Positions and opinions of the heads and representatives of local Orthodox churches regarding Ukrainian autocephaly. How many churches are there in Russia and other figures that are interesting to know? 15 Orthodox churches in the world

Fifteen Patriarchates.
Orthodoxy (from Greek, correct judgment) is a direction in Christianity that was formed during the first millennium after the birth of Jesus Christ. The first Orthodox Church is Constantinople. It was founded by the Apostle Andrew around 38 and received the status of an autocephalous Archdiocese in 381. Since 451 it has been a Patriarchate. The first mention of Orthodoxy on the territory of Rus' is mentioned in the “Sermon on Law and Grace” of 1037-1050. The official year of division into Orthodox and Catholic is considered to be 1054.
At the moment, 15 autocephalous churches belong to the patriarchates of the Orthodox Church. One of the most significant, despite the fact that officially they are all equal, is the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). It is the largest of its kind in the world. Its emergence is associated with the Baptism of Rus' in 988. After the decline of Kyiv due to the defeat in 1240. Tatar-Mongols, Metropolitan Maxim of Kiev moved his residence to Vladimir-on-Klyazma, and from 1325. and to this day this honor belongs to Moscow. In terms of the number of believers, the Moscow Patriarchate exceeds all others combined - about 80 million people. In the remaining 14 autocephalous Orthodox churches, the number of believers varies around 50-60 million.
Orthodox Church of Constantinople (Ecumenical Patriarchate). It arose after the emperor moved the capital from Rome to a small city by local standards - Constantinople. One of the first to receive the status of patriarchate of the Orthodox Church. After the occupation by the Turks in 1453, the residence of the patriarch was moved to the city of Phanar. At the moment, parishioners of the Church of Constantinople practice in many countries around the world. Their total number is more than 2 million people.
Alexandria Orthodox Church. It is generally accepted that it was founded by the Apostle Mark around 42 AD. Since 451, the bishop received the title of patriarch. As a result of the schism that occurred at the end of the 5th century, the Coptic Church was formed. The patriarchy of Alexandria spread its influence throughout almost all of Africa. The residence is located in Alexandria. The number of believers is about 7 million people.
Antiochian Orthodox Church. Founded in the 30s AD. the apostles Peter and Paul in Antioch. 18 dioceses located in Syria, Turkey, Iran, Iraq and other countries fall under its jurisdiction. The residence of the Patriarch of Antioch is located in Damascus.
Jerusalem Orthodox Church. According to legend, it was first headed by relatives of Jesus Christ, founded in the 60s. The Apostle James is considered the first bishop. During the Crusade, in the 11th century, the Orthodox Church was under great pressure. The Patriarchs of Jerusalem were forced to leave their residence and ruled from Constantinople. The territories of Israel, Jordan and Palestine fall under jurisdiction. The number of followers is relatively small, at the moment there are no more than 130 thousand people.
Georgian Orthodox Church. One of the oldest Orthodox churches. In 1811 entered the Moscow Patriarchate with the rights of an exarchate. Autocephaly was recognized only in 1943. The territory of Georgia and northern Turkey falls under jurisdiction. The number of believers reaches 4 million people.
Serbian Orthodox Church. The head of the church bears the title Patriarch of Serbia. Received autocephaly in 1219. The number of believers is about 10 million people. Extends its influence to Serbia, Macedonia and Croatia.
Romanian Orthodox Church. In the 3rd century, Christianity was born in Romania. The residence was located in Bucharest, headed by the Romanian Patriarch. In 1885 it officially received autocephaly. It is second only to the Moscow Patriarchate in terms of the number of believers - 16 million people. In addition to Romania, it partially influences Moldova and Ukraine.
Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Christianity appeared on the territory of Bulgaria almost immediately after its birth. In 870, after a four-year dispute with the Roman Church, it achieved autonomy. Only in 1953 was it recognized by the patriarchy. Despite the fact that only the territory of Bulgaria falls under the jurisdiction, the number of believers is about 8 million people.
Cypriot Orthodox Church. Founded by the apostles Paul and Barnabas in 47. At first it was a diocese of the Church of Antioch. Received autocephaly in 431. Due to the Arab yoke and frequent occupations, Orthodoxy in Cyprus has not become widespread; at the moment the number of followers is about 400 thousand people.
Greek Orthodox Church. One of the latest patriarchies. Autocephaly was obtained in 1850. Greece, with its seat in Athens, falls under its jurisdiction. The number of believers does not exceed 8 million people.
The Albanian and Polish Orthodox churches gained autonomy in 1926 and 1921, respectively. The total number of believers is about 1 million people.
Czechoslovakian Orthodox Church. Mass baptism began at the beginning of the 10th century. In 1951 received autocephaly from the Moscow Patriarchate, but only in 1998. was recognized by the Church of Constantinople. The residence is located in Prague, the number of believers does not exceed 200 thousand people.
The last Orthodox Church to receive patriarchy is the Orthodox Church in America. Distributed throughout the USA and Canada. In 1906, its head, Tikhon Belavin, opened the question of assigning autocephaly, but due to his resignation in 1907, the issue was never resolved. This issue was raised again only in 1970. The number of parishioners is about 1 million people.

