"The Face of the Heavenly Queen" Premiers in California

December 31, 2007] The California premiere of Dmitry Demin's new film, "The Face of the Heavenly Queen," took place in the large hall of the Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Cathedral in San Francisco on Sunday, December 30. The film is a documentary about the Russian Church Abroad's holiest icon, the Kursk-Root Miracleworking Icon of the Mother of God.

As noted in the film, the Icon's greatest miracle took place in May 2007, when the two divided parts of the Russian Church, in Russia and abroad, were united.

"The Face of the Heavenly Queen" was first shown on national Russian television on the day the "Act of Canonical Communion" was signed, on May 17, 2007.

Father of Diocesan Clergy Reposes in Los Angeles

[December 28, 2007] Peter Alexeevich Overt, a faithful parishioner and singer of the Transfiguration Cathedral in Los Angeles, reposed on Wednesday, Daecember 24. He is the father of four children in service to the Church in the Western American Diocese: Priest Serge Overt (Vancouver, Canada), Matushka Nina (wife of Priest Peter Shashkoff, Los Angeles), Sophia (wife of Deacon Sergei Shoomiloff, Burlingame) and Yulia (wife of Protodeacon Andre Karobkoff, Los Angeles). The funeral service for the newly-reposed servant of God Peter was held at Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in Los Angeles on Saturday, December 29, served by seven priests and three deacons. He was interred at the Serbian Cemetery in East Los Angeles.

Saint Herman West Announces Schedule

[December 19, 2007] The First Annual St. Herman's West Youth Conference, organized by the Diocesan Youth Department, has announced a final schedule.

Among the lectures will be: "Iconography" – Vladimir Krassovsky (San Francisco), “Heretical Patterns” – Deacon Jan Veselak (Denver), “Orthodox Marriage” – Archpriest Alexander Krassovsky (Santa Rosa), “ROCOR and MP Reunification: The Mindset of Schism” – Deacon Jan Veselak (Denver) and “The Effect of Pop Culture on the Youth” – Archpriest Andrei Sommer (New York).

The conference is scheduled for 3 days (plus 2 travel days – 5 nights total), December 21-26, and will be held at the Camp Burton Conference Center on Vashon Island (near All-Merciful Saviour Monastery), Washington, 30 minutes away from Seattle. The complete schedule is available as a download.

Western American Diocese Well Represented at Washington Exhibit

[December 8, 2007] An exhibit dedicated to the spiritual revival of Russia and to the reunification of the Russian Orthodox Church opened at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. The exhibit is organized jointly by the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

At the opening of the exhibit Archpriest Victor Potapov, Rector of Washington's St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Cathedral and one of the exhibit organizers, noted that one the aims of the exhibit is to allow people in the West to get a glimpse of the tragic period of religious persecution in Russia and the ascetic feat of the New Martyrs of Russia.

The Exhibit contains unique photo documents from collections of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad as well as religious art and personal artifacts of some of the most outstanding representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church both in Russia and abroad during the time of their separation. Most of the artifacts of the Church Abroad are from the Western American Diocese. These include the omophorion of Patriarch Tikhon, the mantle and panagia of St. John (Maximovitch), Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose's) phelonion, klobuk and manuscript, as well as icons, vessels and antimension from the treasury of Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco. The official "Act of Canonical Communion" (signed by Patriarch Alexey and Metropolitan Laurus) is displayed, as well as the holy vessels used at the first joint service in Moscow (May 17, 2007) of the two parts of the Russian Church. The Exhibit closes on December 17, 2007.

