Metropolitan Tikhon Opens 21st All-American Council in Historic Southwest Gathering
OCA primate urges the Church to embrace inner ascent and Gospel-centered vision.
PHOENIX, AZ — On July 14, 2025, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon formally opened the 21st All-American Council (AAC) of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), marking the first time the Council has convened in the American Southwest.
The inaugural plenary session began with prayers and welcoming remarks, followed by Metropolitan Tikhon’s opening address centered on the Council’s theme, “Gathered Together by Christ.” Drawing parallels between modern exploration and the spiritual journeys of saints like St. Herman of Alaska, he called the Church to embrace a vision of ascension — not just movement through time, but transformation in Christ.
Citing the Church’s liturgical heritage, use of English, and post-pandemic challenges, Metropolitan Tikhon encouraged the faithful to approach every issue through the lens of the Gospel. He urged reflection, formation, and a recommitment to the Church’s upward calling, saying:
“If we want to encounter true joy and excitement, the journey is not outside, but within. It takes place in silence and struggle… The resolution to our finitude is indeed the ascent of a mountain, a mountain which is both Golgotha and Tabor.”
For ongoing updates from the 21st AAC, visit oca.org/aac. His Beatitude's full address can be watched here or read here.
