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Eastern
Orthodox Churches
The Eastern Orthodox Church is a fellowship of autocephalous
churches, each of which is headed by a primate. The five oldest
and most important churches are the four autocephalous
patriarchates,
and the Russian Orthodox Church. The Church is also divided
into a number of autonomous or semi-autonomous churches that
remain under the authority of a patriarch. There are also
a significant number of churches that are not in communion
with the main churches, and are classed as independent. Their
number changes often, as many merge with other churches, or
are in the process of becoming recognised. Churches from two
other distinct schismatic groups are also present: the Old
Believers (17th century), whose churches follow the pre-Nikonian
liturgical practices of the Russian Orthodox Church, and the
Old Calendarists or True believers (20th century), who oppose
the use of the Gregorian calendar in favour of the Julian
calendar.
|
|
Ancient
Autocephalous Patriarchates |
|
Name |
Head |
Jurisdiction |
Formation |
HQ |
Members |
Ecumenical
Patriarchate of Constantinople |
Ecumenical
Patr., Abp of Constantinople, and New Rome |
Turkey,
Greece, W. Europe, the Americas, Australia, NZ, China,
SE Asia, N. Korea, S. Korea, India, Iran, Afghanistan,
diaspora |
Apostilic
time;
patriarchate 451 |
Istanbul |
3,500,000
(2021) |
Greek
Orthodox Patriarchate of
Alexandria |
Pope
and Patr. of Alexandria, and All Africa |
Egypt,
rest of Africa |
Apostilic
time; patriarchate 325 |
Alexandria |
500,000
(2021) |
Greek
Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East |
Patr.
of Antioch and All the East |
Syria,
Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, the Americas, Australia, Europe |
Apostilic
time; patriarchate 325 |
Damascus |
4,320,000
(2021) |
Greek
Orthodox Patriarchate of
Jerusalem |
Patr.
of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine, Syria,
Arabia, and beyond the Jordan River, Kana of Galilee,
and Holy Zion |
Israel,
Palestine, Jordan |
Apostilic
time; patriarchate 451 |
Jerusalem |
200,000
(2021) |
Autocephalous
Churches |
|
Name |
Head |
Presence |
Formation |
HQ |
Members |
Russian
Orthodox Church |
Patr.
of Moscow and all Russia |
Russia,
Belarus,
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan,
Kyrgyzstan, diaspora |
Baptism
of Prince Vladimir of Kiev, 988; autocephaly 1448; patriarchate
1589 |
Moscow |
164,100,000
(2021) |
Serbian
Orthodox Church |
Patr.,
Abp of Pec, Metrop. of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Patriarch
of Serbia |
Serbia,
Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Kosovo,
N. Macedonia, Canada, Western Europe, Australia |
Saints
Cyril and Methodios, 867–886; autocephaly 1219;
patriarchate 1920
|
Belgrade |
8,000,000
(2021) |
Romanian
Orthodox Church |
Patr.,
Abp of Bucharest, Metrop. of Muntenia and Dobrudja,
Locum Tenens of the Throne of Caesarea in Cappadocia,
and Patr. of the Romanian Orthodox Church |
Romania,
W. Europe, N. America |
Missionaries,
1st century; patriarchate
1925 |
Bucharest |
18,806,428
(2021) |
Bulgarian
Orthodox Church |
Patr.,
Metrop. of Sofia and Patr. of All Bulgaria |
Bulgaria,
diaspora in Europe and America |
Baptism
of Tsar Boris, 864; 3rd patriarchate 1961 |
Sofia |
7,000,000
(2021) |
Georgian
Orthodox Church |
Catholicos-Patr.
of All Georgia, the Abp of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metrop.
