The Extraordinary General Assembly (EGA) of the Archdiocese, convened on 4 October 2025 by His Eminence Metropolitan John of Dubna, elected Hegumen Augustin (MacBeth) as auxiliary bishop.
It was conducted in accordance with the Patriarchal and Synodal Charter of 2019 (the “Gramota”) and the Statutes of the Archdiocese. The candidacy of Hegumen Augustin (MacBeth) had previously been submitted for the approval of His Holiness the Patriarch, who approved it after meeting the candidate. The results of the election will be forwarded to the Holy Synod for confirmation, after which the ordination of the bishop-elect will be arranged.
More than 120 people, clergy both active and retired, as well as lay delegates elected in the parishes of the Archdiocese, were gathered in St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. On the ambo, beside the cross venerated for the feast of the Exaltation, were displayed the relics of Saint Patriarch Tikhon, donated by the Donskoy Monastery in 2019.
During the counting of the votes, Fr Jean Gueit gave a presentation on the situation of the Archdiocese since its foundation, more than a hundred years ago, at the initiative of Saint Patriarch Tikhon.
After the announcement of the results, the Assembly congratulated the bishop-elect by singing “Mnogaya leta” and “AXIOS.”
All who wished to do so were able to speak. On the margins of the meeting, various items of information on the life of the Archdiocese were given.
