Autocephaly recognized by some autocephalous Churches de jure :
123-773: The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) is an Eastern Orthodox Church in North America that has recognized autocephalous jurisdiction by some Eastern Orthodox Churches. Orthodox Church in America or Orthodox Church of America may also refer to: Orthodox Church in America Autocephaly recognized by some autocephalous Churches de jure : Autocephaly and canonicity recognized by Constantinople and 3 other autocephalous Churches: Spiritual independence recognized by Georgian Orthodox Church: Semi-Autonomous: The Orthodox Church in America ( OCA )
246-467: A church council in 754 , which condemned the worship of images, after which many treasures were broken, burned, or painted over with depictions of trees, birds or animals: one source refers to the church of the Holy Virgin at Blachernae as having been transformed into a "fruit store and aviary". Following the death of his son Leo IV in 780, the empress Irene restored the veneration of images through
369-799: A patriarchate , numbering Moscow's bishop as fifth in rank behind the ancient patriarchates . The Russian Orthodox Church became the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world. As Ottoman rule weakened, various parts of the Orthodox Church that had been under the direct influence of the Ecumenical Patriarchate came to be independent. These churches at first usually declared their independence without universal approval, which came after Constantinople gave its blessing. The rate at which these new autocephalous ("self-headed") churches came into being increased in
492-474: A consequence of history, certain ethnic groups (particularly Russian Americans , Ruthenian Americans and Alaska Natives ) are disproportionately represented in the OCA compared to the general population. Liturgical and church traditions, such as forms of singing, liturgics, vestments, iconography, use of Church Slavonic , and architecture broadly reflect those of Russian Orthodoxy . The OCA states that currently
615-462: A diocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, declared its independence in 1448 shortly before Constantinople fell owing to its protest over the Council of Florence , in which representatives of the patriarchate had signed onto union with Rome , trading doctrinal concessions for military aid against the encroaching Ottomans. The military aid never came and those concessions were subsequently repudiated by
738-831: A full diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church after the United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867. By the late 19th century, the Russian Orthodox Church had grown in other areas of the United States due to the arrival of immigrants from areas of Eastern and Central Europe , many of them formerly of the Eastern Catholic Churches ("Greek Catholics"), and from the Middle East . These immigrants, regardless of nationality or ethnic background, were united under
861-404: A group of 361 Eastern Catholics into Eastern Orthodoxy. From then until his death in 1909, Toth brought approximately 20,000 Eastern Catholics from 65 independent communities to Eastern Orthodoxy. By 1917, 163 Eastern Catholic parishes consisting of more than 100,000 faithful had been converted. For his efforts, Toth was glorified as a saint by the OCA in 1994. In recognition of the expansion of
984-559: A new priest to travel to Alaska. John Veniaminov of Irkutsk volunteered for the journey, and left Russia in May 1823. He and his family arrived at Unalaska Island on 29 July 1824. In 1840, after the death of his wife, Veniaminov accepted monastic tonsure and, taking the name Innocent, ordination as the Bishop of Kamchatka, the Kurile and Aleutian Islands, making him the first ruling bishop of
1107-500: A report to the Holy Synod that year, Bishop Tikhon proposed dramatic changes in the operation of the diocese. Recognizing the needs of the growing multi-ethnic Orthodox community, he recommended reforming the missionary diocese into a self-supporting American diocese, composed of numerous ethnic auxiliary dioceses. His plan called for Russian (New York), Arab (Brooklyn), Serbian (Chicago), and Greek dioceses. Additionally, he called for
1230-639: A result of the loss of funds from the Russian Church. He was forced to mortgage Church property to pay creditors and was replaced, in 1922, by Archbishop Platon (Rozhdestvensky), who had previously served as archbishop of the diocese from 1907 to 1914. After Archbishop Platon's return, he was elected Metropolitan of All America and Canada at the third All-American Sobor in November 1922. Soon after, Communist authorities in Russia (in collaboration with
1353-486: A single North American diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. After the Bolshevik Revolution , Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow directed all Russian Orthodox churches outside of Russia to govern themselves autonomously. Orthodox churches in America became a self-governing Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in America in 1924 under the leadership of Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky), popularly called
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#17327726677311476-865: A town a church should not be larger in size than the largest mosque. Many churches were converted into mosques (among them the Hagia Sophia and Chora Church in Constantinople , and the Rotunda and Hagios Demetrios in Thessaloniki ) or served for other uses (e.g. Hagia Irene in Constantinople, which became an armory for the Janissaries, and the Gül Mosque [Hagia Theodosia or Christ Euergetes], also in Constantinople, which after
1599-708: A unique situation in Orthodox America whereby multiple jurisdictions overlapped geographically. The remainder of the American Church became known informally as the Metropolia (or under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan). Following Patriarch Tikhon's death, the Russian Orthodox Church, led by Metropolitan Sergius , began cooperating with the Soviet government. In 1933, the Russian Church declared
1722-524: Is a (non-exhaustive) list of these prerogatives and their reference points: In the eighth and ninth centuries the iconoclast movement caused serious political unrest throughout the Empire. The emperor Leo III issued a decree in 726 against images and ordered the destruction of an image of Christ over one of the doors of the Chalke, an act which was fiercely resisted by the citizens. Constantine V convoked
1845-644: Is also a difficulty faced by the Patriarchate. In 2024, after the protests from Turkey, the signature of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been removed from the statement of the June 2024 Ukraine peace summit . The affairs of the patriarchate are conducted by the Holy Synod , presided over by the Ecumenical Patriarch. The synod has existed since some time prior to the fourth century and assists