What do we Orthodox know about ourselves? How many of us are there? Which Local Churches does the one Church of Christ consist of? What do they do in each of them? This publication is intended to clarify this issue a little.

Here you will not find detailed reports on the state of affairs in this or that Church, but some statistics and interesting facts will give you an idea of ​​what and how the Orthodox Churches live in different countries of the world.

Church of Christ

Historically, the one Church founded by the Savior is divided into a number of Orthodox communities according to territorial principles. These communities are in communication with each other through worship, prayers for each other and diplomatic contacts. They recognize each other as absolutely equal and resolve difficulties through joint discussions at Church Councils.

Each canonically recognized part of the united Church has its own hierarchy (bishops), an unbroken chain of ordinations of which goes back to the apostles themselves, and a tomos of autocephaly (a special document of independence), issued by the mother Church or is an ancient see directly founded by the apostles.

Currently, in the world there are 15 Local Orthodox Churches: Church of Constantinople, Church of Alexandria, Church of Antioch, Church of Jerusalem, Russian Church, Georgian Church, Serbian Church, Bulgarian Church, Romanian Church, Cyprus Church, Greek Church, Albanian Church, Polish Church, Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia and the American Church.

In total, the number of Orthodox Christians in the world today is estimated at 225-300,000,000 people.

The largest Church is the Russian Church (180,000,000 believers), the oldest is the Jerusalem Church (founded on the day of Pentecost by the apostles Peter and John), the youngest is the American Church (received autocephaly in 1970), and the first in honor is the Constantinople Church (after the fall of Rome in 1054). year), the leader in missionary work is Alexandria (since the late 1930s, the flock has grown hundreds of times).

One of the biggest problems of the modern Church is the presence of several patriarchates with dioceses in diasporas. This leads to the existence in the same territory (for example, in the USA, Canada, Western Europe or Australia) of simultaneously bishops of two, three or even six different Local Churches, which creates fertile ground for conflicts.

Russian church

The canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church includes 16 states: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, China, Japan and Mongolia.

The Moscow Patriarchate includes a number of self-governing Churches: the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Japanese Orthodox Church, the Chinese Orthodox Church.

The Russian Church has about 300 dioceses, 1,000 monasteries, 35,000 parishes, 40,500 clergy and about 180,000,000 believers.

Since the end of the 20th century, the efforts of the Church have been focused on educating residents in the territory of the former USSR, especially young people, who during the years of Soviet power have largely lost Christian traditions and faith. In recent years, the Church has also been taking steps to revive Orthodoxy in China and is engaged in missionary work in Southeast Asia.

In 2009, a long schism with the ROCOR was overcome, as a result of which the latter became part of the Russian Orthodox Church. In recent years, the Russian Church has managed to achieve a significant presence in the army, revive the institutions of prison clergy and sisterhoods of mercy at hospitals, and also achieve the introduction of the “Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture” course in schools.

The Church actively uses the media (including its own: TV channels “Spas” and “Soyuz”, radio “Vera”, online publications “Pravoslavie.ru”, “Sedmitsa.ru”, “Orthodoxy and the World”, “Foma” " and etc.).

