Autocephalous Greek Orthodox Metropolis of America and Canada
The Autocephalous Greek Orthodox Metropolis of America and Canada was a schismatic group of Greek parishes in the northeastern United States of America during the 1920s that was organized by Archbishop Vasilios (Komvopoulos) of Chaldea. His schism was a product of a division within the Church of Greece between the Royalists and the Venizelists in the United States.
The group was organized after the arrival of Metropolitan Vasilios in the United States of America in late 1923. Metr. Vasilios established his see in Lowell, Massachusetts at the Church of the Holy Trinity. Even though, Metr. Vasilios was deposed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate on May 10, 1924, the group continued to exist through the 1920s.
The schism continued into 1930. After the election of Metropolitan Athenagoras (Spyrou) of Kerkyra, as Archbishop of America on August 13, 1930 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the transfer of most of the Greek hierarchs in America to new sees the schism began to heal. Archbishop Athenagoras arrived in New York on February 24, 1931 and began the difficult job of healing the wounds between the Royalists and Venizelists.
