The subsequent session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian True Orthodox Church was held from August 30/September 12 to September 1/14, 2025.
The following took part in the meetings:
- Chairman of the Synod of Bishops, His Eminence Tikhon, Archbishop of Omsk and Siberia, First Hierarch of the RTOC;
- Deputy Chairman of the Synod of Bishops, His Eminence Benjamin, Archbishop of Chernomorsk and Kuban;
- His Eminence Germogen, Bishop of Gomel and Bryansk;
- His Eminence Philaret, Bishop of Pallini and Western Europe;
- Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, Protopresbyter Victor Melehov.
At this meeting, it was decided to confirm the decision of the two previous meetings of the Synod of Bishops regarding the consecration of Protopresbyter Victor to bishop.
On the eve of the meeting, Protopresbyter Victor Melehov and Matushka Lucia Melehov accepted the monastic tonsure.
The Synod of Bishops resolved:
- To assign the title of "Boston and the Americas" to the elected Bishop Victor;
- To eliminate the RTOC structure of the North American Diocese;
- To create an American Diocese within the structure of the Russian True Orthodox Church, which will include the territories of North and South America;
- To include the Deanery of North America in the American Diocese and establish the Deanery of South America;
- To appoint Bishop-elect Victor as the ruling bishop of the Diocese the Americas;
- To entrust Bishop-elect Victor with the temporary ruling of the Odessa Diocese;
- To entrust Bishop-elect Victor with the temporary ruling of the Vinnitsa-Khmelnitsky Diocese;
- To appoint Priest Siluan Dignac as Dean of South America with the elevation to the rank of Archpriest.
A decision was also made to ordain Deacon Maxim Sharapov to the priesthood.
On September 1/14, 2025, on the 15th week after Pentecost, on the day of the Beginning of the Indiction (Church New Year) and the day commemorating St. Simeon the Stylite, in the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Dmitrov, with a Synodal concelebration, the episcopal ordination of His Grace Victor, Bishop of Boston and the Americas, took place.
During the same liturgy, the newly appointed Bishop Victor ordained Deacon Maxim Sharapov to the priesthood. Priest Maxim is assigned to the position of second priest of the church in honor of St. Seraphim of Sarov in the city of Dmitrov.