The roots of the THEOCUS are as diverse as America itself. Our ecclesiastical, Apostolic Succession is found in multiple Orthodox sources including the Albanian, Greek, Oriental, and Athonite Churches. Also in the Orthodox Patriarchates of Russia, Antioch, Alexandria and Constantinople.  In the past those who have served as our hierarchs have been Lithuanian, French, Czech, Irish and English, or were children of immigrants from those countries. The clergy and people of the THEOCUS are from nearly every ethnic heritage.

    The ecclesiastical structure of the THEOCUS began in the 1890’s with the massive immigration movements from Europe and the Mediterranean basin. They came for various reasons, mostly economic. Some immigrated because they were tired of the wars that continued relentlessly for many years. The Carpatho-Russians in particular immigrated because their land had been overworked and no longer produced enough food for their families.

    Like the melting pot that Orthodoxy in North America is, to a great extent, the THEOCUS can trace itself back through several Bishops. One of our earlier Bishops was given a mandate from the Syrian (Antiochian) Church to establish a jurisdiction for American people. This Bishop was also given permission to establish an Orthodox Church that would serve as a haven for those of the Western rite. The original document is from the 19th century, dated some 70 years before Metropolitan Antony Bashir established his Western Rite Vicariate in 1957!

    We are fortunate to have had the leadership of Bishops, Priests, and fine men and women who, in the past, saw the need for a jurisdiction not bogged down with the tired old blood of the old countries. The latter simply could not, or would not, speak plainly to the up-and-coming generations of Americans. In an attempt to establish a second diocese (similar to the one founded in the 19th century), the Russian and Arabic Jurisdictions set up an administration (complete with one or two Bishops) to accommodate English-speaking American converts. It failed because the ethnic dioceses "pulled the plug" after a few years. The new diocese was "stealing" second and third generation Russians, Greeks, etc. Such was the mind set in those days. The ethnic dioceses felt that Orthodoxy was their exclusive property, and the property of their children. Ironically, their own children (second and third generation Orthodox) were drifting away from Orthodoxy; they were leaving in droves! When asked for the reason they were leaving, (and this reason can be heard to this very day) -- their reply was: "I want an American Church, not a foreign church. I love the Orthodox Faith, but I want to be an American, not a displaced foreigner. After all, I was born in America."

    For decades, the THEOCUS has had Bishops who were born on this side of the Atlantic, though their ancestors were from Asia Minor or Europe. They are fully American, and feel that their allegiance is to the North American people, not to some "mighty" Bishop whose predecessor in the 12th century ruled over millions of Orthodox Christians, but whose flock sadly numbers only a mere 3,000 today.

    We need to make clear; however, that our Apostolic Succession derives from the predecessors of today's "old country" hierarch’s and due to this fact, our clergy and Bishops are fully Orthodox and unquestionably valid!