Historical Background

Historical Background

The Genuine Orthodox Church Metropolia understands itself as a continuation of the Church founded by our Lord Jesus Christ and organized by His Apostles. Its Antiochian line traces its heritage to Saint Peter the Apostle and the ancient See of Antioch. In the Western hemisphere, this succession was transmitted through Archbishop Timotheos (Joseph René Vilatte), consecrated in Ceylon in 1892.

The Andrean and Russian lineage

A second line comes through the Russian Orthodox tradition and the succession of Saint Andrew the First-Called. It entered the Church’s episcopacy through Archbishop John (Skureth), consecrated in 1966 by Archbishop Constantin and Archbishop Dosifej. These streams preserve Antiochian, Russian, Byzantine, and Western Orthodox liturgical heritage.

The Old Calendarist witness

Until 1923 the Eastern Orthodox Church universally used the Julian calendar. Following the Revised Julian calendar reforms of the 1920s, clergy and faithful committed to the traditional calendar maintained their witness. In 1935, bishops in Greece returned their dioceses to the Julian calendar and organized the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians. The Genuine Orthodox Church Metropolia continues this Old Calendar witness and rejects ecumenism and liturgical innovation.

The primatial line in America

The Church is governed by the Holy Synod under Metropolitan Archbishop +Mark, Primate VII and President of the Holy Synod. In 2023 he succeeded Metropolitan Stephen in the primatial line and now leads the Genuine Orthodox Church Metropolia from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with an African headquarters in Makogi, Ogun State, Nigeria.