The Orthodox Church in America
The Orthodox Church in America is the autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church serving North America, operating a hierarchical network of dioceses, 700+ parishes, monasteries, and two seminaries across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, funded by donations, pooled insurance/pension programs, and grant administration, with a digital platform delivering liturgical texts, saints' lives, and educational resources.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersSyosset, New York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Orthodox Church in America does
The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) is the autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church serving North America, headquartered in Syosset, New York, with operational reach across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It was officially recognized as a self-governing Orthodox Church in 1970 and is led by Metropolitan Tikhon as Primate, governed through the Holy Synod of Bishops, the All-American Council, and the Metropolitan Council. The OCA serves Orthodox Christians through a hierarchical network of multiple dioceses, over 700 parishes, monasteries, two affiliated theological seminaries (St. Vladimir's Seminary and St. Tikhon's Seminary), and military chaplaincies.
The OCA's primary digital product surface is the oca.org platform, a content management system organizing Orthodox religious resources: Lives of the Saints (a hagiography archive with troparia and kontakia organized by calendar date), Scripture Readings, Liturgical Music and Texts (including Oktoechos tones and rubrics), Reflections in Christ (sermons and writings from clergy), Parish Ministry Resources across eight ministry themes, the FOCUS religious education curriculum, and searchable directories for dioceses, parishes, clergy, monastic communities, seminaries, and military chaplains. Iconography and hagiographic content are sourced from multiple Orthodox collections including Georgian, Russian, and Finnish traditions, with formal attribution documentation.
The OCA operates as a non-profit religious organization funded primarily by voluntary donations and tithes from parishes and faithful, supplemented by publication licensing for Lives of the Saints content, church planting grant administration through the Department of Evangelization, and pooled insurance and pension programs (OCA Group Affiliation Program underwritten by GuideOne Insurance via Insurance Systems Group, plus the OCA Pension Plan). Core spiritual services and digital resources are provided free of charge; insurance and pension benefits operate on quote-based pricing for parishes and institutions. The Chancery itself has 11–50 staff, but the wider institutional footprint includes the seminaries, monasteries, diocesan administrations, and parish clergy and lay leadership.
The Orthodox Church in America firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Orthodox Church in America
- Legal name
- The Orthodox Church in America
- Website
- https://oca.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Orthodox Church in America is the autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church serving North America, operating a hierarchical network of dioceses, 700+ parishes, monasteries, and two seminaries across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, funded by donations, pooled insurance/pension programs, and grant administration, with a digital platform delivering liturgical texts, saints' lives, and educational resources.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Orthodox Church in America industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Religious Services
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Denominational & Community Periodicals (Church Magazines, Diocesan/Temple Newsletters) (MPAJAHAI), Sermon, Homiletics & Ministry Resource Publishing (Preaching Aids, Pastoral Resources) (MPAJAHAD), Worship & Liturgy Publishing (Liturgical Texts, Missals, Service Books, Hymnals) (MPAJAHAE)
Keywords
Where The Orthodox Church in America is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Syosset, New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Orthodox Church in America business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Tithes: Voluntary donations from parishes and individual faithful support the OCA's central operations, mission work, and administrative functions
- Insurance Programs: Group insurance programs for parishes and institutions through Insurance Systems Group, providing property, liability, and other coverage with premium returns
- Publication Licensing: Licensing permissions for reproduction of Lives of the Saints content in parish bulletins and educational materials
- Church Planting Grant Administration: The OCA administers grant programs to support new church planting, covering priest salaries and benefits for qualifying missions over three-year periods
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
The Orthodox Church in America product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Orthodox Church in America provides Orthodox Christian liturgical worship, sacramental ministry, pastoral care, and religious education across North America through a network of dioceses, parishes, monasteries, and seminaries. It operates an extensive digital content platform distributing saints' lives, scripture readings, liturgical texts, music, and parish ministry resources, supplemented by benefit programs (insurance and pension) and church planting grants for new missions.
Product overview
The Orthodox Church in America website functions as a comprehensive digital platform providing religious content and church management resources. The core offerings include Lives of the Saints (a hagiography archive at /saints/lives), Reflections in Christ (sermons and writings at /reflections), Parish Ministry Resources (practical ministry guides at /parish-ministry), Scripture Readings, Music Downloads for liturgical services, and variousDirectories for parishes, clergy, and organizations. Additional programs include Church Planting Grants and Benefit Programs (insurance and pension). The site serves as the primary digital interface for the autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church, providing resources for worship, education, and church administration across North America.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Lives of the Saints
Quantifiable outcome
- Church Planting Grant Program offers three years of funding for new missions (2027 with provisional continuation in 2028-2029)
Companies that use The Orthodox Church in America
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Orthodox Church in America technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The Orthodox Church in America partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Insurance Systems Group, Inc.coreThird-generation Ohio-based independent brokerage providing insurance solutions for OCA churches and institutions since 1999. Creator of the OCA Group Affiliation Program (GAP) underwritten through GuideOne Insurance Co., offering property, liability, sexual misconduct, pastoral professional liability, D&O, employee dishonesty, worker's compensation and umbrella insurance.
- GuideOne Insurance Co.supportingInsurance company that underwrites the OCA Group Affiliation Program (GAP) created by Insurance Systems Group, providing coverage for OCA parishes and institutions.
- St. Vladimir's SeminarycoreMajor Orthodox theological seminary where Dr. Constance Tarasar taught religious education courses; Metropolitan Tikhon periodically lectures at the seminary; key institution for clergy formation and theological education.
