Episcopal Ordination of Bishop Vasily as Bishop of San Francisco and the West
The episcopal ordination of Archimandrite Vasily (Permiakov) as Bishop of San Francisco and the West took place at Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral in San Francisco, CA, on Saturday, August 16, 2025. His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon presided at the hierarchical Divine Liturgy and ordination rites. Hierarchs of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, representatives from other Churches, along with many clergy, faithful, and guests, gathered for the joyful event.
The Holy Synod of Bishops had elected Archimandrite Vasily as Bishop of San Francisco and the West during a special session convened at the 21st All-American Council on July 16, 2025, following his nomination by the Diocese of the West.
His Beatitude and Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America, arrived in the Bay Area on Thursday, August 14, along with Protodeacon Peter Ilchuk, where His Beatitude served the All-Night Vigil at St. Seraphim of Sarov Cathedral in Santa Rosa. The next morning, His Beatitude presided at the Divine Liturgy at Holy Assumption Monastery in Calistoga for their patronal feast day. Celebrating with His Beatitude was His Grace Gerasim, Bishop of Fort Worth. The monastic community extended a warm invitation to hierarchs, clergy, and other pilgrims for the event. That afternoon, His Beatitude and Fr. Alessandro departed for San Francisco and the ordination events.
The celebration began on Friday evening, August 15, with the Rite of Nomination and Proclamation, where Fr. Alessandro read the official election announcement and Bishop-elect Vasily offered his words of acceptance, followed by the Service of Thanksgiving. The service was followed by Great Vespers, served by the Bishop-elect, and a reception in the cathedral hall.
The following morning, Saturday, August 16, His Beatitude presided at the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. Concelebrating with His Beatitude were His Eminence Archbishop Melchisedek of Pittsburgh, His Eminence Archbishop Michael of New York, His Eminence Archbishop Daniel of Chicago, His Eminence Archbishop Benjamin, His Grace Bishop James of Sonora, representing His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, and His Grace Bishop Gerasim.
Before the Liturgy, Bishop-elect Vasily offered his statement of faith, proclaimed the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, and offered an explanation of the Church’s Trinitarian and Christological doctrine before His Beatitude and the assembled hierarchs, clergy, and faithful.
During the singing of the Trisagion, Bishop-elect Vasily was led to the altar by Fr. Alessandro and Archpriest Kirill Sokolov, Chancellor of the Diocese of the West, for the ordination. The newly-ordained hierarch was then vested and offered his first episcopal blessing to the faithful.
His Beatitude gave the homily at the Liturgy, where he reminded the faithful that the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos is “not primarily celebrating her physical death, or even her physical resurrection, however befitting and glorious that bodily rising may be. Rather, the accent in the hymnography for the feast is on the Theotokos’s abiding intercession and undying, unyielding care for all of us, her children adopted through the Cross of Christ.” His Beatitude offered words of comfort that we are always able to approach the Theotokos in prayer, and since “now that she has passed beyond this world, she is available to everyone, everywhere, at all times. Whenever we venerate her icon, address her in prayer, or praise her in song, she is present to us.”
Read the full text of His Beatitude’s Homily
During the Liturgy, Subdeacon Serge Liberovsky was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by Bishop Vasily as his first episcopal act.
At the dismissal of the Liturgy, His Beatitude congratulated His Grace on behalf of the hierarchs, clergy, and faithful of the Orthodox Church in America and welcomed him as the newest member of the Holy Synod of Bishops.
Calling to mind the feast of the holy icon of Christ Not-Made-By-Hands, His Beatitude exhorted Bishop Vasily to likewise be an icon of Christ: “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.”
Read the full text of His Beatitude’s Exhortation
His Beatitude then presented His Grace with the pastoral staff. The new Bishop of San Francisco then ascended his cathedra to bless the assembled clergy and faithful as the choir sang Ton Despotin.
His Beatitude also congratulated Dn. Serge and welcomed the following guests who were in attendance: His Excellency, Most Reverend Salvatore J. Cordileone, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Francisco, His Grace Bishop James of Sonora, Archimandrite Jeremy (Davis), Archiepiscopal Vicar for Toledo and the Midwest, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, and Hieromonk Basil (Gavrilovic), representing His Grace Bishop Maxim of the Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and a delegation from St. Vladimir’s Seminary where Bishop Vasily recently served as professor.
Following the Divine Liturgy, a banquet honoring His Grace was held at a local restaurant. Guests at the banquet included His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco and His Grace Bishop Ioannis of Phocaea.
On Sunday, August 17, His Grace celebrated his first hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity Cathedral, followed by a luncheon in the parish hall.
The faithful of the Orthodox Church in America wish His Grace Bishop Vasily many blessed years of archpastoral service! Eis polla eti, despota!