Orthodox Church

I

Introduction

Orthodox Church, one of the three major branches of Christianity, which stands in historical continuity with the Christian communities of the eastern Mediterranean and which spread by missionary activity throughout eastern Europe (see Conversion of Europe). The word orthodox (from Greek, “right-believing”) implies the claim of doctrinal consistency with apostolic truth. The Orthodox Church has also established communities in Western Europe, the western hemisphere, and, more recently, Africa and Asia, and it currently has an estimated 150 million adherents throughout the world. Other designations, such as Orthodox Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Eastern Orthodox, are also used in reference to the Orthodox Church.

II

Structure and Organization

The Orthodox Church is a fellowship of independent Churches. Each is autocephalous, that is, governed by its own head bishop. These autocephalous Churches share a common faith, common principles of Church policy and organization, and a common liturgical tradition. Only the languages used in worship and minor aspects of tradition differ from country to country. The head bishops of the autocephalous Churches may be called patriarch, metropolitan, or archbishop. These prelates are presidents of episcopal synods, which, in each Church, constitute the highest canonical, doctrinal, and administrative authority. Among the various Orthodox Churches there is an order of precedence, which is determined by history rather than by present-day numerical strength.

A

The Patriarch of Constantinople

A “primacy of honour” belongs to the patriarch of Constantinople (now İstanbul), because the city was the seat of the Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, Empire, which between ad 320 and 1453 was the centre of Eastern Christendom. The canonical rights of the patriarch of Constantinople were defined by the councils of Constantinople (381) and Chalcedon (451). In the 6th century he also assumed the title ecumenical patriarch. Neither in the past, nor in modern times, however, has his authority been comparable to that exercised in the West by the Roman pope: the patriarch does not possess administrative powers beyond his own territory, or patriarchate, and he does not claim infallibility. His position is simply a primacy among equals. The other Churches recognize his role in convening and preparing pan-Orthodox consultations and councils. His authority extends over the small (and rapidly vanishing) Greek communities in Turkey; over dioceses situated in the Greek islands and in northern Greece; over the numerous Greek-speaking communities in the United States, Australia, and Western Europe; and over the autonomous Church of Finland.

B

Other Ancient Patriarchates

Three other ancient Orthodox patriarchates owe their positions to their distinguished pasts: those in Alexandria, Egypt; Damascus, Syria (although the incumbent carries the ancient title patriarch of Antioch); and Jerusalem. The patriarchs of Alexandria and Jerusalem are Greek-speaking; the patriarch of Antioch heads a significant Arab Christian community in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq.