Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia
Encyclopedia
The Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia is one of fifteen dioceses of the Church of Bulgaria. The diocese
is led by Metr. Joseph.
, the diocese attempted, in the late 1950s, to join the Metropolia
but was unsuccessful.
In 1964, Metropolitan Andrey
petitioned the Holy Synod
of the Church of Bulgaria for his return to the Bulgarian episcopacy and to continue to lead the diocese in America. With the return of Metropolitan Andrey
and his diocese to the Church of Bulgaria, a group under Archimandrite
Kyrill (Yonchev) broke with Andrey and joined the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) as the Bulgarian Diocese in Exile. The ROCOR bishops consecrated him bishop
.
The Metropolitan Andrey
' diocese is currently led by Metr. Joseph with parish
es in the United States, Canada, and Australia as an overseas diocese of the Church of Bulgaria under Patriarch
Maxim
and the Bulgarian Synod
of Bishops. The diocesan cathedral
is Ss Cyril and Methody Macedono-Bulgarian Orthodox Cathedral in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia is a member of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA).
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
is led by Metr. Joseph.
History
The Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia had its origins before World War II as the Bulgarian Diocese of North and South America and Australia. However, a result of the establishment of a Communist government in Bulgaria after the war, relations of the diocese with the Church of Bulgaria were disrupted. Under Metropolitan AndreyAndrey, Metropolitan of New York
Andrey, Metropolitan bishop of New York was the diocesan prelate of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia during the years 1947-1972....
, the diocese attempted, in the late 1950s, to join the Metropolia
Metropolia
Metropolia may mean:* Metropolia is the pre-1970 general term for the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in America, now known as the Orthodox Church in America .* Metropolia is a Polish Business Magazine published in the UK since 2007....
but was unsuccessful.
In 1964, Metropolitan Andrey
Andrey, Metropolitan of New York
Andrey, Metropolitan bishop of New York was the diocesan prelate of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia during the years 1947-1972....
petitioned the Holy Synod
Holy Synod
In several of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches and Eastern Catholic Churches, the patriarch or head bishop is elected by a group of bishops called the Holy Synod...
of the Church of Bulgaria for his return to the Bulgarian episcopacy and to continue to lead the diocese in America. With the return of Metropolitan Andrey
Andrey, Metropolitan of New York
Andrey, Metropolitan bishop of New York was the diocesan prelate of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia during the years 1947-1972....
and his diocese to the Church of Bulgaria, a group under Archimandrite
Archimandrite
The title Archimandrite , primarily used in the Eastern Orthodox and the Eastern Catholic churches, originally referred to a superior abbot whom a bishop appointed to supervise...
Kyrill (Yonchev) broke with Andrey and joined the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) as the Bulgarian Diocese in Exile. The ROCOR bishops consecrated him bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
.
The Metropolitan Andrey
Andrey, Metropolitan of New York
Andrey, Metropolitan bishop of New York was the diocesan prelate of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia during the years 1947-1972....
' diocese is currently led by Metr. Joseph with parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es in the United States, Canada, and Australia as an overseas diocese of the Church of Bulgaria under Patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
Maxim
Patriarch Maxim of Bulgaria
Patriarch Maxim is the current head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.He was the second of two children of Nayden Minkov Rachev, but very little is known about his parents' background...
and the Bulgarian Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of Bishops. The diocesan cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
is Ss Cyril and Methody Macedono-Bulgarian Orthodox Cathedral in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia is a member of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA).
See also
- St. John of Rila Church, TargovishteSt. John of Rila Church, TargovishteSt. John of Rila Church is an Eastern Orthodox church building in Targovishte. It is named after the Bulgarian Saint John of Rila who was the first Bulgarian hermit....
- Bulgarian diasporaBulgarian diasporaBulgarian diaspora consists of Bulgarian emigrants and their descendants.The number of Bulgarians outside Bulgaria has sharply increased since 1991, following the collapse of the communism in Eastern Europe. Over one million Bulgarians have left the country, either permanently or as temporary...
- Bulgarian AmericansBulgarian AmericansBulgarian Americans are citizens of the United States with Bulgarian heritage. For the 2000 US Census, 55,489 Americans indicated Bulgarian as their first ancestry, while 92,841 persons declared to have Bulgarian ancestry...
- Bulgarian CanadiansBulgarian CanadiansBulgarian Canadians are citizens of Canada with significant Bulgarian heritage. Those can include Bulgarian Canadians living in Canada for one or several generations, dual Bulgarian Canadian citizens, or any other Bulgarian Canadians who consider themselves to be affiliated to both cultures or...
- Bulgarian AustralianBulgarian AustralianBulgarians in Australia are Australians of Bulgarian descent. According to the 2006 Australian census, 2,680 residents of Australia were born in Bulgaria. Of these, 850 lived in New South Wales, 840 in Victoria, 340 in Queensland and 340 in South Australia. Some 4,870 people claimed full or...