San Francisco, August 18, 2025
Photo: St. Christina of Tyre Orthodox Church
The new bishop for the Orthodox Church in America’s Diocese of the West was consecrated in San Francisco over the weekend.
The Holy Synod formally elected Archimandrite Vasily (Permiakov) as Bishop of San Francisco and the West during the All-American Council in Phoenix in July.
On Friday, August 15, the Rite of Election and Vespers was celebrated at the historic Holy Trinity Cathedral, led by the primate of the OCA, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of Washington and All America and Canada. He was joined by several other hierarchs of the OCA, including His Eminence Archbishop Benjamin, the recently retired hierarch of the West, and His Grace Bishop James of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
The next morning, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Met. Tikhon with Their Eminences Archbishop Melchizedek of Pittsburgh, Michael of New York, Daniel of Chicago, and Benjamin, with His Grace Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth and His Grace Bishop James of Sonora from ROCOR.
Photo: St. Christina of Tyre Orthodox Church
The service was blessed with the presence of the myrrh-streaming and wonderworking Hawaiian Iveron Icon of the Mother of God.
Photo: St. Christina of Tyre Orthodox Church
During the Liturgy, following the singing of the Trisagion Hymn, Archimandrite Vasily was consecrated to the episcopate. The consecration itself begins at 1:28:50 in the video here.
Following the service, Met. Tikhon offered words of exhortation to the newly consecrated Bp. Vasily, saying:
I remind and exhort you that the bishop is called to present an icon of Christ to his flock. Not an icon of wood and paint, but a living icon. As an overseer and archpastor of the Church, the bishop must be the first to show forth Christ in his words and actions, through his entire way of life. You must emulate, incarnate, and become the good shepherd, Who today calls you to episcopal service.
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