Bulgarian Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America

The Bulgarian Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America (also known as the Bulgarian Diocese of Toledo,[1] and originally known as the Bulgarian Diocese in Exile) is one of three ethnic dioceses of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). It was created in 1963 by Eastern Orthodox Christians of Bulgarian and Macedonian descent.[2] Its territory includes parishes, monasteries, and missions located in seven states in the United States: California, Illinois, Indiana, Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, Iowa, and Washington, D.C. The first bishop of the diocese was the Most Reverend Kyrill (Yonchev), who also served as the Archbishop of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. After his repose on June 17, 2007, Metropolitan Herman served as locum tenens of the diocese until the election of Archimandrite Alexander (Golitzin) on October 4, 2011. On May 5, 2012, he was consecrated as bishop of the diocese during a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Saint George Orthodox Cathedral in Rossford, Ohio.

History

As a result of the establishment of a Communist government in Bulgaria after the World War II, relations of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church were disrupted. In the late 1950s, its head Metropolitan Andrew (Petkov) petitioned to be accepted into the Russian Metropolia (now known as the Orthodox Church in America), but had been declined by them for unclear reasons. Then, Andrew decided to regularize his relations with and return to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, with whom he had broken communications. In 1963, he petitioned and was approved by the Holy Synod in Sofia to be readmitted to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and continue to lead Bulgarian Orthodoxy in North America.[3]

One of his prominent clergy, Archimandrite Kyrill (Yonchev), disagreed with his decision to return the diocese to an Orthodox Church based in a communist country, and therefore left it to join the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, where he was ordained bishop of the new Bulgarian Diocese in Exile. Sharing his fear that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was strongly influenced by the communist regime in Sofia, many Macedono-Bulgarian Orthodox communities in the United States and Canada (organized under the auspices of the Macedonian Patriotic Organization), voiced their support for Bishop Kyrill and transferred their parishes, or created new ones, under his authority.[4] Bishop Kyrill also persuaded many to accept his authority due partly to Metropolitan Andrew's advanced age.[3]

In 1976, Bishop Kyrill and his Bulgarian Diocese in Exile left the ROCOR and joined the Orthodox Church in America, thus creating its current Bulgarian Diocese.[5]

List of Parishes
Parish Country City, State Clergy
St. George Macedono-Bulgarian Orthodox CathedralUnited StatesRossford, Ohio (Toledo Metropolitan Area)Archbishop Alexander (Golitzin), Rector
Holy Ghost Macedono-Bulgarian Orthodox ChurchUnited StatesYoungstown, OhioV. Rev. Basil Duesenberry
Sts. Cyril & Methodius Macedono-Bulgarian Orthodox ChurchUnited StatesLorain, OhioV. Rev. Paul G. Monkowski
Sts. Cyril & Methody Macedono-Bulgarian Orthodox ChurchUnited StatesGranite City, IllinoisFr. Andrew Moulton
St. Elia the Prophet Macedono-Bulgarian Orthodox ChurchUnited StatesAkron, OhioV. Rev. Don Freude
St. Nicholas Macedono-Bulgarian Orthodox ChurchUnited StatesFort Wayne, IndianaV. Rev. Andrew Jarmus
St. Kliment of Ochrid Bulgarian Orthodox ChurchUnited StatesLos Angeles, California
St. John of Rila Bulgarian Orthodox ChurchUnited StatesMcLean, VirginiaV. Rev. Chterion Zaprianov
St. Mary Magdalene Orthodox ChurchUnited StatesFenton, MichiganFr. Gabriel Bilas
St. Nikolai Orthodox ChurchUnited StatesLouisville, Ohio
St. Nicholas Orthodox ChurchUnited StatesBurton, MichiganV. Rev. Matthew-Peter Butrie
St. John the Baptist Orthodox ChurchUnited StatesLos Angeles, California
St. George Orthodox ChurchUnited StatesWashington, DC
Holy Cross Orthodox MonasteryUnited StatesCastro Valley, CaliforniaIgumen Stephen, Abbot
St. Andrew the Apostle Orthodox MissionUnited StatesNorth Hollywood, CaliforniaV. Rev. Viorel Vasile Visovan
Holy Transfiguration Orthodox MissionUnited StatesAmes, IowaFr. Marty Watt

Notes and references
  1. "Constitution of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the United States of America and Canada" (PDF).
  2. History of the Bulgarian Diocese of Toledo
  3. Surrency, Archim. Serafim. The Quest for Orthodox Unity in America: A History of the Orthodox Church in North America in the Twentieth Century. Saints Boris and Gleb Press, 1973.
  4. Методиев, Момчил. Календар и църковна политика през комунизма. // Двери на Православието, 2008. Посетен на 24 май 2010.
  5. Liberovsky, Alexis. "Synopsis of the 5th All-American Council". Archived from the original on 2007-02-02. Retrieved 2007-01-01.

See also

41.6414°N 83.4803°W / 41.6414; -83.4803

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