Fifth Anniversary Celebrations in Corvallis

[December 1, 2007] On the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, November 24-25, 2007, the parish of St. Martin the Merciful in Corvallis, Oregon celebrated its 5th anniversary (see the event photo gallery ). Prior to the start of Vigil on Saturday night, His Eminence Kyrill, the ruling Archbishop of the Diocese of San Francisco and Western America, blessed the parish’s first set of bells, whose ringing beautified the services during the remainder of the weekend. Archbishop Kyrill presided at the Divine Liturgy with 6 priests and 1 deacon concelebrating. A large number of faithful from the Rogue Rivers and Mulino parishes participated in the event. After the Cross procession around the temple, Archbishop Kyrill presented a benedictory gramata to the parish rector, Priest James Baglien, and his parishioners, congratulating them on the development of their parish during the past five years. A festive trapeza followed the Divine Liturgy. The event received front-page coverage in the local press (see the Corvallis Gazette Times article).

Bishop Joseph of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese Greets Archbishop Kyrill and Assembly of Clergy in Los Angeles

[November 26, 2007] A letter to Archbishop Kyrill and the assembly of clergy from His Grace, Bishop Joseph of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, was read at the Fall Pastoral Retreat in Los Angeles:

“Behold, how good and how pleasant is it for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 132:1)

We rejoice in the blessed event of the reunification of the Church of Russia, and extend fraternal greetings to Your Eminence, Vladyka KYRILL, my beloved brother and concelebrant in the sacred mysteries. I anticipate, with great joy, our first meeting in order to embrace each other with the kiss of peace, to get to know each other, and to develop a personal friendship. ...more

The Fall Pastoral Retreat of the Western American Diocese in Los Angeles Concludes

[November 24, 2007] TThe fall Pastoral Retreat of the Diocese of San Francisco and Western America was held in Los Angeles sponsored by the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral and the Holy Virgin Protection Church from the 12th to the 16th of November, 2007 (see the Retreat photo gallery Photos by Archpriest Peter Perekrestov).

Approximately 30 clergymen from throughout the diocese gathered under the omophorion of our Ruling Hierarch, Archbishop Kyrill to engage in prayer and fellowship, to broaden their knowledge on pastoral subjects and to be updated on the latest church events.

His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill, the fathers of our diocese and guest clergy began each day with the Divine Liturgy in one of the two churches that organized the retreat. Each day our clergy observed the full cycle of daily Divine Services, singing antiphonally in both Church Slavonic and English in the evening.

The themes of the retreat centered on 1) the history and usage of the Sacred Scriptures, 2) liturgics, and 3) news about the latest developments of the “Western-American Diocesan Youth Committee” and the up-coming St. Herman’s West Orthodox Youth Conference.
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Archbishop Kyrill Serves for the First Time at the St. Nicholas Cathedral in San Francisco

[November 20, 2007] On Sunday, November 18, His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the St. Nicholas Cathedral (Moscow Patriarchate) for the first time. He was accompanied by Archimandrite Theodossy and Protodeacon Nikolai Triantafillidis.

Bishop Maxim Celebrates Liturgy at The Iveron Church in Honolulu

[November 17, 2007] On Sunday November 11th 2007, with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America; a Hierarchal Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Grace Bishop Maxim of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Western America at the Holy Theotokos of Iveron Russian Orthodox Church in Honolulu, Hawaii. Bishop Maxim was joined by the parish rector, Priest Anatole Lyovin; the Administrator of the Serbian Community of Hawaii, Protopresbyter Blasko Paraklis; and Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Miroslav Dejanov of Vancouver, British Columbia. The Hierarchal Divine Liturgy was celebrated in Slavonic, Serbian, Greek and English.

During Vladyka Maxim’s sermon, he spoke of the historically close relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Serbian Orthodox Church, and of the love that exists between the two Churches till this day.

New Administrator of the Diocese of Canada's Western Parishes

[November 14, 2007] On Sunday, November 11, His Eminence Kyrill, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of All Saints in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. At the great Entrance Vladika Kyrill elevated the Rector of the Resurrection Church in Winnipeg (Manitoba), Hieromonk Raphael (Vereschak) to the rank of Igumen (Abbot). In accordance with a Decree of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Igumen Raphael is assigned to the position of Administrator of the Diocese of Canada's western parishes. Father Raphael will be accountable to Archbishop Kyrill, who remains the Temporary Overseer of these parishes.