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True Orthodox church, True Orthodox Christians, True Orthodoxy or Genuine Orthodoxy, often pejoratively "
Zealotry The Zealots were members of a Jewish political movement during the Second Temple period who sought to incite the people of Judaea to rebel against the Roman Empire and expel it from the Land of Israel by force of arms, most notably during the ...
", are groups of traditionalist
Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...
churches which since the 1920s have severed communion with the mainstream
Eastern Orthodox churches The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, and also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply the Orthodox Church, is List of Christian denominations by number of members, one of the three major doctrinal and ...
for various reasons, such as
calendar reform Calendar reform or calendrical reform is any significant revision of a calendar system. The term sometimes is used instead for a proposal to switch to a different calendar design. Principles The prime objective of a calendar is to unambiguo ...
, the involvement of mainstream Eastern Orthodox churches in
ecumenism Ecumenism ( ; alternatively spelled oecumenism)also called interdenominationalism, or ecumenicalismis the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships ...
, or the refusal to submit to the authority of mainstream Eastern Orthodox churches. The True Orthodox church in the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
was also called the
Catacomb Church The Catacomb Church () as a collective name labels those representatives of the Russian Orthodox clergy, laity, communities, monasteries, brotherhoods, etc., who for various reasons, moved to an illegal position from the 1920s onwards. In a n ...
; the True Orthodox in
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
,
Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
,
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
and
Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
are usually called
Old Calendarists Old Calendarists ( Greek: ''palaioimerologitai'' or ''palaioimerologites''), also known as Old Feasters (''palaioeortologitai''), Genuine Orthodox Christians or True Orthodox Christians (GOC; ), are traditionalist groups of Eastern Orthodox Ch ...
.


History

The reformed church calendar was adopted by the mainstream Eastern Orthodox churches of
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
and
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
in 1924. At the moment of this adoption, True Orthodoxy began as
Old Calendarism Old Calendarists (Greek: ''palaioimerologitai'' or ''palaioimerologites''), also known as Old Feasters (''palaioeortologitai''), Genuine Orthodox Christians or True Orthodox Christians (GOC; ), are traditionalist groups of Eastern Orthodox Chri ...
. True Orthodox were only laypeople and monks until 1935, when three bishops of the Church of Greece joined the movement in
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
. In 1955, one bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Church joined the movement in
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
. In the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, the True Orthodox began in 1927-8 when some Eastern Orthodox Christians, among which some were "senior and respected bishops", severed communion with the
Moscow Patriarchate The Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus (), also known as the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, is the title of the Primate (bishop), primate of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). It is often preceded by the honorific "His Holiness". As the Ordinar ...
. The True Orthodox movement remained united in Romania. However, in Greece in 1937 the
Greek Old Calendarists Old Calendarists ( Greek: ''palaioimerologitai'' or ''palaioimerologites''), also known as Old Feasters (''palaioeortologitai''), Genuine Orthodox Christians or True Orthodox Christians (GOC; ), are traditionalist groups of Eastern Orthodox Ch ...
"divided"; the reason for their division was a disagreement on whether the sacraments performed by members of churches which have adopted the reformed calendar are valid or not. In 1971, the
Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (), also called Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia or ROCOR, or Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCA), is a semi-autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). Currently, t ...
(ROCOR) tried to unite the factions of Greek Old Calendarists, but failed. In 1999, the most important groups of Greek Old Calendarists were the Chrysostomites, the Matthewites, and the Cyprianites. After the ROCOR opened its first parishes in 1990 in Russia, many Christians from the Catacomb Church joined them. Since 2000, the prospect of reconciliation of ROCOR with the Moscow Patriarchate aroused opposition from traditionalists opposed to union with a church tied to the Soviet and post-Soviet regimes ruling Russia. Several churches descending from factions which rejected the 2007 reunion were formed; sometimes with more churches separating from the original schismatic churches.


Doctrine

The True Orthodox churches are "fully
astern This list of ship directions provides succinct definitions for terms applying to spatial orientation in a marine environment or location on a vessel, such as ''fore'', ''aft'', ''astern'', ''aboard'', or ''topside''. Terms * Abaft (prepositi ...
Orthodox in dogma and ritual". Ecumenism and calendar reform are frequently points of contention with the mainstream
Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, and also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply the Orthodox Church, is List of Christian denominations by number of members, one of the three major doctrinal and ...
.