bishop of Tskhum-Abkhazia and Bichvinta |
Georgia |
Apostilic
time;
autocephaly
1089; patriarchate 1990
|
Tbilisi |
3,500,000
(2021) |
Church
of Cyprus |
Abp
of Nicosia, Cyprus
New Justinianoupolis and All Cyprus |
Cyprus |
Apostilic
time; autocephalous 431 |
Nicosia |
654,000
(2021) |
Church
of Greece |
Abp
of Athens and all Greece |
Greece |
Apostilic
time; autocephalous 1850 |
Athens |
10,000,000
(2021) |
Albanian
Orthodox Church |
Abp
of Tirana, Durres and all Albania |
Albania,
diaspora |
Apostilic
time; autocephalous 1937 |
Tirana |
500,000
(2021) |
Polish
Orthodox Church |
Abp
of Warsaw and Metrop. of All Poland |
Poland |
Missionaries
from Russia, Middle Ages; autocephalous 1924 |
Warsaw |
600,000
(2021) |
Orthodox
Church of Ukraine* |
Metrop.
of Kyiv and All Ukraine |
Ukraine |
Apostilic
time;
autocephalous
2018 |
Kiev |
|
Latvian
Orthodox Church* |
Metrop.
of Riga and all of Latvia |
Latvia |
Autonomous
under ROC; autocephalous, 2022 |
Riga |
350,000
(2022) |
Macedonian
Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric |
Abp
of Ohrid and Macedonia |
N.
Macedonia, N. America, Australia |
Part
of BOC; autocephaly declared 1967 - schism; autocephalous
2022 |
Skopje |
1,300,000
(2021) |
Orthodox
Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia |
Abp
of Prešov, the Metrop. of Czech lands and Slovakia |
Czech
Republic, Slovakia |
Saints
Cyril and Methodios, 867–886; autocephalous 1998 |
Prague |
75,000
(2021) |
Orthodox
Church in America* |
Abp
of Washington, Metrop. of All America and Canada |
USA,
Canada |
Alaskan
diocese under ROC 1794; decl. ind. 1919; autocephalous,
1970 |
Syosset,
NY |
100,000
(2021) |
Autonomous
and Semi-Autonomous Churches |
|
Name |
Head |
Patr. |
Formation |
HQ |
Members |
Romanian
Orthodox Metropolis of the Two Americas |
Abp
of the United States, Metrop. of the Two Americas |
ROM |
est.
2016, autonomous |
Chicago |
|
Metropolitanate
of Bessarabia |
Metrop.
of Bessarabia |
ROM |
Apostolic
time; under ROC 1812; autonomous under ROM 1992 |
Chisinau |
|
Belarusian
Orthodox Church |
Metrop.
of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus |
ROC |
First
diocese est. 992; under ROC 1839; exarchate 1989 |
Minsk |
|
Orthodox
Church of China* |
None |
ROC |
Origins
traced to Russian Cossacks, 1681; officially inactive |
|
c.
20,000
(1956)
|
Metropolitanate
of Chisinau and All Moldova (Moldovan Orthodox Church) |
Metrop.
of Chisinau and All Moldova |
ROC |
Apostolic
time; under ROC 1812; autonomous under ROC 1992 |
Chisinau |
|
Orthodox
Church of Crete |
Abp
of Crete |
EPC |
Apostilic
time; semi-autonomous |
Crete |
|
Estonian
Apostolic Orthodox Church* |
Metropolitan of Tallinn and All Estonia |
EPC |
Under
ROC, then autonomous under EPC 1923; under ROC 1978;
autonomy under EPC reactivated 1996 |
Tallinn |
c.
27,000
(2021) |
Estonian
Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate* |
Metrop.
of Tallinn and All Estonia |
ROC |
Split
from Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church 1996 |
|
c.
180,000
(2021) |
Finnish
Orthodox Church |
Abp
of Karelia and All Finland |
EPC |
Under
ROC; recognition of autonomy, 1923 |
Kuopio |
58,000
(2021)
|
Orthodox
Church of Japan* |
Abp
of Tokyo, Metropolitan of All Japan |
ROC |
Est.
