Byzantine Holy Orthodox Church – Apostolic Succession | source: Antiochian Website archive (2014-2020)
Byzantine Holy Orthodox Church – Apostolic Succession
True Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese History
The True Antiochian Orthodox Church was always an American jurisdiction
with many foreign missions. It has always allowed the use of the vernacular
in all religious services. It’s orders originate from the Syrian and Russian
(Greek) Chuches. It’s beginning as an Orthodox jurisdiction in America
began on May 29, 1892, when Father Joseph (Vilathi), a priest who served the
Belgian congregations of Little Sturgeon and Green Bay Wisconsin, was
summoned to Ceylon to be consecrated the first Bishop for the Church in
America. The consecration took place at the Church of Our Lady of Good
Death, Colombo Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and was done canonically resulting from
a Bull issued by His Holiness Ignatius Peter III, Patriarch of the Orthodox
Syrian Church of Antioch. He was consecrated by Archbishop Julius Alvarez I
(a Portugese convert to Orthodoxy from Roman Catholicism), Archbishop Paul
Athanasius (Bishop of Kottayam), and Archbishop George Gregorius (Bishop of
Niranam) who was later canonized a saint of the Indian (Malankara) Church.
The Bull authorizing the consecration was issued on December 29, 1891 and he
was given the name “Timotheos”. The American Church eventually separated
from the Orthodox Syrian Church over politics and a difference of opinion
regarding the Council of Chalcedon, which the American Church accepted along
with all seven Ecumenical Councils. So, Archbishop Timotheos was appointed
Archbishop for the Americas by Patrairch Ignatius Peter III, and he returned
to the United States and continued to establish parishes in Wisconsin,
Michigan, Illinois and New York. Many of these parishes still stand today,
although some have been sold or taken over by other denominations during
some trying times experienced after the death of Archbishop Timotheos on
July 8, 1929. The Church was originally known as the “American Orthodox Archdiocese,” but because of several schisms which caused various
unorthodox groups to form, the Church was later renamed and restructured.
Today, the name American Orthodox Catholic Church is used by many Old
Catholic groups.
Although the Apostolic Succession of the True Antiochian Orthodox Church
dates back to His Eminence Archbishop Timotheos (Vilathi),
Proto-Metropolitan Archbishop of the Church in the United States, who
brought the Syrian Succession to the American Church, it also possesses
succession from the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church from Archbishop
Konstantin (Wendland). The Russian Succession comes into the Church through
Archbishop John (Skureth) who was born on January 8, 1933, and after years
of education and priestly formation and eventual ordination to priest in the
Antiochian Orthodox Church of America under Metropolitan Archbishop Michael
(Shaheen), he was later consecrated by Bishop William Henry Francis
Brothers, a Bishop in the Vilathi Succession. Father Skureth immediately
began establishing missions and promoting the Church throughout Northern
Indiana where he established Holy Martyrs of Port Royal Cathedral. After a
time of dialogue with the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church, it was
decided that he be regularized by them and made a Bishop. On April 17, 1966,
he was consecrated a Bishop by Archbishop Konstantin Nikolaevich (Wendland)
of the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in America, assisted by
Archbishop Dosifej (Ivanchenko) in New York. Archbishop John served the
Church for several years as pastor of Holy Martyrs of Port Royal Cathedral,
Gary Indiana, which was a beautiful structure that was sold and razed in the
1970’s becoming a parking lot for Mercy Hospital. Holy Martyrs Church,
Hobart Indiana, later became the new parish founded by Archbishop John. He
also, before this in Michigan City Indiana, served St. George Syrian
Orthodox Church (Antiochian Archdiocese). It was Archbishop John who later
consecrated Joseph Gabriel Sokolowski who eventually became the fifth
Metropolitan Archbishop of the Church.
Archbishop Joseph was born on October 27, 1903, in Kracow Poland, and came
to the United States in 1913. He first studied with the Roman Catholic
Franciscans of Pulaski Wisconsin, and although he loved the old traditions
of Roman Catholicism, he entered Orthodoxy in the 1950’s. After
joining the Orthodox Church, he founded St. Paul the Apostle
Monastery (Rolling Prairie Indiana) around 1955, and was ordained deacon on
February 13, 1957 by Most Reverend Stephan (Siniotis), and on May 22, 1961
he was ordained priest by Most Reverend Francis Resch of the Independent
Diocese of Kankakee Illinois. Father Sokolowski labored day after day for
nearly thirty-five years building shrines and chapels on the over six acres
of land that was owned by St. Paul’s Orthodox Monastery in Rolling
Prairie Indiana. He toiled effortlessly to create gardens of beauty that
attracted many thousands of people annually from all faiths. The monastery
was listed in the “Guide to Indiana Attractions”. To support the monastery,
he collected and sold antiques for many years until his death. On December
16, 1964, he was named Abbot General of the Oblates of St. Benedict and on
March 16, 1970, he was consecrated Bishop by Archbishop John, who was
assisted by Bishop Francis. Bishop Joseph continued to work the monastery
grounds and celebrate liturgies each Sunday. Because of the various ethnic
groups that visisted St Paul’s he would often celebrate Liturgy in English,
Polish, and even Latin. Eventually, St. Mary’s Chapel was erected on the
same grounds which was adorned with many antique icons and other religious
artifacts, and attracted people from Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana,
and many other states and foreign countries to see the beauty he created.
