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Metropolitan +MICHAEL, Primate of OCA-UAOC, with Ecumenical Patriarch +BARTHOLOMEW (circa 1997, Greek Archdiocese)
Apostolic Succession of the OCA-UAOC / SEC
(Episcopal Heritage from the UAOC, ROC and GOC)
MICHAEL (Kirkland), Primate, OCA, consecrated Bishop on September 20, 1986
by Cathedral headed by Metropolitan PETER (Zhurawetsky)
PETER Andreas (Zhurawetsky), consecrated Bishop on October 15, 1950
by Cathedral headed by Metropolitan JOSEPH (Klymowcz)
+ Consecration authenticated by Patriarch NICHOLAS of Alexandria +
JOSEPH (Klymowcz), consecrated Bishop on 10 October 1930
by KONSTANTINE (Kuryllo) of the Ruthinian Orthodox Church and confirmed in 1935
at St. Nicholas Cathedral in NYC by Metropolitan NICHOLAS (Kedroffsky)
NICHOLAS (Kedroffsky), consecrated Bishop on November 3, 1935
at the Cathedral by Archbishop CHRISTOPHER (Contogeorge)
CHRISTOPHER (Contogeorge), consecrated Bishop on February 10, 1934
at the Cathedral by Bishop SOPHRONIOS (Bashira)
+ Consecration authenticated by Ecumenical Patriarch ATHENAGORAS +
SOPHRONIOS (Bashira), consecrated Bishop on May 26, 1928
at the Cathedral by Archbishop AFTIMIOS (Ofiesh)
AFTIMIOS (Ofiesh), consecrated Bishop on May 31, 1917
at the Cathedral by Metropolitan EVDOKIM (Mischersky)
+ Consecration authenticated by Patriarch St. TIKHON of Moscow +
EVDOKIM (Mischersky), consecrated Bishop on December 13, 1904
at Cathedral by Metropolitan Saint MACARIUS (Nevskij) who was
Metropolitan of Moscow during final years of Tsar Nicholas ll
Missionary and Apostle/Enlightener of the Altai Republic
(Episcopal Heritage from the UAOC, ROC and GOC)
MICHAEL (Kirkland), Primate, OCA, consecrated Bishop on September 20, 1986
by Cathedral headed by Metropolitan PETER (Zhurawetsky)
PETER Andreas (Zhurawetsky), consecrated Bishop on October 15, 1950
by Cathedral headed by Metropolitan JOSEPH (Klymowcz)
+ Consecration authenticated by Patriarch NICHOLAS of Alexandria +
JOSEPH (Klymowcz), consecrated Bishop on 10 October 1930
by KONSTANTINE (Kuryllo) of the Ruthinian Orthodox Church and confirmed in 1935
at St. Nicholas Cathedral in NYC by Metropolitan NICHOLAS (Kedroffsky)
NICHOLAS (Kedroffsky), consecrated Bishop on November 3, 1935
at the Cathedral by Archbishop CHRISTOPHER (Contogeorge)
CHRISTOPHER (Contogeorge), consecrated Bishop on February 10, 1934
at the Cathedral by Bishop SOPHRONIOS (Bashira)
+ Consecration authenticated by Ecumenical Patriarch ATHENAGORAS +
SOPHRONIOS (Bashira), consecrated Bishop on May 26, 1928
at the Cathedral by Archbishop AFTIMIOS (Ofiesh)
AFTIMIOS (Ofiesh), consecrated Bishop on May 31, 1917
at the Cathedral by Metropolitan EVDOKIM (Mischersky)
+ Consecration authenticated by Patriarch St. TIKHON of Moscow +
EVDOKIM (Mischersky), consecrated Bishop on December 13, 1904
at Cathedral by Metropolitan Saint MACARIUS (Nevskij) who was
Metropolitan of Moscow during final years of Tsar Nicholas ll
Missionary and Apostle/Enlightener of the Altai Republic
Apostolic Succession of His Grace +MICHAEL
Receiving All Apostolic Authority as Successor of Saint Peter and the Apostles
from
Our Blessed Lord God and Saviour Jesus ChristIn 1593 the Great Church of Constantinople Confirmed the Patriarchate of Moscow;
The Holy Synod, including the Metropolitans of Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kyiv elected the former ruling Archbishop in North America, +TIKHON (Bellavin), as Patriarch of Moscow;
The Holy Synod of Moscow and +TIKHON (Bellavin) elected Abdulla +AFTIMIOS (Ofiesh) to serve in America, who on 31 May 1917 at St. Nicholas Russian Cathedral in New York City had been consecrated by +EVDOKIM (Mischersky), +ALEXANDROVICH (Nemolovsky) and +STEPHEN (Dzubai) for the Syrian Greek Orthodox Catholic Mission in North America;
Who on 26 May 1928 at St. Nicholas Cathedral in New York with +EMMANUEL (Abo-Hatab) and +ELIAS of Tyre consecrated +SOPHRONIOS (Bashira) for the Greek Diocese of Los Angeles;
Who on 10 February 1934 at Sts. Constantine & Helen G.O. Church in New York City with +THEOPHANIES (Noli) consecrated +CHRISTOPHOROS (Contogeorge) for Philadelphia and in 1947 made Exarch of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria in the United States;
Who on 3 November 1935 at St. Nicholas Cathedral with +AMBROSIUS of Aman, Jordan
consecrated +NICHOLAS (Kedroffsky) for the Russian Diocese and the Aleutian Islands;
Who in 1935 at St. Nicholas Russian Cathedral with +ARSENIOS (Saltas) and +BENJAMIN (Fedchenkoff) consecrated +JOSEPH (Klymowycz) for the Russian Diocese of New York;
Who on 15 October 1950 at Sts. Peter & Paul R.O. Church in Springfield, Massachusetts with +KONSTANTIN (Jaroshevich), +JOSEPH (Zielonka) and +NICHOLAS (Bohatyretz) consecrated +PETER Andreas (Zhurawetzky) for the Ukrainian Orthodox Diocese of New Jersey;
Who on 20 September 1986 at St. Ignatius Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Orlando, Florida with +NIKOLAUS (Ilnyckyj) and +DAVID (Baxter), during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and in the presence of 350 Devoted Faithful, did consecrate the Servant of God +MICHAEL Dwight Peter (Kirkland) for the Orthodox Church of America - UAOC;
In 1994 he became Moderator for the Standing Episcopal Conference of Orthodox Bishops;
On 15 November 1997 +MICHAEL was invited by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and was received by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch +BARTHOLOMEUS I in Pittsburgh;
On 21 August 2002 the President of the Holy Governing Synod of the Ukrainian
Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the United States confirmed the Canonicity
of the Episcopal Consecration of +MICHAEL and inclusion in the Diptychs of the UAOC;
On 15 April 2024 His Beatitude +AMVROSIJ (Dolgorouky), Metropolitan Archbishop and
Canonical Successor of Metropolitan +HRYHORIJ (Ohijchuk) and Metropolitan +CHRISTOPHOROS (Contogeorge) and Primate of the Joint Synod of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the United States and former Exarchate of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and confirmed that Metropolitan +MICHAEL (Kirkland) is listed in the Dyptychs.
