7,257
edits
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Episcopacy
The '''Orthodox Church in America''' (OCA) is an [[autocephaly|autocephalous]] church with parishes mainly in the United States and Canada (though it had a few parishes in Australia and elsewhere). The OCA was formerly known as the '''Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in America''', or more informally, the '''Metropolia'''. Previous to that, it was the North American Diocese of the [[Church of Russia]]. The OCA's autocephaly is not currently recognized by most of the other autocephalous Orthodox churches.
{{church|
independence=1970 ("temporary self-government" in 1924)|
recognition=1970 by [[Church of Russia]] |
primate=[[Nathaniel Tikhon (PoppMollard) of DetroitWashington|Nathaniel Tikhon (PoppMollard)]] ''Locum Tenens''|
hq=[[Chancery office of the Orthodox Church in America|Syosset, New York]]|
territory=United States and Canada|
In September of 2008, after the release of a scathing report by an official investigative committee, the former primate, Metr. [[Theodosius (Lazor) of Washington|Theodosius (Lazor)]], was disciplined[http://www.oca.org/news/1631] and the then current primate, Metr. [[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York|Herman (Swaiko)]] was retired by the Holy Synod.[http://www.oca.org/news/1632]
On [[November 12]], 2008, after financial scandals, the OCA's All-American Council and Holy Synod elected [[auxiliary bishop]] [[Jonah (Paffhausen) of Washington and New York|Jonah (Paffhausen)]] as its new metropolitan. He was formally installed on [[December 28]], 2008 at the primate's [[cathedral]] St. [[St. Nicholas Cathedral (Washington, D.C.)|Nicholas Cathedral]] in Washington, D.C..
On [[November 13]], 2012, the OCA's current [[primate]], the Most Blessed [[Tikhon (Mollard) of Washington|Tikhon (Mollard)]] was elected at the 17th [[All-American Council]].
===Diocesan structure===
==Episcopacy==
===Diocesan bishops===
* Most Blessed [[Tikhon (Mollard) of Washington|Tikhon (Mollard)]], Archbishop of [[Diocese of Washington (OCA)|Washington]], Metropolitan of All America and Canada, ''Locum Tenens'' of Philadelphia and [[Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania (OCA)|Eastern Pennsylvania]], ''Locum Tenens'' of the Diocese of the [[Diocese of the Midwest (OCA)|Midwest]].* Most Reverend [[Nathaniel (Popp) of Detroit|Nathaniel (Popp)]], Archbishop of Detroit and the [[Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America (OCA)|Romanian Episcopate]], ''Locum Tenens'' of the Orthodox Church in America.
* Right Reverend [[Nikon (Liolin) of Boston|Nikon (Liolin)]], Bishop of Boston, [[Diocese of New England (OCA)|New England]] and the [[Albanian Archdiocese (OCA)|Albanian Archdiocese]], ''Locum Tenens'' of the Diocese of the [[Diocese of the South (OCA)|South]]
* Right Reverend [[Benjamin (Peterson) of San Francisco|Benjamin (Peterson)]], Bishop of San Francisco and the [[Diocese of the West (OCA)|Diocese of the West]], ''Locum Tenens'' of the Diocese of [[Diocese of Alaska (OCA)|Alaska]]
* Right Reverend [[Alejo (Pacheco y Vera) of Mexico City|Alejo (Pacheco-Vera)]], Bishop of Mexico City and [[Exarchate of Mexico (OCA)|Exarch of Mexico]]
* Right Reverend [[Melchisedek (Pleska) of Pittsburgh|Melchisedek (Pleska)]], Bishop of Pittsburgh and [[Diocese of Western Pennsylvania (OCA)|Western Pennsylvania]]
* Right Reverend [[Michael (Dahulich) of New York|Michael (Dahulich)]], Bishop of [[Diocese of New York and New Jersey (OCA)|New York, and New Jersey]], Administrator of the Orthodox Church in America.
* Right Reverend [[Matthias (Moriak) of Chicago|Matthias (Moriak)]], Bishop of Chicago and the [[Diocese of the Midwest (OCA)|Midwest]]
* Right Reverend [[Alexander (Golitzin)]], Bishop of Toledo and the [[Bulgarian Diocese (OCA)|Bulgarian Diocese]], ''Locum Tenens'' of the Archdiocese of [[Diocese of Washington (OCA)|Washington]].
===Auxiliary bishops===
* Metropolitan [[Jonah (Paffhausen) of Washington and New York|Jonah (Paffhausen)]]
** ''Archbishop of Washington and New York, Metropolitan of All America and Canada'' (2008-2009)
** ''Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada'' (2009-2012)* Metropolitan [[Tikhon (Mollard) of Washington|Tikhon (Mollard)]], ''Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada'' (2012-present)
==Reference==
* ''Orthodox America 1794-1976 Development of the Orthodox Church in America'', C. J. Tarasar, Gen. Ed. 1975, The Orthodox Church in America, Syosett, New York
* [http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx?eccpageID=27&IndexView=toc Eastern Christian Churches: OCA] by Ronald Roberson, a Roman Catholic priest and scholar
* [http://www.ocanews.org/ OCANews.org: Orthodox Christians for Accountability], a website critical of the OCA's administration
[[Category:Jurisdictions|OCA]]
