although most of the congregation is historically centered in the eastern borderland regions with considerable belarusian and ukrainian minorities, there are now many parishes across the country, as a result of operation vistula and other diaspora movements. there are also some adherents in brazil, resulted from the 1989 canonical union between the hierarchy headed by metropolitan gabriel of lisbon, formerly under the church of the genuine orthodox christians of greece, and the polish orthodox church. the european bishops, however, have left the jurisdiction in 2000, which eventually resulted in senior bishop chrysostom being raised to archepiscopal dignity. there are now parishes in the states of rio de janeiro, pernambuco and paraíba, plus a monastery in joão pessoa.