This is a completely original book in concept and execution about the Orthodox Local Churches, prepared by the inhabitants of the Moscow Sretensky Monastery.
The history of the Churches is given here not in a fundamental, dry presentation, but in the form of individual themes and moments. The life of a saint, the biography of the Primate of the Church, a story about one important event of the past - this is what this book consists of. Its center of gravity is the present and the recent past. An important part of the book is in the genre of journalism: interviews, press statements, travel notes.
All this creates an unusually vivid picture. Each material separately is an interesting, accessible read, not overloaded with special details. All together gives a broad, impressive picture of Ecumenical Orthodoxy with its unfading spiritual light, but also with all human infirmities, with all the problems, with all the challenges posed to Orthodoxy by its former or even more terrible current opponents.
Reading the book is edifying: it convinces that “the power of God is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9), that the Lord will never leave His “little flock” (Luke 12:32), “like sheep among wolves” (Matt. 10, 16), going to the Kingdom of God through the grace-filled pastures of the church.
The unity of the Orthodox Churches is the unity of brothers who live in different parts of the earth, but have not forgotten about their own kinship. Christ sent His disciples to preach the Gospel, without appointing any of them as chief or in authority over the rest, although He had a brother according to the flesh (Apostle James, the first bishop of Jerusalem) and a beloved disciple (Apostle John the Theologian).
Each of the apostles received a special area by lot - not for honors and profit, but for preaching and testifying about the Truth even to death. The holy canons and church rules establish a very special nature of relations within the Orthodox world, in a spirit filled with Christian love and mutual respect. And although in practice there are tensions and disagreements among the Local Churches, as happens in every family, the unity of Ecumenical Orthodoxy remains unbreakable. This book is intended to show this.
Local Orthodox Churches
Sretensky Monastery Publishing House, 2004
ISBN 5-7533-0290-4
Local Orthodox Churches - Contents
Part I References
I. Orthodox Church of Constantinople
1. History
2 List of primates
3 Biography of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople
4 Dioceses
5 Major monasteries
1. History
2 List of primates
3 Biography of Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Peter VII
4 Dioceses
5 Major monasteries
6 Main religious educational institutions
1. History
2 List of primates
3 Biography of Patriarch of Antioch Ignatius IV
4 Dioceses
5 Major monasteries
6 Main religious educational institutions
1. History
2 List of primates
3 Biography of Patriarch of Jerusalem Irenaeus
4 Dioceses
5 Major monasteries
6 Main religious educational institutions
1. History
2 List of primates
3 Biography of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II
4 Dioceses
5 Major monasteries
6 Main religious educational institutions
1. History
2 List of primates
3 Biography of Patriarch of Serbia Pavlo
4 Dioceses
5 Major monasteries
6 Main religious educational institutions
VIII Romanian Orthodox Church
1. History
2 List of primates
3 Biography of Patriarch of Romania Theoctista
4 Dioceses
5 Major monasteries
6 Main religious educational institutions
1. History
2 List of primates
3 Biography of Patriarch Maxim of Bulgaria
4 Dioceses
5 Major monasteries
6 Main religious educational institutions
1. History
2 List of primates
3 Biography of Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus
4 Dioceses
5 Major monasteries
6 Main religious educational institutions
1. History
2 List of primates
3 Biography of Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulus
4 Dioceses
5 Major monasteries
6 Main religious educational institutions
1. History
2 List of primates
3 Biography of Archbishop Anastasius of Albania
4 Dioceses
5 Major monasteries
6 Main religious educational institutions
1. History
2 List of primates
3 Biography of Metropolitan Sava of Poland
4 Dioceses
5 Major monasteries
6 Main religious educational institutions
1. History
2 List of primates
3 Biography of Metropolitan Nicholas of Czechoslovakia
4 Dioceses
5 Major monasteries
6 Main religious educational institutions
XV. American Orthodox Church
1. History
2 List of primates
3 Biography of Metropolitan Herman of America
4 Dioceses
5 Major monasteries
6 Main religious educational institutions
Part II Publications
I. Orthodox Church of Constantinople
Stories of Secret Christians
Monasteries of Holy Mount Athos
The problem of opening the Khalka Theological School: history of the issue
Orthodox Church in India
Greek monastery in Arizona
Cappadocia
II. Alexandria Orthodox Church
“Africans welcome Orthodoxy with their pure and tender hearts.” Interview with Patriarch Peter VII
A Brief History of the Patriarchal Library
Orthodox Patriarchal Seminary in Nairobi
Orthodox community of the village of Kanyanjara at the Church of St. Macarius
Orthodoxy in Kenya
Orthodox mission in Madagascar
The Orthodox faith reached the island of Mauritius
III. Antiochian Orthodox Church
Word of His Beatitude Patriarch Ignatius in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin
Venerable John of Damascus
Tur Abdin - the oldest center of eastern monasticism
Saidnai Convent in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
History of the Theological Institute of St. John of Damascus
“I am pleased to serve the Russian people.” Interview with Bishop Niphon of Philippopolis
IV. Jerusalem Orthodox Church
Welcoming speech from Patriarch Alexy of Moscow
Patriarch of Jerusalem Irenaeus at his enthronement
Information on the procedure for electing the Primate of Jerusalem
Orthodox Church
The founding of the Jerusalem Metochion in Moscow is a major milestone in strengthening fraternal relations
“Jerusalem occupies an exceptional place in the world.” Interview with Archimandrite Theophilos (Yiannopoulos)
VI. Georgian Orthodox Church
Constitutional agreement between the Georgian state and the Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church
Holy Righteous King David the Builder “Truth is in the immortality of the soul” “Greetings to you, gray-haired Caucasus!” (travel notes, May-June 2001)
Orthodox revival in Adjara
VII. Serbian Orthodox Church
Easter message of Patriarch of Serbia Pavlo
Holy Blessed Vladislav, King of Serbia
Saint Basil of Ostrog, Metropolitan of Zaholmo-Herzegovina
Miracles of St. Basil of Ostrog
Monastic Serbia (travel notes, February 2002)
