[[Image:World canonical territories.png|right|thumb|450px|Map of the canonical territories of autocephalous and autonomous Orthodox jurisdictions. Click image to magnify.]][[Image:Europe canonical territories.png|right|thumb|150px|The European section of the above map, in closer detail. Click image to magnify.]]'''Autocephaly''' (literally "self-headed") is the status of a church Local Church within the [[Orthodox Church]] whose [[primate|primatial]] bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop. When Autocephaly is granted when an [[ecumenical council]] or a high-ranking [[bishop]], such as a [[patriarch]] or other [[primate]], releases an [[Ecclesiastical Province|ecclesiastical province ]] from all obligations to any higher authority within the authority of that bishop Orthodox Church, while the newly independent church remains remaining in [[full communion]] with the hierarchy to which it then ceases to belong, the council or primate is granting '''autocephaly'''bishops of that province. Historically, however, autocephaly is not always was obtained in such a mannervariety of ways. There are controversies regarding which historical methods of obtaining autocephaly represent a normative precedent to be followed in the future and which methods represent special exceptions.

Autocephaly refers to those churches Churches which are not, in any way, dependent upon any other churchChurch, or churchesChurches, for their life and mission. On the other hand, each and every Local Orthodox churchChurch, regardless of its particular status, is responsible for the faith and life of the others. Therefore any action of any church Church is subject to the review of the others in reference to its doctrine, morality, sacramental practices, and canonical order. This is just as each and every Orthodox Christian is responsible for each other.

Autocephaly is a developed practical concept in the Orthodox Church. That is, it is not part of the original organization of the Church but developed over time for practical reasons. Though many arguments are put forth regarding how autocephaly is properly obtained, the historical and canonical record shows a good deal of variation. But the something that is in common is that history shows that no council or church has ever ''created'' an autocephalous church.

Certain In Antiquity, certain areas developed for various reasons into self-governing churchesChurches, with groups of bishops organizing themselves into synods or councils with a primate. These self-governing areas were then confirmed in their position by the others and '''recognized''' as such. None of them were ''decreed'' into existence or created ''out of nothing'' by some special churchly power.

Some were simply recognized according to tradition (i.e., "small Tt" tradition), by which is largely meant meaning that those sees the bishops of certain prominent cities in the Roman Empire were recognized as primatial in their primates over the surrounding regions , by virtue of the size of those cities, the importance and influence of the Christians living in them, and the tradition of honor accorded to them:

In some other cases, autocephaly was simply declared by the church in question and then eventually recognized: * The [[Church of Russia]] declared independence from the [[Church of Constantinople]] in 1448 and then in 1589 styled its primate as ''[[patriarch]]''.* The [[Church of Greece]] declared autocephaly in 1833 but was not granted a ''[[tomos]]'' for it by [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]] until 1850.* The [[Church of Romania]] declared its autocephaly in 1865 with strong protests from [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]], who eventually recognized the autocephaly in 1885.* The [[Church of Albania]] claimed its autocephaly in 1922, which was recognized by [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]] in 1937.* The [[Church of Georgia]]'s autocephaly (originally granted in the fifth century by [[Church of Antioch|Antioch]]) was abolished by the Russian authorities in 1811 (after Georgia had been annexed by Tsarist Russia) and then later restored ''de facto'' in 1917. This restoration wasn't recognized by the [[Church of Russia]] until 1943 or by the [[Church of Constantinople]] until 1989. Other churches became autocephalous largely from governmental declaration, eventually recognized by other portions of the Church: * The [[Church of Serbia]] was ''de facto'' autocephalous in 1832, but not recognized by the [[Church of Constantinople]] until 1879. Some claim that Serbia's autocephaly goes back to 1219.* The [[Church of Bulgaria]] was declared independent by the decree of the Sultan, creating a canonical mess condemned at a council in Jerusalem in 1872 (by way of condemning [[phyletism]]), eventually sorted out and reconciled by 1945. In other cases, it was granted by an [[Ecumenical Council]]:

* The [[Church of Jerusalem]] was declared a [[patriarchatePatriarchate]] with primacy in its area (over the claims of the bishop of Caesarea) at the [[Quinisext Council]] (the council "in Trullo" , in 692), which established the canons of the [[Sixth Ecumenical Council]] . In still others, it was granted by one mother church to a daughter church: * In 466, the [[Church of Antioch]] elevated the bishop of Mtskheta to the rank of Catholicos of Kartli, thus rendering the [[Church of Georgia]] autocephalous.* The [[Orthodox Church in America]] received autocephaly from the [[Church of Russia]] in 1970 (though that action is still not formally recognized by any of the older autocephalous churches). ==New autocephalous churches==Reguardless of ''how'' a church becomes autocephalous, the normal and historical procedure for a ''new'' autocephalous church, is to be to be formally recognized as autocephalous by the church of which it was originally a part. And then be formally recognized by all of the other Orthodox Churches in the world. This does not require the blessing of any single particular bishop and certainly not an official gathering of an [[Ecumenical Council]].  

