[[Image:St Elias OttawaAntiochian local synod.jpg|right|thumb|350px|St'''The Local Synod of the Antiochian Archdiocese'''<br>L to R: Bp. [[Mark (Maymon) of Toledo|Mark]], Bp. [[Basil (Essey) of Wichita|Basil]], Bp. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral[[Antoun (Khouri) of Miami|Antoun]], Metr. [[Philip (Saliba) of New York|Philip]], Bp. [[Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) of Los Angeles|Joseph]], Bp. [[Thomas (Joseph) of Charleston and Oakland|Thomas]], Bp. [[Alexander (Mufarrij) of Ottawa, Canada|Alexander]]]]The '''Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America''' is the sole jurisdiction of the [[Church of Antioch]] in the USA United States and Canada with exclusive jurisdiction over the Antiochian Orthodox faithful in those countries, though these faithful were originally cared for by . Its current primate is the Most Reverend [[Church Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) of RussiaNew York|Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui)]] in , Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of all North America.
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{{diocese|
name= The Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|
jurisdiction=[[Church of Antioch|Antioch]]|
type=Self-ruled Archdiocese|
founded=1924|
bishop=[[Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) of New York|Metr. Joseph]]|
see=New York|
hq=Englewood, New Jersey|
territory=United States and Canada|
language=English, Arabic, Spanish|
music=[[Byzantine Chant]], [[Russian Chant]]|
calendar=[[Revised Julian Calendar|Revised Julian]]|
population=51,000 to 380,000|
website=[http://www.antiochian.org/ Antiochian Archdiocese]
}}
== History of the Archdiocese ==
[[Image:Raphael of Brooklyn.jpg|left|thumb|150px|St. [[Raphael of Brooklyn]]]]
''Main Article: [[History of Antiochian Orthodoxy in America]]''
The first Orthodox bishop [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] in North America, [[Raphael of Brooklyn|St. Raphael Hawaweeny]], was consecrated by the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] in America to care for the Orthodox Arab faithful in the USA and Canada. The Antiochian Archdiocese in North America traces its genesis to his ministry. His initial arrival in America was not to serve in the episcopacy, however, but he came as an [[archimandrite]] in 1895 at the request of members of the Syrian Orthodox Benevolent Society, an ostensibly philanthropic group whose primary purpose was to maintain ties between Orthodox Arabs living in America. He thus came to the US and was canonically received under the [[omophorion]] of Bishop [[Nicholas (Ziorov) of the Aleutians]], the [[Russian Orthodox Church]]'s exarch in America at the time.
Upon arriving in New York, Fr. Raphael established a [[parish]] in lower Manhattan, then the center of the Syrian immigrant community. By 1900, however some 3,000 of these immigrants had moved across the East River, shifting the center of their life to Brooklyn. Thus, in 1902, the parish purchased a larger church building in that borough on Pacific Street. The church was named for St. [[Nicholas of Myra|Nicholas the Wonderworker]], renovated for Orthodox [[worship]], and then consecrated on [[October 27]], 1902, by St. [[Tikhon of Moscow]]. St. Nicholas Cathedral was later relocated to State Street in Brooklyn and is today considered the mother cathedral of the Archdiocese.
== History At the request of St. Tikhon, Fr. Raphael was chosen as his [[auxiliary bishop]], consecrated at [[St. Nicholas Cathedral (New York, New York)|St. Nicholas Cathedral]] as Bishop of Brooklyn and given more authority for his care of Arabic Orthodox Christians in America. Not long after, he founded ''Al-Kalimat'' (''The Word'') magazine, published service books in Arabic which were used in America, the Middle East, and throughout the Arabic Orthodox diaspora. St. Raphael fell asleep in the [[Lord]] at the Archdiocese ==age of 54 on [[February 27]], 1915, after short, but fruitful, years of service. [[Image:St Elias Ottawa.jpg|left|thumb|250px|St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, Ottawa, Canada]]The first However, after the Bolshevik Revolution threw the Russian Orthodox Church and its faithful abroad into chaos, the Orthodox bishop consecrated Arab faithful in North America, simultaneously shaken by the death of their beloved bishop St. Raphael, chose to come under the direct care of the [[Raphael Church of BrooklynAntioch|StPatriarchate of Antioch]]. Raphael HawaweenyDue to internal conflicts, however, the Antiochian Orthodox faithful in North America were divided between two [[archdiocese]]s, was consecrated by those of New York and Toledo, generally representing those who were loyal to the [[Church of Antioch]] and the [[Russian Orthodox Church|Church of Russia]], respectively. This division of the Arabic faithful resulted significantly from the division in loyalty to the bishops who aligned themselves at the time with the [[Orthodox Church in America|Russian Metropolia]], those who were involved with the formation of the now-defunct [[American Orthodox Catholic Church]], and those who chose to have canonical recourse directly to the [[Holy Synod]] of Antioch.