“A better future cannot be based on crime.” Interview with Hieromonk Savva (Janich)
“The Most Holy Theotokos helps everyone.” Interview with Archimandrite Gabriel (Vukovich)
VIII. Romanian Orthodox Church
The struggle of the Scriban brothers for the canonical system of the Romanian Church
Kaleidoscope of cultural eras (travel notes, April-May 2001)
“Love endures everything” Interview with the Romanian elder Justin (Põrvu)
IX. Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Prime Minister Simeon II and the Bulgarian Church
Particularly revered saints of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Vracheshi Monastery: revival in Bulgaria
Bulgaria at a crossroads (travel notes, April-May 2001)
Faculty of Theology, Sofia University
Saint Clement of Ohrid
“Children do not need dead formulas, but a living sense of God in their souls”
X. Cypriot Orthodox Church
“There are no hopeless situations for those who trust in God”
In the footsteps of the Russian monk and traveler Vasily Grigorovich-Barsky
“I fell in love with Russia during my school years.” Interview with Archpriest Savva Mikhailidis
XI. Greek Orthodox Church
Structure of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Greek Orthodox Church
Reaction to the Pope's visit to Athens
Address to British Prime Minister Tony Blair regarding the situation in Kosovo
Russia and the Greek Church: on the history of relationships in the 17th-19th centuries
Meteora: between heaven and earth
Western Gate of Greece
XII. Albanian Orthodox Church
Dialogue with Islam from the Orthodox point of view. Historical overview
Orthodox Theological Academy of the Resurrection of Christ in Durres
Albanian resurrection
XIII. Polish Orthodox Church
Hieromartyr Maxim Saidovich
Suprasl Annunciation Monastery
Church of St. Nicholas in Belovezhye
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Warsaw
Unknown Poland
XIV. Czech Lands and Slovakia Orthodox Church
Word from Metropolitan Dorofey at the opening of the Czech-Slovak metochion in Moscow
Saint Rostislav, Prince of Moravia
“There are very few believers left.” Interview with Archbishop Christopher of Prague and the Czech Lands
XV American Orthodox Church
Statement of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America in connection with the tragic events of September 11, 2001
“In Christ there is neither American nor Russian.” Interview with Archimandrite Zacchaeus (Wood)
Life of Saint Raphael of Brooklyn
“We are all children of the Russian Church.” Interview with Protopresbyter Foma Hopko
Local Orthodox Churches - Orthodox Church of Constantinople
The history of the Church of Constantinople is closely intertwined with the history of one city - Constantinople (now Istanbul), or simply “The City”, as the Greeks still call it. It was thanks to him that the Church of Constantinople received primacy of honor in the family of Local Orthodox Churches. When Constantinople became the new capital of the Roman Empire (330), the local episcopal see took second place after the Roman one, as stated in the third canon of the Second Ecumenical Council: “Let the bishop of Constantinople have the advantage of honor over the bishop of Rome, because that city is the new Rome.” . After the fall of the Roman See from Ecumenical Orthodoxy, the Church of Constantinople received the place of “first among equals.”
Although over the past centuries options for transferring the See of Constantinople to cities in other countries have been repeatedly considered, these projects were never implemented. And even now, when the bulk of the flock of the Church of Constantinople is scattered throughout the world, its center still remains in Istanbul, where a little more than two thousand Orthodox Christians live. Basically, these are elderly Greeks, whose number is rapidly declining, while their descendants have long since moved to Greece.
The Church of Constantinople received its special status mainly due to political circumstances. This, in addition to the above rule, is clearly stated in the twenty-eighth rule of the Fourth Ecumenical Council: “The Fathers gave decent advantages to the Throne of Old Rome: since it was the reigning city. Following the same impulse, one hundred and fifty God-loving bishops presented equal advantages to the Holy See of New Rome, righteously judging that the city, which received the honor of being the city of the king and the synclit, and having equal advantages with the Old Royal Rome, would be exalted in church affairs likewise, and there will be a second one according to him.”
Thus, the episcopal see of “New Rome” received equal status with the throne of “Old Rome” due to the fact that the first - Constantinople - became “the city of the king and the synclite.” And later legends spread that the Church of Constantinople was founded by St. Andrew the First-Called and its first bishop was the apostle of the seventy Stachys.
The history of the Church of Constantinople can be divided into five periods with clear boundaries.
The first period is the “triumph of Orthodoxy.” Began in 330. Its end can be conditionally limited to the year 843, when the final victory of Orthodoxy over iconoclasm was won.
The second period, the Crusades, ended in 1204 with the capture of Constantinople by the Crusaders.
The beginning of the third period can be taken in 1261, the time of the liberation of Constantinople from Roman rule, and continue until 1453, when the city was finally captured by the Turks.
The fourth period, the period of Turkish domination, ended with the formation of an independent Greek state in 1821 and the declaration of independence of the Greek Church.
The fifth, modern period, begins in 1833 and continues to the present day.
LOCAL CHURCH. In Orthodoxy, a Church that has independence in internal governance, having jurisdiction over its own territory, called canonical, within one or more states.
The All-Len-right-glorious Church consists of separate local churches, which, in turn, include episcopia (dioceses), and dioceses - parishes. All local churches practice the same doctrine, which is preserved by the Universal Right-glorious Church. I'm watching from the beginning. In the ter-ri-to-ri-al-nom-same-va-niy in relation to each other, local churches co-operate with each other li-ti-ko-administrative de-le-ni-em, with state and administrative borders. By-nya-tie “Local Church” is used in view of the special-ben-no-stey of the canonical structure of the Church, in the power of tra-di-tsi-on- Noah for the right-to-glorify the close connection of the Church with the Christian state-su-dar-st (the principles of their mutual-from-but- she-named sim-fo-no-authorities, were you-ra-bo-ta-us in Byzantium and you-ra-same in the 6th but-led-le Emperor Yus-ti-nia-na I).