Denominations

There is no single denomination nor organization called the "True Orthodox Church" nor is there official recognition among the "True Orthodox" as to who is properly included among them. Denominations that are usually included in "True Orthodoxy" are: *
Old Calendarists Old Calendarists ( Greek: ''palaioimerologitai'' or ''palaioimerologites''), also known as Old Feasters (''palaioeortologitai''), Genuine Orthodox Christians or True Orthodox Christians (GOC; ), are traditionalist groups of Eastern Orthodox Ch ...
** Greek Old Calendarists *** **** *** ***
Holy Synod of Milan The Holy Synod of Milan is an autocephalous True Orthodox jurisdiction. The church is not recognized by any official Eastern Orthodox Church worldwide therefore it is not in communion with any of them. In 2011, the Holy Synod of Milan attempte ...
*** Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of North and South America and the British Isles *** Autonomous Orthodox Metropolis of Ecuador and Latin America *** True Orthodox Metropolis of Germany and Europe **
Old Calendar Bulgarian Orthodox Church The Old Calendar Bulgarian Orthodox Church is an Old Calendarist church which follows the traditional Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar, the Julian Calendar, and rejects ecumenism. From its creation in 1993 it was led by Metropolitan bishop Ph ...
** Old Calendarist Romanian Orthodox Church * Thirteen denominations descending from the
Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (), also called Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia or ROCOR, or Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCA), is a semi-autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Pat ...
(unless otherwise stated, subpoints indicate a schism from the above church) **
Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church The Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church (ROAC, , РПАЦ; until 1998 it was called the Russian Orthodox Free Church, ROFC, , РПСЦ) is a Russian Orthodoxy, Russian Orthodox church body headquartered in Suzdal, Russia. ROAC identifies as part of ...
*** Latvian Orthodox Autonomous Church (autonomous church within ROAC) ** ROCOR (V) — church under the omophorion of Metropolitan
Vitaly (Ustinov) Metropolitan Vitaly (, secular name Rostislav Petrovich Ustinov, ; 18 March 1910, St Petersburg – 25 September 2006, Magog, Quebec, Canada) was the fourth First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, from 1985 until his retir ...
***
Russian True Orthodox Church Russian True Orthodox Church may refer to: *Catacomb Church The Catacomb Church () as a collective name labels those representatives of the Russian Orthodox clergy, laity, communities, monasteries, brotherhoods, etc., who for various reasons ...
— church under the omophorion of Аrchbishop Lazar (Zhurbenko) **** ROCOR (S) — church under the omophorion of Bishop *** — church under the omophorion of Metropolitan . It has split into several autocephalous communities. *** — church under the omophorion of Archbishop **** ROCOR (V-F) — church under the omophorion of Metropolitan ***** ROCOR (V-M) — church under the omophorion of Archbishop ***** ROCOR (V-F(R)) — church under the omophorion of Metropolitan Philaret (Rozhnov) *** or the True Orthodox Church of Moldova — church under the omophorion of Archbishop ** — church under the omophorion of Metropolitan *** ROCOR (ASAD) — church under the omophorion of a conference of four schismatic bishops *
Archdiocese of the Goths and the Northlands The Archdiocese of the Goths and the Northlands is a church in affilitation with the Catacomb Church which self-identifies as Eastern Orthodox and is not recognized by or in communion with any other Eastern Orthodox Christian church. Creation ...
*
True Russian Orthodox Church The Penza Recluses (, True Russian Orthodox Church, TROC; ) were an Independent Russian doomsday cult founded by Pyotr Kuznetsov which borrowed some ideas from Eastern Orthodoxy. The self-given name of the group was "Heavenly Jerusalem" (). The g ...
*
Serbian True Orthodox Church The Serbian True Orthodox Church (STOC; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска истинска православна црква, СИПЦ, Srpska istinska pravoslavna crkva, SIPC) is a denomination that separated from the larger Serbian Orthodox Church i ...
*


Inter-church relations and intercommunion

The
Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church The Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church (ROAC, , РПАЦ; until 1998 it was called the Russian Orthodox Free Church, ROFC, , РПСЦ) is a Russian Orthodoxy, Russian Orthodox church body headquartered in Suzdal, Russia. ROAC identifies as part of ...
(ROAC) through the late Metropolitan Valentine, stated informally that they no longer actively seek to join other True Orthodox churches, but would not refuse incoming dialogue.


