On May 14, 2026, participants in the meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church heard the report of Bishop Pankratiy of Troitsk, Chairman of the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints, on the approval and addition of local cathedrals of saints.
At a meeting on May 16, 2023, the Synod determined: "To further supplement the lists of names of local cathedrals of saints, as well as to approve new lists, to have a judgment as they are prepared by the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints in cooperation with the Department of Affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate and the relevant dioceses, with the presentation of the results of the work to the Holy Synod."
In connection with the request of Metropolitan John of Yoshkar-Ola and Mari, the members of the Synod on May 14 decided to approve the list of names of the Cathedral of Saints of the Mari Metropolis and determine the date of the celebration of this cathedral — the nearest Sunday after the celebration of the Cathedral of Kazan Saints on October 4/17.
In connection with the request of Metropolitan Theodosius of Samara and Novokuibyshev, the decision of the Synod also supplemented the list of names of the Cathedral of Saints of the Archdiocese of Samara with the name of St. Gerasim (Dobrosedov), Bishop of Astrakhan (1880), who headed the Samara diocese for 11 years.