MOSCOW: 26 December 2025
The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church confirms the election of new Vicar Bishops of the Eastern American, Canadian and Western American Dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

From the Editors: During a session of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church on Friday, 26 December, 2025, the election of new Vicar Bishops of the Eastern American, Canadian and Western American Dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia was confirmed. Below is the text of the decision:

JOURNAL No. 125

HEARD: A report by His Eminence Metropolitan Antony of Volokolamsk, President of the Department of External Church Relations, on the decisions of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia regarding the election of Vicar Bishops of the Eastern American, Western American and Canadian Dioceses.

Background:

Addressed to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia was an appeal by Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York with the request for the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church to confirm the election of Vicar Bishops of the Eastern American, Canadian and Western American Dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

In accordance with the Act of Canonical Communion of 17 May, 2007, “Hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia are elected by its Council of Bishops, or, in instances determined by the Regulations of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, by its Synod of Bishops. The election is to be confirmed on a canonical basis by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.”

DECREED:

1. To confirm the election by the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia of:

а) Archpriest Michael Crowley as Bishop of Boston and Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese (following his tonsure to monasticism);

b) Hieromonk Peter (Karakozoff) as Bishop of Seattle, Vicar of the Western American Diocese;

c) Hieromonk Spiridon (Gusakov) as Bishop of Toronto, Vicar of the Canadian Diocese.

2. The location of time of these consecrations are left to the determination of the Hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.