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A historic and deeply meaningful moment for the Hellenic and Orthodox Christian community unfolded in San Francisco this spring, as Greece’s elite Presidential Guard—the Evzones—made their first-ever appearance in the city. The visit was made possible by the Dean Spanos family, Alexis Spanos Ruhl family, and the Michael Spanos family, whose role as the anchor donor enabled an occasion that brought together Orthodox parishes and the broader Hellenic community, culminating in a meaningful Greek Independence Day parade on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
The event was hosted by the United Hellenic American Societies (UHAS) and drew thousands of attendees from across Northern California. UHAS worked in coordination with the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco, and in particular with His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco, to engage local parishes. The Spanos family’s foundational sponsorship helped launch the initiative and provided the momentum for additionaldonations from the broader Greek-American community. Additional major donors included Angelo Tsakopoulos and Steve Doukas.
Distinguished dignitaries in attendance included California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis and the Consul General of Greece in San Francisco, Grigorios Tassiopoulos, reflecting the broad civic and cultural resonance of the visit.
Throughout their stay, the Evzones connected deeply with the Greek American and Orthodox community through a series of educational presentations held across Northern California. Beginning with the San Francisco Metropolis at the Annunciation Cathedral in San Francisco and continuing to several parish communities in Sacramento, Belmont, and San Jose, these sessions were offered free of charge and welcomed more than 1,200 children and community members.
This parish-centered engagement unfolded over several days and reflected a deliberate effort to reach Orthodox faithful across the region. On Wednesday evening, April 15, the Evzones were welcomed by Metropolitan Gerasimos at the Annunciation Cathedral in San Francisco, where more than 300 attendees—primarily children, young adults, and families—gathered. On Thursday evening, April 16, the Evzones held a second educational session for the Annunciation parish in Sacramento, again drawing a crowd of over 300.
On Friday evening, April 17, the Evzones traveled to Belmont, California, where they presented to the parish of Holy Cross, and on the following morning, Saturday, April 18, they visited the parish community of St. Nicholas in San Jose. At each of these sessions the Evzones engaged directly with attending children and youth.
“Through their direct engagement with our children and youth, the Evzones shared their training and personal experiences, offering a vivid understanding of what it means to become—and to serve—as an Evzone,” said TasoZografos, President of UHAS.
On Sunday morning, April 19, the Evzones took part in the Divine Liturgy at the Annunciation Cathedral. Later that day, they processed through the streets surrounding Union Square as part of the historic parade, which culminated in a ceremonial raising of the Greek flag in tribute to the heroes of the 1821 Greek War of Independence.
The San Francisco celebrations marked an important West Coast milestone for the Evzones, whose appearances in New York City, Philadelphia, and Chicago have drawn significant participation from Orthodox and Hellenic communities across the United States. In New York City this year, the Evzones visited the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center—another landmark project for which the Spanos family served as an influential anchor donor.
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