Christ is Risen!

[May 4, 2013] Paschal Epistle of His Eminence Kyrill, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America.

Nativity Epistle of the Ruling Archbishop of the Western American Diocese

[January 7, 2013] Nativity Epistle of His Eminence Kyrill, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America.

Holy Tranfiguration Cathedral in Los Angeles Robbed

[December 23, 2012] The Rector of Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in Los Angeles, Archpriest Alexander Lebedeff, wrote the following in his Facebook page: "I write with great sadness that Holy Transfiguration Cathedral was broken in to on Saturday night, and many liturgical items were stolen, including chalices and veneration crosses. The total value of the items stolen (by preliminary count) was at least $50,000. The altars were ransacked as well. By God's grace, we were able to have the church open for Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning. A police investigation is continuing. We ask for your prayers at this difficult time for our parish."

Archbishop Kyrill Calls Diocesan Clergy to Aquaint Themselves With Metropolitan Hilarion's Statement Regarding the Attack on the Elementary School in Newton

[December 15, 2012] His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, has issued a Statement in connection with the attack on the elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. Archbishop Kyrill calls upon the clergy of the Western American Diocese to read the Metropolitan's statement and to include the special petition mentioned therein into the Litany of Fervent Supplication at the Divine Liturgy.

"Russians in Los Angeles" Book Signing in Los Angeles

[December 14, 2012] A book signing with the author of the new book "Russians in Los Angeles", Ivan Podvalov, and a photo exhibit will take place on Sunday, December 16, 2012 at the Russian Scout House in Los Angeles (816 N. Normandie Avenue) at 2:00 pm. The new book relates the epic story of the foundation and formation of Los Angeles' Russian Orthodox community which started at the beginning of the XX century.

The Kursk-Root Wonderworking Icon and the First Hierarch to Visit Seattle for St. Nicholas Cathedral's Great Consecration 75th Anniversary

[December 12, 2012] The St. Nicholas Cathedral in Seattle will be celebrating the 80th anniversary of the foundation of the parish and the 75th anniversay of the consecration of the church on the feast of St. Nicholas (December 18-19). The Kursk Root Wonderworking Icon of the Theotokos will be present at the celebration which will be headed by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, the ruling bishop of the Western American Diocese Archbishop Kyrill and the cathedral rector Bishop Theodosy of Seattle. Clergy from the Pacific Northwest Deanery, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Diocese of Vitebsk (Belarus), as well as representatives of Local Orthodox Churches will concelebrate. The greeting of the Kursk Icon and Metropolitan Hilarion on December 18 will be at 6:00 pm followed by the Vigil. On December 19 the Divine Liturgy will begin at 9:30 am.

There will be a festal meal at Seattle's Russian Center following the Liturgy. Since a big turnout is expected reservations are necessary to participate in the meal. Please call Natalie Kotar at (206) 321-9432 for tickets.

Volume 9 of the "Chants of the Russian Emigres" Series Released

[December 10, 2012] The San Francisco publisher "Russkiy Pastyr" has released volume 9 in the "Chants of the Russian Emigre" series. CD 9 is recorded by the Male Choir of the Novospassky Monastery in Moscow under the direction of the Leonid Baklushin who passed away in December, 2011. This was L. Baklushin's last recording and the CD is dedicated to the memory of this worthy and noble bearer of Russian monastic singing traditions.

The following composers of the Russian diaspora are represented on volume 9: Archbishop Gabriel (Chepur), Ivan Gardner, Alexander Grechaninov, Andrei Ilyashenko, Nicholas Kedrov (fils), Michael Konstantinov, Maxim Kovalevsky, Boris Ledkovsky and Nicholas Tcherepnin. ...more

Two New Books About St. John Published in Russia

[December 6, 2012] The presentation of Alexei Solonitsyn's new book: "Wonderworker of Our Times" took place on November 20 at the Ryazan State University. The book is the story about St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco and was published by Moscow publisher "Nikea." Similar presentations of the new book took place in all the cities of the 10 dioceses in Russia that were recently visited by the reliquary with the relics of St. John.

The Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate has published a new book by Timothy Veronin in the series "Russia is Your Name," – "John is His Name." This children's book also tells the story of the greatest saint of the Russian emigration – St. John, the Wonderworker Shanghai and San Francisco.

AROUND THE DIOCESE: November 2012

[December 1, 2012] On November 6, the feast of the icon of the Theotokos "Joy of All Who Sorrow" at Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco, Deacon George Chrebtow was awarded the double orarion.

• Long-time teacher of New Testament at Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, Sergey Kiriukhin, has been received into the Western American Diocese. On November 6 Archbishop Kyrill ordained him to the priesthood and on November 11 Deacon Sergey was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Theodosy. Fr. Sergey is presently serving for 40 days at the Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco,

• In accordance with his petition Priest Matthew Harrington has been released from his duties at St. Silouan Church in Walla Walla, Washington, and given a canonical release to the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America (ROCOR).

• Two clergymen of the Western American Diocese, Archpriests Alexander Lebedeff and Peter Perekrestov, represented the Russian Church Abroad at the Plenary session of the Inter-Conciliar Standing Conference of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Plenary Session was held at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow on November 22-23 and was chaired by His Holiness Kyrill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

50th Anniversary of St. John (Maximovtch's) Arrival in San Francisco

[November 30, 2012] On Sunday, December 9, the Holy Virgin Cathedral will mark the 50th anniversary of St. John (Maximovitch's) arrival to San Francisco as the ruling bishop of the Western American Diocese. The early Liturgy will be served at the cathedral (6201 Geary Boulevard) at 7:30 am, the late service at 9:45 am. His Grace, Bishop Theodosy of Seattle, will celebrate the early Liturgy.