There is no doubt regarding the validity of these consecrations: On 1 March 1945 a letter was issued by +ATHENAGORAS (Spyrou) Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarch confirming validity of the acts of +CHRISTOPHOROS (Contogeorge). +ATHENAGORAS became Ecumenical Patriarch in 1948.
Receiving All Apostolic Authority as Successor of Saint Peter and the Apostles
from
Our Blessed Lord God and Saviour Jesus ChristIn 1593 the Great Church of Constantinople Confirmed the Patriarchate of Moscow;
The Holy Synod, including the Metropolitans of Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kyiv elected the former ruling Archbishop in North America, +TIKHON (Bellavin), as Patriarch of Moscow;
The Holy Synod of Moscow and +TIKHON (Bellavin) elected Abdulla +AFTIMIOS (Ofiesh) to serve in America, who on 31 May 1917 at St. Nicholas Russian Cathedral in New York City had been consecrated by +EVDOKIM (Mischersky), +ALEXANDROVICH (Nemolovsky) and +STEPHEN (Dzubai) for the Syrian Greek Orthodox Catholic Mission in North America;
Who on 26 May 1928 at St. Nicholas Cathedral in New York with +EMMANUEL (Abo-Hatab) and +ELIAS of Tyre consecrated +SOPHRONIOS (Bashira) for the Greek Diocese of Los Angeles;
Who on 10 February 1934 at Sts. Constantine & Helen G.O. Church in New York City with +THEOPHANIES (Noli) consecrated +CHRISTOPHOROS (Contogeorge) for Philadelphia and in 1947 made Exarch of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria in the United States;
Who on 3 November 1935 at St. Nicholas Cathedral with +AMBROSIUS of Aman, Jordan
consecrated +NICHOLAS (Kedroffsky) for the Russian Diocese and the Aleutian Islands;
Who in 1935 at St. Nicholas Russian Cathedral with +ARSENIOS (Saltas) and +BENJAMIN (Fedchenkoff) consecrated +JOSEPH (Klymowycz) for the Russian Diocese of New York;
Who on 15 October 1950 at Sts. Peter & Paul R.O. Church in Springfield, Massachusetts with +KONSTANTIN (Jaroshevich), +JOSEPH (Zielonka) and +NICHOLAS (Bohatyretz) consecrated +PETER Andreas (Zhurawetzky) for the Ukrainian Orthodox Diocese of New Jersey;
Who on 20 September 1986 at St. Ignatius Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Orlando, Florida with +NIKOLAUS (Ilnyckyj) and +DAVID (Baxter), during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and in the presence of 350 Devoted Faithful, did consecrate the Servant of God +MICHAEL Dwight Peter (Kirkland) for the Orthodox Church of America - UAOC;
In 1994 he became Moderator for the Standing Episcopal Conference of Orthodox Bishops;
On 15 November 1997 +MICHAEL was invited by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and was received by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch +BARTHOLOMEUS I in Pittsburgh;
On 21 August 2002 the President of the Holy Governing Synod of the Ukrainian
Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the United States confirmed the Canonicity
of the Episcopal Consecration of +MICHAEL and inclusion in the Diptychs of the UAOC;
On 15 April 2024 His Beatitude +AMVROSIJ (Dolgorouky), Metropolitan Archbishop and
Canonical Successor of Metropolitan +HRYHORIJ (Ohijchuk) and Metropolitan +CHRISTOPHOROS (Contogeorge) and Primate of the Joint Synod of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the United States and former Exarchate of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and confirmed that Metropolitan +MICHAEL (Kirkland) is listed in the Dyptychs.
There is no doubt regarding the validity of these consecrations: On 1 March 1945 a letter was issued by +ATHENAGORAS (Spyrou) Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarch confirming validity of the acts of +CHRISTOPHOROS (Contogeorge). +ATHENAGORAS became Ecumenical Patriarch in 1948.
Our Ministry ~ "...into all the World"
FAITHFUL & DEDICATED CLERGY
FAITHFUL & DEDICATED CLERGY
Opening of the Temple of the Holy Spirit in Kyiv, Ukraine by Hierarchs of the Holy Synod
Bishop +MICHAEL at Consecration of +JOSEPH in Canada
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"Little Children Come Unto Me"
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When asking any question about the OCA-UAOC, or about any Orthodox Church, it is important to remember how the Church is structured. Unlike the Roman Catholics, the Orthodox Church is not defined by being "in Communion with" any particular Bishop. The Patriarch of Constantinople may have the title of Ecumenical Patriarch but the only thing he can do, which no other Bishop can do, is host a pan-Orthodox council. The Eastern Orthodox Church is actually a family of many churches, each of which is independent, all observing the same ecclesiastical canons, sharing the same doctrine and Creed, which the Orthodox Church has been following for many centuries.
