The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (often referred to in North America simply as the Antiochian Archdiocese) is the sole jurisdiction of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada with exclusive jurisdiction over the Antiochian Orthodox faithful in those countries, though these faithful were originally cared for by the Russian Orthodox Church in America (indeed, the first bishop consecrated in North America, St. Raphael Hawaweeny, was consecrated by the Russian Orthodox Church in America to care for the Orthodox Arab faithful in the USA and Canada). The Antiochian Orthodox Church is one of the five churches that composed the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church before the Great Schism, and today is one of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Churches. ... Saint Raphael of Brooklyn (November 20, 1860 - February 27, 1915) was born as Raphael Hawaweeny in Damascus, Syria. ... The Russian Orthodox Church (Russian: ), also known as the Orthodox Christian Church of Russia, is that body of Christians who are united under the Patriarch of Moscow, who in turn is in communion with the other patriarchs and primates of the Eastern Orthodox Church. ...

After the Bolshevik Revolution threw the Russian Orthodox Church and its faithful abroad into chaos the Orthodox Arab faithful in North America, simultaneously shaken by the death of their beloved bishop St. Raphael, chose to come under the direct care of the Patriarchate of Antioch. Due to internal conflicts, however, the Antiochian Orthodox faithful in North America were divided between two archdioceses, those of New York and Toledo. The October Revolution, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was the second phase of the Russian Revolution, the first having been instigated by the events around the February Revolution. ... The Russian Orthodox Church (Russian: ), also known as the Orthodox Christian Church of Russia, is that body of Christians who are united under the Patriarch of Moscow, who in turn is in communion with the other patriarchs and primates of the Eastern Orthodox Church. ... A patriarchate is the office or jurisdiction of a patriarch. ... In some Christian churches, the diocese is an administrative territorial unit governed by a bishop, sometimes also referred to as a bishopric or episcopal see, though more often the term episcopal see means the office held by the bishop. ... NY redirects here. ... Nickname: The Glass City Location in the state of Ohio Country United States State Ohio County Lucas Mayor Carty Finkbeiner (D) Area    - City 217. ...

In 1975 the two Antiochian Orthodox archdioceses were united as one Archdiocese of North America (now with its headquarters in Englewood, New Jersey). Since then it has experienced significant growth through the conversion of a number of evangelical Protestants (both individually and as congregations) and also through ongoing evangelization and the immigration of Orthodox Arabs from the Middle East. Its current primate is Metropolitan PHILIP Saliba, who has six other diocesan bishops assisting him in caring for the nine dioceses of the growing Archdiocese, which is the third largest Orthodox Christian "jurisdiction" in North America.[1] 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Map highlighting Englewoods location within Bergen County. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²)  - Width 70 miles (110 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 14. ...

On 9 October 2003 the Holy Synod of the Antiochian Orthodox Church granted the Archdiocese's request to be granted self-rule/autonomy to allow it to better govern itself, improve and increase its outreach efforts, internally organize itself into several dioceses, and progress further on the road to the administrative unity of the Orthodox Church in the Americas.[2] October 9 is the 282nd day of the year (283rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Archdiocese had formerly been a member of the National Council of Churches (NCC), but its Archdiocesan Convention voted unanimously on July 28, 2005 to withdraw fully from that body, citing increased politicization and a generally fruitless relationship, making it the first major Orthodox jurisdiction in the US to take such a step.[3][4] The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (usually identified as National Council of Churches, or NCC) is a religious organization currently (2006) consisting of 35 Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, African-American and historic Christian denominations in the United States, and is widely regarded as a leading force... July 28 is the 209th day (210th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 156 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Diocesan Bishops

• Metropolitan PHILIP (Saliba) of New York and All North America (Locum Tenens of the Diocese of New England)
• Bishop ANTOUN (Khouri) of the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast
• Bishop BASIL (Essey) of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America
• Bishop JOSEPH (Al-Zehlaoui) of the Diocese of Los Angeles and the West (Locum Tenens of the Diocese of Eagle River, Alaska)
• Bishop THOMAS (Joseph) of the Diocese of Oakland and the East
• Bishop MARK (Maymon) of the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest
• Bishop ALEXANDER (Mufarrij) of the Diocese of Ottawa, Eastern Canada and Upstate New York

See also

• Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops in America
• Western-Rite Orthodox Churches

The Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) is an Eastern Orthodox organization designed to help cooperation among the several Eastern Orthodox Christian jurisdictions to be found in the Americas. ... See Western Orthodoxy. ...

External links

• Official Website of the Archdiocese
• Official Website of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch
• Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (OrthodoxWiki article)