Eastern Orthodox Church

The Orthodox Church is an international group of Patriarchal, Autocephalous and Autonomous churches. Each church is independent in her internal organization and follows her own particular customs. However, all the churches are united in the same faith.

Each Church is led by a Synod of Bishops. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is regarded as "First among Equals."

Eastern Orthodox churches were heavily persecuted in Soviet times. Since 1992, the Russian Orthodox Church has been restored as the official religion of the Russian Federation.

The Great Schism

The Great Schism is the title given to separation between the Western Church (the Roman Catholic) and the Eastern Church, (the Orthodox), which took place in the eleventh century.

By the ninth century legitimate differences were intensified by political circumstances, cultural clashes, papal claims, and the introduction in the West of the Filioque phrase into the Nicene Creed.

Russian Orthodox Church in Florence.

Icons

The Orthodox Church claims to have inherited it's traditions from the Apostolic Church. Dr. John B. Carpenter has challenged that claim by trying to show that icons (from the Greek eikona, meaning images) were not originally accepted in the Christian Church. He claims that the early church appears to have inherited the opposition to icons from second temple, Talmudic Judaism. Hence, early Christians were accused of being "atheists" by Romans who assumed the absence of images meant the absence of belief in gods. Origen (184-254) responded to the charge of "atheism" by admitting that Christians did not use images in worship, following the Second Commandment. Canon 36 of the Council of Elvira (c. 305) states, “Pictures are not to be placed in churches, so that they do not become objects of worship and adoration.” About the year 327 the early church historian Eusebius (c. AD 263 – 339) wrote, "To depict purely the human form of Christ before its transformation, on the other hand, is to break the commandment of God and to fall into pagan error." Epiphanius (inter 310–320 – 403), bishop of Salamis, in Cyprus wrote, in Letter 51 (c. 394), to John, Bishop of Jerusalem about an incident of finding an image in a church in his jurisdiction: "I went in to pray, and found there a curtain hanging on the doors of the said church, dyed and embroidered. It bore an image either of Christ or of one of the saints; I do not rightly remember whose the image was. Seeing this, and being loath that an image of a man should be hung up in Christ's church contrary to the teaching of the Scriptures, I tore it asunder and advised the custodians of the place to use it as a winding sheet for some poor person." He goes on to tell John that such images are “contrary to our religion” and to instruct the presbyter of the church that such images are “an occasion of offense.” Carpenter concludes that the issue of icons arose some time after the fourth century and they were originally opposed, only being accepted by the second "Seventh Ecumenical Council" (787) which he says constitutes the true beginning of the Orthodox Church.

Pictures of Eastern Orthodox Churches

See also: Famous Cathedrals

St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, Ukraine

St. Sophia's Cathedral in Kiev, Ukraine.

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia

Saint Volodymyr's Cathedral in Ukraine.

Reknown blue domes of the Church dedicated to St. Spirou in Firostefani, Santorini island (Thira), Greece

The Autocephalous Churches

Christ Pantocrator mosaic from Hagia Sophia

Auto-cephalous, literally self-headed or self-leading, is a rejection of the Western notion of a single earthly leader of the Christian church. The dispute during the Schism of 1054 was over who had the power to appoint bishops. The Patriarchs of the Eastern churches rejected the claims of the Bishop of Rome (or Pope) of authority to appoint bishops, viewing it as a power grab by the West. Many of the Churches now use the Gregorian calendar the standard calendar in most of the world, but others still use the Julian Calendar. On Julian Calendar Dec 25th Christmas falls on Jan 7th until 2100AD. However, Pascha(Easter) is still calculated differently than the West. Patriarchs, Primates, Bishops in the Orthodox Church are elected through a process that involves a synod of bishops; election may also include input from clergy and laity, based on the rules of the Autocephalous church. Bishops in the Orthodox Church can be removed through a process known as deposition, which typically involves a vote by the synod of bishops(even a Patriarch or Primate can be removed).

Church of Constantinople

This church, which had always had a strong missionary zeal, has suffered greatly under the heel of Islam. Also, the catastrophic effect of the Roman Catholic invasion of Constantinople during the 4th Crusade can not be overstated. That event saw most of the relics carted away or destroyed, and a Roman Catholic pretender put in the place of the Orthodox patriarch. Nevertheless, in the last hundred years this Church has recaptured its missionary heritage, establishing churches in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, India, Korea, New Zealand, North America, Mexico, and South America. The Church of Constantinople also provides arch-pastoral services for some Orthodox in the U.S. who are not part of the Orthodox Church in America. This Church was established by St. Andrew but was a very small and almost insignificant Church until Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to this city and the Council of Nicea gave the Church there second place after Rome.

