The Antiochian Orthodox Church, or Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch and All the East (As it is mostly referred to in Middle East), is one of the oldest Christian churches in the world. In fact, St Luke tells us in the Acts of the Apostles that “…the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:26). The Antiochian Church has a rich and diverse history, spanning many countries and cul
tures, and is known for its missionary spirit and liturgical beauty. The Antiochian Orthodox Church has been present in New Zealand since the early 20th century, when immigrants from Lebanon brought their faith and traditions with them. In 2000, St George's Mission was established in Howick, Auckland when Father George Bosauder was ordained by His Eminence Metropolitan Paul Saliba of thrice-blessed memory. Father George and his wife, Khourieh Mary, now live in Te Aroha. The Antiochian Orthodox Church is part of the Eastern Orthodox communion, which includes the Greek Orthodox, Jerusalem, Alexandria, Romanian, Serbian, and Russian Orthodox Churches, among others. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with over 250 million members. Several Orthodox jurisdictions have parishes and missions around New Zealand, and all welcome newcomers. However, the Antiochian congregations in New Zealand use English as much as possible in their services, to make them accessible and understandable to everyone. The Antiochian Church also respects the diversity of its members and does not impose any ethnic or national identity on them. The Antiochian Church is a universal church that embraces all cultures and backgrounds. All Antiochian parishes in New Zealand are under the jurisdiction of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines, headed by His Eminence Metropolitan Basilios. The Antiochian Orthodox Church currently has four active parishes in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. If you are curious about the Antiochian Orthodox Church and want to learn more about it, we invite you to visit one of its parishes or check out the below websites links. You will discover a beautiful and ancient tradition that is still alive and relevant today. https://www.antiochpatriarchate.org/ The Antiochian Orthodox Patriarchate and All the East website. https://www.antiochian.org.au/ Our own archdiocese website
http://www.antiochian.org/ The Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America
http://www.antiochian-orthodox.co.uk/ Antiochian Archdiocese of the British Isles
https://www.ancientfaith.com/ Ancient Faith Ministries is a department of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America with a pan-Orthodox outreach
https://www.oca.org/ Orthodox Church in America Website
