 As the Melkite presence in the United States reached 70 years, the Holy See erected an apostolic exarchate on January 10, 1966 to serve the needs of Melkite Catholics in the country, with the title "Apostolic Exarchate of United States of America, Faithful of the Oriental Rite (Melkite)".Archmandrite Justin Najmy (1898–1968), pastor of St.Basil the Great Church in Central Falls, Rhode Island, was designated as the first Exarch by Pope Paul VI on January 27, 1966.