With the Great Schism, Rome was removed from the pentarchy, and Constantinople was elevated into its place as "first among equals" with the Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem patriarchates (not superior over them). But according to its understanding of church tradition, it considers itself to have the sole right to declare another church body autocephalous (or not).

• Beatitude Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch, Patriarch of Constantinople and First Among Equals.

Church of Constantinople Archdioceses

In Church of Constantinople Archdioceses have Metropolises under them. The Archbishop reports to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

• Archdiocese of Constantinople Patriarch is the archbishop
• Archdiocese of America
• Archdiocese of Australia
• Archdiocese of Crete
• Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain (includes Ireland)
• Archdiocese of Italy and Malta

Church of Constantinople Metropolises

Direct reporting Metropolises their Archbishops reports to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

• Metropolis of Austria
• Metropolis of Belgium
• Metropolis of Buenos Aires and Argentina
• Metropolis of Canada
• Metropolis of France
• Metropolis of Germany
• Metropolis of Hong Kong
• Metropolis of Karpathos and Kasos
• Metropolis of the Korean Orthodox Church
• Metropolis of Kos
• Metropolis of Leros, Kalymnos, and Astypalaia
• Metropolis of Mexico and Central America
• Metropolis of New Zealand
• Metropolis of Rhodes
• Metropolis of Singapore
• Metropolis of Sweden and all Scandinavia
• Metropolis of Spain and Portugal
• Metropolis of Switzerland
• Metropolis of Syme

Ukrainian Church of the USA and Diaspora

• Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA

Church of Alexandria

The Church of Alexandria is governed by the Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria. Having been devastated first by schism, and then by Islam, and also by European colonial powers, this church languished as a diaspora church for Greek speakers for a thousand years. It is only now making remarkable strides to regain its lost footing, having expanded west into territory lost to the Roman schism of 1054AD, south into territory lost to the Coptic schism of 451AD(which resulted in two patriarchs of Alexandria the Orthodox Patriarch and the Coptic Pope), and even beyond that all the way to South Africa, establishing new dioceses in Madagascar, Kenya, Congo, South Africa and many other countries and regions of Africa. Alexandria is one is one of the five ancient Patriarchates of the Christian Church. The Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria supports the Ecumenical Patriarch as the first among equals. The church, having been established by St. Mark on the instructions of St. Peter.

• Beatitude Theodore II, Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa.

Alexandrian Archdioceses

• Archdiocese of Accra
• Archdiocese of Aksum
• Archdiocese of Antananarivo
• Archdiocese of Botswana
• Archdiocese of Brazzaville
• Archdiocese of Burundi
• Archdiocese of Cameroon
• Archdiocese of the Cape of Good Hope
• Archdiocese of Carthage
• Archdiocese of Guinea
• Archdiocese of Hermopolis
• Archdiocese of Kananga
• Archdiocese of Katanga
• Archdiocese of Leontopolis
• Archdiocese of Memphis
• Archdiocese of Nubia
• Archdiocese of Pelusium
• Archdiocese of Tripoli
• Archdiocese of Zambia

Church of Antioch

Like the Church of Alexandria, this Church was also much hindered by schism and Islam. First, they lost all of the Persian, all of the Indian, and most of the Assyrian dioceses to Nestorian heretics. Then Islam invaded. Nevertheless, this church never lost its missionary zeal. Even while persecuted, they continued to send out missionaries, reestablishing the Church in all of the countries it lost. The Church of Antioch also provides arch-pastoral services for some Orthodox in the U.S. who are not part of the Orthodox Church in America. The Church of Antioch is one of the five ancient Patriarchates of the Christian Church. The Patriarchate of Antioch supports the Ecumenical Patriarch as the first among equals. They trace their roots to first-century Antioch, the city in which the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). Below is the Antiochian Holy Synod and list of the Autocephalous Archdioceses each headed by the Patriarch or a Metropolitan Archbishop each Archdiocese may lead several Dioceses.

