Orthodox Church in America

Orthodox Church in America
formerly  Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of America 

      ecclesiastically independent, or autocephalous, church of the Eastern Orthodox communion, recognized as such by its mother church in Russia; (Russia) it adopted its present name on April 10, 1970.

      Established in 1794 in Alaska, then Russian territory, the Russian Orthodox mission spread to other parts of the North American continent after the sale of Alaska to the United States (1867). In 1872 the episcopal see was transferred from Sitka, Alaska, to San Francisco and in 1905 to New York. It incorporated many Greek Catholics (Roman Catholics of Eastern rite), immigrants from Austro-Hungary (Galicia and Carpatho-Russia) who returned to Orthodoxy upon arrival in America. It also organized parishes for Russian, Ukrainian, Greek, Serbian, Albanian, Romanian, Bulgarian, and Syrian immigrants.

      In 1905 Archbishop Tikhon (Tikhon, Saint), head of the American diocese and future patriarch of Moscow (1918), submitted a plan for the autonomy and eventual autocephaly of the American Church to the Holy Synod of St. Petersburg. He also encouraged services in English and published appropriate liturgical books.

      In the chaos that followed the Russian Revolution, the administration of the church was paralyzed and relations with Russia cut. Non-Russian ethnic groups organized separate jurisdictions connected with their own mother churches. Thus, in 1922, a Greek archdiocese was established in America by the patriarch of Constantinople. The Orthodox Church in America was consequently divided into a number of national dioceses, each designated by its ethnic origin.

      The original diocese itself severed relations with Moscow and in 1924 proclaimed its self-government and broke completely with the Russian Church rather than give a statement of loyalty to the Soviet government. Thus, the American metropolitanate became de facto independent, but without regular canonical status.

      The creation of an autocephalous Orthodox Church in America in 1970 provided it with permanent status, without any dependence upon foreign interests, and allowed Orthodox Americans to define their religious affiliation without reference to ethnic origin.

      The Orthodox Church in America was joined by Romanian, Bulgarian, Mexican, and Albanian ethnic groups. It maintains a graduate school of theology, St. Vladimir's Seminary, in New York City; an undergraduate school at St. Tikhon Monastery, in South Canaan, Pa.; and a seminary for the training of Native Alaskan clergy in Kodiak, Alaska. A member of the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches in the U.S.A., the Orthodox Church is governed by a council of bishops, clergy, and laity. It includes approximately 400 parishes, using mostly English in worship.

      The Orthodox Church in America does not include all Orthodox groups in the United States and Canada. Among others are the Greek archdiocese, subject to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Total Orthodox Church membership in America has been estimated at nearly 6,000,000.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Orthodox Church in America — Founder Independence 1970 Recognition Autocephalous by the …   Wikipedia

  • Orthodox Church in America Parishes in Australia — The Orthodox Church in America Parishes in Australia refers to an administrative district of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) located within two states in Australia – New South Wales and Queensland. The parishes are under the direct …   Wikipedia

  • Orthodox Church in America Bulgarian Diocese — The Orthodox Church in America Bulgarian Diocese is one of three ethnic dioceses of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). Its territory includes parishes, monasteries, and missions …   Wikipedia

  • Orthodox Church in America Romanian Episcopate — For another Romanian religious body in America, see Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Canada. States and provinces covered by the Orthodox Church in America Romanian Episcopate The Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America is one of… …   Wikipedia

  • Orthodox Church in America Diocese of New York and New Jersey — The Orthodox Church in America Diocese of New York and New Jersey is a diocese of the Orthodox Church in America covering the states of New York and New Jersey.[1] Holy Protection Cathedral on Second Street in Manhattan is the seat of the bishop …   Wikipedia

  • Orthodox Church in America Diocese of Alaska — The Orthodox Church in America Diocese of Alaska is a diocese of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). Its territory includes parishes, monasteries, and missions located in Alaska. The diocesan chancery is located in Anchorage. The Diocese was… …   Wikipedia

  • Orthodox Church in America Archdiocese of Canada — The Orthodox Church in America Archdiocese of Canada is an archdiocese of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). Its territory includes parishes, monasteries, and missions located in eight …   Wikipedia

  • Orthodox Church in America Diocese of Washington — The Orthodox Church in America Diocese of Washington is a diocese of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). Its territory included parishes, monasteries, and missions located in Washington, D.C., southern Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. From 2005 …   Wikipedia

  • Orthodox Church in America Exarchate of Mexico — The Orthodox Church in America Exarchate of Mexico is a missionary diocese of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). Its territory includes parishes, monasteries, and missions located in four …   Wikipedia

  • Orthodox Church in America Stavropegial Institutions — are churches, monastic communities, and theological schools under the direct supervision of the Orthodox Church in America s primate. The Stavrop …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”