His Last Paschal Epistle

“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death...

I greet you, my dear ones, with the joyous feast of the Resurrection of Christ!

The heavy time of the triumph of evil and darkness is ended; the Sun of the Resurrection blazes forth. And the disciples of Christ, having run away in fright on that terrible day of the Crucifixion, hear with embarrassment and trembling the first news that the Lord has risen from the grave. ...more

Epistle of the Pastoral Conference of the Clergy of the Western-American Diocese (Sacramento 2006)

We, the clergy of the Western-American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, having gathered for a Pastoral Conference at the Church of the Holy Ascension in the capital city of California—Sacramento, greet all the parishioners and all the faithful of the wide-spread Western-American Diocese with the words: "Peace be unto you."

Over the past four days we have had fellowship, have prayed, have listened to lectures, asked questions, have shared our joys, concerns, sorrows, worries and hopes. On the most important questions, by the grace of God, our clergy has demonstrated remarkable oneness of mind and mutual understanding. For this we give thanks to the Lord God.
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Pastoral Epistle concerning "same gender unions" (2004)

What is most important for us, what is most precious, what is the greatest? It is holiness.
– St. John of San Francisco

It is with profound sorrow and great concern for the future that we, the clergy of the Western American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, with our Archpastor, the Most Reverend Kyrill, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America, view the flagrant disregard for the laws of God and the state with the granting of what are purported to be licenses for marriage to persons of the same gender, and the performing of ceremonies which claim to establish a union that is marriage for these persons. We cannot condone or ignore the defiance of the law in San Francisco, or in municipalities in Oregon, Massachusetts, New York, and New Mexico; nor remain silent, and thereby give implicit consent to this practice.
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