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Oriental Orthodox Countries. He was elected as primate of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of
He was elected as primate of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East as John X of Antioch (Yazigi) on December 17 May 1, 2017 · In Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is the largest and oldest church by both population and structure. John Mahfouz is the pastor of St. Eastern Orthodox population by country There is no universal agreement on the number of members of the Eastern Orthodox Church in each country. The majority of the members of these churches live in Ethiopia, Egypt, Eritrea, Armenia, India, Syria and Lebanon. As such, some numbers may be inflated, and therefore inaccurate. For whatever reason their names mean literally the same thing, but they're fundamentally different branches of Christianity. The Oriental Orthodox Church is the non-Chalcedonian Church, or simply the Orthodox Church. Web site: Orthodox churches (Oriental) — World Council of Churches . . ədo Church was the first (and for a long time the only) sub-Saharan African actor in the international ecumenical movement, as well as being the largest Oriental Orthodox Church and a founding member of the World Council of Churches (WCC ). The Oriental Orthodox Churches are a group of Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology and theology, with a total of 60 million members Jul 18, 2020 · Oriental Orthodoxy is a communion of Churches with a priesthood and Apostolic Succession which holds to the Nicene Faith and a Miaphysite Christology. The largest religion in Europe is Christianity. Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, [1] is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism. “Oriental” Orthodox With both Eastern (Chalcedonian) and Oriental (Non-Chalcedonian) Orthodox using the word Orthodox in their nomenclature, some people believe these churches are under the same umbrella. The majority of the members of these churches live in Ethiopia, Egypt, Eritrea, Armenia, India, Syria and Lebanon. Where a certain territory is disputed (either between two different churches or one church claims it as its territory while others consider it part of the diaspora), it is shown shaded. In some countries, notably Armenia, the Oriental Orthodox Church is a major social phenomenon, and the vast majority of the population belongs to the church. S. The jurisdictions making up the Orthodox Church are the Ethiopian, Coptic, Armenian, Syriac, Indian (separate Jacobite and Malankara jurisdictions),… World Charter of Orthodoxy In the map below we have mapped the global presence of Orthodox Christians. In the 5th century, Oriental Orthodoxy separated from Chalcedonian Christianity (and is therefore separate from both the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church), well before the 11th century Great Schism. The Eastern Orthodox "diaspora" consists of churches in the Americas, Asia, Australia, Western Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. Nov 28, 2017 · Ethiopian Orthodoxy is part of the Oriental branch of Orthodoxy, which accounts for approximately 20% of the global Orthodox population and is not in communion with Eastern Orthodoxy, the larger branch, largely due to theological and doctrinal differences. And the "Oriental Orthodox" are a bunch of unrelated churches that rejected the Council of Chalcedon. What are Oriental Orthodox Churches? The name "Oriental Orthodox Churches" was first used in 1965. It should not be confused with Eastern Orthodoxy or Roman Catholicism. Jul 22, 2025 · Eastern Orthodox vs. There are also large diaspora communities in Oriental Orthodox churches reject what they consider to be the heretical Monophysite teachings of Eutyches and of Nestorius as well as the Dyophysite definition of the Council of Chalcedon. Despite the similar name, they are therefore a d May 24, 2022 · Newcomers to Orthodoxy are often surprised to discover that there are different kinds of Orthodox churches. Each study performed that seeks to discover the number of adherents in a country may use different criteria, and be submitted to different populations. [12] Due to disputes concerning the nature of Christ, the Oriental Orthodox Churches were in schism after the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451. It is believed that Orthodoxy is a faith that is widespread in the Eastern part of Europe and a small part of Asia, but this religion is also present in North America, thanks to the huge diasporas of Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Moldovans, Greeks and other peoples resettled from Orthodox countries . www. [citation needed] Oriental Orthodoxy is a group of six Eastern Christian Churches that accept only the first three ecumenical councils (the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the Council of Ephesus). AD 42). Most of the denominations in both groups have institutional churches in the U. At that time, five churches were part of it. Bulgaria has ranked in the top 8 for christian > orthodox > orthodox population since 2001. The Byzantine Orthodox family has over 100 million members -- in Greece, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Western Europe, America, Australia and so on. The Orthodox Catholic Church, or "Eastern Orthodox" is theologically closer to Roman Catholics. Eastern Orthodoxy is duophysite, meaning we believe in the two distinct natures of Christ (human, divine). [10] The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is in communion with the other Oriental Orthodox churches (the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the Syriac Orthodox Church). , with the Greek Orthodox Church being the largest. Ethiopian Orthodox Christians are independent and the largest of all Oriental The Oriental Orthodox churches are ancient churches which were founded in apostolic times, by apostles or by the apostles' earliest disciples. The Eritrean Church became self-governing later. The Coptic Orthodox Church was established by Saint Mark, an apostle and evangelist, during the middle of the 1st century (c. Apr 25, 2017 · Countries With The Most Orthodox Christians A Traditional Procession By The Members Of The Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church Orthodox Christianity is one of three distinct branches of the Christian religion (the other two being the Catholic and Protestant branches). Mark, His Holiness Mar Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East and Supreme Head of the Syriac Orthodox Church, and His Holiness Catholicos Aram I Feb 17, 2025 · File:Percent of Oriental Orthodox Christians by country. The Church of the East and Oriental Orthodoxy both split over differences in Christology during the 5th century, while the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church separated in the East–West Schism in the year 1054. The largest and oldest is the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church which is an Oriental Orthodox church in Ethiopia that was part of the Coptic Orthodox Church until 1959, when it was granted its own Patriarch by the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria. The most common estimates of the number of Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide is approximately 225300 million. Nicephorus the Hesychast (13th century), a Roman Catholic who converted to the Eastern Orthodox faith and became a monk at Mount Athos, advised monks to bend their heads toward the chest, "attach the prayer to their breathing" while controlling the rhythm of their breath, and "to fix their eyes during prayer on the 'middle of the body The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology, with approximately 60 million members worldwide. [3] The Oriental Orthodox family has five Churches -- India, Armenia, Syria, Egypt and Ethiopia - three in Asia and two in Africa. But the Ethiopian community is highly observant and growing. Dec 26, 2025 · Orthodoxy here refers to the two great bodies of Christianity that use the term to characterize their theologies and liturgies: the churches of Eastern Orthodoxy and the churches that constitute the so-called Oriental Orthodox communion. Other names for these churches include Old Oriental or Miaphysite churches. - 2B01WY7 from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and Apr 25, 2017 · Countries With The Most Orthodox Christians A Traditional Procession By The Members Of The Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church Orthodox Christianity is one of three distinct branches of the Christian religion (the other two being the Catholic and Protestant branches). May 10, 2017 · Many of the predominantly Orthodox countries surveyed have centuries-old national churches, such as the Greek Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Church and Armenian Apostolic Church, and there is popular support for these institutions to play a large role in public life. Other articles where Oriental Orthodox church is discussed: Christianity: Oriental Orthodoxy: The other main branch of Orthodoxy is constituted by the six national churches of the Oriental Orthodox communion: the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, Jul 1, 2023 · It was in Addis Ababa that they began to use the term Oriental Orthodox, to distinguish themselves from the Eastern Orthodox. The head of the Orthodox Church of Antioch is called Patriarch. Other articles where Oriental Orthodox church is discussed: Christianity: Oriental Orthodoxy: The other main branch of Orthodoxy is constituted by the six national churches of the Oriental Orthodox communion: the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, Fr. The most widespread are the Russian Orthodox Church and the Greek Orthodox Church. Oriental Orthodoxy consists of several autocephalous and autonomous jurisdictions holding a single set of beliefs and united in full communion. I know from experience that most Arab countries in Africa or Asia (Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt) have orthodox Christians myself included as well as catholics which are the 2 most common Christian religion in them and we get along just fine except for a friendly banter here and there Nov 28, 2017 · Ethiopian Orthodoxy is part of the Oriental branch of Orthodoxy, which accounts for approximately 20% of the