Church of Constantinople

The Patriarchate of Constantinople has long been trying to extend its canonical territory to all areas not included in the canonical territories of other Local Churches. The Patriarch of Constantinople even adopted the title “Ecumenical”.

However, in fact, the territories of the Church of Constantinople include the territory of Turkey in Asia Minor, Istanbul with its suburbs, some islands of the Aegean Sea, the Athos peninsula, the island of Crete and the dioceses of the Greek diaspora that exist in certain countries, as well as Finland. The Church of Finland and the Archdiocese of Crete enjoy broad autonomy. Also has disputed jurisdiction in Estonia.

The Church has about 5,255,000 believers in all controlled territories, 63 dioceses, about 60 monasteries, 3,200 parishes and 130 bishops. The Church is headed by the 232nd Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew.

After the fall into heresy of the Roman Church, the Patriarch of Constantinople has the advantage of honor among the Primates of the Local Churches. The advantage of honor gives the Patriarch of Constantinople the right to convene and preside over pan-Orthodox events, address the rest of the world on behalf of all Churches, provided that he is authorized to do so by all local Orthodox Churches, as well as resolve disputes between Local Churches if they both appeal to him, as to the referee.

Due to its difficult financial situation, it does not recognize the autocephaly of the American Orthodox Church, since it receives a significant portion of its funds from parishes in the USA and Canada.

Alexandria Church

The Patriarch of Alexandria, like the High Priest of Rome, is often called pope. Alexandria is an ancient see, founded by the apostles themselves, as well as the birthplace of monasticism, with which the high authority of the Church in the world is associated.

For several centuries the Church struggled with the Monophysite schism, then was under the unfriendly rule of various Muslim governments and received relative freedom in its actions only in the 20th century.

The canonical territory of the Alexandrian Patriarchate is all African countries. Since the 1930s, the Church has had an active mission among the inhabitants of the continent and currently its flock numbers more than 6,800,000 people in 31 dioceses.

Church missionaries preach and worship in Greek, Arabic, French and English, as well as in the languages ​​of indigenous peoples of Africa. Among the priests and bishops of the patriarchy there are many blacks. Large Orthodox communities have already developed in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Zaire, Ghana and Madagascar.

In addition to Christian preaching, the patriarchate is engaged in the construction of educational institutions and hospitals, as well as the organization of humanitarian actions. Among the recent important undertakings of the Church we can mention the opening of an Orthodox university in Madagascar.

Antioch Church

Also an ancient apostolic see, which has its center in Damascus and extends jurisdiction to Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, as well as some Orthodox communities in the USA and Western Europe.

For several centuries, the Church was under conditions of official domination of Islam in the canonical territory and a ban on the preaching of Christianity. Recently, due to the destabilization of the situation in the region and the activities of terrorist groups, it has found itself in extremely difficult living conditions.

Despite the persecution and genocide of Christians opened by Islamists, the Church has about 7,500,000 believers, united in 22 dioceses and more than 400 parishes. The main liturgical languages ​​are Arabic and Greek, as well as English.

A feature of the development of the life of the Antiochian Church in the last twenty years has been the mission among the residents of the USA and Canada and a significant increase in the number of patriarchates due to the massive conversion to Orthodoxy of the Anglican and Protestant communities, for which a special metropolitanate of the Western rite was created. Also, the parishes of the Antiochian Church in the USA have been replenished with Orthodox refugees from the Middle East for several decades.

Jerusalem Patriarchate

The Jerusalem Patriarchate was the very first Christian community in the world, created by the apostles Peter and John the Theologian in the places where the Lord Jesus Christ directly preached and lived. Most of the most significant shrines of the entire Christian world are located on the territory of the patriarchate.

The canonical territory of the patriarchate consists of Israel, Palestine and Jordan, as well as the Sinai Peninsula. The Autonomous Church of Sinai is unique in that it consists of a single monastery of St. Catherine the Great Martyr, headed by an archbishop who is ordained by the Patriarch of Jerusalem.