- St. Tikhon's SeminarycoreOrthodox theological seminary providing clergy education; source of icons and materials for OCA website; key partner in theological formation.
- Orthodox Christian Education Commission (OCEC)corePan-Orthodox agency established in 1956 by Father Alexander Schmemann and Mrs. Sophie Koulomzin for defining and shaping Orthodox Christian education efforts in the US. Dr. Constance Tarasar served as Executive Secretary and OCA Department of Religious Education Director.
- St. Herman PresssupportingPublisher providing complete text of Lives of Georgian Saints for OCA website use with permission. Contact: St. Herman Press, P.O. Box 70, Platina, CA 96076.
- Metropolitan's Chapel of St. Sergius of RadonezhsupportingSource of icons used on OCA website as part of the icon collection from Metropolitan Theodosius's private collection and library.
- Holy Transfiguration MonasterysupportingMonastery source for icons used on the OCA website.
- New Valamo Monastery, Kuopio, FinlandsupportingFinnish monastery source for icons used on the OCA website.
- Georgian Orthodox Church, Tbilisi, GeorgiasupportingSource church for Georgian saints icons and hagiographic materials used on the OCA website.
- Department of Youth, Young Adult and Campus MinistrycoreOCA department that conducted interviews and created resources for youth and young adult ministry including the Dormition of the Mother of God Monastery connection.
- Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America (FOCA)supportingNational Orthodox organization holding annual conventions; FOCA celebrates 99th Convention in Cleveland, OH representing lay Orthodox faithful.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Orthodox Church in America competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada: Major canonical Orthodox body serving Ukrainian Orthodox faithful across Canada with parallel parish, diocesan, and educational infrastructure. Direct peer to OCA's Canadian Archdiocese, operating in the same Canadian geography and competing for Orthodox faithful.
- Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America: Second-largest Orthodox jurisdiction in North America, serving faithful across the United States and Canada with a comparable mission of Orthodox worship, evangelization, and parish ministry. Operates parallel diocesan structure and competes directly with OCA for Orthodox converts and disaffected members of other jurisdictions.
- Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas: Canonical Orthodox jurisdiction covering Romanian Orthodox faithful across the United States and Canada. Operates a parallel parish and monastic network and competes for Orthodox faithful in the same continental territory as OCA, though with a distinct ethnic-cultural constituency.
- Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR): Major Orthodox canonical body with parishes across North America sharing ethnic-historical roots with OCA. ROCOR's reunification with the Moscow Patriarchate in 2007 reshaped its NA presence, but it continues to operate parallel parishes and competes for Orthodox faithful, particularly those of Russian heritage.
- American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese: Byzantine-rite Orthodox diocese with parishes across North America serving Carpatho-Russian Orthodox faithful. Operates parallel parish and diocesan structure with comparable religious programming, making it a direct canonical peer within the broader Orthodox jurisdictional landscape.
- Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia: Canonical Orthodox diocese serving Bulgarian Orthodox faithful across North America with comparable parish network, liturgical programming, and diocesan governance. Direct peer operating in overlapping NA geography with similar scope of activities.
- Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America: Largest Orthodox Christian body in North America with overlapping jurisdictional territory across the United States. Operates a parallel network of parishes, dioceses/metropolises, seminaries (Holy Cross), and ministries that directly competes for Orthodox faithful, clergy, and donor support in the same geographic markets as OCA.
- Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA: Canonical Orthodox jurisdiction serving Ukrainian Orthodox faithful in the United States with parallel parish network, seminary, and diocesan structure. Direct peer competing for Orthodox faithful in overlapping US geography, particularly in regions with Ukrainian-American communities.
- Serbian Orthodox Church in North America: Eastern Orthodox diocese serving Serbian Orthodox faithful across the United States, Canada, and South America with comparable parish network, diocesan structure, and religious education programs. Direct jurisdictional peer operating in overlapping NA geography.
Broad incumbents
- The Episcopal Church: Mainline Christian denomination with similar hierarchical episcopal governance, liturgical tradition rooted in historic Christianity, and parallel diocesan structure spanning the United States. While not Orthodox, it offers comparable religious products (sacramental worship, religious education, clergy formation via seminaries) to overlapping demographic segments, and competes for mainline Christian faithful.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Orthodox Church in America social profiles
Digital presenceThe Orthodox Church in America financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Orthodox Church in America leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
The Orthodox Church in America subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
The Orthodox Church in America funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Orthodox Church in America M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Orthodox Church in America
What does The Orthodox Church in America do?
The Orthodox Church in America provides Orthodox Christian liturgical worship, sacramental ministry, pastoral care, and religious education across North America through a network of dioceses, parishes, monasteries, and seminaries. It operates an extensive digital content platform distributing saints' lives, scripture readings, liturgical texts, music, and parish ministry resources, supplemented by benefit programs (insurance and pension) and church planting grants for new missions.
Is The Orthodox Church in America a public or private company?
The Orthodox Church in America is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Orthodox Church in America founded?
The Orthodox Church in America was founded in 1970. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Orthodox Church in America based?
The Orthodox Church in America is headquartered in Syosset, New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Orthodox Church in America make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Tithes are the primary driver. The others are insurance Programs, publication Licensing and church Planting Grant Administration.
Who are The Orthodox Church in America's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas, Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese, Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA and Serbian Orthodox Church in North America. The Episcopal Church is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Orthodox Church in America have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Orthodox Church in America.
What industry is The Orthodox Church in America in?
The Orthodox Church in America's product category is Religious Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAB, Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences), with a secondary code of MPAJAHAI, Denominational & Community Periodicals (Church Magazines, Diocesan/Temple Newsletters). Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 2731.