Changes

bishop=[[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York|Metr. Herman]], administratorn/a|

hq=[[Chancery office of the Orthodox Church in America|Syosset, New York State, USA]]|territory=Qld formerly Sydney and NSWBrisbane, Australia|

calendar=[[Revised Julian Calendar|Revised Julian]], [[Julian Calendar|Julian]]|

website=[http://oca.org/CAdioceseAUPDF/DOC-PUB/SB/2006/06.asp?SID=8 Parishes 13oca-australian.parishes.pdf Listing in Australia2006 Sourcebook & Church Directory]

{{orthodoxyinaustralia}}The '''Orthodox Church in America - Parishes in Australia''' is was the grouping name applied to the churches [[church]]es who, [[ROCOR and OCA#1970: Autocephaly for the OCA|in 1971]], left [[Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ROCOR)|ROCOR]] and asked to be taken under the [[Orthodox Church in America|OCA]]'s protection. It is For most of its history, the parishes were administered directly under by the Metropolitan [[metropolitan]] of the OCA (currently Metropolitan [[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York|HermanOCA]]), and has two churches . There are presently no parishes in Australiathat are under the omophorion of the Orthodox Church in America.

In 1971, in a split from [[Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ROCOR)|ROCOR]], a group of Orthodox faithful applied to the Orthodox Church in America for acceptance. A parish was formed  St Nicholas Parish in Bankstown, NSW, was formed in 1959 and worshipped in premises the parishioners built on land leased from NSW Government Railways. In 1971, it was under the rectorship of [[Archimandrite ]] [[Veniamin (Garshin)]] who had resigned as dean of the ROCOR Cathedral in Sydney and departed from that [[jurisdiction]]. At that time they petitioned OCA for their acceptance under the patronage [[omophorion]] of St Nicholasthe OCA Metropolitan. Their petition was quickly granted.  A second [[parish ]] in Brisbane, Holy Annunciation Church, was also formed under the rectorship of Fr . [[Gregory Malisheff]]and, following the example of the Bankstown parish, petitioned the OCA and was also quickly accepted. In 1977, a third group, later named the Australian Orthodox Fraternity of St Michael, was formed in metropolitan Sydney for the purpose of purchasing and organising another parish, under the rectorship of Fr [[Michael Mersher]]. In November of that year, Mr Verjbitsky contacted the Uniting Church and was offered a surplus Presbyterian church in Homebush. The building was made suitable for Orthodox worship, including an [[iconostasis]], on [[January 26]], 1978. Fr Michael was the [[rector]] from 1978-80, Fr [[Theodore Michaluk]] from 1980-86, Fr Leopold in 1986, and Fr [[Igor Chlabicz]] from 1987.

In 1977 a third groupingFollowing the repose of Archimandrite Veniamin in 1994, later named the Australian Orthodox Fraternity of St Michael, Church in America was formed in Sydney unable to supply a replacement [[priest]] for the purpose of purchasing and organising another Bankstown parish. The parish, under the rectorship council of Fr St. Nicholas approached Bishop [[Michael MersherGibran (Ramlawey) of Australia and New Zealand|Gibran]]. In November of that year, Mr Verjbitsky contacted the Uniting Church then Antiochian Orthodox Bishop for Australia and New Zealand, and asked if he was offered able to supply a surplus Presbyterian church [[priest]] who could celebrate in HomebushSlavonic. The building was made suitable for Orthodox worshipHieromonk [[Andrew (Vujisic)|Andrija (Zoran Vujisić)]] and, including an iconostasislater, Fr [[Nicholas Gan]] assisted on a temporary basis until Fr [[January 26Mitko Machevski]] commenced services at St. Nicholas on [[August 10]], 19781996. Fr Michael was The parish later formally changed jurisdictions to the rector from 1978-80, Fr [[Theodore MichalukAntiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand]] from 1980-86, . Fr Leopold in 1986. Mitko was appointed rector of the parish, which continues to use Church Slavonic and Fr follow the [[Igor ChlabiczJulian Calendar]] from 1987-present.