global Orthodox population and is not in communion with Eastern Orthodoxy, the larger branch, largely due to theological and doctrinal differences. Click image to magnify. The list includes the Catholic Church (including Eastern Catholic Churches), Protestant denominations with at least 200,000 members, the Eastern Orthodox Church (and its offshoots), Oriental Orthodox Churches (and their offshoots), Nontrinitarian Restorationism, independent Catholic denominations, Nestorianism and all the other Christian St. The data comes from official sources such as recent population censuses, reliable surveys such as Gallup and Pew, and missionary information. Ireland has ranked in the top 8 for christian > orthodox > orthodox population since 2002. The division between these two families of Churches occurred in 451 over the definition by the Council Dec 23, 2025 · Eastern Orthodoxy - Faith, Traditions, Unity: The schism between the Greek and Latin churches coincided chronologically with a surge of Christian missionary activity in northern and eastern Europe. en. It is characterized by its alignment with the apostolic church. Fr. [1] However, irreligion and practical secularisation are also prominent in some countries. Basically, Oriental Orthodoxy did not accept the Council of Chalcedon's proclamations about the nature of Christ, and they split from the whole church around 451 AD. [14][15] The formulation of the Soviet version of dialectical and historical materialism in the 1930s by Stalin and his associates, such as Sep 4, 2013 · The Oriental Orthodox communion is a group of churches within Oriental Orthodoxy which are in full communion directly and indirectly with one another [2]. What is Oriental Orthodoxy by country? Explaining what we could find out about Oriental Orthodoxy by country. … Nov 8, 2017 · Concentrated in Europe, Orthodox Christians have declined as share of the global Christian population, from 20% in 1910 to 12% today. Both sides contributed to the resultant expansion of Christianity but used different methods. svg Download Use this file Use this file Email a link Information Variables: Total number of Orthodox by country and percent of population that are Orthodox: In 4 traditions: Eastern (Chalcedonian), Oriental (Pre-Chalcedonian, Non-Chalcedonian, Monophysite), Assyrian Church of the East (Nestorian), and non-historical Orthodox. Presently the generally accepted name is Oriental Orthodox. Eastern Orthodox Christians are also one of the main religious groups in Estonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Latvia as well as a significant group in Syria, Lebanon, and other countries in the Middle East. Please support Roots of Orthodoxy AND receive early access to all new A guide to Asia including maps facts and information about Asia, free printable map of Asia. Eastern Orthodox Beliefs When someone says "Orthodox", most in the Western world automatically assume the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church. Please support Roots of Orthodoxy AND receive early access to all new We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Examples of this are Greece and The Fourth Ecumenical Council was held in Asian city of Chalcedon (451). The history of the Eastern Orthodox Church is the formation, events, and transformation of the Eastern Orthodox Church through time. Lukashenko, a regular participant in the ritual, was seen plunging into the water despite sub-zero conditions, accompanied by clergy and security officials. The communion includes: The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria The British Orthodox Church, canonically part of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria since 1994 The Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch (sometimes called 'Jacobite A Oriental Orthodoxy in Argentina (1 C) Oriental Orthodoxy in Australia (empty) Oriental Orthodoxy in Austria (1 C) Oct 12, 2024 · Based on the numbers of adherents, the Eastern Orthodox Church (also known as Eastern Orthodoxy) is the second largest Christian communion in the world after the Roman Catholic Church. The six Oriental Orthodox Churches are: Armenian Apostolic Church Coptic Orthodox Church Ethiopian Orthodox Church Syrian Orthodox Church Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Eritrean Orthodox Church For further information about these churches, see under their separate headings in this encyclopedia. It is a founding member of the World Council of Churches. [2][3] In Southeastern Europe, three countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania) have Muslim majorities, with Christianity being the second-largest religion in those countries. Feb 3, 2024 · This includes those who may be irreligious, yet culturally identify with the Eastern Orthodox Church, or for whom Eastern Orthodox Christianity is listed on official state records. "Oriental Orthodoxy: minority religion" may suit India. However, numerous other countries such as Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Albania also have their own Orthodox communities. [1] The Eastern Orthodox Church uses a different method of calculating the date of Easter, so the Eastern Orthodox commemoration of Ascension