Believers at Sunday Divine Liturgy
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Believers after Sunday Liturgy
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Glorification of St. Alexander Man in Moscow
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Metropolitan +STEPHEN and Blessing of the Greater Waters in Kiev
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Mission of St. Isidore in the Philippines
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It must also be noted, regarding the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, that on November 2, 2018, the Ecumenical Patriarchate declared that it recognized the sacraments as performed by the UOC-KP (Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kyiv Patriarchate) and UAOC (Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church) as valid. It was further stated from this meeting that "when there is some talk about the non-canonicity of the Holy Sacraments celebrated by the clergy of these churches, the Holy Mother Church has answered. These Sacraments and clerical actions are canonical."
Our Canonical ties with the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America
THE UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH
In joint Synod with the former Exarchate of North America of the
Venerable and Ancient Patriarchate of Alexandria
His Beatitude the Most Reverend Metropolitan Archbishop
Amvrosij
Former Exarch
Email: ambrosemet@gmail.com
15/28 April 2024
Metropolitan +MICHAEL Kirkland,
We greet you and want to confirm that you are a Hierarch of our Joint Synod and included in the Diptychs of the canonical Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the United Staes.
By being consecrated by Metropolitan +HRYHORIJ....We are in the APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION FROM St. Peter and the Patriarchate of Antioch. By +NIKOLAUS Ilnyckyj consecrating, we are in your own APOSTOLIC Succession of the Orthodox Church of America…being the true American Orthodox Church … from the original Russian Mission. By having Archbishop +NICHOLAS Pelesh...I succeed Archbishop +CHRISTOPHOROS Contogeorge and Archbishop +ARSENIOS Saltas. Patriarch +MSTYSLAV recognized me as successor of +HRYHORIJ and +CHRISTOPHOROS.
We served as representative in the Americas for the Patriarchate of Alexandria and for the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. We actually succeed +PETER Zhurawetsky and +NIKOLAUS Ilnyckyj who consecrated you to the Sacred Episcopacy. In us is united the Orthodox Church of America, i.e. the American Orthodox Church, which is the original Russian Mission to America AND the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. Both are recognized as canonical by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
Three of the bishops who consecrated us are the three bishops who consecrated Archbishop +DIONYSIOS Makrokambrakis, the last Exarch of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in the Americas and in communion with my Synod. +DMITRI, Vicar Bishop of Patriarch +MAXIMUS V Hakim for the Melkite Greek Catholics, was one of our Consecrators in Rome, Chicago and New York and remained Secretary of the Synod of +HRYHORIJ and then of Ourself from 1976 until his death in 2010.
The Exarchate of the Patriarchate of Alexandria was granted autocephaly by Patriarch Nicholas VI. We were in that Synod and they were in communion with our UAOC Synod. See mention of that on the Internet page which you have on your website.
Being in the Apostolic Succession from St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Andrew, St. Mark, St. James, first bishop of Jerusalem, We, +AMBROSE, Metropolitan and Archbishop grant to you and the Faithful of the Orthodox Church of America Our Apostolic Blessing and ask your prayers for Our Humility,
+AMBROSE Metropolitan Archbishop Primate
S/ AMVROSIJ
UAOC Kiev and America and Dependencies
Senior Hierarch
In joint Synod with the former Exarchate of North America of the
Venerable and Ancient Patriarchate of Alexandria
His Beatitude the Most Reverend Metropolitan Archbishop
Amvrosij
Former Exarch
Email: ambrosemet@gmail.com
15/28 April 2024
Metropolitan +MICHAEL Kirkland,
We greet you and want to confirm that you are a Hierarch of our Joint Synod and included in the Diptychs of the canonical Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the United Staes.
By being consecrated by Metropolitan +HRYHORIJ....We are in the APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION FROM St. Peter and the Patriarchate of Antioch. By +NIKOLAUS Ilnyckyj consecrating, we are in your own APOSTOLIC Succession of the Orthodox Church of America…being the true American Orthodox Church … from the original Russian Mission. By having Archbishop +NICHOLAS Pelesh...I succeed Archbishop +CHRISTOPHOROS Contogeorge and Archbishop +ARSENIOS Saltas. Patriarch +MSTYSLAV recognized me as successor of +HRYHORIJ and +CHRISTOPHOROS.
We served as representative in the Americas for the Patriarchate of Alexandria and for the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. We actually succeed +PETER Zhurawetsky and +NIKOLAUS Ilnyckyj who consecrated you to the Sacred Episcopacy. In us is united the Orthodox Church of America, i.e. the American Orthodox Church, which is the original Russian Mission to America AND the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. Both are recognized as canonical by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
Three of the bishops who consecrated us are the three bishops who consecrated Archbishop +DIONYSIOS Makrokambrakis, the last Exarch of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in the Americas and in communion with my Synod. +DMITRI, Vicar Bishop of Patriarch +MAXIMUS V Hakim for the Melkite Greek Catholics, was one of our Consecrators in Rome, Chicago and New York and remained Secretary of the Synod of +HRYHORIJ and then of Ourself from 1976 until his death in 2010.
The Exarchate of the Patriarchate of Alexandria was granted autocephaly by Patriarch Nicholas VI. We were in that Synod and they were in communion with our UAOC Synod. See mention of that on the Internet page which you have on your website.
Being in the Apostolic Succession from St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Andrew, St. Mark, St. James, first bishop of Jerusalem, We, +AMBROSE, Metropolitan and Archbishop grant to you and the Faithful of the Orthodox Church of America Our Apostolic Blessing and ask your prayers for Our Humility,
+AMBROSE Metropolitan Archbishop Primate
S/ AMVROSIJ
UAOC Kiev and America and Dependencies
Senior Hierarch
Unbroken Apostolic Succession of the OCA-UAOC and SEC.