1968-616: Is an Eastern Orthodox Christian church based in North America . The OCA consists of more than 700 parishes , missions, communities, monasteries and institutions in the United States , Canada and Mexico . In 2011, it had an estimated 84,900 members in the United States. The OCA has its origins in a mission established by eight Russian Orthodox monks in Alaska , then part of Russian America , in 1794. This grew into
2091-626: Is endorsed by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops and is being used by various Assembly committees as part of their research and planning. The Atlas lists the United States membership of the OCA as 84,900, 33,800 of which it says are regular church attendees. It lists the OCA as having 551 parishes and 19 monasteries in the United States. It also indicates the states with the heaviest concentration of OCA parishes are, in order: Alaska (with 86), Pennsylvania (with 83), California (with 43) and New York (with 41). The supreme canonical authority of
2214-545: Is now Greece , Asia Minor , Pontus , and Thrace . With the development of the hierarchical structure of the Church, the bishop of Constantinople came to be styled as exarch (a position superior to metropolitan). Constantinople was recognized as the fourth patriarchate at the First Council of Constantinople in 381, after Antioch , Alexandria , and Rome . The patriarch was usually appointed by Antioch. Because of
2337-627: Is one of the fifteen to seventeen autocephalous churches that together compose the Eastern Orthodox Church . It is headed by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople . Because of its historical location as the capital of the former Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire and its role as the mother church of most modern Orthodox churches, Constantinople holds a special place of honor within Orthodoxy and serves as
2460-597: The Albanian Orthodox Church declared its autocephaly, being granted recognition of it in 1937. In addition to these churches, whose territory had been agreed upon by all as within Constantinople's jurisdiction, several other disputed areas' Eastern Orthodox churches have had recognition by the Ecumenical Patriarchate as either autocephalous or autonomous , including the Finnish Orthodox Church and Estonian Orthodox Church in 1923,
2583-633: The American Orthodox Catholic Church in 1927. In Soviet Russia, a splinter group known as the Living Church gained official state recognition in place of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1922. In the United States, a group of Living Church clergy led by John Kedrovsky attempted to depose ruling American hierarch Bishop Alexander (Nemolovsky). Bishop Alexander, in addition to the political and ethnic struggles of his diocese, had also to deal with mounting Church debt as
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#17327726677312706-615: The Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate , usually important laymen who make large donations for the upkeep of the Patriarchate. In turn, they are granted honorary titles which once belonged to members of the Patriarchal staff in centuries past. The Patriarchate acts in the capacity of being an intermediary and facilitator between the Orthodox churches and also in relations with other Christians and religions. This role sometimes brings
2829-487: The Communist Soviet government ushered in a period of repression for the Russian Orthodox Church. Church property was confiscated and, when Patriarch Tikhon resisted, he was imprisoned from April 1922 until June 1923. On 20 November 1920, Patriarch Tikhon formally authorized Russian Orthodox bishops to set up temporarily independent organizations, until such time as normal communications with and governance from
2952-476: The Council of Chalcedon in 451 recognized an expansion of the boundaries of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and of its authority over bishops of dioceses "among the barbarians", which has been variously interpreted as referring either to areas outside the Byzantine Empire or to non-Greeks. The council resulted in a schism with the Patriarchate of Alexandria. In any case, for almost a thousand years
3075-616: The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America . In 2000, a study by Alexei D. Krindatch, of the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute , presented a substantially lower figure — 115,100 adherents (baptized Orthodox who attend services on at least an occasional basis and their children) and 39,400 full members (persons older than 18, paying annual Church membership fees). The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese , by comparison,
3198-579: The Latin Empire of Constantinople was established, and Byzantine refugees founded their own successor states, the most notable of these being the Empire of Nicaea under Theodore Lascaris (a relative of Alexius III ), the Empire of Trebizond , and the Despotate of Epirus . The new seat of the Patriarchate was established in the city of Nicaea until in 1261, when Constantinople was reconquered by
3321-514: The Metropolia (from Russian : митрополия ). The Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in America was granted autocephaly by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1970, and renamed the Orthodox Church in America. Its hierarchs are part of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America . While the OCA is in full communion with most Eastern Orthodox churches in the world,
3444-673: The Polish Orthodox Church in 1924, and the Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church in 1998. The majority of these disputes are a result of the expansion of the Russian Empire , which often included a subjugation of the Orthodox churches in conquered lands to the Moscow Patriarchate. Due to this, the Moscow Patriarchate often disputes the Ecumenical Patriarch's role as prime representative and spiritual leader of
3567-531: The Russian , Bulgarian , Georgian , Polish , Serbian , and Czech and Slovak churches recognize the autocephaly of the OCA. Among the churches that do not recognize it is the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople , which argues that the Russian Church did not have the authority to grant autocephaly, partly because the Russian Church at the time was considered to be heavily influenced by
3690-588: The Valaam Monastery , an environment that appears strikingly similar to the Kodiak archipelago's landscape, as well as the Konevsky Monastery , to travel to the new colony. The volunteers, led by Archimandrite Joasaph Bolotov , departed Saint Petersburg on 21 December 1793, and arrived at Kodiak Island on 24 September 1794. When they arrived, they were shocked by the harsh treatment of
3813-657: The "Great Church of Christ" and it was the touchstone and reference point for ecclesiastical affairs in the East, whether in terms of church government, relations with the state, or liturgical matters. In history and in canonical literature (i.e. the Church's canons and traditional commentaries on them), the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been granted certain prerogatives ( πρεσβεία , presveía ) that other autocephalous Orthodox churches do not have. Not all of these prerogatives are today universally acknowledged, though all do have precedents in history and canonical references. The following
