https://orthodoxwiki.org/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Vlatadon&feedformat=atomOrthodoxWiki - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T13:49:01ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Raphael_Morgan&diff=89592Raphael Morgan2009-12-24T01:02:34Z<p>Vlatadon: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Raphael_Morgan.jpg|right|frame|Source: ''The Daily Gleaner'' (Kingston, Jamaica). [[July 22]], 1913.]]<br />
{{orthodoxyinamerica}}<br />
Very Rev. '''Raphael Morgan''' (born '''Robert Josias Morgan''', 186x/187x - 19xx) was a Jamaican-American [[priest]] of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]], designated as ''"Priest-Apostolic"'' (Greek: Ιεραποστολος) to America and the West Indies,<ref group="note">According to Fr. Raphael's biography in the ''Who's Who of the Colored Race'', 1915, after he was ordained to the priesthood:<br><br />
:"...at a special service he was duly commissioned Priest-Apostolic from the Ecumenical and Patriarchal Throne of Constantinople to America and the West Indies."<br><br />
(Mather, Frank Lincoln. ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=RFZ2AAAAMAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s Who's Who of the Colored Race: A General Biographical Dictionary of Men and Women of African Descent].'' University of Michigan. Gale Research Co., 1915. p.226.)</ref><ref>Robert A. Hill, Marcus Garvey, Universal Negro Improvement Association. ''Letter Denouncing Marcus Garvey.'' In: '''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=CKJrUKdSZwkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s The Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers: 1826-August 1919].''' University of California Press, 1983. pg.197.</ref> later the founder and superior of the ''Order of the Cross of Golgotha'',<ref group="note" name="Order">The ''"Order of...",'' could be a number of things; it could be 1) an honorarium bestowed upon him for service done in the Church; or 2) an entitling which lets others know of his special mission in the Patriarchate/Diocese etc.; it could also 3) refer to a Society of monastics which transcends, because of rare circumstances, physical location; in addition, it is also possible that this was 4) a monastic brotherhood formed for Black Orthodox Christians, since Morgan was referred to as the ''“founder and superior”'' of that religious fraternity, although the formation of formal monastic orders is not traditionally practiced in the Orthodox tradition. The Orthodox Church does not have separate Orders (Franciscan, Carmelite etc.) each with an entirely independent rule/ethos of life. Despite being mentioned on many occasions in association with Morgan, no other material has ever been found on the ''Order of the Cross of Golgotha''.</ref> and thought to be the first Black Orthodox clergyman in America. <br />
<br />
He spoke broken Greek, and therefore served mostly in English. Having recently been discovered, his life has garnered great interest, but much of his life still remains shrouded in mystery. <br />
<br />
Fr. Raphael is said to have resided all over the world, including: "in Palestine, Syria, Joppa, Greece, Cyprus, Mytilene, Chios, Sicily, Crete, Egypt, Russia, Ottoman Turkey, Austria, Germany, England, France, Scandinavia, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Bermuda, and the United States."<ref name=MATHER>Mather, Frank Lincoln. ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=RFZ2AAAAMAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s Who's Who of the Colored Race: A General Biographical Dictionary of Men and Women of African Descent].'' University of Michigan. Gale Research Co., 1915. pp.226-227.</ref><br />
<br />
==Early Life==<br />
Robert Josias Morgan was born in Chapelton, Clarence Parish, Jamaica either in the late 1860s or early 1870s to Robert Josias and Mary Ann (née Johnson) Morgan. He was born six months after his father's death, and named in his honour. Robert was raised in the Anglican tradition and was received elementary schooling locally.<ref name="MATHER"/> <br />
<br />
In his teenage years he travelled to Colón, Panama, then to British Honduras, back to Jamaica, and then to the United States. He became a minister in the [[w:African Methodist Episcopal Church|African Methodist Episcopal Church]] (AME) and left as a [[missionary]] to Germany.<ref name="MATHER"/><br />
<br />
===Period in the Church of England===<br />
He then came to England, where he joined the [[w:Church of England|Church of England]] and was sent to Sierra Leona to the [[w:Church Mission Society|Church Missionary Society]] Grammar School at Freetown. He studied Greek, Latin, and other higher-level subjects. Being poor, Robert had to work to support himself, and worked as second master of a public school in Freetown. He took course in the Church Missionary Society [[w:Fourah Bay College|College at Fourah Bay]] in Freetown, and was soon appointed a missionary teacher and [[w:Lay reader|lay-reader]] by the Episcopalian [[Bishop]] of Liberia, the Right Reverend [[w:Samuel David Ferguson|Samuel David Ferguson]].<ref name="MATHER"/> Robert later said during a trip to Jamaica in 1901 that he served five years in West Africa, of which he spent three years in missionary work.<ref name="West Africa">''The Daily Gleaner''. ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id10.html West Africa]''. October 9, 1901. p.7.</ref><br />
<br />
After this Robert again visited England for private study, and then travelled to America to work amongst the African-American community as a lay-reader. He was accepted as a Postulant and as candidate for the Episcopalian [[deacon]]ate. During the canonical period of waiting period before ordination, Robert again returned to England to study at Saint Aidan's Theological College in [[w:Birkenhead|Birkenhead]], and finally prosecuted his studies at [[w:King's College London|King's College]] of the University of London.<ref name="MATHER"/> The colleges however do not contain records of his attendance.<ref group="note">It is possible that he academically audited the courses, attending the classes without receiving a formal grade.</ref> <br />
<br />
===Period in the Episcopal Church===<br />
He returned to America, and on [[June 20]], 1895 was [[ordination|ordained]] as [[deacon]]<ref group="note">Fr. Raphael's name is given on a list of Black Episcopal ordinations as follows: ''"1895: Robert Josias Morgan, d. June 20, Coleman; deposed; went abroad and was made a priest in Greek Church."'' (Bragg, Rev. George F. (D.D.). ''Chapter XXXVI: Negro Ordinations from 1866 to the Present''. In: '''[http://www.archive.org/details/historyofafroame00brag History of the Afro-American group of the Episcopal church (1922)].''' Baltimore, Md.: Church Advocate Press, 1922. p.273.)</ref> by the Rt. Rev. [[w:Leighton Coleman|Leighton Coleman]],<ref>The ''New York Times''. ''[http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9D0DE1DF1639E333A25756C1A9649D946697D6CF Bishop Coleman of Delaware Dies].'' Sunday December 15, 1907. Page 13. (Obituary)</ref> Bishop of the [[w:Episcopal Diocese of Delaware|Episcopalian Diocese of Delaware]], and a well-known opponent of racism. Robert was appointed honorary curate in St Matthews' Church in Wilminton, Delaware, serving there from 1896 to 1897,<ref name=WHITE>White, Gavin. ''Patriarch McGuire and the Episcopal Church.'' In: Randall K. Burkett and Richard Newman (Eds.). '''Black Apostles: Afro-American Clergy Confront the Twentieth Century.''' G. K. Hall, 1978. pp.151-180.</ref> and procured a job as a teacher for a few public schools in Delaware. From 1897 he served at Charleston, West Virginia.<ref name="WHITE"/><br />
<br />
In 1898, the deacon Robert (Rev. R.J. Morgan) was transferred to the Missionary Jurisdiction of Ashville (now in the [[w:Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina|Diocese of Western North Carolina]]). By 1899 he was listed as being assistant minister at [http://www.diocesewnc.org/index.php?content=300.00&city=Morganton St. Stephen's Chapel] in Morganton, North Carolina, and [http://www.asecnc.org/StCyp.html St. Cyprian's Church] in Lincolnton, North Carolina.<ref>Lumsden, Joy, MA (Cantab), PhD (UWI). ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id1.html Father Raphael: His Background and Career].'' September 29, 2007.</ref><ref group="note">St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church was established in 1886. The church once stood on West Church in Lincolnton. The property consisted of a church, a parsonage, and a building used as a school. The church was torn down during the 1970's. The <br />
church remained primarily black and was not integrated until 1979. (Jason L. Harpe. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=UJx5c2FRfosC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false Lincoln County Revisited].'' Illustrated. Arcadia Publishing, 2003. pg.18.)</ref><br />
<br />
In 1901-1902 Rev. R. J. Morgan made a visit to his homeland Jamaica. In October 1901 he gave an address to the Jamaica Church Missionary Union, on West Africa and mission work.<ref name="West Africa"/> He also gave a lecture in [[w:Port Maria|Port Maria]], Jamaica in October 1902, entitled ''"Africa - lts people, Tribes, Idolatry, Customs."''<ref>''The Daily Gleaner''. ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id10.html Port Maria: A Lecture]''. October 7, 1902. p.29.</ref><br />
<br />
Between 1900 and 1906, Robert moved around much of the Eastern seaboard. From 1902 to 1905 Deacon Morgan served at Richmond, Virginia; in 1905 at Nashville, Tennessee; and by 1906 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his address care of the ''Church of the Crucifixion''.<ref name="WHITE"/> <br />
<br />
At some point during this period he joined an off-shoot of the Episcopalian Church, known as the ''"American Catholic Church"'' (''ACC''), a sect founded by [[w:Joseph René Vilatte|Joseph René Vilatte]].<ref group="note">The ''"American Catholic Church"'' (ACC) included the jurisdictions and groups which had come out of [[w:Joseph René Vilatte|Joseph René Vilatte's]] Episcopal ministry or were under his oversight. Among them were French and English speaking constituencies, and Polish and Italian ordinariates. The ACC began on August 20, 1894, at a synod held in Cleveland, Ohio, where Polish-speaking parishes joined the jurisdiction of Bishop Vilatte, however the ACC was actually incorporated in July 1915.</ref> He is listed in the records of the Episcopal Church of the USA as late as 1908, when he was suspended from ministry on the allegations of abandoning his post.<br />
<br />
==Orthodoxy==<br />
===Trip to Russia===<br />
By the turn of the 20th century, Robert seriously began to question his faith, and began intensive study of Anglicanism, Catholicism, and Orthodoxy over a three year period, to discover what he felt was the true religion. He concluded that the Orthodox Church was "the pillar and ground of truth", resigned from the Episcopalian Church, and embarked on an extensive trip abroad beginning in the [[w:Russian Empire|Russian Empire]] in 1904.<ref name="MATHER"/><br />
<br />
Once there, Robert visited various [[monastery|monasteries]] and churches, including sites in Odessa, St. Petersburg, Moscow and [[Monastery of the Kiev Caves|Kiev]], soon becoming quite the sensation. Sundry periodicals began publishing pictures and articles on him, and soon Robert became the Special Guest of the Tsar. He was allowed to be present for the anniversary celebrations of [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II's]] coronation, and the [[Memorial Services|memorial service]] said for the repose of the soul of the late Emperor Alexander III.<ref>''The Daily Gleaner.'' ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id3.html Priest's Visit: Father Raphael of Greek Orthodox Church: His Extensive Travels].'' July 22, 1913.</ref><br />
<br />
Leaving Russia, Robert traveled Turkey, Cyprus, and the [[Holy Land]], returning to America and writing an article to the ''Russian-American Orthodox Messenger'' (''Vestnik'') in 1904 about his experience in Russia. In this open letter, Morgan expressed hope that the Anglican Church could unite with the Orthodox Churches, clearly moved by his experience in Russia.<ref group="note">Upon Morgan's departure from Russia, he wrote a letter, which was reprinted in the October/November 1904 English supplement to the ''Vestnik'' (Russian Orthodox American Messenger), the official publication of the [[Orthodox Church in America|Russian Archdiocese in America]]. Here is the text of that letter:<br><br />
:I, Robert Josias Morgan, a legally consecrated cleric of the American Episcopal Church, find it necessary to make it publicly known, that I am not a Bishop, as it was announced in some magazines and daily papers…<br><br />
:… I am not a Bishop, but a legally consecrated deacon. I came to Russia in no way to represent anything, and I was not sent by anybody. I came as a simple tourist, chiefly with the object to see the churches and the monasteries of this country, to enjoy the ritual and the service of the holy Orthodox Church, about which I heard so much abroad. And I am perfectly satisfied with everything I saw and witnessed.<br><br />
:The piety and the fear of God amongst the Russian clergy, both superior and lower, and of the lay people in general are too great to be spoken of. I like Russia, and as to the people I have simply grown to love them for their gentleness, their politeness, their amiability and kindness. It would seem as if the Christian religion penetrated the whole life of the people. This can be observed both in the private home life and the social life. You have but to go to Church in this country, and you immediately see, that there is nothing too valuable for the people to be offered to God. Note how they pray, how patiently they stand through the long Church services…<br><br />
:Now, having spent here about a month, I leave your country with a feeling of profound gratitude and take back to North America all the good impressions I received here. And when there I shall speak boldly and loudly about the brotherly feelings entertained here in the bosom of the holy Orthodox Church towards its [[w:Episcopal Church (United States)|Anglican sister of North America]], and about the prayers which are offered here daily for the union of all the [[Catholic]] Christendom.<br><br />
:My constant humble prayer is for the union of all Churches, and especially the union of the Anglican faith with the Orthodox [[Church of Russia]]. I solicited the Metropolitans and the Bishops to grant me their blessing in regard to this prayer and obtained it. Now I pray daily and eagerly for a better mutual understanding between the character and their union. God grant a blessing to this cause and a hearing to our prayers and supplications. Let us solicit the prayers of the Saints. Let us seek the intercession of the holy [[Theotokos|Mother of God]]. Virgin Mary, pray for us!<br><br />
:In conclusion I must say, that my stay in Russia did me personally much good: I feel now firmer and stronger spiritually than I did before I came.<br><br />
:God bless the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of this country! God bless the Emperor and all the reigning family! God grant them a long life, peace and prosperity!<br><br />
:I am sincerely yours in God and in the name of Mary,<br><br />
:Robert Josias Morgan.<br><br />
(Matthew Namee. ''"[http://orthodoxhistory.org/?cat=58 Robert Josias Morgan visits Russia, 1904]."'' '''OrthodoxHistory.org''' (The Society for Orthodox Chrisitan History in the Americas). September 15, 2009.)</ref> People of African descent were generally well-received within the Russian Empire, Morgan believed. [[w:Abram Petrovich Gannibal|Abram Hannibal]] had served under Emperor Peter the Great, and rose to lieutenant general in the Russian Army. Visiting artists, foreign service officials, and athletes, such as famous horse jockey [[w:James Winkfield|Jimmy Winkfield]], were likewise welcomed. With his experience of Russia and Russian Orthodoxy fresh in his mind, Morgan returned to the United States and continued his spiritual quest.<ref name=Oliver>Fr. Oliver Herbel. ''Morgan, Raphael.'' '''[http://www.mywire.com/a/African-American-National-Biography/Morgan-Raphael/9463563?&pbl=27 The African American National Biography]''' at '''mywire.com'''. 1-Jan-2008.</ref><br />
<br />
===Study and Trip to Ecumenical Patriarchate===<br />
For another three years, Robert studied under Greek priests for his [[baptism]],<ref name="MATHER"/> eventually deciding to seek entry and ordination in the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|Greek Orthodox Church]]. In January of 1906, he is documented as ''assisting'' in the Christmas [[Divine Liturgy|liturgy]].<ref group="note">The ''Philadelphia Inquirer'' reported on [[January 8]], 1906, that ''“Rev. R.J. Morgan of the American Catholic Church, an off-shoot of the Protestant Episcopal Church, assisted.”''</ref> In 1907 the Philadephia Greek community referred Robert to the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] in Constantinople armed with two letters of support. One was a recommendation from Fr. Demetrios Petrides, the Greek priest then serving the Philadelphia community, dated [[June 18|18 June]] 1907, who described Morgan as a man sincerely coming into Orthodoxy after long and diligent study, and recommending his baptism and [[ordination]] into the priesthood. The second letter of support was from the "Ecclesiastical Committee" of the Philadelphia Greek Orthodox Church, stating he could serve as an assistant priest if he failed to form a separate Orthodox parish among his fellow Black Americans.<ref group="note">Summaries of the two letters are given in the Synodal Minutes of [[July 19|19 July]], 1907, presided over by Patriarch [[Joachim III of Constantinople|Joachim III]], who introduced the subject of Morgan's baptism and ordination. As is stated in the second letter, Morgan's goal was to establish an Orthodox community of Blacks (''' ''"...να πηξη ιδιαν ορθοδοξον κοινοτητα μεταξυ των εν Αμερικη ομοφυλων αυτου Νιγρητων..."'' ''').</ref><br />
<br />
In Constantinople, Robert was interviewed by [[Metropolitan]] [[Joachim (Phoropoulos) of Pelagonia]], one of the few bishops of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] that could speak English and among the most learned of the Constantinopolitan hierarchs of that time. Metropolitan Joachim examined Robert, noting that he had a ''"deep knowledge of the teachings of the Orthodox Church",'' and that he also had a certificate from the President of the Methodist Community, duly notarized, stating that he was a man ''"of high calling and of a religious life".''<ref name=MANOLIS>Manolis, Paul G. ''Raphael (Robert) Morgan: The First Black Orthodox Priest in America''. '''Theologia: Epistēmonikon Periodikon Ekdidomenon Kata Trimēnian'''. (En Athenais: Vraveion Akadēmias Athēnōn), 1981, vol.52, no.3, pp.464-480.</ref> Citing the Biblical exhortation ''"...the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out"'' (John 6:37), the [[metropolitan]] concluded that Robert should be [[Baptism|baptised]], [[Chrismation|chrismated]], [[Ordination|ordained]], and sent back to America in order to ''"carry the light of the Orthodox faith among his racial brothers".'' <br />
<br />
===Baptism and Ordination===<br />
