NEW YORK WORLD-TELEGRAM — SATURDAY October 1, 1932

What follows is not opinion, speculation, or later reconstruction. It is a primary historical source.

The article below was published on October 1, 1932, in the New York World-Telegram, a widely circulated and reputable American newspaper of its time. This was not a fringe religious circular or an internal church bulletin. It was mainstream press reporting on a major ecclesiastical development in the United States.

The article documents the completion of a full Orthodox hierarchy in North America under the leadership of Archbishop Aftimios Ofiesh and the American Orthodox Catholic Church. It records the consecration of bishops, the formation of a functioning synod, and the establishment of an independent American Orthodox jurisdiction, grounded explicitly in ancient canon law and recognized as legitimate Orthodox authority for this land.

Most importantly, the article treats these events as public fact, not controversy. There is no hint of irregularity, doubt, or marginal status. The language used reflects legitimacy, continuity, and lawful succession, including references to canonical authority, historical jurisdiction through Alaska, and authorization connected to the Russian Patriarchate.

In an era when modern voices often claim that no valid American Orthodox hierarchy ever existed, or that Archbishop Aftimios acted in isolation, this article stands as direct historical evidence to the contrary. It demonstrates that, at the time these events occurred, they were openly acknowledged, publicly reported, and understood as fully Orthodox.

What follows below is a faithful transcription of that original 1932 newspaper article, presented so the historical record can speak for itself.

Orthodox Catholics Complete Hierarchy

(Photograph)
Left to right: Bishop Sophronius, Archbishop Aftimios and Bishop Joseph

Racial Groups Now Are Admitted by Constitution Amendment

Amendments made to the constitution of the Holy Orthodox Catholic Church admitting racial groups and the election of bishops this week has effected the organization of a complete hierarchy for North America.

The first racial bishop added to the initial Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the only lawful Orthodox Church and bishops’ jurisdiction in America was made through action of the Holy Synod and Council of Bishops of the Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church, as is the legal title of the governing body, of which the Ukrainian bishop has become a member.

The Rt. Rev. Joseph Zuk thus the first bishop of these people in the independent Church in this country having no allegiance to any European headship, was consecrated this week by the Most Rev. Bishop Sophronius of Los Angeles of the Orthodox Church of the Pacific Coast with canonical jurisdiction west of the Mississippi.

Assisting the chief consecrator, he assisted the chief consecrator.

His Eminence Aftimios of Brooklyn, Archbishop-President of the North American Synod, who for the last fifteen years has headed the Syrian Orthodox Mission in North America, exercised his authority of the American jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Moscow and All Russia, granted to him [earlier], in which capacity he already has consecrated two new bishops, received these canonically and historically as successors of the Russian Orthodox jurisdiction in North America, by way of Alaska as early as 1763.

Under the ancient Canon Law, enacted by the Council of Chalcedon in 453 A.D., this canon applies.

Formerly Russian jurisdiction beginning with the consecration of Bishop Tikhon of Alaska in 1797, jurisdiction for this faith in North America continued until 1905, when Bishop Raphael of Syria was consecrated as Vicar to the Russian Archbishop for the Syrian Mission in 1917 the present Archbishop Aftimios, new present President of the Synod, succeeded Bishop Raphael upon his death.

In 1927 urged on by the chaotic condition of Orthodoxy in Russia and otherwise abroad, the Russian Patriarch issued by the Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow and his successor, the present Locum Tenens, Beregium, commissioned Bishop Aftimios to be Archbishop and to found, head, and guide an independent American Orthodox Catholic Church.

This new church constitution and independence was officially approved by the Patriarchate and recognized by the hierarchy.