Orthodox Church in America (disambiguation) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3936-423: The "Orthodox Church in America". The Council of Bishops, already aware of the proposal, forbade a vote on the matter. After much debate however, a non-binding straw poll was permitted. The result of the poll was decidedly in favor of the name change. As a result, the decision to deal with the matter at another Sobor (to be held in two years) was made. In the early 1960s, the Metropolia resumed communication with
4059-614: The 19th century, particularly with the independence of Greece. In 1833, the Church of Greece declared its autocephaly, which was subsequently recognized by the patriarchate in 1850. In 1865, the Romanian Orthodox Church , against the protests of Constantinople, declared its independence, which was acknowledged in 1885. A year before Greece's autocephaly was self-proclaimed, the Serbian Orthodox Church
4182-701: The Alaskan mission since Bishop Joasaph. Bishop Innocent was elevated to archbishop in 1850. For his missionary and scholarly work that had focused on blending indigenous Alaskan languages and cultures with Orthodox tradition, Innocent became a saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church in America in 1977, and is referred to as the Enlightener of the Aleuts and Apostle to the Americas. In 1868,
4305-586: The American branch to submit to the patriarchate thus based itself officially on a document whose conditions it had not met. In reality, however, it was a fear of Communism and a belief that the patriarchate had been compromised which fueled the rebellion, paired with a desire on the part of the Metropolia to dissociate itself from the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) of which it had allegedly been part. Despite
4428-509: The American diocese was the largest in the Russian Orthodox Church. It had grown from ten parishes in 1890 to more than 350. Most of the funding for the diocese was provided by Russian Church, via the Imperial Missionary Society. The connections between the American diocese and the Russian Church would be severely compromised by the events of that year. The Russian Revolution of 1917 and the subsequent establishment of
4551-566: The Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos . In accordance with the traditional custom at the time, Sultan Mehmed II allowed his troops and his entourage three full days of unbridled pillage and looting in the city shortly after it was captured. Once the three days passed, he would then claim its remaining contents for himself. However, by the end of the first day, he proclaimed that the looting should cease as he felt profound sadness when he toured
4674-541: The Chernivtsi Cathedral during this four day meeting. The exact number of OCA parishioners is debated. According to the 2006 edition of the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches , the OCA had 1,064,000 members, an increase of 6.4 percent from 2005. This figure places the OCA as the 24th largest Christian church in the United States, and the second largest Eastern Orthodox church in the country, after
4797-663: The Conquest served for a while as a naval dockyard). Such rules, however, although very strict in the beginning, with time and the increasing importance in the Ottoman Empire of the Rum millet were increasingly disregarded, so that in the 19th century in Istanbul there was a veritable building boom of Orthodox churches, many among them having high bell towers and brick domes, both of which had previously been strictly Since 1586
4920-580: The Ecumenical Patriarchate has had its headquarters in the Church of St George in the Fener (Phanar) district of Istanbul. The current territory of the Patriarchate is significantly reduced from what it was at its height. Its canonical territory currently includes most of modern Turkey , northern Greece and Mount Athos , the Dodecanese and Crete . By its interpretation of Canon 28 of Chalcedon, Constantinople also claims jurisdiction over all areas outside
5043-550: The Ecumenical Patriarchate, primarily in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America . The Patriarchate also enjoys an even greater majority in the United Kingdom . Furthermore, the Albanian, Rusyn and Ukrainian jurisdictions in America are also part of the Patriarchate. Most of the Patriarchate's funding does not come directly from its member churches but rather from the government of Greece, due to an arrangement whereby
Orthodox Church in America (disambiguation) - Misplaced Pages Continue
5166-504: The Great moved his residence to the town renaming it Nova Roma ( Νέα Ῥώμη ), or "New Rome". Thenceforth, the importance of the church there grew, along with the influence of its bishop. Prior to the moving of the imperial capital, the bishop of Byzantium had been under the authority of the metropolitan of Heraclea , but from the 4th century on, he grew to become independent in his own right and even to exercise authority throughout what
5289-431: The Holy Synod felt put the church and its members at risk. In the statement, the Holy Synod clarified the reason they withheld information initially was to protect the reputation and integrity of Metropolitan Jonah as well as protect anyone involved in the specific decisions made by him. On 13 November 2012, an extraordinary All-American Council elected Archbishop Tikhon (Mollard) of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania as
5412-573: The Kodiak natives at the hands of the Russian settlers and Baranov. They sent reports to Shelikhov detailing the abuse of the local population, but were ignored. In response, however, the Holy Synod created an auxiliary episcopal see in Alaska in 1796, and elected Fr. Joasaph as bishop . Fr. Joasaph and a small party returned to Russia in 1798 for his consecration and to offer first-hand accounts of what they had seen. During their return voyage to
5535-400: The Latins were astounded at the riches they found. Though the Venetians had an appreciation for the art which they discovered (they were themselves semi-Byzantines) and saved much of it, the French and others destroyed indiscriminately, halting to refresh themselves with wine, violation of nuns, and murder of Orthodox clerics. The Crusaders vented their hatred for the Greeks most spectacularly in
5658-450: The Living Church) attempted to seize church assets in the United States. In response, the fourth All-American Sobor convened in April 1924. During the Sobor, the historic step of declaring the North American diocese to be temporarily self-governing was taken. This was meant to be necessary only until relations with the Russian Church could be normalized, and the justification for the move was the earlier decree by Patriarch Tikhon. The diocese
