The Great Pokrovskaya Rada of Cossacks of America and Canada

On October 19, 2008, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA), the Great Intercession Rada of the Cossacks of America and Canada took place on the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The Rada took place in the Svyatonikolaevsky Orthodox Cathedral, built at the beginning of the 20th century by the Cossacks of the first wave of immigration after 1917. This is a historic event, since for the first time in the history of the Foreign Cossacks, delegates were gathered - representatives of all Cossacks living in the USA, Canada and Latin America. There were also delegates representing Zaporozhye, Kuban, Donsk, Tersk, Ural, K.N.O.D. Cossacks and Free Cossacks.

The event took place in the old traditions of Zaporizhzhya Sich of Cossacks from the 16th to 18th centuries. The delegates nominated candidates for the Ataman of America and Canada: Mikheev from the Don Cossacks Abroad, Pevnev from the Kubants, Boldyrev from the Cossacks of the village of "Kaledina" in Canada, Sinchenko from the village of "New Kuban" in the United States, as well as a candidate for the re-election of Ataman S. .V. Tsapenko, presented to the vote by the Chairman of the Council of Elders - Bandurko Viktor Fedorovich from the brotherhood of the Cossacks of America and Canada. The Great Pokrovskaya Rada began its work.

After the church service, the Ataman Tsapenko reported on the work done. Greetings and wishes were read to the Cossack Circle of America, as well as the recommendations of the Council of Elders and Elders.

After the prayer service and reports, the Cossacks went to the Maidan in front of the Church on the Circle to choose the ataman. An Esaulet and two bailiffs were chosen at the circle to keep order; the clerk read out the candidates for the chieftain.

Each delegate representing their communities, had a voice, which he brought to the Circus. The elders and the Elders and the Cossacks decided to vote according to the Cossack tradition of "hats and shablis up the hill." The counting of votes took place and the Cossack General Tsapenko, a candidate for chieftain, was nominated by a majority of votes.

The Rada was attended by representatives of the stanitsa Cossacks of Latin America, who put forward a proposal that the Cossacks of Latin America were included in the Cossacks of America and Canada, meaning the Cossacks of America (North and South).

During the counting of votes, Sergei Vladimirovich Tsapenko, the ataman of America (North and South), was elected with a huge majority of votes.

Military Clerk, Gusakov V.D.

Head of the Elected Rada, Military Petty Officer Sitovich R.S.

Chairman of the Council of Elders, Colonel Bandurka V.F.

Military Priest, John Bogush

Cossack General, Supreme Ataman of America S.V. Tsapenko