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With profound thanksgiving to Almighty God, the Orthodox Church in America announces the acquisition of a new property in Washington, DC, which will serve as the residence of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon and the new home of the Chancery of the Orthodox Church in America.
The acquisition represents a major milestone in the life of the Orthodox Church in America and brings to completion the relocation of the main Chancery offices from the former Chancery property in Oyster Bay Cove, New York, and the establishment of temporary offices in Springfield, Virginia, in 2022.
Located just a few steps from Saint Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral, the Primatial Cathedral of the Orthodox Church in America, the new property establishes the residence of the Primate and the central administrative offices of the Church in close proximity to the Primatial Cathedral. This proximity will strengthen the liturgical, pastoral, and administrative life of the Church and provide a fitting setting for the ministry of the Primate and the work of the Chancery officers.
Its location in the heart of Washington, DC, provides the Orthodox Church in America with an accessible and visible presence in the nation’s capital. The spacious property will also offer opportunities to welcome hierarchs, clergy, faithful, dignitaries, and other visitors, while facilitating the Church’s engagement with ecclesiastical, diplomatic, civic, and other institutions. In this way, the new location will support the Orthodox Church in America in carrying out its broader mission and witness on this continent.
The acquisition was made possible through the extraordinary generosity of two faithful members of the Orthodox Church in America, the late Joseph and Theresa Domanick, whose gift provided the means for the purchase of the property. Their generosity represents a remarkable and enduring offering to the Church and will continue to bear fruit in its ministry for generations to come.
Reflecting on the acquisition, His Beatitude offered thanksgiving to God and gratitude to all those who made it possible:
“We give thanks to Almighty God for His abundant mercy and for this remarkable blessing in the life of the Orthodox Church in America. I am especially grateful for the extraordinary generosity of the ever-memorable servants of God Joseph and Theresa Domanick, whose love for the Church made this acquisition possible. I also offer my heartfelt gratitude to the members of the Holy Synod, the Metropolitan Council, our officers, advisors, and all those who have devoted so much time and labor to bringing this undertaking to completion. May this new home serve the Church faithfully and strengthen her witness and ministry for many years to come.”
The acquisition received the unanimous support of both the Holy Synod of Bishops and the Metropolitan Council, reflecting a common vision for the future of the central administration of the Orthodox Church in America.
Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America, described the acquisition as the culmination of a lengthy process and a significant new chapter in the life of the Church:
“This is a monumental step in the life of the Orthodox Church in America and the fulfillment of a process that has required an extraordinary amount of work, consultation, and cooperation. It represents much more than a geographic relocation. The establishment of the Metropolitan’s residence with Chancery offices just steps from our Primatial Cathedral brings together, in a meaningful and necessary way, the primatial, liturgical, pastoral, and administrative dimensions of the life of our Church. From the extraordinary generosity that made the purchase possible, to the remarkable location that became available, to the unanimous support of the Holy Synod and Metropolitan Council, there have been many moments throughout this process in which we could see the providence of God at work. Its successful completion is a cause for profound gratitude.”
Final preparations for His Beatitude’s move are currently underway, including furnishing the property and transferring materials from the temporary Chancery offices in Springfield and from the former Chancery in Oyster Bay Cove.
As the Orthodox Church in America enters this new chapter, the faithful are asked especially to remember in prayer the ever-memorable servants of God Joseph and Theresa Domanick, whose extraordinary generosity made this acquisition possible.
May their memory be eternal!