Although robbed several times by those he took in and gave comfort to, he
continued to keep the grounds open and available to all who wished to visit.
In the early 1980’s, arthritis captured the health of Archbishop Joseph, but
he continued to work and celebrate the Holy Mysteries although assisted by
other clergy in the last two years of his life until his death on April 2,
1989. Archbishop Joseph consecrated three Bishops: Stanislaus Bullock, Tage
Howes, and Stephen Thomas, the latter of which was elected and enthroned as
sixth Metropolitan Archbishop and Protohierarch by Metropolitan Archbishop
Joseph in 1987, just before his death.
On
October 18, 1987, Bishop-elect Stephen was consecrated by Archbishop Joseph,
assisted by Archbishop George of Chicago Illinois and Bishop Norman of
Indiana, at St. Mary’s Chapel in Rolling Prairie Indiana. Bishop Stephen was
previously ordained deacon and priest in the Greek Orthodox Church
(Ecumenical Patriarchate) at Holy Cross-St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Church,
Chicago Illinois in January 1976. However, after the death of his ordaining
prelate, Bishop Timotheos of Rodostolon of Blessed Memory, the jealousy of
another local priest and politics and unwarranted demands of a new
administration soon caused him to leave the Greek Orthodox Church and
incardinate temporarily under Archbishop Pangratios who made him an
Archimandrite, but a few years later he joined with Archbishop Joseph.
Archbishop Stephen consecrated Bishops Douglas (O’Connor) of Blessed Memory,
Anthony (DeLuca) now schismatic and deposed, George (Singleton) now
schismatic and deposed, John (Sowrimuthu), John (Utz), and Timothy (Kjera).
In August of 2007 His Beatitude will consecrate Archimandrite Cyril (Cranshaw)
to the Holy Episcopacy and will become the first Bishop of Central and South
America. He wll serve the Metroplia as an Auxiliary Bishop. The Coadjutor of
the Metropolia, Bishop Timothy, in October 2006, consecrated Bishop Simeon
of Cleveland OH assisted by Romanian Bishop Stefan and Byelorussian
Archbishop Jovan. There are over 25,000 faithful represented in the Church
in. the Archdiocese of the Americas & Diaspora that includes the Diocese of
Cuba, Diocese of India, Diocese of Nigeria, and the Vicariates of Pakistan,
Kenya, Congo, Nicaragua, Tanzania, Spain, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico, and
the United Kingdom. The Eastern Orthodox Synod of Bishops oversees
seminaries and schools in various countries, e.g., Holy Trinity Seminary in
Pakistan, St Mark – Romano Byzantine College (USA), St Mark-Romano Byzantine
College Extension of Canada (Ontario), St. Basil Seminary (Cuba), St
Vasilios Seminary and University (Greece), St Nicholas-Romano Byzantine
Institute of Tanzania, and Hellenic Orthodox University and St. Dionyssios
Seminary both of Greece. The Dean of Academic Affairs is Dr Basil Gikas. In
addition, the Synod oversees the work of the Commission on Religious
Counseling & Healing, the Metropolia Canon Law Society, and the Christ the
Pantocrator Sovereign Order of Chivalry, under the current administration of
Father Eric Demetrios Wruch DC.
Customs and Beliefs
– The True Antiochian Orthodox Church is an Eastern Rite jurisdiction,
i.e., it uses the Eastern Orthodox rituals and the Divine Liturgy of St John
Chrysostom. It does allow the Liturgy of St Peter to be used by parishes
that were originally formed as Western Rite. The Liturgy of Saint John was
modified for use by the Synod. The Liturgy of Saint Basil is celebrated ten
times a year as with all other Orthodox Christian Churches. The True Antiochian Orthodox Church differs from some other Eastern Rites in liturgical
dress. Priests wear a white alb, stole (epitrachelion), and chasuble (phelonion)
as do all jurisdictions, and has always allowed the wearing of a zone or a
cincture, and cuffs are optional but have become more endorsed by the
Metropolia since January 2007. As with some other jurisdictions, and
according to ancient Byzantine custom, bishops and priests wear the same
liturgical vestments with the exception that bishops also wear the Pectoral
Cross, Panaghia, Omophorion, Eepigonation, and Zzucchetto (Bishop’s Scufa).
The Mitre is worn by bishops, and the Saccos is worn by the bishops,
replacing the phelon (chasuble), for ordination and certain religious
events. The Church follows Byzantine tradition in the administration of the
Sacraments (Holy Mysteries), and Baptism, Chrismation, and Holy Communion
are given together, to both infants and adults being baptized. Married men
may be ordained to the Order of Deacon and Order of Priest, but are no
longer free to marry once ordained to the diaconate. Holy Unction is
administered to the sick and dying by priests. Only monastic (celibate or
unmarried) priests may be ordained (consecrated) bishops of the Church.
