[[Image:Holy Trinity NYC.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New York City]]The '''Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America''', headquarted headquartered in New York City, is an [[eparchy ]] of the [[Church of Constantinople]]. Its current primate is His Eminence Archbishop [[Elpidophoros (Lambriniadis) of America]].

== History ==Before the establishment A strong movement of an Archdiocese laity in the Western Hemisphere there were numerous communities of Greek Orthodox Christians. The first Greek Orthodox community Archdiocese has been engaged in the Americas was founded in New Orleanstensions with Constantinople, as well, Louisiana by especially a small colony particular group known as [[Orthodox Christian Laity]] (OCL), which includes some of Greek merchantsthe wealthiest members of the Archdiocese. History also records that on In 2004, 35 plaintiffs unsuccessfully sued Archbishop [[June 26Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America|Demetrios]], 1768, and the Greek Archdiocese in an attempt to force it to invalidate the 2003 charter granted by Constantinople; their lawsuit stated that the first Greek colonists landed hierarchy had imposed the rewritten charter without approval from delegates at St. Augustine, Floridathe national Clergy-Laity Congress, violating the terms of the oldest city in America1978 charter. The first permanent community was founded in New York City in 1892, today’s Archdiocesan Cathedral main aim of the Holy Trinity and suit was to attempt to gain more autonomy from the See [[Church of Constantinople]], especially regarding the Archbishop choice of America. The Greek Orthodox the American Archdiocese of North and South America was incorporated in 1921 and officially recognized by the State of New York in 1922's primate.

Later The suit met with condemnation by the Greek hierarchy in the 20th centuryAmerica, which stated that the one Archdiocese plaintiffs had "sued Christ Himself" (a quote from Metropolitan [[Iakovos (Garmatis) of Chicago|Iakovos of Chicago]]). It was split eventually dismissed by the Ecumenical Patriarch, dividing Supreme Court of the administration State of New York, on grounds that the two continents into multiple parts Greek Archdiocese was hierarchical and leaving only therefore acting within its proper bounds, that the territory of courts did not have the United States for the Archdiocese of Americaauthority to intervene in such matters.

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is composed of an Archdiocesan District (New York City) and eight Metropolises[[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 archbishop and comprised of the Bishops bishops who oversee the ministry of the Metropolisesmetropolises. It has all the authority and responsibility which the Church canons provide for a provincial synod.[[Image:GOA seal.gif|left|frame|Seal of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]]There are about 540 [[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]

There are 540 [[parish]]es, 800 [[priest]]s and approximately 1.5 million [[faithful]] in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. 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]].

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is also a member of the [[Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America]] which superseded [[SCOBA]].

===Diocesan bishops===* Archbishop [[Demetrios Elpidophoros (TrakatellisLambriniadis) of America|Demetrios Elpidophoros (TrakatellisLambriniadis)]] of America<!-- * Metropolitan [[Iakovos (KrinisGarmatis) of Chicago|Iakovos (KrinisGarmatis)]] of Chicago* Metropolis of San Francisco (currently without a hierarch)* Metropolitan [[Maximos (Aghiorgoussis) of Pittsburgh|Maximos (Aghiorgoussis)]] of Pittsburgh--->

Former hierarchs ===Archbishops of the Archdiocese:America===* [[Alexander (Demoglou) of Rodostolou|Alexander (Demoglou)]], 1922-1930* [[Athenagoras I (Spyrou) of Constantinople|Athenagoras (Spyrou)]], 1931-1948* [[Michael (Konstantinides) of America|Michael (Konstantinides)]], 1949-1958* Archbishop [[Iakovos (Coucouzis) of America|Iakovos (Coucouzis)]] of America (, 1959-1996) retired* Archbishop [[Spyridon (GeorgePapageorge) of AmericaChaldea|Spyridon (GeorgePapageorge)]] , 1996-1999* [[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America |Demetrios (1996-1999Trakatellis)]], retired1999-2019* Metropolitan [[Anthony Elpidophoros (GergiannakisLambriniadis) of San FranciscoAmerica|Anthony Elpidophoros (GergiannakisLambriniadis)]] of San Francisco, deceased2019-present

== External links =Former titular hierarchs===* Metropolitan [[Germanos (Polyzoides) of Hierapolis]]* Metropolitan [[Athenagoras (Kokkinakis) of Thyateira and Great Britain|Athenagoras (Kokkinakis) of Eleia]]* Bishop [[Ezekiel (Tsoukalas) of Pisidia|Ezekiel (Tsoukalas) of Nazianzus]]* Bishop [[http://www.goarch.org/ Official Website ‎Germanos (Liamadis) of the ArchdioceseConstantia]]* Bishop [[http://www.patriarchate.org/ Official Website Germanos (Psallidakis) of the Orthodox Patriarchate Synadon]]* Bishop [[Meletios (Tripodakis) of ConstantinopleChristianoupolis]]* Bishop [[Aimilianos (Laloussis) of Harioupolis]]* Bishop [[Kallistos (Samaras) of Zelon]]* Bishop [[Gerasimos (Papadopoulos) of Abydos]]* Bishop [[Demetrios (Makris) of Olympos]]* Bishop [[Iakovos (Pililis) of Catania]]* Bishop [[Philotheos (Karamitsos) of Meloa]]* Bishop [[Paul (de Ballester-Convallier) of Nazianzus]]* Bishop [[John (Kallos) of Amoriun]]* Bishop [[Anthimos (Drakonakis) of Christoupolis|Anthimos (Drakonakis) of Olympos]]