In the ancient Church, until the middle of the 3rd century, every episcopia, that is, a local Church headed by a bishop, preceded by no one apo-sto-loving, about-la-da-la sa-mo-standing-tel-no-stu. In the 2nd half of the 3rd century, a local structure began to be formed: the episcopies of the first cities about -vin-tions of the Roman Empire began to pre-cede their pro-vin-tions on the episcopal councils. In the 34th Apostolic Pra-vi-le it was said about them: “The Episcopal memory of all the people in the world should know first.” go in them and recognize him as the head...” The historical context clearly says that under “on-the-ro-house” in the ka-but-not-under-ra-zu-me-va-et- Xia territory, occupied by one or another people, and not nationality (eth-nos): provinces of the Roman Empire with - hundred-vi-li-lands, na-s-ly-nye-ple-me-na-mi, subjected-shi-mi-sya in due time to el-li-ni-za-tions or la -ti-ni-za-tion. Thus, the administrative affairs of the Church are based on the ter-ri-to-ri-al-ny, and not the national principle. That's why the right-glorious Christians don't have any na-tsio-nal-no-sti, living on the same territory, feeding -they are one diocesan bishop and are part of one local church (according to the words of the Apostle Paul, in Christ “there is no El- li-na, neither Ju-dea, nor ob-re-za-niya, nor non-ob-re-za-niya, var-va-ra, Ski-fa, ra-ba, free-no-go ..." (Col. 3:11)). Over time, the first bishops began to be called mi-tro-po-li-ta-mi, because in the administrative language of the Roman Empire per-rii mi-tro-po-li-mi (Greek μητροπολις - mother city) there were centers of pro-vin-tions (term “mi-tro-po-lit” I rely on already in the kan-no-nah I of the All-len-sko-go-bo-ra (325)). This is a reminder of the appearance of the first local churches. Later, the process of incorporation of the local structure led to the formation of local churches in the borders of the dio-tse. a call led by ar-hi-epi-sko-pa-mi; in the 5th century pat-ri-ar-ha-ty appeared. At that time (before the dissolution of the church in 1054), the number of local churches included the Roman Church. When the system developed in the 2nd half of the 1st millennium pen-tar-hii (5 pat-ri-ar-ha-tov) at the same time su-sche-st -are there local churches that are headed not by pat-ri-ar-ha-mi, but by ar-hi-episco-pa-mi, for example, the Cyprus Church -kov. Although between the political process of the formation of new states and, as a consequence, from There is no automatic connection between state borders and the formation or division of the local church, however, in the -rii in the result of these political processes, one local churches, u-ra-chi-vaya self-sustainability, entry into composition of others or united with them, or, on the contrary, the church about the status of local churches, you-de-la -coming from existing larger organizations.
Outside the canonical boundaries of all local churches (for example, in modern Western Europe), the territorial principle cannot be strictly observed -Xia: different local churches have parallel jurisdiction over the same territory.
Local churches are divided into av-to-ke-fal-nye and av-to-ke-fal-nye. Auto-ke-fal-noy considers local churches to be self-standing, not dependent on any other local church (see Auto- ke-fa-lia). At the beginning of the 21st century, there are 15 independent local churches. In the order of deep-ti-ha (trans-rech-nya), with-nya-to-go in the Russian Orthodox Church, this is: 9 pat-ri-ar-ha-tov - Kon-stan-ti-no- Polish right-glorious church, Alek-san-d-riy-skaya right-glorious church, An-ti-ochian right-glorious church kov, Ie-ru-sa-lim-skaya right-glorious church, Russian right-glorious church, Georgian right-glorious church Kove, Serbian Right-Glorious Church, Rumanian Right-Glorious Church, Bulgarian Right-Glorious Church; 3 churches, headed by the arch-hi-episco-pa-mi, - the Cypriot right-glorious church, the El-lad-right-glorious church naya church, Albanian right-glorious church; 3 churches, headed by mi-tro-po-li-ta-mi, - the Polish Orthodox Church, the Czech Lands and the Slo-va- cue the right-to-glorious church, the right-to-glorious church in America. In the Kon-stan-ti-no-Polish right-glorious church and some other local churches, several different diplomatic quiet: in it there is the Right-glorious Church in America, the auto-ke-fal-status of the Kon-stan The Polish Church and some other local churches are not recognized; the Georgian Church follows the Bulgarian Church. in and.
Autonomous churches are completely independent, but not completely self-standing. The main difference between the av-to-ke-fal-ny-mi and the av-no-no-my-church is that the first ones have a self-standing chain of apo-so-succession: episcopal au-to-ke-fal-noy Church, including the first among them, the establishment of the epi-sco-pa-mi of this Church itself, and the establishment of the first epi-sco -pa av-to-nom-noy Church-vi sanction-tsio-ni-ru-et-sa sacred-but-at-cha-li-em Church-vi, pre-dos-ta-viv-shey av -to-no-miyu (tser-ko-view-ma-te-ryu, ki-ri-ar-hal-noy Tser-ko-view). From this you-ka-yut and other og-ra-no-things of the sa-mo-standing-tel-no-sti of the autonomous Church: its status, us -tav ut-ver-wait for the highest authority of the ki-ri-ar-hal-noy Church; her first bishop under the su-den of the highest judicial power of the ki-ri-ar-hal-noy Church; ot-no-she-nii with other churches of the av-to-nom-naya Church is implemented through-through-the-st-in-ki-ri-ar -hal-noy Churches (au-no-nom-nye churches can-teach in inter-church con-tacts, including on all rights -at a glorious level, even on its own, but with the unconditional agreement of its own position with ki-ri-ar-hal-noy Tser-ko-view). Various factors can serve as the main basis for the pro-voicing of a car: most often -the existence of the Church in the pre-de-les of another state-state, is it not a ki-ri-ar-hal-naya Church, as well as a geo- graphical remoteness and ethnic identity of the territory. Is-to-ri-che-ski about-the-voice-of-the-car-to-no-mia hour-follows-the-re-te-ni-go-su -gift-st-vom, on the ter-ri-to-ry of the Church, of political self-standing. The ut-ra-same state sa-mo-standing-tel-but-sti ter-ri-to-rii usually leads to the up-division of the church-auto-but -mii.
