsis, the Ascension of the Savior. The current church building opened its doors on December 11, 1960. It is known for blending striking modern elements with traditional Byzantine design, and was built alongside an education building that continues to meet many of the religious and social needs of the community.
The original downtown church, slated for demolition in 1976 to make way for an interstate highway, was rescued by a small group of dedicated individuals. They secured its listing on both the U.S. National Register and the California State Register of Historical Landmarks and arranged for the California Transportation Commission to move the building for preservation. It still stands in its original form in Oakland. A new community center was completed in 1976, a Parking Pavilion in 2007, and a Koimisis Chapel remains a work in progress. Many current parishioners were born into the community and can trace parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents among its founders.
The Clergy and a New Chapter of Leadership
The cathedral is currently served by two priests. Rev. Fr. Nicholas Mueller, who has been assigned to the cathedral since October 1, 2019, assumed the responsibilities of presiding priest (proistamenos) on September 17, 2023, following an announcement by His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco. Fr. Nick grew up attending St. Anna Greek Orthodox Shrine in Roseville, California, earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing from UC Berkeley, and completed a Master of Divinity at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in December 2016 and to the Holy Priesthood on July 25, 2017, the Feast of St. Anna. Before coming to Oakland, he served at Taxiarchae/Archangels Greek Orthodox Church in Watertown, Massachusetts, while working at the Department of Religious Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese from 2015 to 2019. Fr. Nick and Presvytera Dena, who holds a Doctorate in English Literature and serves as executive director at the Berkeley Institute, have two children, Symeon and Elias. Fr. Nick is in the office Tuesday through Friday.
Rev. Fr. Thomas Zaferes has served the parish since 2009. A graduate of Hanover College with a composite major in political science and theology, he earned his Master of Divinity at Holy Cross and has previously served parishes in Northridge, California; Chattanooga, Tennessee; San Antonio, Texas; and Syracuse, New York. He has served on the board of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center and led a mission team to Ghana, and he currently serves on the Metropolis Council while chairing its Audit Committee. Fr. Tom and Presvytera Julie have four children and one grandchild. The cathedral also welcomed Nektarios Antoniou, formerly the lead chanter of the Archdiocesan Cathedral in New York, to serve as full-time chanter.
The Heartbeat of Worship: Divine Liturgy and the Sacraments
Sunday Divine Liturgy begins at 9:30 a.m., when the faithful gather to light candles, venerate the icons, and receive Holy Communion. The cathedral follows the Byzantine liturgical tradition, and the cathedral's own description of the Eucharist, Baptism, Chrismation, Confession, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Holy Unction reflects Orthodox teaching that these Mysteries are not merely rituals but encounters with God, means by which the Holy Spirit draws the faithful into the life of the Holy Trinity and into the process of deification, or theosis.
Confession is scheduled on Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. before Great Vespers, or by appointment with the priest. The cathedral teaches that the priest acts as a sacramental witness who represents both Christ and His people, viewing the penitent not as a judge but as a physician and guide. An extensive self-examination based on the Ten Commandments is offered online to help worshipers prepare.
Baptism at Ascension is normally offered to infants in keeping with the early Church's practice. Parents and godparents commit to raising the child in the Orthodox faith, and baptisms may not be performed from Christmas Day through the Feast of Theophany (December 25 through January 6), during Holy Week, or on any of the Great Feast Days of the Lord. The service lasts about 45 minutes, and godparents customarily bring the child to Holy Communion for three consecutive Sundays afterward to form a lifelong habit.
Marriage at Ascension is rooted in the theology that marriage is an eternal vocation of the kingdom, not a legal contract. Because the Orthodox marriage rite includes no vows, the couple is joined and crowned with Stefana, and they share a common cup reminiscent of the wedding at Cana. Three premarital counseling sessions are offered, the first typically over a meal with Fr. Nick. Weddings are usually celebrated on Saturdays or Sundays and may not be scheduled during major fasting periods, certain Great Feasts, or in May because the cathedral hosts its annual Greek Festival that month. The sacrament is celebrated only between a Christian bride and groom, and non-Orthodox spouses must demonstrate a commitment to raise future children in the Orthodox Church.
Unction and Visitation of the Sick is offered by request to those who are ill, hospitalized, or homebound. The sacrament uses olive oil blessed during a service that includes seven epistle readings, seven gospel readings, and seven prayers devoted to healing. Although the rite is often associated with Holy Wednesday, it is available throughout the year to anyone sick in body, mind, or spirit.
Funerals and Memorials at Ascension include the Trisagion, the Funeral Service, and Memorial services offered on the Sunday closest to the 40th day, the first anniversary, and annually thereafter. The cathedral notes that it does not condone cremation because of the Orthodox understanding of the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, and Memorial Services are not offered during the Saturday of Lazarus through the Sunday of St. Thomas or on any of the Great Feast Days. Cemetery plots are available at Oakmont Cemetery in Lafayette.