5781-423: The Lombard catepan of Italy , Argyrus , who had spent years in Constantinople, originally as a political prisoner. Patriarch Michael I Cerularius ordered a letter to be written to John, the Bishop of Trani in which he attacked the "Judaistic" practices of the West, namely the use of unleavened bread. The letter was to be sent by John to all the bishops of the West, including the Pope. John promptly complied and
5904-453: The Metropolia experienced its growth increasingly through the addition of English-speaking converts . As a result, the ethnic makeup of the Metropolia began to shift away from a purely Slavic one that had included mainly Russians, Ukrainians , Galicians , and Rusyns . Prior to the 13th All-American Sobor in November 1967, a proposal was prepared to change the name of the church from the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of America to
6027-417: The Metropolia to be schismatic. A third Russian church, the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad (also known as the Karlovtsy Synod and later, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia or ROCOR), formed in 1921. The synod saw itself as representing all Russian Orthodox abroad, including the Metropolia. The Metropolia cooperated with the synod at first but severed relations with them in 1926, citing
6150-448: The Metropolitan of All-America and Canada. He was installed on 27 January 2013. Metropolitan Tikhon is a convert to the Eastern Orthodox faith and a long-time monk of St. Tikhon's Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania . On 24 February 2022, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine , Metropolitan Tikhon issued a statement saying, in part, "I ask that the hostilities be ceased immediately and that President Putin put an end to
6273-486: The Moscow Patriarchate was strongly condemned by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople as an act that exceeded the former′s authority and violated the canons. Apologists for the OCA's autocephaly claim that the decree did not need the approval of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as it was an internal matter for the Russian Orthodox Church to decide. Many autocephalous churches, the Russian Church included, were not recognized as such for many years, albeit their autocephaly
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#17327726677316396-427: The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. As Bishop Kallistos Ware writes, "Even after 1054 friendly relations between East and West continued. The two parts of Christendom were not yet conscious of a great gulf of separation between them. […] The dispute remained something of which ordinary Christians in East and West were largely unaware". In fact, efforts were made in subsequent centuries by Popes and Patriarchs to heal
6519-403: The OCA is the Holy Synod of Bishops, composed of all the church's diocesan bishops . The ex officio chairman of the Holy Synod is the metropolitan . The Holy Synod meets twice annually; however, special sessions can be called either by the metropolitan or at the request of at least three diocesan bishops. The primate of the OCA is the metropolitan. He also serves as the bishop of one of
6642-441: The OCA's autocephaly is not fully recognized. Unlike most Orthodox jurisdictions in the United States, the OCA does not have an affinity towards any particular foreign nationality, but most OCA members are ethnically Euro-American , and most OCA clergy are those who are born and raised in the United States. However, the OCA does have other minority ethnic dioceses for Romanian, Bulgarian, and Albanian immigrants. Additionally, as
6765-413: The Patriarch of Constantinople presided over the church in the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire and its missionary activity that brought the Christian faith in its Byzantine form to many peoples north of the imperial borders. The cathedral church of Constantinople, Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom), was the center of religious life in the eastern Christian world. The Ecumenical Patriarchate came to be called
6888-417: The Patriarch of Moscow. In 1968, the Metropolia and the Russian Church communicated informally to resolve long-standing differences. Representatives from the Metropolia sought the right of self-governance, as well as the removal of Russian jurisdiction from all matters concerning the American Church. Official negotiations on the matter began in 1969. On 10 April 1970, Patriarch Alexius I and fourteen bishops of
7011-399: The Patriarchate had transferred property it had owned to Greece. In exchange, the employees, including the clergy, of the Patriarchate are remunerated by the Greek government. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America provides substantial support through an annual contribution, known as the logia , and its institutions, including the American-based Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society and
7134-407: The Patriarchate into conflict with other Orthodox churches, as its role in the church is debated. The question centers around whether the Ecumenical Patriarchate is simply the most honored among the Orthodox churches or whether it has any real authority or prerogatives ( πρεσβεία , presveía ) that differ from the other autocephalous churches. This dispute is often between Constantinople and Moscow,
7257-457: The ROCOR in matters of faith. The ROCOR, forced to leave Yugoslavia toward the end of World War II , eventually established its base of operations in New York City. In 1946, it was decided at the 7th All-American Sobor that the Metropolia would sever its ties with the ROCOR and attempt to return to the Patriarchate of Moscow. This return was proposed with the stipulation that the Metropolia be allowed to retain its autonomy. When this condition
7380-440: The Russian Church's Holy Synod signed the official Tomos of Autocephaly , which made the newly renamed Orthodox Church in America the fifteenth autocephalous Orthodox Church. The name change, as well as the granting of autocephaly, was officially accepted at the 14th All-American Sobor (also known as the 1st All-American Council in recognition of the Church's new-found independence) in October 1970. The granting of autocephaly by
7503-411: The Russian navy. A Russian colony in Alaska was established in 1784 by merchant Grigory Shelikhov . Shelikhov's attempt to colonize Kodiak Island was met with resistance by the native population. He returned to Russia and installed Alexandr Baranov as director of the colony. In order to convince the Russian imperial court of the seriousness of his colonial ambitions, Shelikhov recruited volunteers from
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#17327726677317626-407: The Soviet government. The Ecumenical Patriarch also cites Canon 28 of the Council of Chalcedon , which asserted the jurisdiction of the bishop of Constantinople in dioceses located "among the barbarians" (i.e. outside the Roman Empire ), as the source of the Ecumenical Patriarchate's authority in the matter. The remaining churches do not recognize the OCA as autocephalous, although they do recognize