Following the repose of Archim. Veniamin<!-- what year -->In Brisbane, the Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church found itself without a rector after Fr [[Ian Bojko]] retired in America was unable to supply a replacement priest2005. The In 2009, the parish council requested permission to enter the ROCOR [[Diocese of St Nicholas approached Bishop Gibran Australia and New Zealand (RamlaweyROCOR) |Diocese of Australia and New Zealand]] as an English-language parish; this was accomplished by the mutual consensus of Metropolitans [[Jonah (Paffhausen) of Washington|GibranJonah]] and was asked if he was able to supply a priest who was able to liturgise in Slavonic. Fr [[Mitko MachevskiHilarion (Kapral) of New York|Hilarion]] conducted services at St Nicholasand the transfer was finalised in May 2009.

The parish later formally changed jurisdictions to After the rectorate of Fr. Igor Chlabicz, the Australian Orthodox Fraternity of St. Michael was served by Rev. Fr. [[John Vesic]], a priest of the [[Antiochian Serbian Orthodox Archdiocese Church in Australia and New Zealand|Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand]]. Fr Mitko was appointed rector In March 2011, the parish received the blessing of Metropolitan Jonah of the parish, which continues OCA to use Church Slavonic join the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and follows the New Zealand, with Bishop [[Julian CalendarIrinej (Dobrijevic) of Australia and New Zealand|Irinej of Sydney]]placing a new antimens in the church on Forgiveness Sunday, 2011. This parish is also designated an English-language parish - at the time of its transfer, the only one in the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand.

==Organisation==The following parishes, who originally formed the grouping, moved to:The OCA Parishes *St Nicholas Orthodox Church, Bankstown, New South Wales; now in the [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of Australia is an administrative grouping of two churches, New Zealand and the Philippines]].*Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church, Woolloongabba, Queensland; now in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia - [[Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ROCOR)|Diocese of Australia and New Zealand]].*St. Michael Orthodox Church, Homebush, New South Wales; now in the [[Serbian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand]].

== The Episcopacy =====Current Episcopacy===* Metropolitan [[Herman (Swaiko) final OCA presence in Australia concluded with the repose of Washington and New York|Herman (Swaiko)]] of Washington and New York, administrator of the parishes Fr Ian Bojko in AustraliaJan 2013.

===Previous Bishops=Episcopacy ==* His Eminence [[Sylvester (Haruns) of Montreal|Sylvester (Haruns)]], Archbishop of Montreal and Canada; administrator of the parishes in Australia, 19631972-1981.* His Beatitude [[Theodosius (Lazor) of Washington|Theodosius (Lazor)]], Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada; administrator of the parishes in Australia, 19721981-2002.* His Beatitude [[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York|Herman (Swaiko)]], Archbishop of Washington and New York, Metropolitan of All America and Canada; administrator of the parishes in Australia, 2002-2008.* His Beatitude [[Jonah (Paffhausen) of Washington|Jonah (Paffhausen)]], Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada; administrator of the parishes in Austraila, 2008-19812011.

* [httphttps://www.ausorthodoxstmichaelshomebush.comorg.au/ St Michael's, Homebush] (previously, Australian Orthodox Fraternity of St. Michael] (the church in Homebush, Sydney, New South Wales)* [http://ha-ocawww.faithwebantiochianarch.comorg.au/ Holy Annunciation NSW.aspx#nsw007 Parish listing for Antiochian Orthodox Churchof Saint Nicholas, Bankstown] (the church former parish in Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queenslandthis grouping)* [http://www.antiochianholyannunciation.org.aunet Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church]* [http:/content/blogcategorywww.spc.rs/4sr/19/11/ Saint Nicholas Bankstown] (nova_parohija_spc_u_sidneju "New Parish of the church formerly Serbian Orthodox Church in this grouping)Sydney"]