On Friday [[August 2]], 1907 the [[Holy Synod]] approved that the [[Baptism]] take place the following Sunday in the ''Church of the Lifegiving Source'' at the Patriarchal Monastery at Valoukli, in Constantinople.<ref group="note">The Patriarchal Monastery at Valoukli is where the cemetery with the graves of the [[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarchs]] is found.</ref> Metropolitan [[Joachim (Phoropoulos) of Pelagonia]] was to officiate at the sacrament, and the [[Godparent|sponsor]] was to be Bishop Leontios (Liverios) of Theodoroupolis, Abbott of the Monastery at Valoukli. On Sunday August 4, 1907, Robert was baptised "Raphael" before 3000 people;<ref name="MATHER"/> subsequently he was ordained a [[deacon]] on [[August 12]], 1907 by Metropolitan Joachim; and finally ordained a [[Presbyter|priest]] on the feast of the [[Dormition]] of the [[Theotokos]], [[August 15]], 1907.<ref group="note">In a letter from the Chief Archivist of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, dated [[April 4]], 1973, it was confirmed that the records of the Patriarchate show that Morgan was baptized and renamed "Raphael". (Manolis, Paul G. ''Raphael (Robert) Morgan: The First Black Orthodox Priest in America''. '''Theologia: Epistēmonikon Periodikon Ekdidomenon Kata Trimēnian'''. (En Athenais: Vraveion Akadēmias Athēnōn), 1981, vol.52, no.3, pp.467.)</ref> According to the contemporary [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Uniate]] periodical ''L'Echo d' Orient'', which sarcastically described Morgan's Baptism of triple immerson, the Metropolitan conducted the sacraments of Baptism and Ordination in the English language, following which Fr. Raphael chanted the [[Divine Liturgy]] in English.<ref>''Une Conquete du Patriarcat Oecumenique.'' ''' ''Echos d'Orient'' '''. Vol. XI. No.68, 1908, pp.55-56.</ref> Fr. Raphael Morgan's conversion to the Greek Orthodox Church made him the first African American Orthodox priest. <br />
<br />
Fr. Raphael was sent back to America with vestments, a [[cross]], and 20 pounds sterling for his traveling expenses. He was allowed to hear [[Confession|confessions]], but denied [[Chrism|Holy Chrism]] and an [[antimension]], presumably to attach his missionary ministry to the Philadelphia church. The minutes of the Holy Synod from [[October 2]], 1907, made it clear in fact that Fr. Raphael was to be under the jurisdiction of Rev. Petrides of Philadelphia, until such time as he had been trained in liturgics and was able to establish a separate Orthodox parish.<ref name="MANOLIS"/><br />
<br />
===Return to America===<br />
Ellis Island records indicate the arrival in New York from Naples, Italy, of the priest, Raffaele Morgan, in December 1907.<ref>Lumsden, Joy. ''[http://jamaicanhistorymonth2007.moonfruit.com/#/father-raphael/4520858082 Robert Josias Morgan, aka Father Raphael].'' '''Jamaican History Month 2007.''' February 16, 2007.</ref> Once home, Fr. Raphael baptized his wife and children in the Orthodox Church. This is noted in the minutes of the Holy Synod of [[February 9]], 1908, which acknowledges receipt of a communication from Fr. Raphael.<br />
<br />
The last mention of Fr. Raphael in Patriarchal records is in the minutes of the Holy Synod of [[November 4]], 1908, which cite a letter from Fr. Raphael recommending an Anglican priest of Philadelphia, named "A.C.V. Cartier",<ref group="note">|A.C.V. Cartier was ordained to the Episcopal deaconate by Bishop [[w:Charles Quintard|Charles Quintard]] in 1895, and ordained to the Episcopal priesthood in the same year by Bishop Quintard. (Bragg, Rev. George F. (D.D.). ''Chapter XXXVI: Negro Ordinations from 1866 to the Present''. In: '''[http://www.archive.org/details/historyofafroame00brag History of the Afro-American group of the Episcopal church (1922)].''' Baltimore, Md.: Church Advocate Press, 1922. p.273.)</ref> as a candidate for conversion to Orthodoxy and ordination as a priest. Cartier was rector of the [http://www.aecst.org/home.htm African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas], in Philadelphia, from 1906-12.<ref group="note">[[George Alexander McGuire]] was rector of The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in Philadelphia from 1902-05. He was succeeded as rector by A.C.V. Cartier (1906-12), the man whom Morgan recommended to the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]] for Orthodox ordination.</ref> Saint Thomas' served the African American elite of Philadelphia and was one of the most prestigious congregations in African American Christianity, having been started in 1794 by [[w:Absalom Jones|Absalom Jones]], one of the founders, together with [[w:Richard Allen (bishop)|Richard Allen]], of the [[w:w:African Methodist Episcopal Church|African Methodist Episcopal Church]].<ref name=Martin>Tony Martin. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=NgIYlUbaoAoC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false McGuire, George Alexander].'' '''Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance'''. Volume 2. Cary D. Wintz, Paul Finkelman (Eds.). Taylor & Francis, 2004. p.776.</ref> According to the letter, Cartier desired as an Orthodox priest to undertake missionary work among his fellow blacks. Due to the fact that the jurisdiction over the Greek Church of the [[diaspora]] had been ceded by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the [[Church of Greece]] in 1908, the request was forwarded there. However according to Greek-American historian Paul G. Manolis, a search of the Archives of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece did not turn up any correspondence with Fr. Raphael. His letter about A.C.V. Cartier is the only indication we have from Church records of his missionary efforts among his people.<ref name="MANOLIS"/><br />
<br />
In 1909, his wife filed for divorce, on the alleged charges of cruelty and failure to support their children. She left with their son Cyril to Delaware County, where she remarried.<br />
<br />
===Monastic Tonsure===<br />
In 1911 Fr. Raphael sailed to Cyprus, presumably to be tonsured a [[hieromonk]]. Possibly somewhere around this time, he founded the ''Order of the Cross of Golgotha'' (O.C.G.).<ref group="note" name="Order"/> However, Fr. Oliver Herbel ([[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|AOC]]) has suggested that in 1911 Fr. Raphael was [[Tonsure|tonsured]] in Athens.<ref>Fr. Oliver Herbel ([[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|AOC]]). ''[http://www.ocanews.org/Herbeljurisdiction4.22.09.html Jurisdictional Disunity and the Russian Mission].'' '''Orthodox Christians for Accountability'''. [[April 22]], 2009.</ref> As is noted above however, the Archives of the Holy Synod of the [[Church of Greece]] contain no information about Fr. Raphael.<br />
<br />
===Lecture Tour in Jamaica===<br />
The ''Jamaica Times'' article of [[April 26]], 1913, wrote that Fr. Raphael was headquartered at Philadelphia where he wanted to build a chapel for his missionary efforts, that he had recently visited Europe to collect funds to this end, and had the intention of extending his work to the West Indies.<ref>''The Jamaica Times''. ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id1.html Only Negro Who is a Greek Priest].'' April 26, 1913.</ref><br />
<br />
Near the end of 1913, Fr. Raphael visited his homeland of Jamaica, staying for several months until sometime the next year. While there, he met a group of Syrians, who were complaining of a lack of Orthodox churches on the island. Fr. Raphael did his best to contact the Syrian-American diocese of the Russian church, writing to St [[Raphael of Brooklyn]], but as most of their descendants are now communicants in the Episcopal Church, this presumably came to no avail. In December, a Russian warship came to port, and he concelebrated the [[Divine Liturgy]] with the sailors, their chaplain, and his new-found Syrians.<br />
<br />
The main work of his visit, however, was a lecture circuit that he ran throughout Jamaica. Citing a lack of Orthodox churches, Fr. Raphael would speak at churches of various denomination. The topics would usually cover his travels, the Holy Land, and Holy Orthodoxy. At some point, he even made it to his hometown of Chapelton, to whom he remarked of his name change, ''"I will always be Robert to you".''<ref>''The Daily Gleaner.'' ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id6.html Gives Lecture. Fr. Raphael Talks of His Travels Abroad.]'' August 15, 1913.</ref><br />
<br />
According to the ''Daily Gleaner'' edition of [[November 2]], 1914, Fr. Raphael had just set sail back for America to start mission work under his Faith.<ref group="note">''"Father Raphael, Priest of the Greek Orthodox Church, who has been in the island for some time, sailed for America last week. It is understood that he will return shortly to his native land and start mission work under his Faith. As is well known, the seat of the Greek Church to which father Raphael belongs is not far from the theatre of war, so there is no hope of the Father returning to his Mother Church in a hurry. Father Raphael is a native of Clarendon."'' (''The Daily Gleaner.'' November 2, 1914. p.13.)</ref><br />
<br />
===Last Known Records===<br />
In 1916 Fr. Raphael was still in Philadelphia, having made the Philadelphia Greek parish his base of operations.<ref>Namee, Matthew. ''[http://orthodoxhistory.org/?p=244 The First Black Orthodox Priest in America].'' '''OrthodoxHistory.org''' (The Society for Orthodox Christian History in the Americas). July 15, 2009.</ref> The last documentation of Fr. Raphael comes from a letter to the ''Daily Gleaner'' on [[October 4]], 1916. Representing a group of about a dozen other like-minded Jamaican-Americans, he wrote in to protest the lectures of Black Nationalist Marcus Garvey.<ref group="note">Fr. Raphael signed the letter as ''' ''"Father Raphael, O.C.G., Priest-Apostolic, the Greek-Orthodox Catholic Church."'' '''The full text of the signed letter is printed in:<br>Robert A. Hill, Marcus Garvey, Universal Negro Improvement Association. ''Letter Denouncing Marcus Garvey.'' In: '''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=CKJrUKdSZwkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s The Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers: 1826-August 1919].''' University of California Press, 1983. pp.196-197.</ref> Garvey's views on Jamaica, they felt, were damaging to both the reputation of their homeland and its people, enumerating several objections to Garvey's stated preference for the prejudice of the American whites over that of English whites.<ref name=Oliver/> Garvey's response came ten days later, in which he called the letter a conspiratorial fabrication meant to undermine the success and favour he had gained while in Jamaica and in the United States.<br />
<br />
Little is known of Fr. Raphael's life after this point, except from some interviews conducted in the 1970s between Greek-American historian Paul G. Manolis and surviving members of the [http://evangelismos.us/default.aspx Greek Community of the Annunciation] in Philadelphia, who recalled the black priest who was evidently a part of their community for a period of time. One elderly woman, Grammatike Kritikos Sherwin, remembered that Fr Raphael's daughter left to attend Oxford; another parishioner, Kyriacos Biniaris, recalls that Morgan, whose hand "he kissed many times", spoke broken Greek and served with Fr. Petrides reciting the liturgy mostly in English; whilst another, a George Liacouras, recalled that after serving in Philadelphia for some years, Fr. Raphael left for Jerusalem, never to return.<ref name="MANOLIS"/> The [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]] has no record either of Fr. Raphael Morgan, nor of Fr. Demetrios Petrides, as the first records for the Philadelphia community in the archives only began in 1918.<br />
<br />
==Influence==<br />
==="Indirect Conversion of Thousands" Theory===<br />
During the ''16th Annual Ancient Christianity and African-American Conference'' in 2009, Matthew Namee presented a 23-minute lecture on the heretofore recently discovered life of Fr. Raphael Morgan. He postulates that even if Fr. Raphael's missionary efforts failed outside of his immediate family, he may be indirectly responsible for the conversion of thousands, via contact with Episcopal priest [[George Alexander McGuire]] (1866-1934).<br />
<br />
Records for [http://www.stphilipsrichmond.org/ St Philip's Episcopal Church] in Richmond, Virgina indicate that for a short while in 1901 Robert J. Morgan was listed as the Rector. However, being only a [[deacon]], this would mean that Robert's position was only temporary, during an interregnum of sorts. The previous [[rector]] was one [[George Alexander McGuire]].<br><br />
<br />
'''Fr. Raphael and George McGuire'''<br><br />
Namee questions whence the idea came for McGuire to form namely an ''Orthodox'' church. Fr. Raphael Morgan and George McGuire have some striking similarities, including the facts that both:<br />
* served concurrently or consecutively at [http://www.stphilipsrichmond.org/ St Philip's Episcopal Church] in Virginia,<ref group="note">[http://www.stphilipsrichmond.org/ St. Philip’s Episcopal Church] of Richmond, Virginia lists Morgan as having been the rector of their parish for a short time in 1901. He is listed as the rector from “1901-April 1901.” Morgan’s predecessor at St. Philip’s was a certain “Reverend [[George Alexander McGuire|George Alexander McQuire]],” who served the parish from April 1898 to November 1900.</ref> <br />
* were ordained in the Episcopal Church around the same time,<ref group="note">Rev. Morgan was ordained to the Episcopal deaconate on June 20, 1895, by Bishop Leighton Coleman. George McGuire was ordained to the Episcopal deaconate on June 29, 1896 by Bishop Boyd Vincent, and to the Episcopal priesthood in 1897 by the same. (Bragg, Rev. George F. (D.D.). ''Chapter XXXVI: Negro Ordinations from 1866 to the Present''. In: '''[http://www.archive.org/details/historyofafroame00brag History of the Afro-American group of the Episcopal church (1922)].''' Baltimore, Md.: Church Advocate Press, 1922. p.273.)</ref> and <br />
* both later served in Philadelphia, each having had some contact with Rev. A.C.V. Cartier of the [http://www.aecst.org/home.htm African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas].<br />
<br />
Namee concludes that with so many coincidences, it is impossible for these two men to not have known one another; and therefore it must be from some influence - either in conversation with Fr. Raphael or through evangelism - that McGuire received his inspiration and came to know the Orthodox Church. An additional point is that Garvey already knew of Fr. Raphael when McGuire joined his organization in 1920 (since Fr. Raphael had written the letter in 1916 protesting Garvey's lectures), which makes it likely that McGuire and Garvey had discussed Morgan at some point.<br />
<br />
One deterrent from this theory comes in the familiarity he had with the Orthodox Church by McGuire's ''consecrator'', Joseph René Vilatte.<ref group="note">In his quest to obtain valid [[w:Apostolic succession|Apostolic Orders]], Fr. McGuire had himself re-ordained Bishop in the ''American Catholic Church'', being consecrated on September 28, 1921, in Chicago, Illinois, by Archbishop [[Joseph René Vilatte]], assisted by bishop Carl A. Nybladh who had been consecrated by Vilatte. However the [[Orthodox Church]] considers Villate to be an [[Episcopi vagantes]].</ref> At various points, Vilatte come into contact with both the [[Russian_Orthodox_Church|Russian]] and [[Syriac_Orthodox_Church|Syriac]] Orthodox Churches in a move for Catholic-Orthodox reconciliation, having even been accepted for a while by Bishop [[Vladimir (Sokolovsky-Avtonomov) of the Aleutians|Vladimir]] of [[Alaska]] in May of 1891.<br />
<br />
'''African Orthodox Church'''<br><br />
George McGuire became an associate of Marcus Garvey and his Black Nationalist [[w:Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League|UNIA]] movement, being appointed the first Chaplain-General of the organization at its inaugural international convention in New York in August 1920. On September 28, 1921, he was made a bishop of the American Catholic Church by [[w:Joseph René Vilatte|Joseph René Vilatte]], and soon after founded the [[w:African Orthodox Church|African Orthodox Church]], a non-canonical Black Nationalist church, in the Anglican tradition. Today, it is best known for its canonisation of Jazz legend John Coltrane.<br />
<br />
Bishop George McGuire soon spread his African Orthodox Church throughout the United States, and soon even made a presence on the African continent in such countries as [[Archdiocese of Kampala and All Uganda|Uganda]], [[Archdiocese of Kenya|Kenya]], and [[Archdiocese of Irinopolis|Tanzania]]. Between 1924-1934 McGuire built the AOC into a thriving international church. Branches were eventually established in Canada, Barbados, Cuba, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Miami, Chicago, Harlem, Boston, Cambridge (Massachusetts), and elsewhere. The official organ of AOC, ''The Negro Churchman,'' became an effective link for the far-flung organization.<ref name="Martin"/> However, around the time of the Second World War, the African churches were cut off from the American and in the post-war period had drifted far enough way to request and come under the [[omophorion]] of the [[Church of Alexandria]].<br />
<br />
===Legacy===<br />
Scholar Gavin White, writing in the 1970's, states that if Morgan tried to organize an African-American Greek Orthodox church in Philadelphia, its memory has vanished, and nothing whatsoever is known about Morgan in later years. However he hastens to add that: <br />
:"...there can be no doubt that McGuire knew all about Morgan and it is very probable that he knew him personally. It is just possible that it was Morgan who first introduced McGuire to the Episcopal Church in Wilmington; it was almost certainly Morgan who introduced McGuire to the idea of Eastern episcopacy.<ref name="WHITE"/> <br />
This concurs with Matthew Namee's conclusion above, that it was Fr. Raphael who was George Alexander McGuire's inspiration to form namely an "Orthodox" church. In time the African-based portion of McGuire's ''"African Orthodox Church"'' in Kenya and Uganda, eventually did end up under the canonical jurisdiction of the [[Church of Alexandria|Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa]] in 1946. And although those two churches were already upon their own set path towards full canonical Orthodoxy, McGuire was an important part of that process at one stage, and Fr. Raphael Morgan in turn, was behind McGuire's inspiration to form an "Orthodox" church. In this regard, by planting the seed, it can be said that Fr. Raphael was also in some measure, indirectly or incidentally, part of that process as well. <br />
<br />
In the end, while Fr. Raphael Morgan's work among Jamaicans in Philadelphia appears to have been transitory, nevertheless he did serve as an important precedent for current African American interest in Orthodoxy, especially that of Father [http://unexpectedjoychurch.org/administration.html Moses Berry], director of the [http://www.oaahm.org/index.html Ozarks African American Heritage Museum], who served as the priest to the [http://unexpectedjoychurch.org/ Theotokos, the “Unexpected Joy,” Orthodox Mission] ([[OCA]]) in Ash Grove, Missouri.<ref name=Oliver/><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Joachim (Phoropoulos) of Pelagonia]].<br />
* [[George Alexander McGuire]].<br />
* [[Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black]].<br />
<br />
==Notes==<br />
<references group="note" /><br />
<br />
==References== <br />
<div><references/></div><br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://evangelismos.us/default.aspx Evangelismos Greek Orthodox Church], Philadelphia, PA. ''(Fr. Raphael's home parish, ca.~1904-1916)''<br />
<br />
==Sources==<br />
'''Contemporary Sources'''<br />
* Bragg, Rev. George F. (D.D.). ''Chapter XXXVI: Negro Ordinations from 1866 to the Present''. In: '''[http://www.archive.org/details/historyofafroame00brag History of the Afro-American group of the Episcopal church (1922)].''' Baltimore, Md.: Church Advocate Press, 1922.<br />
* Bragg, Rev. George F. (D.D.). ''Afro-American Clergy List. Priests''. In: '''[http://www.archive.org/details/afroamericanchur00bragiala Afro-American Church Work and Workers].''' Baltimore, Md.: Church Advocate Print, 1904.<br />
* Hill, Robert A., Marcus Garvey, Universal Negro Improvement Association. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=CKJrUKdSZwkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s The Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers: 1826-August 1919].'' University of California Press, 1983. ISBN 9780520044562<br />
* Mather, Frank Lincoln. ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=RFZ2AAAAMAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s Who's who of the Colored Race: A General Biographical Dictionary of Men and Women of African Descent].'' University of Michigan. Gale Research Co., 1915. <br />
* ''The Daily Gleaner''. ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id10.html West Africa]''. October 9, 1901. p.7.<br />
* ''The Daily Gleaner.'' ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id3.html Priest's Visit: Father Raphael of Greek Orthodox Church: His Extensive Travels].'' July 22, 1913.<br />
* ''The Daily Gleaner.'' ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id6.html Gives Lecture. Fr. Raphael Talks of His Travels Abroad.]'' August 15, 1913.<br />
* ''The Daily Gleaner.'' November 2, 1914. p.13.<br />
* ''The Jamaica Times''. ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id1.html Only Negro Who is a Greek Priest].'' April 26, 1913.<br />
* ''Une Conquete du Patriarcat Oecumenique.'' ''' ''Echos d'Orient'' '''. Vol. XI. No.68, 1908, pp.55-56. <br />
:(''Publication of the Roman Catholic Uniate Assumptionist Fathers, located in Chalcedon'')<br />
'''Modern Sources'''<br />
* Herbel, Fr. Oliver ([[Orthodox Church in America|OCA]]). ''[http://www.ocanews.org/Herbeljurisdiction4.22.09.html Jurisdictional Disunity and the Russian Mission].'' '''Orthodox Christians for Accountability'''. [[April 22]], 2009.<br />
* Herbel, Fr. Oliver ([[Orthodox Church in America |OCA]]). ''Morgan, Raphael.'' '''[http://www.mywire.com/a/African-American-National-Biography/Morgan-Raphael/9463563?&pbl=27 The African American National Biography]''' at '''mywire.com'''. 1-Jan-2008.<br />
* Herbel, Fr. Oliver ([[Orthodox Church in America |OCA]]). Ph.D. Dissertation: “Turning to Tradition: Intra-Christian Converts and the Making of an American Orthodox Church,” 349 pp., under the direction of Michael McClymond (2009).<br />
* Herbel, Fr. Oliver ([[Orthodox Church in America |OCA]]). “The Relationship of the African Orthodox Church to the Orthodox Churches and Its Importance for Appreciating the Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black,” Black Theology (forthcoming).<br />
* ''[[w:Joseph René Vilatte|Joseph René Vilatte]]'' at Wikipedia.<br />
* Lumsden, Joy, MA (Cantab), PhD (UWI). ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/index.html Father Raphael].''<br />
* Lumsden, Joy. ''[http://jamaicanhistorymonth2007.moonfruit.com/#/father-raphael/4520858082 Robert Josias Morgan, aka Father Raphael].'' '''Jamaican History Month 2007.''' February 16, 2007.<br />
* Manolis, Paul G. ''Raphael (Robert) Morgan: The First Black Orthodox Priest in America''. '''Theologia: Epistēmonikon Periodikon Ekdidomenon Kata Trimēnian'''. (En Athenais: Vraveion Akadēmias Athēnōn), 1981, vol.52, no.3, pp.464-480. ISSN: 1105-154X<br />
* Martin, Tony. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=NgIYlUbaoAoC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false McGuire, George Alexander].'' '''Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance'''. Volume 2. Cary D. Wintz, Paul Finkelman (Eds.). Taylor & Francis, 2004.<br />
* Namee, Matthew. ''[http://orthodoxhistory.org/?p=244 The First Black Orthodox Priest in America].'' '''OrthodoxHistory.org''' (The Society for Orthodox Christian History in the Americas). July 15, 2009.<br />
* Namee, Matthew. ''[http://ancientfaith.com/specials/16th_ancient_christianity_african-american_conference/matthew_namee/ Fr. Raphael Morgan: America's First Black Orthodox Priest.]'' '''16th Annual Ancient Christianity & African-American Conference'''. June 03, 2009.<br />
* Namee, Matthew. ''"[http://orthodoxhistory.org/?cat=58 Robert Josias Morgan visits Russia, 1904]."'' '''OrthodoxHistory.org''' (The Society for Orthodox Chrisitan History in the Americas). September 15, 2009.<br />
* White, Gavin. ''Patriarch McGuire and the Episcopal Church.'' In: Randall K. Burkett and Richard Newman (Eds.). '''Black Apostles: Afro-American Clergy Confront the Twentieth Century.''' G. K. Hall, 1978. pp.151-180.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Priests]]<br />
[[Category:Missionaries]]<br />
[[Category:Monastics]]<br />
[[Category:Converts to Orthodox Christianity|Morgan]]<br />
[[Category:Featured Articles]]</div>Vlatadonhttps://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Raphael_Morgan&diff=89591Raphael Morgan2009-12-24T00:58:58Z<p>Vlatadon: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Raphael_Morgan.jpg|right|frame|Source: ''The Daily Gleaner'' (Kingston, Jamaica). [[July 22]], 1913.]]<br />
{{orthodoxyinamerica}}<br />
Very Rev. '''Raphael Morgan''' (born '''Robert Josias Morgan''', 186x/187x - 19xx) was a Jamaican-American [[priest]] of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]], designated as ''"Priest-Apostolic"'' (Greek: Ιεραποστολος) to America and the West Indies,<ref group="note">According to Fr. Raphael's biography in the ''Who's Who of the Colored Race'', 1915, after he was ordained to the priesthood:<br><br />
:"...at a special service he was duly commissioned Priest-Apostolic from the Ecumenical and Patriarchal Throne of Constantinople to America and the West Indies."<br><br />
(Mather, Frank Lincoln. ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=RFZ2AAAAMAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s Who's Who of the Colored Race: A General Biographical Dictionary of Men and Women of African Descent].'' University of Michigan. Gale Research Co., 1915. p.226.)</ref><ref>Robert A. Hill, Marcus Garvey, Universal Negro Improvement Association. ''Letter Denouncing Marcus Garvey.'' In: '''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=CKJrUKdSZwkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s The Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers: 1826-August 1919].''' University of California Press, 1983. pg.197.</ref> later the founder and superior of the ''Order of the Cross of Golgotha'',<ref group="note" name="Order">The ''"Order of...",'' could be a number of things; it could be 1) an honorarium bestowed upon him for service done in the Church; or 2) an entitling which lets others know of his special mission in the Patriarchate/Diocese etc.; it could also 3) refer to a Society of monastics which transcends, because of rare circumstances, physical location; in addition, it is also possible that this was 4) a monastic brotherhood formed for Black Orthodox Christians, since Morgan was referred to as the ''“founder and superior”'' of that religious fraternity, although the formation of formal monastic orders is not traditionally practiced in the Orthodox tradition. The Orthodox Church does not have separate Orders (Franciscan, Carmelite etc.) each with an entirely independent rule/ethos of life. Despite being mentioned on many occasions in association with Morgan, no other material has ever been found on the ''Order of the Cross of Golgotha''.</ref> and thought to be the first Black Orthodox clergyman in America. <br />
<br />
He spoke broken Greek, and therefore served mostly in English. Having recently been discovered, his life has garnered great interest, but much of his life still remains shrouded in mystery. <br />
<br />
Fr. Raphael is said to have resided all over the world, including: "in Palestine, Syria, Joppa, Greece, Cyprus, Mytilene, Chios, Sicily, Crete, Egypt, Russia, Ottoman Turkey, Austria, Germany, England, France, Scandinavia, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Bermuda, and the United States."<ref name=MATHER>Mather, Frank Lincoln. ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=RFZ2AAAAMAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s Who's Who of the Colored Race: A General Biographical Dictionary of Men and Women of African Descent].'' University of Michigan. Gale Research Co., 1915. pp.226-227.</ref><br />
<br />
==Early Life==<br />
Robert Josias Morgan was born in Chapelton, Clarence Parish, Jamaica either in the late 1860s or early 1870s to Robert Josias and Mary Ann (née Johnson) Morgan. He was born six months after his father's death, and named in his honour. Robert was raised in the Anglican tradition and was received elementary schooling locally.<ref name="MATHER"/> <br />
<br />
In his teenage years he travelled to Colón, Panama, then to British Honduras, back to Jamaica, and then to the United States. He became a minister in the [[w:African Methodist Episcopal Church|African Methodist Episcopal Church]] (AME) and left as a [[missionary]] to Germany.<ref name="MATHER"/><br />
<br />
===Period in the Church of England===<br />
He then came to England, where he joined the [[w:Church of England|Church of England]] and was sent to Sierra Leona to the [[w:Church Mission Society|Church Missionary Society]] Grammar School at Freetown. He studied Greek, Latin, and other higher-level subjects. Being poor, Robert had to work to support himself, and worked as second master of a public school in Freetown. He took course in the Church Missionary Society [[w:Fourah Bay College|College at Fourah Bay]] in Freetown, and was soon appointed a missionary teacher and [[w:Lay reader|lay-reader]] by the Episcopalian [[Bishop]] of Liberia, the Right Reverend [[w:Samuel David Ferguson|Samuel David Ferguson]].<ref name="MATHER"/> Robert later said during a trip to Jamaica in 1901 that he served five years in West Africa, of which he spent three years in missionary work.<ref name="West Africa">''The Daily Gleaner''. ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id10.html West Africa]''. October 9, 1901. p.7.</ref><br />
<br />
After this Robert again visited England for private study, and then travelled to America to work amongst the African-American community as a lay-reader. He was accepted as a Postulant and as candidate for the Episcopalian [[deacon]]ate. During the canonical period of waiting period before ordination, Robert again returned to England to study at Saint Aidan's Theological College in [[w:Birkenhead|Birkenhead]], and finally prosecuted his studies at [[w:King's College London|King's College]] of the University of London.<ref name="MATHER"/> The colleges however do not contain records of his attendance.<ref group="note">It is possible that he academically audited the courses, attending the classes without receiving a formal grade.</ref> <br />
<br />
===Period in the Episcopal Church===<br />
He returned to America, and on [[June 20]], 1895 was [[ordination|ordained]] as [[deacon]]<ref group="note">Fr. Raphael's name is given on a list of Black Episcopal ordinations as follows: ''"1895: Robert Josias Morgan, d. June 20, Coleman; deposed; went abroad and was made a priest in Greek Church."'' (Bragg, Rev. George F. (D.D.). ''Chapter XXXVI: Negro Ordinations from 1866 to the Present''. In: '''[http://www.archive.org/details/historyofafroame00brag History of the Afro-American group of the Episcopal church (1922)].''' Baltimore, Md.: Church Advocate Press, 1922. p.273.)</ref> by the Rt. Rev. [[w:Leighton Coleman|Leighton Coleman]],<ref>The ''New York Times''. ''[http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9D0DE1DF1639E333A25756C1A9649D946697D6CF Bishop Coleman of Delaware Dies].'' Sunday December 15, 1907. Page 13. (Obituary)</ref> Bishop of the [[w:Episcopal Diocese of Delaware|Episcopalian Diocese of Delaware]], and a well-known opponent of racism. Robert was appointed honorary curate in St Matthews' Church in Wilminton, Delaware, serving there from 1896 to 1897,<ref name=WHITE>White, Gavin. ''Patriarch McGuire and the Episcopal Church.'' In: Randall K. Burkett and Richard Newman (Eds.). '''Black Apostles: Afro-American Clergy Confront the Twentieth Century.''' G. K. Hall, 1978. pp.151-180.</ref> and procured a job as a teacher for a few public schools in Delaware. From 1897 he served at Charleston, West Virginia.<ref name="WHITE"/><br />
<br />
In 1898, the deacon Robert (Rev. R.J. Morgan) was transferred to the Missionary Jurisdiction of Ashville (now in the [[w:Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina|Diocese of Western North Carolina]]). By 1899 he was listed as being assistant minister at [http://www.diocesewnc.org/index.php?content=300.00&city=Morganton St. Stephen's Chapel] in Morganton, North Carolina, and [http://www.asecnc.org/StCyp.html St. Cyprian's Church] in Lincolnton, North Carolina.<ref>Lumsden, Joy, MA (Cantab), PhD (UWI). ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id1.html Father Raphael: His Background and Career].'' September 29, 2007.</ref><ref group="note">St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church was established in 1886. The church once stood on West Church in Lincolnton. The property consisted of a church, a parsonage, and a building used as a school. The church was torn down during the 1970's. The <br />
church remained primarily black and was not integrated until 1979. (Jason L. Harpe. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=UJx5c2FRfosC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false Lincoln County Revisited].'' Illustrated. Arcadia Publishing, 2003. pg.18.)</ref><br />
<br />
In 1901-1902 Rev. R. J. Morgan made a visit to his homeland Jamaica. In October 1901 he gave an address to the Jamaica Church Missionary Union, on West Africa and mission work.<ref name="West Africa"/> He also gave a lecture in [[w:Port Maria|Port Maria]], Jamaica in October 1902, entitled ''"Africa - lts people, Tribes, Idolatry, Customs."''<ref>''The Daily Gleaner''. ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id10.html Port Maria: A Lecture]''. October 7, 1902. p.29.</ref><br />
<br />
Between 1900 and 1906, Robert moved around much of the Eastern seaboard. From 1902 to 1905 Deacon Morgan served at Richmond, Virginia; in 1905 at Nashville, Tennessee; and by 1906 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his address care of the ''Church of the Crucifixion''.<ref name="WHITE"/> <br />
<br />
At some point during this period he joined an off-shoot of the Episcopalian Church, known as the ''"American Catholic Church"'' (''ACC''), a sect founded by [[w:Joseph René Vilatte|Joseph René Vilatte]].<ref group="note">The ''"American Catholic Church"'' (ACC) included the jurisdictions and groups which had come out of [[w:Joseph René Vilatte|Joseph René Vilatte's]] Episcopal ministry or were under his oversight. Among them were French and English speaking constituencies, and Polish and Italian ordinariates. The ACC began on August 20, 1894, at a synod held in Cleveland, Ohio, where Polish-speaking parishes joined the jurisdiction of Bishop Vilatte, however the ACC was actually incorporated in July 1915.</ref> He is listed in the records of the Episcopal Church of the USA as late as 1908, when he was suspended from ministry on the allegations of abandoning his post.<br />
<br />
==Orthodoxy==<br />
===Trip to Russia===<br />
By the turn of the 20th century, Robert seriously began to question his faith, and began intensive study of Anglicanism, Catholicism, and Orthodoxy over a three year period, to discover what he felt was the true religion. He concluded that the Orthodox Church was "the pillar and ground of truth", resigned from the Episcopalian Church, and embarked on an extensive trip abroad beginning in the [[w:Russian Empire|Russian Empire]] in 1904.<ref name="MATHER"/><br />
<br />
Once there, Robert visited various [[monastery|monasteries]] and churches, including sites in Odessa, St. Petersburg, Moscow and [[Monastery of the Kiev Caves|Kiev]], soon becoming quite the sensation. Sundry periodicals began publishing pictures and articles on him, and soon Robert became the Special Guest of the Tsar. He was allowed to be present for the anniversary celebrations of [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II's]] coronation, and the [[Memorial Services|memorial service]] said for the repose of the soul of the late Emperor Alexander III.<ref>''The Daily Gleaner.'' ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id3.html Priest's Visit: Father Raphael of Greek Orthodox Church: His Extensive Travels].'' July 22, 1913.</ref><br />
<br />
Leaving Russia, Robert traveled Turkey, Cyprus, and the [[Holy Land]], returning to America and writing an article to the ''Russian-American Orthodox Messenger'' (''Vestnik'') in 1904 about his experience in Russia. In this open letter, Morgan expressed hope that the Anglican Church could unite with the Orthodox Churches, clearly moved by his experience in Russia.<ref group="note">Upon Morgan's departure from Russia, he wrote a letter, which was reprinted in the October/November 1904 English supplement to the ''Vestnik'' (Russian Orthodox American Messenger), the official publication of the [[Orthodox Church in America|Russian Archdiocese in America]]. Here is the text of that letter:<br><br />
:I, Robert Josias Morgan, a legally consecrated cleric of the American Episcopal Church, find it necessary to make it publicly known, that I am not a Bishop, as it was announced in some magazines and daily papers…<br><br />
:… I am not a Bishop, but a legally consecrated deacon. I came to Russia in no way to represent anything, and I was not sent by anybody. I came as a simple tourist, chiefly with the object to see the churches and the monasteries of this country, to enjoy the ritual and the service of the holy Orthodox Church, about which I heard so much abroad. And I am perfectly satisfied with everything I saw and witnessed.<br><br />
:The piety and the fear of God amongst the Russian clergy, both superior and lower, and of the lay people in general are too great to be spoken of. I like Russia, and as to the people I have simply grown to love them for their gentleness, their politeness, their amiability and kindness. It would seem as if the Christian religion penetrated the whole life of the people. This can be observed both in the private home life and the social life. You have but to go to Church in this country, and you immediately see, that there is nothing too valuable for the people to be offered to God. Note how they pray, how patiently they stand through the long Church services…<br><br />
