From June 18 to 22, 2025, celebrations were held in Alaska to mark the canonization of Saint Righteous Olga, in accordance with the resolution of the Synod of the Orthodox Church in America on November 8, 2023.
At the invitation of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, took part in the festive services. His Grace was accompanied on his pilgrimage to Alaska by Vice-Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA Priest Mark Rashkov and the Bishop's personal secretary Subdeacon Nikolai Trubnikov.
On Saturday evening, June 21, on the eve of the celebration of the Council of All Saints who shone forth in the lands of Russia and America, in the Holy Innocent Cathedral of the Alaska Diocese in Anchorage, Alaska, where the day before a reliquary containing a portion of the holy relics of the righteous Mother Olga was delivered from Kwethluk, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon led the all-night vigil.
The Primate was assisted by Archbishop Alexy of Alaska, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, Archbishop Benjamin of San Francisco, Bishop Jacob of Sonora (ROCOR), Archbishop Michael of New York and New Jersey, Bishop Andrew of Cleveland, and Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth. The hierarchs were assisted by a host of clergy of the Orthodox Church in America, as well as numerous pilgrims in holy orders from various Orthodox jurisdictions in the USA, Canada, and other countries. About a thousand pilgrims venerated the holy relics of the newly-glorified righteous woman during the evening service.
On Sunday, June 22, the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost and the feast of all saints who shone forth in the Russian and American lands, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon celebrated the Divine Liturgy in St. Innocent’s Cathedral in Anchorage, with the assistance of hierarchs and clergy.
At the end of the service, His Beatitude warmly greeted his fellow bishops, clergy and numerous pilgrims who had traveled a long way to take part in the church-wide celebration of the glorification of the new saint of North America.
Bishop Matthew of Sourozh conveyed to Metropolitan Tikhon and his entire God-saved flock the most heartfelt greetings on behalf of His Holiness, His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', on the occasion of the canonization of the holy righteous mother Olga, who became the first in the council of North American saints to be born in the USA and “a beautiful fruit of the saving sowing” of Russian Orthodox missionaries of previous centuries.
Bishop Matthew presented His Beatitude with an icon of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Baptizer of Rus' with Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow, and Hieromartyr Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kyiv, standing before him. The bishop presented Archbishop Alexy of Alaska with an icon of the Holy Prophet Elijah, and Archpriest Thomas Rivas, the sacristan of the cathedral, with an icon of Saint Tikhon and Hieromartyr Protopresbyter Alexander Khotovitsky.