House and Business Blessings are offered annually following the Feast of Theophany on January 6, or upon moving into a new home, and may also be requested during times of hardship. New parents may invite the priest for prayers on the first and eighth days after birth, and a 40-Day Blessing brings the child, mother, father, and godparents-to-be into the church on the fortieth day.
Sunday School and the Young Life Path
Sunday School at Ascension runs from 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. following Holy Communion, with a brief snack in the gym before classes begin. The program is open year-round from newborns through high school seniors. Classes gather in grade-level groups in the Education Building. Parents and Tots (infants through age 2) meet in Room 201, while Preschool through Kindergarten children stay with parents if needed. Students in 1st through 8th grade use icons, stories of saints, and the life of Jesus to deepen their understanding of the Orthodox faith. High school students are invited to Orthodox Life sessions with Fr. Nick on the first Sunday of each month, designed to challenge them with Holy Bible study, knowledge of other Christian traditions, Church history, and contemporary social topics. The Sunday School program is led by Director Christina Yiannakopoulos and Co-Lead Mariela Kadow, supported by a team of volunteer teachers.
Ascension's Youth Council, established in 2021, organizes the broader Youth Life Path that follows each child from infancy through high school graduation. The Parea Groups, named for the Greek word meaning friendship and joyful camaraderie, meet monthly during the school year and connect young Orthodox Christians across all of the cathedral's youth ministries. The path includes Infant and Toddler Parea, Preschool Parea, Elementary HOPE and JOY, Middle School GOYA (ages 6 to 8), and High School GOYA (grades 9 to 12), along with Sunday School, Altar Boys, the Family Meal Ministry, Dance Ministry, Greek School, Summer Camp, OYAA Sports, Junior Choir, and Church Reading.
Altar Boys and the Junior Choir
Boys ages 8 and up are welcome to serve as Altar Boys, assisting the clergy in the Divine Services and learning about the liturgical life of the Church. The role is considered a sacred responsibility and a practical way to discern a possible call to ordained ministry. Acolytes wear button dress shirts tucked into black or brown slacks with black or brown dress shoes, and leave cellphones, toys, and other distractions at home. Senior high school Acolytes may read the Epistle, assist in reciting the Creed, and lead the Pre-Communion Prayers. Upon graduation from high school, consistent servers receive an anderi, a cassock that marks their years of service.
The Junior Choir, directed by Choral Music Director Laura Kakkis Serper, welcomes children in third grade and above to sing the communion hymn "Praise the Lord" each Sunday following the Creed. The full Ascension Choir and the Kairos Youth Choir join forces for the annual Christmas Concert and other special services throughout the year.
Greek Dance Ministry
One of the most distinctive programs at Ascension is its Greek Dance Ministry, which trains dancers from kindergarten through college and prepares them for the annual Greek Folk Dance Festival (FDF). Practices begin each August, and groups meet on Mondays at the cathedral. The Kindergarten group meets from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.; Koinonia (grades 1 to 3) from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.; Aionia (grades 4 to 6) from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.; Anagenisis (grades 7 to 9) from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.; and Titanes (grades 10 to 12 and first-year college) from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. An Adult Group meets on Fridays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Throughout the season, the program hosts fundraising events such as pie sales, outdoor movie nights, and appearances at the Castro Valley Fall Festival, St. Patrick's Day Festival in Dublin, and the San Ramon Art and Wind Festival.
Basketball, Summer Camp, and Greek School
The Basketball Ministry, open to boys and girls in third through twelfth grade, practices on Saturday mornings in the cathedral's gym and competes in the Orthodox Youth Athletic Association (OYAA) League. The season begins with practices in late August and the league runs from mid-September through early December. AG Konstantin serves as Co-Athletic Director.
Ascension Summer Camp is held each June at YMCA Camp Ravencliff in Redway, California, in southern Humboldt County. Campers ages 8 to 17 enjoy a week of archery, sports and games, crafts, nature hikes, swimming, canoeing, campfires, tie-dyeing, and an Orthodox Life program woven through the daily schedule. The 2026 dates are June 13 through June 21. Director Peter Anastopoulos and Assistant Director George Landis lead a staff that includes many former campers, with most program staff certified in CPR and First Aid. Campers travel together by bus, depart from the cathedral's upstairs conference room, and return eight days later. A parent informational orientation is held on Zoom before camp opens, and the program follows a strict cell-phone-free policy.
The Greek School offers language classes for children and adults through the academic year, taught under the direction of the cathedral's Greek School faculty. Classes begin each September and graduation is scheduled for early June. Specialized classes can be arranged for small groups interested in tailored instruction.