:Now, having spent here about a month, I leave your country with a feeling of profound gratitude and take back to North America all the good impressions I received here. And when there I shall speak boldly and loudly about the brotherly feelings entertained here in the bosom of the holy Orthodox Church towards its [[w:Episcopal Church (United States)|Anglican sister of North America]], and about the prayers which are offered here daily for the union of all the [[Catholic]] Christendom.<br><br />
:My constant humble prayer is for the union of all Churches, and especially the union of the Anglican faith with the Orthodox [[Church of Russia]]. I solicited the Metropolitans and the Bishops to grant me their blessing in regard to this prayer and obtained it. Now I pray daily and eagerly for a better mutual understanding between the character and their union. God grant a blessing to this cause and a hearing to our prayers and supplications. Let us solicit the prayers of the Saints. Let us seek the intercession of the holy [[Theotokos|Mother of God]]. Virgin Mary, pray for us!<br><br />
:In conclusion I must say, that my stay in Russia did me personally much good: I feel now firmer and stronger spiritually than I did before I came.<br><br />
:God bless the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of this country! God bless the Emperor and all the reigning family! God grant them a long life, peace and prosperity!<br><br />
:I am sincerely yours in God and in the name of Mary,<br><br />
:Robert Josias Morgan.<br><br />
(Matthew Namee. ''"[http://orthodoxhistory.org/?cat=58 Robert Josias Morgan visits Russia, 1904]."'' '''OrthodoxHistory.org''' (The Society for Orthodox Chrisitan History in the Americas). September 15, 2009.)</ref> People of African descent were generally well-received within the Russian Empire, Morgan believed. [[w:Abram Petrovich Gannibal|Abram Hannibal]] had served under Emperor Peter the Great, and rose to lieutenant general in the Russian Army. Visiting artists, foreign service officials, and athletes, such as famous horse jockey [[w:James Winkfield|Jimmy Winkfield]], were likewise welcomed. With his experience of Russia and Russian Orthodoxy fresh in his mind, Morgan returned to the United States and continued his spiritual quest.<ref name=Oliver>Fr. Oliver Herbel. ''Morgan, Raphael.'' '''[http://www.mywire.com/a/African-American-National-Biography/Morgan-Raphael/9463563?&pbl=27 The African American National Biography]''' at '''mywire.com'''. 1-Jan-2008.</ref><br />
<br />
===Study and Trip to Ecumenical Patriarchate===<br />
For another three years, Robert studied under Greek priests for his [[baptism]],<ref name="MATHER"/> eventually deciding to seek entry and ordination in the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|Greek Orthodox Church]]. In January of 1906, he is documented as ''assisting'' in the Christmas [[Divine Liturgy|liturgy]].<ref group="note">The ''Philadelphia Inquirer'' reported on [[January 8]], 1906, that ''“Rev. R.J. Morgan of the American Catholic Church, an off-shoot of the Protestant Episcopal Church, assisted.”''</ref> In 1907 the Philadephia Greek community referred Robert to the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] in Constantinople armed with two letters of support. One was a recommendation from Fr. Demetrios Petrides, the Greek priest then serving the Philadelphia community, dated [[June 18|18 June]] 1907, who described Morgan as a man sincerely coming into Orthodoxy after long and diligent study, and recommending his baptism and [[ordination]] into the priesthood. The second letter of support was from the "Ecclesiastical Committee" of the Philadelphia Greek Orthodox Church, stating he could serve as an assistant priest if he failed to form a separate Orthodox parish among his fellow Black Americans.<ref group="note">Summaries of the two letters are given in the Synodal Minutes of [[July 19|19 July]], 1907, presided over by Patriarch [[Joachim III of Constantinople|Joachim III]], who introduced the subject of Morgan's baptism and ordination. As is stated in the second letter, Morgan's goal was to establish an Orthodox community of Blacks (''' ''"...να πηξη ιδιαν ορθοδοξον κοινοτητα μεταξυ των εν Αμερικη ομοφυλων αυτου Νιγρητων..."'' ''').</ref><br />
<br />
In Constantinople, Robert was interviewed by [[Metropolitan]] [[Joachim (Phoropoulos) of Pelagonia]], one of the few bishops of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] that could speak English and among the most learned of the Constantinopolitan hierarchs of that time. Metropolitan Joachim examined Robert, noting that he had a ''"deep knowledge of the teachings of the Orthodox Church",'' and that he also had a certificate from the President of the Methodist Community, duly notarized, stating that he was a man ''"of high calling and of a religious life".''<ref name=MANOLIS>Manolis, Paul G. ''Raphael (Robert) Morgan: The First Black Orthodox Priest in America''. '''Theologia: Epistēmonikon Periodikon Ekdidomenon Kata Trimēnian'''. (En Athenais: Vraveion Akadēmias Athēnōn), 1981, vol.52, no.3, pp.464-480.</ref> Citing the Biblical exhortation ''"...the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out"'' (John 6:37), the [[metropolitan]] concluded that Robert should be [[Baptism|baptised]], [[Chrismation|chrismated]], [[Ordination|ordained]], and sent back to America in order to ''"carry the light of the Orthodox faith among his racial brothers".'' <br />
<br />
===Baptism and Ordination===<br />
On Friday [[August 2]], 1907 the [[Holy Synod]] approved that the [[Baptism]] take place the following Sunday in the ''Church of the Lifegiving Source'' at the Patriarchal Monastery at Valoukli, in Constantinople.<ref group="note">The Patriarchal Monastery at Valoukli is where the cemetery with the graves of the [[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarchs]] is found.</ref> Metropolitan [[Joachim (Phoropoulos) of Pelagonia]] was to officiate at the sacrament, and the [[Godparent|sponsor]] was to be Bishop Leontios (Liverios) of Theodoroupolis, Abbott of the Monastery at Valoukli. On Sunday August 4, 1907, Robert was baptised "Raphael" before 3000 people;<ref name="MATHER"/> subsequently he was ordained a [[deacon]] on [[August 12]], 1907 by Metropolitan Joachim; and finally ordained a [[Presbyter|priest]] on the feast of the [[Dormition]] of the [[Theotokos]], [[August 15]], 1907.<ref group="note">In a letter from the Chief Archivist of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, dated [[April 4]], 1973, it was confirmed that the records of the Patriarchate show that Morgan was baptized and renamed "Raphael". (Manolis, Paul G. ''Raphael (Robert) Morgan: The First Black Orthodox Priest in America''. '''Theologia: Epistēmonikon Periodikon Ekdidomenon Kata Trimēnian'''. (En Athenais: Vraveion Akadēmias Athēnōn), 1981, vol.52, no.3, pp.467.)</ref> According to the contemporary [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Uniate]] periodical ''L'Echo d' Orient'', which sarcastically described Morgan's Baptism of triple immerson, the Metropolitan conducted the sacraments of Baptism and Ordination in the English language, following which Fr. Raphael chanted the [[Divine Liturgy]] in English.<ref>''Une Conquete du Patriarcat Oecumenique.'' ''' ''Echos d'Orient'' '''. Vol. XI. No.68, 1908, pp.55-56.</ref> Fr. Raphael Morgan's conversion to the Greek Orthodox Church made him the first African American Orthodox priest. <br />
<br />
Fr. Raphael was sent back to America with vestments, a [[cross]], and 20 pounds sterling for his traveling expenses. He was allowed to hear [[Confession|confessions]], but denied [[Chrism|Holy Chrism]] and an [[antimension]], presumably to attach his missionary ministry to the Philadelphia church. The minutes of the Holy Synod from [[October 2]], 1907, made it clear in fact that Fr. Raphael was to be under the jurisdiction of Rev. Petrides of Philadelphia, until such time as he had been trained in liturgics and was able to establish a separate Orthodox parish.<ref name="MANOLIS"/><br />
<br />
===Return to America===<br />
Ellis Island records indicate the arrival in New York from Naples, Italy, of the priest, Raffaele Morgan, in December 1907.<ref>Lumsden, Joy. ''[http://jamaicanhistorymonth2007.moonfruit.com/#/father-raphael/4520858082 Robert Josias Morgan, aka Father Raphael].'' '''Jamaican History Month 2007.''' February 16, 2007.</ref> Once home, Fr. Raphael baptized his wife and children in the Orthodox Church. This is noted in the minutes of the Holy Synod of [[February 9]], 1908, which acknowledges receipt of a communication from Fr. Raphael.<br />
<br />
The last mention of Fr. Raphael in Patriarchal records is in the minutes of the Holy Synod of [[November 4]], 1908, which cite a letter from Fr. Raphael recommending an Anglican priest of Philadelphia, named "A.C.V. Cartier",<ref group="note">|A.C.V. Cartier was ordained to the Episcopal deaconate by Bishop [[w:Charles Quintard|Charles Quintard]] in 1895, and ordained to the Episcopal priesthood in the same year by Bishop Quintard. (Bragg, Rev. George F. (D.D.). ''Chapter XXXVI: Negro Ordinations from 1866 to the Present''. In: '''[http://www.archive.org/details/historyofafroame00brag History of the Afro-American group of the Episcopal church (1922)].''' Baltimore, Md.: Church Advocate Press, 1922. p.273.)</ref> as a candidate for conversion to Orthodoxy and ordination as a priest. Cartier was rector of the [http://www.aecst.org/home.htm African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas], in Philadelphia, from 1906-12.<ref group="note">[[George Alexander McGuire]] was rector of The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in Philadelphia from 1902-05. He was succeeded as rector by A.C.V. Cartier (1906-12), the man whom Morgan recommended to the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]] for Orthodox ordination.</ref> Saint Thomas' served the African American elite of Philadelphia and was one of the most prestigious congregations in African American Christianity, having been started in 1794 by [[w:Absalom Jones|Absalom Jones]], one of the founders, together with [[w:Richard Allen (bishop)|Richard Allen]], of the [[w:w:African Methodist Episcopal Church|African Methodist Episcopal Church]].<ref name=Martin>Tony Martin. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=NgIYlUbaoAoC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false McGuire, George Alexander].'' '''Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance'''. Volume 2. Cary D. Wintz, Paul Finkelman (Eds.). Taylor & Francis, 2004. p.776.</ref> According to the letter, Cartier desired as an Orthodox priest to undertake missionary work among his fellow blacks. Due to the fact that the jurisdiction over the Greek Church of the [[diaspora]] had been ceded by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the [[Church of Greece]] in 1908, the request was forwarded there. However according to Greek-American historian Paul G. Manolis, a search of the Archives of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece did not turn up any correspondence with Fr. Raphael. His letter about A.C.V. Cartier is the only indication we have from Church records of his missionary efforts among his people.<ref name="MANOLIS"/><br />
<br />
In 1909, his wife filed for divorce, on the alleged charges of cruelty and failure to support their children. She left with their son Cyril to Delaware County, where she remarried.<br />
<br />
===Monastic Tonsure===<br />
In 1911 Fr. Raphael sailed to Cyprus, presumably to be tonsured a [[hieromonk]]. Possibly somewhere around this time, he founded the ''Order of the Cross of Golgotha'' (O.C.G.).<ref group="note" name="Order"/> However, Fr. Oliver Herbel ([[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|AOC]]) has suggested that in 1911 Fr. Raphael was [[Tonsure|tonsured]] in Athens.<ref>Fr. Oliver Herbel ([[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|AOC]]). ''[http://www.ocanews.org/Herbeljurisdiction4.22.09.html Jurisdictional Disunity and the Russian Mission].'' '''Orthodox Christians for Accountability'''. [[April 22]], 2009.</ref> As is noted above however, the Archives of the Holy Synod of the [[Church of Greece]] contain no information about Fr. Raphael.<br />
<br />
===Lecture Tour in Jamaica===<br />
The ''Jamaica Times'' article of [[April 26]], 1913, wrote that Fr. Raphael was headquartered at Philadelphia where he wanted to build a chapel for his missionary efforts, that he had recently visited Europe to collect funds to this end, and had the intention of extending his work to the West Indies.<ref>''The Jamaica Times''. ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id1.html Only Negro Who is a Greek Priest].'' April 26, 1913.</ref><br />
<br />
Near the end of 1913, Fr. Raphael visited his homeland of Jamaica, staying for several months until sometime the next year. While there, he met a group of Syrians, who were complaining of a lack of Orthodox churches on the island. Fr. Raphael did his best to contact the Syrian-American diocese of the Russian church, writing to St [[Raphael of Brooklyn]], but as most of their descendants are now communicants in the Episcopal Church, this presumably came to no avail. In December, a Russian warship came to port, and he concelebrated the [[Divine Liturgy]] with the sailors, their chaplain, and his new-found Syrians.<br />
<br />
The main work of his visit, however, was a lecture circuit that he ran throughout Jamaica. Citing a lack of Orthodox churches, Fr. Raphael would speak at churches of various denomination. The topics would usually cover his travels, the Holy Land, and Holy Orthodoxy. At some point, he even made it to his hometown of Chapelton, to whom he remarked of his name change, ''"I will always be Robert to you".''<ref>''The Daily Gleaner.'' ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id6.html Gives Lecture. Fr. Raphael Talks of His Travels Abroad.]'' August 15, 1913.</ref><br />
<br />
According to the ''Daily Gleaner'' edition of [[November 2]], 1914, Fr. Raphael had just set sail back for America to start mission work under his Faith.<ref group="note">''"Father Raphael, Priest of the Greek Orthodox Church, who has been in the island for some time, sailed for America last week. It is understood that he will return shortly to his native land and start mission work under his Faith. As is well known, the seat of the Greek Church to which father Raphael belongs is not far from the theatre of war, so there is no hope of the Father returning to his Mother Church in a hurry. Father Raphael is a native of Clarendon."'' (''The Daily Gleaner.'' November 2, 1914. p.13.)</ref><br />
<br />
===Last Known Records===<br />
In 1916 Fr. Raphael was still in Philadelphia, having made the Philadelphia Greek parish his base of operations.<ref>Namee, Matthew. ''[http://orthodoxhistory.org/?p=244 The First Black Orthodox Priest in America].'' '''OrthodoxHistory.org''' (The Society for Orthodox Christian History in the Americas). July 15, 2009.</ref> The last documentation of Fr. Raphael comes from a letter to the ''Daily Gleaner'' on [[October 4]], 1916. Representing a group of about a dozen other like-minded Jamaican-Americans, he wrote in to protest the lectures of Black Nationalist Marcus Garvey.<ref group="note">Fr. Raphael signed the letter as ''' ''"Father Raphael, O.C.G., Priest-Apostolic, the Greek-Orthodox Catholic Church."'' '''The full text of the signed letter is printed in:<br>Robert A. Hill, Marcus Garvey, Universal Negro Improvement Association. ''Letter Denouncing Marcus Garvey.'' In: '''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=CKJrUKdSZwkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s The Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers: 1826-August 1919].''' University of California Press, 1983. pp.196-197.</ref> Garvey's views on Jamaica, they felt, were damaging to both the reputation of their homeland and its people, enumerating several objections to Garvey's stated preference for the prejudice of the American whites over that of English whites.<ref name=Oliver/> Garvey's response came ten days later, in which he called the letter a conspiratorial fabrication meant to undermine the success and favour he had gained while in Jamaica and in the United States.<br />
<br />
Little is known of Fr. Raphael's life after this point, except from some interviews conducted in the 1970s between Greek-American historian Paul G. Manolis and surviving members of the [http://evangelismos.us/default.aspx Greek Community of the Annunciation] in Philadelphia, who recalled the black priest who was evidently a part of their community for a period of time. One elderly woman, Grammatike Kritikos Sherwin, remembered that Fr Raphael's daughter left to attend Oxford; another parishioner, Kyriacos Biniaris, recalls that Morgan, whose hand "he kissed many times", spoke broken Greek and served with Fr. Petrides reciting the liturgy mostly in English; whilst another, a George Liacouras, recalled that after serving in Philadelphia for some years, Fr. Raphael left for Jerusalem, never to return.<ref name="MANOLIS"/> The [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]] has no record either of Fr. Raphael Morgan, nor of Fr. Demetrios Petrides, as the first records for the Philadelphia community in the archives only began in 1918.<br />
<br />
==Influence==<br />
==="Indirect Conversion of Thousands" Theory===<br />
During the ''16th Annual Ancient Christianity and African-American Conference'' in 2009, Matthew Namee presented a 23-minute lecture on the heretofore recently discovered life of Fr. Raphael Morgan. He postulates that even if Fr. Raphael's missionary efforts failed outside of his immediate family, he may be indirectly responsible for the conversion of thousands, via contact with Episcopal priest [[George Alexander McGuire]] (1866-1934).<br />
<br />
Records for [http://www.stphilipsrichmond.org/ St Philip's Episcopal Church] in Richmond, Virgina indicate that for a short while in 1901 Robert J. Morgan was listed as the Rector. However, being only a [[deacon]], this would mean that Robert's position was only temporary, during an interregnum of sorts. The previous [[rector]] was one [[George Alexander McGuire]].<br><br />
<br />
'''Fr. Raphael and George McGuire'''<br><br />
Namee questions whence the idea came for McGuire to form namely an ''Orthodox'' church. Fr. Raphael Morgan and George McGuire have some striking similarities, including the facts that both:<br />
* served concurrently or consecutively at [http://www.stphilipsrichmond.org/ St Philip's Episcopal Church] in Virginia,<ref group="note">[http://www.stphilipsrichmond.org/ St. Philip’s Episcopal Church] of Richmond, Virginia lists Morgan as having been the rector of their parish for a short time in 1901. He is listed as the rector from “1901-April 1901.” Morgan’s predecessor at St. Philip’s was a certain “Reverend [[George Alexander McGuire|George Alexander McQuire]],” who served the parish from April 1898 to November 1900.</ref> <br />
* were ordained in the Episcopal Church around the same time,<ref group="note">Rev. Morgan was ordained to the Episcopal deaconate on June 20, 1895, by Bishop Leighton Coleman. George McGuire was ordained to the Episcopal deaconate on June 29, 1896 by Bishop Boyd Vincent, and to the Episcopal priesthood in 1897 by the same. (Bragg, Rev. George F. (D.D.). ''Chapter XXXVI: Negro Ordinations from 1866 to the Present''. In: '''[http://www.archive.org/details/historyofafroame00brag History of the Afro-American group of the Episcopal church (1922)].''' Baltimore, Md.: Church Advocate Press, 1922. p.273.)</ref> and <br />
