Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Canada

"Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada" redirects here. For other uses, see Diocese of Canada (disambiguation).

The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada (Serbian: Српска православна епархија канадска, Srpska pravoslavna eparhija kanadska) is a diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church. As of 18 May 2024, with the elevation of Bishop Mitrofan Kodić to Archbishop of Toronto and Metropolitan of Canada his Canadian diocese is now the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Canada, the first in North America.

Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Canada
The Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Coat of arms
Location
Country	Canada
Headquarters	Campbellville, Milton, Ontario
Coordinates	43°26′04″N 79°57′51″W
Information
Denomination	Eastern Orthodox
Sui iuris church	Serbian Orthodox Church
Established	1983
Cathedral	Saint Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, Hamilton All Serbian Saints Serbian Orthodox Church, Mississauga
Language	Church Slavonic Serbian English
Current leadership
Bishop	Mitrofan (Kodić)
Map
Website
Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Canada

Its headquarters (the Holy Transfiguration Monastery) and bishop's residence are in Campbellville, Milton, Ontario with the Saint Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Hamilton, Ontario serving as the cathedral church. Its current primate is Metropolitan Mitrofan (Kodić).

History and organization

The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada, part of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America, is an integral part of the Serbian Orthodox Patriarchate with its See in Belgrade, and accordingly answers to its national church, the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC), one of the autocephalous and canonical Orthodox Christian churches.

The Serbian Orthodox Diocese in the United States and Canada was established in 1921. In 1963, it was reorganized into three sections and in 1983, a fourth diocese was created specifically for the Canadian churches. This followed a period of growth in Serb immigrants to Canada following World War II, as well as a desire in decades prior for the Serbian Orthodox clergy to reach their parishioners more easily.

The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada was founded on May 26, 1983 at the behest of Sava Vuković, the then-bishop of Eastern-America and Canada. On May 16, 1984 Georgije Đokić was elected as its first bishop. The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada covers 33 parishes and missionary parishes.

On May 21, 2009 the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church held a meeting for the restructuring of the existing Dioceses in North and South America, based on the recommendation of the Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It was restructured in the following manner:

• The Metropolitanate of Libertyville-Chicago, with its See at St. Sava Monastery in Libertyville
• The Diocese of New Gracanica-Midwestern America, with its see at the Monastery of New Gračanica
• The Diocese of Eastern America, with its see in New Rochelle
• The Diocese of Western America, with its see in Los Angeles/Alhambra
• The Diocese of Canada, with its see in Milton

See also

• Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery and Seminary
• Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America
• Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Buenos Aires and South America
• Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Eastern America
• Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of New Gračanica and Midwestern America
• Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Western America
• Serbs in Canada
• Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of Canada

Sources

• Vuković, Sava (1998). History of the Serbian Orthodox Church in America and Canada 1891–1941. Kragujevac: Kalenić.

External links

• Diocese of Canada, Official Site
• Diocese of Canada at SerbOrth.org