The term “autonomous Church” is new, but this phenomenon was known both in ancient times and in the Middle Ages. co-vie. In essence, for example, a church auto-no-mia can serve the Russian Church until the beginning of its auto-fa-lia (1448), when she, ter-ri-to-ri-al-no, et-no-che-ski and-li-ti-che-se-separ-len-naya from ki-ri- ar-hal-noy Church-vi (Kon-stan-ti-no-Polish right-glorious church), had only a limited za-vi-si -more from her than the re-shi-tel-but from other mi-tro-po-ly Kon-stan-ti-no-Polish church.
At the beginning of the 21st century, there are 4 autonomous churches: Si-nai arch-episco-pia in the jurisdiction of Ye-ru-sa -Lima Church, Finnish Autonomous Right-Glorious Church in the jurisdiction of the Kon-stan-ti-no-Polish Church , Japanese Autonomous Right-Glorious Church and Chinese Autonomous Right-Glorious Church in jurisdiction ROC.
In ka-li-cis-me, his uni-ver-sa-li-st-sky central-tra-lism uses that degree of self-standing-tel-no-sti me -st-churches, which has a place in the right-of-glory. That's why there aren't any local autochurches in some place. However, in the modern Roman Church, the op-re-de-la-naya local auto-but- mia (right mi-tro-po-li-tov to the can-no-nic supervision over the sub-ve-dom-st-ven-ny-mi diocese-mi, op-re-de-len - rights of pro-vin-tsi-al-nyh episcopal councils and conferences, special status of the Eastern Catholic churches).
The Orthodox world is great. Many countries and peoples are illuminated by its light. All of them are one Universal Church. But, unlike the Catholic world, subordinate to the Pope, a single ruler, the Universal Church is divided into independent ones - local or autocephalous churches, each of which has self-government and independence in resolving basic legal and administrative issues.
What does the term “autocephaly” mean?
Before talking about what an autocephalous Orthodox Church means, we should consider the term “autocephaly” itself. It comes from a Greek word consisting of two roots. The first of them is translated as “himself”, and the second is “head”. It is not difficult to guess that their combined use can mean “self-leadership,” which implies the most complete control of the entire internal life of the church and its administrative independence. In this way, autocephalous churches differ from autonomous churches, which are subject to certain legal restrictions.
The universal church is divided into local (autocephalous) churches not on a national basis, but on a territorial basis. This division is based on the words of the Apostle Paul that in Christ there is no division of people either by nationality or by their social status. All people constitute one “flock of God” and have one Shepherd. In addition, an undeniable convenience is the territorial correspondence of autocephalous churches to the political and administrative borders of states.
Rights of autocephalous churches
In order to most fully characterize the essence of autocephaly, it is necessary to take a closer look at the rights that autocephalous churches have. The most important of these is the right to appoint and elect one's own bishops. To do this, there is no need to coordinate this or that candidacy with the leaders of other local churches. This is the main difference between autocephalous and autonomous churches. The latter are headed by primates appointed by the church that granted them autonomy.
In addition, local churches have the right to independently issue their own charters. They operate, of course, only in the territory controlled by a given church. Issues related to the structure and management of the church are also resolved internally. The most important of them are submitted for consideration
Autocephalous churches have the right to independently consecrate the holy chrism intended for use within the church. Another important right is the possibility of canonizing one’s own saints and drawing up new liturgical rites and chants. The last point has only one caveat - they should not go beyond the framework of dogmatic teachings accepted by the Universal Church.
In resolving all issues of an administrative nature, local churches are given full rights, including the church court, the right to convene local councils and the opportunity to initiate the convocation
Restrictions placed on the rights of autocephalous churches
Restrictions on the rights of local churches are determined by the principle of church unity. Based on it, all autocephalous churches are identical with each other and are separated only territorially, but not dogmatically or by differences in matters of doctrine. The fundamental principle is the right of the Universal Church alone to interpret religious dogmas, while leaving unchanged the essence of the Orthodox faith.
In addition, the resolution of the most important canonical issues goes beyond the legal framework of local churches and is the responsibility of the Ecumenical Councils. Also, the construction of liturgical life within autocephaly must be generally accepted and be in accordance with the guidelines adopted by the Ecumenical Councils.
Formation of local churches
The history of the formation of local Churches goes back to apostolic times, when the disciples of Jesus Christ, according to His word, went to various lands to bring people the good news of the Holy Gospel. The churches they founded, due to their territorial isolation, had independence from other churches founded simultaneously with them. The capitals and large cities of these Roman metropolises became the centers of religious life of such new formations.
When Christianity became the state religion, active regulation of the life of local churches began. This historical period (IV-VI centuries) is called the era of the Ecumenical Councils. At this time, basic provisions were developed and adopted regulating the rights of autocephalous churches and a framework was established to limit them. For example, the documents of the Second Ecumenical Council speak of the inadmissibility of extending the power of regional bishops to territories outside the boundaries of their local churches.
It is the documents developed by these Ecumenical Councils that make it possible to give an unambiguous answer to the question of what an autocephalous church means and to avoid ambiguous interpretations.
