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The '''Diocese of Alaska (OCA)'''—in full, the '''Russian Orthodox Diocese of Alaska'''—is a [[diocese]] of the jurisdiction of the [[Orthodox Church in America]]. It is currently under the administration of [[Bishop]] [[Benjamin (Peterson) of San Francisco]] as ''[[locum tenens]]''. Its territory includes the American state of [[Alaska]]. The diocese has, since 2007, been struggling with a crisis regarding the leadership of its [[bishop]], including allegations of abuse against both the bishop and the diocesan [[chancellor]], Archimandrite Isidore (Brittain). His Grace, the Right Reverend [[Nikolai (Soraich) of Sitka and Anchorage|Nikolai (Soraich)]], Bishop the diocesan bishop, was placed on a leave of Sitkaabsence beginning [[March 4]], Anchorage2008, which was rescinded shortly thereafter and Alaskathen reinstated on [[April 17]], 2008. Its territory includes the American state of AlaskaThe leave became voluntarily permanent in May 2008, followed by his official retirement.

==Diocesan CouncilHistory==*His GraceThe territory of what is now the Diocese of [[Alaska]] was the beginning of the presence of Orthodox Christianity in the Western Hemisphere when Russian [[monk]]s arrived as [[missionary|missionaries]] to preach the [[Gospel]] of [[Jesus Christ]] to the indigenous peoples in the 1790s. This mission expanded into the formation of a series of dioceses and [[vicar]] [[see]]s that became the Archdiocese of the Aleutian Islands and North America during the first decade of the twentieth century with the territory of Alaska served by an assistant/vicar bishop. With the establishment of the diocese of the Aleutian Islands and North America, the position of an auxiliary/vicar [[bishop]] was established for Alaska, first held by Bishop NikolaiInnocent (Pustynsky). When the [[Church of Russia]] granted autocephaly to the [[Metropolia]], the successor organization to the Archdiocese of the Aleutian Islands and North America, the territory of Alaska was organized as a [[diocese]] of of the new [[Orthodox Church in America]], Chairwith a diocesan bishop. == Diocesan bishops ==; Alaska Vicariate of the North American Diocese* [[Innocent (Pustynsky) of Alaska|Innocent (Pustynsky)]] (1904 - 1909)* [[Alexander (Nemolovsky) of Brussels|Alexander (Nemolovsky)]] (1909 - 1916)* [[Philip (Stavitsky) of Alaska|Philip (Stavitsky)]] (1916 - 1917)* [[Anthony (Dashkevich) of Alaska|Anthony (Dashkevich)]] (1921-1922)* [[Amphilochius (Vakulsky) of Alaska|Amphilochius (Vakulsky)]] (1923 - 1931)* [[Antoninus (Pokrovsky) of Alaska|Antoninus (Pokrovsky)]] (1931 - 1934) ; Diocese of Alaska* [[Alexis (Panteleyev) of Omsk|Alexis (Panteleev)]] (1934 - 1944)* [[John (Zlobin) of Alaska|John (Zlobin)]] (1945-1952)* [[Amvrossy (Merejko) of Pittsburgh|Ambrose (Merejko)]] 1955-1967* Theodosius (Lazor) (1967 - 1970) ; OCA* [[Theodosius (Lazor) of Washington|Theodosius (Lazor)]] (1970 - 1972)* [[Gregory (Afonsky) of Sitka|Gregory (Afonsky)]] (1973-1995)*Diane Chris, Treasurer[[Nikolai (Soraich) of Sitka|Nicholas (Soraich)]] (2002-2008)*Anna Andrew, SecretaryVacant (2008 - Present) <!-- ==Diocesan Council==

==Metropolitan Council Representatives==*Archimandrite Isidore*Anna Andrew ==Publications==*The North Star - Quarterly Diocesan Publication->

*SSSs. Sergius and Herman of Valaam Chapel in Spruce Island, AK

*[http://www.outreachalaska.org Outreach Alaska ] based in Wichita, KS

*[http://www.russianorthodoxmuseum.org Russian Orthodox Museum ] in Anchorage, AK*[http://www.rossialaska.org ROSSIA Inc.] - Russian Orthodox Sacred Sites in Alaska Inc.

==Publications==*[http://www.oca.org/DOC-PUB-NS.asp?SearchYear=&SID=34 The North Star] - Quarterly Diocesan Publication ==External linklinks==

*[http://www.asna.ca/alaska Alaskan Orthodox texts (Aleut, Alutiiq, Tlingit, Yupik)]*[http://www.cnewa.org/mag-article-bodypg-us.aspx?articleID=3247 CNEWA One Magazine, 2006, Vol 32:6 (November) - Orthodox Alaska]*[http://www.ocanews.org/ OCA News] (includes information on the crisis in the diocese)*[http://www.oca.org/news/2272 Title to Historic Church Lands Returned to Alaska] [[Category:Dioceses|Alaska]][[Category:OCA Dioceses|Alaska]]

[[Categoryfr:Dioceses]][[Category:OCA DiocesesDiocèse orthodoxe russe d'Alaska]]