Our Jurisdiction

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) was established in the early 1920s by bishops who fled Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution. These hierarchs sought to maintain the traditions and practices of the Russian Orthodox faith while ministering to the spiritual needs of the Russian diaspora scattered across the globe.

Under the leadership of its first First-Hierarch, Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), ROCOR grew to serve Orthodox Christians throughout Europe, the Americas, Australia, and beyond. For decades, ROCOR maintained its distinct identity as a self-governing church body, preserving the liturgical and spiritual traditions of pre-revolutionary Russia.

In 2007, after many years of separation, ROCOR reconciled with the Moscow Patriarchate, restoring full canonical communion while maintaining its administrative autonomy. This historic reconciliation allowed ROCOR to continue its mission while being in unity with the broader Orthodox world.

Today, ROCOR is a global church with approximately 400 parishes and over 400,000 members worldwide. In the United States alone, there are 232 parishes and 10 monasteries, serving around 92,000 adherents. The church is organized into several dioceses, each led by a bishop who serves under the First-Hierarch and the Holy Synod.

St. Thomas the Apostle Russian Orthodox Church is part of the Diocese of Eastern America and New York, which is under the omophorion (spiritual protection) of His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York. Our parish maintains the rich liturgical and spiritual traditions of ROCOR while serving the Orthodox faithful in North Carolina and the surrounding region.