A Statement of the
Orthodox Christian Bishops of California
in support of Proposition 8:
A Constitutional Amendment to Restore the Definition of Marriage
Diocese of Los Angeles and the West
Los Angeles Chancery, 454 South Lorraine Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90020
323-934-3131 (phone); 323-934-1389 (fax)
Welcome to the Diocese of Los Angeles and the West, part of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese in America. The Diocese of Los Angeles is led by His Grace Bishop JOSEPH and includes more than 30 churches and missions in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah.
Click here for a directory of all the parishes in the Diocese of Los Angeles.
Bishop JOSEPH also administers the Diocese of Eagle River and the Northwest as locum tenens. The Diocese of Eagle River includes more than 20 parishes and missions in Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon, Saskatchewan, and Washington.
Click here for a directory of all the parishes in the Diocese of Eagle River.
Visit the Diocesan Website
The website for the Diocese of Los Angeles and the West
Reminder: Register for the 2008 Fall Gathering by Sept. 20
The Diocese of Los Angeles 2008 Fall Gathering will be hosted by St. Andrew Church in Riverside, CA from October 10-12. St. Andrew's will be celebrating the groundbreaking of their new Temple by His Grace Bishop JOSEPH on the concluding day, Sunday, October 12, following the Divine Liturgy.
Please fill out the Registration Form and mail it to the church no later than the September 20th deadline.
For more information, please visit St. Andrew's 2008 Fall Gathering web site.
2008 Orthodox Institute for Christian Education: Oct. 30 - Nov.2, 2008
Registration deadline October 9th!
The 2008 Orthodox Institute, sponsored by the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Christian Education, will take place at Antiochian Village near Ligonier, PA from October 30 - November 2. This year's theme is "Faith Through Stories." Our keynote speaker will be Dr. Maria Khoury, author of the "Christina" series of children's books, who will be traveling from the Holy Land to join us. Dr. Khoury will address ways to build our children's faith and also discuss the challenges facing Christians in the Holy Land today.
The Orthodox Institute appeals not only to those involved in the church school, but anyone who wishes to increase his or her knowledge of the Orthodox faith. A special certificate will be given to those taking the following courses: "Sacred Stories of Our Salvation" "Discernment for Secular Stories" and "Storytelling Through Hymnography." In addition, certificates will be offered in the Church School Director and Teacher Training tracks.
2009 Parish Life Conference
The Diocese of Los Angeles 2009 Parish Life Conference will take place May 20-24, 2009 at St. Stephen Orthodox Church in Campbell, California. For more information, please visit the website for the conference: http://www.plc2009.org/.
See you there!
Diocese of Los Angeles News Archive
About Bishop JOSEPH
His Grace Bishop JOSEPH was consecrated to the Holy Episcopacy on June 30, 1991 at the St. Mary Cathedral in Damascus. From 1991 to 1995 he served as Bishop of Katana in Syria, Patriarchal Assistant, and Secretary of the Holy Synod of Antioch. He became Auxiliary Bishop in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America in 1995 and was assigned to the West Coast Chancery by Metropolitan PHILIP.
When Self-Rule status was awarded to the Archdiocese, His Grace was chosen as bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles and the West. On September 12, 2004 he was enthroned at St. Nicholas Cathedral by Metropolitan PHILIP.
Bishop JOSEPH has served as dean of St. Mary Cathedral in Damascus, Syria and as overseer of Holy Cross Church and other parishes in the suburbs of Damascus. He pastored the Antiochian Orthodox Church in London from 1983 to 1986 and the Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cyprus in 1986.
Bishop JOSEPH was born in Damascus, Syria on November 2, 1950. He attended the St. John of Damascus and al-Alliyeh schools in Damascus and then the Our Lady of Balamand Monastery in Koura, Lebanon. He received a degree in philosophy from the Lebanese University in Beirut and a degree in music and languages from the University of Salonika in Thessalonike, Greece. In November, 1976, he was ordained a deacon. Patriarch Ignatius IV ordained him a priest in Damascus in 1980.
His namesday is the second Sunday after Pascha (Joseph of Arimathea).