What is the Bulgarian Orthodox Church?
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous (self-governing) church within Eastern Orthodoxy. Being independent, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has its own patriarchate (ecclesiastical jurisdiction). The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is headquartered in Sofia, Bulgaria, and the head of the church is the Metropolitan of Sofia, Patriarch of All Bulgaria. The majority of Bulgarians (85 percent) would…
What is the Serbian Orthodox Church?
The Serbian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous (self-governing) church within Eastern Orthodoxy. Being independent, the Serbian Orthodox Church has its own patriarchate, or ecclesiastical jurisdiction. The Serbian Orthodox Church is strongest in southeastern Europe, and its churches are located primarily in the former Yugoslavia, including Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Croatia. As Serbs have…
Who is the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople?
The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is the spiritual leader and representative of the Eastern Orthodox Church (also called the Orthodox Catholic Church). In this context, the word ecumenical means “universal” or “worldwide,” patriarch means “head of a church,” and Constantinople refers to what is now Istanbul, Turkey. This city was the capital of the Eastern…
What is the Armenian Orthodox Church?
The Armenian Orthodox Church (also called the Armenian Apostolic Church or the Georgian Church) is the official church of the Republic of Armenia but has adherents around the world. In the United States, it is referred to as the Armenian Church. The Armenian Church in the United States was organized by Armenian immigrants who came…
What is the Russian Orthodox Church?
According to tradition, the Russian Orthodox Church is what came of a community of believers founded by the apostle Andrew, who visited Scythia and Greece, along the northern part of the Black Sea. According to the tradition, while on his missionary journeys, Andrew eventually reached Kiev, the current home of St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Later, Princess…
What is the history of the Orthodox Church?
According to their claims, the Orthodox Church is the one church founded in AD 33 by Jesus Christ and His apostles on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). The word Orthodox is derived from the Greek orthos, “right”; and doxa, “teaching” or “worship.” Worldwide, the Orthodox Church is estimated at 200 million members or more;…