
The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, or simply, the Orthodox Church, is a Christian church. Their type of Christianity is also called Orthodox Christianity or Orthodoxy. Their members are called Orthodox Christians, although there is another group of Churches called Oriental Orthodox that is not in communion with the Orthodox Church. There are about 300 million Orthodox Christians in the world. Most Orthodox Christians are found in Russia, Greece, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, but there are Orthodox Christians everywhere in the world.
The Eastern Orthodox Church teaches that it is the Church started by Jesus Christ in his instructions to the apostles. It practises what it understands to be the original Christian faith and maintains the sacred tradition passed down from the apostles.
The worship service is known as the Divine Liturgy. The beliefs and rituals of the service are similar to the Eucharist in the Roman Catholic Church.
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History
In 395, the Roman Empire was split into a western part, and an eastern part. The western part lasted to the 5th or 6th century, the exact dates are a point of debate. The eastern part, which is commonly called Byzantine Empire, lasted until the 15th century. The split of the Roman Empire also affected the church, which developed differently in both parts. In 1054, there was the East–West Schism. The western part developed what is now the Roman-Catholic Church, the eastern part is now called Eastern Orthodox Church. In the west, there is the Patriarch of Rome, who is commonly called the Pope. In the east, there is the Patriarch of Constantinople. Because of historical developments, many Eastern Orthodox churches also have a local Patriarch. In the west, the Pope is an absolute leader. The Patriarch of Constantinople is the "first among equals", his power is not absolute, as seen when meeting with other Patriarchs.
Important things to know about the Orthodox Churches
Orthodox believe in everything in the Nicene Creed:
- I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
- And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages.
- Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not created, of one essence with the Father through whom all things were made.
- For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man.
- He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and he suffered and was buried.
- On the third day he rose according to the Scriptures.
- He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
- He will come again in glory to judge the living and dead. His kingdom will have no end.
- And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke through the prophets.
- In One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
- I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
- I expect the resurrection of the dead.
- And the life of the ages to come. Amen.
Church today
The many churches of the Orthodox Church are distinct in terms of administration and local culture, but for the most part exist in full communion with one another. Most of these churches are led by patriarchs. Most patriarchs recognise the Patriarch of Constantinople as their spiritual leader.
The following listing contains a selection of Eastern Orthodox Churches. Unless otherwise stated, they are in communion:
- Mount Athos (a community of monasteries)
- Albanian Orthodox Church
- Antiochian Orthodox Church
- Bulgarian Orthodox Church
- Greek Orthodox Church
- Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria
- Church of Mount Sinai (one monastery)
- Russian Orthodox Church
- Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia
- Romanian Orthodox Church
In the 17th century a group of people split from the Eastern Orthodox Church, because they did not agree with some changes that were introduced. These people are known as Old Believers today. There are two big groups of Old Believers, and a few smaller ones. Old Believers are not in communion with the other Eastern Orthodox Churches.
Related pages
Images for kids
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An icon of Saint John the Baptist, 14th century, Republic of Macedonia
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The exterior of the Patriarchal Basilica of St. George, of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, located in the Fener (Fanari) district of Istanbul.
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Oldest extant manuscript of the Nicene Creed, dated to the 5th Century
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A 17th-century Russian Orthodox icon of the Resurrection.
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Our Lady of Tinos is the major Marian shrine in Greece
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The Theotokos of Vladimir, one of the most venerated of Orthodox Christian icons of the Virgin Mary.
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Last Judgment: 12th-century Byzantine mosaic from Torcello Cathedral.
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Monastery of Saint John the Theologian in Patmos, where the Book of Revelation was written
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The congregation lighting their candles from the new flame in Adelaide, at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, just as the priest has retrieved it from the altar. The picture is flash-illuminated; all electric lighting is off, and only the oil lamps in front of the Iconostasis remain lit.
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Patriarch Kirill serves Holy Liturgy at Easter
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Saint Catherine's Monastery (6th century), Sinai Peninsula , Egypt
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The "Chi-Rho" symbol, Catacombs of San Callisto, Rome
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"IX" (Jesus Christ) monogram from a 4th century sarcophagus from Constantinople
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Iconostasis in the Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Moscow Kremlin.
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Interior of Agios Minas Cathedral, Heraklion
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Shards of pottery vases on the street, after being thrown from the windows of nearby houses. A Holy Saturday tradition in Corfu.
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The wedding of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.
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An early Christian "Ichthys" (fish) inscription from ancient Ephesus
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Icon depicting the Emperor Constantine and the bishops of the First Council of Nicaea (325) holding the Niceno–Constantinopolitan Creed of 381.
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Hagia Sophia, the largest church in the world and patriarchal basilica of Constantinople for nearly a thousand years, later converted into a mosque, now a museum
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The baptism of Princess Olga in Constantinople, a miniature from the Radzivill Chronicle
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Latin Crusaders sacking the city of Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Orthodox controlled Byzantine Empire, in 1204.
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The consecration of the Rt Rev. Reginald Heber Weller as an Anglican bishop at the Cathedral of St. Paul the Apostle in the Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac, with the Rt. Rev. Anthony Kozlowski of the Polish National Catholic Church and Saint Tikhon, then Bishop of the Aleutians and Alaska (along with his chaplains Fr. John Kochurov and Fr. Sebastian Dabovich) of the Russian Orthodox Church present
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Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew I in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, 2014
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Patriarchate of Peć in Kosovo, the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church from the 14th century when its status was upgraded into a patriarchate
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Cathedral of Evangelismos, Alexandria
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Traditional Paschal procession by Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church
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The oldest known icon of Christ Pantocrator, encaustic on panel, Saint Catherine's Monastery, Sinai Peninsula
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Emperor Constantine presents a representation of the city of Constantinople as tribute to an enthroned Mary and baby Jesus in this church mosaic. St Sophia, c. 1000).
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Fresco of Basil the Great in the cathedral of Ohrid. The saint is shown consecrating the Gifts during the Divine Liturgy which bears his name.
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Icon of Ss. Basil the Great (left) and John Chrysostom, ascribed authors of the two most frequently used Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgies, c. 1150 (mosaic in the Palatine Chapel, Palermo).
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Esphigmenou monastery, Mount Athos
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Trei Ierarhi Monastery, Romania
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Krušedol Monastery, Serbia
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Byzantine icon (13th) of Michael the Archangel, Saint Catherine's Monastery
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Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is one of the oldest Orthodox churches in Georgia (4th)
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St George basilica, Madaba, Jordan (6th)
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Hagios Demetrios, Thessaloniki (7th century)
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Church of Saint Sava, Belgrade, one of the world's largest Orthodox churches
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Saint Isaac's Cathedral in the style of classicism, the largest Orthodox basilica and fourth largest in the world
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Church of the Savior on Blood in Russian Revival style, Saint Petersburg
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Saint Nicholas Princely Church, Iaşi
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Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Beirut
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Fresco by Onufri (16th) at the Holy Apostles church, Kastoria