===The Authority of Constantinople===The notion that the [[Church of Constantinople]] has the sole authority to grant autocephaly is largely based on an interpretation of Canon 28 of the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]] (451) stating that the Ecumenical Patriarch has authority But there were also cases in "barbarian lands." However, that is argued by many which two different Churches both claimed to refer only to certain areas on be the borderlands mother Church of the ancient [[Roman Empire]] same daughter and having nothing whatsoever both granted autocephaly to do with the modern world some 1500 years later. Historically (see above)that same daughter Church, many of today's autocephalous churches were originally under the authority of Constantinople by virtue of geographical proximity or a tradition of Constantinopolitan missionary activity. So what may seem like a clear pattern of ecclesiastical order to some is argued by others to be merely coincidental and not [[ecclesiology|ecclesiological]].at different times:

There is, however, a good deal more historical evidence to suggest that Constantinople has a sort * The [[Church of missionary authority in Poland]] received autocephaly from the areas outside those territories which have been explicitly defined by pan-Orthodox synods to constitute autocephalous churches.[http://www.goarch[Church of Constantinople]] in 1924.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article8148.asp] This claim is disputed particularly was not recognized by the [[Church of Russia]] . The Church of Russia granted a separate ''[[tomos]]'' of autocephaly to the Church of Poland in 1948.* The [[Church of the Czech Lands and its daughter and dependency churches,Slovakia]] received autocephaly from the [[http://wwwChurch of Russia]] in 1951.orthodoxytodayThis was not recognized by the [[Church of Constantinople]].org/articles5/PatAlexisCanon28.shtml] especially as an expression The Church of the idea that Moscow is the Constantinople granted a separate ''[[Third Rometomos]]'' of autocephaly to the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia in 1998.

* The stance that [QUOTE[Church of Russia]] declared autocephaly from the [[Church of Constantinople]]Furtherin 1448 because the Russian Metropolitan appointed by Constantinople had accepted the Union of Florence and converted to Catholicism. In 1589, even Russian autocephaly was recognized by the four Patriarchs existing at the idea that any mother church can grant time, and the Metropolitan of Moscow was also proclaimed a daughter church autocephaly is not supported by history or Patriarch, fifth in rank behind the canons as they now standothers. * The modern conception [[Church of Greece]] declared autocephaly postdates from the primary formation [[Church of Constantinople]] in 1833, following the Orthodox canonical tradition Greek Revolution against Ottoman rule. The autocephaly of the Church of Greece was only recognized by some centuriesConstantinople in 1850, and so the canons dona ''[[tomos]]''t currently directly address was granted at that time.* The [[Church of Romania]] declared autocephaly from the question [[Church of how one obtains Constantinople]] in 1865. There were strong protests from Constantinople, but Romanian autocephaly was recognized in 1885.* The [[Church of Albania]] declared autocephaly from the 21st century[[Church of Constantinople]] in 1922. This was recognized by Constantinople in 1937.

The truth is And finally, there have been Churches thatreceived autocephaly, historically and canonicallythen lost it (by being incorporated into other Churches), there is no one way to attain then received autocephalyagain. Why? It is because there a matter of controversy whether it is no "theology of autocephaly" legitimately possible to be found in the [[Church Fathers|Fathers]] or the [[Holy Scripture]]. Indeed, the very idea of abolish autocephaly probably would have seemed a little odd to the [[apostles]]. That doesn't mean that after it is wronghas been granted, but autocephalous and [[autonomy|autonomous]] churches are not essential to the nature or whether "losses" of the [[Church]]. That is, they are not inherently [[ecclesiology|ecclesiological]] matters. They are a practical, administrative, canonical development, and they continue to develop, though within the context autocephaly represent abuses of ecclesiology.[/QUOTE]power:

is dated * The [[Church of Bulgaria]] received autocephaly from the [[Church of Constantinople]] in 927, then was re-incorporated into the last decade Church of Constantinople in the 20th 11th century, then declared autocephaly again in 1186 (recognized in 1235), then lost autocephaly again, then was declared autocephalous by a decree of the Ottoman Sultan in 1872. This created a canonical mess condemned at a council in Constantinople in 1872 (by way of condemning [[phyletism]]), which was eventually sorted out decades later. Bulgarian autocephaly was recognized by Constantinople for the third time in 1945.* The [[Church of Serbia]] received autocephaly from the [[Church of Constantinople]] in 1219, but the Ottoman Turkish authorities prevented the Serbs from electing a Patriarch between 1463 and is contradicted 1557, then abolished Serbian autocephaly entirely in 1766 (incorporating the Serbian flock into the Church of Constantinople). The Church of Serbia received autocephaly again from Constantinople in 1879.* The autocephaly of the [[Church of Georgia]] (originally granted in the 5th century by [[Church of Antioch|Antioch]]) was abolished by the Imperial Russian authorities in 1811 (after Georgia had been annexed by Tsarist Russia). The Church of Georgia later declared autocephaly again in 1917. This restoration of autocephaly was recognized by history, the most notable example being [[Church of Russia]] in 1943 and by the autocephalia [[Church of Georgian PatriarchateConstantinople]] in 1989.

The one pattern which does seem to prevail is that autocephaly is an expression ==New autocephalous Churches==Regardless of ''how'' a Church becomes autocephalous, the whole community of Orthodox churches normal and that the voice of that community historical procedure for a ''new'' autocephalous Church is most often found in to be formally recognized as autocephalous by the leadership Church of which it was originally a part (the first among them, the "mother Church of Constantinople"). Where autocephaly is proclaimed without Constantinople's assentFollowing that, it historically tends is to find itself on difficult groundbe formally recognized by all of the other Orthodox Churches in the world. This does not require the blessing of any single particular bishop and certainly not an official gathering of an [[Ecumenical Council]].