Locum Tenens and Nominating Assembly Announced

July 15, 2025
Holy Equal of the Apostles Great Prince Vladimir

Dear Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers and Mothers, Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

This evening, I received official notice from His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, informing all clergy and faithful of the Diocese of the West, that, effective today, with the retirement of His Eminence Archbishop Benjamin from the See of San Francisco and the West, he has appointed himself Locum Tenens of the Diocese of the West.

If you have a divine service in your parish tonight or tomorrow, only the name of His Beatitude is elevated without any adjustments to his regular title.

Also, His Beatitude received a letter from His Eminence, Archbishop Michael of New York and New Jersey, Secretary of the Holy Synod.  In that letter, the holding of a special assembly for nominating a candidate to replace Archbishop Benjamin as diocesan hierarch was confirmed.  As you are already aware, this special Nominating Assembly is scheduled for Wednesday, July 16, 2025.  While announced for 1:00, we are invited to efficiently obtain our lunches after the morning session of the All-American Council and to then convene as an Assembly in Sierra Ballroom 2 & 3 before 1:45 pm.  The agenda for this special Nominating Assembly is attached.

His Eminence asked that it be made known to every parish in the Diocese of the West that “the only candidate who is fully vetted by the Holy Synod is Archimandrite Vasily (Permiakov).”

If you have any questions, please reach out to your dean and me.  I look forward to meeting with you tomorrow.

Yours in Christ,
Archpriest Kirill Sokolov
Chancellor, Diocese of the West

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Download Nominating Assembly Agenda