* both later served in Philadelphia, each having had some contact with Rev. A.C.V. Cartier of the [http://www.aecst.org/home.htm African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas].<br />
<br />
Namee concludes that with so many coincidences, it is impossible for these two men to not have known one another; and therefore it must be from some influence - either in conversation with Fr. Raphael or through evangelism - that McGuire received his inspiration and came to know the Orthodox Church. An additional point is that Garvey already knew of Fr. Raphael when McGuire joined his organization in 1920 (since Fr. Raphael had written the letter in 1916 protesting Garvey's lectures), which makes it likely that McGuire and Garvey had discussed Morgan at some point.<br />
<br />
One deterrent from this theory comes in the familiarity he had with the Orthodox Church by McGuire's ''consecrator'', Joseph René Vilatte.<ref group="note">In his quest to obtain valid [[w:Apostolic succession|Apostolic Orders]], Fr. McGuire had himself re-ordained Bishop in the ''American Catholic Church'', being consecrated on September 28, 1921, in Chicago, Illinois, by Archbishop [[Joseph René Vilatte]], assisted by bishop Carl A. Nybladh who had been consecrated by Vilatte. However the [[Orthodox Church]] considers Villate to be an [[Episcopi vagantes]].</ref> At various points, Vilatte come into contact with both the [[Russian_Orthodox_Church|Russian]] and [[Syriac_Orthodox_Church|Syriac]] Orthodox Churches in a move for Catholic-Orthodox reconciliation, having even been accepted for a while by Bishop [[Vladimir (Sokolovsky-Avtonomov) of the Aleutians|Vladimir]] of [[Alaska]] in May of 1891.<br />
<br />
'''African Orthodox Church'''<br><br />
George McGuire became an associate of Marcus Garvey and his Black Nationalist [[w:Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League|UNIA]] movement, being appointed the first Chaplain-General of the organization at its inaugural international convention in New York in August 1920. On September 28, 1921, he was made a bishop of the American Catholic Church by [[w:Joseph René Vilatte|Joseph René Vilatte]], and soon after founded the [[w:African Orthodox Church|African Orthodox Church]], a non-canonical Black Nationalist church, in the Anglican tradition. Today, it is best known for its canonisation of Jazz legend John Coltrane.<br />
<br />
Bishop George McGuire soon spread his African Orthodox Church throughout the United States, and soon even made a presence on the African continent in such countries as [[Archdiocese of Kampala and All Uganda|Uganda]], [[Archdiocese of Kenya|Kenya]], and [[Archdiocese of Irinopolis|Tanzania]]. Between 1924-1934 McGuire built the AOC into a thriving international church. Branches were eventually established in Canada, Barbados, Cuba, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Miami, Chicago, Harlem, Boston, Cambridge (Massachusetts), and elsewhere. The official organ of AOC, ''The Negro Churchman,'' became an effective link for the far-flung organization.<ref name="Martin"/> However, around the time of the Second World War, the African churches were cut off from the American and in the post-war period had drifted far enough way to request and come under the [[omophorion]] of the [[Church of Alexandria]].<br />
<br />
===Legacy===<br />
Scholar Gavin White, writing in the 1970's, states that if Morgan tried to organize an African-American Greek Orthodox church in Philadelphia, its memory has vanished, and nothing whatsoever is known about Morgan in later years. However he hastens to add that: <br />
:"...there can be no doubt that McGuire knew all about Morgan and it is very probable that he knew him personally. It is just possible that it was Morgan who first introduced McGuire to the Episcopal Church in Wilmington; it was almost certainly Morgan who introduced McGuire to the idea of Eastern episcopacy.<ref name="WHITE"/> <br />
This concurs with Matthew Namee's conclusion above, that it was Fr. Raphael who was George Alexander McGuire's inspiration to form namely an "Orthodox" church. In time the African-based portion of McGuire's ''"African Orthodox Church"'' in Kenya and Uganda, eventually did end up under the canonical jurisdiction of the [[Church of Alexandria|Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa]] in 1946. And although those two churches were already upon their own set path towards full canonical Orthodoxy, McGuire was an important part of that process at one stage, and Fr. Raphael Morgan in turn, was behind McGuire's inspiration to form an "Orthodox" church. In this regard, by planting the seed, it can be said that Fr. Raphael was also in some measure, indirectly or incidentally, part of that process as well. <br />
<br />
In the end, while Fr. Raphael Morgan's work among Jamaicans in Philadelphia appears to have been transitory, nevertheless he did serve as an important precedent for current African American interest in Orthodoxy, especially that of Father [http://unexpectedjoychurch.org/administration.html Moses Berry], director of the [http://www.oaahm.org/index.html Ozarks African American Heritage Museum], who served as the priest to the [http://unexpectedjoychurch.org/ Theotokos, the “Unexpected Joy,” Orthodox Mission] ([[OCA]]) in Ash Grove, Missouri.<ref name=Oliver/><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Joachim (Phoropoulos) of Pelagonia]].<br />
* [[George Alexander McGuire]].<br />
* [[Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black]].<br />
<br />
==Notes==<br />
<references group="note" /><br />
<br />
==References== <br />
<div><references/></div><br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://evangelismos.us/default.aspx Evangelismos Greek Orthodox Church], Philadelphia, PA. ''(Fr. Raphael's home parish, ca.~1904-1916)''<br />
<br />
==Sources==<br />
'''Contemporary Sources'''<br />
* Bragg, Rev. George F. (D.D.). ''Chapter XXXVI: Negro Ordinations from 1866 to the Present''. In: '''[http://www.archive.org/details/historyofafroame00brag History of the Afro-American group of the Episcopal church (1922)].''' Baltimore, Md.: Church Advocate Press, 1922.<br />
* Bragg, Rev. George F. (D.D.). ''Afro-American Clergy List. Priests''. In: '''[http://www.archive.org/details/afroamericanchur00bragiala Afro-American Church Work and Workers].''' Baltimore, Md.: Church Advocate Print, 1904.<br />
* Hill, Robert A., Marcus Garvey, Universal Negro Improvement Association. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=CKJrUKdSZwkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s The Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers: 1826-August 1919].'' University of California Press, 1983. ISBN 9780520044562<br />
* Mather, Frank Lincoln. ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=RFZ2AAAAMAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s Who's who of the Colored Race: A General Biographical Dictionary of Men and Women of African Descent].'' University of Michigan. Gale Research Co., 1915. <br />
* ''The Daily Gleaner''. ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id10.html West Africa]''. October 9, 1901. p.7.<br />
* ''The Daily Gleaner.'' ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id3.html Priest's Visit: Father Raphael of Greek Orthodox Church: His Extensive Travels].'' July 22, 1913.<br />
* ''The Daily Gleaner.'' ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id6.html Gives Lecture. Fr. Raphael Talks of His Travels Abroad.]'' August 15, 1913.<br />
* ''The Daily Gleaner.'' November 2, 1914. p.13.<br />
* ''The Jamaica Times''. ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/id1.html Only Negro Who is a Greek Priest].'' April 26, 1913.<br />
* ''Une Conquete du Patriarcat Oecumenique.'' ''' ''Echos d'Orient'' '''. Vol. XI. No.68, 1908, pp.55-56. <br />
:(''Publication of the Roman Catholic Uniate Assumptionist Fathers, located in Chalcedon'')<br />
'''Modern Sources'''<br />
* Herbel, Fr. Oliver ([[Orthodox Church in America|OCA]]). ''[http://www.ocanews.org/Herbeljurisdiction4.22.09.html Jurisdictional Disunity and the Russian Mission].'' '''Orthodox Christians for Accountability'''. [[April 22]], 2009.<br />
* Herbel, Fr. Oliver ([[Orthodox Church in America |OCA]]). ''Morgan, Raphael.'' '''[http://www.mywire.com/a/African-American-National-Biography/Morgan-Raphael/9463563?&pbl=27 The African American National Biography]''' at '''mywire.com'''. 1-Jan-2008.<br />
* ''[[w:Joseph René Vilatte|Joseph René Vilatte]]'' at Wikipedia.<br />
* Lumsden, Joy, MA (Cantab), PhD (UWI). ''[http://www.joyousjam.com/fatherraphael/index.html Father Raphael].''<br />
* Lumsden, Joy. ''[http://jamaicanhistorymonth2007.moonfruit.com/#/father-raphael/4520858082 Robert Josias Morgan, aka Father Raphael].'' '''Jamaican History Month 2007.''' February 16, 2007.<br />
* Manolis, Paul G. ''Raphael (Robert) Morgan: The First Black Orthodox Priest in America''. '''Theologia: Epistēmonikon Periodikon Ekdidomenon Kata Trimēnian'''. (En Athenais: Vraveion Akadēmias Athēnōn), 1981, vol.52, no.3, pp.464-480. ISSN: 1105-154X<br />
* Martin, Tony. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=NgIYlUbaoAoC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false McGuire, George Alexander].'' '''Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance'''. Volume 2. Cary D. Wintz, Paul Finkelman (Eds.). Taylor & Francis, 2004.<br />
* Namee, Matthew. ''[http://orthodoxhistory.org/?p=244 The First Black Orthodox Priest in America].'' '''OrthodoxHistory.org''' (The Society for Orthodox Christian History in the Americas). July 15, 2009.<br />
* Namee, Matthew. ''[http://ancientfaith.com/specials/16th_ancient_christianity_african-american_conference/matthew_namee/ Fr. Raphael Morgan: America's First Black Orthodox Priest.]'' '''16th Annual Ancient Christianity & African-American Conference'''. June 03, 2009.<br />
* Namee, Matthew. ''"[http://orthodoxhistory.org/?cat=58 Robert Josias Morgan visits Russia, 1904]."'' '''OrthodoxHistory.org''' (The Society for Orthodox Chrisitan History in the Americas). September 15, 2009.<br />
* White, Gavin. ''Patriarch McGuire and the Episcopal Church.'' In: Randall K. Burkett and Richard Newman (Eds.). '''Black Apostles: Afro-American Clergy Confront the Twentieth Century.''' G. K. Hall, 1978. pp.151-180.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Priests]]<br />
[[Category:Missionaries]]<br />
[[Category:Monastics]]<br />
[[Category:Converts to Orthodox Christianity|Morgan]]<br />
[[Category:Featured Articles]]</div>Vlatadonhttps://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Orthodox_Church_in_America&diff=58623Orthodox Church in America2008-01-03T15:16:48Z<p>Vlatadon: /* History */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:OCA logo.jpg|right|The Orthodox Church in America]]<br />
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). The OCA was formerly known as the '''Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in America''', or more informally, the '''Metropolia'''. Previous to that, it was the North American Diocese of the [[Church of Russia]]. The OCA's autocephaly is not currently recognized by most of the other autocephalous Orthodox churches.<br />
<br />
The current [[primate]] of the OCA is His Beatitude [[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York|Herman (Swaiko)]], Archbishop of Washington and New York, and Metropolitan of All America and Canada.<br />
<br />
{{church|<br />
name= Orthodox Church in America|<br />
founder= Ss. [[Herman of Alaska]], [[Innocent of Alaska]], [[Alexis of Wilkes-Barre]]|<br />
independence=1970 ("temporary self-government" in 1924) |<br />
recognition= 1970 by [[Church of Russia]] |<br />
primate=[[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York|Metropolitan Herman]]|<br />
hq=Syosset, New York|<br />
territory=United States and Canada|<br />
possessions= Mexico, South America, Australia|<br />
language=English, [[Church Slavonic]], Spanish|<br />
music=[[Russian Chant]], [[Byzantine Chant]] (in some ethnic dioceses)|<br />
calendar=[[Revised Julian Calendar|Revised Julian]], [[Julian Calendar|Julian]]|<br />
population=30,000 to 1,000,000|<br />
website=[http://www.oca.org/ Orthodox Church in America]<br />
}}<br />
== History ==<br />
''Main Article: [[History of the OCA]]''<br />
<br />
The OCA began with the missionary work of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands by eight Orthodox monks who arrived in Alaska in 1794. They were part of the centuries-old missionary heritage of the Russian Orthodox Church that brought the Orthodox Church, by the monks Hourg and Barsanuphii, to the Mongol peoples. And monk St Stephen of Perm (1340-96) who would in turn journey beyond Kazan, across the Ural mountain, into the forests of Siberia to bring Orthodoxy to the pagan Zyrians. And the Russian monks who brought the Church even more eastward, eventually establishing a network of missions across Siberia and along the entire Pacific Rim: in China (1686), Alaska (1794), Japan (1861), and Korea (1898). <br />
<br />
While the Church in Alaska was growing, immigrants were arriving in the rest of North America. In the 1860s a parish was established in San Francisco by Serbians, Russians and Greeks. Parishes were also established across the territory of the United States. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the headquarters of the North American Diocese was moved to San Francisco and then to New York. At this time there were great waves of Orthodox immigrants from Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe, and the Middle East. The myth commonly perpetuated within OCA circles is that they were all united in a single [[diocese]], or [[jurisdiction]], which was under the Russian Orthodox Church. Although the Russians certainly were, as were some parishes from other ethnic groups (especially those of Middle Eastern heritage), there were many others (most notably the majority of the Greeks) who did not look to the Russian Orthodox Archdiocese of the Aleutian Islands and North America. Instead, they looked to their national mother Churches. In an attempt to address this problem, Archbishop Tikhon, later [[Tikhon of Moscow]], had advocated (in a 1905 report to the Holy Synod) for an American Orthodox Church with "greater autonomy," governed by a synod of bishops representing the various nationalities. Tikhon's proposal did not have the opportunity to succeed.<br />
<br />
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 could be resumed. (He died in 1925, and was glorified as a [[saint]] by the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] in 1989.) Shortly thereafter, at a Council of all hierarchs and clergy and parish delegates, it was decided that the Church in North America could no longer maintain strict administrative ties with the Church in Russia, especially since Patriarch Tikhon had been arrested. Additionally, the loss of financial support from the fallen empire added to the diocese's problems.<br />
<br />
At that time, some parishes which had been part of a single, multi-ethnic, North American [[diocese]] organized separate dioceses and placed themselves under various other [[mother church]]es, solidifying the current situation of multiple, ethnically-based, overlapping, jurisdictions in North America. Though the revolution in Russia helped to speed this fragmentation process along, it had already been occurring prior to 1917, as hundreds of Orthodox parishes in the US had been founded without any reference to the Russian presence, whose authority was not universally acknowledged.<br />
<br />
From that point until the restoration of relations with Moscow in the 1960s, the Metropolia entered twice into union with the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] (see [[ROCOR and OCA]]), finally breaking with the latter body in 1946. Additionally, in 1927, the bishops of the Metropolia attempted to create an autocephalous body known as the [[American Orthodox Catholic Church]], which failed after only six years. <br />
<br />
In the early 1960s, the Metropolia (as it was then known) 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 autocephalous Orthodox Churches, including the [[Church of Constantinople]]. Churches that do recognize its autocephaly are mainly those in former Communist lands (most of which had thus come under the influence of the Church of Russia), including the [[Church of Russia]], the [[Church of Bulgaria]], the [[Church of Poland]], the [[Church of Georgia]], and the [[Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia]]. According to apologists for OCA autocephaly, it is common for recognition of autocephaly to be granted belatedly; however opponents regard the grant as not being within the purview of Moscow's [[presbeia|prerogatives]] (see [[Byzantine response to OCA autocephaly]]).<br />
<br />
== The OCA today ==<br />
[[Image:OCA chancery.jpg|right|350px|thumb|The OCA chancery, Oyster Bay Cove (Syosset), New York]]<br />
In the United States, there are 12 dioceses and 623 parishes, missions, and institutions (456 of which are parishes). 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 two [[Parishes in Australia (OCA)|parishes in Australia]] under the OCA's canonical protection, one in Queensland and one in New South Wales. <br />
<br />
There are three ethnically defined dioceses in the OCA: the Albanian (14 parishes), Bulgarian (19 parishes) and Romanian (92 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, usually after having broken from other bodies.<br />
<br />
The OCA also has 27 monastic communities, six of which fall under the direct jurisdiction of the Metropolitan (i.e., are [[stavropigial]]). The largest of these monasteries are [[New Skete (Cambridge, New York)]] and [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)]].<br />
<br />
There are three [[seminary|seminaries]] operated by the OCA: [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary]] (founded 1937), [[St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, New York)|St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary]] (founded 1938), and [[St. Herman's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Kodiak, Alaska)|St. Herman's Orthodox Theological Seminary]] (founded 1973). All three educate seminarians from multiple Orthodox jurisdictions, including those outside North America.<br />
<br />
The OCA is a member of the [[Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas]] (SCOBA).<br />
<br />
Since November of 2005, when a list of accusations were brought forward by Protodeacon Eric Wheeler, the former treasurer of the OCA, its administration has been the subject of allegations of financial misconduct. Internal investigations, audits, and other actions have since then been enacted in an attempt to address the allegations, including the firing and deposition of the OCA chancellor, the former Protopresbyter [[Robert S. Kondratick]]. The [http://www.ocanews.org/ OCA News] website, a privately operated site with no connection to the administration, has been publishing reports and editorials on the scandal since January of 2006, including allegations of division within the OCA's holy synod. In August 2007, the [[Diocese of the Midwest (OCA)|Diocese of the Midwest]], which contributes to the OCA more funds than any other OCA diocese, began withholding its assessments to the central administration.[http://www.midwestdiocese.org/news_070814_1.html]<br />