The Patriarchate has about 130,000 believers, mostly Greeks and Arabs, in whose languages ​​the services are performed. There are 65 parishes and 25 monasteries in the 4 dioceses of the Patriarchate. The Cathedral of the Patriarch is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The Patriarchate owns about 18% of the total territory in Jerusalem. One of the most important areas in the activities of the Jerusalem Church is the preservation and maintenance of Christian shrines, as well as organizing access to them and residence in Israel for pilgrims from all over the world.

Georgian Church

The canonical territory of this patriarchate is quite small - Georgia and Abkhazia. Also, dioceses in Europe, North America and Australia are subordinate to the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.

The Georgian Church has about 3,500,000 believers. 45 dioceses unite under their omophorions 170 monasteries and 550 parishes, in which about 1,300 clergy serve. This is one of the most ancient Churches in the world. Tradition says that it was the territory of Georgia that fell as the lot for the preaching of the Mother of God.

Services in the Church are conducted in Georgian, which is one of the claims of Abkhazians and Ossetians, who have long had translations of services and the Gospel into their languages. The parishes in Abkhazia have currently declared their autocephaly (which has historical grounds in the form of the existence of their own patriarchate) and are in schism with the Georgian Church.

Georgian Patriarch Ilia II came up with an original measure to support the birth rate in the country - he personally becomes godfather to every third and subsequent children.

Serbian Church

The first mass baptism of Serbs who settled on the Balkan Peninsula occurred under the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius, and in 869, at the request of Prince Muntimir, the Byzantine Emperor Basil the Macedonian sent Greek priests to the Serbs.

The canonical territory of the Serbian Patriarchate extends to several states: Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro, as well as several dioceses in Hungary, North America, Australia and New Zealand.

The Church consists of more than 3,500 parishes, united in 46 dioceses and has 47 active bishops, about 1,900 priests and 1,300 monastics. The church is headed by a patriarch whose residence is in Belgrade. The Church Slavonic and Serbian languages ​​are used in worship.

Since 1967, several dioceses of the Serbian Patriarchate have been in schism, declaring themselves the Macedonian Orthodox Church, which is not recognized by other Churches. This situation is very painful for the Serbian Church and it is negotiating with the separated dioceses about reunification.

Romanian Church

Christianity first appeared on the territory of Romania, in what was then Dacia, in the 1st century. Tradition says that the first sermon of the Gospel was brought here by the Apostle Andrew the First-Called.

Divine services in the Romanian Patriarchate are conducted in Romanian and Ukrainian. The church has more than 18,800,000 believers. The Church consists of 38 dioceses, 11,674 parishes and 475 monasteries, in which more than 14,600 clergy serve. The Patriarchal Chair is in Bucharest.

Orthodoxy in Romania has the status of a state religion, and Romanian clergy and clergy are paid by the authorities. In the country's schools, the Law of God is officially taught by priests.

The Romanian Church has jurisdiction over Romania itself, as well as dioceses in North America and Western Europe, comprising mainly the Romanian diaspora. The Patriarchate also seeks to expand its canonical territory at the expense of the canonical territory of the Russian Church in Moldova and Ukraine.

Bulgarian Church

There are more than 8,000,000 Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria. In 15 dioceses of the Bulgarian Patriarchate, more than 1,500 clergy serve in 120 monasteries and 2,600 parishes. The residence of the patriarch is located in the capital of the country, Sofia.

The canonical territory of the Bulgarian Patriarchate is Bulgaria itself and dioceses in Western Europe, North America and Australia. The spread of Christianity in Bulgaria began in the 1st century by the first disciples of the apostles.

Since 1992, a large schism has been occurring in the Church, through the mediation of the authorities, which could only be healed by a council with the participation of the Primates of the seven Local Churches. The last schismatic hierarch repented only in 2012, after which the schism can be considered finally healed.

During the service in all Orthodox Churches in Bulgaria, during the Great Entrance, Emperor Alexander II and the Russian soldiers who died for the liberation of Bulgaria in the war with Turkey of 1877-1878 are still remembered.

Cyprus Church

On the island of Cyprus, the word of God was preached by the apostles Paul, Barnabas and Mark, and later Lazarus the Four-Days, resurrected by the Savior, became the bishop of one of the Cypriot cities.