1881 by Russian missionary, Nicholas Kasatkin; autonomy
recognised by ROC, 1970 |
Tokyo |
10,000
(2021) |
Orthodox
Church of Korea |
Metrop.
of Korea and Exarch of Japan |
EPC |
ROC
mission est. 1900; autonomous under EPC 2004 |
Seoul |
|
Monastic
Community of Mount Athos |
Protepistate |
EPC |
Small
communities founded by Saints Peter the Athonite and
Eutemios, 9the c.; semi-autonomy since Byzantine times |
Karyes |
1,811
monks (2011) |
Orthodox
Church of Mount Sinai |
Abp
of Sinai, Pharan, and Raitho |
GPJ |
Settled
by Christian anchorites 3rd C.; autonomous 1575 |
Egypt |
900
(2021) |
Russian
Orthodox Church Abroad |
Metrop. of Eastern America and New York, First hierarch
of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad |
ROC |
Est.
1920s; semi-autonomous |
Moscow/
New York |
27,70
(2010) |
Ukrainian
Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate |
Metrop.
of Kyiv and all Ukraine |
ROC |
Baptism of Prince Vladimir of Kiev, 988; semi-autonomous
under ROC |
|
|
Ukrainian
Orthodox Church of the USA |
Metrop.
and Prime Hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
in the USA |
EPC |
Est
1919; autonomous 1995 |
New
Jersey |
22,400
(2010) |
Main Independent Churches |
|
Name |
Head |
Formation |
HQ |
Montenegrin Orthodox Church |
Abp
of Cetinje and Metrop. of Montenegro |
Split
from SOC 1993 |
Montenegro |
Belarusian
Autocephalous Orthodox Church |
Primate
of the Belarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church |
Split
from ROC 1922 |
USA |
Holy
Orthodox Church in North America |
Three:
Metrops of Seattle, Boston, and Toronto |
1965 |
USA |
Abkhazian
Orthodox Church |
Primate
of the Abkhazian Orthodox Church |
Split
from GEO 2009 |
Abkhazia |
Autocephalous
Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate |
Patriarch
of the Autocephalous Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate |
1923 |
Turkey,
USA |
Main
Old Believer Churches |
|
Name |
Head |
Formation |
Presence |
|
Belokrinitskaya Hierarchy |
Metropolitan |
1846 |
Russia, Kazakhstan,
Ukraine, Belarus |
|
Russian Orthodox
Old-Rite Church Belokrinitsa (Old-Orthodox Church of
Christ) |
Metrop. of Moscow and All Russia
(since 1988) |
1846, branch of the Belokrinitskaya
Hierarchy |
Russia, Hungary,
USA, Romania |
|
Lipovan Orthodox
Old-Rite Church |
Abp of Belokrinitsa and Metrop. of
All Old Orthodox Christians |
1846, branch of the Belokrinitskaya
Hierarchy |
Romania, USA, Canada,
Australia |
|
Novozybkovskaya Hierarchy
(Russian Old Orthodox Church) |
Old-Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow
and All Rus |
1923, schism in Novozybkovskaya Hierarchy |
Russia, Georgia,
Romania, Ukraine, Belarus |
|
Georgian Old-Orthodox
Church (Slavic-Georgian Old-Orthodox Church) |
Bp of Tbilisi |
1988, schism in Novozybkovskaya Hierarchy |
Georgia |
|
Old-Orthodox Church
of Ukraine |
Bp of Kiev and Vinnitsa |
2022, dissent in Russian Orthodox
Old-Rite Church Belokrinitsa |
Ukraine |
|
Pomorian Old-Orthodox
Church (priestless) |
various councils |
1694 |
Russia,
Latvia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Estonia,
Kyrgyzstan |
Main
Old Calendarist Churches |
|
Name |
Head |
Formation |
Presence |
|
True Orthodox Church
of Greece (Matthewite-Nicolaitan) |
Abp of Athens |
schism within Greek
Old Calendarists, 1937 |
Greece, USA |
|
True Orthodox Church
of Greece (Auxentius) |
Abp of Athens |
schism in extinct
Florinite True-Orthodox Church of Greece, 1985 |
Greece,
Australia, USA, Canada |
|
True Orthodox Church
of Greece (Matthewite-Gregorian) |
President of the Synod, Abp of Athens |