<br />
===Growth and membership figures===<br />
Altogether, estimates of OCA faithful number from about 28,000[http://www.oca.org/PDF/Evangelization/2004.Parish-Revitalization-notes.pdf] to 1 million[http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg.aspx?eccpageID=27] to 2 million[http://www.aidsfaith.com/articles/denom.asp], depending on the report cited and method used for counting. The number of new parishes founded from 1990 to 2000 increased the overall parish number by about 12%, and new membership has been fairly equally divided between new immigrants, children of existing members, and converts to the faith. Overall, according to one report the trend during that decade held the population of OCA faithful in neither increase nor decline, but remaining steady.[http://hirr.hartsem.edu/research/tab2.pdf] According to another, however, that same decade saw a 13% decline.[http://www.oca.org/PDF/Evangelization/2004.Parish-Revitalization-notes.pdf]<br />
<br />
{{orthodoxyinamerica}}<br />
<br />
According to Fr. Jonathan Ivanoff, who is on the administrative committee of the OCA's Department of Evangelization and the board of directors of the [[Orthodox Christian Mission Center]], the OCA's American contintental membership (i.e., not including Alaska, Canada, or the ethnic dioceses) "has been declining between 6 and 9% for nearly 20 years. The OCA's Census population in 1994 was 29,775; in 2004 it stood at 27,169."[http://www.oca.org/PDF/Evangelization/2004.Parish-Revitalization-notes.pdf] Despite these sobering figures, however, the OCA's dioceses of the West and South, as well as many parishes in other dioceses, have reported steady growth.<br />
<br />
==Name==<br />
According to Bishop [[Tikhon (Fitzgerald) of San Francisco and Los Angeles]], the name of this jurisdiction is ''The Orthodox Church in America'', and its acronym should be ''TOCA''.[https://listserv.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/wa-iub.exe?A2=ind0504c&L=orthodox&F=&S=&P=4840] There has not yet been any official announcement from the central administration of the church, however, and the former uses (''Orthodox Church in America'' and ''OCA'') remain the most common both within and outside the jurisdiction.<br />
<br />
According to the 1970 ''Tomos of Autocephaly'' granted by the [[Church of Russia]], the name of this church body was originally ''The Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America''.[http://www.oca.org/DOCtomos.asp?SID=12] According to the Statute of the Orthodox Church in America, adopted by the Second All-American Council in October 1971, the usage is ''The Orthodox Church in America'' at the beginning of sentences[http://oca.org/DOCstatute.asp?SID=12&ID=1] and ''the Orthodox Church in America'' in the middle of sentences[http://www.oca.org/DOCstatute.asp?SID=12&ID=4], thus seeming to imply that the capitalization of ''the'' in the name is not vital.<br />
<br />
==Episcopacy==<br />
===Diocesan bishops===<br />
* Most Blessed [[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York|Herman (Swaiko)]], Archbishop of [[Diocese of Washington and New York (OCA)|Washington and New York]], Metropolitan of All America and Canada<br />
* Most Reverend [[Dmitri (Royster) of Dallas|Dmitri (Royster)]], Archbishop of Dallas and the [[Diocese of the South (OCA)|South]], Exarch of [[Exarchate of Mexico (OCA)|Mexico]]<br />
* Most Reverend [[Nathaniel (Popp) of Detroit|Nathaniel (Popp)]], Archbishop of Detroit and the [[Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America (OCA)|Romanian Episcopate]]<br />
* Most Reverend [[Job (Osacky) of Chicago|Job (Osacky)]], Archbishop of Chicago and the [[Diocese of the Midwest (OCA)|Midwest]]<br />
* Most Reverend [[Seraphim (Storheim) of Ottawa|Seraphim (Storheim)]], Archbishop of Ottawa and [[Archdiocese of Canada (OCA)|Canada]]<br />
* Right Reverend [[Nikolai (Soraich) of Sitka and Anchorage|Nikolai (Soraich)]], Bishop of Sitka, Anchorage and [[Diocese of Alaska (OCA)|Alaska]]<br />
* Right Reverend [[Nikon (Liolin) of Boston|Nikon (Liolin)]], Bishop of Boston, New England and the [[Albanian Archdiocese (OCA)|Albanian Archdiocese]]<br />
* Right Reverend [[Tikhon (Mollard) of Philadelphia|Tikhon (Mollard)]], Bishop of Philadelphia and [[Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania (OCA)|Eastern Pennsylvania]]<br />
* Right Reverend [[Benjamin (Peterson) of San Francisco|Benjamin (Peterson)]], Bishop of San Francisco and the [[Diocese of the West (OCA)|Diocese of the West]]<br />
<br />
===Auxiliary bishops===<br />
* Right Reverend [[Irineu (Duvlea) of Dearborn Heights|Irineu (Duvlea)]], Bishop of Dearborn Heights and auxiliary to Archbishop [[Nathaniel (Popp) of Detroit]]<br />
* Right Reverend [[Alejo (Pacheco-Vera) of Mexico City|Alejo (Pacheco-Vera)]], Bishop of Mexico City and auxiliary to Metropolitan [[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York]]<br />
<br />
===Retired bishops===<br />
* Most Blessed [[Theodosius (Lazor) of Washington|Theodosius (Lazor)]], Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada<br />
* Most Reverend [[Gregory (Afonsky) of Sitka|Gregory (Afonsky)]], Archbishop of Sitka and Alaska<br />
* Right Reverend [[Mark (Forsberg) of Boston|Mark (Forsberg)]], Bishop of Boston<br />
* Most Reverend [[Lazar (Puhalo) of Ottawa|Lazar (Puhalo)]], Archbishop of Ottawa<br />
* Right Reverend [[Tikhon (Fitzgerald) of San Francisco and Los Angeles|Tikhon (Fitzgerald)]], Bishop of San Francisco, Los Angeles and the [http://www.ocadow.org/ West]<br />
* Right Reverend [[Varlaam (Novakshonoff) of Vancouver|Varlaam (Novakshonoff)]], Bishop of Vancouver<br />
<br />
===Reposed bishops===<br />
* Most Reverend [[Kyrill (Yonchev) of Pittsburgh|Kyrill (Yonchev)]], Archbishop of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania and the [[Bulgarian Diocese (OCA)|Bulgarian Diocese]]<br />
* Most Reverend [[Peter (L'Huillier) of New York|Peter (L'Huillier)]], Archbishop of New York and New Jersey<br />
<br />
<br />
== List of primates and ruling bishops==<br />
[[Image:Raphel Platon Alexander.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Bishops [[Raphael of Brooklyn|St. Raphel]], [[Platon (Rozhdestvensky) of New York|Platon]], and [[Alexander (Nemolovsky) of Brussels|Alexander]]]]<br />
* Bishop [[Joasaph (Bolotov) of Kodiak|Joasaph (Bolotov)]] ''Bishop of Kodiak Auxiliary of the Irkutsk Diocese'' (1799)<br />
* Bishop [[Innocent of Alaska|Innocent (Veniaminov)]] ''of Alaska'' <br />
** ''Bishop of Kamchatka, the Kurile and Aleutian Islands'' (1840-50)<br />
** ''Archbishop of Kamchatka, the Kurile and Aleutian Islands'' (1850-68)<br />
* Bishop [[Peter (Ekaterinovsky) of Novoarkhangelsk|Peter (Ekaterinovsky)]] ''Bishop of Novoarkhangelsk (Sitka) Auxiliary of the Kamchatka Diocese'' (1859-66)<br />
* Bishop [[Paul (Popov) of Novoarkhangelsk|Paul (Popov)]] ''Bishop of Novoarkhangelsk (Sitka), Auxiliary of the Kamchatka Diocese'' (1866-70)<br />
* Bishop [[John (Mitropolsky) of the Aleutians|John (Mitropolsky)]] ''Bishop of the Aleutians and Alaska'' (1870-77)<br />
* Bishop [[Nestor (Zakkis) of the Aleutians|Nestor (Zakkis)]] ''Bishop of the Aleutians and Alaska'' (1878-82)<br />
* Bishop [[Vladimir (Sokolovsky-Avtonomov) of the Aleutians|Vladimir (Sokolovsky-Avtonomov)]] ''Bishop of the Aleutians and Alaska'' (1887-91)<br />
* Bishop [[Nicholas (Adoratsky) of the Aleutians|Nicholas (Adoratsky)]] ''Bishop of the Aleutians and Alaska'' (1891)<br />
* Bishop [[Nicholas (Ziorov) of Warsaw|Nicholas (Ziorov)]] ''Bishop of the Aleutians and Alaska'' (1891-98)<br />
* Bishop [[Tikhon of Moscow|Tikhon (Belavin)]] ''of Moscow''<br />
** ''Bishop of the Aleutians and Alaska'' (1898-1900)<br />
** ''Bishop of the Aleutians and North America'' (1900-05)<br />
** ''Archbishop of the Aleutians and North America'' (1905-07)<br />
* Archbishop [[Platon (Rozhdestvensky) of New York|Platon (Rozhdestvensky)]] ''Archbishop of the Aleutians and North America'' (1907-14)<br />
* Archbishop [[Evdokim (Meschersky) of the Aleutians|Evdokim (Meschersky)]] ''Archbishop of the Aleutians and North America'' (1914-18)<br />
* Archbishop [[Alexander (Nemolovsky) of Brussels|Alexander (Nemolovsky)]] ''Archbishop of the Aleutians and North America'' (1919-22)<br />
* Metropolitan [[Platon (Rozhdestvensky) of New York|Platon (Rozhdestvensky)]] ''Metropolitan of All America and Canada'' (1922-34)<br />
* Metropolitan [[Theophilus (Pashkovsky) of San Francisco|Theophilus (Pashkovsky)]] ''Archbishop of San Francisco, Metropolitan of All America and Canada'' (1934-50)<br />
* Metropolitan [[Leonty (Turkevich) of New York|Leonty (Turkevich)]] ''Archbishop of New York, Metropolitan of All America and Canada'' (1950-65)<br />
* Metropolitan [[Ireney (Bekish) of New York|Ireney (Bekish)]] ''Archbishop of New York, Metropolitan of All America and Canada'' (1965-77)<br />
* Archbishop [[Sylvester (Haruns) of Montreal|Sylvester (Haruns)]] ''Archbishop of Montreal and Canada, Temporary Administrator of the Orthodox Church in America'' (1974-77)<br />
* Metropolitan [[Theodosius (Lazor) of Washington|Theodosius (Lazor)]]<br />
** ''Archbishop of New York, Metropolitan of All America and Canada'' (1977-80)<br />
** ''Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada'' (1981-2002)<br />
* Metropolitan [[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York|Herman (Swaiko)]]<br />
** ''Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada'' (2002-2005)<br />
** ''Archbishop of Washington and New York, Metropolitan of All America and Canada'' (2005-Present)<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
*[[ROCOR and OCA]]<br />
<br />
{{churches}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
* [http://www.oca.org/ Official Website of the OCA]<br />
** [http://www.oca.org/Docs.asp?ID=157&SID=12 The Road to Autocephaly 1963-1970] Talk given by Dr. Constantine H. Kallaur<br />
** [http://www.oca.org/DOCtomos.asp?SID=12 The Tomos of Autocephaly] Signed in the city of Moscow, [[April 10]], 1970, by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the members its Holy Synod.<br />
** [http://www.oca.org/DOCindex-statute.asp?SID=12 The Statute of the Orthodox Church in America]<br />
* [http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg.aspx?eccpageID=27&IndexView=toc Eastern Christian Churches: OCA] by Ronald Roberson, a Roman Catholic priest and scholar<br />
* [http://www.ocanews.org/ OCANews.org: Orthodox Christians for Accountability], a website critical of the OCA's administration<br />
<br />
[[Category:Jurisdictions|OCA]]<br />
<br />
[[ro:Biserica Ortodoxă din America]]</div>Vlatadonhttps://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Nicholas_Bjerring&diff=51856Nicholas Bjerring2007-05-28T22:22:54Z<p>Vlatadon: /* Source */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Orthodoxyinamerica}}<br />
'''Nicholas Bjerring''' was the first Orthodox Christian [[priest]] to establish an Orthodox church and community in the northeastern United States. He was a [[convert]] from the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. He published translations into English of a number of books and articles concerning the Orthodox faith and services. He later [[apostasy|apostatized]] from Orthodoxy and returned to being Roman Catholic.<br />
<br />
==Life==<br />
Nicholas Bjerring was born in 1831 in Vejle, Denmark. His father was an official in the city of Vejle. Bjerring was educated in Vejle and studied philosophy and theology in the University of Breslau. He was active in the Roman Catholic schools in Europe and performed missionary work in Lapland. In 1868, he came to the United States to be a teacher at St. Alphonsus in Baltimore, Maryland. It has been mistakenly thought that he was a professor of philosophy and history at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland, but he never actually taught at that seminary. He married while still a Roman Catholic and was the father of three children when he was received into the Orthodox Church.<br />
<br />
Bjerring left the Roman Catholic Church in 1870 in protest of the adoption of the dogma of papal infallibility, stating his position on a letter of [[January 24]], 1870 to Pope Pius IX. Nicholas Bjerring had become interested in Orthodox Christianity through reading a scholarly journal, ''L'Union Chretienne''. After careful consideration, in early 1870 he petitioned the [[Holy Synod]] of Russia to be received into the Orthodox Church. Receiving his letter, the Synod requested him to appear in person before them. On [[May 3]], 1870, he was received into the Orthodox Church in ceremonies in the [[chapel]] of the St. Petersburg Academy. He was then ordained to the [[diaconate]] on [[May 6]] and to the [[priest]]hood on [[May 9]] by Metr. Isodore of St. Petersburg and [[Novgorod]]. Bjerring served his first [[liturgy]] in German on [[May 17]] in the academy chapel. He was then directed to establish a church in New York City.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, in 1864, Rev. Dr. John Young Freeman had visited Metr. Filaret of Moscow on behalf of the Russo-Greek Committee of the Protestant Episcopal Church. This meeting dealt with establishment of an Orthodox center in the northeastern United States which could provide a place for Orthodox rites to be experienced in the proper setting. The assignment of Fr. Nicholas to New York was fortuitous and appeared to have supported Rev. Freeman’s request.<br />
<br />
Bjerring served the chapel of the Holy Trinity in New York until 1883, when funding was removed from the mission and he was requested to return to Russia to teach at St. Petersburg Academy. Rather than accept such a prestigious offer, Bjerring desired to remain in America and began exploring where to transfer his ecclesiastical affiliation. In 1883, he decided to join the Presbyterian Church and was subsequently received as a pastor (though after some debate). Although little is known about this period of his life, he engaged in social ministry to Germans living in tenement housing (an act consistent with work he had begun amongst Russians in 1881). The Presbyterian Church would later remove the funding from his mission and he returned to the Roman Catholic Church in 1899. <br />
<br />
Regardless, in 1899 and early 1900 he published articles in Catholic World in which he clearly cites religious convictions for returning to the Roman Catholic Church and discussed the labor question. He died in September of 1900 as a Roman Catholic layman.<br />
<br />
==Works==<br />
Upon his arrival in the United States, Fr. Nicholas was very active within the community in New York. He associated himself with men of many professions: clergy, judges and lawyers, medical professionals, military officers, presidents and professors of colleges, and many other prominent people. Fr. Nicholas was a linguist, being fluent, in addition to his native Danish, in German, English, and Swedish, as well as knowledgeable in French and Latin, but not in Russian. <br />
<br />
Fr. Nicholas was familiar with German translations of Orthodox services and dogmatic papers, and he began translation of these works into English. In 1872, he published the English translation of ''Office for Admission and Reception of Converts into the Orthodox Eastern Church''. In 1873, he published Fr. Hatherly's (of London, England) translation of ''The Divine Liturgies of our Holy Fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great''. This translation had been approved by the Holy Synod. In 1876, he published his own translation of Fr, F. Basaroff’s ''Sacrament of Matrimony''.<br />
<br />
Between November 1879 and October 1881, Fr. Nicholas published the ''The Oriental Church Magazine'', an English language quarterly, which presented numerous translations of the church services and other articles on religion, science, literature, and art, with the purpose of spreading knowledge about Orthodoxy.<br />
<br />
==Source==<br />
* Herbel, [Fr.] Oliver. "A Catholic, Presbyterian, and Orthodox Journey: The Changing Church Affiliation and Enduring Social Vision of Nicholas Bjerring" Journal for the History of Modern Theology/Zeitschrift für Neuere Theologiegeschichte 14:1 (2007): 49-80.<br />
<br />
==External link==<br />
*[http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC07752917&id=RuPr7ABxTt8C The Offices of the Oriental Church: With an Historical Introduction] (1884), by Nicholas Bjerring<br />
*[http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC20038200&id=IpIfwNK1ZIIC The Russian Orthodox Church: A Treatise of Her Origin and Life] (1873), translated by Nicholas Bjerring<br />
<br />
[[Category:Priests]]<br />
[[Category:Missionaries]]</div>Vlatadonhttps://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Nicholas_Bjerring&diff=49907Nicholas Bjerring2007-04-16T05:17:26Z<p>Vlatadon: /* Life */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Orthodoxyinamerica}}<br />
'''Nicholas Bjerring''' was the first Orthodox Christian [[priest]] to establish an Orthodox church and community in the northeastern United States. He was a [[convert]] from the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. He published translations into English of a number of books and articles concerning the Orthodox faith and services.<br />
<br />
==Life==<br />
Nicholas Bjerring was born in 1831 in Vejle, Denmark. His father was an official in the city of Vejle. Bjerring was educated in Vejle and studied philosophy and theology in the University of Breslau. He was active in the Roman Catholic schools in Europe and performed missionary work in Lapland. In 1868, he came to the United States to be a teacher at St. Alphonsus in Baltimore, Maryland. It has been mistakenly thought that he was a professor of philosophy and history at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland, but he never actually taught at that seminary. He married while still a Roman Catholic and was the father of three children when he was received into the Orthodox Church.<br />
<br />
Bjerring left the Roman Catholic Church in 1870 in protest of the adoption of the dogma of papal infallibility, stating his position on a letter of [[January 24]], 1870 to Pope Pius IX. Nicholas Bjerring had become interested in Orthodox Christianity through reading a scholarly journal, ''L’Union Chretienne''. After careful consideration, in early 1870 he petitioned the [[Holy Synod]] of Russia to be received into the Orthodox Church. Receiving his letter, the Synod requested him to appear in person before them. On [[May 3]], 1870, he was received into the Orthodox Church in ceremonies in the [[chapel]] of the St. Petersburg Academy. He was then ordained to the [[diaconate]] on [[May 6]] and to the [[priest]]hood on [[May 9]] by Metr. Isodore of St. Petersburg and [[Novgorod]]. Bjerring served his first [[liturgy]] in German on [[May 17]] in the academy chapel. He was then directed to establish a church in New York City.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, in 1864, Rev. Dr. John Young Freeman had visited Metr. Filaret of Moscow on behalf of the Russo-Greek Committee of the Protestant Episcopal Church. This meeting dealt with establishment of an Orthodox center in the northeastern United States which could provide a place for Orthodox rites to be experienced in the proper setting. The assignment of Fr. Nicholas to New York was fortuitous and appeared to have supported Rev. Freeman’s request.<br />
<br />
