The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA), often referred to in
North America as simply the Antiochian Archdiocese, is the jurisdiction of the
Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch ( el, Ελληνορθόδοξο Πατριαρχείο Αντιοχείας), also known as the Antiochian Orthodox Church and legally as the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East ( ar ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
and
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. Originally under the care of the
Russian Orthodox Church
, native_name_lang = ru
, image = Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg
, imagewidth =
, alt =
, caption = Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia
, abbreviation = ROC
, type ...
, the Syro-Levantine
Eastern Orthodox Christian immigrants to the United States and Canada were granted their own jurisdiction under the Church of Antioch in the wake of the
Bolshevik Revolution
The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...
. Internal conflicts divided the Antiochian Orthodox faithful into two parallel
archdiocesesthose of
New York and
Toledountil 1975, when
Metropolitan Philip (Saliba)
Metropolitan Philip (Saliba) ( ar, ) (born Abdullah Saliba; Abou Mizan, Lebanon Fort Lauderdale, Florida) was the Archbishop of New York, Metropolitan of All North America, and primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North ...
became the sole
Archbishop of the reunited Antiochian Archdiocese. By 2014, the archdiocese had grown to over 275
parish church
A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
es.
It is one of two Orthodox Christian jurisdictions in North America to currently practice the liturgical
Western Rite
Latin liturgical rites, or Western liturgical rites, are Catholic rites of public worship employed by the Latin Church, the largest particular church ''sui iuris'' of the Catholic Church, that originated in Europe where the Latin language once ...
as well as the
Byzantine Rite, along with the
Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (russian: Ру́сская Правосла́вная Це́рковь Заграни́цей, lit=Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, translit=Russkaya Pravoslavnaya Tserkov' Zagranitsey), also called Ru ...
.
History
The Antiochian Orthodox followers were originally cared for by the
Russian Orthodox Church
, native_name_lang = ru
, image = Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg
, imagewidth =
, alt =
, caption = Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia
, abbreviation = ROC
, type ...
in America and the first bishop consecrated in North America, Saint
Raphael of Brooklyn, was consecrated by the Russian Orthodox Church in America in 1904 to care for the Syro-Levantine
Greek Orthodox
The term Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also cal ...
Christian
Ottoman immigrants to the United States and Canada, who had come chiefly from the
vilayets of
Adana
Adana (; ; ) is a major city in southern Turkey. It is situated on the Seyhan River, inland from the Mediterranean Sea. The administrative seat of Adana province, it has a population of 2.26 million.
Adana lies in the heart of Cilicia, wh ...
,
Aleppo,
Damascus, and
Beirut
Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...
(the birthplace of the community's founder,
Saint Raphael of Brooklyn).
After the
Bolshevik Revolution
The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...
threw the
Russian Orthodox Church
, native_name_lang = ru
, image = Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg
, imagewidth =
, alt =
, caption = Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia
, abbreviation = ROC
, type ...
and its faithful abroad into chaos, the Syro-Levantine
Greek Orthodox
The term Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also cal ...
Christian faithful in North America, simultaneously shaken by the death of their beloved bishop, Saint Raphael, chose to come under the direct care of the Damascus-based
Patriarchate of Antioch
Patriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the bishop of Antioch (modern-day Antakya, Turkey). As the traditional "overseer" (ἐπίσκοπος, ''episkopos'', from which the word ''bishop'' is derived) of the first gentile Christian c ...
. Due to internal conflicts, however, the Antiochian Orthodox faithful in North America became divided between two
archdioceses, those of
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
and
Toledo.
In 1975, the two Antiochian Orthodox archdioceses were united as one Archdiocese of North America (now with its headquarters in
Englewood,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
). Since then, it has experienced significant growth through ongoing evangelization of North Americans and the immigration of Orthodox Christian Arabs from the Middle East. Its leader from 1966 until 2014 was Metropolitan
Philip Saliba. Six other diocesan bishops assisted the metropolitan in caring for the archdiocese, which is the third largest Orthodox Christian jurisdiction in North America, with 74,600 adherents in the United States, 27,300 of whom are regular church attendees. As of 2011, it also has 249 parishes in the United States with two monastic communities.
Metropolitan Philip died in 2014 and was succeeded by Metropolitan
Joseph Al-Zehlaoui. Metropolitan Joseph retired in 2022 following allegations of sexual misconduct.
The archdiocese is a participating member of the
. Metropolitan Joseph served as the body's first vice chairman.
Structure
The archdiocese is divided in eight territorial dioceses and one vicariate. Some of the territorial dioceses extend into Canada.
* Charleston, Oakland, and the Mid-Atlantic (chancery in
Charleston, West Virginia)
* Los Angeles and the West (chancery in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
)
* Miami and the Southeast (chancery in
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables, officially City of Coral Gables, is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city is located southwest of Downtown Miami. As of the 2020 U.S. census, it had a population of 49,248.
Coral Gables is known globally as home to the ...
)
* New York and Washington, D.C. (chancery in
Englewood, New Jersey)
* Ottawa, Eastern Canada and Upstate New York (chancery in
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
)
* Toledo and the Midwest (chancery in
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...
