Our National Church
The Orthodox Church in America
The Orthodox Church in America, as a local autocephalous Orthodox Church, belongs to the worldwide communion of Orthodox Churches. It unites in its fold Orthodox Christians of various national backgrounds and traditions. It grew from the Alaskan mission established in 1794 by the Church of Russia. Expanding across the United States and Canada, it became a Diocese of that Church. In 1924 this Diocese was reorganized as an autonomous Metropolitanate under the title “the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of North America.” On April 10, 1970, the Patriarch and the Holy Synod of the Church of Russia granted autocephaly to the Metropolitanate. The Metropolitanate accepted and affirmed its new status and reorganized under the title “The Orthodox Church in America” at sessions of the All-American Council held in October, 1970, at Saint Tikhon’s Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania... - The Preamble of the Statute of the OCA
Our Diocese
The Diocese of the South
The OCA, Diocese of the South was established in 1979 after years of operating as a missionary diocese, administered under the auspices of our national Church, the Orthodox Church in America (which, itself, received it's autocephaly - or self-rule - from our mother church, in Russia). Founded upon principles of evangelization and outreach by our beloved founding bishop, Archbishop Dmitri Royster, our diocese boasts 80+ parishes and missions as well as multiple monasteries. The territory of the diocese stretches from Florida and Virginia in the east all the way to New Mexico in the west.
Episkopoi
The Most Blessed Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of All America and Canada
The Most Blessed Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of All America and Canada
The Most Blessed Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of All America and Canada
His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada, is the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America. Born in 1966, he is the eldest of three children born to Francois and Elizabeth Mollard. He spent his childhood living in various places including Connecticut, France, and Missouri, before settling in Reading, PA, where he graduated from Wyomissing High School in 1984. He moved to Chicago in 1988 after completing his undergraduate studies at Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Sociology. In 1989, he was received into the Orthodox Church from the Episcopal church and began studies at Saint Tikhon’s Seminary, South Canaan, PA...
The Most Reverend Alexander, Archbishop of Dallas and the South
The Most Blessed Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of All America and Canada
The Most Blessed Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of All America and Canada
Archbishop Alexander (Golitzin) was born in Burbank, CA in 1948 and raised attending Saint Innocent Church, Tarzana, CA. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of California at Berkeley and a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Vladimir’s Seminary. He spent seven years pursuing doctoral studies at Oxford University in England under His Eminence, Metropolitan Kallistos [Ware]. During this time, he also spent two years in Greece, including one year at Simonos Petras Monastery on Mount Athos...
The Right Reverend Gerasim, Bishop of Ft. Worth, Auxiliary to the Diocese of the South
The Most Blessed Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of All America and Canada
The Right Reverend Gerasim, Bishop of Ft. Worth, Auxiliary to the Diocese of the South
Bishop Gerasim was born in 1961, in Torrance, California, and raised in Palos Verdes. Growing up, he initially attended the Episcopal Church, and later the Presbyterian. As a child he had a diverse range of interests: sports, history, science fiction, and stamp-collecting, which offered a window to foreign lands and languages. He graduated from University High School in Irvine in 1979, simultaneously taking classes at UC Irvine during his senior year. He studied Physics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, later shifting his focus to Spanish literature...
Diocesan Leadership
Archpriest Marcus Burch, Chancellor
Priest Jason Foster, Dean of the Mississippi River Deanery
Priest Jason Foster, Dean of the Mississippi River Deanery
Father Marcus Burch has served as the Rector of St John of the Ladder (Greenville, SC) for over 20 years...In addition to his pastoral responsibilities at St John of the Ladder, he also serves as the Chancellor of the Diocese of the South, assisting His Eminence, Archbishop Alexander (Golitzin), with the administration of the far-flung diocese. Father Marcus has been married to his wife, Matushka Barbara, for over 30 years. They have two children, a daughter-in-law, and two vivacious German Shepherds, Edelweiss and Wolfie.
Priest Jason Foster, Dean of the Mississippi River Deanery
Priest Jason Foster, Dean of the Mississippi River Deanery
Priest Jason Foster, Dean of the Mississippi River Deanery
Father Jason Foster serves as the Rector of Holy Nativity Orthodox Church in Shreveport, LA and is the Dean of the Mississippi River Deanery. He and his wife, Presvytera Ashley, have been married for 27 years and together they have six daughters: Addison (Son-in-law Steven), Savannah, Camille, Gabrielle, Saxony, and Mary Katherine. They are both natives of Shreveport and are very excited about continuing to serve the Mission and working alongside the two other Orthodox Churches in the area. Fr. Jason attended Louisiana State University in Shreveport where he received bachelor degrees in Accounting and Finance...