Bjerring served the chapel of the Holy Trinity in New York until 1883, when funding was removed from the mission and he was requested to return to Russia to teach at St. Petersburg Academy. Rather than accept such a prestigious offer, Bjerring desired to remain in America and began exploring where to transfer his ecclesiastical affiliation. In 1883, he decided to join the Presbyterian Church and was subsequently received as a pastor (though after some debate). Although little is known about this period of his life, he engaged in social ministry to Germans living in tenement housing (an act consistent with work he had begun amongst Russians in 1881). The Presbyterian Church would later remove the funding from his mission and he returned to the Roman Catholic Church in 1899. <br />
<br />
Regardless, in 1899 and early 1900 he published articles in Catholic World in which he clearly cites religious convictions for returning to the Roman Catholic Church and discussed the labor question. He died in September of 1900 as a Roman Catholic layman.<br />
<br />
==Works==<br />
Upon his arrival in the United States, Fr. Nicholas was very active within the community in New York. He associated himself with men of many professions: clergy, judges and lawyers, medical professionals, military officers, presidents and professors of colleges, and many other prominent people. Fr. Nicholas was a linguist, being fluent, in addition to his native Danish, in German, English, and Swedish, as well as knowledgeable in French and Latin, but not in Russian. <br />
<br />
Fr. Nicholas was familiar with German translations of Orthodox services and dogmatic papers, and he began translation of these works into English. In 1872, he published the English translation of ''Office for Admission and Reception of Converts into the Orthodox Eastern Church''. In 1873, he published Fr. Hatherly’s (of London, England) translation of ''The Divine Liturgies of our Holy Fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great''. This translation had been approved by the Holy Synod. In 1876, he published his own translation of Fr, F. Basaroff’s ''Sacrament of Matrimony''.<br />
<br />
Between November 1879 and October 1881, Fr. Nicholas published the ''The Oriental Church Magazine'', an English language quarterly, which presented numerous translations of the church services and other articles on religion, science, literature, and art, with the purpose of spreading knowledge about Orthodoxy.<br />
<br />
==Source==<br />
* Herbel, Oliver. "A Catholic, Presbyterian, and Orthodox Journey: The Changing Church Affiliation and Enduring Social Vision of Nicholas Bjerring" Journal for the History of Modern Theology/Zeitschrift für Neuere Theologiegeschichte, (forthcoming in 2007).<br />
* ''Orthodox America 1794-1976 Development of the Orthodox Church in America'', C. J. Tarasar, Gen. Ed. 1975, The Orthodox Church in America, Syosett, New York<br />
<br />
[[Category:Priests]]<br />
[[Category:Missionaries]]</div>Vlatadonhttps://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Nicholas_Bjerring&diff=47426Nicholas Bjerring2007-03-17T04:20:09Z<p>Vlatadon: /* Life */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Orthodoxyinamerica}}<br />
'''Nicholas Bjerring''' was the first Orthodox Christian [[priest]] to establish an Orthodox church and community in the northeastern United States. He was a [[convert]] from the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. He published translations into English of a number of books and articles concerning the Orthodox faith and services.<br />
<br />
==Life==<br />
Fr. Nicholas was born in 1831 in Vejle, Denmark. His father was an official in the city of Vejle. Fr. Nicholas was educated in Vejle and studied philosophy and theology in the University of Breslau. He was active in the Roman Catholic schools in Europe and performed missionary work in Lapland. In 1868, he came to the United States to be a teacher at St. Alphonsus in Baltimore, Maryland. It has been mistakenly thought that he was a professor of philosophy and history at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland, but he never actually taught at that seminary. He was married while still a Roman Catholic and was the father of three children when he was received into the Orthodox Church.<br />
<br />
Fr. Nicholas left the Roman Church in 1870 in protest of the adoption of the dogma of papal infallibility, stating his position on a letter of [[January 24]], 1870 to Pope Pius IX. Fr. Nicholas had become interested in Orthodox Christianity through reading a scholarly journal, ''L’Union Chretienne''. After careful consideration, in early 1870 he petitioned the [[Holy Synod]] of Russia to be received into the Orthodox Church. Receiving his letter, the Synod requested him to appear in person before them. On [[May 3]], 1870, he was received into the Orthodox Church in ceremonies in the [[chapel]] of the St. Petersburg Academy. He was then ordained to the [[diaconate]] on [[May 6]] and to the [[priest]]hood on [[May 9]] by Metr. Isodore of St. Petersburg and [[Novgorod]]. Fr. Nicholas served his first [[liturgy]] in German on [[May 17]] in the academy chapel. He was then directed to establish a church in New York City.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, in 1864, Rev. Dr. John Young Freeman had visited Metr. Filaret of Moscow on behalf of the Russo-Greek Committee of the Protestant Episcopal Church. This meeting dealt with establishment of an Orthodox center in the northeastern United States which could provide a place for Orthodox rites to be experienced in the proper setting. The assignment of Fr. Nicholas to New York was fortuitous and appeared to have supported Rev. Freeman’s request.<br />
<br />
Bjerring served the chapel of the Holy Trinity in New York until 1883, when funding was removed from the mission and he was requested to return to Russia to teach at St. Petersburg Academy. Rather than accept such a prestigious offer, Bjerring desired to remain in America and began exploring where to transfer his ecclesiastical affiliation. In 1883, he decided to join the Presbyterian Church and was subsequently received as a pastor (though after some debate). Although little is known about this period of his life, he engaged in social ministry to Germans living in tenement housing (an act consistent with work he had begun amongst Russians in 1881). The Presbyterian Church would later remove the funding from his mission and he returned to the Roman Catholic Church in 1899. <br />
<br />
Regardless, in 1899 and early 1900 he published articles in Catholic World in which he clearly cites religious convictions for returning to the Roman Catholic Church and discussed the labor question. He died in September of 1900 as a Roman Catholic layman.<br />
<br />
==Works==<br />
Upon his arrival in the United States, Fr. Nicholas was very active within the community in New York. He associated himself with men of many professions: clergy, judges and lawyers, medical professionals, military officers, presidents and professors of colleges, and many other prominent people. Fr. Nicholas was a linguist, being fluent, in addition to his native Danish, in German, English, and Swedish, as well as knowledgeable in French and Latin, but not in Russian. <br />
<br />
Fr. Nicholas was familiar with German translations of Orthodox services and dogmatic papers, and he began translation of these works into English. In 1872, he published the English translation of ''Office for Admission and Reception of Converts into the Orthodox Eastern Church''. In 1873, he published Fr. Hatherly’s (of London, England) translation of ''The Divine Liturgies of our Holy Fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great''. This translation had been approved by the Holy Synod. In 1876, he published his own translation of Fr, F. Basaroff’s ''Sacrament of Matrimony''.<br />
<br />
Between November 1879 and October 1881, Fr. Nicholas published the ''The Oriental Church Magazine'', an English language quarterly, which presented numerous translations of the church services and other articles on religion, science, literature, and art, with the purpose of spreading knowledge about Orthodoxy.<br />
<br />
==Source==<br />
* Herbel, Oliver. "A Catholic, Presbyterian, and Orthodox Journey: The Changing Church Affiliation and Enduring Social Vision of Nicholas Bjerring" Journal for the History of Modern Theology/Zeitschrift für Neuere Theologiegeschichte, (forthcoming in 2007).<br />
* ''Orthodox America 1794-1976 Development of the Orthodox Church in America'', C. J. Tarasar, Gen. Ed. 1975, The Orthodox Church in America, Syosett, New York<br />
<br />
[[Category:Priests]]<br />
[[Category:Missionaries]]</div>Vlatadonhttps://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Nicholas_Bjerring&diff=47425Nicholas Bjerring2007-03-17T04:16:41Z<p>Vlatadon: /* Source */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Orthodoxyinamerica}}<br />
'''Nicholas Bjerring''' was the first Orthodox Christian [[priest]] to establish an Orthodox church and community in the northeastern United States. He was a [[convert]] from the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. He published translations into English of a number of books and articles concerning the Orthodox faith and services.<br />
<br />
==Life==<br />
Fr. Nicholas was born in 1831 in Vejle, Denmark. His father was an official in the city of Vejle. Fr. Nicholas was educated in Vejle and studied philosophy and theology in the University of Breslau. He was active in the Roman Catholic schools in Europe and performed missionary work in Lapland. In 1868, he came to the United States to be a teacher at St. Alphonsus in Baltimore, Maryland. It has been mistakenly thought that he was a professor of philosophy and history at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland, but he never actually taught at that seminary. He was married while still a Roman Catholic and was the father of three children when he was received into the Orthodox Church.<br />
<br />
Fr. Nicholas left the Roman Church in 1870 in protest of the adoption of the dogma of papal infallibility, stating his position on a letter of [[January 24]], 1870 to Pope Pius IX. Fr. Nicholas had become interested in Orthodox Christianity through reading a scholarly journal, ''L’Union Chretienne''. After careful consideration, in early 1870 he petitioned the [[Holy Synod]] of Russia to be received into the Orthodox Church. Receiving his letter, the Synod requested him to appear in person before them. On [[May 3]], 1870, he was received into the Orthodox Church in ceremonies in the [[chapel]] of the St. Petersburg Academy. He was then ordained to the [[diaconate]] on [[May 6]] and to the [[priest]]hood on [[May 9]] by Metr. Isodore of St. Petersburg and [[Novgorod]]. Fr. Nicholas served his first [[liturgy]] in German on [[May 17]] in the academy chapel. He was then directed to establish a church in New York City.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, in 1864, Rev. Dr. John Young Freeman had visited Metr. Filaret of Moscow on behalf of the Russo-Greek Committee of the Protestant Episcopal Church. This meeting dealt with establishment of an Orthodox center in the northeastern United States which could provide a place for Orthodox rites to be experienced in the proper setting. The assignment of Fr. Nicholas to New York was fortuitous and appeared to have supported Rev. Freeman’s request.<br />
<br />
Bjerring served the chapel of the Holy Trinity in New York until 1883, when funding was removed from the mission he was requested to return to Russia to teach at St. Petersburg Academy. Rather than accept such a prestigious offer, Bjerring desired to remain in America and began exploring where to transfer his ecclesiastical affiliation. In 1883, he decided to join the Presbyterian Church and was subsequently received as a pastor (though after some debate). Although little is known about this period of his life, he engaged in social ministry to Germans living in tenement housing (an act consistent with work he had begun amongst Russians in 1881). The Presbyterian Church would later remove the funding from his mission and he returned to the Roman Catholic Church in 1899. It is unknown whether the Presbyterians removed funding because he became Roman Catholic or he became Roman Catholic after the Presbyterians decided to remove his funding (though the latter seems to be the case).<br />
<br />
Regardless, in 1899 and early 1900 he published articles in Catholic World in which he clearly cites religious convictions for returning to the Roman Catholic Church and discussed the labor question. He died in September of 1900 as a Roman Catholic layman.<br />
<br />
==Works==<br />
Upon his arrival in the United States, Fr. Nicholas was very active within the community in New York. He associated himself with men of many professions: clergy, judges and lawyers, medical professionals, military officers, presidents and professors of colleges, and many other prominent people. Fr. Nicholas was a linguist, being fluent, in addition to his native Danish, in German, English, and Swedish, as well as knowledgeable in French and Latin, but not in Russian. <br />
<br />
Fr. Nicholas was familiar with German translations of Orthodox services and dogmatic papers, and he began translation of these works into English. In 1872, he published the English translation of ''Office for Admission and Reception of Converts into the Orthodox Eastern Church''. In 1873, he published Fr. Hatherly’s (of London, England) translation of ''The Divine Liturgies of our Holy Fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great''. This translation had been approved by the Holy Synod. In 1876, he published his own translation of Fr, F. Basaroff’s ''Sacrament of Matrimony''.<br />
<br />
Between November 1879 and October 1881, Fr. Nicholas published the ''The Oriental Church Magazine'', an English language quarterly, which presented numerous translations of the church services and other articles on religion, science, literature, and art, with the purpose of spreading knowledge about Orthodoxy.<br />
<br />
==Source==<br />
* Herbel, Oliver. "A Catholic, Presbyterian, and Orthodox Journey: The Changing Church Affiliation and Enduring Social Vision of Nicholas Bjerring" Journal for the History of Modern Theology/Zeitschrift für Neuere Theologiegeschichte, (forthcoming in 2007).<br />
* ''Orthodox America 1794-1976 Development of the Orthodox Church in America'', C. J. Tarasar, Gen. Ed. 1975, The Orthodox Church in America, Syosett, New York<br />
<br />
[[Category:Priests]]<br />
[[Category:Missionaries]]</div>Vlatadonhttps://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Nicholas_Bjerring&diff=47424Nicholas Bjerring2007-03-17T04:11:04Z<p>Vlatadon: /* Life */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Orthodoxyinamerica}}<br />
'''Nicholas Bjerring''' was the first Orthodox Christian [[priest]] to establish an Orthodox church and community in the northeastern United States. He was a [[convert]] from the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. He published translations into English of a number of books and articles concerning the Orthodox faith and services.<br />
<br />
==Life==<br />
Fr. Nicholas was born in 1831 in Vejle, Denmark. His father was an official in the city of Vejle. Fr. Nicholas was educated in Vejle and studied philosophy and theology in the University of Breslau. He was active in the Roman Catholic schools in Europe and performed missionary work in Lapland. In 1868, he came to the United States to be a teacher at St. Alphonsus in Baltimore, Maryland. It has been mistakenly thought that he was a professor of philosophy and history at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland, but he never actually taught at that seminary. He was married while still a Roman Catholic and was the father of three children when he was received into the Orthodox Church.<br />
<br />
Fr. Nicholas left the Roman Church in 1870 in protest of the adoption of the dogma of papal infallibility, stating his position on a letter of [[January 24]], 1870 to Pope Pius IX. Fr. Nicholas had become interested in Orthodox Christianity through reading a scholarly journal, ''L’Union Chretienne''. After careful consideration, in early 1870 he petitioned the [[Holy Synod]] of Russia to be received into the Orthodox Church. Receiving his letter, the Synod requested him to appear in person before them. On [[May 3]], 1870, he was received into the Orthodox Church in ceremonies in the [[chapel]] of the St. Petersburg Academy. He was then ordained to the [[diaconate]] on [[May 6]] and to the [[priest]]hood on [[May 9]] by Metr. Isodore of St. Petersburg and [[Novgorod]]. Fr. Nicholas served his first [[liturgy]] in German on [[May 17]] in the academy chapel. He was then directed to establish a church in New York City.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, in 1864, Rev. Dr. John Young Freeman had visited Metr. Filaret of Moscow on behalf of the Russo-Greek Committee of the Protestant Episcopal Church. This meeting dealt with establishment of an Orthodox center in the northeastern United States which could provide a place for Orthodox rites to be experienced in the proper setting. The assignment of Fr. Nicholas to New York was fortuitous and appeared to have supported Rev. Freeman’s request.<br />
<br />
Bjerring served the chapel of the Holy Trinity in New York until 1883, when funding was removed from the mission he was requested to return to Russia to teach at St. Petersburg Academy. Rather than accept such a prestigious offer, Bjerring desired to remain in America and began exploring where to transfer his ecclesiastical affiliation. In 1883, he decided to join the Presbyterian Church and was subsequently received as a pastor (though after some debate). Although little is known about this period of his life, he engaged in social ministry to Germans living in tenement housing (an act consistent with work he had begun amongst Russians in 1881). The Presbyterian Church would later remove the funding from his mission and he returned to the Roman Catholic Church in 1899. It is unknown whether the Presbyterians removed funding because he became Roman Catholic or he became Roman Catholic after the Presbyterians decided to remove his funding (though the latter seems to be the case).<br />
<br />
Regardless, in 1899 and early 1900 he published articles in Catholic World in which he clearly cites religious convictions for returning to the Roman Catholic Church and discussed the labor question. He died in September of 1900 as a Roman Catholic layman.<br />
<br />
==Works==<br />
Upon his arrival in the United States, Fr. Nicholas was very active within the community in New York. He associated himself with men of many professions: clergy, judges and lawyers, medical professionals, military officers, presidents and professors of colleges, and many other prominent people. Fr. Nicholas was a linguist, being fluent, in addition to his native Danish, in German, English, and Swedish, as well as knowledgeable in French and Latin, but not in Russian. <br />
<br />
Fr. Nicholas was familiar with German translations of Orthodox services and dogmatic papers, and he began translation of these works into English. In 1872, he published the English translation of ''Office for Admission and Reception of Converts into the Orthodox Eastern Church''. In 1873, he published Fr. Hatherly’s (of London, England) translation of ''The Divine Liturgies of our Holy Fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great''. This translation had been approved by the Holy Synod. In 1876, he published his own translation of Fr, F. Basaroff’s ''Sacrament of Matrimony''.<br />
