Our Apostolic and Canonical History
The clergy of the Orthodox Church of Canada enjoy apostolic and canonical lineage from the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) through the ministry of Metropolitan-Archbishop X ANDREW (Prazsky) of thrice-blessed memory (X 1990), who was ordained to the episcopate by Metropolitan X HRYHORIJ (Ohijchuk) and Bishop X HENNADIJ (Skryprykevich) of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in 1969.
These two UAOC hierarchs were themselves ordained bishops in Kyiv in 1942 by bishops of the Polish Orthodox Church (in reality a church for the Ukranian Orthodox people living within the political boundaries of Poland). The Polish Orthodox Church received its succession from Patriarch X GREGORIOS IV of Antioch and several bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church (including Saint Anthony Kharphovitsky, later Metropolitan of Kyiv, and following the Russian Revolution, founding senior hierarch of the synodical Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia), who ordained Metropolitan X DIONISIJ (Valedynsky) of Warsaw, Poland, in 1913 in St. Petersburg, Russia.
It is from X DIONISIJ of thrice-blessed memory, alongside other canonical bishops, that the UAOC was given her Orthodox apostolic succession with the ordination of the new UAOC bishops in Kyiv in 1942, including X HRYHORIJ and X HENNADIJ.
His All-Holiness X GREGORIOUS IV, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East in 1913 was the chief ordaining Bishop of Metropolitan-Archbishop XDIONISIJ (Valedynsky), who in 1932 was the chief ordaining Bishop of Metropolitan X POLIKARP (Sikorsky), who in 1942 was the chief ordaining Bishop of Metropolitan-Archbishop X NIKANOR (Abramoviych), who in 1942 was the chief ordaining Bishop of XHRYHORIJ (Ohijchuk), Metropolitan-Archbishop of the Patriarchal Throne of Kiev and All-Rus Ukraine in exile.
X HRYHORIJ (Ohijchuk), in 1969 was the chief ordaining Bishop of Metropolitan X ANDREW (Prazsky), Metropolitan-Archbishop Primate of the Ukranian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the U.S.A., successor in Apostolic lineage of Saint Peter.
X ANDREW (Prazsky), in 1973 was the chief ordaining Bishop of X EMMANUEL (Silva), who in 1992 was the chief ordaining Bishop of Bishop X KEVIN (Collins), who in 1998 was the chief ordaining Bishop of Metropolitan-Archbishop XANDREI (Brazilsky-Brennan), Primate of the Orthodox Church of Canada and Metropolitan of All Canada. X ANDREI (Brazilsky-Brennan), in 1999 was the chief ordaining Bishop of Bishop XYAROSLAW Michael (Sereda).
On the thirty-first day of December 2000, Metropolitan-Archbishop X ANDREI abdicated, resigned, and vacated his offices as Archbishop of Toronto and Metropolitan of All Canada within the Orthodox Church of Canada (Ukranian Autocephalous Mission Archeparchy) and the office of St. Alexis Toth Orthodox Seminary. Archbishop X YAROSLAW (Sereda) immediately succeeded him to the office of Metropolitan of All Canada and Primate of the Orthodox Church of Canada (OCC). On June 22, 2003 Metropolitan-Archbishop X YAROSLAW was the chief ordaining Bishop of Bishop X JOSEPH (Royer) for the Eparchy of Edmonton and All Western Canada and North American Missions (Eastern Rite) of the OCC.
His Beatitude, Metropolitan-Archbishop X YAROSLAW (Sereda) presented his Instrument of Retirement on July 3, 2004. It was accepted at the Plenary Session of Hierarchs and Clergy at the Orthodox Church of Canada Sobor in Edmonton, AB, Canada. The Holy Synod of Bishops of the OCC and the Standing Episcopal Conference of Orthodox Bishops (SEC) unanimously elected X JOSEPH (Royer) as Primate of the OCC, elevating him to the ecclesiastical rank of Metropolitan.
His Beatitude, Metropolitan-Archbishop X JOSEPH (Royer) began his Primacy on July 4, 2004 with his installation at All Saints Orthodox Cathedral in Edmonton, AB in Canada. Reference: www.orthodoxchurchofcanada.org .
X
To the faithful hierarchs of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
who have reposed in the Lord and are of thrice-blessed memory -
God grant rest among the righteous and all the Saints!
"MEMORY ETERNAL"
