The Worldwide Anglican Church began on September 2nd, 1921, and was called The African Orthodox Church. Its faith, as declared, was Orthodox, in conformity with the Orthodox Churches of the east from which its Episcopate was derived. While it admitted to membership and other privileges persons of all races, it sought particularly to reach out to millions of African descents in both hemispheres and declared itself to be perpetually autonomous and controlled by Africans. Hence the name, African Orthodox.The African Orthodox Church (AOC) owed its Episcopate and Apostolic Authority to the Syrian Church of Antioch where their disciples were first called Christians, and of which the See of St Peter the Apostle was the first Bishop.