An Unbroken Line From Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
As Transmitted to The Twelve and to the Present Age!
All lines of Apostolic Succession find their common origin in one source, Jesus Christ, brought upon those who received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:4-5, 2:1-4) and upon others during the Apostolic Age.
The Patriarchates of Jerusalem, Constantinople (seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch and now called Istanbul), Alexandria, Antioch, Moscow and Rome comprise the traditional six chief centers of Christendom. All of the centers mentioned are equal in substance. With the exception of the Patriarchate of Moscow, the other five centers originated during the Apostolic Age and were founded by the Twelve.
The Apostle Peter is considered the founder of the Church of Antioch; James, the Brother of the Lord, of the Church of Jerusalem; the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul, and Linus (II Timothy 4:21) of the Church of Rome; Mark the Evangelist of the Church of Alexandria; and, the Apostle Andrew (blood brother of St. Peter)--the "first called"-- and Stachys (Romans 16:9) of the Church of Byzantium, which was later named Constantinople in AD 330.
Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, and Moscow, with their autocephalous extensions and other Patriarchates, comprise the Eastern Church and Rome the Western--the latter, having accomplished the objective to recede from the mainstream of the Christian Church progressively at least since 1054, has nurtured the division of the Church. The Church of Rome was the first "protestant" church…protesting from the True Church, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Eastern Church, founded by Jesus Christ.
It is very misleading to apply the name "catholic" (Greek, meaning "all embracing") to the Roman Church alone, when in reality the Catholic Church is the total Church of Jesus Christ undivided. We are CATHOLIC but not Roman Catholic!
In the Book of Revelation, St. John explains the quality, character, and evolution of the Christian Church which expressed itself seven distinct ways during its formative period. It was praised and criticized by the Lord through the Evangelist, who described it by means of the Churches at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea in Asia (Revelation 1:11; 2; 3).
The Patriarch of Moscow was elevated to that status in 1589 by the Patriarch of Constantinople +JEREMIAS II, and extended its jurisdiction over all of Russia where Eastern Orthodoxy arrived in AD 988 with the Baptism of the Grand Prince Volodmyr who recognized Orthodox Christianity as the official religion in Russia. In 1593, at the Great Synod in Constantinople, the Patriarchs of Constantinople, Jerusalem, Antioch and Alexandria confirmed the Patriarchate of Moscow.
In 1721 Peter the great of Russia suppressed the election of the Patriarchs of Moscow. The Russian Church was administered by the Holy Synod which was comprised of three permanent members who were the Metropolitans of Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kyiv and of other bishops selected from various dioceses of Russia who participated in the sessions of the Synod. This Synod was recognized as the Patriarchate of Russia by the rest of Orthodoxy.
On May 4, 1793, permission was granted by the Empress Catherine II of Russia to the Holy Governing Synod of the Russian Church to establish an Orthodox Mission in America. The first missionaries arrived on Kodiak Island, Alaska on September 24, 1794. This early Russian Mission in America had the following Episcopal succession: Bishops +JOASAF (1799), +INNOCENT (1840-1858), +PETER (1859-1867), +PAUL (1867-1870), +JOHN (1870-1876), +NESTOR (1879-1882), +VLADIMIR (1888-1891), +NICHOLAS (1891-1898), and +TIKHON (1898-1917) to the Bolshevik Revolution, overthrow & persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The former ruling Archbishop in North America, Saint +TIKHON (Vasili Ivanovich Bellavin), was elected Patriarch of Moscow, and the Patriarchate was restored in August of 1917 by the Russian Holy Synod which had convened and sought to reform conditions imposed since 1721. In effect, the Russian Church had retained its internal integrity for the period 1721-1917, but had been captive to the state.
Patriarch Saint +TIKHON and the Holy Synod of Moscow elected as bishop Abdulla +AFTIMIOS Ofiesh, a former monk who had been ordained a priest by the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. Bishop +AFTIMIOS was consecrated on May 31, 1917 at New York City by Metropolitan +EVDOKIM (Mischersky), who joined the "Living Church" in 1922 as Metropolitan of Odessa, Bishop +ALEXANDROVICH (Nemolovsky) Russian Orthodox Bishop of Canada and the Aleutian Islands and Bishop +STEPHEN (Dzubai) Russian Orthodox Bishop of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Lines of Apostolic Succession in the "new world" were further strengthened by relations with various canonical Orthodox bodies, among them, the Albanian Orthodox Church; in its long history, it was the continuation of the pristine Christian Church of Illyricum where St. Paul had proclaimed the Gospel of Christ.
On November 21, 1923 Archbishop +THEOPHANIES (Noli) was consecrated Metropolitan of Durrazzo at St. George Cathedral in Korcha, Albania by Archbishop +KRISTOFOR (Kissi) of Albania and Bishop +HIEROTHEOS (Andon-Yaho), Bishop of Miletoupolis and Exarch of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Metropolitan +THEOPHANIES considered his Albanian Orthodox Church in America as a daughter of the Russian Orthodox Church in America. He was one of the first hierarchs to call for an united Orthodox Church in the Americas and specifically for the establishment of a "conference" of Orthodox bishops. The Metropolitan was a distinguished diplomat, a delegate to the League of Nations, served in the Albanian Parliament and was elected as Prime Minister of Albania in 1924.
On February 2, 1927 Metropolitan +PLATON (Rozhdestvensky) and the Russian Holy Synod of Bishops in America charged Archbishop +AFTIMIOS (Ofiesh) "with the full responsibility and duty of caring and providing for American Orthodoxy in the special sense of Orthodox Catholic people born in America and primarily English-speaking, or any American residents of parishes of whatever nationality or linguistic character or derivation not satisfactorily provided with proper canonical Orthodox Catholic care…, or who may wish to attach themselves by the properly and legally means to an autonomous, independent, American Orthodox Catholic Church."
