Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Background: A few notes on the Eastern Orthodox Church

The various branches of the Eastern Orthodox Church all have their roots in the form of Christianity established in the Eastern Roman Empire based at Byzantium (Constantinople, known today as Istanbul).

The Eastern and Western branches of Christianity were originally part of "One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church," ruled over by five patriarchs based in Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem. But differences in doctrine, theology, language (Latin vs. Greek), politics, and geography eventually proved too much for one organization, resulting in the Great Schism of 1054. At this point the church split into two sections: the Western church based in Rome, and the Eastern church comprising the other four patriarchates. Each of the resulting Western and Eastern branches still considers itself to be the true "One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church," and maintains that the other church has broken away.

There are fifteen separate, autocephalous (self-headed) church jurisdictions which remain in communion with Constantinople and each other. Referred to as the "canonical" Orthodox Churches*, these jurisdictions share faith and liturgy, but are organized along regional lines – there is no single "Pope" or similar head of the entire Eastern Orthodox Church, although the Patriarch of Constantinople is viewed as "first among equals." The Church of Russia is one of these independent jurisdictions.

Christian missionaries from Byzantium made inroads into eastern Europe throughout the 8^th and 9^th century, and Christian congregations existed in Kiev by the mid-tenth century. The Russian Church got its official start in 988, when Prince Vladimir of Kiev was baptized and chose the Byzantine rite as the official religion of the Rus’ state. Beginning as a subsidiary of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Russian Orthodox Church became independent in 1448 when it began electing its own bishops. In 1589 the other Eastern churches recognized the Russian church as autocephalous, and the Metropolitan (bishop) of Moscow became its first Patriarch.

Today the Russian Orthodox Church is the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches, still united under the Patriarch of Moscow. It has some 80 to 90 million members worldwide.

* There are also "non-canonical" Orthodox churches, referred to as the Oriental Orthodox Church (in contrast with Eastern Orthodox). These churches accepted the decisions of the first three Ecumenical Councils that mandated official church teachings, but rejected certain decisions of the Council of Chalcedon in 451. The Oriental Orthodox Communion includes the Armenian, Syrian, Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox Churches.

"Shameless Plugs"

♫ From Bellini to Boogie Woogie… Kensington soprano Marcelle Dronkers ("cacalatura", along with friends Aurora Bardes ("mezzanine") and Christine Macomber ("muttzo") and pianist Miles Graber ("Steinwegenegger") will perform at Arlington Community Church on Friday, October 1, at 8 pm. This very fun act promises "the best of Bel Canto and Can Belto." Tickets are $15 at the door. Call 843-7745 for further details.

X Have an announcement? Interested in researching a bit of background or presenting a topic that relates to choral singing or our current program? Please talk to Cristin.