September 4, 1934 the Synod of bishops of ROCOR makes a decision to divide the North American diocese on 2 dioceses: Eastern American and Western American.[1] The Eastern American diocese was headed by Archbishop Vitaly (Maximenko).[2]
In its present form the diocese was formed after November Cleveland Sobor in 1946 when clergy and laity of the Northern American Mitropolis adopted a resolution by which the Metropolitan District limit his contacts with the Moscow Patriarchate and the Synod of ROCOR. However, much of the parishes refused to be separated from the ROCOR. After the rupture of communion with Metropolitan Theophilus (Pashkovsky), ROCOR regained its jurisdiction in America and received about 40 parishes emerged from the Metropolitan District. Administration of these parishes was charged to Archbishop Vitaly, who received the title "Archbishop of Eastern America and Jersey City".