Archbishop +AFTIMIOS (Ofiesh), assisted by Bishop +EMMANUEL (Abo-Hatab) Bishop of Montreal and Archbishop +ELIAS of Tyre and Sidon, on May 26, 1928 consecrated Bishop +SOPHRONIOS (Bashira) as Bishop of Los Angeles, California.
Archbishop +SOPHRONIOS (Bashira) of the Greek Diocese of Los Angeles with Albanian Metropolitan +THEOPHANIES (Noli) of Boston, on February 10, 1934 at the Church of Sts. Constantine and Helen in New York City consecrated Archbishop +CHRISTOPOHER (Contogeorge) as Bishop of Philadelphia; in 1947 he was made Metropolitan of Pentapolis and Exarch for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, Egypt and All Africa, in the United States.
Archbishop +CHRISTOPHER (Contogeorge) with Albanian Metropolitan +THEOPHANIES (Noli) on August 25, 1934 at the Church of St. John the Baptist in New York City, consecrated Archbishop +ARSENIOS (Saltas); in 1954 he was made Exarch of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Egypt and All Africa, for the United States and Canada.
Archbishop +CHRISTOPHER (Contogeorge) with Bishop +AMBROSIUS of Aman, Jordan, in accordance with orders from the Holy Synod of Moscow, on November 3, 1935 consecrated Archbishop +NICHOLAS (Kedroffsky) as Archbishop of North America and the Aleutian Islands. The consecration took place at the Russian Cathedral of St. Nicholas in New York City, which was erected in November of 1902 under the auspices of Czar Nicholas II, who assisted in its maintenance until his death in 1917.
Archbishop +NICHOLAS (Kedroffsky) with Archbishop +ARSENIOS (Saltas) and Archbishop +BENJAMIN (Fedchenkoff), Patriarchal Exarch of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow, in 1935 at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas in New York City, consecrated Bishop +JOSEPH (Klymowycz) of Springfield, Massachusetts for the Russian jurisdiction.
Later, as reported in the October 14, 1950 edition of The New York Times, hierarchs met in Springfield and announced they were breaking all ties with Moscow and would function independently of Russia. Leaders of the church elected Metropolitan +JOSEPH (Klymowycz) as its first Moderator for America and Metropolitan +KONSTANTIN (Jaroshevich) was appointed to serve all foreign countries.
His Beatitude Metropolitan +JOSEPH was the founding Hierarch of the Standing Episcopal Conference of Orthodox Bishops. (In March of 1951 The SEC was fully established by Metropolitan +JOSEPH and Bishop +PETER (Zhurawetzky); a religious entity, erected and existing with the canonical authority and blessings of the Holy Synod of the American Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Eastern Church.
Archbishop +CHRISTOPHER (Contogeorge) in 1949 with Archbishop +ARSENIOS (Saltas), and with the concurrence of Albanian Metropolitan +THEOPHANIES (Noli), consecrated Archbishop +KONSTANTIN (Jaroshevich) for the Patriarchate of Alexandria.
Metropolitan +JOSEPH (Klymowycz) with Archbishop +KONSTANTIN (Jaroshevich) on October 14, 1950 at Springfield, Massachusetts consecrated Ukrainian Metropolitan +NICHOLAS (Bohatyretz) for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada.
Metropolitan +JOSEPH (Klymowycz) with Archbishop +KONSTANTIN (Jaroshevich) and Ukrainian Metropolitan +NICHOLAS (Bohatyretz) along with +JOSEPH (Zielonka) of the Polish National Catholic Church, did on October 15, 1950 at Sts. Peter and Paul Russian Orthodox Church in Springfield, Massachusetts consecrate Bishop +PETER Andreas (Zhurawetzky) for the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America.
Metropolitan +JOSEPH (Klymowycz) with Bishop +PETER (Zhurawetzky) on June 2, 1951 consecrated Archbishop +JOACHIM (Souris); he later became primate of the Autocephalous Greek Orthodox church of America.
Archbishop +JOACHIM (Souris) with Bishop +STANISLAUS (De Witow) consecrated Archbishop +WALTER (Propheta) for the American Orthodox Catholic Church who consecrated Bishop +DAVID (Baxter) on October 12, 1969 for the Orthodox Church of America.
In 1961, at the death of Metropolitan +JOSEPH, Archbishop +PETER was elected Moderator of the Standing Episcopal Conference. Metropolitan +PETER (Zhurawetzky) and Archbishop +JOACHIM (Souris) consecrated Archbishop +NIKOLAUS (Ilnyckyj) in 1973 for the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the United States.
From 1951 until 1986, Metropolitan +PETER (Zhurawetzky) was principal Consecrator of Bishops +JOACHIM (Souris), +ROBERT (Zeiger), +MARK ATHANASIUS (Karras), +WILLIAM (Morgan), +KARL (Pruter), +DANIEL (Smith), +CHRISTOPHER (Jones), +KERMIT (Poling), +ANDREI (Nowak), +CLARENCE (Quinn), +NIKOLAUS (Ilnyckyj), +LAFOND (Lapointe), +DAVID-FRANCIS (Corbet) and +MICHAEL (Kirkland).
His Beatitude Metropolitan +PETER (Zhurawetzky) and Ukrainian Archbishop +NIKOLAUS (Ilnyckyj) with Archbishop +DAVID (Baxter) of the Orthodox Church of America consecrated Bishop +MICHAEL (Kirkland) on September 20, 1986 at Orlando, Florida. The ceremonies were documented in "The Orlando Sentinel" and attended by more than 350 Faithful.
On November 15, 1986 His Beatitude +PETER forwarded news of the consecration of Bishop +MICHAEL (Kirkland) to Greek Orthodox Archbishop +IAKOVOS, Exarch of Ecumenical Patriarch +DIMITRIOS I.
