Archbishop Aftimios
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Following the untimely death of St. Raphael of Brooklyn in 1915, Archimandrite Aftimios (Ofiesh) was elected to serve as his replacement in caring for the Arab Orthodox faithful in America under the jurisdiction of the Church of Russia. He was consecrated by Archbishop Evdokim (Meschersky) as an auxiliary bishop in 1917 with the title of Bishop of Brooklyn. In 1923, in recognition for his work in America, he was elevated by Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky) of New York to the rank of archbishop.
In 1924, in the canonical chaos of American Orthodoxy following the onset of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, the Arab Orthodox faithful split into two factions. One of them wished to enter the Church of Antioch and another aimed to stay faithful to the Church of Russia. The former was organized by bishop Victor (Abu Assaly) of New York, thus beginning the official presence of the Church of Antioch on American soil.
In 1927, Bishop Aftimios was commissioned by the Russian diocese in America to form an English-speaking "American Orthodox Catholic Church”, which, despite his leadership and vision, only lasted for six years. During this time, however, Bishop Aftimios consecrated three bishops for his new jurisdiction, Sophronios (Beshara) of Los Angeles, Joseph (Zuk) for the Ukrainians and Ignatius (William Albert) Nichols in September of 1932 as his auxiliary bishop of Washington. Additionally, in 1931 the Society of Clerks Secular of St. Basil, a Latin (“western”) Rite association, was established under the auspices of the diocese and subsequently led by Bishop Nichols.
In 1932, Archbishop Aftimios was invited to come to St. Mary's Syrian Orthodox Church in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to arbitrate a dispute regarding the transfer of its priest, Fr. Constantine Abou-Adal. When Fr. Constantine left St. Mary's in November of 1932, the parish was without a pastor. Thus, Archbishop Aftimios served in that capacity until February of 1933, organizing a choir and Sunday School at the parish. During this time, he met and became involved with one of St. Mary's parishioners, Mariam Namey, then subsequently married her in a civil ceremony in April of 1933, i.e. non Orthodox union.
According to the parish records of St. Mary's, Archbishop Aftimios retired and lived in nearby Kingston until his death in 1966. With the withdrawal of support for the American Orthodox Catholic Church, the parish apparently had lost its ecclesial status. Only according to the book Orthodox Christians in North America (1794-1994), however, Archbishop Aftimios "resigned his episcopacy and married”.
One of the jurisdictions that stands as a successor of Archbishop Aftimios characterizes the situation differently: "We are not under and do not have a patriarch as head of this Church, since the ethnic patriarchal Orthodox bodies all turned their backs on this church and use the marriage of Abp. Aftimios as the reason, although most had already refused to recognize this Church and its authority in the New World."
The biography by Archbishop Aftimios' widow Mariam states that he fully intended to function as a married bishop, having that intent even before he met Mariam. Whatever the case may be, relations between the jurisdiction held by Abp. Aftimios and other Orthodox churches were not reconciled following his marriage, and even an attempt of deposition from the episcopacy was made. Since that time, various Orthodox jurisdictions continue to exist, which all trace their roots to Archbishop Aftimios, many of whom venerate him as a saint. Some of the bishops are married men as well, which is a continual argument of unity within Orthodoxy that has for centuries maintained a monastic episcopacy contrary to New Testament teaching and early church tradition.
Following his death in 1966 at age 85, Archbishop Aftimios was buried in Maple Hill Cemetery in Wilkes-Barre. His widow Mariam subsequently wrote his biography, published in 1999.
In 1924, in the canonical chaos of American Orthodoxy following the onset of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, the Arab Orthodox faithful split into two factions. One of them wished to enter the Church of Antioch and another aimed to stay faithful to the Church of Russia. The former was organized by bishop Victor (Abu Assaly) of New York, thus beginning the official presence of the Church of Antioch on American soil.
In 1927, Bishop Aftimios was commissioned by the Russian diocese in America to form an English-speaking "American Orthodox Catholic Church”, which, despite his leadership and vision, only lasted for six years. During this time, however, Bishop Aftimios consecrated three bishops for his new jurisdiction, Sophronios (Beshara) of Los Angeles, Joseph (Zuk) for the Ukrainians and Ignatius (William Albert) Nichols in September of 1932 as his auxiliary bishop of Washington. Additionally, in 1931 the Society of Clerks Secular of St. Basil, a Latin (“western”) Rite association, was established under the auspices of the diocese and subsequently led by Bishop Nichols.
In 1932, Archbishop Aftimios was invited to come to St. Mary's Syrian Orthodox Church in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to arbitrate a dispute regarding the transfer of its priest, Fr. Constantine Abou-Adal. When Fr. Constantine left St. Mary's in November of 1932, the parish was without a pastor. Thus, Archbishop Aftimios served in that capacity until February of 1933, organizing a choir and Sunday School at the parish. During this time, he met and became involved with one of St. Mary's parishioners, Mariam Namey, then subsequently married her in a civil ceremony in April of 1933, i.e. non Orthodox union.
According to the parish records of St. Mary's, Archbishop Aftimios retired and lived in nearby Kingston until his death in 1966. With the withdrawal of support for the American Orthodox Catholic Church, the parish apparently had lost its ecclesial status. Only according to the book Orthodox Christians in North America (1794-1994), however, Archbishop Aftimios "resigned his episcopacy and married”.
One of the jurisdictions that stands as a successor of Archbishop Aftimios characterizes the situation differently: "We are not under and do not have a patriarch as head of this Church, since the ethnic patriarchal Orthodox bodies all turned their backs on this church and use the marriage of Abp. Aftimios as the reason, although most had already refused to recognize this Church and its authority in the New World."
The biography by Archbishop Aftimios' widow Mariam states that he fully intended to function as a married bishop, having that intent even before he met Mariam. Whatever the case may be, relations between the jurisdiction held by Abp. Aftimios and other Orthodox churches were not reconciled following his marriage, and even an attempt of deposition from the episcopacy was made. Since that time, various Orthodox jurisdictions continue to exist, which all trace their roots to Archbishop Aftimios, many of whom venerate him as a saint. Some of the bishops are married men as well, which is a continual argument of unity within Orthodoxy that has for centuries maintained a monastic episcopacy contrary to New Testament teaching and early church tradition.
Following his death in 1966 at age 85, Archbishop Aftimios was buried in Maple Hill Cemetery in Wilkes-Barre. His widow Mariam subsequently wrote his biography, published in 1999.