{{orthodoxyinamerica}}With the signing of the Articles of Reunification by Metropolitan [[Philip (Saliba) of New York|Philip (Saliba)]] and Metropolitan [[Michael (Shaheen) of Toledo|Michael (Shaheen)]] in 1975, the two Antiochian Orthodox archdioceses were united as one Archdiocese of North America to care (now with its headquarters in Englewood, New Jersey). Metropolitan Philip became the primate of the newly reunified archdiocese, and Metropolitan Michael became an auxiliary archbishop. Since then the Archdiocese has experienced rapid and significant growth through the [[conversion]] of a number of Evangelical Protestants—both individually and as congregations, especially with the reception of the majority of the [[Evangelical Orthodox Church]] in the 1980s—and also through ongoing evangelization and the immigration of Orthodox Arabs from the Middle East. == The Archdiocese today ==Its current primate is Metropolitan [[Philip (Saliba) of New York|Philip (Saliba)]], who has six [[auxiliary bishop|auxiliary]] [[bishop]]s assisting him in caring for the nine [[diocese]]s of the growing Archdiocese, which is the third largest Orthodox Arab Christian [[jurisdiction]] in North America, having 236 communities (38 of which are missions). Estimates of the number of faithful range from 51,320 to 84,000[http://hirr.hartsem.edu/research/quick_question17.html] to 380,000[http://www.electronicchurch.org/2002/NCC_members.htm] depending on the report and the counting method being used. The number of new Antiochian parishes in the USA decade between 1990 and 2000 rose by approximately 33%, and Canadathe primary membership growth in the Archdiocese has been from American converts.[http://hirr.hartsem.edu/research/tab2.pdf] From 2003 to 2005, an increase of 1,229 communicants was reported at the conventions, an increase of 2.5%. The Archdiocese also includes the [[Western Rite Vicariate]], a group of about 16 [[parish]]es and 7 missions which worship according to the [[Western Rite]]. [[Image:Antiochian bishops. jpg|left|thumb|250px|'''New bishops with the patriarch'''<br>Left to Right: Through his Bp. [[Mark (Maymon) of Toledo|Mark]], Patr. [[Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch|Ignatius IV]], Bp. [[Thomas (Joseph) of Charleston and Oakland|Thomas]], Bp. [[Alexander (Mufarrij) of Ottawa|Alexander]]]]On [[October 9]], 2003, the [[Holy Synod]] of the [[Church of Antioch]] granted the Archdiocese's request to be granted self-rule (as distinct from [[autonomy]], and though the words have the same literal meaning in English, they are distinct in Arabic) to allow it to better govern itself, improve and increase its outreach efforts, what is known today as internally organize itself into several dioceses, and continue progress toward Orthodox administrative unity in the Americas. Three new [[bishop]]s were consecrated in December of 2004 to assist in the governance of the Antiochian reorganized Archdiocese came into being.
However, after the The Archdiocese also includes one [[Bolshevik Revolutionmonasticism|monastic]] threw the community, [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox ChurchSt. Paul Skete (Grand Junction, Tennessee)]] and its faithful abroad into chaos, the Orthodox Arab faithful in North America, simultaneously shaken by the death a community for women. It does not run any of their beloved bishop St. Raphaelits own seminaries, chose but sends its seminarians to come under the direct care of the theological schools run by other [[Church of Antioch|Patriarchate of Antiochjurisdiction]]s or overseas. Due to internal conflicts The Archdiocese does run various non-seminary educational programs, however, including the Antiochian Orthodox faithful in North America were divided between two [[archdiocese]]St. Stephen's, those of New York and Toledo, generally representing those who were loyal to the [[Church of AntiochCourse in Orthodox Theology]] and the [[Church of Russia]], respectively.
With The Antiochian Archdiocese is also a member of the signing [[Assembly of the Articles Canonical Orthodox Bishops of Reunification by Metropolitan North and Central America]] which superseded [[Philip (Saliba) of New York|Philip (Saliba)SCOBA]] and Metropolitan was formerly a member of the [[Michael (Shaheen) National Council of Toledo|Michael Churches]] (ShaheenNCC), but on [[July 28]] in 1975, the two Antiochian Orthodox archdioceses were united as one Archdiocese of North America (now with 2005, its headquarters in EnglewoodArchdiocesan Convention voted unanimously to withdraw fully from that organization, New Jersey). Metropolitan Philip became thus making it the primate and Metropolitan Michael became an auxiliary archbishop. Since then the Archdiocese has experienced rapid and significant growth through the conversion first of a number of Evangelical Protestants (both individually and as congregations) and also through ongoing evangelization and the immigration of major Orthodox Arabs from jurisdictions in the Middle EastUS to do so.
