The Diocese of Mexico (Spanish; Castilian: Diócesis de México) is a missionary diocese of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). Its territory includes parishes, monasteries, and missions located in four states in Mexico (as well as Mexico City) - Chiapas, México, Jalisco, and Veracruz. The diocesan chancery is located in Mexico City.
In 2023, the ruling bishop of the exarchate was Alejo (Pacheco-Vera), Bishop of Mexico City.[1]
After the Mexican Revolution of 1910, the country’s leaders attempted to establish a national church and the Mexican National Catholic Church came into being in 1926;[2] however, many clergy were concerned that this was moving away from a ‘true’ church.
In 1965, Mexican bishop Jose Cortes y Almos contacted Saint Seraphim Church in Texas; the rector Dmitri (Royster) visited Mexico and presented the Mexican case to the Orthodox Church of America.[3]
The Mexican Exarchate was created through the mass conversion (some 10,000-20,000 persons) of an entire diocese of the Mexican National Catholic Church to Orthodoxy in 1972.[4] Dmitri became a Bishop and was the Exarch of Mexico from 1972 to 2008.[5] The Mexican National Catholic Church still has four other existing dioceses.
In October 16, 2008, the exarchate reorganized as the Diocese of Mexico. Bishop Alejo (consecrated on May 28, 2005) was elected as the ruling bishop and installed in Ascension Cathedral in Mexico City on January 18, 2009;[6] he became Archbishop on May 9, 2012.
The diocese is grouped geographically into five deaneries, each consisting of a number of parishes. Each deanery is headed by a parish priest, known as a dean. The deans coordinate activities in their area's parishes, and report to the diocesan bishop. The current deaneries of the Exarchate of Mexico are: