NEW YORK: 14 September 2022
The first day of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

On Tuesday, 13 September, 2022, the member hierarchs of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany, celebrated Divine Liturgy at the Synodal Cathedral of Our Lady “of the Sign” in New York City. Afterwards, the bishops performed a moleben for the opening of a Council of Bishops, invoking the aid of the Holy Spirit for their work.

After a luncheon in the main hall of the Synodal residence, the Council began. Vladyka Mark delivered the keynote address, after which His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America was elected Vice President, and elected as Council Secretaries were His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, His Grace Bishop Theodosius of Seattle and His Grace Bishop Job of Stuttgart. Appointed as members of the election Counting Committee were His Grace Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe and His Grace Bishop Luke of Syracuse.

The hierarchs then proceeded to the Synodal Cathedral for the election of a new First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

His Grace Bishop Nicholas was elected.

Having heard the results of the second round of voting, the bishops exclaimed “Axios” (“he is worthy”) to their brother archpastor, and a litany commemorating “our Master Bishop Nicholas, elected Primate of the Russian Church Abroad” was intoned, followed by the singing of Many Years.

Receiving the congratulations of his fellow archpastors, the newly-elected Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia expressed his gratitude for their trust, which he hopes, with God’s help, to satisfy in the performance of his service.

Returning to the Synod meeting hall, the archpastors, following Bishop Nicholas’ proposal, elected Metropolitan Mark as Vice President.

The eminent members of the Council of Bishops then signed the Act of Election of the New Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and determined the order of his commemoration during divine services: 1) Before Sunday, 5/18 September of this year, during the corresponding time of service during the litany of peace and augmented litany, to use the following text: “for our lord His Grace Bishop Nicholas, elected Primate of the Russian Church Abroad,” followed by the name of the ruling bishop. 2) During the Great Entrance of Divine Liturgy and during the intonation of “Among the first remember,” to commemorate: “our lord His Grace Bishop Nicholas, elected Primate of the Russian Church Abroad,” followed by the name of the ruling bishop. 3) On Sunday, 5/18 September, to make the proper commemorations as customary in the Russian Church Abroad “For our lord His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad,” during the litany for peace and augmented litany, and during the Great Entrance, “Among the first remember” to use the following text: “our lord His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad.”

Afterwards, having heard reports by ruling bishops of the Germany, Western American and Canadian Dioceses and deliberating on their current affairs, the hierarchs concluded their first day of work.