7749-411: The Turks, had they taken the city, would not have been as cruel as the Latin Christians. The defeat of Byzantium, already in a state of decline, accelerated political degeneration so that the Byzantines eventually became an easy prey to the Turks. The Crusading movement thus resulted, ultimately, in the victory of Islam, a result which was of course the exact opposite of its original intention. Meanwhile,
7872-407: The agency of the Second Council of Nicaea in 787. The iconoclast controversy returned in the early 9th century, only to be resolved once more in 843 during the regency of Empress Theodora, who restored the icons. The relations between the papacy and the Byzantine court were good in the years leading up to 1054. The emperor Constantine IX and the Pope Leo IX were allied through the mediation of
7995-449: The authority of the legates to issue such a bull is unclear. The legates left for Rome two days after issuing the bull of excommunication, leaving behind a city near riot. The patriarch had the immense support of the people against the emperor, who had supported the legates to his own detriment. To assuage popular anger, the bull was burnt, and the legates were anathematised . Only the legates were anathematised and, in this case too, there
8118-421: The beginning of the schism. The full schism was not actually consummated by the seemingly mutual excommunications. The New Catholic Encyclopedia reports that the legates had been careful not to intimate that the bull of excommunication implied a general excommunication of the Byzantine Church. The bull excommunicated only Cerularius, Leo of Achrida, and their adherents. Thus, the New Catholic Encyclopedia argues that
8241-450: The canonically defined territories of other Orthodox churches, which includes the entire Western hemisphere , Oceania , the United Kingdom , Western Europe , Northeast Asia , Southeast Asia . This claim is disputed by other autocephalous churches with dioceses in those areas, as well as the Turkish government. The Orthodox presence in Turkey itself is small; however the majority of Orthodox in North America (about two-thirds) are under
8364-440: The church beyond Alaska, Bishop Tikhon (Belavin) petitioned the Holy Synod to change the diocese's title to the Diocese of the Aleutians and North America . This was approved in February 1900. He consecrated an auxiliary bishop for Alaska in 1903, and in 1904 he consecrated Raphael Hawaweeny to administer to the Arab parishes. In 1905, Bishop Tikhon relocated the diocesan administration from San Francisco to New York City. In
8487-534: The church were improperly used for personal expenses or to cover shortfalls in church accounts. A 32-page report was released on 3 September 2008, that addressed the financial scandal and recommended "discipline" for five individuals, including then-primate Metropolitan Herman , his predecessor Metropolitan Theodosius , and two former treasurers as well as a former comptroller. The same report recommended then-primate Metropolitan Herman immediately resign or retire from his post or risk being defrocked. One day after
8610-517: The church's dioceses. With the other bishops of the church, the metropolitan is considered the first among equals. His official title is "Metropolitan of All-America and Canada". His role is to manage the welfare of the church, and to act as its representative with other Orthodox Churches, religious organizations, and secular authorities. The metropolitan is elected, when necessary, by the Holy Synod at an All-American Council (a general council of OCA clergy and laity ). There are no age or term limits for
8733-426: The colony in May 1799, their ship sank and all aboard died. In 1800, Baranov placed the remaining monks under house arrest and forbade them to have any further contact with the local population. Despite the lack of leadership, the Eastern Orthodox mission in Alaska continued to grow. In 1811, however, the Holy Synod officially closed the episcopal see. It was not until 1823 that the Holy Synod sent instructions for
8856-468: The continental United States declined between six and nine percent per year. In 2011, The Atlas of American Orthodox Christian Churches , published by Holy Cross Orthodox Press and based on research by Alexei Krindatch, was released. It has extensive data on various Eastern Christian denominations in the United States, including both Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox groups (as well as groups considered uncanonical by those two groups). The publication
8979-679: The creation of an Eastern Orthodox seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota . St. Platon's Seminary moved from Minneapolis to Tenafly, New Jersey , in 1912 and enrolled 78 students from then until 1923. In 1916, an unaccredited Russian women's college was established in Brooklyn. An immigrant society and orphanage also were established, as well as the first Orthodox monasteries in the United States ( Saint Tikhon's Monastery for men in 1905 and Holy Virgin Protection for women in 1915). By 1917,
9102-462: The crusaders inflicted a severe sacking on Constantinople for three days, during which many ancient and medieval Roman and Greek works were either stolen or destroyed. Despite their oaths and the threat of excommunication, the Crusaders ruthlessly and systematically violated the city's holy sanctuaries, destroying, defiling, or stealing all they could lay hands on; nothing was spared. It was said that
9225-453: The day the Turks made a great slaughter of Christians through the city". According to historian Philip Mansel , widespread persecution of the city's civilian inhabitants took place, resulting in thousands of murders and rapes, and 30,000 civilians being enslaved or forcibly deported. George Sphrantzes says that people of both genders were raped inside Hagia Sophia . After Constantinople
9348-567: The declaration of self-governance, Kedrovsky and the Living Church were awarded the church's diocesan cathedral in New York City. To prevent further loss of property, the diocese allowed individual parishes to take ownership of their properties, which made them effectively independent. This, combined with the increasing number of ethnic parishes aligning themselves with other Orthodox jurisdictions (as well as some non-Orthodox), led to
9471-681: The defense of Orthodox Christian traditions. Prominent issues for the Ecumenical Patriarchate's policy in the 21st century include the safety of the believers in the Middle East , reconciliation of the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic churches, and the reopening of the Theological School of Halki , which was closed down by the Turkish authorities in 1971. In the year 330 the Roman Emperor Constantine
9594-513: The desecration of the greatest Church in Christendom. They smashed the silver iconostasis, the icons and the holy books of Hagia Sophia, and seated upon the patriarchal throne a whore who sang coarse songs as they drank wine from the Church's holy vessels. The estrangement of East and West, which had proceeded over the centuries, culminated in the horrible massacre that accompanied the conquest of Constantinople. The Greeks were convinced that even
9717-517: The diocese. Numerous parishes were established across the country throughout the rest of the 19th century. Although these parishes were typically multi-ethnic, most received support from the missionary diocese. In 1872 the diocesan see was relocated from Alaska to the city of San Francisco, California in the United States. The mission itself was instituted as a separate Diocese of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands on June 10, 1870, subsequent to
9840-530: The dispute need not have produced a permanent schism any more than excommunication of any "contumacious bishop". The schism began to develop when all the other Eastern patriarchs supported Cerularius. According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia, it was the support of Emperor Michael VI Stratiotikos that impelled them to support Cerularius. Some have questioned the validity of the bull on the grounds that Pope Leo IX had died at that time and so
9963-1089: The ethnic dioceses overlap those of certain geographic ones. These dioceses are the result of smaller ethnic jurisdictions joining the OCA at some point in its history, usually after having broken from other bodies. Dioceses are established by the Holy Synod whenever needed, and the Synod may also modify the boundaries of an existing diocese. Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople Autocephaly and canonicity recognized by Constantinople and 3 other autocephalous Churches: Spiritual independence recognized by Georgian Orthodox Church: Semi-Autonomous: The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople ( Greek : Οἰκουμενικὸν Πατριαρχεῖον Κωνσταντινουπόλεως , romanized : Oikoumenikón Patriarkhíon Konstantinoupóleos , IPA: [ikumeniˈkon patriarˈçion konstandinuˈpoleos] ; Latin : Patriarchatus Oecumenicus Constantinopolitanus ; Turkish : Rum Ortodoks Patrikhanesi, İstanbul Ekümenik Patrikhanesi , "Roman Orthodox Patriarchate, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Istanbul")
10086-472: The first Orthodox church in the contiguous United States was established in San Francisco, California . From the late 19th century until World War I, there was a wave of immigration to the U.S. Within this wave of new people, were immigrants from traditionally Orthodox Christian regions of the world. There were many immigrants from the Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires, who formed the backbone of
10209-496: The formation of a governing council, composed of clergy and laity , which would meet to discuss administrative and canonical issues. On 5 March 1907, the first All-American Sobor convened in Mayfield, Pennsylvania . Following Archbishop Tikhon's reassignment to Russia that year, however, few of his reforms were implemented. During this period, education and charity was a focus of the diocese. In 1905, Archbishop Tikhon oversaw
10332-468: The importance of the position of Constantinople's church at the center of the Roman Empire, affairs involving the various churches outside Constantinople's direct authority came to be discussed in the capital, particularly where the intervention of the emperor was desired. The patriarch naturally became a liaison between the emperor and bishops traveling to the capital, thus establishing the position of
10455-461: The influence of the patriarchate at its capital. This influence came to be enshrined in Orthodox canon law , to such an extent that it was elevated even beyond more ancient patriarchates: Canon 3 of the First Council of Constantinople (381) stated that the bishop of that city "shall have primacy of honor after the Bishop of Rome because Constantinople is the New Rome." In its disputed 28th Canon,
10578-530: The largest Orthodox church in terms of population, especially as expressed in the Third Rome theory which places Moscow in the place of Constantinople as the center of world Orthodoxy. Such disputes sometimes result in temporary breaks in full communion , though usually not for very long. The relationship between Constantinople and the Ottoman Empire was frequently bitter, due in no small part to
10701-557: The late 19th century as a missionary to Arabic-speaking Orthodox Christians living in North America. Raphael was ordained a bishop in 1904, and his flock eventually became the AOCA. Bishop Raphael was canonized in March 2000 by the OCA as St. Raphael of Brooklyn . In 2005, former treasurer , Protodeacon Eric Wheeler publicly accused the OCA administration of financial misconduct. Wheeler alleged that millions of dollars in donations to
10824-493: The legal name of the church was changed to Orthodox Church in America (the Russian language does not use the grammatical articles ). The first Eskaleut peoples to become Eastern Orthodox Christians were the Aleuts living in contact with Siberian fur traders in the mid 18th century. They had been baptized mostly by their Eastern Orthodox trading partners or during occasional visits by priests serving aboard exploring vessels of
10947-570: The legates' authority legally ceased, but they effectively ignored this technicality. In response to Michael's refusal to address the issues at hand, the legatine mission took the extreme measure of entering the church of the Hagia Sophia during the Divine Liturgy and placing a bull of excommunication on the altar. The events of the East-West Schism are generally dated from the acts of 1054. However, these events only triggered
11070-458: The letter was passed to Humbert of Mourmoutiers , the cardinal-bishop of Silva Candida , who translated the letter into Latin and brought it to the Pope, who ordered a reply to be made to each charge and a defence of papal supremacy to be laid out in a response. Although he was hot-headed, Michael was convinced to cool the debate and thus attempt to prevent the impending breach. However, Humbert and
11193-635: The looted and enslaved city. Hagia Sophia was not exempted from the pillage and looting and specifically became its focal point as the invaders believed it to contain the greatest treasures and valuables of the city. Shortly after the defence of the Walls of Constantinople collapsed and the Ottoman troops entered the city victoriously, the pillagers and looters made their way to the Hagia Sophia and battered down its doors before storming in. Throughout
11316-527: The metropolitan, and he may retire at any time, but usually does so only for health-related reasons. The diocese is the basic church body that comprises all the parishes of a determined geographical area. It is governed by the Diocesan Bishop , with the assistance of a Diocesan Assembly and a Diocesan Council. The OCA is currently composed of twelve geographic and three ethnic dioceses ( Albanian , Bulgarian , and Romanian ). The boundaries of
