Russian Orthodox Church in America

The Russian Orthodox Church in America (ROCIA) is a self-governing Christian religious organization operating in continuity with historic Orthodox Christian tradition. ROCIA exists for religious worship, pastoral care, education, and charitable activities, and is governed internally by its own ecclesiastical leadership in accordance with its religious doctrine and bylaws.with valid succession to Christ that has apostolic continuation from the Russian Orthodox Church.   

The Russian Orthodox Church in America’s

faithful and clergy have been received into other Orthodox Churches including the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), the Orthodox Church in America (OCA),  Antiochian Orthodox Church, and The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America. 

Our Hierarchy has been historically recognized as "canonical" Our Orthodox bishops being invited to SCOBA but declining to attend in the end. 

To become an Orthodox Christian is not easy --- in fact it is very difficult.   Even our Liturgy is prayed with full participation of the Laity - standing (no pews).   

You have to yearn to be Eastern Orthodox Christian and work at it intensly. 

If you think you have what it takes to undertake the most serious decision in your life - we are available for counseling and catechism and you are always invited to come to our services.

A Blessing forYou.

May   “The Lord bless you and keep you; May The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; May The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” 

Numbers 6:24-26

The Russian Orthodox Church in America is an Apostolic Orthodox Catholic church with direct succession from the Apostle Saint Andrew. 

We established a new tradition in North America that was separate from any other particular ethnic or cultural traditions and to restore order to Orthodoxy in America.  The original goal of our Church was to proselytize the Americans in English with a liturgical style they were familiar with.

Several factors played into our formation.  The biggest factor was Ukase 362 by Saint Tikhon which stated that in the event of a breakdown of the church through Persecution by the Bolsheviks in the Russian Revolution and the disruption of the Russian Orthodox Church worldwide that the Bishops were to carry on as best they could and ultimately, if necessary,  needed to revert back to the Canonical Status of the Early Church returning to the basics of the definition of a Church under Original Canon Law (A church is A Bishop, his clergy, and his laity) - and thus our existence was created  in large part by the chaos of the disintegration of the Russian Church worldwide  - in America  - and in Russia.  This Ukase specifically stated that in such circumstances the LOCAL Bishop (including the diaspora)  should continue His Church as autocephalous until such time as the disruption stopped - in this case, the Bolsheviks and Communists of Soviet Russia, 

The breakdown of Church Order described in Ukase 362 continues to this day.

Evidence that the Disruptions beginning with the Bolsheviks have not subsided and are evidenced by continuing Chaos and lack of communication with Russia  even up to the War in Ukraine 2022 resulting in fracturing of Ukrainian Orthodox Church - in The cross anathematisation of Orthodox churches worldwide even  involving The Patriarch of Constantinople - all this reveals a very ugly polemic side to Orthodox Christianity and shows the chaos that persists in the Orthodox World as a direct result of the chaos in Russia and in the USA all starting in the early part of the 20th century. 

We exist in true apostolic succession.

we want to live in brotherhood so we ask our brothers in Christ for unity with us - however we reserve the right to legal action due to libel and slander as we can no longer tolerate the abuse

  John 13:34–35,  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

Modern Day Americans have NO IDEA how agregious the bolsheviks were to the Russian Orthodox Church.  To give you and idea - at the start of the Bolsheviks taking power  - up until till 1980's, there were approximately 54,000 Russian Orthodox churches across the Russian Empire ( large and small) at the fall of the soviet union there were estimates that only 224 remained - most converted to movie theatres offices and libraries - the rest obliterated.

 Stalin went back and forth in persucuting the church depending upon his whims but was more effective and brutal than the Bolsheviks if that is possible.   All clergy who did not cooperate where summarily executed or shipped to Siberia and worked to death

May God bless the holy martyrs of Russia

May all give homage to the Martyrs of Russian

In Russia, Saint Tikhon, being severely persecuted by the Bolshevils and in turn  by communists, was imprisoned and died suddenly under suspicious circumstances.  ( he was poisened)

After his death The Canonical Chaos of the Ethnic Orthodox in America lead to the sinful fracturing all of Orthodoxy in America, resulting in the theft and persecution of  of churches , heritage, rights, the truth 

The state of affairs in the Orthodoxy in the America's in 1933 with regard to establishment of order in American orthodoxy and contributed to the impairment of THEOCACNA and culminated with the death of Bishop Sophronios of Los Angeles in 1940 (some say Sophrinios was targeted by KGB directed by Stalin to sew chaos in America). 

Joseph Zuk was definitely assassinated by the Russian Communists in Florida in the late 30's which left the AOCC unsupported and alone - but still VALID

Our hertigage survived - and passed on apostolic succession to us.
 

 The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in America views the subject of canonicity CORRECTLY.  Although invited to join the Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops, the Synod maintains that since it was given sole oversight of the Orthodox Christians in the Western Hemisphere, it cannot yield that responsibility by joining what is merely a working group that has no power in ecclesiastical matters and is egregious in allowing foreign patriarchs have a direct say in the functions of the orthodox church in america. -  it is kind of like having Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church.- which should be viewed as an abomination by Orthodoxy

The continuing chaos of the various factions of Orthodox Churches contiues to this day.

 We are an Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America here to unite all the Orthodox factions in the Americas - human nature being what it is - the various ethnic factions have decided not to follow Eastern Orthodox norms in having a single Bishop in a territory be the Primate. 

Thus we have Russians, Ukrainians, Greek, Arabic, Coptic, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Bulgarian ... etc etc. each with their own enclave of power

Even among the Russians - we have divisions in the OCA ROCOR ROAC OLD CALANDARISTS ... sinful fracturing -sinful human men vying for power and property 

May God forgive them that persecute us due to their own insecurities and unchristian behavior.

We forgive them - and are ready to unify when they are ... ask yourself why won't they unify?

"There are two [denominations], one that is man-made with man-made laws. It is corrupt, false and misleading. It denies the will of the Living God, that reveals itself to the heart of man. It makes slaves and bond-servants of those who choose to obey it. There is another [denomination, THE CHURCH,] the only one for me, for it is the Church of Jesus Christ, imbued with His Spirit, attentive to the Word and Will of God. That is the Church I recognize."

--The Most Reverend Aftimios Ofiesh, Archbishop of Brooklyn , in a letter to the Editor of The Syrian World, June 12, 1933 [with translation corrected]

Born of a Serbian Orthodox heritage, Vladyka Ioan has devoted his life to the deep well of Orthodox faith and tradition. He has delved profoundly into Orthodox theology and is recognized for his mastery of early canon law. Beyond this, he has studied extensively the liturgical chant traditions of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches, as well as Anglican chant, assembling a remarkable Anthology of Liturgical Music for the Liturgies of ROCIA—an offering both scholarly and prayerful.

Through untiring years of faithful service to Vladyka Symeon and Archbishop Gregory Athanasius, he has carried forward ROCIA’s rightful place within Orthodox Christianity. In a moment of quiet truth, one of the leading bishops in America once expressed sorrow to Vladyka Ioan for the manner in which mainstream Orthodoxy had mistreated him and his Church—a testimony not of grievance, but of endurance.

Now, Archbishop Ioan stands humbled beyond measure to steward this beautiful Church into the future. The task before him is immense—one that would cause many to falter. Yet his unwavering belief in the mission of ROCIA sustains his labor and propels his earnest quest for unity with all Orthodox Christians.

We pray for unity.

Axios. Axios. Axios.

May God be his guide, and may his years be many and fruitful.