Priests whose wives pass on must remain celibate and then also become
eligible for the Holy Episcopacy. Married Bishops who are incardinated lives
as decreed by the Canons of the Holy Church Fathers. As with all Churches of Orthodox Faith
women are not allowed to be ordained because of tradition and the decrees of
the early Church Fathers.
It is a
teaching of the Church (based on biblical facts) that prayer, fasting, good
nutrition, and herbs are necessary for good health and wellness. The first
Protohierarch of the United States, Metropolitan Archbishop Timotheos (Vilathi),
was himself a skilled doctor of Chiropractic. So theocentric healing has
always been part of the healing ministry of the jurisdiction.
Hyperveneration is given to icons, and statues are not allowed. It is a
scriptural Church which teaches that both faith and good works are necessary
for salvation. The Church believes that the Blessed Virgin Mary, Theotokos,
was the birth-giver of our Lord Jesus Christ and remained ever-virgin.
Although her conception was immaculate and of the Holy Spirit, Orthodox do
not accept the Roman dogma of “Immaculate Conception” as only Christ was
born without sin. Communion is given to the faithful under both species,
Body (Bread) and Blood (Wine), and the Real Presence is believed. The Church
has one “religious community” of monks and nuns, The Monastic Community of
Saint Basil, which is headquartered at St John’s Monastery in Nicaragua.
Nuns of the Monastic Community are referred to as the Sisters of the
Community of St Basil and are headquartered in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo (Africa) at St Mary Mother of God Convent. There is a community of
“lay religious” known as the Companions of St Basil open to married or
single men and women. The Church follows the Julian Calendar for
ecclesiastical matters and does not regard the Gregorian Calendar as sinful.
The Church strongly believes in the Separation of Church and State, and owes
its total existence and obedience to Almighty God.
The
Metropolia is in communion with the Byelorussian Orthodox Autocephalous
Church in Exile (ArchbBishop Jovan), and the Belarusan Autocephalous
Orthodox Church (Archbishop Jovan), and some others. Through the Council of
Canonical Autocephalous Orthodox Bishops it enjoys dialogue with the
American Orthodox Catholic Church (Archbishop Samuel); Christian Orthodox
Church (Bishop Ignatius); Holy Orthodox Church – Former Exarchate of the
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria (Archbishop Anthony); and
Norhteastern Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Archbishop
Paul). It is also in dialogue with several other jurisdictions.
ARCHBISHOPS
ORDINARY
OF THE PRIMATIAL
ARCHDIOCESE SINCE 1892
Prepared for the Holy Metropolis on
October 17, AD 2014. To be updated when necessary.
Note: In the case of His Beatitude
Metropolitan Joseph G Sokolowski, he retired in 1988 when His Beatitude
Metropolitan Stephen R Thomas was elected his successor, although he did not
begin his primacy until his predecessor passed away in 1989 when
Metropolitan Stephen was enthroned. There is no year of death for His
Beatitude Metropolitan Stephen Thomas as he is still Primate and serving
actively. The following shows only the “legitimate” Primates and Archbishops
with Roman Numerals.
His Beatitude
Metropolitan Timotheos Vilathi
I Primate Archbishop (1892-1920 / D. 1929)
I Primate
His Beatitude
Metropolitan Frederick E Lloyd
II Primate Archbishop (1920-1932 / D. 1933)
II Primate
His Eminence
Archbishop Daniel Hinton
Begins the Heretical Line of Archbishops
Archbishop (1932-1933 D. ?)
His Eminence
Archbishop Perry Wise Clarkson
Archbishop (1933-1941 / D.1942)
His Eminence
Archbishop Lowell Paul Wadle
Archbishop (1942-1951 / D.1965)
The Archdiocesan See became vacant until 1966.
His Beatitude
Metropolitan Joseph John Skureth
Ends heretical line of Archbishops
III Primate Archbishop (1966-1989 / D. 2013)
III Primate
His Beatitude
Metropolitan Joseph Gabriel Sokolowski
IV Primate Archbishop (1980-1988 / D. 1989)
IV Primate
His Beatitude
Metropolitan Stephen Robert Thomas
V Primate (1989 – Present)
In 2009 began the new tradition of electing an
Archbishop for the Primatial Archdiocese instead of the Primate serving as
both Primate and Archbishop-Ordinary of the Archdiocese of the Americas and
Dependencies, who, if chosen by the Primate, also serves as Coadjutor of the
Primate and the Holy Metropolis. The first being His Eminence Archbishop
Timothy Aaron Kjera.
His Eminence
Archbishop Timothy Aaron Kjera (2009 – Present)
VI Archbishop Ordinary of the Primatial
Archdiocese and
Coadjutor of the Holy Metropolis