Orthodox Church In America Has No Plans To Celebrate Anniversary In 2021, 2022 - Spokesman

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th July, 2021) The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) currently has no specific plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of it independence in 2021 and 2022, the OCA spokesman told Sputnik.

"Currently, there are no plans for the 50th [anniversary] celebration in 2021 or 2022," the spokesman said on Friday.

The Russian Orthodox Church granted a tomos of autocephaly, or decree of independence, to the OCA in April 1970 following decades of unsuccessful attempts of reconciliation after the Bolshevik revolution in 1917.

The OCA initially has scheduled celebrations in 2020 in Washington, DC in its major St. Nicholas cathedral, as well as in the various dioceses and deaneries, the spokesman said.

"The pandemic has been the reason why plans were canceled. Because of the pandemic, the All-American Council [of the OCA] was also postponed from July 2021 to July 2022," he added.

The OCA has its origins in a mission established by Russian monks in Alaska and currently consists of more than 700 parishes, monasteries and communities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.