A law was also adopted according to which a new independent autocephalous church could be created. It is based on the principle: “No one can give more rights than he himself has.” Based on this, either the episcopate of the Universal Church or the episcopate of an already existing and legally recognized local church can create a new autocephalous church. Thus, the continuity of episcopal power from the apostolic was emphasized. Since then, the concept of the “mother church,” or kyriarchal church, has come into use. This is the legal designation of a church whose episcopate has established a new local (autocephalous) church.
Unauthorized establishment of autocephaly
However, history knows many cases of violations of these established rules. Sometimes state authorities declared the churches of their countries autocephalous, and sometimes local episcopates voluntarily withdrew from subordination to the highest authorities and, having elected a primate, declared independence. It should be noted that in most cases there were objective reasons for such actions.
Subsequently, their canonical illegality was corrected by completely legitimate acts, although adopted with some delay. As an example, we can recall the unauthorized separation of the Polish autokyphalists from the Russian Mother Church in 1923. The legality of this act was restored only in 1948, when the church became legally autocephalous. And there are many similar examples.
Exceptions to the General Rules
But the law provides for cases when an autonomous church can independently break ties with its mother church and receive autocephaly. This happens when a kyriarchal church falls into heresy or schism. The document adopted at the local Council of Constantinople, held in 861, called the Double Council, provides for such cases and gives autonomous churches the right to self-separation.
It was on the basis of this point that the Russian Orthodox Church gained independence in 1448. According to its episcopate, at the Council of Florence he fell into heresy, tarnishing the purity of Orthodox teaching. Taking advantage of this, they hastened to install him in the primate department and proclaim canonical independence.
Currently existing autocephalous churches of Orthodoxy
There are currently fifteen autocephalous churches. All of them are Orthodox, so the frequently asked question about how the autocephalous Church differs from the Orthodox Church naturally disappears by itself. It is customary to list them in the order of a diptych—remembrance at the liturgy.
The first nine are ruled by patriarchs. Among them are the Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Russian, Georgian, Serbian, Romanian and Bulgarian churches. Following them come those headed by archbishops. These are Cypriot, Hellenic and Albanian. The list of churches that are governed by metropolitans is completed: the Polish, Czech lands and Slovakia, the Orthodox Autocephalous Church in America.
The fifth Russian Church in the above list became autocephalous. It received its status from the Patriarchate of Constantinople, from which it was dependent until 1548, when a council of Russian bishops elected Metropolitan Jonah as the head of the church. The further growing economic and military power of Russia contributed to the strengthening of the political, military and religious authority of our country. As a result, the eastern patriarchates recognized Russia as the fifth “honorable” place.
Equality of all Orthodox autocephalous churches
A very important point is the equality of all autocephalous churches, declared and observed in the practice of interchurch communication. The dogma accepted in Catholicism that the Pope is the vicar of Christ, and that he is, as a consequence, infallible, is absolutely unacceptable in Orthodoxy. In addition, the claims of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to any exclusive rights in the Universal Church are completely rejected.
In this regard, it is necessary to explain the principle by which the ordinal places of certain churches in the diptych are distributed. Despite the fact that these places are called “ranks of honor,” they do not have any dogmatic meaning and are established purely historically. In the order of distribution of seats, the antiquity of the church, the chronological sequence in which it received the status of autocephaly and the political significance of the cities in which the chairs of the leading bishops are located play a role.
Autonomous churches and their features
Here it is appropriate to dwell on the state of affairs that developed before 1548, that is, until the moment when the Russian Empire became autocephalous. Its status in those centuries can be characterized as follows: an autonomous church. It was mentioned above that the main feature of autonomous churches is the lack of the right to independently elect their primate, whom the mother church supplies to them. This significantly limits their independence. And another important aspect of the issue is that the internal and sometimes foreign policy of their states largely depends on who heads the autocephalous independent Orthodox churches.
In fairness, it should be noted that even before Metropolitan Jonah received the title of Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus', the dependence of the Russians on Constantinople was not too burdensome. The geographic distance from Byzantium, our mother church, played a role here. The churches formed in the territories of the Greek metropolises were in a much worse situation.
Significant restrictions on the freedom of autonomous churches
Autonomous churches, in addition to being governed by a primate appointed by the mother church, were obliged to coordinate their charters, statuses with it, and consult on all any serious issues. They did not have the right to consecrate the ointment on their own. Their bishops were subject to the jurisdiction of the highest court - the court of the kyriarchal church, and they had the right to build their relations with others only through the mother church. All this gave rise to organizational difficulties and hurt national pride.
Intermediate nature of autonomy status
History shows that the status of autonomy of churches is usually temporary, interim. As a rule, over time, they either become autocephalous local Orthodox churches, or, having lost even the appearance of independence, they are transformed into ordinary metropolitan districts or dioceses. There are many examples of this.
Today, three autonomous churches are commemorated in liturgical diptychs. The first of them is the ancient Sinai. It is governed by a bishop appointed from Jerusalem. Next comes the Church of Finland. For her, the Mother Church became the Autocephaly of Constantinople. And finally, the Japanese, for which the Russian Orthodox Church is kyriarchal. The light of Orthodoxy was brought to the islands of Japan at the beginning of the last century by a Russian missionary, a bishop who was later canonized. For his services to the church, he was awarded the honor of being called Equal-to-the-Apostles. Such a title is given only to those who brought Christ’s teaching to entire nations.
All these churches are Orthodox. As absurd as it is to look for the difference between the autocephalous church and the Orthodox, it is so absurd to talk about the difference between the autonomous and the Orthodox. The need for such an explanation is caused by frequently asked questions about this.
