On September 5, 2026, the Leave-taking of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of St. Innocent of Irkutsk in Redford, Michigan.
At the entrance to the church, the archpastor was warmly welcomed by members of the parish council and Sunday School students.
Concelebrating with His Grace at the Liturgy were the rector of the church and Dean of the Central States parishes, Priest Joshua Genig; the Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Priest Mark Rashkov; and clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Orthodox Church in America and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia from nearby parishes.
Before the service began, the archpastor tonsured St. Innocent Church altar servers Alexander Whiting and Michael Heisin as reader and subdeacon.
During the Liturgy, Bishop Matthew ordained Subdeacon Anthony McKay of St. Innocent Church to the diaconate.
After Holy Communion, the archpastor and concelebrating clergy prayerfully commemorated the first Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of blessed memory, who reposed on September 5, 1978. At the litany for the departed, all the reposed archpastors, clergy and laity of the Moscow Patriarchate parishes who served in North America were also commemorated.
At the end of the service, the rector of the church, Priest Joshua Genig, warmly greeted the bishop and, in memory of his visit to the parish and as a sign of filial gratitude, presented him with an icon, painted by Deacon Anthony, of the bishop’s heavenly patrons — the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew and St. Tikhon the Confessor, Patriarch of Moscow — as well as a set of small hierarchical vestments.
In turn, Bishop Matthew addressed those gathered with a sermon. In memory of his visit, the archpastor presented the church with an icon of its heavenly patron, St. Innocent of Irkutsk, painted by Russian iconographers. The bishop gratefully noted the many labors of Fr. Joshua both as rector and as dean of the Central States parishes. Bishop Matthew presented the rector with a gift edition of the Service Book.
Bishop Matthew addressed words of guidance and wishes for God’s help to the newly ordained Deacon Anthony, the newly appointed Subdeacon Michael and Reader Alexander.
At the rector’s request, a number of parish helpers were awarded certificates of blessing by the archpastor. The bishop gave all participants in the service small icons of Blessed Matrona of Moscow.
The service concluded with the proclamation of Many Years to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, Bishop Matthew, the clergy, benefactors and parishioners of this holy church.
The festive fellowship continued at a fraternal meal prepared by the parish sisterhood. After the meal, Fr. Joshua acquainted the archpastor with the work of the Sunday School and the sisterhood and showed him the recently built chapel dedicated to St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco. The bishop also discussed with the dean various matters of the life of the Central States parishes and held a number of meetings with clergy and parishioners.
