For 2012, the Cathedral’s sixty-sixth Slava festivities actually took part on St. Steven’s feast day, as October 7th fell on a Sunday this year.  Additionally, this year marks the sixtieth anniversary of the Consecration of the “Cathedral of the Pacific” by a gathering of hierarchs and clergy that included Saint Nikolai (Velimirovic) of Zicha, Ochrid and America.  At the conclusion of the liturgy, the clergy – V. Rev. Stavrophor Nicholas Ceko, Dean; V. Rev. Stavrophor Ilija Daikovich and Rev. Norman Kosanovich – led a procession around the Cathedral that included a memorial service for departed clergy, members and supporters of this parish and concluded with the blessing of the Slavski Kolach at the entry.  Joining in the blessing of the Kolach were the Kumovi for this year: George & Linda Salata, Nicole Pecel, and Symeon Stefan.  The celebration continued in the social hall with a delicious banquet, video highlights from the Consecration festivities in 1952, the presentation of icons of St. Steven to the Kumovi, and the awarding of Mrvichin Scholarships to new college students Maria Ceko and Ivana Tasic.  This year’s guest speaker was Hieromonk Gerasim, who currently serves at Holy Virgin Mary O.C.A. Cathedral in Los Angeles and is the former Abbot of our St. Herman’s Monastery in Platina, CA.  Speaking on the sixtieth anniversary of the Consecration of the “Cathedral of the Pacific,” Fr. Gerasim highlighted how elements in the architectural design of St. Steven’s Cathedral here in Alhambra were shaped by churches and monasteries throughout the Serbian lands, themselves shaped by the historical decision of St. Steven’s father, Stefan Nemanja (St. Simeon the Myrrh-flowing), to follow the Eastern (Orthodox) Church in the wake of the Great Schism in 1054 AD.  Fr. Gerasim’s presentation enlightened even some of those who have been here since before there were buildings on this campus, but everyone in attendance shared in adding this day to the other blessed Cathedral Slava celebrations in their memory!