dissent in original
True-Orthodox Church of Greece, 1997 |
Greece,
Australia, USA, Cyprus, Serbia |
|
True-Orthodox Church
of Greece (Matthewite-Kirikite) |
Metropolitan |
schism in original
True-Orthodox Church of Greece, 2005 |
Greece,
Nairobi, Kenya, Ukraine, Russia, Cyprus, Belgium, France,
UK |
|
True Orthodox Church
of Greece (Auxentius-Jacobite) |
Chairman of the Synod, Archbishop
of Athens |
schism in the True Orthodox Church
of Greece (Auxentius), 2011 |
Greece |
|
True Orthodox Church
of Greece |
Abp of Athens and All Greece
|
schism in the Holy Synod of the Old
Calendar of Greece and All Greece, 2016 |
Greece,
Oceania |
|
Church of True Orthodox
Christians of Greece (Florinites-Kiusites) |
Abp of Athens and All Greece
|
from True-Orthodox Church of Greece
(Auxentius, 1985 |
Greece |
|
Church of True Orthodox
Christians in Greece and Abroad (Callinicite, Lamian
Synod) |
Chairman of the Synod, Abp of Athens |
dissent in True Orthodox Church of
Greece (Auxentius), 1995 |
Greece,
USA |
|
Holy Synod of the
Old Calendar of Greece and All Greece (True Orthodox
Church of Greece) |
Abp of Athens and All Greece |
dissent in GOC, 1985 |
Greece,
W. Europe. Romania |
|
Autonomous Orthodox
Metropolis of Aquileia, Western Europe and Canada (Holy
Synod of Milan) |
Primate of the Metropolis |
schism in the Catholic Orthodox Church
of Portugal, 1990 |
Italy,
France, USA, Canada |
|
Greek Missionary
Orthodox Archdiocese of America |
Metropolitan of America |
1970 |
Greece,
USA |
|
Traditional Orthodox
Church of Greece and diaspora |
Chairman of the Synod |
1982 |
Greece,
USA, Canada, Brazil |
|
Holy Orthodox Church
of North America |
Metropolitan of Boston |
schism in True-Orthodox Church of
Greece (Auxentius), 1996 |
USA
Canada |
|
Synod of Metropolitan
Christopher Mesogeyskyi |
Metropolitan |
spllit from Church of True Orthodox
Christians in Greece and Abroad (Callinicite, Lamian
Synod), 2013 |
Greece |
|
Old-Calendar Romanian
Orthodox Church |
Metropolitan |
schism in ROM, 1924; est. 1955 |
Romania |
|
Romanian True Orthodox
Church |
Metropolitan |
dissent in Old Rite Romanian Orthodox
Church, 1992 |
Romania |
|
True Orthodox Church
of Romania |
Bishop |
schism in ROM, 1924; c. 1930 |
Romania |
|
Old-Calendar Bulgarian
Orthodox Church |
Metrop. of Triaditsky |
schism, 1968; est. 1993 |
Bulgaria |
|
True Orthodox Church
of Cyprus |
Abp of New Justiniana and All Cyprus
|
prev. under True Orthodox Church
of Greece (Matthewite-Nicolaitan); est. 1948 |
Cyprus |
|
Serbian True Orthodox
Church |
Bishop |
est. 1996 |
Serbia |
|
Catholic Orthodox
Church of Portugal |
Metrop. of Lisbon, Metrop. of All
Portugal, Spain and Brazil |
1978 |
Portugal, Brazil,
Spain, Africa |
|
Notes
* Status not recognised by all churches
BOC = Bulgarian Orthodox Church
ECP = Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
GEO = Georgian Orthodox Church
GOC = Greek Orthodox Church
GPJ = Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem
ROC = Russian Orthodox Church
ROM = Romanian Orthodox Church
SOC = Serbian Orthodox Church
Sources
2022 Directory. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America, 2022.
Catholic Near East Welfare Association, Inc. 2023.
Hierarchy of Churches, 2023.
Giovanni Cimbalo. Stato, chiese, e pluralismo confessionale.
Fascicolo n. 22 del 2022.
Lucian N. Leustean, ed. Eastern Christianity and Politics
of the Twenty-First Century. London; New York: Routledge,
2014.
Orthodox Times, 2023.
Orthodox World, 2006-2023. |
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