ATLANTA—The Orthodox-Catholic Ecumenical Gathering, to be held Monday, Dec. 7, will have a focus of prayers for Christians persecuted in the Middle East. The service begins at 7 p.m. at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation, 2500 Clairmont Road, NE, Atlanta.

Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory and His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta will be the officiants.

The keynote speaker is Bishop Sevastianos of Zela, chief secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

Bishop Sevastianos was born in Cyprus and graduated from the Theological School of the University of Athens, Greece. He was ordained a priest in 1978 in England. Father Sevastianos continued his education while serving in the clergy. With a scholarship from the World Council of Churches, he studied at the Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur from which he received a master of theology in pastoral psychology.

As a priest, he served churches in Birmingham and Huntsville, Alabama, before returning to Cyprus and the Cathedral of Panayia Catholike in Limassol.

After serving at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church in Marietta, and St. Nicholas Cathedral in Tarpon Springs, Florida, Father Sevastianos was appointed chief secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. As secretary, he was actively involved in the administration of the American church in general, and the archdiocese in particular. He assisted in the development of resources for training parish councils, and on the legal committee of the archdiocese.

In December 2011, Father Sevastianos was elected Bishop of Zela and was consecrated to the Episcopacy by Archbishop Demetrios of America.

A reception will follow the prayer gathering.