On May 4, 2026, at Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Diocese of the West of the Orthodox Church in America in San Francisco, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, met with Bishop Vasily of San Francisco and the West.
This was the first meeting of the hierarchs since Bishop Vasily’s episcopal consecration in August 2025. Bishop Matthew cordially congratulated his brother hierarch on his elevation to the highest degree of the priesthood and on the feast of the Bright Resurrection of Christ. After praying before the holy relics of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Bishop Matthew presented Bishop Vasily with a holy panagia.
During their conversation, the hierarchs discussed various matters of current church life, noting with satisfaction the high level of fraternal relations between the Moscow Patriarchate parishes in the USA and the Orthodox Church in America, including on the West Coast.
Also taking part in the meeting were the Chancellor of the Diocese of the West and rector of Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco, Archpriest Kirill Sokolov; the sacristan of St. Nicholas Cathedral in San Francisco and Dean of the Western States parishes, Priest Michael Kozyrev; and the bishop’s personal secretary accompanying him on the trip, Subdeacon Nikolai Trubnikov.