<br />
Between November 1879 and October 1881, Fr. Nicholas published the ''The Oriental Church Magazine'', an English language quarterly, which presented numerous translations of the church services and other articles on religion, science, literature, and art, with the purpose of spreading knowledge about Orthodoxy.<br />
<br />
==Source==<br />
* ''Orthodox America 1794-1976 Development of the Orthodox Church in America'', C. J. Tarasar, Gen. Ed. 1975, The Orthodox Church in America, Syosett, New York<br />
<br />
[[Category:Priests]]<br />
[[Category:Missionaries]]</div>Vlatadonhttps://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Greek_Orthodox_Archdiocese_of_America&diff=25827Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America2006-01-31T03:36:26Z<p>Vlatadon: /* History */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Holy Trinity NYC.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New York City]]<br />
The '''Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America''', headquarted in New York City, is an [[eparchy]] of the [[Church of Constantinople]]. Its current primate is His Eminence Archbishop [[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America]].<br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
Before the establishment of a Greek Archdiocese in the Western Hemisphere there were numerous communities of Greek Orthodox Christians. The first Greek Orthodox community in the Americas was founded in New Orleans, Louisiana by a small colony of Greek merchants. History also records that on [[June 26]], 1768, the first Greek colonists landed at St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in America. The first permanent community was founded in New York City in 1892, today’s Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and the See of the Archbishop of America. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America was incorporated in 1921 and officially recognized by the State of New York in 1922.<br />
<br />
In 1908, the [[Church of Greece]] received authority over the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese but in 1922, Patriarch Meletios IV transferred the archdiocese back to the jurisdiction of the [[Church of Constantinople]]. In 1996, the one Archdiocese was split by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, dividing the administration of the two continents into four parts (America, Canada, Central America, and South America) and leaving only the territory of the United States for the Archdiocese of America.<br />
<br />
{{diocese|<br />
name=Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|<br />
jurisdiction=[[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]]|<br />
type=Archdiocese|<br />
founded=1921|<br />
bishop=[[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America|Abp. Demetrios]]|<br />
see=New York|<br />
hq=New York, New York|<br />
territory=United States|<br />
language=English, Greek|<br />
music=[[Byzantine Chant]]|<br />
calendar=[[Revised Julian Calendar|Revised Julian]]|<br />
population=440,000 to 2,000,000|<br />
website=[http://www.goarch.org/ Greek Archdiocese]<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Recent History ==<br />
In recent years, there has been much tension between the Archdiocese and the current Ecumenical Patriarch, [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew I]], especially regarding the level of autonomy the former has with regard to the latter. One of the important incidents in this ongoing tension was the (allegedly forced) retirement in 1996 of Archbishop [[Iakovos (Coucouzis) of America|Iakovos]] after his leadership during the [[Ligonier Meeting]] in 1994, where many of the Orthodox hierarchs in America came together to begin the formation of a unified Orthodox Church of America. Iakovos was replaced with Archbishop [[Spyridon (Papageorge) of America|Spyridon]], whose 'tempestuous' tenure as archbishop lasted only 3 years, seeing his (again allegedly... forced) retirement in 1999 and replacement by the current Archbishop, [[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America|Demetrios]].<br />
<br />
A strong movement of laity in the Archdiocese has been engaged in the tensions with Constantinople, as well, especially a particular group known as [[Orthodox Christian Laity]] (OCL), which includes some of the wealthiest members of the Archdiocese. In 2004, 35 plaintiffs unsuccessfully sued Archbishop [[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America|Demetrios]] and the Greek Archdiocese in an attempt to force it to invalidate the 2003 charter granted by Constantinople; their lawsuit stated that the Greek hierarchy had imposed the rewritten charter without approval from delegates at the national Clergy-Laity Congress, violating the terms of the 1978 charter. The main aim of the suit was to attempt to gain more autonomy from the [[Church of Constantinople]], especially regarding the choice of the American Archdiocese's primate.<br />
<br />
The suit met with condemnation by the Greek hierarchy in America, which stated that the plaintiffs had "sued Christ Himself" (a quote from Metropolitan [[Iakovos (Krinis) of Chicago|Iakovos of Chicago]]). It was eventually dismissed by the Supreme Court of the State of New York, on grounds that the Greek Archdiocese was hierarchical and therefore acting within its proper bounds, that the courts did not have the authority to intervene in such matters.<br />
<br />
This conflict is far from over, and OCL continues to organize resistance to what it regards as papal pretensions on the part of Ecumenical Patriarch [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew]].<br />
<br />
{{orthodoxyinamerica}}<br />
<br />
==Organization==<br />
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is composed of an Archdiocesan District (New York City) and eight [[metropolis]]es: New Jersey, Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Boston and Denver. It is governed by the Archbishop and the Eparchial Synod of Bishops. The Synod of Bishops is headed by the archbishop and comprised of the bishops who oversee the ministry of the metropolises. It has all the authority and responsibility which the Church canons provide for a provincial synod.<br />
[[Image:GOA seal.gif|left|frame|Seal of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]]<br />
There are more than 500 [[parish]]es, 800 [[priest]]s and approximately 440,000 to 2 million [[faithful]] in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, depending on the source of reports and the counting method being used.[http://hirr.hartsem.edu/research/quick_question17.html] The number of parishes in the Greek Archdiocese rose by about 9% in the decade from 1990 to 2000, and membership growth has largely been in terms of existing members having children.[http://hirr.hartsem.edu/research/tab2.pdf]<br />
<br />
The Archdiocese receives within its ranks and under its spiritual aegis and pastoral care Orthodox Christians, who either as individuals or as organized groups in Metropolises and Parishes have voluntarily come to it and which acknowledge the ecclesiastical and canonical jurisdiction of the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]].<br />
<br />
The Archdiocese also includes 21 [[monasticism|monastic]] communities, 17 of which were founded by [[Ephrem of Philotheou|Elder Ephraim]] (former abbot of [[Philotheou Monastery (Athos)]]). The largest of these is [[St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery (Florence, Arizona)]].<br />
<br />
Additionally, one [[seminary]] is operated by the Greek Archdiocese, [[Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Brookline, Massachusetts)|Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology]] in Brookline, Massachusetts, which educates not only Greek Archdiocese seminarians but also those from other [[jurisdiction]]s, as well.<br />
<br />
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is also a member of [[SCOBA]].<br />
<br />
== The Episcopacy ==<br />
===Diocesan bishops===<br />
* Archbishop [[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America|Demetrios (Trakatellis)]] of America<br />
* Metropolitan [[Iakovos (Krinis) of Chicago|Iakovos (Krinis)]] of Chicago<br />
* Metropolitan [[Gerasimos (Michaleas) of San Francisco|Gerasimos (Michaleas)]] of San Francisco<br />
* Metropolitan [[Maximos (Aghiorgoussis) of Pittsburgh|Maximos (Aghiorgoussis)]] of Pittsburgh<br />
* Metropolitan [[Methodios (Tournas) of Boston|Methodios (Tournas)]] of Boston<br />
* Metropolitan [[Isaiah (Chronopoulos) of Denver|Isaiah (Chronopoulos)]] of Denver<br />
* Metropolitan [[Alexios (Panagiotopoulos) of Atlanta|Alexios (Panagiotopoulos)]] of Atlanta<br />
* Metropolitan [[Nicholas (Pissare) of Detroit|Nicholas (Pissare)]] of Detroit<br />
* Metropolitan [[Evangelos (Kourounis) of New Jersey|Evangelos (Kourounis)]] of New Jersey<br />
<br />
===Archbishops of America===<br />
* [[Alexander (Demoglou) of America|Alexander (Demoglou)]], 1922-1930<br />
* [[Athenagoras I (Spyrou) of Constantinople|Athenagoras (Spyrou)]], 1931-1948<br />
* [[Michael (Konstantinides) of America|Michael (Konstantinides)]], 1948-1958<br />
* [[Iakovos (Coucouzis) of America|Iakovos (Coucouzis)]], 1959-1996<br />
* [[Spyridon (Papageorge) of Chaldea|Spyridon (Papageorge)]], 1996-1999<br />
* [[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America|Demetrios (Trakatellis)]], 1999-present<br />
<br />
===Former diocesan hierarchs===<br />
* Metropolitan [[Anthony (Gergiannakis) of San Francisco|Anthony (Gergiannakis)]] of San Francisco, deceased<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
* [http://www.goarch.org/ Official Website of the Archdiocese]<br />
* [http://www.patriarchate.org/ Official Website of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople]<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:Jurisdictions]]</div>Vlatadonhttps://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Greek_Orthodox_Archdiocese_of_America&diff=25826Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America2006-01-31T03:36:01Z<p>Vlatadon: /* History */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Holy Trinity NYC.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New York City]]<br />
The '''Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America''', headquarted in New York City, is an [[eparchy]] of the [[Church of Constantinople]]. Its current primate is His Eminence Archbishop [[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America]].<br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
Before the establishment of a Greek Archdiocese in the Western Hemisphere there were numerous communities of Greek Orthodox Christians. The first Greek Orthodox community in the Americas was founded in New Orleans, Louisiana by a small colony of Greek merchants. History also records that on [[June 26]], 1768, the first Greek colonists landed at St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in America. The first permanent community was founded in New York City in 1892, today’s Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and the See of the Archbishop of America. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America was incorporated in 1921 and officially recognized by the State of New York in 1922.<br />
<br />
In 1908, the [[Church of Greece]] received authority over the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese but in 1922, [{Patriarch Meletios IV}] transferred the archdiocese back to the jurisdiction of the [[Church of Constantinople]]. In 1996, the one Archdiocese was split by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, dividing the administration of the two continents into four parts (America, Canada, Central America, and South America) and leaving only the territory of the United States for the Archdiocese of America.<br />
<br />
{{diocese|<br />
name=Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|<br />
jurisdiction=[[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]]|<br />
type=Archdiocese|<br />
founded=1921|<br />
bishop=[[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America|Abp. Demetrios]]|<br />
see=New York|<br />
hq=New York, New York|<br />
territory=United States|<br />
language=English, Greek|<br />
music=[[Byzantine Chant]]|<br />
calendar=[[Revised Julian Calendar|Revised Julian]]|<br />
population=440,000 to 2,000,000|<br />
website=[http://www.goarch.org/ Greek Archdiocese]<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Recent History ==<br />
In recent years, there has been much tension between the Archdiocese and the current Ecumenical Patriarch, [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew I]], especially regarding the level of autonomy the former has with regard to the latter. One of the important incidents in this ongoing tension was the (allegedly forced) retirement in 1996 of Archbishop [[Iakovos (Coucouzis) of America|Iakovos]] after his leadership during the [[Ligonier Meeting]] in 1994, where many of the Orthodox hierarchs in America came together to begin the formation of a unified Orthodox Church of America. Iakovos was replaced with Archbishop [[Spyridon (Papageorge) of America|Spyridon]], whose 'tempestuous' tenure as archbishop lasted only 3 years, seeing his (again allegedly... forced) retirement in 1999 and replacement by the current Archbishop, [[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America|Demetrios]].<br />
<br />
A strong movement of laity in the Archdiocese has been engaged in the tensions with Constantinople, as well, especially a particular group known as [[Orthodox Christian Laity]] (OCL), which includes some of the wealthiest members of the Archdiocese. In 2004, 35 plaintiffs unsuccessfully sued Archbishop [[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America|Demetrios]] and the Greek Archdiocese in an attempt to force it to invalidate the 2003 charter granted by Constantinople; their lawsuit stated that the Greek hierarchy had imposed the rewritten charter without approval from delegates at the national Clergy-Laity Congress, violating the terms of the 1978 charter. The main aim of the suit was to attempt to gain more autonomy from the [[Church of Constantinople]], especially regarding the choice of the American Archdiocese's primate.<br />
<br />
The suit met with condemnation by the Greek hierarchy in America, which stated that the plaintiffs had "sued Christ Himself" (a quote from Metropolitan [[Iakovos (Krinis) of Chicago|Iakovos of Chicago]]). It was eventually dismissed by the Supreme Court of the State of New York, on grounds that the Greek Archdiocese was hierarchical and therefore acting within its proper bounds, that the courts did not have the authority to intervene in such matters.<br />
<br />
This conflict is far from over, and OCL continues to organize resistance to what it regards as papal pretensions on the part of Ecumenical Patriarch [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew]].<br />
<br />
{{orthodoxyinamerica}}<br />
<br />
==Organization==<br />
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is composed of an Archdiocesan District (New York City) and eight [[metropolis]]es: New Jersey, Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Boston and Denver. It is governed by the Archbishop and the Eparchial Synod of Bishops. The Synod of Bishops is headed by the archbishop and comprised of the bishops who oversee the ministry of the metropolises. It has all the authority and responsibility which the Church canons provide for a provincial synod.<br />
[[Image:GOA seal.gif|left|frame|Seal of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]]<br />
There are more than 500 [[parish]]es, 800 [[priest]]s and approximately 440,000 to 2 million [[faithful]] in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, depending on the source of reports and the counting method being used.[http://hirr.hartsem.edu/research/quick_question17.html] The number of parishes in the Greek Archdiocese rose by about 9% in the decade from 1990 to 2000, and membership growth has largely been in terms of existing members having children.[http://hirr.hartsem.edu/research/tab2.pdf]<br />
<br />
The Archdiocese receives within its ranks and under its spiritual aegis and pastoral care Orthodox Christians, who either as individuals or as organized groups in Metropolises and Parishes have voluntarily come to it and which acknowledge the ecclesiastical and canonical jurisdiction of the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]].<br />
<br />
The Archdiocese also includes 21 [[monasticism|monastic]] communities, 17 of which were founded by [[Ephrem of Philotheou|Elder Ephraim]] (former abbot of [[Philotheou Monastery (Athos)]]). The largest of these is [[St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery (Florence, Arizona)]].<br />
<br />
Additionally, one [[seminary]] is operated by the Greek Archdiocese, [[Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Brookline, Massachusetts)|Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology]] in Brookline, Massachusetts, which educates not only Greek Archdiocese seminarians but also those from other [[jurisdiction]]s, as well.<br />
<br />
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is also a member of [[SCOBA]].<br />
<br />
== The Episcopacy ==<br />
===Diocesan bishops===<br />
* Archbishop [[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America|Demetrios (Trakatellis)]] of America<br />
* Metropolitan [[Iakovos (Krinis) of Chicago|Iakovos (Krinis)]] of Chicago<br />
* Metropolitan [[Gerasimos (Michaleas) of San Francisco|Gerasimos (Michaleas)]] of San Francisco<br />
* Metropolitan [[Maximos (Aghiorgoussis) of Pittsburgh|Maximos (Aghiorgoussis)]] of Pittsburgh<br />
* Metropolitan [[Methodios (Tournas) of Boston|Methodios (Tournas)]] of Boston<br />
* Metropolitan [[Isaiah (Chronopoulos) of Denver|Isaiah (Chronopoulos)]] of Denver<br />
* Metropolitan [[Alexios (Panagiotopoulos) of Atlanta|Alexios (Panagiotopoulos)]] of Atlanta<br />
* Metropolitan [[Nicholas (Pissare) of Detroit|Nicholas (Pissare)]] of Detroit<br />
* Metropolitan [[Evangelos (Kourounis) of New Jersey|Evangelos (Kourounis)]] of New Jersey<br />
<br />
===Archbishops of America===<br />
* [[Alexander (Demoglou) of America|Alexander (Demoglou)]], 1922-1930<br />
* [[Athenagoras I (Spyrou) of Constantinople|Athenagoras (Spyrou)]], 1931-1948<br />
* [[Michael (Konstantinides) of America|Michael (Konstantinides)]], 1948-1958<br />
* [[Iakovos (Coucouzis) of America|Iakovos (Coucouzis)]], 1959-1996<br />
* [[Spyridon (Papageorge) of Chaldea|Spyridon (Papageorge)]], 1996-1999<br />
* [[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America|Demetrios (Trakatellis)]], 1999-present<br />
<br />
===Former diocesan hierarchs===<br />
* Metropolitan [[Anthony (Gergiannakis) of San Francisco|Anthony (Gergiannakis)]] of San Francisco, deceased<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
* [http://www.goarch.org/ Official Website of the Archdiocese]<br />
* [http://www.patriarchate.org/ Official Website of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople]<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:Jurisdictions]]</div>Vlatadon