will usually be after the western observance (either one week, or four weeks, or five weeks later; but occasionally on the same day). The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology, with approximately 60 million members worldwide. Oriental Orthodox vs. The West imposed a Latin liturgy on the new converts and thus made Latin the only vehicle of Christian Feb 17, 2025 · File:Percent of Oriental Orthodox Christians by country. Most Catholic countries adopted the new calendar immediately; Protestant countries did so slowly in the course of the following two centuries or so; most Orthodox countries retain the Julian calendar for religious purposes but adopted the Gregorian as their civil calendar in the early part of the twentieth century. Nov 14, 2017 · Globally, there are 15 self-governing churches among the Eastern Orthodox, while the Oriental Orthodox, including the Copts, Armenians, Ethiopians and Assyrians, have their own churches. However, the By the late 1920s, Stalin established ideological orthodoxy in the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks), the Soviet Union, and the Communist International to establish universal Marxist–Leninist praxis. For example, the Eastern Orthodox jurisdictions in the United States, which has large numbers of immigrants from Eastern Orthodox countries, have collectively reported a total of 2–3 million across the country. May 24, 2022 · Newcomers to Orthodoxy are often surprised to discover that there are different kinds of Orthodox churches. An example is the Celtic Orthodox Church. Jan 4, 2022 · The Oriental Orthodox Church differs from other churches in that the Oriental Church recognizes only the first three ecumenical councils (Nicea, Constantinople, and Ephesus), rejecting the other four of the ecumenical church councils. However, there is also the Oriental Orthodox Church. According to the Eastern Orthodox tradition, the history of the Eastern Orthodox Church is traced back to Jesus Christ and the Apostles. The Patriarchs were His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. [6] As a result, the Oriental patriarchs were excommunicated by the bishops of Rome and Constantinople in 451, formalizing the schism. There are also large diaspora communities in parts of the Middle East, Europe, Asia, North and South America, and Australia. Despite potentially confusing nomenclature, Oriental Orthodox churches (also called Old Oriental Churches) are distinct from the churches that are collectively referred to as Eastern Orthodoxy. Oriental Orthodoxy The Oriental Orthodox Churches are a group of Christian churches adhering to miaphysite Christology and theology, and together have about 62 million members worldwide. org . As some of the oldest religious institutions in the world, the Oriental Orthodox Churches have played a prominent role in the history and culture of countries and regions such as Armenia, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, the Levant, Iraq and the Malabar region of southern India. The following article by Geevarghese Mar Osthathios is the entry on Oriental Orthodox Churches from the revised edition of the Dictionary of the Ecumenical Movement published jointly by the World Council of Churches and the Wm. The annual observance, held across Orthodox countries, commemorates Christ’s baptism in the River Jordan and is symbolised by immersion in icy water as an act of faith and spiritual renewal. Both of these claim to be orthodox Christianity, as indeed every denomination does. Orthodoxy by country may refer to: Eastern Orthodoxy by country Oriental Orthodoxy by country Oriental Orthodox Churches are the churches descended from those that rejected the Council of Chalcedon in 451. svg Download Use this file Use this file Email a link Information Feb 19, 2022 · The Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches in America (SCOOCH) published several statements supporting Abune Antonios. They are heirs to some of the richest and most ancient traditions in the Christian world. Also, there are several other Christian communities that self-identify as Orthodox. This was at the Conference of Addis Ababa. Serbia has ranked in the top 7 for christian > orthodox > orthodox population since 2002. Indeed, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewah. ¹ Oriental Orthodoxy has separate self-governing jurisdictions in Ethiopia, Egypt, Eritrea, India, Armenia and Syria, and it accounts for roughly 20% of the worldwide Orthodox population. [13] After AD 639, Egypt was ruled by its Islamic conquerors from Arabia. The 36 million Ethiopian Orthodox Christians are in communion with Oriental Orthodoxy and were part of the Coptic Orthodox Church until 1959. In other places, Oriental Orthodoxy is Jul 1, 2023 · It was in Addis Ababa that they began to use the term Oriental Orthodox, to distinguish themselves from the Eastern Orthodox. Each of the national churches of Eastern Orthodoxy is autonomous. Jan 1, 2026 · Despite Christianity being a small minority in India, both the Syriac Orthodox and the Indian Orthodox churches (both Oriental Orthodox to the best of my knowledge) are significant players in the Christian community of India. Oriental