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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 churches, 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 granted by the church in question and then eventually recognizedan [[Ecumenical Council]]:

* The [[Church autocephaly of Russia]] declared independence from the [[Church of ConstantinopleCyprus]] in 1448 and then in 1589 styled its primate as ''was recognized at the [[patriarchThird Ecumenical Council]]''(431).* The [[Church of GreeceJerusalem]] was declared autocephaly in 1833 but was not granted a ''[[tomosPatriarchate]]'' for it by [[Church with primacy in its area (over the claims of the bishop of Constantinople|Constantinople]] until 1850.* The Caesarea) at the [[Church of RomaniaQuinisext Council]] declared its autocephaly (the council "in Trullo", in 1865 with strong protests from 692), which established the canons of the [[Church of Constantinople|ConstantinopleSixth Ecumenical Council]]. Sometimes, who eventually recognized the autocephaly in 1885.was granted by one mother Church to a daughter Church: * The In 466, the [[Church of AlbaniaAntioch]] claimed its autocephaly in 1922elevated the bishop of Mtskheta to the rank of Catholicos of Kartli, which was recognized by thus making the [[Church of Constantinople|ConstantinopleGeorgia]] in 1937autocephalous.* The [[Orthodox Church of Georgiain America]]'s received autocephaly (originally granted in from the fifth century by [[Church of Antioch|AntiochRussia]]) was abolished by the Russian authorities in 1811 1970 (after Georgia had been annexed by Tsarist Russia) and then later restored ''de facto'' in 1917. This restoration wasn't though that action is still not formally recognized by the [[Church many of Russia]] until 1943 or by the [[Church of Constantinople]] until 1989other autocephalous churches).

Other churches became autocephalous largely from governmental declaration, eventually recognized by other portions But there were also cases in which two different Churches both claimed to be the mother Church of the same daughter and both granted autocephaly to that same daughter Church, at different times:

* The [[Church of SerbiaPoland]] received autocephaly from the [[Church of Constantinople]] in 1924. This was ''de facto'' autocephalous in 1832, but not recognized by the [[Church of ConstantinopleRussia]] until 1879. Some claim that SerbiaThe Church of Russia granted a separate ''[[tomos]]'s ' of autocephaly goes back to 1219the Church of Poland in 1948.* The [[Church of Bulgariathe Czech Lands and Slovakia]] received autocephaly from the [[Church of Russia]] in 1951. This was declared independent not recognized by the decree [[Church of the Sultan, creating Constantinople]]. The Church of Constantinople granted a canonical mess condemned at a council in Jerusalem in 1872 (by way of condemning separate ''[[phyletismtomos]]), eventually sorted out '' of autocephaly to the Church of the Czech Lands and reconciled by 1945Slovakia in 1998.

In other some cases, it autocephaly was granted simply declared by an [[Ecumenical Council]]the Church in question and then eventually recognized by the others:

* The [[Church of Russia]] declared autocephaly of from the [[Church of CyprusConstantinople]] in 1448 because the Russian Metropolitan appointed by Constantinople had accepted the Union of Florence and converted to Catholicism. In 1589, Russian autocephaly was recognized by the four Patriarchs existing at the [[Third Ecumenical Council]] (431)time, and the Metropolitan of Moscow was also proclaimed a Patriarch, fifth in rank behind the others.* The [[Church of JerusalemGreece]] was declared a autocephaly from the [[patriarchateChurch of Constantinople]] with primacy in its area (over 1833, following the claims Greek Revolution against Ottoman rule. The autocephaly of the bishop Church of Caesarea) Greece was only recognized by Constantinople in 1850, and a ''[[tomos]]'' was granted at that time.* The [[Church of Romania]] declared autocephaly from the [[Quinisext CouncilChurch of Constantinople]] (the council "in Trullo" 692)1865. There were strong protests from Constantinople, which established the canons but Romanian autocephaly was recognized in 1885.* The [[Church of Albania]] declared autocephaly from the [[Sixth Ecumenical CouncilChurch of Constantinople]] in 1922. This was recognized by Constantinople in 1937.

In still othersAnd finally, there have been Churches that received autocephaly, then lost it was granted (by one mother church being incorporated into other Churches), then received autocephaly again. It is a matter of controversy whether it is legitimately possible to a daughter churchabolish autocephaly after it has been granted, or whether "losses" of autocephaly represent abuses of power:

* In 466, The [[Church of Bulgaria]] received autocephaly from the [[Church of AntiochConstantinople]] elevated in 927, then was re-incorporated into the bishop Church of Mtskheta to Constantinople in the rank 11th century, then declared autocephaly again in 1186 (recognized in 1235), then lost autocephaly again, then was declared autocephalous by a decree of Catholicos the Ottoman Sultan in 1872. This created a canonical mess condemned at a council in Constantinople in 1872 (by way of Kartlicondemning [[phyletism]]), thus rendering which was eventually sorted out decades later. Bulgarian autocephaly was recognized by Constantinople for the third time in 1945.* The [[Church of GeorgiaSerbia]] received autocephaly from the [[Church of Constantinople]] autocephalousin 1219, but the Ottoman Turkish authorities prevented the Serbs from electing a Patriarch between 1463 and 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 [[Orthodox Church of Georgia]] (originally granted in Americathe 5th century by [[Church of Antioch|Antioch]] received ) 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 from was recognized by the [[Church of Russia]] in 1970 (though that action is still not formally recognized 1943 and by many the [[Church of the other autocephalous churches)Constantinople]] in 1989.