| American diocese is one among the 21 dioceses of the Indian Orthodox Church. St.Gregorios Orthodox Church, Austin, TX belongs to the American diocese of Indian Orthodox church. |
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H.G. Mathews Mar Barnabas
Metropolitan of the Diocese of America
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H.G. Zachariah Mar Nicholovos
Asst. Metropolitan of the Diocese of America
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The American diocese of the Indian Orthodox Chuch
by Joseph Kappil
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The pioneers of Indian immigration to the United States were young
college graduates who, beginning in 1940s, arrived in small numbers in
search of higher education at American universities especially in the
Northeast. This trend continued in the 1950s and 1960s.
Larger groups began arriving in the 1960s and 1970s in search of
professional careers. The influx of Indian immigrants to the New World
reached its peak in the 1980s, when large numbers of Indians living in
India and the Middle-eastern countries flooded into metropolitan cities
like New York, Chicago, and Houston as relatives of the first
immigrants and also as a result of the rising political unrest in the
Middle East.
The first Indian Orthodox Church clergymen came to the USA for higher
education during the time of His Holiness Baselios Geevarghese II. The
first Indian Orthodox Church congregation started in New York in the
late 1950s and the first official parish in the late 1960s. By early
1970s, the number of Indian immigrants grew and there were about ten
clergymen serving the Indian Orthodox Church in America. Several
parishes were organized by these clergymen and laypeople under the
Outside Kerala Diocese headed by His Grace Mathews Mar Athanasius,
Metropolitan and Catholicos-designate.
In 1975 Rev. Fr. K.C. Thomas was elevated as a bishop by name His Grace
Thomas Mar Makarios. In 1976 the parishes in America and Canada were
brought under a new Diocese called "Bombay Diocese". The Managing
Committee and the Holy Episcopal Synod declared establishment of the
American Diocese in January 1979. His Holiness Baselios Mar Thoma
Mathews I, Catholicos and Malankara Metropolitan came to America in
July 1979, and the American Diocese was established officially by His
Holiness presiding over the enthronement ceremony of His Grace Thomas
Mar Makarios as the first Metropolitan.
During the 1980s, several parishes purchased their own church buildings
for their worship services and other activities. Currently, about half
of our parishes own their church buildings. The American Diocese is one
of the 22 Dioceses of the Indian Orthodox Church with headquarters in
Kottayam, Kerala in India and His Holiness Baselios Mar Thoma Didymos I
as the supreme head of the Church.
Currently, there are about ten thousand Indian Orthodox Christians in
the United States. There are 66 parishes assisted by 78 priests and 9
deacons in the American Diocese. The head of the American Diocese, also
known as the Diocesan Metropolitan is His Grace Mathews Mar Barnabas.
The Diocesan Metropolitan is president of the Diocesan Council
consisting of the Diocesan Metropolitan, the Diocesan Secretary, two
(2) clergy council members, and four (4) lay council members, which
governs the affairs of the Diocese. The Diocesan Metropolitan is
president of the Board of Trustees consisting of the Diocesan
Metropolitan, the Diocesan Secretary, and one lay member, which govern
the assets (real estate and others) of the Diocese. The Diocesan
Metropolitan presides over all spiritual organizations of the Diocese
as well as the Diocesan Assembly. In August 2002, His Grace Zachariah
Mar Nicholovos was appointed as the Assistant Metropolitan of the
American Diocese.
Major centers of Indian Orthodox Church population in the United States
include the greater New York area, New Jersey, Chicago, Houston,
Dallas, Philadelphia, and Detroit. Substantial and expanding
communities exist in Atlanta, Florida, California, the greater
Washington DC / Baltimore area, Boston and Austin.
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Address:
Diocesan headquarters,
80-34 Commonwealth Blvd.,
Bellerose, New York 11426.
Tel: 718-470-9844
Fax: 718-470-9219
E-mail: secretaryachen@yahoo.com
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SUNDAYS:
Morning Prayer: 9:00 AM
Holy Qurbana : 9:30 AM
Sunday School: 11:30 AM
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