In 1960, the Republic of Cyprus declared independence, with the Primate of the Church of Cyprus becoming its president. However, in 1974, more than a third of the island was occupied by Turkish troops and is still controlled by Turkey. At the same time, dioceses in the occupied territory were abolished, the clergy were expelled, and churches were closed, burned or turned into mosques.

The Church of Cyprus, centered in Nicosia, is headed by the Archbishop of New Justiniana and all Cyprus and has no canonical territories outside the island. In 9 dioceses of the Church there are more than 500 parishes and more than 40 monasteries (due to the occupation, 6 dioceses and 9 monasteries operate). 600 clergy minister to approximately 450,000 Orthodox believers.

Greek Church

The canonical territory of the Greek Church includes the territory of modern Greece and some islands of the Aegean Sea, which historically were part of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, but in the 19th century received autocephaly due to the emergence of the independent kingdom of Greece.

The canonical status of some territories has not yet been finally settled and they are considered “temporarily transferred” to the Greek Church by the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

The church in Greece is supported by the state, and in the country’s schools the subject “The Law of God” is taught quite officially. Orthodoxy in Greece is the state religion, professed by about 85% of the country's population.

The Church's flock consists of more than 9,245,000 people. The Greek Church has 81 dioceses, 200 monasteries and about 9,300 clergy. Services are conducted in Greek. The Church adheres to the New Julian calendar. The Church is headed by the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece.

Albanian Church

The first information about the existence of Christianity in Albania dates back to the 3rd century. However, the first episcopal see of the Albanian Church was established in the 10th century thanks to the missionary work of the disciples of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius - Clement and Naum

There are only 4 dioceses in the Albanian Church and they are headed by 4 bishops, the eldest of whom is the Primate of the Church and bears the title of Archbishop of Tirana and all Albania. The Church has about 100 parishes, about 100 priests and deacons, and about 700,000 Orthodox Christians.

The canonical territory of the Church includes only Albania, where the Orthodox population lives primarily in the south of the country. Services are held in Albanian, Greek and Vlach languages. The Church received autocephaly relatively recently - in 1937 from the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

In 1991, after brutal persecution by the communist government, there were only 15 priests in Albania. Metropolitan Anastassy, ​​who arrived from the Patriarchate of Constantinople, had to make enormous efforts to restore church life in the country.

A theological seminary was opened, three more bishops and several priests were ordained, a new charter of the Albanian Church was drawn up, and several churches were restored and consecrated. Today, church life in Albania is still being restored.

Polish Church

The Polish Orthodox Church is headed by the Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland. The jurisdiction of the Church includes the territory of Poland, as well as dioceses in Portugal and Brazil.

After Poland's secession from the Russian Empire in 1918, the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church in Poland were unable to function properly due to dual opposition from the Bolshevik authorities in Russia and the nationalist government in Poland. As a result, during the period of house arrest in Russia of the holy Patriarch Tikhon, the Patriarch of Constantinople arbitrarily granted autocephaly to the Polish Church. The non-canonical tomos was not recognized by the Russian Church, and only in 1948 the Russian Church for the second time, already canonically, granted autocephaly to the Polish Church.

Today the Polish Church numbers about 600,000 lay people in 8 dioceses, 11 monasteries and more than 230 parishes. The Church has 11 active bishops and more than 410 priests and deacons. The bulk of believers live in South-East Poland.

In 1990, several Orthodox dioceses and parishes in Portugal and Brazil joined the Polish Church with the rights of broad autonomy. Divine services are performed not only in Polish and Church Slavonic, but also in Ukrainian and Portuguese.

Since 1996, the Church has devoted a lot of work to social service, opening centers to help the poor, organizing humanitarian actions and creating sisterhoods at hospitals. The ancient institution of brotherhoods with a certain narrow specialization (publishing activities, missionary work, work with youth, etc.), operating both at the level of parishes and at the level of dioceses or even the Church as a whole, has also been revived.

Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia

The founders of the Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic and Slovakia are considered to be the enlighteners of the Slavs, the Equal-to-the-Apostles brothers Cyril and Methodius, who preached in the 9th century. Later, Catholics almost completely ousted or subjugated local Orthodox clergy, and Orthodoxy experienced its rebirth in the Czech Republic and Slovakia in the 19th century, when several dioceses of the Serbian Church appeared in this territory.

