On September 5, 2026—the apodosis of the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos—Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Interim Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, celebrated Divine Liturgy in St. Innocent of Irkutsk Church in Redford, MI.
At the church entrance, the hierarch was warmly welcomed by members of the parish council and students from the Sunday school.
Concelebrating with His Grace was parish rector and dean of the Central States, Priest Joshua Genig; the Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Priest Mark Rashkov; and clergy from nearby parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Orthodox Church in America, and the Russian Church Abroad.
Before the service began, the hierarch tonsured Alexander Whiting and Mikhail Khaizin—altar servers of St. Innocent Church—as readers and ordained them as subdeacons.
During the Liturgy, Bishop Matthew ordained Subdeacon Anthony McKay of St. Innocent Church to the diaconate.
After Holy Comunion, the hierarch and the concelebrating clergy offered prayers in memory of the first Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, the ever-memorable Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov), ​​who reposed on September 5, 1978. During the litany for the departed, prayers were also offered for all the deceased hierarchs, clergy, and laity of the Moscow Patriarchate parishes who had served in North America. At the conclusion of the service, the rector, Priest Joshua Genig, warmly welcomed the hierarch. To commemorate the visit and as a token of filial gratitude, he presented an icon—painted by Deacon Anthony—depicting the hierarch’s heavenly patrons (the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew and St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Confessor), as well as a set of minor episcopal vestments.
In turn, Bishop Matthew addressed the congregation with a sermon. To mark his visit, the hierarch presented the church with an image of his own heavenly patron, St. Innocent of Irkutsk, painted by Russian iconographers. Vladyka gratefully acknowledged the extensive labors of Fr. Joshua in his roles as both rector and Dean of the Central States parishes. Bishop Matthew also presented the rector with priest's service book.
Bishop Matthew offered words of counsel and prayers for God’s aid to the newly ordained Deacon Anthony, as well as to the newly elevated subdeacon Michael and reader Alexander.
At the rector's recommendation, several parish workers were awarded archpastoral Gramotas. Vladyka distributed small icons of Blessed Matrona of Moscow to all who attended the service.
The service concluded with the singing of the polychronion for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, Bishop Matthew, the clergy, the benefactors, and the parishioners of the parish.
The festive fellowship continued over a meal prepared by the parish sisterhood. Afterward, Fr. Joshua showed the hierarch the work of the Sunday school and the sisterhood, and presented the newly constructed chapel dedicated to St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco. The Bishop also discussed various matters concerning the life of the parishes in the Central States with the dean and held a series of meetings with the clergy and parishioners.
