Exarchate of the Philippines

The Exarchate of the Philippines [a] is an exarchate or sub-diocesan entity of the Eastern Orthodox
Metropolis of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia that is located in the Philippines. The metropolis is one of
four metropolises in Asia that are under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of
Constantinople.[1][2] The exarchate has five parishes and three chapels in the country.

History
Around the beginning of the seventeenth century, Greek sailors settled in Manila and Legazpi.[3] The
Greeks of Legazpi now number no more than 10 families have keep their Greek identities and have
become distinguished public figures and intellectuals in the country. But as of now the population of the
Greek community in the as a whole Philippines is unknown but its estimated about 129, 100 or 120
members.

In 1989, Adamopoulos saw the need to establish the first Greek Orthodox church in the Philippines and
thus established the Hellenic Orthodox Foundation, Inc., but he died in 1993 before the church was
completed. The Annunciation Orthodox Cathedral[4] in Sucat, Parañaque, Metro Manila, was finished in
1996. Constructed in true Byzantine style and with interior furnishings imported from Greece, it serves
hundreds of Orthodox faithful, Filipinos, the local Greek community and expats in the national capital.

On 20 April 1990, a Filipino hieromonk, Fr. Vincentius Escarcha (a former Benedictine Abbot and a
Roman Catholic priest for more than 20 years in Bajada, Cataingan, Masbate), together with four nuns and
faithful members of his community, were received into the Orthodox Church by Metropolitan Dionysios of
the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Zealand and assisted by Bishop Sotirios of Zelon. On 19 January
1994, Metropolitan Dionysios and Bishop Sotirios received several Filipino Christians in Manila by Holy
Chrismation.

In 1996, the Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia was created for the needs of the
faithful under the Church of Constantinople. In 2004, the Theotokos Orthodox Church in Bajada was
consecrated by Metropolitan Nikitas of Hong Kong and South East Asia. As of 2014 the nuns of the
Theotokos Orthodox Monastery in Bajada ran a kindergarten.

On 5 March 2000, the Church of the Annunciation of the Theotókos was consecrated by His All-Holiness
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I,[5] with Metropolitans Ioakeim and Nikitas, Bishop Dionysios, and a
significant number of clergy from overseas assisting. During the service, the entire congregation followed
the Patriarch in circumambulating the church. The Patriarch told the people present that the only thing
which can really lead man to the land of gladness is the perfect love for his fellow man and for God. The
message from the Patriarchate of Constantinople is one of love for the people of Southeast Asia, one which
assures people everywhere of the immeasurable love of Christ.[6] Despite not being the bishop's seat—the
cathedra—the church is sometimes called a "cathedral" because it is the only church in the metropolis
blessed by the Ecumenical Patriarch.[7]
Four other parishes, in Cataingan, Sbù, Los Baños and Hagónoy, have since been established, along with a
few other chapels.

Language
The Divine Liturgy and other Orthodox services are said in English, Greek and the local language.[8][9]

Parishes and chapels

Parishes
Annunciation Orthodox Cathedral, Parañaque, Metro Manila[3]
Theotokos Orthodox Parish, Cataingan, Masbate
Holy Trinity Orthodox Parish, Los Baños, Laguna
Holy Resurrection Parish, Sbù, South Cotabato
St. Isidore of Chios Parish, Hagónoy, Dávao del Sur

Chapels
St. George Chapel, Makati
St Nectarios Chapel, Quezon City, Metro Manila
St Eleftherios Chapel, Sorsogon, Bicol

One more church, the Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Siniloan, Laguna, is functioning alternatively, in
connection with the Holy Trinity parish of Los Baños.

Clergy
Within the Ecumenical Patriarchate's Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, there
are currently six active Filipino priests in the Philippines, along with a couple of nuns, all of whom are
under the administrative authority of Metropolitan Nektarios of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.

See also
Philippine Orthodox Church

Notes
a. Greek: Εξάρχεια των Φιλιππίνων; Tagalog: Eksarkado ng Filipinas; Spanish: Exarcado de
Filipinas; Pampangan: Eksarkadu ning Filipinas; Zambal: Iksarkado nin Filipinas; Bikol:
 Eksarkado kan Filipinas; Cebuano: Eksarkado sa Filipinas; Ilocano: Eksarkado ti Filipinas;
Ilonggo: Eksarkado sg Filipinas)

References
1. "Profiles of Parishes and Organizations throughout the Metropolis" (https://web.archive.org/
web/20070815044241/http://www.cs.ust.hk/faculty/dimitris/metro/profs.html). Metropolitanate
of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Archived from the original (http://www.cs.ust.hk/faculty/di
mitris/metro/profs.html) on 2007-08-15. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
2. "Nikitas of Hong Kong" (http://www.ec-patr.org/hierarchs/show.php?lang=en&id=53).
Retrieved 2007-08-02.
3. Miltiadis Adamopoulos (Milton Adamson). "Greeks in the Philippines and their contributions
to the country" (https://web.archive.org/web/20080203110954/http://www.hri.org/forum/life/ad
amson.html//). Hellenic Resources Network. Archived from the original (http://www.hri.org/for
um/life/adamson.html//) on 2008-02-03. Retrieved 2007-08-02. (archived from the original (ht
tp://www.hri.org/forum/life/adamson.html) on 2008-02-03)
4. "aoc.ph" (http://www.aoc.ph/index.php?section=1). www.aoc.ph. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
5. "PHILIPPINES: ORTHODOX PATRIARCH VISITS FLEDGLING LOCAL ORTHODOX
CHURCH" (http://www.orthodox.cn/news/20000420philippines_en.htm). www.orthodox.cn.
Retrieved 30 April 2018.
6. "Archived copy" (https://web.archive.org/web/20150123045717/http://archive.ocl.org/?id=73
54). Archived from the original (http://archive.ocl.org/?id=7354) on 2015-01-23. Retrieved
2018-12-19.
7. "THE WEBSITE OF ANNUNCIATION ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL MANILA" (http://www.ao
c.ph/index.php?section=1). ANNUNCIATION ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL MANILA.
Retrieved 15 July 2013.
8. Philemon Castro. "Philippines In Review 1998" (https://web.archive.org/web/200801172227
46/http://www.cs.ust.hk/faculty/dimitris/metro/FEB99.html). Metropolitanate of Hong Kong
and Southeast Asia. Archived from the original (http://www.cs.ust.hk/faculty/dimitris/metro/FE
B99.html) on 2008-01-17. Retrieved 2007-08-22.
9. "Clergy : OMHKSEA" (http://www.omhksea.org/metropolis-of-hong-kong/clergy/).
www.omhksea.org. Retrieved 30 April 2018.

External links
Exarchate of the Philippines (http://orthodoxchurchinphilippines.omhksea.org/)
Orthodoxy in the Far East (http://www.orthodoxchurchinasia.com/)

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Exarchate_of_the_Philippines&oldid=1170816246"