From 1986 until 1994, Bishop +MICHAEL served as Synodal Secretary; after His Beatitude's repose in 1994, he was appointed by the Holy Synod of Bishops as Moderator for the Standing Episcopal Conference.
On November 15, 1997 Bishop +MICHAEL (Kirkland) was invited by Bishop +MAXIMOS of Pittsburgh to attend a special Patriarchal Vesper Service and Clergy Reception at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral for His All-Holiness +BARTHOLOMEW I Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch. This was a truly historic occasion as Bishop +MICHAEL (Kirkland) of America greeted the Ecumenical Patriarch from the Phanar in Turkey and received his Paternal Apostolic Blessings for all member Hierarchs, Clergy and Jurisdictions of Standing Episcopal Conference of Orthodox Bishops and the OCA-UAOC.
In the writings of the Early Church Fathers, we see two predominant themes regarding Apostolic Succession: historic transmission through the Twelve and the heavenly connection in the Eucharist. These principles are carried down through the centuries to canonical bishops of the present age.
As noted Orthodox historian and respected lecturer Bishop +KALLISTOS (Ware) has phrased it, "the Orthodox Church is a family of self-governing Churches. It is not held together by a centralized organization, not by a single prelate wielding absolute power over the whole body, but by the double bond of unity in Faith and communion in the Sacraments."
In a 1993 letter to Bishop +MICHAEL (Kirkland) from Mr. John H. Erickson, Associate Professor of Church History and Canon Law, Theologian and now Dean of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Crestwood, New York confirmed that "to be sure, the Orthodox East would not restrict its understanding of Apostolic Succession to a merely mechanical transmission of sacramental powers. Succession cannot be separated from what St. Irenaeus would call a 'certain charism of Truth.'" (Please see a copy of that letter under the SACRAMENTS tab above)
Simply put, pure unity of FAITH, which is grounded in the Eternal Truths...the APOSTOLIC DICTRINES found in Sacred Scripture...as delivered from Christ to His Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church--sublimely witnessed through the Seven Sacraments (Mysteries) and most especially experienced in its fullness at the Eucharistic banquet through participation in His Most Pure Body and Precious Blood-- and valid SUCCESSION, transmission of Sacramental powers from the Twelve, is what we call Orthodoxy. The Orthodox Church is the MAINSTREAM of right belief, true worship and the unbroken succession in a straight line back to the Apostles; it is the one true Church "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets" (Ephesians 2:20).
The Orthodox Church of America - Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church is composed of Dependencies, parishes, monastic houses and religious institutions in the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand & the Philippines.
The OCA/UAOC is under Spiritual Protection of the Primate and Joint Synod of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the United States and former Exarchate of the Patriarchate of Alexandria.
An Unbroken Line From Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
As Transmitted to The Twelve and to the Present Age!
All lines of Apostolic Succession find their common origin in one source, Jesus Christ, brought upon those who received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:4-5, 2:1-4) and upon others during the Apostolic Age.
The Patriarchates of Jerusalem, Constantinople (seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch and now called Istanbul), Alexandria, Antioch, Moscow and Rome comprise the traditional six chief centers of Christendom. All of the centers mentioned are equal in substance. With the exception of the Patriarchate of Moscow, the other five centers originated during the Apostolic Age and were founded by the Twelve.
The Apostle Peter is considered the founder of the Church of Antioch; James, the Brother of the Lord, of the Church of Jerusalem; the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul, and Linus (II Timothy 4:21) of the Church of Rome; Mark the Evangelist of the Church of Alexandria; and, the Apostle Andrew (blood brother of St. Peter)--the "first called"-- and Stachys (Romans 16:9) of the Church of Byzantium, which was later named Constantinople in AD 330.
Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, and Moscow, with their autocephalous extensions and other Patriarchates, comprise the Eastern Church and Rome the Western--the latter, having accomplished the objective to recede from the mainstream of the Christian Church progressively at least since 1054, has nurtured the division of the Church. The Church of Rome was the first "protestant" church…protesting from the True Church, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Eastern Church, founded by Jesus Christ.
It is very misleading to apply the name "catholic" (Greek, meaning "all embracing") to the Roman Church alone, when in reality the Catholic Church is the total Church of Jesus Christ undivided. We are CATHOLIC but not Roman Catholic!
In the Book of Revelation, St. John explains the quality, character, and evolution of the Christian Church which expressed itself seven distinct ways during its formative period. It was praised and criticized by the Lord through the Evangelist, who described it by means of the Churches at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea in Asia (Revelation 1:11; 2; 3).
The Patriarch of Moscow was elevated to that status in 1589 by the Patriarch of Constantinople +JEREMIAS II, and extended its jurisdiction over all of Russia where Eastern Orthodoxy arrived in AD 988 with the Baptism of the Grand Prince Volodmyr who recognized Orthodox Christianity as the official religion in Russia. In 1593, at the Great Synod in Constantinople, the Patriarchs of Constantinople, Jerusalem, Antioch and Alexandria confirmed the Patriarchate of Moscow.
In 1721 Peter the great of Russia suppressed the election of the Patriarchs of Moscow. The Russian Church was administered by the Holy Synod which was comprised of three permanent members who were the Metropolitans of Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kyiv and of other bishops selected from various dioceses of Russia who participated in the sessions of the Synod. This Synod was recognized as the Patriarchate of Russia by the rest of Orthodoxy.
