Jacksonville, Florida, July 24, 2026
stseraphim.org
His Grace Bishop Gerasim of Forth Worth has been nominated as the next Bishop of the South for the Orthodox in America.
A Special Nominating Assembly of the Diocese of the South was held today, July 24, at St. Justin Martyr Church in Jacksonville, FL, presided over by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of Washington and All America and Canada, at which clergy and lay delegates from throughout the diocese nominated Bp. Gerasim as their next hierarch, reports the OCA.
The Assembly followed the retirement of His Eminence Archbishop Alexander as Bishop of the South, which became effective at the conclusion of the Diocesan Assembly on Thursday. He will continue to serve as Bishop of the OCA’s Bulgarian Diocese. Bp. Gerasim, who has served as auxiliary for the Diocese of the South since June 2021, was initially named Locum Tenens on Thursday.
In accordance with the Statute of the Orthodox Church in America, the nomination will now be forwarded to the Holy Synod of Bishops for consideration at its Fall session, to be held in early November.
Reflecting on the Assembly and the diocese’s next steps, Met. Tikhon said:
Met. Tikhon also expressed his gratitude to the clergy, monastics, and faithful of the Diocese of the South for the spirit of prayer and unity in both the Diocesan Assembly and the Special Nominating Assembly.
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