San Francisco, November 7, 2025
Mother Catherine. Photo: Western American Diocese ROCOR
Mother Catherine of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia’s St. Catherine of Sinai Monastery in Sonora, CA, was formally installed as abbess yesterday.
The joyous event occurred during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy for the patronal feast of San Francisco’s Joy of All Who Sorrow Holy Virgin Cathedral, celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco, His Grace Bishop Theodosy of Seattle, His Grace Bishop James of Sonora, and a host of clergy.
The prayers for Mother Catherine’s enthronement as abbess were offered during the Little Entrance. She prostrated to Abp. Kyrill and he offered a prayer, entreating the Lord she be preserved spotless in His commandments and that she be made worthy of His goodness and adorned with the virtues.
Holy Virgin Cathedral, San Francisco
His Eminence then proclaimed “Axia!”, echoed by the choir.
He then handed Mothe Catherine her abbatial staff, noting that it is a sign of spiritual governance, received from the bishop as coming from God Himself. The hierarch entreated that she might guide her flock according to the commandments of Christ with diligence and zeal and forever remain on the royal path that leads to Heaven.
Abp. Kyrill and the choir then repeated the exclamation of “Axia!”
Mother Catherine’s installation as abbess begins at 46:40 in the video below:
The St. Catherine Convent was preceded by the men’s Monastery of St. Silouan of Mt. Athos, which opened in 2015. However, when its elderly fathers reposed in 2022, the ROCOR Synod resolved to reopen the monastery for women, under the care of Mother Catherine, formally a sister of the Convent of St. Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, part of the ROCOR Ecclesiastical Mission in the Holy Land.
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