Bisshop Mark Anthony has been elected the sixth Metropolitan Archbishop of the North American Genuine Orthodox Church of Antioch by its Synod.
The ceremony was held at St Cyprian Monastery, Sharon PA with Seven Bishops, among others.
Archbishop Mark, whose name is Akinnugba Macfonse Osmond, was raised by devout Roman Catholic parents in Ondo Kingdom. He attended St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Mission Primary School, Ondo, Sacred Heart Minor Seminary, Akure, and St. Joseph College, Ondo.
Between 1993 and 1996, he worked at St Patrick Catholic Church, Ondo, St Mathew’s Catholic Church, and Saint John Bosco Parish of the Salesians in Oke Odunwo, Ondo.
He joined the Brothers of the Christian Schools in 1996 and ministered to the people living in abject poverty, living with HIV/AIDS, those struggling to survive financial constraints, and those whose cases were considered hopeless.
He had worked at Kuwinda and Kibera slums in Kenya. In 2001, the Archbishop was accepted into the Byzantine Seminary in Northridge, California, United States to study Theology.
He also worked with Africa Peace Point (a Non-Governmental Organisation for children’s rights) in Kenya and also in Tanzania before coming to Nigeria.
In 2009, he completed his master’s in Pastoral Counselling at the California International University of Theology, Los Angeles.
He was ordained a Deacon by Archbishop Peter Tang in Yaounde and later to the priesthood.
He later completed his Doctorate in Divinity, from California International University of Theology, Los Angeles, and was entrusted with the establishment of the Byzantine Catholic Church in Nigeria and coordinated evangelism across the continent of Africa and beyond. +Anthony was consecrated on April 18, 2011, to the Episcopacy of the Byzantine Catholic Church by Archbishop Peter Tang and was co-consecrated by Archbishop Jean Ndjewel of the Byzantine Catholic Church of Our Holy Father Mark of Trachea at the Cathedral of Saint Catherine.
In April 2012, he was elevated to the rank of Exarch of Africa of the Byzantine Catholic Church.