11439-503: The military operations. As Orthodox Christians, we condemn violence and aggression." On 28 February 2022, he made an urgent appeal for OCA members to contribute to a fund to aid Ukrainian refugees to be administered by the Orthodox Church of Poland . As of 8 March 2022, over US$ 433,000 had been raised. On 13 March 2022, Tikhon sent a letter to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow imploring him to use his influence to help put an end to
11562-481: The patriarch as one involving the unity of the whole Church, particularly in the East. In turn, the affairs of the Constantinopolitan church were overseen not just by the patriarch, but also by synods held including visiting bishops. This pan-Orthodox synod came to be referred to as the ἐνδημοῦσα σύνοδος ( endemousa synodos , " resident synod "). The resident synod not only governed the business of
11685-493: The patriarch in determining the affairs of the possessions under his jurisdiction. The synod first developed from what was referred to as the resident synod , composed of the patriarch, local bishops, and any Orthodox bishops who were visiting in the imperial capital of Constantinople. After the fall of Constantinople , the synod's membership became limited to bishops of the patriarchate. The Holy and Sacred Synod, presided over by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I,
11808-408: The patriarchate but also examined questions pertinent to the whole Church as well as the eastern half of the old empire. The patriarch thus came to have the title of Ecumenical , which referenced not a universal episcopacy over other bishops but rather the position of the patriarch as at the center of the oikoumeni , the "household" of the empire. As the Roman Empire stabilized and grew, so did
11931-462: The patriarchate but, from 1448, the Russian church came to function independently. Within decades after the Fall of Constantinople to Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire on 29 May 1453, some were nominating Moscow as the "Third Rome" , or the "New Rome". In 1589, 141 years later, Constantinople came to recognize Russia's independence and led the Eastern Orthodox Church in declaring Russia also to be
12054-695: The patriarchate could be restored. Ethnic groups within the American diocese began to re-align themselves with other national churches. In 1918, a group of Ukrainians in Canada formed the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church in Canada , and in 1922, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America was established. In 1926, the Serbs aligned with the Serbian Orthodox Church . As a result of the realignments, Aftimios (Ofiesh) and Platon chartered
12177-646: The period of the siege of Constantinople , the trapped worshippers of the city participated in the Divine Liturgy and the Prayer of the Hours at the Hagia Sophia and the church formed a safe-haven and a refuge for many of those who were unable to contribute to the city's defence, which comprised women, children, elderly, the sick and the wounded. Being trapped in the church, the many congregants and yet more refugees inside became spoils-of-war to be divided amongst
12300-576: The pope made no concessions and the former was sent with legatine powers to the imperial capital to solve the questions raised once and for all. Humbert, Frederick of Lorraine , and Peter, Archbishop of Amalfi , arrived in April 1054 and were met with a hostile reception; they stormed out of the palace, leaving the papal response with Michael, who in turn was even more angered by their actions. The patriarch refused to recognise their authority or, practically, their existence. When Pope Leo died on April 19, 1054,
12423-562: The previous scandal and became a very public metropolitan, seeking to repair damage done by the previous scandal and bring the OCA into the public realm. Metropolitan Jonah also sought to improve relations with non-Orthodox groups and especially sought to repair the relations between the OCA and traditional Anglican groups. He was invited twice to speak at the conference of the Anglican Church in North America , in 2009 and 2012. Less than four years after his election, Metropolitan Jonah
12546-536: The privilege given to Islam . requires by law that the Patriarch be a Turkish citizen by birth, which all Patriarchs have been since 1923 – all ethnic Greeks from the decreasing Greek minority of Turkey , which is causing a shortage of priests and consequently potential candidates for the post of Ecumenical Patriarch. The closing of the Orthodox Theological School of Halki
12669-411: The report was released, Herman resigned from his position as metropolitan. That November, the OCA elected a new Primate at its 15th Annual All-American Council. Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen) was chosen because he had recently been appointed as a bishop (only 11 days prior) and was viewed to not be involved with the previous financial scandal. Metropolitan Jonah immediately took a strong stance against
12792-411: The rift between the churches. However, a number of factors and historical events worked to widen the separation over time. The Fourth Crusade in exchange for promised funds attempted to help the deposed emperor Alexius IV regain his throne. After taking Constantinople, returning Alexius IV to the throne, the revolt against and murder of Alexius IV left the Crusaders without payment. On 12 April 1204,
12915-624: The sack of Constantinople by the Frankish and Venetian Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade: The Latin soldiery subjected the greatest city in Europe to an indescribable sack. For three days they murdered, raped, looted and destroyed on a scale which even the ancient Vandals and Goths would have found unbelievable. Constantinople had become a veritable museum of ancient and Byzantine art, an emporium of such incredible wealth that
13038-482: The sale of Alaska to the United States in 1867. In November 1870, the first Eastern Orthodox church in New York City was consecrated. Eastern Catholicism was viewed with suspicion by several Latin Church bishops in the United States; some, such as Archbishop John Ireland of Saint Paul, Minnesota , were actually hostile, especially concerning the matter of married clergy. In 1891, Alexis Toth brought
13161-593: The seat for the Ecumenical Patriarch, who enjoys the status of primus inter pares (first among equals) among the world's Eastern Orthodox prelates and is regarded as the representative and spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians. The Ecumenical Patriarchate promotes the expansion of the Christian faith and Eastern Orthodox doctrine , and the Ecumenical Patriarchs are involved in ecumenism and interfaith dialogue , charitable work, and