• Beatitude JOHN X, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

Middle East Antiochian Archdioceses

• Metropolitan of Beirut Lebanon and Dependencies Website: www.quartos.org.lb
• Metropolitan of Tyre Lebanon, Sidon Lebanon and Dependencies
• Metropolitan of Byblos Lebanon, Botris (Mount Lebanon) and Dependencies Website: www.ortmtlb.org.lb
• Metropolitan of Akkar Lebanon and Dependencies Website: www.akkarorthodox.com
• Metropolitan Antonios (Al Soury), Zahleh Lebanon, Baalbek and Dependencies Website: www.archzahle.org
• Metropolitan of Tripoli Lebanon, Al-Koura, and Dependencies Website: www.archtripoli.org
• Metropolitan of Baghdad Iraq, Kuwait, and Dependencies Website: www.gocarch.org
• Metropolitan of Aleppo Syria, Alexandretta and Dependencies Website: www.alepporthodox.org
• Metropolitan of Bosra Syria, Horan Jordan and Jabal al-Arab Syria Website: www.orthodoxhauran.net
• Metropolitan of Hama Syria and Dependencies
• Metropolitan of Homs Syria and Dependencies
• Metropolitan of Lattakia Syria and Dependencies
• Metropolitan of Shahba Syria

Europe Antiochian Archdioceses

• Metropolitan of the British Isles and Ireland Website: www.antiochian-orthodox.co.uk
• Metropolitan of France, Western and Southern Europe Email: info@antiochefrance.org Website: www.antiochefrance.org
• Metropolitan of Germany and Central Europe Website: www.rum-orthodox.de

North America Antiochian Archdiocese

• Metropolitan of New York and All North America Website: www.antiochian.org

South and Central America Antiochian Archdioceses

• Metropolitan of Buenos Aires and All Argentine Website: www.acoantioquena.com
• Metropolitan of Sao Paulo Brazil and All Brazil Website: www.arquidioceseortodoxa.com.br/
• Metropolitan of Santiago Chile and All Chile Website: www.chileortodoxo.cl
• Metropolitan of Mexico, Venezuela, Central America and the Islands of the Caribbean Sea Website: www.iglesiaortodoxa.org.mx

Australia and East Asia Antiochian Archdiocese

• Metropolitan of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines Website: www.antiochian.org.au

Church of Jerusalem

The early history of this church is recounted in the Book of Acts in the New Testament. It too has been plagued by Islam and crusaders. Though its missionary activity is circumscribed by its being surrounded by other Patriarchates, it does engage in missionary activity to the Jews in Israel and the Muslims in Palestine. The Church of Jerusalem is one of the five ancient Patriarchates of the Christian Church. The Patriarchate of Jerusalem supports the Ecumenical Patriarch as the first among equals. The liturgy is served in Hebrew and in Arabic. This is also the only one of the Orthodox churches still serving the Liturgy of St. James, the oldest and longest liturgy of the Orthodox Church. (Only a small part of the liturgy was actually written by St. James.)

Annual Holy Fire: Miracle at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

Blue light emerges from within the empty tomb of Christ, igniting a flame that believers claim behaves unlike ordinary fire—it doesn't burn clothing, hair, or skin during its for a brief period often described as the first 33 minutes.According to Russian physicist Andrey Volkov, “the phenomenon … is entirely inexplicable" . This occurs during the Orthodox Easter vigil mass on Holy Saturday; Orthodox Easter often occurs at a later date than Western Easter

• Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem

Church of Russia

See also: Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia

Though there were already Orthodox Christians in some of the Black Sea ports, and though Viking traders had become Christians in Constantinople and had built some churches along their Volga river trade route, and though the Polish had begun some missionary activity along the western frontier of the Kievan state, the year conventionally recognized as the establishment of the Church of Russia is 988 when St. Prince Vladimir decreed Orthodox Christianity as the state religion. This church, like many of the Orthodox Churches suffered from Islamic invasion, but also Mongol conquest and most recently, severe persecution under the Communists (though claims have been made that the church often sided with, or at least turned a blind eye to, actions taken by the Communist government). This last persecution produced more than 50 million holy martyrs.

