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== Introduction ==
The American Metropolis of the Genuine Greek Orthodox Church of America is an a semi-autonomous [[dioceseeparchy]] of the [[Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece]] (GOC). It is also known as the Hellenic Orthodox Traditionalist Church of America, or simply as the Greek Old Calendarist Church.
Prior to the establishment of this diocese, there were still several independent Greek parishes in North America that had not been regularized by [[Athenagoras I (Spyrou) of Constantinople|Archbishop Athenagoras]], who had been going from parish to parish for several years, bringing independents into the fold of the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|Greek Archdiocese]]. These independent parishes sometimes looked to Greece for [[priest]]s, and sometimes turned to [[episcopi vagantes|vagante bishops]] such as [[Christopher (Contogeorge) of Pentapolis|Christopher Contogeorge]]. The situation in general in the 1930's and 40's was one of ecclesiastical confusion, and [[Church Calendar|Old Calendarism]] ''per se'' could be seen in some cases as a side effect of the parish remaining independent rather than as a purely idealogical position.
In 1951, [[Archimandrite]] [[Petros (Astyfides)]] arrived in New York at the invitation of [[Arsenios Saltas]], whom he understood to be the Greek Old Calendarist [[bishop]] of America. Soon learning that this was not the case, Archimandrite Petros resolved to return to Greece. However, a number of Greek Old Calendarist families in Queens persuaded him to begin services for them, and by 1954 [[Saint Markella's Cathedral]] was established.
Archimandrite Petros began to gather various independent parishes until a diocese was formed. During this time, he was under the [[Metropolia]] and then the [[ROCOR]]. Two ROCOR bishops--[, [http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/engdocuments/enart_archbpseraphimmemory15yrs.html| Seraphim](Svezhevsky) of Caracas] and [[http://www.rocorstudies.org/church-people/archbishop-leontii/2010/06/09/on-the-pastoral-activity-of-archbishop-leontii-of-chile| Leonty(Filippovich) of Chile]]--, [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] him to the episcopacy in November 1962as Bishop of Astoria. This consecration was not technically canonicalinitially considered irregular, as it was done in secret; however. However, by in 1969 the ROCOR had recognized Synod ruled to recognize this act as well as the necessity restoration of the episcopacy of this and other Old Calendarist consecrations, and recognized the Genuine Greek Old Calendarist bishopsOrthodox Church of Greece performed earlier by ROCOR hierarchs. At this time, Metropolitan Bishop Petros of Astoria joined with the Synod in Greece officially.
== Dispute over Grace ==
== Reunion in 1985 ==
In 1985, Metropolitan Petros began talks with the Synod culminating in his return to the Synod. He was given a title of Metropolitan of Astoria, an irregular act given the existing jurisdiction of Metropolitan Paisios, the as Metropolitan of North and South America. Nevertheless, this was an attempt to find peace in the church, which lasted until Metropolitan Paisios went into schism in 1995 to join the [[Lamian Synod]], and then from it the [[Athanasian Synod]], and finally joined the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] in 1998. From 1995, the Metropolis of America was joined to the Metropolis of Astoria until the election and consecration of Metropolitan Pavlos (Stratigeas) in 1998 to preside over one unified Metropolis of America.
== Ascension of Metropolitan Pavlos ==
In 1997, Metropolitan Petros reposed, and in 1998 his grandnephew, Archimandrite [[Pavlos (Stratigeas)]] was elected as the Metropolitan of North and South America. He was installed in March 1998. In 2000, Archimandrite [[Christodoulos]] was consecrated titular Bishop of Theopoulis to assist Metropolitan Pavlos.
In February 2006, Metropolitan Pavlos suffered a stroke and was temporarily incapacitated. Archbishop Chrysostom II of Athens was appointed provisional administrator of the Holy Metropolis of America. After substantially recovering, Metropolitan Pavlos was restored as full ruling hierarch of the Holy Metropolisin 2007.
== Progress toward Old Calendar Unity ==
== Diocesan and Parish Organization ==
In 2002, the [[Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece|Holy Synod of Greece ]] granted the Metropolis of America the status of a semi-autonomous eparchy, which included the establishment of an Eparchial Synod along with a local Ecclesiastical Tribunal, and . The Eparchy of America is comprised of two Metropoleis (America and Toronto) and two Dioceses (Boston and Portland), whose ruling hierarchs are suffragans of the Metropolitan of America based in New York City. Currently there are 30 parishes and 4 monastic communities in the U.S, and 6 parish and 2 monasteries in Canada.
==Current hierarchs==
*Metropolitan Pavlos of America
*Metropolitan Moses of PortlandToronto*Bishop Sergius of Loch LomondPortland
*Bishop Christodoulos of Theoupolis
*Bishop Demetrios of Boston
