Difference between revisions of "Orthodox Church in America"

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The '''Orthodox Church in America''' (OCA) is an [[autocephaly|autocephalous]] church with parishes mainly in the United States and Canada (though it has some parishes in Australia and elsewhere). It began with the missionary work of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. In 1917, the [[Bolshevik Revolution]] brought communication between the churches in North America and Russia to an almost complete halt. In the early 1920s, Patriarch [[Tikhon of Moscow]] directed all Russian Orthodox churches outside of Russia to govern themselves autonomously until regular communication and travel could be resumed. (He died in 1925, and was glorified as a [[saint]] by the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] in 1989.) At that time, parishes which had been part of a single North American [[diocese]] organized separate dioceses and placed themselves under various other mother churches, giving rise to the current situation of multiple overlapping jurisdictions in North America.  
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The '''Orthodox Church in America''' (OCA) is an [[autocephaly|autocephalous]] church with parishes mainly in the United States and Canada (though it has some parishes in Australia and elsewhere).  
  
In the early 1960s, the Orthodox Church in America resumed communication with the Patriarch of Moscow, and in 1970 full communion was restored. At that time, the Patriarch of Moscow officially granted the OCA [[autocephaly]], or self-governing administrative status.  The OCA's autocephaly is not currently recognized by all other autocephalous Orthodox Churches, including the [[Church of Constantinople]].
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== History ==
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The OCA began with the missionary work of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. In 1917, the [[Bolshevik Revolution]] brought communication between the churches in North America and Russia to an almost complete halt. In the early 1920s, Patriarch [[Tikhon of Moscow]] directed all Russian Orthodox churches outside of Russia to govern themselves autonomously until regular communication and travel could be resumed. (He died in 1925, and was glorified as a [[saint]] by the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] in 1989.) At that time, parishes which had been part of a single North American [[diocese]] organized separate dioceses and placed themselves under various other mother churches, giving rise to the current situation of multiple overlapping jurisdictions in North America.
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In the early 1960s, the Orthodox Church in America resumed communication with the Patriarch of Moscow, and in 1970 full communion was restored. At that time, the Patriarch of Moscow officially granted the OCA [[autocephaly]], or self-governing administrative status.  The OCA's autocephaly is not currently recognized by all other autocephalous Orthodox Churches, including the [[Church of Constantinople]]. Churches that do recognize its autocephaly include the [[Church of Russia]], the [[Church of Bulgaria]], the [[Church of Poland]], and the [[Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia]].
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== The OCA Today ==
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In the United States, there are 12 dioceses and 623 parishes, missions, and institutions.  The ethnic dioceses extend into Canada, which also has one non-ethnic archdiocese.  Altogether there are 91 Canadian parishes.  The OCA has a Mexican Exarchate with nine parishes and missions, and there are five parishes in South America.  In addition, there are three parishes in Australia under the OCA’s canonical protection, two in Sydney and another near Brisbane.
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There are three ethnic dioceses in the OCA:  the Albanian (13 parishes), Bulgarian (16 parishes) and Romanian (59 parishes).  These dioceses' geographic territory overlaps with the other dioceses of the OCA and they have under their care parishes with those ethnic associations.  These dioceses are the result of smaller ethnic [[jurisdiction]]s joining the OCA at some point in its history.
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The OCA also has 19 monastic communities, six of which fall under the direct jurisdiction of the Metropolitan (i.e., are [[stavropighial]]).  The largest of these monasteries are [[New Skete (Cambridge, New York)]] and [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)]].
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There are three [[seminary|seminaries]] operated by the OCA:  [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary]] (founded 1937), [[St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary]] (founded 1938), and [[St. Herman's Orthodox Theological Seminary]] (founded 1973).  All three educate seminarians from multiple Orthodox jurisdictions, including those outside North America.
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The OCA is a member of the [[Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas]] (SCOBA).  The current [[primate]] of the OCA is His Beatitude [[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington|Herman]], Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of All America and Canada.
 
The OCA is a member of the [[Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas]] (SCOBA).  The current [[primate]] of the OCA is His Beatitude [[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington|Herman]], Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of All America and Canada.
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== External links ==
 
== External links ==
 
* [http://www.oca.org/ Official Website of the OCA]
 
* [http://www.oca.org/ Official Website of the OCA]
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* [http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-orthodox-america.htm Eastern Christian Churches: OCA] by Ronald Roberson,  a Roman Catholic priest and scholar
  
  
 
[[Category:Jurisdictions]]
 
[[Category:Jurisdictions]]

Revision as of 15:47, January 5, 2005

The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) is an autocephalous church with parishes mainly in the United States and Canada (though it has some parishes in Australia and elsewhere).

History

The OCA began with the missionary work of the Russian Orthodox Church in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. In 1917, the Bolshevik Revolution brought communication between the churches in North America and Russia to an almost complete halt. In the early 1920s, Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow directed all Russian Orthodox churches outside of Russia to govern themselves autonomously until regular communication and travel could be resumed. (He died in 1925, and was glorified as a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1989.) At that time, parishes which had been part of a single North American diocese organized separate dioceses and placed themselves under various other mother churches, giving rise to the current situation of multiple overlapping jurisdictions in North America.

In the early 1960s, the Orthodox Church in America resumed communication with the Patriarch of Moscow, and in 1970 full communion was restored. At that time, the Patriarch of Moscow officially granted the OCA autocephaly, or self-governing administrative status. The OCA's autocephaly is not currently recognized by all other autocephalous Orthodox Churches, including the Church of Constantinople. Churches that do recognize its autocephaly include the Church of Russia, the Church of Bulgaria, the Church of Poland, and the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.

The OCA Today

In the United States, there are 12 dioceses and 623 parishes, missions, and institutions. The ethnic dioceses extend into Canada, which also has one non-ethnic archdiocese. Altogether there are 91 Canadian parishes. The OCA has a Mexican Exarchate with nine parishes and missions, and there are five parishes in South America. In addition, there are three parishes in Australia under the OCA’s canonical protection, two in Sydney and another near Brisbane.

There are three ethnic dioceses in the OCA: the Albanian (13 parishes), Bulgarian (16 parishes) and Romanian (59 parishes). These dioceses' geographic territory overlaps with the other dioceses of the OCA and they have under their care parishes with those ethnic associations. These dioceses are the result of smaller ethnic jurisdictions joining the OCA at some point in its history.

The OCA also has 19 monastic communities, six of which fall under the direct jurisdiction of the Metropolitan (i.e., are stavropighial). The largest of these monasteries are New Skete (Cambridge, New York) and St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery (South Canaan, Pennsylvania).

There are three seminaries operated by the OCA: St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (founded 1937), St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (founded 1938), and St. Herman's Orthodox Theological Seminary (founded 1973). All three educate seminarians from multiple Orthodox jurisdictions, including those outside North America.


The OCA is a member of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA). The current primate of the OCA is His Beatitude Herman, Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of All America and Canada.


External links