The Orthodox Church - History and Denominations

Tap to Read ➤ Alex Mathew

The Orthodox Church is one of the oldest churches of the world. Read on to know about the Orthodox Christian Church and its denominations.

One Faith, Different Approaches!

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. Although the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches have their many differences, they maintain almost identical worship practices, doctrines, and Church structures.

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. The Orthodox church is perhaps one of the most misunderstood or rather little understood churches of the world. Contrary to popular belief, the Orthodox church is amongst the oldest churches of the world, and is one of the three biggest churches of the world. The Orthodox Church is mainly eastern in origin.

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. The Catholic and Protestant churches are western Christian groups. There are two main sections of the Orthodox Church, the Eastern Orthodox (Byzantine Orthodox) and Oriental Orthodox Churches. Here's taking a brief look at the history of the Orthodox Church along with a list of churches that form this institution.

What does Orthodox mean?

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. The common misconception that people have about the term orthodox is that it means old, outdated, or narrow-minded. The term orthodoxy is derived from the Greek words orthos (right, correct) and doxa (glory, belief). So, simply put, orthodox means the right way to glorify God.

The Orthodox Church lays a lot of emphasis on the traditions of the Church, and very little has changed in this regard right from the times of the Apostles. Unlike the modern-day translation of the term tradition, the Church prescribes to the Greek word paradosis, which means giving or offering.

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. In the theological sense, it is the teaching or practices that have been passed down from generations and can be traced back to Christ himself. This is, undoubtedly, the very foundation of the Orthodox Church. This is in tune with the teachings of St. Paul from the Bible.

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. - Galatians 1: 8 - 9 (NKJV)

Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. - 2 Thessolonians 2:15 (NKJV)

History of the Orthodox Church

According to Christian belief, after the Pentecost, the Apostles were inspired by the Holy Spirit, and set out to the corners of the world to spread the Word of God.

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video. This mission was called the Great Commission. By the early first century, they established about 40 churches across the globe.

Out of these Apostolic Churches, 28 were in Asia and Africa, while the rest were in Europe. As mentioned earlier, the Orthodox Church was largely based in the East―mainly Asia and Europe.

The Orthodox Church claims to be the true successor of these Apostolic Churches and has retained the true tradition of the Christian Church. In fact, until the Council of Chalcedon in 451 CE, the entire Christian Church was united.

Formation of the Oriental Orthodox Church

The Council of Chalcedon promoted the idea that Jesus is in two natures―divine and human. To Pope Dioscorus the Great, the Patriarch of Alexandria, and 13 Egyptian Bishops, this was no different than accepting the teachings of Nestorius. They were strongly opposed to describing God to be 'in two natures', and instead accepted 'of or from two natures'.

This led to the schism between the Oriental Orthodox Church and the rest of the Churches in the fifth century CE. The Oriental Orthodox Church accepts only the first three Synods (Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus) as ecumenical.

The Oriental Orthodox family consists of 5 main churches, that in Syria, India, Armenia, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Together, they have a strength of over 85 million members.

Formation of the Eastern Orthodox Church

The Great Schism or East-West Schism between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Churches, which later were called the Eastern Orthodox Churches, occurred in 1054 CE. There were some major differences in the teachings of the Chalcedonian Churches of the East and that of the West. The major points of conflict between the two were:

Insertion of the term filioque by the Western Church in the Latin version of the Nicene Creed Papal claims of supremacy Teachings about purgatory and indulgences by the Western Church

Thus, the Eastern Orthodox Church split from the Roman Catholic Church, and even went on to excommunicate each other. The Catholic Church has since been in partial communion with the Orthodox Churches. What this means is that Catholic priests are forbidden from celebrating the Eucharist with priests or ministers of the Orthodox Churches and vice versa.

The Byzantine Orthodox family is mainly concentrated in Russia, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, the Balkans, Western Europe, America, and Australia. This is the second largest Christian Church in the world and has more than 250 million members.