Orthodoxy (translated from the Greek word “orthodoxy”) was formed as the eastern branch of Christianity after the powerful Roman Empire was divided into two parts - Eastern and Western - at the beginning of the 5th century. This branch took shape until the end after the split of the churches into Orthodox and Catholic in 1054. The formation of various kinds of religious organizations is almost directly related to the political and social life of society. Orthodox churches began to spread mainly in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
Features of faith
Orthodoxy is based on the Bible and Holy Tradition. The latter provides for the adopted Ecumenical laws, of which there were only seven throughout time, as well as the works of the holy fathers of the church and canonical theologians. To understand the characteristics of faith, you need to study its origins. It is known that in the first 325 and 381 years. The Creed was adopted, which briefly outlined the entire essence of Christian doctrine. The Orthodox churches called all these basic provisions eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible to the mind of an ordinary person and communicated by the Lord Himself. Keeping them intact became the main responsibility of religious leaders.
Orthodox churches
The personal salvation of the human soul depends on the fulfillment of the ritual instructions of the Church, thus, there is an introduction to Divine grace given through the sacraments: priesthood, confirmation, baptism in infancy, repentance, communion, wedding, consecration of oil, etc.
Orthodox churches conduct all these sacraments in services and prayers; they also attach great importance to religious holidays and fasts, teach observance of the commandments of God, which the Lord himself gave to Moses, and the fulfillment of his covenants described in the Gospel.
The main content of Orthodoxy lies in love for one's neighbor, in mercy and compassion, in the refusal to resist evil through violence, which, in general, constitutes understandable universal human norms of life. The emphasis is also placed on enduring uncomplaining suffering, sent by the Lord, in order to cleanse oneself from sin, pass the test and strengthen faith. The saints of the Orthodox Church are especially revered by God: sufferers, beggars, blessed ones, holy fools, hermits and hermits.
Organization and role of the Orthodox Church
There is no single head of the church or spiritual center in Orthodoxy. According to religious history, there are 15 autocephalous churches, independent in their governance, of which 9 are headed by patriarchs, and the rest by metropolitans and archbishops. In addition, there are autonomous churches, independent of autocephaly according to the system of internal governance. In turn, they are divided into dioceses, vicariates, deaneries and parishes.
Patriarchs and metropolitans lead the life of the church together with the Synod (under the patriarchy, a collegial body of senior church officials), and they are elected for life at Local Councils.
Control
Orthodox churches are characterized by a hierarchical principle of governance. All clergy are divided into lower, middle, higher, black (monasticism) and white (rest). The canonical dignity of these Orthodox churches has its own official list.
Orthodox churches are divided into universal (world) Orthodoxy, which includes the four most ancient patriarchates: Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, and into newly formed local churches: Russian, Georgian, Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Cypriot, Hellenic, Athens, Polish, Czech and Slovak, American.
Today there are also autonomous churches: the Moscow Patriarchate has Japanese and Chinese, the Jerusalem Patriarchate has Sinai, the Constantinople has Finnish, Estonian, Cretan and other jurisdictions not recognized by world Orthodoxy that are considered non-canonical.
History of Russian Orthodoxy
After the baptism of Kievan Rus in 988 by Prince Vladimir, the formed Russian Orthodox Church for a long time belonged to the Patriarchate of Constantinople and was its metropolitanate. He appointed metropolitans from the Greeks, but in 1051 a Russian became the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. Before the fall of Byzantium in 1448, the Russian Orthodox Church gained independence from Moscow, and for the first time its patriarch Job appeared in Rus'.
The Moscow diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church (also called the Moscow Orthodox Church) was created in 1325, today it has more than one and a half thousand churches. There are 268 chapels belonging to the monasteries and parishes of the diocese. Numerous districts of the diocese are united into 1,153 parishes and 24 monasteries. In the diocese, in addition, there are three parishes of the same faith, completely subordinate to the bishop of the Moscow diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Juvinal of Krutitsy and Kolomna.
Alexander Dvorkin
The Orthodox Church does not have a single legal and spiritual head. The Orthodox Church believes in the spiritual equality (according to rank) of all bishops who head their dioceses and decide all general issues jointly. Depending on the importance of the issues, they are decided either by a local or an Ecumenical Council. Local councils are usually presided over by the first hierarch - the bishop (he may bear the title of Archbishop, Metropolitan or Patriarch) of the capital or historically most important city in the country, who is the Primate of the local Church, the first among equal bishops.
Currently, the Orthodox Church consists of 15 local autocephalous churches and three autonomous churches. (Autocephalous is a Local Church that elects its own leader; a Church that enjoys broad self-government is called autonomous).
1. Patriarchate of Constantinople. Primate: His Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, Ecumenical Patriarch. Residence - Istanbul. Compared to the 10th century, when the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch included 624 dioceses, now it has significantly decreased in size. It includes 4 metropolises in Turkey, Crete and a number of islands of the Aegean archipelago, as well as, purely nominally, the dioceses of Northern Greece and all the canonical dioceses of the Greeks living abroad in Western Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand; a number of Russian, Ukrainian and Carpathian emigrant dioceses; Athos Peninsula, Autonomous Church of Finland. The largest Russian Orthodox grouping in Western Europe, the so-called Paris Archdiocese, or “Eulogian Church” (named after its first primate, Metropolitan Eulogius), also belongs to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Divine services of the fixed circle (i.e., holidays falling on a certain date) in most dioceses included in the Ecumenical Patriarchate are performed according to the Gregorian (new) calendar. The exception is Holy Mount Athos and a number of parishes of the Paris Russian Archdiocese. Liturgical languages: Byzantine Greek and the national languages of the emigrant dioceses.
Autonomous Finnish Orthodox Church. Primate: His Eminence John, Archbishop of Karelian and All Finland. It consists of three dioceses. Liturgical languages: Finnish and Karelian.
2. Patriarchate of Alexandria. Primate: His Beatitude Parthenius III, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Judge of the Universe. Residence - Alexandria Egyptian. The Patriarchate includes 9 metropolitan districts throughout Africa. Active missionary work is carried out in such African countries as Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, etc. Divine services of the fixed circle are performed according to the Gregorian calendar. Liturgical languages: Byzantine Greek and the national languages of African peoples converted to Orthodoxy. In South Africa, English and Afrikaans are used along with Greek.
3. Patriarchate of Antioch. Primate: His Beatitude Ignatius IV, Patriarch of Great Antioch and all the East. Residence - Damascus. Its jurisdiction includes 10 metropolises in Syria and Lebanon, as well as dioceses in Iraq, the emigrant metropolitanate of the Americas and emigrant dioceses in Western Europe. The services of the fixed circle are performed according to the Gregorian calendar. Liturgical language: Arabic. In the USA and Western Europe, national languages are used along with Arabic.
4. Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Primate: His Beatitude Diodorus, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine. Residence - Jerusalem. The Patriarchate includes 6 archdioceses. The Patriarch and almost the entire higher hierarchy of the Church of Jerusalem are Greek, while the vast majority of the priesthood and faithful are Arab. The services of the fixed circle are performed according to the Julian (old) calendar. Liturgical languages: Byzantine Greek and Arabic.
5. Russian Orthodox Church. Primate: His Holiness Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. Residence - Moscow. At the end of 1993, there were 107 archbishops and 19 metropolitans in the Russian Orthodox Church. The canonical territory of the Russian Church also extends to the CIS states. In addition, the Moscow Patriarchate includes several emigrant dioceses in Western and Central Europe and North and South America. The Russian Orthodox Church also includes an autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church, headed by His Beatitude Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, and autonomous Japanese Orthodox Church, headed by His Eminence Theodosius, Metropolitan of Tokyo and All Japan. The services of the fixed circle are performed according to the Julian calendar. Liturgical languages: Church Slavonic and the languages of the peoples converted by Russian missionaries. The Orthodox population of Moldova and the Baltic countries also uses local languages.
6. Georgian Orthodox Church. Primate: His Holiness and Beatitude Ilya P, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi. Residence - Tbilisi. Until recently, the Georgian Church consisted of 15 dioceses. Its territory practically coincides with the territory of the Republic of Georgia. The services of the fixed circle are performed according to the Julian calendar. Liturgical language: Old Georgian. A number of parishes use Church Slavonic, Greek and other languages.
7. Serbian Orthodox Church. Primate: His Holiness Paul, Archbishop of Pecs, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovac, Patriarch of Serbia. Residence - Belgrade. The Church has 28 dioceses, of which 21 are within the former Yugoslavia, and 7 outside its borders: in the USA, Canada, Central and Western Europe and Australia. The services of the fixed circle are performed according to the Julian calendar. Liturgical languages: Church Slavonic and Serbian. In some parishes in the countries of the diaspora, local languages are also used. Until recently, in the USA there was a “Dionysian” Serbian diocese, which considered itself independent, accused the Serbian Patriarchate of collaborating with the communist authorities and did not have Eucharistic communion with it. Several years ago, reconciliation took place and the “Dionysians” returned to the bosom of the mother Church.
Also, the canonical part of the Serbian Church is the self-proclaimed “ Autocephalous Macedonian Orthodox Church“. Her decision on autocephaly was not recognized by any of the local Orthodox Churches, which makes concelebration with her hierarchs and priests impossible. However, Orthodox laity are not prohibited from participating in the sacraments of the Macedonian Church. The Primate of the Macedonian Church is the Archbishop of Skopje and All Macedonia. It includes 6 dioceses, one of which consists of Macedonian parishes in the countries of diaspora (the so-called American-Canadian-Australian diocese). Divine services of the fixed circle are performed in Church Slavonic and Macedonian languages.
8. Romanian Orthodox Church. Primate: His Beatitude Theoctistus, Patriarch of All Romania, Vicar of Caesarea in Cappadocia, Metropolitan of Ungro-Vlachia, Archbishop of Bucharest. Residence - Bucharest. Geographically, the borders of the Romanian Patriarchate practically coincide with the borders of Romania. It is divided into 5 metropolises, which include 12 dioceses. There are also Western European and North American dioceses. The services of the fixed circle are performed according to the Gregorian calendar. Liturgical language: Romanian.
9. Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Primate: His Holiness Maxim, Patriarch of Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia. Residence - Sofia. Within the Republic of Bulgaria, the Patriarchate is divided into 11 metropolises (dioceses). There are two dioceses outside Bulgaria: in America and Australia, and separate parishes in Hungary, Romania, and Austria. The services of the fixed circle are performed according to the Gregorian calendar. Liturgical languages: Church Slavonic and Bulgarian.
10. Cypriot Orthodox Church. Primate: His Beatitude Chrysostomos, Archbishop of New Justiniana and all Cyprus. Residence - Nicosia. The boundaries of the Cypriot Church are limited to Fr. Cyprus. Instead of the previous 15 dioceses, the Church of Cyprus today consists of 5 metropolitanates and 1 archdiocese. The services of the fixed circle are performed according to the Gregorian calendar. Liturgical language: Byzantine Greek.
11. Greek Orthodox Church. Primate: His Beatitude Seraphim, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece. Residence - Athens. Administratively, the Church is divided into 77 dioceses. The hierarchs are divided into the hierarchs of the Greek Church (metropolises in “Old Greece”) and the hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne (in the so-called “new territories” that became part of Greece at the beginning of the century). Most of the islands of the Aegean and Cretan seas are under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The services of the fixed circle are performed according to the Gregorian calendar. Liturgical language: Byzantine Greek.
