The Russian Exarchate of North and South America

The Russian Exarchate of North and South America 1933-1970

The Russian Exarchate of North and South America was the distinct name of the group of parishes of the Russian mission in America which recognised the canonical authority of the Church of Russia during the period of the declaration of schism by the Patriarchate over the Russian Metropolia. It existed from 1933 (when Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky) of New York was dismissed by the Patriarchate) until 1970, when the interdiction was lifted by Moscow and autocephaly was granted to the Metropolia. At that time, the Exarchate was officially dissolved.

The parishes of the Exarchate which remained under the canonical protection of the Moscow Patriarchate after the grant of autocephaly came under the jurisdiction of an auxiliary bishop in what is known as the Russian Orthodox Church in the USA. In time, there developed a similar administration in Canada, which was for a long time completely dependent upon the administration in the US.

During its existence, the Exarchate participated in the “Standing Commission of Orthodox Bishops in the Americas” (SCOBA), especially in the person of Metropolitan John (Wendland) of New York and the Aleutians.

Exarchs :

Metropolitan Benjamin (Fedchenkov) of the Aleutians, 1933-1947.

Metropolitan Makary (Ilyinsky) of New York, 1947-1953.

Metropolitan Germogen, 1954.

Metropolitan Boris (Vik) of the Aleutians, 1955-1962

Metropolitan John (Wendland) of New York and the Aleutians, 1962-1967.

Bishop Dositheus (Ivanchenko), Vicar-bishop of New York 1966 - (+before 1984).

Archbishop Jonathan (Kopolovitch) of New York and the Aleutians, 1967-1970.

References :

Overview of the exarchate

Moscow Patriarchate parishes in the USA

Autocephaly agreement regarding the former exarchate