Orthodoxy is the largest single religious faith in: Armenia Ethiopia Eritrea Countries with a high percentage of Oriental Orthodox Christians include: Egypt Sudan Syria Lebanon India Iraq The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches that believe in Miaphysite Christology, celebrating a deep faith with about 50 million members Oriental Orthodox would be the Armenians, Copts, St Thomas Christians, etc. Other cases of incongruent data also might be due to counting ethnic groups from Eastern Orthodox countries rather than actual adherents. Orthodox Churches (those that use the word "Orthodox" in the name) belong mainly to two groups, Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy. Feb 12, 2022 · Map of the canonical territories of autocephalous and autonomous Orthodox jurisdictions ("churches"). Note: Read more about the history of Ethiopia’s Orthodox Christians. Abba Seraphim, the head of the British Orthodox Church (formerly a part of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate and presently an independent Church) made several attempts for the release of the late Abune Antonios. Christological controversies and disputes that surrounded the Council and its aftermath gradually resulted in division between pro-Chalcedonian (Eastern Orthodox) and anti-Chalcedonian (Oriental Orthodox) Christianity. Orthodoxy (with capital O) in Christianity refers to two distinctive denominations known by the appellation "Orthodox," namely the Eastern Orthodox Church and Oriental Orthodoxy. Category:Oriental Orthodox churches by country Subcategories This category has the following 11 subcategories, out of 11 total. Syriac Orthodox Church The Syriac Orthodox Church is the largest Oriental Orthodox Christian group in Syria. oikoumene. [2][3] Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or "canonical") Eastern Orthodox Church is organised into autocephalous I know from experience that most Arab countries in Africa or Asia (Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt) have orthodox Christians myself included as well as catholics which are the 2 most common Christian religion in them and we get along just fine except for a friendly banter here and there Jun 23, 2022 · Pope Francis meets with members of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and Oriental Orthodox There are also large Christian communities in other parts of the world, such as Indonesia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and West Africa where Christianity is the second-largest religion after Islam. "the Orthodox church, eastern and oriental" Uh, not a single church. Generally, there are two main confessions that label themselves “Orthodox”: the Oriental Orthodox (Non-Chalcedonian) Communion and the Eastern Orthodox Communion. [1] Apart from these two groups, some other quite unconnected Churches in the West also call themselves Orthodox. Western Rite Orthodoxy, also called Western Orthodoxy[1] or the Orthodox Western Rite, [citation needed] are congregations within the Eastern Orthodox tradition which perform their liturgy in Western forms. Most of ethnic Armenians in Russia are adherents of the Armenian Apostolic Church, one of the main churches of the Oriental Orthodoxy, distinctive from Eastern Orthodoxy in terms of miaphysite christology. The present Greek Orthodox patriarch of Antioch is John X (Yazigi), who presided over the Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe (2008–2013). The Syriac Orthodox or Jacobite Church, whose liturgy is in Syriac, was severed from the favored church of the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Orthodoxy), over the Chalcedonian controversy. Eastern Orthodoxy, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church, is one of the three major doctrinal Christian groups. With respect to the relationship between the Oriental Orthodox and the Eastern Orthodox churches, they are not in communion with each other, although they have engaged in dialogue in recent times. Matthew Orthodox Church in Torrance, California. The Oriental Orthodox Churches represents a communion of six churches within Christianity: The Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, Eritrean Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Malankara Orthodox In Egypt, the Coptic Orthodox Church serves an estimated 10 to 15 million faithful (official figures 6-10%, church estimates up to 15-20%), accounting for the largest Christian community in the Middle East as of the 2020s. 6 Across all the Orthodox-majority countries surveyed, a median of 56% Oct 20, 2022 · The Thirteenth meeting of the Patriarchs of the Eastern Orthodox Churches in the Middle East was held on 18 and 19 October 2022. However, they each have their own separate rites, and there are significant differences between their respective practices. It also includes the autonomous Orthodox churches of Finland and Estonia (with two jurisdictions). Total membership is over 25 millions. However, the Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Christian Churches that adheres to Miaphysite Christology and theology, with 60 to 70 million members worldwide.
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