Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, headquarted in New York City, is an eparchy of the Church of Constantinople.

History

Before the establishment of an Archdiocese in the Western Hemisphere there were numerous communities of Greek Orthodox Christians. The first Greek Orthodox community in the Americas was founded in New Orleans, LA by a small colony of Greek merchants. History also records that on June 26, 1768, the first Greek colonists landed at St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in America. The first permanent community was founded in New York City in 1892, today’s Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and the See of the Archbishop of America. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America was incorporated in 1921 and officially recognized by the State of New York in 1922.

Later in the 20th century, the one Archdiocese was split by the Ecumenical Patriarch, dividing the administration of the two continents into multiple parts and leaving only the territory of the United States for the Archdiocese of America.

Organization

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is composed of an Archdiocesan District (New York City) and eight Metropolises: 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 and comprised of the Bishops who oversee the ministry of the Metropolises. It has all the authority and responsibility which the Church canons provide for a provincial synod.

There are 540 parishes, 800 priests 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 Ecumenical Patriarchate.

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is also a member of SCOBA.

The Episcopacy

• Archbishop Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America
• Metropolitan Iakovos (Krinis) of Chicago
• Metropolis of San Francisco (currently without a hierarch)
• Metropolitan Maximos (Aghiorgoussis) of Pittsburgh
• Metropolitan Methodios (Tournas) of Boston
• Metropolitan Isaiah (Chronopoulos) of Denver
• Metropolitan Alexios (Panagiotopoulos) of Atlanta
• Metropolitan Nicholas (Pissare) of Detroit
• Metropolitan Evangelos (Kourounis) of New Jersey

Former hierarchs of the Archdiocese:

• Archbishop Iakovos (Coucouzis) of America (1959-1996) retired
• Archbishop Spyridon (George) of America (1996-1999), retired
• Metropolitan Anthony (Gergiannakis) of San Francisco, deceased

External links

• Official Website of the Archdiocese
• Official Website of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople