On May 4, 2026, a meeting took place in Holy Trinity Cathedral—the diocesan seat of the Diocese of the West of the Orthodox Church in America in San Francisco—between the Interim Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, and Bishop Vasily of San Francisco and the West.

This marked the first meeting between the two hierarchs following the episcopal consecration of Bishop Vasily, which took place in August 2025. Bishop Matthew warmly congratulated his brother hierarch on his elevation to the lofty rank of sacred ministry, as well as on the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Christ. Following a prayer before the holy relics and icons of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Bishop Matthew presented Bishop Vasily with a holy panagia as a gift.

During their conversation, the hierarchs discussed various matters concerning current church life, noting with satisfaction the high level of fraternal relations existing between the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA and the Orthodox Church in America—particularly on the West Coast.

Also participating in the meeting were the chancellor of the Western Diocese and rector of Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco, Archpriest Kirill Sokolov; dean of St. Nicholas Cathedral in San Francisco and dean of the Parishes of the Western States, Priest Michael Kozyrev; and the hierarch’s personal secretary and traveling companion, Subdeacon Nicholas Trubnikov.