13284-547: The self-governing nature of the church. While the subject of political and ecclesiastical dispute, this controversy does not impair the communion between the OCA and the wider Eastern Orthodox Church. According to the April 1970 Tomos of Autocephaly granted by the Russian Orthodox Church, the official name of the church is The Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America . The more comprehensive March 1970 Agreement of Tomos of Autocephaly , however, states in Article VIII that
13407-633: The spiritual, administrative, fiscal, cultural and legal jurisdiction of the Patriarchate. Some of the other patriarchs came at various points to live permanently in Constantinople and function as part of the local church government. This situation, according to some of the Orientalists and historians, shows the Pax Ottomana (or Pax Ottomanica , literally "the Ottoman Peace"). The Russian Orthodox Church , which for centuries had been
13530-544: The synod's increasing claims of authority in America. The synod, for its part, suspended Metropolitan Platon and his clergy. In 1935, an agreement entitled "Temporary Regulations of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad" was signed that normalized relations between the Metropolia and the ROCOR. The 6th All-American Sobor, held in 1937, affirmed that while the Metropolia remained autonomous, it reported to
13653-410: The total amount looted from Constantinople was about 900,000 silver marks. The Venetians received 150,000 silver marks that was their due, while the Crusaders received 50,000 silver marks. A further 100,000 silver marks were divided evenly up between the Crusaders and Venetians. The remaining 500,000 silver marks were secretly kept back by many Crusader knights. Nicetas Choniates gives a vivid account of
13776-436: The triumphant invaders. The building was desecrated and looted, with the helpless occupants who sought shelter within the church being enslaved. While most of the elderly and the infirm/wounded and sick were killed, and the remainder (mainly teenage males and young boys) were chained up and sold into slavery. The women of Constantinople also suffered from rape at the hands of Ottoman forces. According to Barbaro, "all through
13899-585: The war. The OCA continues to recognize the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as the sole canonical Orthodox church in Ukraine and therefore does not accept communion with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine . In June of 2024, Tikhon visited Ukraine and met with Metropolitan Onufriy Berezovsky of the UOC in a show of solidarity for the people of Ukraine. Members of the OCA and UOC held a joint vigil at
14022-440: The world's Orthodox Christians, citing that it represents the numerically largest Orthodox community. As a ruling institution, the Ottoman Empire brought regulations on how the cities would be built (quality reassurances) and how the architecture (structural integrity, social needs, etc.) should be shaped. Special restrictions were imposed concerning the construction, renovation, size and usage of bells in churches. For example, in
14145-420: Was asked by the Holy Synod, in a unanimous decision, to resign from his position. While wary of initially releasing information about the resignation, the Holy Synod felt prompted to release a public statement about his release due to rumors that had spread about their intentions. The statement they released on the official website of the OCA detailed several administrative decisions Metropolitan Jonah had made that
14268-557: Was dissolved with the creation of the new Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America , which was mandated by Orthodox patriarchates in 2009 at a meeting in Switzerland. Serious consideration has been given recently to a possible merger between the OCA and the AOCA. Both groups share a significant common history, in that a Syrian priest, Raphael Hawaweeny , was sent by the Moscow Patriarchate in
14391-591: Was granted by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. All canonical Orthodox churches recognize the OCA as canonical and its sacraments as valid, however. The OCA was a member of the Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops in America (SCOBA), together with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America , the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCA) and the other member jurisdictions. In 2010, SCOBA
14514-401: Was listed as having 440,000 adherents. In response to the study, an OCA representative stated the church had "around 750,000 adults and children." In 2004, Jonathan Ivanoff stated in a presentation at the OCA's Evangelization Conference that the church's census population in 2004 was 27,169, and that membership from 1990 to 2000 declined 13 percent. It further stated that the OCA population in
14637-576: Was named autocephalous by the local secular government but Constantinople refused recognition until 1879. In 1860 the Bulgarians de facto seceded from the Ecumenical Patriarchate; in 1870 the Bulgarian church was politically recognized as autonomous under the name Bulgarian Exarchate by the Sultan's firman, but it was not until 1945 that it was recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In 1922,
14760-574: Was no explicit indication that the entire Western church was being anathematised. In the bull of excommunication issued against Patriarch Michael I Cerularius by the papal legates, one of the reasons cited was the alleged deletion by the Eastern Church of the "Filioque" from the original Nicene Creed. In fact, it was precisely the opposite: the Eastern Church had not deleted anything; it was the Western Church that had added this phrase to
14883-402: Was not met, the Metropolia continued as a self-governing church. Although there were periodic attempts at reconciliation between the Metropolia and the Russian Church over the next few decades, no serious progress was made. During this time, the ethnic character of the Metropolia began to change. Since many Russian immigrants to America aligned themselves with the vocally anti-Communist ROCOR,
15006-517: Was officially incorporated as the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of America. Despite the conditions set out by Tikhon's decree for this temporary autonomy not being met, the American diocese of the Russian church declared self-governance in 1924, against the protests of the patriarchate, with which it had communication and which was capable of governance had its American branch been willing. The refusal of
15129-686: Was overrun by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, the Patriarchate came to care more directly for all the Orthodox living in the Ottoman Empire . Mehmed II appointed Gennadios II Scholarios as the Patriarch in 1454 and designated him as the spiritual leader as well as the ethnarch or, in Turkish, milletbashi of all the Orthodox Christians in the Empire, regardless of ethnic origin; not only Greeks, but also Bulgarians , Serbs , Albanians , Wallachians , Moldavians , Croatis , Syrians , orthodox Arabs , Georgians and Lazs came under
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