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His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory of Nyssa, is the spiritual leader of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese, which maintains offices at 312 Garfield Street, Johnstown, Pennsylvania,  15906.

His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory was consecrated as Bishop and enthroned as the Ruling Hierarch of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA  on November 27, 2012.

His Eminence celebrates his Name's Day  (St. Gregory Palamas) on November 14/27.

Under His Eminence's care is our Diocesan Christ the Saviour Seminary, also in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, which trains future priests and deacons of our Diocese.  In addition, the Diocese maintains Camp Nazareth Youth and Retreat Center in Mercer, Pennsylvania.

Metropolitan Gregory also serves as Secretary, Episcopal Liaison to the Orthodox Christian Fellowship and Chairman of Committee for Agencies and Endorsed Organizations of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America.

The history of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Murphy, North Carolina is, in some respects, odd.  I was a lawyer, of all things, and an occasional speaker at Methodist churches locally.  One day I overheard a conversation about the Orthodox Church and true to form l had to know more.  There were no Orthodox Churches locally and the nearest churches were 2 hours or more away from Murphy.  One day I stumbled on the news that there was a Russian church in the Atlanta area and that they would be having a vespers service that evening.   I immediately plotted to get there for vespers and soon set a course for Atlanta. 

When I got there I approached the door and then hesitated.  I could hear singing in a language I had never heard before nor could I understand it, and so I found myself clutching the doorknob, with a certain knowledge that if I opened the door my life would never be the same.  Finally, I walked into the church, found a spot on the back wall and began  to immerse myself in a service I could not understand.  After the first couple of hours people began to line up to talk to the priest in what I now understand to be confession.  Finally everyone went home and the priest, who himself was a young man, came to talk to me.  He answered my questions and then said something that even today is the truth.  ‘Orthodoxy is the best kept secret in America’

A week later I found a very small church in Atlanta, and I and my family began to make the drive every week.  Ultimately we entered the church, and after the next few years I was ordained as a Deacon.  But the whole time I was focused on one question:  how can we get a church in Murphy?  It really seemed like the dream would fade away.  But there was one more surprise that I did not anticipate.  In around 2008, a little church in the Atlanta area had a very fine visitor.  He was Metropolitan Nicholas and I can only describe him as extraordinary. But that night I screwed up my courage, approached him and asked “is it possible to have a mission in Murphy?”

The Metropolitan looked at me and then raised his eyes heavenward.   His lips were moving but I could not tell what he was saying.  In retrospect I realize he was praying for wisdom, but I was certain he was preparing to tell me to go away and not bother him.  I steeled myself for those words, but unexpectedly he lowered his eyes back to the earth and said, “Go, go and open the mission.”

So, now we had to actually begin an Orthodox community.  Over the next years we hosted Greeks, Russians, and many other Orthodox, but just as important we found a steady stream of people wondering what on earth was going on, a stream that continues to this day.