During the Second World War, the Czechoslovak Church helped the people resist the German occupier, for which many clergy were shot or imprisoned. After the war, the Czechoslovak Church came under the jurisdiction of the Russian Church, from which it received autocephaly in 1951. Autocephaly was not recognized by the Patriarch of Constantinople until 1998.

The canonical territory of the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia includes the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The residence of the Metropolitan is located in Prague. The languages ​​of worship are Church Slavonic, Slovak and Czech.

About 100,000 Orthodox Christians consider themselves to belong to the Czechoslovak Church. The church is divided into 4 dioceses and has about 250 parishes and more than 200 clergy. In the last two decades, the Church in the Czech Republic and Slovakia has been growing very quickly due to the conversion of representatives of other Christian denominations to Orthodoxy. Another feature of the Church is the almost complete absence of monastics. Orthodox monasteries began to appear only in the last few years.

Since 2013, a schism began in the Church with the active intervention of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, as a result of which the new Primate, Metropolitan Rostislav, elected by the Local Council of the Czechoslovak Church, began to be opposed by Archbishop Simeon of Olomouc, seeking to create an alternative synod and lead the Church. The split has not yet been resolved.

American Church

The American Orthodox Church received autocephaly from the mother Russian Church in 1970. The main language of worship is English. The Church is headed by the Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada.

The autocephaly of the American Church is recognized by the Russian Church, the Bulgarian Church, the Georgian Church, the Polish Church, the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.

Orthodoxy in America began to spread thanks to the efforts of missionaries of the Russian Orthodox Church back in the 18th century, among the inhabitants of Alaska, the Aleutian Islands, California and Hawaii. In the 20th century, a significant number of Orthodox Christians from the countries of the former Russian Empire immigrated to the United States, who were cared for by hierarchs previously sent to the departments of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as hierarchs of the ROCOR. Soon, thanks to active missionary work, the Church's flock significantly increased at the expense of the local English-speaking population.

The American Church has 14 dioceses, 25 monasteries, about 650 parishes and four large educational institutions. The Orthodox community of the American Church numbers more than 1,000,000 people and is growing quite quickly. The canonical territory includes the USA, Canada, as well as some parishes in Mexico, South America and Australia.

Andrey Szegeda

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What is the Church and how does it differ from a temple? By whom and when was the Church founded and why do they say “Local Church”?

When the word “Church” is uttered, they most often mean a building for the gathering of believers for worship. “Did you go to church?” - the grandmother asks her friend at the street bench. In books you can read phrases like “The Church of the 19th century.”

But it would be more accurate to call such a building a “temple.” “The temple is the house of God,” we read in church literature. At the same time, large temples of special architecture, often the main ones in a particular area, are called “cathedrals”. And since a close-knit community is created from the believers who visit a particular temple, this temple can be called a “parish.”

What then does Orthodoxy call “Church”? This is a society of people who believe in Christ. In other words, the temple is a building; the Church is Orthodox people. It was founded by Jesus Christ himself, which is why it is called “Christian,” and its birthday is considered to be the Day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles - the 50th day after the luminous resurrection of Christ.

Each city has its own Orthodox community of believers, and each church has its own collective. It turns out that there are as many “Churches” as there are cities or as many as temples?.. It turns out that this is not entirely true! There are only 15 Local (Autocephalous) Orthodox Churches in the world, and the Russian Orthodox Church, which includes the Belarusian Exarchate, is only one of them!

Each of these Orthodox Churches is a large community of believers in a certain area of ​​the planet. Their names are as follows:

1. Constantinople (Turkey and part of Greece; at the Ecumenical Council of 381 it was recognized as primacy, and its Patriarch was recognized as the first Patriarch of all others, i.e. first among equals).
2. Alexandria (includes the entire territory of Africa).
3. Antioch (Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait and the countries of the Arabian Peninsula).
4. Jerusalem (Israel, Jordan and Palestine).
5. Russian (CIS countries).
6. Georgian (Georgia).
7. Serbian (countries that were part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia).
8. Romanian (Romania).
9. Bulgarian (Bulgaria).
10. Cyprus (O. Cyprus, the smallest Local Church).
11. Helladic (Greek) (Greece).
12. Albanian (Albania).
13. Polish (6 dioceses in Poland).
14. Czech lands and Slovakia (Czech and Slovak Republics).
15. Orthodox Church in America (USA and some parishes in Canada, Mexico and South America).

On the maps you can see where the centers of all Local Orthodox Churches are located. In these same centers are located the residences of the heads of Churches - Patriarchs (sometimes - Archbishops or Metropolitans).

The attentive reader will notice which Local Church we deliberately did not mark on the map.

Each Church has its own history, traditions, and characteristics that distinguish it from the rest. So in the Russian Church they sing carols at Christmas and Christmastide, in the Cypriot Church they bake “Vasilopita” - a New Year’s cake (the New Year coincides with the Day of Remembrance of St. Basil the Great), and in the Alexandrian Church almost all the clergy are dark-skinned, like the saints on the icons of this Church.

Psychologically, these insignificant differences are understandable - all nations are different, and they look at the same thing through different “glasses”. After all, it is easier for the dark-skinned race to pray in front of the icon of the dark-skinned Christ, although everyone mentally understands that He belonged to a completely different ethnic family.

Despite some differences, all Local Churches are united in doctrine and in faith in one God the Trinity. Although in different languages, they read the same Bible in all Churches, follow the same Church canons for all, have many common saints (for example, the healer Panteleimon, Nicholas the Wonderworker) and read their works.

Despite the fact that there are 15 Local Churches, they all live by the same Bible, creed and church canons and together make up the Ecumenical Orthodox Church. There is only one Christian church, but it consists of 15 regional parts.

The main thing for believers of all Orthodox Churches is the commandment of sincere love for God and people (Gospel of Matthew, 18) and an active life according to this faith.

09 October 2007, 10:32

Media materials: "Ten questions about the patriarch. Questions and answers"

What does the word "patriarch" mean?

The word "patriarchos" consists of two Greek roots: "pator" - father and "archo" - domination, beginning, power. In public life, the word “patriarch” serves to designate a person outstanding in any professional field and is used in a figurative sense. However, in the Church this term always has a completely different meaning.

Firstly, this is the name given to some Old Testament saints who not only participated in the history of salvation, but were also the direct ancestors of the Savior. The ancient patriarchs are also called ancestors or forefathers; Among them, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are especially famous.

And secondly, the heads of some Orthodox local Churches are called patriarchs. In this meaning, the word “patriarch” does not mean a separate, highest rank of the hierarchy of the priesthood, but a special church status and title. It is assigned by the Church to the most authoritative bishop, who, as a rule, heads the main see of the country.

Who was the first Christian patriarch?

The first patriarch is considered to be Saint James, an apostle from among the seventy disciples of the Savior and the first bishop of the first in seniority of the Church of Jerusalem. According to legend, Jacob was the son of Joseph the Betrothed from his first marriage, therefore in the Gospel he is also called the brother of the Lord, although Jesus Christ has no blood relationship with Jacob.

The New Testament contains one letter written by the Apostle James, and since this apostle led the very first Christian community, this letter is listed first in the Bible, even before the letters of the Apostle Peter.

The authority of James as the first patriarch was indisputable, which is clearly seen from the description of the very first church council held in Jerusalem (Acts 15). It was the Apostle James who made the decision on the question that most worried the community of the first Christians at that time: should those who converted to Christianity from paganism perform the rituals that were commanded to the Jews in the Old Testament? Patriarch Jacob advised do not make it difficult for pagans who turn to God(Acts 15:19), and since then almost all the ritual decrees of the Old Testament have ceased to be binding on Christians.

What can't a patriarch do?

Since patriarch is not a degree of priesthood, but only an honorary title, in essence its holder has no more rights than any other bishop. The Patriarch is obeyed not because he is “superior” to others, but because he has authority among the bishops. All the power of the patriarch is limited by the internal canons of the Church and the personal authority of the shepherd. For example, the patriarch cannot single-handedly appoint new bishops or make decisions with which other authoritative members of the bishops' council do not agree.

Who was the first patriarch in Rus'?

