On August 28, 2026, a meeting took place at St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York between Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, and architects Alexander Molodin and Deacon Andrew Malyshev, representing the Apsida architectural studio (https://apsidastudio.com/), which specializes in designing Orthodox churches in the USA and Canada.
During the meeting, Alexander Molodin and Deacon Andrew Malyshev told the archpastor about their completed and ongoing Orthodox church projects in the United States. They discussed the main difficulties parishes face in building, reconstructing and repairing church buildings. At the end of the presentation, Bishop Matthew was presented with an album of photographs of the studio’s projects.
Special attention was given to the work of the non-profit Apsida Foundation (https://apsidafoundation.org). Its mission is to help Orthodox parishes raise donations for the construction, restoration and development of church infrastructure. To this end, the foundation is creating a modern crowdfunding system and also seeks to attract benefactors and members of the business community to support parish projects.
Bishop Matthew blessed the work of the Apsida architectural studio. Speaking of the new foundation, the archpastor expressed hope that this initiative will become an effective aid to parishes, help them carry out necessary projects and contribute to the further development of church life. The bishop also noted the importance of the Orthodox Church supporting this initiative.
The studio representatives also spoke about Apsida’s educational projects. Among them is an annual Orthodox calendar listing church feasts, fasts and commemorations. The calendars are distributed free of charge among Orthodox parishes. Last year 2,000 copies were printed, and this year the print run is planned to be increased.
In addition, a book titled “A Practical Guide for Parishes on Building Orthodox Churches in the USA” is being prepared for publication. It is intended to help clergy and parish councils better navigate issues of design, approvals and construction of church buildings under American codes and practices.
Following the meeting, Bishop Matthew proposed that Alexander Molodin and Deacon Andrew Malyshev give a series of lectures for the clergy of the Patriarchal Parishes and seminary students in the USA. The lectures will be devoted to practical questions of designing, building and reconstructing Orthodox churches. The parties agreed to begin implementing this initiative in the coming months.