)
* Wichita and Mid-America (chancery in
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532. The Wichita metro area had a population of 647,610 in 2020. It is located in ...
)
* Worcester and New England (chancery in
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...
).
Alongside the eight
Byzantine Rite territorial dioceses exists the
Western Rite Vicariate, a non-territorial
vicar
A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pre ...
iate created from remnants of the
Society of Saint Basil in 1961, three years after the
Western Rite
Latin liturgical rites, or Western liturgical rites, are Catholic rites of public worship employed by the Latin Church, the largest particular church ''sui iuris'' of the Catholic Church, that originated in Europe where the Latin language once ...
was approved for use by the archdiocese in 1958. It oversees all Antiochian parishes serving the
Roman or
Anglican uses of the Western Rite, as opposed to the Byzantine Rite used by the majority of the archdiocese.
Evangelism
Many conservative former
Anglicans have turned to the archdiocese as a jurisdiction, some joining and leading
Western Rite
Latin liturgical rites, or Western liturgical rites, are Catholic rites of public worship employed by the Latin Church, the largest particular church ''sui iuris'' of the Catholic Church, that originated in Europe where the Latin language once ...
parishes with liturgy more familiar to Western Christians. The current mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America is to "bring Orthodoxy to America. Its Department of Missions and Evangelism was chaired by Fr.
Peter Gillquist who led the mass conversion of the
Evangelical Orthodox Church
The Evangelical Orthodox Church (EOC), founded on January 15, 1979, is a small Christian syncretic denomination established by former leaders of Campus Crusade for Christ, who, reacting against the freewheeling Jesus People movement, developed t ...
to Eastern Orthodoxy. Gillquist died in . The current chairman is Fr.John Finley.
The archdiocese also includes
Ancient Faith Ministries among its departments, with its well-known
Ancient Faith Radio division, an Internet-based radio station with content themed around Orthodox Christianity, including both streaming stations and more than 100 podcasts.
As a result of its evangelism and missionary work, the Antiochian Archdiocese saw significant growth between the mid-1960s and . The archdiocese had only 65 parishes across the United States in the mid-1960s and, by , this number had increased to 249 parishes.
Relations with other Christian bodies
The archdiocese had formerly been a member of the
National Council of Churches
The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, usually identified as the National Council of Churches (NCC), is the largest ecumenical body in the United States. NCC is an ecumenical partnership of 38 Christian faith groups in the Un ...
(NCC), but its archdiocesan convention voted unanimously on , to withdraw fully from that body, citing increased politicization and a generally fruitless relationship, making it the only major Eastern Orthodox jurisdiction in the United States to take such a step.
Episcopacy
While American converts play a substantial role in the life of the archdiocese, being well represented among both clergy and laity, all bishops of the Antiochian Archdiocese are of
Levant
The Levant () is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is ...
ine descent.
Metropolitan Archbishop
* vacant (Metropolitan Antonios (El Souri) of Zahle, Baalbek, and Dependencies is serving as Patriarchal Vicar to the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America)
Auxiliary bishops
* Bishop Basil (Essey), Wichita Chancery
* Bishop Thomas (Joseph), Charleston Chancery
* Bishop Alexander (Mufarrij), Ottawa Chancery
* Bishop John (Abdallah), Worcester Chancery
* Bishop Anthony (Michaels), Toledo Chancery
* Bishop Nicholas (Ozone), Miami Chancery
Former Metropolitan Archbishops
Archdiocese of New York
Metropolitan Victor (Abo-Assaley) 19241935
* Metropolitan Anthony (Bashir), 19361966
*
Metropolitan Philip (Saliba), 19662014
Archdiocese of Toledo
* Metropolitan Samuel (David), 19361958
* Metropolitan Michael (Shaheen), 19581975
Archdiocese of New York and All North America
*
Metropolitan Philip (Saliba), 19752014
*
Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui), 2014 2022
See also
*
*
Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops in America
The Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) was an organization of bishops from Eastern Orthodox Christian jurisdictions in the Americas. It acted as a clearinghouse for educational, charitable, and missionary ...
*
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch
*
Antiochian Greek Christians
Antiochian Greek Christians (also known as Antiochian Rūm) are a Levantine Arabic-speaking ethnoreligious Eastern Christian group residing in the Levant region. They are either members of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch or the Melkite Gree ...
*
Philip (Saliba)
Metropolitan Philip (Saliba) ( ar, ) (born Abdullah Saliba; Abou Mizan, Lebanon Fort Lauderdale, Florida) was the Archbishop of New York, Metropolitan of All North America, and primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North ...
Notes
:1.The number of adherents given in the "Atlas of American Orthodox Christian Churches" is defined as "individual full members" with the addition of their children. It also includes an estimate of how many are not members but regularly participate in parish life. Regular attendees includes only those who regularly attend church and regularly participate in church life.
References
External links
*
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America(OrthodoxWiki article)
{{authority control
Antiochian Orthodox Church in the United States
Christian organizations established in 1924
Dioceses established in the 20th century
Eastern Orthodox Church bodies in North America
Eastern Orthodox dioceses in Canada
Eastern Orthodox dioceses in the United States
Eastern Orthodox organizations established in the 20th century
Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch