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reverted to Revision as of 17:37, June 8, 2007 by Fr. John
There are a number of accounts about the history of Orthodoxy in the Philippines.
It appears that the first Orthodox Christians on the islands were Syrian and Lebanese merchants and sailors, who arrived in Manila after Manila was opened to outside trade. The first recorded Orthodox Christians in the Philippines were a Syrian and Lebanese sailors family, referenced (''who arrived?'') in 1802 according to the Syrian consulate in Manila''(citation?)''. Many of the Lebanese families still reside in the Philippines and have become Filipino citizens, including the owners of a famous pizza chain in Manila.
Around the beginning of the twentieth century, Greek sailors settled in Legaspi city on the island of Luzon about a century ago. Descendants of these Greek Orthodox Christian sailors now number no more than 10 families, who have kept their Greek surnames and many of whom have become distinguished public figures and intellectuals in the Philippines. They do not, however, speak Greek.
Through the persistent lobbying of Abp. John to the U.S. Congress, the refugees were allowed to settle in the United States and Australia beginning in 1951.
== Reception of the first Filipino converts to Orthodoxy ==
In 1992, a Filipino [[hieromonk]], Fr. Vincentius Escarcha (a former Benedictine Abbot and a Roman Catholic priest for more than 20 years in Bajada, Cataingan, Masbate island), together with four nuns and faithful members of his community, were received into the Orthodox Church by Metropolitan [[Dionysios (Psiahas) of Proussa|Dionysios]] of the [[Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Zealand]] and assisted by [[Sotirios (Trambas) of Korea|Bishop Sotirios of Zelon]].
On January 19, 1994, Metropolitan Dionysius, assisted by Bishop Sotirios, received by [[Chrismation|Holy Chrismation]] several Filipino Christians in Manila.
In 2004, the Theotokos Orthodox Church in Bajada, Masbate was consecrated by His Eminence Metropolitan [[Nikitas (Lulias) of Hong Kong|Nikitas]] of Hong Kong and South East Asia. At present, the nuns of the Theotokos Orthodox Monastery in Bajada run a kindergarten.
== Other Jurisdiction ==
In December 2006, Fr. Chris Gain, a deacon from the [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand]], came to Manila, and, without informing the local hierarchy of the Orthodox Church in the Philippines, registered a church bearing the name "Iglesia Orthodoxa ng Pilipinas" (Orthodox Church of the Philippines). Their webpage describes their church as ''the'' Orthodox Church in the Philippines. This church is seeking to receive Filipino clergymen through incardination. They do not provide information regarding the actual number of members. This jurisdiction, represented by one Abbot Cristofor and based in New Castle, Australia, has no clergy, churches, nor parishes anywhere in the Philippines and is not in communion with the canonical Orthodox Church in the Philippines, which is under the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] of Constantinople.
==Orthodoxy in the Philippines Today==
[[Image:Manila_orthodox_cathedral.jpg|left|thumb|The Annunciation Orthodox Cathderal in Paranaque, Manila]]
There are some groups today in the Philippines that claim to be Eastern Orthodox; however, they all lack [[apostolic succession]] and do not adhere to the traditions and [[canon law|canons]] of the canonical Orthodox Church.
One of the first Greek Orthodox to arrive in the Philippines was Alexandros Athos Adamopoulos, who came to Legaspi city in 1928. Together with his brother and cousin he co-founded Adamson University in 1932. The university was and is noted for its curriculum directed towards the needs of the Philippines in the areas of science, chemical and industrial engineering. Today Adamson University has attained recognition as on of the leading institutions for graduate education, law, arts, sciences, chemistry, computer education, engineering, commerce and architechture. The university has a student population of over 22,000.
Alexandros Adamopoulos (Alexander A. Adamson) was appointed in 1942 by the Greek government to take charge of Greek interests in the Philippines. He was later promoted to the rank of Consul General of Greece.
In 1989 Alexander Adamson saw the need to establish the first true Greek Orthodox church in the Philippines and thus established the Hellenic Orthodox Foundation Inc. Although he died in 1993 before the church was completed, the Orthodox Cathedral was finished in 1996 and is constructed in true Byzantine style, with all the interior furnishings imported from Greece, and is home to approximately 200 Orthodox in Metro Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. This cathedral was consecrated by the Ecumenical Patriarch on March 5, 2000.
At present there are three canonically ordained Filipino Orthodox priests in the Philippines. The Divine Liturgy and other Orthodox worship services are said in English and in the Filipino vernacular. The only true Orthodox parish in Manila is under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and is spiritually administered by an ecclesiastical vicar from Greece.
==Links==
*[http://www.exarchate.uni.cc/ The Annunciation of the Theotokos Cathedral in Manila ]
*[http://www.rocor.org.au/lives/stjohnsanfranciscoshanghai Life of St. John Maximovitch]
*[http://www.hri.org/forum/life/adamson.html Greeks in the Philippines and their contributions to the Filipinos]
*[http://www.cs.ust.hk/faculty/dimitris/metro/Phil_history.html A priest's description of missionary work in the Philippines]
*[http://www2.mfa.gr/www.mfa.gr/Articles/en-US/03042007_KL1949.htm The Greek Community in the Philippines]
*[http://www.cs.ust.hk/faculty/dimitris/metro/AUG03.pdf The Theotokos Orthodox Church & Monastery in Masbate]
*[http://www.cs.ust.hk/faculty/dimitris/metro/Phil_major_events.html Major Events of Orthodoxy in the Philippines]
*[http://www.orthodox.cn/news/20000420philippines_en.htm Orthodox Patriarch Visits Fledgling Local Orthodox Church]
{{Parishes of South, East, and Southeast Asia}}
[[Category:Jurisdictions]]