The Russian Orthodox Church has historically clashed with Constantinople over which jurisdiction can declare a church body in a country to be autocephalous (the only matter on which they agree is that a secular government has no power to do so):

• Constantinople takes the position that its Patriarch, as "first among equals", has sole authority to declare a church body as autocephalous.
• Russia takes the position that the Patriarch of any autocephalous church can subsequently declare any church within a country under its geographical jurisdiction to be itself autocephalous.

Russian Orthodox theology on salvation, faith and works

The Orthodox Teaching on personal salvation by Deacon Victor E. Klimenko, Ph.D., a graduate of the Pastoral School of the Chicago and Mid-America of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

Church of Georgia

This is the only one of the Local Orthodox Churches to have been established by a woman, St. Nina. In the 4th century she traveled around Georgia preaching and baptizing. Priests followed after her organizing parishes and administering the other Holy Mysteries. In the 18th century the Russian Emperor folded this Church into the Russian Church, but since the dissolution of the Soviet Empire the Georgian Church has reclaimed its autocephalous status.

Church of Serbia

This church was devastated by communism, and later restored by the nationalist movement of Slobodan Milosevic. Though many bishops did not embrace the "Orthodoxy is Nationalism" rhetoric, many of the Orthodox laity did.

The spiritual heartland of this Church is Kosovo where Prince Lazar and the peoples of eastern Europe attempted to defend their homeland against the invading Muslim Ottoman Empire in 1389. Lazar lost, and animosity accrued over the ages as the Serbs continued to keep their Orthodox heritage, but the Albanians adopted the religion of Muslim Turks.

In the 1990s Muslim Albanians waged a guerrilla war against the newly restored Orthodox Serbs that led to the destruction of many centuries-old monasteries and churches. The Orthodox Church is very concerned with the heartland of the Church being ripped away from Serbia and has urged fighting to prevent this from occurring.

Church of Romania

Though this Church is second in size to the Church of Russia, it is probably 1st in zeal and active membership. The contributions of the Romanian Church can not be overstated. Martyrs, ascetics, monastics, theologians, hymnographers, missionaries, and spiritual warriors abound in this Church.

Church of Bulgaria

Established by the brothers St. Cyril and St. Methodius in the 9th century this ancient Patriarchate was suppressed and was made a part of the Church of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in the 15th Century. Missionaries from Bulgaria were key in the evangelization of the lands of Serbia, Romania, and Montenegro. Only in the 1870s did the Church of Bulgaria regain its autocephalous status.

Church of Cyprus

Established by St. Lazarus (the one Jesus raised from the dead) this has been a church of martyrs, in the Second Century a hundred thousand Christians were murdered here by Jewish mobs, and in the 1840s the entire Episcopacy and all leading laymen were rounded up and murdered by the Turks. It has been autocephalous since the Council of Ephesus made it so A.D. 431. Nevertheless, it is an important pilgrimage site since the relics of St. Lazarus and St. Barnabus are there. Two stories about St. Lazarus still circulate on the island. One that he laughed aloud at a man who stole a clay pot saying "clay stealing clay" and that he always served something sweet at every meal.

Church of Greece

See also: Greek Orthodox Church

Though part of the Church of Constantinople for most of its history, this Church emerged from the 19th and 20th-century struggle for Greek independence from the Turks. Probably, the most famous bishop of Athens is St. Dionysius, who was converted by St. Paul.

Church of Albania

This Church is the only Church in Europe that has to deal with a Muslim-majority population. Oddly, the Greek Primate of this church, Archbishop Anastasios, is one of the most loved people in Albania. Even Muslims come to him for blessings on their marriages and for prayers when they are sick.

Church of Poland

Church in Druskininkai, Lithuania.

This Church has existed since the 9th Century, when it was established by Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius 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 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.

Church of Moldova

In March 2011, the Moldovan Orthodox Church resisted efforts from the European Union attempting to force Moldova to accept homosexuality.

Orthodox Church in America

After the Communist Revolution, then Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow directed all Russian Orthodox churches outside of Russia to govern themselves autonomously. In 1924, the Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America was created under the leadership of the Metropolitan of New York. See full Orthodox Church in America History in North America below

See also

• Orthodox Church
• Russian painting
• Eastern Catholic Churches
• American Christianity
• Christianity

External links

• Orthodox Internet Radio
• Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
• Orthodox Church in America
• Official Web Site For Ecumenical Patriarchate
• Official Web Site Of The Moscow Patriarchate

• Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
• Orthodox Church in America
• Flickr Public Photos