Eastern Orthodox Churches (In Full Communion)

Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople

Established by Apostle Andrew Headquarters at Istanbul, Turkey Headed by H.H. Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I

Finnish Orthodox Church Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA Korean Orthodox Church

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa

Established by Apostle Mark Headquarters at Cairo, Egypt Headed by H.H. Pope and Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodore II

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All The East

Established by Apostles Peter and Paul Headquarters at Damascus, Syria Headed by H.H. Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, John X Yazigi Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem

Established by The Apostles Headquarters at Jerusalem, Israel Headed by H.H. Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine, Syria, beyond the Jordan River, Cana of Galilee, and Holy Zion, Theophilos III Saint Catherine's Monastery

Patriarchate of Moscow and All Russia

Established by Apostle Andrew and Vladimir the Great Headquarters at Moscow, Russia Headed by H.H. Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus' and Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, Krill

Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia Orthodox Church in America Belarusian Orthodox Church Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Estonian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate Latvian Orthodox Church Moldovan Orthodox Church Japanese Orthodox Church

Patriarchate of Peć and the Serbian Lands

Established by Saint Sava Headquarters at Belgrade, Serbia Headed by H.H. Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, Serbian Patriarch, Irinej Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric

Patriarchate of All Romania

Established by Miron Cristea and Ferdinand I Headquarters at Bucharest, Romania Headed by H.H. Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Muntenia and Dobrogea, Locum tenens of the throne of Caesarea Cappadociae, and Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel Metropolis of Bessarabia

Patriarchate of All Bulgaria

Established by Saint Andrew and Boris I of Bulgaria Headquarters at Sofia, Bulgaria Headed by H.H. Patriarch of Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia, Neophyte

Patriarchate of All Georgia

Established by Saint Andrew and Saint Nino Headquarters at Tbilisi, Georgia Headed by H.H. Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, the Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan bishop of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, Ilia II

Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus

Established by Apostle Barnabas Headquarters at Nicosia, Cyprus Headed by H.H. Archbishop of Nova Justiniana and All Cyprus, Chrysostomos II

Orthodox Church of Greece

Established by Apostle Paul Headquarters at Athens, Greece Headed by H.H. Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Ieronymos II

Orthodox Church of Poland

Established by Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius Headquarters at Warsaw, Poland Headed by H.H. Archbishop of Warsaw and Metropolitan of All Poland, Sawa Hrycuniak

Orthodox Church of Albania

Established by Apostle Paul and Theofan Stilian Noli Headquarters at Tirana, Albania Headed by H.H. Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania, Anastasios

Orthodox Church of the Czech lands and Slovakia

Established by Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius Headquarters at Prague, Czech Republic Headed by H.H. Archbishop of Prešov, Metropolitan of the Czech lands and Slovakia, Rastislav

Eastern Orthodox Churches (Not In Communion)

Traditionalist schisms

Greek Old Calendarists Matthewites Greek Old Calendarists Florinites Smyrnaean Orthodox Church Holy Orthodox Church in North America Orthodox Church of Greece (Holy Synod in Resistance)

Old Calendar Romanian Orthodox Church Old Calendar Bulgarian Orthodox Church Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church Lipovan Orthodox Old-Rite Church Russian Old-Orthodox Church Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church

Nationalist schisms

Abkhazian Orthodox Church Belarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Alternative synod Croatian Orthodox Church Macedonian Orthodox Church - Ohrid Archbishopric Montenegrin Orthodox Church Russian Orthodox Church in America

Russian True Orthodox Church Autocephalous Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church - Canonical Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church of N.S.America 1921-Synod Autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church of America and Australia

Oriental Orthodox Churches (In Full Communion)

Armenian Apostolic Church

Established by Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus Headquarters at Vagharshapat, Armenia Headed by H.H. Surpreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem Catholicossate of the Great House of Cilicia

Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria

Established by Apostle Mark Headquarters at Alexandria, Egypt Headed by H.H. Pope of Alexandria & Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy Apostolic See of St. Mark the Evangelist of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Tawadros II British Orthodox Church French Coptic Orthodox Church

Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch

Established by Apostle Mark Headquarters at Damascus, Syria Headed by H.H. Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church

Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

Established by Apostle Thomas Headquarters at Kerala, India Headed by H.H. Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, Moran Mor Baselious Marthoma Paulose II Brahmavar (Goan) Orthodox Church

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

Established by Saint Frumentius Headquarters at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Headed by H.H. Patriarch and Catholicos of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Abune Mathias

Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church

Established by Apostle Mark and Saint Frumentius Headquarters at Asmara, Eritrea Headed by H.H. Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Abune Dioskoros

Oriental Orthodox Churches (Not In Communion)

Malabar Independent Syrian Church of India Syriac Orthodox Church of Germany of Moosa Gurgan

The Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches are essentially sister churches, and are separated by ideological differences, rather than that of faith. In the past decade, the patriarchs of these churches have been working towards the reunification of the Orthodox Church.

Although a lot of progress has been made on this front, something substantial is yet to emerge from it. Perhaps, in the the not-too-distant future, we could all be proud to say that we're Christians, with no prefixes or suffixes attached.

God Bless!

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video.