The American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA
Diocesan Chancery
312 Garfield Street, Johnstown,
PA 15906
Tel (814) 539-9143 | Fax (814) 536-4699 | Email
The American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese, with its
headquarters located in Johnstown,
PA , is under the canonical protection of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Orthodox Christianity
The Orthodox Christian Church was born
on Pentecost in AD 33 with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles
(see Acts 2:2-4). Through the missionary labors and martyric witness of
countless men and women, the apostolic faith spread to every corner of the
world: first the Near East, then Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Orthodoxy was planted in North America in the late 18th century by monastic
missionaries from Russia.
Today the worldwide Orthodox Church has more than 250 million members. Each
national Church (Russian, Greek, Serbian, etc.) is independent and
self-administering, but united in faith and sacraments with all the others.
Some five million Orthodox from diverse ethnic backgrounds now live in the United States and Canada.
Establishment
The American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese was
established in 1938 by His All-Holiness, the late Benjamin I, Ecumenical
Patriarch of Constantinople, under the Patriarchal Seal in the official
Patriarchal Document listed under Protocol No. 1379 and dated September 19,
1938, and was canonized in the name of the Holy Orthodox Church of Christ. The
Diocese was incorporated in the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania in 1950.
Organization and Structure
The American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A. is composed of
fourteen regional deaneries (districts):
Canada, Chicago, Florida,
Johnstown (PA), Mid-Atlantic, New England, New Jersey, New York,
Pittsburgh, Pocono, Southern Tier, Tri-State, Washington, D.C., and Youngstown.
It is overseen by the ruling Bishop (Metropolitan) with the assistance of the Diocesan Consistory (senior priests specially selected for their pastoral experience), regional Deans and the
Diocesan Board of Trustees.
There are 81 parishes in the United States
and Canada, 91 priests and
approximately 8,500 faithful in the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese
of the U.S.A.
The diocese is under the canonical protection
of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Originally founded by immigrants from
the Carpatho-Rusyn regions of
present-day Slovakia,
Poland and Western
Ukraine, the diocese today
is comprised of peoples of all ethnic backgrounds, many of whom are converts to
the faith.
Mission
The Mission
of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese is to honor and glorify Almighty
God; to foster love for the Saviour of mankind, Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
and to continue the redemptive and life-giving work of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ amongst all peoples living in North America.
Building on the strong foundation of
the faith and piety of its
Carpatho-Rusyn ancestors in the faith, The American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox
Diocese is committed to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with all who
seek to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, in accordance with the doctrine,
discipline, canons and rites of the Holy Orthodox Church.
The clergy and faithful of the
diocese labor to fulfill this mission on a daily basis through their active
participation in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church, and by supporting and assisting the various
educational, outreach and philanthropic ministries of the diocese.