Adult Ministries: Bible Studies, Catechism, Book Club, and Club 55
Ascension offers a layered program of adult formation. Catechism, the prerequisite for adult reception into the Orthodox Church through Baptism or Chrismation, meets on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. via Zoom (except the first Tuesday of the month) and runs in fall and spring semesters. Required texts include The Orthodox Study Bible and one of several recommended prayer books. A second course, "The Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary," meets on Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the AHEPA Conference Room and follows a biography of the Theotokos by St. Maximos the Confessor, along with the icons and hymnography of the Theotokos feasts.
Bible Studies are offered in partnership with the Orthodox Christian Network (OCN), with course registration handled online through OCN. The Ascension Book Club, founded in 2018, meets monthly to discuss Orthodox spiritual works, with books available for purchase in the church bookstore. Past selections have included On the Incarnation by St. Athanasios the Great, Great Lent: Journey to Pascha by Fr. Alexander Schmemann, and Facing the World by Archbishop Anastasios of Albania.
Club 55 + Boomers is a social group for parishioners from the Baby Boomer and Depression-era generations. Members meet on the second Tuesday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Richmond Room for a catered lunch, fellowship, and conversation. Dues are $25 per year, and lunch is $20.
Philoptochos: Women's Philanthropy in Action
The Ladies Philoptochos Society of Ascension Cathedral, Chapter 4013 of Oakland, is the women's philanthropic society of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, dedicated to helping the poor, the hungry, the sick, the orphaned, and those affected by disasters. Locally, the chapter supports United Cerebral Palsy of the Golden Gate, Clausen House, IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities), the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute, Project Mexico, and Raphael House of San Francisco. At the Metropolis level it backs Kids 'n' Cancer Camp Agape, St. Nicholas Ranch, the Bishop Anthony Philoptochos Student Aid Endowment Fund (BAPSAEF), the Adopt-a-Student program, and the Emergency Relief Fund. On the national level, Philoptochos supports Vasilopita for Saint Basil Academy, Saint Photios Shrine, Orthodox Christian Mission Center, Hellenic College and Holy Cross, the Sisterhood of Saint Basil Academy, OCF (Orthodox Christian Fellowship), the Retired Clergy and Widowed Presvyteres Benevolent Fund, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the National Sisterhood of Presvyteres Benevolent Fund, and UNICEF.
The chapter publishes monthly Memorial Coffee Hours on the first Sunday of every month, runs a seasonal Philoptochos Kitchen offering Greek pastries, and hosts See's Candies fundraisers at Christmas and Easter. Maria Paris Delvizis serves as chapter president, supported by Vice Presidents Marie Banis and Eleni Frediani, Treasurer Ingrid Meniktas, secretaries Alexandra Manolis and Kristina Pappas, and Advisor Zoe Vlahiotis.
Meal Ministry: Reaching Out to Oakland's Homeless
The Meal Ministry invites parishioners of all ages, including K through 12 students, to prepare and distribute more than 100 bagged lunches for people experiencing homelessness in the greater Oakland area. Volunteers gather during coffee hour on the first Sunday of each month to assemble PB&J sandwiches, granola bars, fresh fruit, bottled water, and other essentials. Each meal costs about $1.50. The program partners with Mission for the Homeless, a nonprofit founded by Vincent Penizo, who picks up the lunches and delivers them to those in need on Oakland's streets. Maria Woods leads the ministry with Gene Bobroff.
The Oakland Greek Festival
Each May, the cathedral hosts the Oakland Greek Festival on its grounds. The multi-day festival features Greek food, music, dance, and culture for tens of thousands of visitors from across the Bay Area. Admission is $5 for adults, with weekend passes and two-day options available, and children 12 and under are free. The festival grounds are accessible by rideshare drop-off on Lincoln Avenue by the outdoor elevator next to the parking garage.
Worship Schedule and Practical Information
The cathedral's Sunday morning rhythm begins with Orthros and Divine Liturgy at 9:30 a.m., followed by Sunday School at 10:45 a.m. Confession is heard on Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. before Great Vespers or by appointment. The church office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed for lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., and can be reached at 510-531-3400. The mailing address is 4700 Lincoln Avenue, Oakland, California 94602. Online giving is available through Vanco, and stewardship contributions may be set up as automatic debits from a checking or savings account or processed via credit or debit card. Services are livestreamed on the Ascension Broadcasting Network's YouTube channel, with archives of past services available for later viewing.
The cathedral sits within the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco, under the pastoral care of His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos, and is part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. It welcomes worshipers and visitors from across the East Bay and beyond, whether lifelong Orthodox faithful, inquirers preparing for catechism, or neighbors drawn by the warmth of a community that has been keeping the Byzantine liturgical tradition alive on the hills above Oakland for more than a hundred years.