On May 4, 1793, permission was granted by the Empress Catherine II of Russia to the Holy Governing Synod of the Russian Church to establish an Orthodox Mission in America. The first missionaries arrived on Kodiak Island, Alaska on September 24, 1794. This early Russian Mission in America had the following Episcopal succession: Bishops +JOASAF (1799), +INNOCENT (1840-1858), +PETER (1859-1867), +PAUL (1867-1870), +JOHN (1870-1876), +NESTOR (1879-1882), +VLADIMIR (1888-1891), +NICHOLAS (1891-1898), and +TIKHON (1898-1917) to the Bolshevik Revolution, overthrow & persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The former ruling Archbishop in North America, Saint +TIKHON (Vasili Ivanovich Bellavin), was elected Patriarch of Moscow, and the Patriarchate was restored in August of 1917 by the Russian Holy Synod which had convened and sought to reform conditions imposed since 1721. In effect, the Russian Church had retained its internal integrity for the period 1721-1917, but had been captive to the state.
Patriarch Saint +TIKHON and the Holy Synod of Moscow elected as bishop Abdulla +AFTIMIOS Ofiesh, a former monk who had been ordained a priest by the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. Bishop +AFTIMIOS was consecrated on May 31, 1917 at New York City by Metropolitan +EVDOKIM (Mischersky), who joined the "Living Church" in 1922 as Metropolitan of Odessa, Bishop +ALEXANDROVICH (Nemolovsky) Russian Orthodox Bishop of Canada and the Aleutian Islands and Bishop +STEPHEN (Dzubai) Russian Orthodox Bishop of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Lines of Apostolic Succession in the "new world" were further strengthened by relations with various canonical Orthodox bodies, among them, the Albanian Orthodox Church; in its long history, it was the continuation of the pristine Christian Church of Illyricum where St. Paul had proclaimed the Gospel of Christ.
On November 21, 1923 Archbishop +THEOPHANIES (Noli) was consecrated Metropolitan of Durrazzo at St. George Cathedral in Korcha, Albania by Archbishop +KRISTOFOR (Kissi) of Albania and Bishop +HIEROTHEOS (Andon-Yaho), Bishop of Miletoupolis and Exarch of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Metropolitan +THEOPHANIES considered his Albanian Orthodox Church in America as a daughter of the Russian Orthodox Church in America. He was one of the first hierarchs to call for an united Orthodox Church in the Americas and specifically for the establishment of a "conference" of Orthodox bishops. The Metropolitan was a distinguished diplomat, a delegate to the League of Nations, served in the Albanian Parliament and was elected as Prime Minister of Albania in 1924.
On February 2, 1927 Metropolitan +PLATON (Rozhdestvensky) and the Russian Holy Synod of Bishops in America charged Archbishop +AFTIMIOS (Ofiesh) "with the full responsibility and duty of caring and providing for American Orthodoxy in the special sense of Orthodox Catholic people born in America and primarily English-speaking, or any American residents of parishes of whatever nationality or linguistic character or derivation not satisfactorily provided with proper canonical Orthodox Catholic care…, or who may wish to attach themselves by the properly and legally means to an autonomous, independent, American Orthodox Catholic Church."
Archbishop +AFTIMIOS (Ofiesh), assisted by Bishop +EMMANUEL (Abo-Hatab) Bishop of Montreal and Archbishop +ELIAS of Tyre and Sidon, on May 26, 1928 consecrated Bishop +SOPHRONIOS (Bashira) as Bishop of Los Angeles, California.
Archbishop +SOPHRONIOS (Bashira) of the Greek Diocese of Los Angeles with Albanian Metropolitan +THEOPHANIES (Noli) of Boston, on February 10, 1934 at the Church of Sts. Constantine and Helen in New York City consecrated Archbishop +CHRISTOPOHER (Contogeorge) as Bishop of Philadelphia; in 1947 he was made Metropolitan of Pentapolis and Exarch for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, Egypt and All Africa, in the United States.
Archbishop +CHRISTOPHER (Contogeorge) with Albanian Metropolitan +THEOPHANIES (Noli) on August 25, 1934 at the Church of St. John the Baptist in New York City, consecrated Archbishop +ARSENIOS (Saltas); in 1954 he was made Exarch of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Egypt and All Africa, for the United States and Canada.
Archbishop +CHRISTOPHER (Contogeorge) with Bishop +AMBROSIUS of Aman, Jordan, in accordance with orders from the Holy Synod of Moscow, on November 3, 1935 consecrated Archbishop +NICHOLAS (Kedroffsky) as Archbishop of North America and the Aleutian Islands. The consecration took place at the Russian Cathedral of St. Nicholas in New York City, which was erected in November of 1902 under the auspices of Czar Nicholas II, who assisted in its maintenance until his death in 1917.
Archbishop +NICHOLAS (Kedroffsky) with Archbishop +ARSENIOS (Saltas) and Archbishop +BENJAMIN (Fedchenkoff), Patriarchal Exarch of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow, in 1935 at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas in New York City, consecrated Bishop +JOSEPH (Klymowycz) of Springfield, Massachusetts for the Russian jurisdiction.
Later, as reported in the October 14, 1950 edition of The New York Times, hierarchs met in Springfield and announced they were breaking all ties with Moscow and would function independently of Russia. Leaders of the church elected Metropolitan +JOSEPH (Klymowycz) as its first Moderator for America and Metropolitan +KONSTANTIN (Jaroshevich) was appointed to serve all foreign countries.
His Beatitude Metropolitan +JOSEPH was the founding Hierarch of the Standing Episcopal Conference of Orthodox Bishops. (In March of 1951 The SEC was fully established by Metropolitan +JOSEPH and Bishop +PETER (Zhurawetzky); a religious entity, erected and existing with the canonical authority and blessings of the Holy Synod of the American Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Eastern Church.
Archbishop +CHRISTOPHER (Contogeorge) in 1949 with Archbishop +ARSENIOS (Saltas), and with the concurrence of Albanian Metropolitan +THEOPHANIES (Noli), consecrated Archbishop +KONSTANTIN (Jaroshevich) for the Patriarchate of Alexandria.
Metropolitan +JOSEPH (Klymowycz) with Archbishop +KONSTANTIN (Jaroshevich) on October 14, 1950 at Springfield, Massachusetts consecrated Ukrainian Metropolitan +NICHOLAS (Bohatyretz) for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada.
