The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, during a meeting on August 30, 2019, at Danilov Monastery in Moscow, deliberated on the confirmation of a decision of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia on the candidacy of Archimandrite James (Corazza) for Bishop of Sonora, Second Vicar of the Western American Diocese.

On August 28, 2019, the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, His Eminence KYRILL Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America received in His Cathedral dedicated to the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” five bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, who are presently visiting the Diocese of Western America in conjunction with the celebration of the 800th Anniversary of the Autocephaly of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Concelebrating the Divine Liturgy with Archbishop Kyrill were the follow guests: His Grace TEODOSIJE Bishop of Kosovo and Metohija, His Grace MAXIM Bishop of Western America, His Grace SERGIJE Bishop of Bihac and Petrovac, His Grace DIMITRIJE Bishop of Herzegovina, and His Grace DAVID Bishop of Stobi (Archdiocese of Ohrid). Bishop Theodosy of Seattle, auxiliary bishop of the Western American Diocese, concelebrated as well, along with clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church and our diocesan clergy.

On June 27-29, 2019, the Archbishop Anthony (Medvedev) Memorial Library at the headquarters of the Western American Diocese hosted a regular session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, which coincided with the 25th-anniversary celebrations of the canonization of St John of Shanghai and San Francisco the Miracle-worker. The building was once an orphanage dedicated to St Tikhon of Zadonsk, which houses a chapel to the saint, as well as the humble residence of St John (Maximovich), the great archpastor of the Russian diaspora. Here, St John would bring the Bloodless Sacrifice “on behalf of all and for all.”