Fr. Gregory Hanson is Associate Priest at Holy Trinity Cathedral. He is a California native and has been a Bay Area resident since middle school. He was raised Evangelical Protestant and converted to Orthodoxy in 1998, during his last year at Fuller Theological Seminary. Prior to becoming Orthodox, Fr. Gregory was a Ministry Director for Youth for Christ. In 1990, he took a job at a software company, which became a 33-year career in tech sales and sales leadership.
During this time, Fr. Gregory served as a Reader and Subdeacon while discerning a call to the Holy Priesthood. After completing studies in the Diaconal Vocations Program of the Orthodox Church in America, he was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by His Eminence, Archbishop Benjamin, on December 15, 2024. Dn. Gregory was invited to enroll as a student in the Priesthood Formation Cohort of the Diocese of the West and St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, and on January 25, 2026, he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by His Grace, Bishop Vasily. In addition to his pastoral ministry at the Cathedral, Fr. Gregory is the Orthodox Natural Church Development Program Specialist for the Diocese of the West.
Father Gregory is married to Matushka Hope, with whom he has five adult children and five grandchildren. He enjoys hiking, surfing, and traveling with family. He also likes to teach and answer questions, especially from those looking into Orthodoxy, so please feel free to ask!