Metropolitan +JOSEPH (Klymowycz) with Archbishop +KONSTANTIN (Jaroshevich) and Ukrainian Metropolitan +NICHOLAS (Bohatyretz) along with +JOSEPH (Zielonka) of the Polish National Catholic Church, did on October 15, 1950 at Sts. Peter and Paul Russian Orthodox Church in Springfield, Massachusetts consecrate Bishop +PETER Andreas (Zhurawetzky) for the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America.
Metropolitan +JOSEPH (Klymowycz) with Bishop +PETER (Zhurawetzky) on June 2, 1951 consecrated Archbishop +JOACHIM (Souris); he later became primate of the Autocephalous Greek Orthodox church of America.
Archbishop +JOACHIM (Souris) with Bishop +STANISLAUS (De Witow) consecrated Archbishop +WALTER (Propheta) for the American Orthodox Catholic Church who consecrated Bishop +DAVID (Baxter) on October 12, 1969 for the Orthodox Church of America.
In 1961, at the death of Metropolitan +JOSEPH, Archbishop +PETER was elected Moderator of the Standing Episcopal Conference. Metropolitan +PETER (Zhurawetzky) and Archbishop +JOACHIM (Souris) consecrated Archbishop +NIKOLAUS (Ilnyckyj) in 1973 for the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the United States.
From 1951 until 1986, Metropolitan +PETER (Zhurawetzky) was principal Consecrator of Bishops +JOACHIM (Souris), +ROBERT (Zeiger), +MARK ATHANASIUS (Karras), +WILLIAM (Morgan), +KARL (Pruter), +DANIEL (Smith), +CHRISTOPHER (Jones), +KERMIT (Poling), +ANDREI (Nowak), +CLARENCE (Quinn), +NIKOLAUS (Ilnyckyj), +LAFOND (Lapointe), +DAVID-FRANCIS (Corbet) and +MICHAEL (Kirkland).
His Beatitude Metropolitan +PETER (Zhurawetzky) and Ukrainian Archbishop +NIKOLAUS (Ilnyckyj) with Archbishop +DAVID (Baxter) of the Orthodox Church of America consecrated Bishop +MICHAEL (Kirkland) on September 20, 1986 at Orlando, Florida. The ceremonies were documented in "The Orlando Sentinel" and attended by more than 350 Faithful.
On November 15, 1986 His Beatitude +PETER forwarded news of the consecration of Bishop +MICHAEL (Kirkland) to Greek Orthodox Archbishop +IAKOVOS, Exarch of Ecumenical Patriarch +DIMITRIOS I.
From 1986 until 1994, Bishop +MICHAEL served as Synodal Secretary; after His Beatitude's repose in 1994, he was appointed by the Holy Synod of Bishops as Moderator for the Standing Episcopal Conference.
On November 15, 1997 Bishop +MICHAEL (Kirkland) was invited by Bishop +MAXIMOS of Pittsburgh to attend a special Patriarchal Vesper Service and Clergy Reception at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral for His All-Holiness +BARTHOLOMEW I Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch. This was a truly historic occasion as Bishop +MICHAEL (Kirkland) of America greeted the Ecumenical Patriarch from the Phanar in Turkey and received his Paternal Apostolic Blessings for all member Hierarchs, Clergy and Jurisdictions of Standing Episcopal Conference of Orthodox Bishops and the OCA-UAOC.
In the writings of the Early Church Fathers, we see two predominant themes regarding Apostolic Succession: historic transmission through the Twelve and the heavenly connection in the Eucharist. These principles are carried down through the centuries to canonical bishops of the present age.
As noted Orthodox historian and respected lecturer Bishop +KALLISTOS (Ware) has phrased it, "the Orthodox Church is a family of self-governing Churches. It is not held together by a centralized organization, not by a single prelate wielding absolute power over the whole body, but by the double bond of unity in Faith and communion in the Sacraments."
In a 1993 letter to Bishop +MICHAEL (Kirkland) from Mr. John H. Erickson, Associate Professor of Church History and Canon Law, Theologian and now Dean of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Crestwood, New York confirmed that "to be sure, the Orthodox East would not restrict its understanding of Apostolic Succession to a merely mechanical transmission of sacramental powers. Succession cannot be separated from what St. Irenaeus would call a 'certain charism of Truth.'" (Please see a copy of that letter under the SACRAMENTS tab above)
Simply put, pure unity of FAITH, which is grounded in the Eternal Truths...the APOSTOLIC DICTRINES found in Sacred Scripture...as delivered from Christ to His Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church--sublimely witnessed through the Seven Sacraments (Mysteries) and most especially experienced in its fullness at the Eucharistic banquet through participation in His Most Pure Body and Precious Blood-- and valid SUCCESSION, transmission of Sacramental powers from the Twelve, is what we call Orthodoxy. The Orthodox Church is the MAINSTREAM of right belief, true worship and the unbroken succession in a straight line back to the Apostles; it is the one true Church "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets" (Ephesians 2:20).
The Orthodox Church of America - Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church is composed of Dependencies, parishes, monastic houses and religious institutions in the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand & the Philippines.
The OCA/UAOC is under Spiritual Protection of the Primate and Joint Synod of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the United States and former Exarchate of the Patriarchate of Alexandria.
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The Roman Catholic Church and
Acknowledgment of Orthodox Episcopal Succession
The article stands as an extremely rare explicit acknowledgement by official Roman Catholic authority of the validity of a prelate not under Roman jurisdiction. Further, its approach and conclusions are in line with the understanding of separated churches and official position of the Roman Catholic Church.
FURTHERMORE... In 1993, inquiry into the validity of Metropolitan +PETER and his Canonical Apostolic Succession was made by Bishop KARL Pruter to the Rev. John S. Melnick of Canada, an expert in Canon Law in Orthodox-Roman Catholic relations for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, Canada.
