[1] The primary mission of the Diocese of Western America is to preserve and foster the faith, heritage, traditions, and culture, and religious and national values of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and to provide spiritual guidance to more than 600,000 Serbian-Americans in almost 50 churches, parishes, monasteries and children's summer camps in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

[2] Bishop Maksim Vasiljević was elected Bishop of the Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South American at the regular assembly of the Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade, Serbia in 2006.

During this time, he also delved into the theory and practical application of painting at the French Academy of Fine Arts in Paris.

He also leads the Diocesan iconographical school inspired by Byzantine and Serbian medieval fresco painting and by Fr.

Bishop Maksim's scholarly books, studies, and articles include essays on Holy Fathers and Saints; he has also written on hagiographical and iconographical themes.