On July 23, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of all America and Canada officially opened the 19^th All American Council of the Orthodox Church in America in St. Louis, MS. The council began with a moleben led by Metropolitan Tikhon.

Participating in the council are members of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America, clergy and faithful. Among the invited guests are hierarchs from the Patriarchates of Constantinople, Antioch, Serbia as well as the Churches of the Czech Lands and Slovakia and Finland. Representing the Russian Orthodox Church was Bishop Flavian of Cherepovets and Belozersk. Greeting Bishop Flavian at the airport was Vicar of the Diocese of the West, Bishop Daniel of Santa Rosa.  

Greeting the Council on behalf of the Russian Orthodox Church and His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia were addressed by Bishop Flavian of Cherepovets and Belozersk. In short, he said: "The Russian Orthodox Church has never wavered the prayerful communion with its beloved sister - the Church in America. And indeed, the destinies of our Sister Churches are inextricably intertwined in history. Last year, we prayerfully commemorated the events of 100 years ago: the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow and the election of St. Tikhon, as the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia. The works and toils of St. Tikhon, along with such pillars of faith and piety as the Venerable Herman of Alaska, Holy Hierarch Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, constitute a precious part of our common spiritual heritage.

And during these days, as the council meets, we offer diligent prayers for preserving and multiplying the fruits of the many Russian missionaries who planted seeds in the field of Holy Orthodoxy on the American continent. Today, the sobor resolves serious issues that are important for the life of Orthodox Christians, and whose solution is necessary for the future of Christ’s Church in the United States. We pray that the All-Divine Spirit will direct and instruct all the participants in the council to make wise decisions. "

On Thursday, July 26, Bishop Flavian co-served with the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, Metropolitan Tikhon of all America and Canada, the members of the Holy Synod, guest hierarchs, clergy and faithful. Later in the day, Metropolitan Tikhon met with Bishop Flavian.