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On Sunday, November 6, on the feast of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of all who Sorrow”, the Episcopal Consecration of Archimandrite Irenei (Steenberg) as Bishop of Sacramento, Vicar of the Western American Diocese of the Russian Church Abroad was held in the cathedral of the Mother of God “Joy of all who Sorrow” in San Francisco, California.
The Divine Liturgy and consecration was led by His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America. His Eminence was co-served by Archbishop Peter of Chicago and Mid-America; Bishop Theodosius of Seattle, vicar of the Western American Diocese; Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, vicar of the Eastern American Diocese and the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Bishop John of Naro-Fominsk. Numerous clergy of the diocese and across the United States also flocked to the cathedral.
After the Eucharistic Canon, Bishop Irenei preformed the diaconal ordination of a cleric of the Western American Diocese.
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Bishop John led the Moleben to the Holy Mother of God and the cross-procession around the cathedral.
Archbishop Kyrill then provided words of guidance to Bishop Irenei and presented him with his Archpastoral staff. Bishop Irenei then blessed the faithful for the first time.
Later in the day, Bishop John served a Moleben before the relics of his heavenly patron, St John (Maximovitch), Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco.
