Changes

This Church has existed since the 9th Century when it was established by [[Saints Cyril]] and [[Methodious]] but was part of the Church of Constantinople for most of its history.  In the 15th century most of the Orthodox in Poland fell away into Roman heresy and formed one of the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches in communion with the Pope of [[Rome]].  In 1924 this much diminished Church was granted autocephaly. After WWII part of western Byelorussia was added to Poland.  With the territory came many Orthodox Christians.  Most Orthodox in Poland are descendants of these former Byelorussians.

This Church has existed since the 9th Century when it was established by [[Saints Cyril]] and [[Methodious]] but was part of the Church of Constantinople for most of its history.  In the 15th century most of the Orthodox in Poland fell away into Roman heresy and formed one of the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches in communion with the Pope of [[Rome]].  In 1924 this much diminished Church was granted autocephaly. After WWII part of western Byelorussia was added to Poland.  With the territory came many Orthodox Christians.  Most Orthodox in Poland are descendants of these former Byelorussians.

===Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia===

===Church of the Czech and Slovak Lands===

The brothers St. Cyril and St. Methodius established this Church in the Czech region of Moravia in the 9th century.  But when the brothers died Pope Stephen V of Rome ordered that their mission be destroyed, and forced all of the people who converted under the Sainted brothers to leave Moravia and settle in what is now Slovakia.  There, due to the influence of the nearby Orthodox Poles and the Kievan State the Orthodox were able to survive, barely.  In 1921 many people began leaving the Roman Catholic Church and converting to Orthodoxy under a Serbian Bishop.  One of them was a Roman Catholic priest who took the name Gorazd upon his conversion.  A few years after his conversion he was consecrated Bishop of Moravia.  Under his apostolic ministry the Church of Bohemia and Moravia, as well as Slovakia experienced tremendous growth.  He was martyred by the Nazis in 1942.  The Church suffered greatly under the [[Nazis]] and the Communists and is only now regaining its footing.  It was officially recognized as Autocephalous by the other Autocephalous churches in 1998.   

The brothers St. Cyril and St. Methodius established this Church in the Czech region of Moravia in the 9th century.  But when the brothers died Pope Stephen V of Rome ordered that their mission be destroyed, and forced all of the people who converted under the Sainted brothers to leave Moravia and settle in what is now Slovakia.  There, due to the influence of the nearby Orthodox Poles and the Kievan State the Orthodox were able to survive, barely.  In 1921 many people began leaving the Roman Catholic Church and converting to Orthodoxy under a Serbian Bishop.  One of them was a Roman Catholic priest who took the name Gorazd upon his conversion.  A few years after his conversion he was consecrated Bishop of Moravia.  Under his apostolic ministry the Church of Bohemia and Moravia, as well as Slovakia experienced tremendous growth.  He was martyred by the Nazis in 1942.  The Church suffered greatly under the [[Nazis]] and the Communists and is only now regaining its footing.  It was officially recognized as Autocephalous by the other Autocephalous churches in 1998.