The Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church of America

What is Orthodoxy?

The Holy Catholic Church was established by Our Lord Jesus Christ in A.D. 33. It has remained unchanged down to the present day. Due to the Great Schism in A.D. 1054, the Eastern Byzantine Church began referring to themselves as the Orthodox Church to differentiate themselves from the errors of the Roman Catholic Church.

Orthodox Christianity is timeless. Its worship and liturgy have a sense of profound sacredness not found anywhere else. Its appeal is in the beauty of its truth and sincerity. It is not the official property of the Eastern Churches, neither is it dependent upon some bishopric of a foreign nation. It is the timeless Christian Faith that has been handed down to us through the Apostles.

Why is there a need for a Western-Rite Orthodox Church?

Rome has fallen into modernism and Eastern Orthodoxy struggles with ethnic phyletism. America has a need for all Christians who acknowledge the Tradition and Faith of the Undivided Church, and who observe a Western expression of that Faith, to unite in an Orthodox Catholic Church.

The basis of this is not compromise but sincere conviction that in order to be faithful to Christ we must return to our roots, to a time when the Church was one in both East and West.

The vehicle for this is a Synod of Bishops who hold the same Orthodox Faith, unschismed Orthodox orders, and Western Rite practice to come together to pray, grow, and work toward the unity of the Orthodox Church worldwide.

What Liturgy is used?

The standard is the ancient Orthodox liturgy of St. Gregory the Great. Within the Roman Family of uses (Roman, Old Catholic, Anglican) the ancient Roman Rite holds pre-eminence. However, a form of the Anglican Use has also been acknowledged by the Orthodox, called the St. Tikhon’s Liturgy, and has restored all the central prayers of the ancient Western Rite. Both liturgies are recognized by all canonical Orthodox Western Rite Vicariates around the world and form the basis of our Jurisdiction’s liturgical practice. Bishops will decide, in consultation with the Rectors and People of parishes, which Liturgy will be best suited to minister to the people of each place.

Please see the Library for more information about Liturgies and Propers for the Liturgy.

What Calendar do you use?

Our Jurisdiction honors the Orthodox Paschalion together with other Old Calendar Churches.

What is our mission?

Our mission is to facilitate, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Saviour and the following of Him as Lord within His Body, the Orthodox Catholic Church.

With whom are you in communion?

We are in communion with the Ukrainian Orthodox Archeparchate of Western Europe and Canada as a Sister Church, and through them, many other local Orthodox Churches are in communion with us. Our concordats and agreements are also available for view in the Library.

Never, never, never let anyone tell you that, in order to be Orthodox you must be Eastern. The West was fully Orthodox for a thousand years, and her venerable liturgy is far older than any of her heresies.

Saint John [Maximovitch], Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco