Greek Orthodox Church

The Greek Orthodox Church (Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía) is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Historically, the term “Greek Orthodox” has been used to describe all Eastern Orthodox churches in general, since the term “Greek” can refer to the heritage of the Byzantine Empire.

Iglesia Ortodoxa Griega

Griechisch-orthodoxe Kirche

Гре́ческое правосла́вие

During the first eight centuries of Christian history, most major intellectual, cultural, and social developments in the Christian Church took place in the Byzantine Empire or its sphere of influence, where the Greek language was widely spoken and used for most theological writings. The empire’s capital, Constantinople, was an early important center of Christianity, and its liturgical practices, traditions, and doctrines were gradually adopted throughout Eastern Orthodoxy, still providing the basic patterns of contemporary Orthodoxy. Thus, Eastern Orthodox came to be called “Greek” Orthodox in the same way that the Western Christians came to be called “Roman” Catholic. However, the appellation “Greek” was abandoned by the Slavic and other Eastern Orthodox churches as part of their peoples’ national awakenings, beginning as early as the 10th century A.D. Thus, by the early 21st century, generally only those churches most closely tied to Greek or Byzantine culture were called “Greek Orthodox” in common parlance.

كنيسة الروم الأرثوذكس

Биста грчког православног патријарха — Bust of a Greek Orthodox Patriarch

Order Image 17.898

Églises Orthodoxes de Culture Grecque

Greckie Prawosławi

Ελληνική Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία

The Greek Orthodox churches are descended from churches which the Apostles founded in the Balkans and the Middle East during the first century A.D., as well as maintenance of many ancient church traditions.

The churches where the Greek Orthodox term is applicable are:

The four ancient Patriarchates:
- The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, headed by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, who is also the “first among equals” of the Eastern Orthodox Communion
  - The semi-autonomous Archdiocese of Crete
  - The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain
  - The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Italy and Malta
  - The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
  - The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia
- The Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria
- The Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch
- The Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem
  - The autonomous Church of Mount Sinai
Three autocephalous churches:
- The Church of Greece
- The Church of Cyprus
- The Albanian Orthodox Church also known as “Greek Orthodox Church of Albania” or “Church of Albania”