Demography

In 1999, it was estimated that " ere are probably over one million
Old Calendarists Old Calendarists ( Greek: ''palaioimerologitai'' or ''palaioimerologites''), also known as Old Feasters (''palaioeortologitai''), Genuine Orthodox Christians or True Orthodox Christians (GOC; ), are traditionalist groups of Eastern Orthodox Ch ...
in Romania, somewhat fewer in Greece, and considerably fewer in Bulgaria, Cyprus, and the astern Orthodoxdiaspora." Those who consider themselves a part of this movement are a small minority of those who consider themselves to be
Eastern Orthodox Christians Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism. Like the Pentarchy of the first millenni ...
.


See also

*
Ancient Church of the East The Ancient Church of the East (ACE) is an Eastern Christian denomination. It branched from the Assyrian Church of the East in 1964, under the leadership of Mar Toma Darmo (d. 1969). It is one of three Assyrian Churches that claim continuit ...
— an
East Syriac The East Syriac Rite, or East Syrian Rite (also called the Edessan Rite, Assyrian Rite, Persian Rite, Chaldean Rite, Nestorian Rite, Babylonian Rite or Syro-Oriental Rite), is an Eastern Christian liturgical rite that employs the Divine Liturg ...
Church, founded in 1968 after a split from the
Assyrian Church of the East The Assyrian Church of the East (ACOE), sometimes called the Church of the East and officially known as the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, is an Eastern Christianity, Eastern Syriac Christianity, Syriac Christian denomin ...
for similar reasons *
Christian fundamentalism Christian fundamentalism, also known as fundamental Christianity or fundamentalist Christianity, is a religious movement emphasizing biblical literalism. In its modern form, it began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries among British an ...
*
Old Believers Old Believers or Old Ritualists ( Russian: староверы, ''starovery'' or старообрядцы, ''staroobryadtsy'') is the common term for several religious groups, which maintain the old liturgical and ritual practices of the Russian ...
— A collective group of independent Russian Orthodox Christians who maintain the liturgical and ritual practices of the Eastern Orthodox Church as they existed prior to the reforms of
Patriarch Nikon of Moscow Nikon (, ), born Nikita Minin (; 7 May 1605 – 17 August 1681) was the seventh Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus' of the Russian Orthodox Church, serving officially from 1652 to 1666. He was renowned for his eloquence, energy, piety and close ti ...
between 1652 and 1666 *
Old Catholicism The terms Old Catholic Church, Old Catholics, Old-Catholic churches, or Old Catholic movement, designate "any of the groups of Western Christians who believe themselves to maintain in complete loyalty the doctrine and traditions of the undiv ...
— Catholics who rejected the
First Vatican Council The First Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the First Vatican Council or Vatican I, was the 20th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church, held three centuries after the preceding Council of Trent which was adjourned in 156 ...
, who usually recognize the Bishop of Rome as a valid bishop but reject his claims of
universal jurisdiction Universal jurisdiction is a legal principle that allows Sovereign state, states or International organization, international organizations to prosecute individuals for serious crimes, such as genocide, War crime, war crimes, and crimes against hu ...
*
Traditionalist Catholicism Traditionalist Catholicism is a movement that emphasizes beliefs, practices, customs, traditions, liturgical forms, devotions and presentations of teaching associated with the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). Tr ...
— Catholics who object to the reforms of the
Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the or , was the 21st and most recent ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. The council met each autumn from 1962 to 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City for session ...
, sometimes embracing
sedevacantism Sedevacantism is a traditionalist Catholic movement which holds that since the 1958 death of Pius XII the occupiers of the Holy See are not valid popes due to their espousal of one or more heresies and that, for lack of a valid pope, the S ...
*
Independent sacramental movement The independent sacramental movement (ISM) is a loose collection of individuals and Christian denominations that are not part of the historic sacramental Christian denominations embodying catholicity (such as the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox ...


References

{{Eastern Christianity footer Eastern Orthodox belief and doctrine True Orthodox denominations Eastern Orthodoxy-related controversies