The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada ( sr, Српска православна епархија канадска, ) is a diocese of the
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian denomination, Christian churches.
The majori ...
.
Its headquarters (the
Holy Transfiguration Monastery) and bishop's residence are in
Campbellville
Campbellville is a compact rural community in the geographic township of Nassagaweya in the Town of Milton, Regional Municipality of Halton, Ontario, Canada. It is on the Niagara Escarpment and is a tourist destination for residents of the ...
,
Milton,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
with the
Saint Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Hamilton has a population of 569,353, and its census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington and Grimsby, has a population of 785,184. The city is approximately southwest of T ...
serving as the
cathedral church
A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral ...
. Its current primate is Bishop
Mitrofan (Kodić).
History and organization
The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada, part of the
Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America
The Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America ( sr, Српска православна црква у Северној и Јужној Америци) is a constituent and integral part of the one and only Serbian Orthodox Church (Patria ...
, is an integral part of the Serbian Orthodox Patriarchate with its See in
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
, and accordingly answers to its national church, the
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian denomination, Christian churches.
The majori ...
(SOC), one of the
autocephalous
Autocephaly (; from el, αὐτοκεφαλία, meaning "property of being self-headed") is the status of a hierarchical Christian church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop. The term is primarily used in Eastern O ...
and canonical Orthodox Christian churches.
The Serbian Orthodox Diocese in the United States and Canada was established in 1921. In 1963, it was reorganized into three sections and in 1983, a fourth diocese was created specifically for the Canadian churches. This followed a period of growth in Serb immigrants to Canada following World War II, as well as a desire in decades prior for the Serbian Orthodox clergy to reach their parisioners more easily.
The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada was founded on May 26, 1983 at the behest of
Sava Vuković, the then-bishop of Eastern-America and Canada. On May 16, 1984
Georgije Đokić
Georgije Đokić (Serbian Cyrillic: Георгије Ђокић; born May 6, 1949) is a retired Serbian Orthodox
The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the aut ...
was elected as its first bishop.
The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada covers 33 parishes and missionary parishes.
On May 21, 2009 the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church held a meeting for the restructuring of the existing Dioceses in North and South America, based on the recommendation of the Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It was restructured in the following manner:
* The Metropolitanate of Libertyville-Chicago, with its See at St. Sava Monastery in Libertyville
* The Diocese of New Gracanica-Midwestern America, with its see at the Monastery of New Gračanica
* The Diocese of Eastern America, with its see in
New Rochelle
New Rochelle (; older french: La Nouvelle-Rochelle) is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state. In 2020, the city had a population of 79,726, making it the seventh-largest in the state of ...
* The Diocese of Western America, with its see in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
/
Alhambra
* The Diocese of Canada, with its see in
Milton
See also
*
Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery and Seminary
The Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery and School of Theology ( sr, Манастир Светог Саве, Manastir Svetog Save) in Libertyville, Illinois is a monastery and professional theological school in the Serbian Orthodox Church in t ...
*
Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America
The Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America ( sr, Српска православна црква у Северној и Јужној Америци) is a constituent and integral part of the one and only Serbian Orthodox Church (Patria ...
*
*
Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Eastern America
The Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Eastern America or Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America ( sr, Српска православна епархија источноамеричка) is a Serbian Orthodox Church diocese of the United States. B ...
*
*
Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Western America
The Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Western America or Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Western America ( sr, Српска православна епархија западноамеричка) is a Serbian Orthodox Church diocese located in the western ...
*
Serbs in Canada
The community of Serbian Canadians ( sr, Канадски Срби/Kanadski Srbi) includes Canadian citizens of Serb ethnicity, or people born in Serbia who permanently reside in Canada. Serbs (and Serbians) have migrated to Canada in various wa ...
References
Sources
*
External links
Diocese of Canada, Official Site
{{Serbian Orthodox subdivisions
Serbian Orthodox Church
Serbian Orthodox Church in Canada
Religious sees of the Serbian Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox dioceses in Canada
Dioceses established in the 20th century
Serbian-Canadian culture