== The Archdiocese Today == [[Image:Antiochian bishops.jpg|right|thumb|300px|'''New Antiochian bishops with Additionally, the patriarch'''<br>Left to Right2005 convention voted another first for a major American Orthodox jurisdiction: Bp. [[Mark (Maymon) to alter the assessment-based model of Toledo]], Patr. archdiocesan revenue to a [[Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antiochtithing|tithe]], Bp. [[Thomas (Joseph10%) of Pittsburgh]], Bp. [[Alexander (Mufarrij) of Ottawa]]]]Its current primate is Metropolitan [[Philip each parish's income (Salibaexcepting building funds) of New York|Philip (Saliba)]], who has six other diocesan [[bishop]]s assisting him to be phased in caring for the nine [[diocese]]s of the growing Archdiocese, which is the third largest Orthodox Christian [[jurisdiction]] at 8% in North America, having over 200 parishes 2007 and missions then followed by 1% increases in 2008 and2009, and estimates of the number of faithful range from about 85,000 to 500,000 depending on the counting method being usedrespectively.[http://hirr.hartsem.edu/research/quick_question17.html] The number of new Antiochian parishes in the decade between 1990 and 2000 rose by approximately 33%, and the primary membership growth in Of the Archdiocese has been from American converts.[http://hirr.hartsem.edu/research/tab2.pdf] It also includes the [[Western Rite Vicariate]]'s 236 communities, a group of about 20 [[parish]]es including roughly 10,000 faithful who worship according to the [[Western Rite]]31 are already tithing.
On ===Diocesan structure===*[[October 9Diocese of Charleston, Oakland, and the Mid-Atlantic (Antiochian)|Diocese of Charleston, Oakland, and the Mid-Atlantic]], 2003 the *[[Holy SynodDiocese of Eagle River and the Northwest (Antiochian)|Diocese of Eagle River and the Northwest]] *[[Diocese of Los Angeles and the West (Antiochian)|Diocese of Los Angeles and the West]]*[[Church Diocese of Miami and the Southeast (Antiochian)|Diocese of AntiochMiami and the Southeast]] granted the Archdiocese's request to be granted self-rule (as distinct from *[[autonomyDiocese of New York and Washington, DC (Antiochian)|Diocese of New York and Washington, D.C]].*[[Diocese of Ottawa, Eastern Canada and though the words have the same literal meaning in English, they are distinct in ArabicUpstate New York (Antiochian) to allow it to better govern itself|Diocese of Ottawa, improve Eastern Canada and increase its outreach efforts, internally organize itself into several dioceses, Upstate New York]].*[[Diocese of Toledo and progress further on the road to the administrative unity Midwest (Antiochian)|Diocese of Toledo and the Orthodox Church in the Americas. Three new Midwest]]*[[bishopDiocese of Wichita and Mid-America (Antiochian)|Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America]]s were consecrated in December *[[Diocese of 2004 to assist in the governance Worcester and New England (Antiochian)|Diocese of the reorganized Archdiocese.Worcester and New England]]
The Archdiocese also includes one ===Membership figures===According to the November 2007 issue of the ''Word'' magazine (p. 5)[[monasticism|monastic]] community, [[Sthttp://www.antiochian.org/assets/word/NOV2007WORD. Paul Skete (Grand Junction, Tennessee)]PDF], a community for women.the following membership figures were reported at the 2007 Archdiocesan Convention:
The {| border="1" class="toccolours" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="clear:right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; font-size:95%; text-align:left; border-collapse: collapse;"|-| colspan="4" style="text-align:center; font-size:150%;" | Archdiocese membership figures (2007)|- style="vertical-align: top;"| '''Diocese'''| '''Parishes'''| '''Baptized souls'''|-|- style="vertical-align: top;"| [[Diocese of New York and Washington, DC (Antiochian)|Archdiocesan District]]| 15 | 4639 |- style="vertical-align: top;"| [[Diocese of Ottawa, Eastern Canada and Upstate New York (Antiochian)|Ottawa]] | 18 | 6617 |- style="vertical-align: top;"| [[Diocese of Charleston, Oakland, and the Mid-Atlantic (Antiochian)|Charleston and Oakland]]| 29 | 5838|- style="vertical-align: top;"| [[Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America (Antiochian)|Wichita]] | 45| 6976|- style="vertical-align: top;"| [[Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest (Antiochian Archdiocese is also a member )|Toledo]] | 45| 11145|- style="vertical-align: top;"| [[Diocese of Eagle River and the Northwest (Antiochian)|Eagle River]]| 20| 2257|- style="vertical-align: top;"| [[Diocese of Worcester and New England (Antiochian)|Worcester]]| 11| 4547 |- style="vertical-align: top;"| [[Diocese of Miami and the Southeast (Antiochian)|Miami]]| 36| 4055|- style="vertical-align: top;"| [[SCOBADiocese of Los Angeles and the West (Antiochian)|Los Angeles]].| 33| 8594 |- style="vertical-align: top;"| '''Total''' | '''252'''| '''54667''' |}
== The Episcopacy ==
===Current bishops===*Metropolitan Most Reverend [[Philip Joseph (SalibaAl-Zehlaoui) of New YorkLos Angeles|Philip Joseph (SalibaAl-Zehlaoui)]] , Bishop of New York and the Archdiocesan DistrictLos Angeles, ''Locum Tenens'' of the Diocese of Worcester Eagle River and New Englandthe Northwest *Bishop Right Reverend [[Antoun (Khouri) of Miami|Antoun (Khouri)]] , Bishop of Miami and the Southeast*Bishop Right Reverend [[Basil (Essey) of Wichita|Basil (Essey)]] , Bishop of Wichita and Mid-America*Right Reverend [[Thomas (Joseph) of Charleston and Oakland|Thomas (Joseph)]], Bishop of Charleston/Oakland*Right Reverend [[Joseph Alexander (Al-ZehlaouiMufarrij) of Los AngelesOttawa|Joseph Alexander (Al-ZehlaouiMufarrij)]] of Los Angeles and the West, ''Locum Tenens'' Bishop of the Diocese of Eagle River and the NorthwestOttawa*Bishop Right Reverend [[Thomas John (JosephAbdalah) of PittsburghWorcester|Thomas John (JosephAbdalah)]] , Bishop of Pittsburgh Worcester and the EastNew England*Bishop Right Reverend [[Mark Anthony (MaymonMichaels) of Toledo|Mark Anthony (MaymonMichaels)]] , Bishop of Toledo and the Midwest*Right Reverend [[Nicholas (Ozone) of Brooklyn|Nicholas (Ozone)]], Bishop of Brooklyn ===Primates===*New York Archdiocese (1924-1975)**Metropolitan [[Alexander Victor (MufarrijAbo-Assaley) of OttawaNew York|Alexander Victor (MufarrijAbo-Assaley)]] , 1924-1935**Metropolitan [[Anthony (Bashir) of OttawaNew York|Anthony (Bashir)]], Eastern Canada and Upstate 1936-1966**Metropolitan [[Philip (Saliba) of New York|Philip (Saliba)]], 1966-1975 *Toledo Archdiocese (1936-1975)**Metropolitan [[Samuel (David) of Toledo|Samuel (David)]], 1936-1958**Metropolitan [[Michael (Shaheen) of Toledo|Michael (Shaheen)]], 1958-1975
*Archdiocese of North America (1975-present)
**Metropolitan [[Philip (Saliba) of New York|Philip (Saliba)]], 1975-2014
===Former hierarchs of the Archdiocese:bishops===*Metropolitan [[Antony (Bashir) of New York|Antony (Bashir)]] of New York (1936-1966), deceased*Archbishop [[Michael (Shaheen) of Toledo|Michael (Shaheen)]] of Toledo (1958-1975), deceased*Bishop Right Reverend [[Demetri (Khoury) of ToledoJableh|Demetri (Khoury)]], auxiliary bishop for Toledo, retired
==Book==
*Corey, George S., ed. ''The First One Hundred Years: a Centennial Anthology Celebrating Antiochian Orthodoxy in North America'', Englewood, NJ: Antakya Press, 1995 (ISBN 0962419028)
== External links ==[[Image:Antiochian logo.jpg|right|The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America]]* [http://www.antiochian.org/ Official Website of the Archdiocese]* [http://www.antiochpat.org/ Official Website of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch]* [http://www.antiochian.org/668 History of the Archdiocese] (official sitebook excerpt)
[[Category:Jurisdictions]]
[[Category:Dioceses]]
[[Category:Antiochian Dioceses|North America]]
[[Categoryfr:JurisdictionsArchevêché orthodoxe antiochien d'Amérique du Nord]][[ro:Arhiepiscopia Creștină Ortodoxă Antiohiană a Americii de Nord]]
