AROUND THE DIOCESE: July 2010

• On July 17 the Holy Royal Martyrs parish in Reno (Nevada) marked its 10th anniversary. The feastday and jubilee services were celebrated by His Grace Bishop Theodosy of Seattle.

• Deacon Nikolai Lenkoff has moved from Oregon to California and is now assigned to the Holy Ascension Church in Sacramento, California.

• In 2010 the Russian scout troop "Kiev" in San Francisco marks its 60th anniversary and the Los Angeles troop "Nizhni Novgorod" its 65th. In connection with these jubilees His Grace Bishop Theodosy of Seattle will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the scout camp in Laytonville on Monday, July 26.

• Archpriest Yaroslav Belikow of San Francisco's Holy Virgin Cathedral will be accompanying the "Fraternity of Orthodox Youth" on a pilgrimage to the holy places of Russia from July 14-August 12.

Santa Rosa Parish Completes Three-year Refurbishing Project

[July 14, 2010] The Saints Peter and Paul church in Santa Rosa marked three important parish events on July 12: the parish feastday, the restoration of the church's domes and the raising of the newy-gilded crosses. The solemn celebration was headed by His Eminence Kyrill, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America. He was assisted by Archpriests Alexander Krassovsky (the parish rector) and Vladimir Derugin (Palo Alto), Priest Joachim Provatakis (Calistoga), Hieromonk James (San Francisco) and Protodeacons Nicholas Triantafillidis and Dimitri Jakimowicz. The celebration capped a three-year project: the collection of funds for the restoration of the domes and crosses and the actual restoration work itself. Many faithful gathered for this joyous event in Santa Rosa. Photo: www.pressdemocrat.com

The Celebration of the Feast of Saint John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco 2010

[June 28, 2010] In 2010 St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco's feastday will be marked on Saturday, July 3 (Saturday closest to July 2). The participation of a special guest for the feastday celebration, His Eminence Justinian, Archbishop of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, is expected. The schedule of the solemn celebration at the Holy Virgin Joy of All Who Sorrow Cathedral in San Francisco, where St. John's relics are, is as follows:

Thursday, July 1
At 7:30 pm, following the daily Vespers and Matins (6:00 pm), St. John's relics will be transferred to the middle of the cathedral and an Akathist to St. John will be chanted before them. ...more

Russia’s First Lady Visits the West Coast’s Main Russian Cathedral

[June 23, 2010] On June 3, the memory of St. John of Tobolsk (Maximovitch), San Francisco’s Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Cathedral “Joy of All Who Sorrow” (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia) was visited by Svetlana Medvedev, the wife of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who is in California for the first time on an official visit.

The “Joy of All Who Sorrow” Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco is the spiritual center of the West Coast’s Russian Orthodox community and is the only Orthodox parish church in North America that has a daily cycle of services. The great saint of the XX century, Archbishop John (Maximovitch), – now canonized – was the rector of this parish from 1963-1966 and his uncorrupt relics lie in the cathedral proper. It is here that the IV All-Diaspora Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia convened and the historical decision made to end the division in the Local Russian Church. ...more

IN MEMORIUM: Archpriest Alexey Poluektov

[June 20, 2010] On Thursday, May 27, 2010, the Very Reverend Archpriest Alexey Poluektov reposed in the Lord. If one measures by the number of years he served as a priest in California (more than forty), he was at that time the senior clergyman of the Western American Diocese.

Alexey Poluektov was born in Russia in 1929, one of six children. As a youth, he witnessed the brutal German occupation of his village. Under difficult circumstances, as a young man he worked for the railway and studied to be a mechanic. After World War II, Alexey served in the Soviet army and was sent to East Germany. It was from there, in 1954, that he was finally able to escape from the communist authorities and seek freedom in the West. ...more

Diocesan Council Holds Summer Meeting

[June 18, 2010] On Thursday, June 10, 2010 the Diocesan Council (clergy and laity) met at the Diocesan Administration for its summer session. Following the opening prayer Archbishop Kyrill announced the repose of Archpriest Alexey Poluektov, a longtime clergyman of the Western American Diocese. "Memory eternal" was sung for Fr. Alexey. Vladika told all those gathered about Fr. Alexey's funeral at the Kazan Chruch in San Francisco. The Diocesan Council decided, for organizational reasons, to postpone the Diocesan Assembly until fall 2011. Archbishop Kyrill announced that the Diocese will have a special guest for the St. John feastday celebration on June 3: His Eminence Justinian, Archbishop of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA. Vladimir Krassovsky read the first draft of the guidelines for handling the Kursk-Root Miraculous Icon during its visits to parishes of the Diocese. Members of the Council proposed a number of corrections and suggestions to the draft. The Council heard a letter from the Moscow film studio "Krasnosolnishko" in regards to using diocesan film footage for two upcoming St. John film projects. The Council unanimously approved the request. The next meeting of the Diocesan Council is scheduled for September 16, 2010.

St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco Depicted on the "Bell of the Whole Diaspora" in Ekaterinburg

[June 14, 2010] On the Sunday of the Myrrhbearing Women His Holiness Kyrill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, blessed the new nine ton bell for the belltower of the "Church on the Blood" in Ekaterinburg. This church was built in 2003 on the site of the murder of the last Russian Imperial Family. That same year a collection started in California to comission the casting of a large bell for this memorial church. In 2009 the funds collected in the U.S. were given to the Diocese of Ekaterinburg and in April, 2010 the bell foundry Pyatkov and Co. delivered the bell to Ekaterinburg. Icons of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco and the Holy Royal Martyrs adorn the bell. The evermemorable Metropolitan Laurus called this bell the "Bell of the Whole Diaspora"

Seattle's St. Nicholas Cathedral Initiates Children's Summer Project

[June 6, 2010] With the blessing of His Grace Theodosy, Bishop of Seattle, the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Seattle is organizing a children's summer project with the aim of bringing together Orthodox children in Russia and the United States. The children of an Orthodox school in Russia have been invited to an Orthodox summer camp in Washington state. Following the camp these children will live with Seattle's Orthodox families, take part in services at St. Nicholas Cathedral and visit holy sites and different attractions. The organizers of the project hope that this will become an annual event and will give all the children involved, both from Russia and the U.S., an opportunity to make spiritual friends, share their experiences and strenghten their faith. For additional information please call: (206) 322-9387.

Diocesan Bishops Travel Abroad

[June 1, 2010] On Monday, May 31, Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America departed for St. Petersburg, Russia, to take part in the funeral services for the Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna. He is accompanied by his personal assistant, Peter Karakozoff. On Tuesday, June 1, Bishop Theodosy of Seattle will fly to Kiev for personal business. Any matters requiring episcopal attention during the absence of Archbishop Kyrill and Bishop Theodosy are to be addressed to Archpriest Stefan Pavlenko.

Archpriest Alexey Poluektov Reposes on the Lord

[May 28, 2010] Archpriest Alexey Poluektov, rector-emeritus of the Kazan Church in San Francisco, passed away on May 27, 2010. His funeral service will take place at the Kazan Church on Saturday, May 29 at 10:00 am. Details on Fr. Alexeys' biography and repose will follow. May his memory be eternal!