Orthodoxy in the United Kingdom

Orthodoxy in the United Kingdom (Great Britain and Ireland), like much of the "diaspora," is divided into multiple jurisdictions. However, unlike much of the diaspora, the balance of those jurisdictions is significantly different.

Jurisdictional overview

About 90% of Orthodox in the United Kingdom belong to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain under the Ecumenical Patriarchate, based in London, which has had a presence in England since at least the 17th century. Most of the clergy and faithful of that archdiocese are of Greek Cypriot origin, but about 30% of the clergy are non-Greek and serve mostly in English. Among the parishes of the archdiocese are parishes of Russian tradition, derived mainly from post-World War II refugees from Poland.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate further has two other jurisdictions in the UK, the Ukrainians and the Episcopal Vicariate of Great Britain and Ireland (a part of the Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe), each of which have their own bishop.

The Church of Serbia is one of the other main jurisdictions in the UK.

Among the smaller jurisdictions in the UK, the Moscow Patriarchate has parishes of the Diocese of Sourozh and, since the 2007 reunion, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, totaling about six full parishes and a handful of smaller communities.

The Church of Antioch has its Antiochian Orthodox Deanery of the United Kingdom and Ireland, which has about twelve small parishes, mostly composed of converts.

The Church of Romania also has a handful of parishes in the UK and Ireland.