12. Albanian Orthodox Church. Its borders coincide with the borders of the Albanian state. In the 60s of our century, the Albanian Church consisted of 5 dioceses (4 in Albania and one in the USA). At the end of the 70s, the final eradication of all religious prejudices was announced in Albania. The 1976 Constitution prohibited all religious organizations, religious activities, and propaganda. Only after the fall of the communist regime did the restoration of the Church begin. Its current primate: His Beatitude Anastasios, Metropolitan of Tirana and Durres, Archbishop of All Albania. Residence - Tirana. The services of the fixed circle are performed according to the Gregorian calendar. Liturgical languages: Albanian and Byzantine Greek.
13. Orthodox Church in Poland. Primate: His Beatitude Basil, Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland, his residence is Warsaw. The borders of the metropolis coincide with the borders of the Polish Republic. The church consists of 4 dioceses. Divine services of the fixed circle are performed according to the Gregorian (in some parishes according to the Julian) calendar. Liturgical languages: Church Slavonic and Polish.
14. Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Primate: His Beatitude Dorotheos, Metropolitan of Prague and all the Czech Republic and Slovakia, his residence is Prague. The canonical territory of the Church occupies the states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia and is divided into 4 dioceses. Divine services of the fixed circle are performed according to the Gregorian (in a number of parishes according to the Julian) calendar. Liturgical languages: Church Slavonic, Czech and Slovak.
15. Orthodox Church in America. Primate: His Beatitude Theodosius, Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada. Residences - the town of Syosset near New York and Washington. This is the youngest of the local Orthodox Churches. Orthodoxy was brought to American soil by Russian missionaries - Valaam monks who arrived in Alaska in 1794. Since then it has spread to the entire American continent. From the very beginning of its existence, American Orthodoxy has been multiethnic in nature. With the exception of the indigenous peoples of Alaska, converted by Russian missionaries (Aleuts, Eskimos, Tlingit Indians), the Church consisted of emigrants who came to America from all over the Orthodox world: from the Balkan Peninsula, from Syria, Palestine, the eastern provinces of Austria-Hungary, Russia and etc. All of them were united under the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church in North America, which was recognized as legal by all local Orthodox Churches.
The church grew. At the end of the 19th century. a large group of Carpathian Uniate parishes, formed by immigrants from Austria-Hungary, returned to the fold of Orthodoxy. Due to the growing number of Orthodox Christians, the administrative center of the diocese was moved from Novoarkhangelsk (now Sitkha) in Alaska to San Francisco and then to New York.
From the very beginning, the unifying language for all American Orthodox Christians was English. This was noted by Archbishop Tikhon (Belavin, later Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', canonized in 1989), who headed the North American diocese from 1898 to 1907. Under his leadership, liturgical books were translated into English. He also convened the First Church Council of the diocese, which transformed it into the “Russian Orthodox Greek-Catholic Church in North America under the jurisdiction of the hierarchy of the Russian Church.” By the beginning of the First World War, the Church had four vicariates: Alaskan, Brooklyn, Pittsburgh and Canada, had 3 missions (Albanian, Syrian, Serbian), a monastery, a theological seminary, charitable institutions, and schools. This fullness of church life in America prompted Archbishop Tikhon to recommend granting the American Church broad autonomy, and then autocephaly.
After the October Revolution in Russia, the connection between American Orthodoxy and the Mother Church was broken. The emigrant Church did not yet have enough funds for independent existence. Many parishes turned to their countries of origin for support. That is why the completely non-canonical “spread” of the Church across ethnic jurisdictions began. In 1921, without the knowledge or canonical consent of the Russian Church, the Greek Archdiocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate was established in America. Others followed.
Only after the end of World War II did the reverse process begin, albeit slowly. The Albanian diocese, a large number of Bulgarian parishes, organized into a separate diocese, and Romanian parishes, which also formed a separate diocese, were reunited with the Russian Orthodox Greek-Catholic Church. In 1970, the actual independence of the RPGCC was recognized by the Russian Orthodox Church, which granted it autocephaly. Then the Church acquired its current name: the Orthodox Church in America.
Today the OCA has 14 dioceses (including one in South America), a Mexican exarchate and a deanery in Australia. The Church has more than 550 parishes and about a million flocks. The main liturgical language is English. In addition, other languages are used in parishes, depending on the wishes of the parishioners. With the exception of the Diocese of Alaska, where services are celebrated according to the Julian calendar, the Gregorian calendar is used.
Currently, in America there are the following canonical jurisdictions: Greek Archdiocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (up to 600 parishes): OCA; Antioch Archdiocese (about 200 parishes) and smaller ones: Serbian Archdiocese, Romanian Diocese, Bulgarian Diocese, Carpathian Diocese (Ecumenical Patriarchate) and Ukrainian Diocese (Ecumenical Patriarchate). They all have full Eucharistic communion with each other. Everyone recognizes the situation that has historically developed in the countries of the Orthodox diaspora as abnormal and is making joint energetic efforts to restore canonical unity.
In addition, there are a number of non-canonical (i.e., not recognized by any local Orthodox Church) church groups that, for a number of reasons, have fallen away from the fullness of Ecumenical Orthodoxy. Of these, the largest are the following: the so-called. The Autocephalous Ukrainian Church (better known as “Samosvyatsky”), centered in New Jersey, and the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (more than 300 parishes around the world, of which no more than 100 are in the USA) centered in New York. In addition, in the USA there are several so-called “Old Calendarist” Greek groups that have all the signs of sectarianism. Both the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and the Greek “Old Calendarists” believe that only they have preserved Orthodoxy in all its purity, forbid their supporters to take part in the sacraments of other Orthodox Churches and do not allow members of other Orthodox Churches to participate in the sacraments.
16. A special position in the family of Orthodox churches occupies Sinai Church, consisting of one monastery of St. Catherine on the Sinai Peninsula and headed by the Archbishop of Sinai and Raifa. He is elected by the inhabitants of the monastery and consecrated by the Patriarch of Jerusalem. The monastery enjoys absolute independence in all its internal affairs.