Below is a video of the presentation given by Matushka Maria Potapova at a symposium on Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco the Wonderworker, which was sponsored by the Saints Cyril and Athanasius Institute for Orthodox Studies held in San Francisco, CA, on June 30 & July 1, 2016.

From May 11-22, 2017, with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and Ruling Bishop of the UK Diocese, His Grace Bishop Irenei of Sacramento, Vicar of the Western American Diocese, made an archpastoral visit to the United Kingdom, heading a pilgrimage with the myrrh-streaming “Hawaii-Iveron” icon on its first visit to the UK, as well as convey the archpastoral blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion to his flock...

After serving the Divine Liturgy at Christ the Savior Cathedral on Sunday, June 18, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia consecrated the new monument “Reunification,” dedicated to the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, reports Patriarchia.ru. The historic event took place on May 17, 2007 at Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral, with the new monument being timed to its tenth anniversary.

We, the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, gathered for a Council of Bishops in the God-preserved city of Munich during the celebration of the Pentecost, in the blessed presence of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign.” This year we remember with sorrow the hundredth anniversary of the terrible, bloody events of 1917; we are at the same time filled with joy over the anniversary of the restoration of the patriarchate and the tenth anniversary of the reestablishment of unity within the Russian Church.

To His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York,
First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia,

To the Eminent Archpastors, Members of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

On Friday, June 9, 2017, the feast day of St John the Russian, His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany celebrated Divine Liturgy at St Elizabeth Convent in Buchendorf, Germany. Praying at the service were archpastors of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, who had arrived a day earlier.

On June 7, 2017, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia sent congratulations to His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia on the 25th anniversary of his episcopal consecration:

On 7th June 2017, the Ruling Bishop of the Western American Diocese, His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill, celebrates the 25th anniversary of his episcopal consecration — first as Bishop of Seattle (1992), and later as Bishop (2000) and then Archbishop (2003) of San Francisco and Western America. Not only is such an anniversary a moment of significance for the Archbishop himself, inviting his own private reflections on a quarter-century of Archpastoral service and labours before God; it is also a moment of significance for the Diocese, and indeed for the Church as a whole, which gives glory to God for the whole Hierarchy of her devout clergy of all ranks and offices, who in the long service of her Archpastor have been called to lead Godly lives and approach the Heavenly Kingdom in the ancient and essential context of our hierarchical life.

The biography of His Eminence is found below, together with a gallery of photographs from the past twenty-five years, in anticipation of more substantial materials to be collected...

On Monday May 29, 2107, the National Holiday Memorial Day, members of the Western American Diocese made an annual pilgrimage to Fort Ross State Historic Park on the shores of Central California about an hour’s drive north of San Francisco. The 100 or so pilgrims were a welcome sight this year!

With God's grace, another school year has been successfully completed. This Sunday, May 28, 2017, Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary celebrated its 69th Annual Commencement with a Service of Thanksgiving, commencement exercises, and a reception. We graduated six students, four receiving honors ranging from cum laude to summa cum laude.

On May 25, 2017, the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia performed the rite of the great consecration of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ and the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia in Sretensky Stavropighial Monastery in Moscow, and officiated at the celebration of Divine Liturgy that followed.

Attending the services was Russian President Vladimir Putin.

After Liturgy, His Holiness met with bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia headed by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York.

May 25, 2017, on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrated the rite of the Great Consecration of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ and the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church in Sretensky Monastery and led the Divine Liturgy in the newly-consecrated church. Russian president Vladimir V. Putin was present at the Divine service.

“Be Thou exalted above the heavens, O God, and Thy glory is above all the earth.”

On May 4/17, 2017, His Eminence Kyrill Archbishop San Francisco and Western America issued Decree No. 7E/2017 in which he bids the clergy and faithful of the Western American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia to celebrate the 10^th Anniversary of the Reconciliation within the Russian Orthodox Church, which took place 10 years ago on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord.

On 4/17 of May, 2017, the Russian Orthodox Church marked the 10th Anniversary of the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion between its two parts that had been separted by historical circumstances for almost 90 years. 

It is easier for Western Christians to articulate how people are saved because their purpose for salvation is narrower and their audience is broader. From the eleventh century on Western salvation became preoccupied with justice and the wrongs our sins did against God. Salvation was suddenly a transaction Christ took care of on the cross when he purchased our debt owed to God and covered our filthiness with His righteousness. Beneficiaries of this transaction became individuals who pray the “sinner’s prayers”.

With the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Longin of New Gracanica and Midwestern America, the relics of St. Mardarije, which have laid in the Church of St. Sava Monastery in Libertyville, Illinois, since his internment in December 1935, were uncovered. The opening revealed St. Mardarije’s holy relics to be incorrupt.

On May 13, 2017, Archpriest Alex Kotar, clergy and laity of Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Seattle, WA, received the Holy Fire that descends on the Tomb of the Lord in Jerusalem on Holy and Great Saturday.

The Lenten Prayer — ‘of St Ephrem’? A Few Observations on a Varied Textual Tradition, a lecture by Right Reverend Professor Irenei, Bishop of Sacramento.

His Grace Bishop Nikolai (Soraich) and the community of All Saints Russian Orthodox Church moved into a new facility which was blessed on February 19, 2017. 

A photo gallery of that event and others in the life of parish may be seen here.

The X Annual Saint Herman's West Youth Conference was held at Holy Ascension Church of Sacramento and Saint Silouan's Monastery of Sonora from the 26th to the 30th of December 2016.

Over 60 youth from around the Western American Diocese came to Sacramento...