In the 1820s, Father John Veniaminov American Diocese – is- to reestablish canonical ties. In 1970 canonical arrived in Alaska and conducted sued a decree calling relations resumed, and the Metropolia was missionary work. Among his many on dioceses outside the granted “autocephaly.” Not only did this give accomplishments was the translation borders of Russia [by the Metropolia the right to govern itself of Scripture and the liturgical services then the ] to without relying on any centers into the native dialects, for which he organize themselves abroad, but it served to recognize the fact that also devised a grammar and alphabet. independently until after nearly 200 years, the Church in North normal communica- America had become an indigenous Church Around 1840 Father John was elected tions and relations with for all North Americans, regardless of to the episcopacy, taking the name the Church in Russia ethnic origin. At a council of hierarchs, , Innocent. The Church continued to could resume. and laity the same year, the Church grow among the native Alaskans, adopted the name “The Orthodox Church in but Innocent also visited Shortly thereafter, at a America.” California and the Orthodox Council of all North community at Fort Ross, north of American hierarchs, Today the OCA, in addition to counting the San Francisco. He eventually returned clergy, and parish lay parishes of the former “Metropolia,” includes the to Russia to serve as the Metropolitan- delegates, it was Romanian Orthodox Episcopate, the Albanian of Moscow. (Several years recognized that Orthodox Archdiocese, the Bulgarian Orthodox ago he was canonized as a saint.) the Church in North Diocese, and the Mexican Exarchate. Further, in America could no the past two decades nearly 250 new parishes, While the Church continued to grow longer maintain ad- almost exclusively non-ethnic in origin and in Alaska, immigrants began arriving ministrative ties with employing only the English language in worship, in the “Lower 48.” In the 1860s a the Church in Russia, have been established. parish was established in San Francisco especially since Pa- – today’s Holy Cathedral. triarch Tikhon had The Orthodox Church in America is a full been arrested (He member of the Standing Conference of Gradually, other parishes were A 200-year heritage: The subsequently died in Canonical Orthodox in the Americas established across the U.S. and its wonder-working Sitka of 1925.) (SCOBA), together with the Greek, Antiochian, territories. With the great waves of the Mother of God, commis- Ukrainian, Carpatho-Russian, and other immigrants from Europe and the sioned in the early 1800s by Concurrently, various archdioceses and dioceses. Hierarchs and Middle East in the late 19th and St. Innocent, visited many U.S. par- ethnic groups that had clergy of the OCA regularly concelebrate with early 20th centuries, the headquarters ishes in 2009. been an integral part clergy of other SCOBA jurisdictions. This is of the diocese was moved to San of the diocese organized especially evident on the annual Francisco and later to New York. separate “jurisdictions” Sunday celebrations on the first Sunday of By the early 1900s almost all Orthodox and placed themselves under their respective . communities in North America, regardless “old country” Mother Churches. This gave rise of ethnic background, were united in this to the unfortunate current situation of mul- As a self-governing Church, the OCA has the right diocese, a part of the . tiple, overlapping jurisdictions based on to elect its own , or presiding hierarch, ethnic identity rather than on the canonical without relying on ratification from any In 1917 the Russian Revolution broke out. principle of a single Church entity in a foreign entity. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, As a result, communications between the given territory. the current Primate, presides at meetings of the North American Diocese and the Church in Holy of Bishops, consecrates Holy Chrism, Russia ceased. In the early 1920s the In the early 1960s the OCA – at that time it was and carries out other duties appropriate to his of Moscow, [Saint] Tikhon – who from 1897 known as the “The Metropolia” – entered into office. until 1907 had served as Bishop of the North dialogue with the Russian Church in an attempt For further information on Orthodox visit the web site of the THE Orthodox Church in America at www.oca. org ORTHODOX Make our home your home! HOLY TRINITY CHURCH IN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH 369 Green Ave., East Meadow, NY AMERICA The Rev. Martin Kraus, Rector For more information, visit us at: An Introduction Metropolitan Jonah, the ruling Archbishop www.htocem.org of The Orthodox Church in America with 516-483-3649 | [email protected] scouts of our parish. Saturday Evening The Orthodox Church in America is fully 7:00 PM Great Vespers and Confessions. committed to the unity of Orthodoxy in North America. Metropolitan Jonah is an Sunday Morning outspoken advocate for administrative unity 9:30 AM Liturgy, Fellowship, and Education for all among the Orthodox Christians in North ages. (9:00 AM during the summer). America according to the canonical principle of a single Church in a given geographic territory. Please call 516-483-3649 to register as a member of the parish; to arrange Baptisms, Orthodox Christianity in North America traces Weddings, Memorials, Conversions, Visitations, its origins to the arrival in Kodiak, Alaska, of etc.; and for additional information on Orthodox eight Orthodox missionaries from the Valaamo Christianity in general and our parish in Monastery in the northern Karelia region of particular. Russia in 1794. The missionaries made a great impact on the native Alaskan population and were responsible for bringing many to the Orthodox Christian faith.

Today there are an estimated 2 to 3 million Orthodox Christians in more than 2,500 parishes, missions, and monasteries in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Holy Trinity Orthodox Christian Church East Meadow, NY Orthodox Church in America Diocese of New York & New Jersey