Saint Job, the first patriarch of the Russian Church, was installed in 1589 by the Moscow Council under the chairmanship of Patriarch Jeremiah II of Constantinople. Until this time, our Church was headed by metropolitans, and until the middle of the 15th century, the Russian Church belonged to the Patriarchate of Constantinople and did not have independent governance.

Does the patriarch have responsibilities, and if so, what are they?

The Patriarch, as the high priest, heads the prayer ministry of the Church and almost always personally performs the most solemn services. He also determines the relationship of the Church with the state and public organizations, which means that he must continuously, sometimes literally around the clock, perform representative and organizational functions. The patriarch is also obliged to preside over the Holy Synod, which is the highest church authority in the period between church councils. With his participation, the appointment of bishops takes place, so he must delve into the details of all internal church affairs. The Patriarch is obliged to take upon himself the solution of all major issues, both spiritual and completely earthly, such as the financing of theological academies or appointments to important posts in the Patriarchate.

In addition, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' is the head of the capital's Moscow diocese. And the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' manages patriarchal metochions throughout the country, as well as the so-called stauropegial monasteries, subordinate not to local bishops, but directly to the Moscow Patriarchate.

Can the Church live without a patriarch?

Since the patriarch is not the bearer of any special sacred power over the Church, but simply has the highest authority among bishops, there are periods in the history of the Church when the patriarch was not elected. Thus, after the death of Patriarch Adrian in 1700, Tsar Peter I, who wanted to completely subordinate the Church to secular power, prevented the holding of independent elections of the primate and appointed a “locum tenens of the patriarchal throne” in the place of the patriarch. And in 1721 he established the Holy Governing Synod, which since then has been the highest state body of church-administrative power of the Russian Empire and replaced the patriarch in terms of general church functions and external relations.

As a meeting of canonical bishops, the Synod as the supreme body of church government was recognized by all Eastern Patriarchs and other autocephalous Churches. However, the Synod could not make independent decisions, since its members were appointed personally by the emperor, who was in charge of all personnel matters. The Emperor also had a personal representative in the Holy Synod, the Chief Prosecutor, who actually had full power over the church life of the country. Nominally, the chief prosecutor was a government official, and therefore might not even be an Orthodox Christian, as sometimes happened.

The synodal period in the Russian Orthodox Church lasted almost two hundred years, and only at the beginning of the 20th century was the Church able to elect a primate again.

Is the patriarch retiring?

Unlike other bishops, who can, if their health deteriorates, ask to be removed from the cathedra and sent to retirement, the patriarch actually does not have such an opportunity. In the Russian Church, this rank is given for life, and this means that until his death the patriarch is obliged to serve the Church, even if he is seriously ill or is in exile or imprisonment.

Is the patriarch rich?

For many centuries, according to tradition, only monks have been appointed patriarchs, as well as bishops in general. And when a monk is tonsured, he takes not only vows of chastity and obedience, but also a vow of non-covetousness, so that in fact the patriarch does not own anything that surrounds him. Absolutely everything, from the residence and executive car to liturgical vestments, belongs to the Church and is only in its use. The only source of personal income for His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' is the ordinary civil pension, which the state pays him in old age, and the expensive gifts that are sometimes given to him, as a rule, end up in museum collections or transferred to the needs of the Church. The luxury of his surroundings is intended to ensure that, when performing representative functions, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church looks appropriate to his rank, and his personal life is much simpler.

Does the patriarch confess, and if so, to whom?

His Holiness personally answered this question in an interview with our magazine, published in 7(30) of Thomas for 2005: “Yes, like any Orthodox Christian.”

And just like any other person, the patriarch has the right to consult with his confessor. It is hardly appropriate to talk about who exactly is the confessor of this or that person, since this is a deeply personal matter.

How many Orthodox patriarchs are there in the world now?

Before the schism of 1054 and the separation of the Roman Church, the title of patriarch was assigned to five bishops of the Universal Church: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem. In the modern Church, the title of patriarch is held by the primates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Russian, Georgian (Catholicos-Patriarch), Serbian, Bulgarian and Romanian Churches. It is customary to call the heads of some other Christian non-Orthodox Churches, as well as some Catholic bishops, usually the heads of Uniate Churches, patriarchs.

Magazine "Foma"
October 2007

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.