№ 01/02/2025

Encyclical

During a session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, held via remote communication Tuesday, February 12/25, 2025, WE DISCUSSED: the Churchwide celebration of the 100th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Hierarchs Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow & All Russia, and Jonah, Bishop of Hankow, holy confessors of the 20th century.

RESOLVED:

• To call upon the bishops and clergy to commemorate the above-mentioned saints at all dismissals of the Divine Liturgies until November 21/December 4 ‒ the feast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple, the day of St. Tikhon’s Patriarchal enthronement.
• To dedicate all clergy conferences, youth conferences, church music forums, and other church events organized in the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia to these commemorative dates.
• On March 24/April 6, the 5th Sunday of Great Lent and the Forefeast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, in all parishes and monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, to prayerfully commemorate St. Tikhon, who reposed on the feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in 1925, by serving a moleben to him and delivering a sermon befitting the occasion.
• To prayerfully and conciliarly commemorate the 100th anniversary of the repose of Sts. Tikhon and Jonah at a session of the Synod of Bishops, timed to coincide with the patronal feast day of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Sign in New York City in December of this year.

Concerning which we issue this directive.

+NICHOLAS
Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York
President of the Synod of Bishops

+KYRILL
Archbishop of San Francisco & Western America
Secretary of the Synod of Bishops