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[[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 bishops of that province. Historically, autocephaly was obtained in a variety of ways. There are controversies regarding which historical methods of obtaining autocephaly represent a normative precedent to be followed in the future and which it then ceases methods represent special exceptions. ==Church usage==Autocephaly refers to belongthose Churches which are not, in any way, dependent upon any other Church, or Churches, for their life and mission. On the council or primate other hand, each and every Local Orthodox Church, regardless of its particular status, is granting '''autocephaly'''responsible for the faith and life of the others. HistoricallyTherefore any action of any Church is subject to the review of the others in reference to its doctrine, morality, howeversacramental practices, autocephaly and canonical order. This is just as each and every Orthodox Christian is not always obtained in such a mannerresponsible 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.

In some cases, autocephaly was simply declared by the church in question and then eventually recognized:* 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 ''tomos'' for it by [[Church of Constantinople|ConstantinoplePatriarchate]] until 1850.* The [[Church with primacy in its area (over the claims of Romania]] declared its autocephaly in 1865 with strong protests from [[Church the bishop of Constantinople|Constantinople]], who eventually recognized Caesarea) at the autocephaly in 1885.* The [[Church of AlbaniaQuinisext Council]] claimed its autocephaly (the council "in 1922Trullo", which was recognized by [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]] in 1937.* The [[Church of Georgia]]'s autocephaly was abolished by the Russian authorities in 1811 (after Georgia had been annexed by Tsarist Russia692) and then later restored ''de facto'' in 1917. This restoration wasn't recognized by , which established the [[Church canons of Russia]] until 1943 or by the [[Church of ConstantinopleSixth Ecumenical Council]] until 1989.

Other churches became autocephalous largely from governmental declaration* In 466, eventually recognized by other portions of the Church:* The [[Church of SerbiaAntioch]] was ''de facto'' autocephalous in 1832elevated the bishop of Mtskheta to the rank of Catholicos of Kartli, but not recognized by thus making the [[Church of ConstantinopleGeorgia]] until 1879. Some claim that Serbia's autocephaly goes back to 1219autocephalous.* The [[Orthodox Church of Bulgariain America]] was declared independent by received autocephaly from the decree [[Church of the Sultan, creating a canonical mess condemned at a council in Jerusalem Russia]] in 1872 1970 (though that action is still not formally recognized by way many of condemning [[phyletism]]the other autocephalous Churches), eventually sorted out and reconciled by 1945.

In other cases, it was granted by an * The [[Ecumenical CouncilChurch of Poland]]:* The received autocephaly of from the [[Church of CyprusConstantinople]] in 1924. This was not recognized at by the [[Third Ecumenical CouncilChurch of Russia]] (431). The Church of Russia granted a separate ''[[tomos]]'' of autocephaly to the Church of Poland in 1948.* The [[Church of Jerusalemthe Czech Lands and Slovakia]] was declared a received autocephaly from the [[patriarchateChurch of Russia]] with primacy in its area (over 1951. This was not recognized by the claims [[Church of the bishop Constantinople]]. The Church of Caesarea) at the Constantinople granted a separate ''[[Quinisext Counciltomos]] ('' of autocephaly to the council "in Trullo" 692), which established the canons Church of the [[Sixth Ecumenical Council]] Czech Lands and Slovakia in 1998.

* The [[Church of Russia]] declared autocephaly from the [[Church of Constantinople]] in 1448 because the Russian Metropolitan appointed by Constantinople had accepted the Union of Florence and converted to Catholicism. In still others1589, it Russian autocephaly was granted recognized by one mother church to the four Patriarchs existing at the time, and the Metropolitan of Moscow was also proclaimed a daughter church:Patriarch, fifth in rank behind the others.* In 466, The [[Church of Greece]] declared autocephaly from the [[Church of AntiochConstantinople]] elevated in 1833, following the bishop Greek Revolution against Ottoman rule. The autocephaly of Mtskheta to the rank Church of Catholicos Greece was only recognized by Constantinople in 1850, and a ''[[tomos]]'' was granted at that time.* The [[Church of Kartli, thus rendering Romania]] declared autocephaly from the [[Church of GeorgiaConstantinople]] autocephalousin 1865. There were strong protests from Constantinople, but Romanian autocephaly was recognized in 1885.* The [[Orthodox Church in Americaof Albania]] received declared autocephaly from the [[Church of RussiaConstantinople]] in 1970 (though that action is still not 1922. This was recognized by many of the older autocephalous churches)Constantinople in 1937.

==Analysis=====The Authority of Constantinople===The notion And finally, there have been Churches that the [[Church of Constantinople]] has the sole authority to grant received autocephaly is largely based on an interpretation of Canon 28 of the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]] , then lost it (451by being incorporated into other Churches) stating that the Ecumenical Patriarch has authority in "barbarian lands, then received autocephaly again." However, that It is argued by many to refer only to certain areas on the borderlands a matter of the ancient [[Roman Empire]] and having nothing whatsoever controversy whether it is legitimately possible to do with the modern world some 1500 years later. Historically (see above)abolish autocephaly after it has been granted, many of today's autocephalous churches were originally under the authority of Constantinople by virtue of geographical proximity or a tradition whether "losses" of Constantinopolitan missionary activity. So what may seem like a clear pattern autocephaly represent abuses of ecclesiastical order to some is argued by others to be merely coincidental and not [[ecclesiology|ecclesiological]].power:

There is* The [[Church of Bulgaria]] received autocephaly from the [[Church of Constantinople]] in 927, howeverthen was re-incorporated into the Church of Constantinople in the 11th century, then declared autocephaly again in 1186 (recognized in 1235), then lost autocephaly again, then was declared autocephalous by a good deal more historical evidence to suggest that 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 has ]] in 1219, but the Ottoman Turkish authorities prevented the Serbs from electing a sort Patriarch between 1463 and 1557, then abolished Serbian autocephaly entirely in 1766 (incorporating the Serbian flock into the Church of missionary authority Constantinople). The Church of Serbia received autocephaly again from Constantinople in 1879.* The autocephaly of the areas outside those territories which have [[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 explicitly defined annexed by pan-Orthodox synods to constitute autocephalous churchesTsarist Russia).[http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article8148The Church of Georgia later declared autocephaly again in 1917.asp] This claim is disputed particularly restoration of autocephaly was recognized by the [[Church of Russia]] in 1943 and its daughter and dependency churches, especially as an expression of the idea that Moscow is by the [[Third RomeChurch of Constantinople]]in 1989.

===Patterns of Autocephaly=New autocephalous Churches==FurtherRegardless of ''how'' a Church becomes autocephalous, even the idea that any mother church can grant normal and historical procedure for a daughter church autocephaly ''new'' autocephalous Church is not supported to be formally recognized as autocephalous by history or the canons as they now stand. The modern conception Church of autocephaly postdates which it was originally a part (the primary formation "mother Church"). Following that, it is to be formally recognized by all of the other Orthodox canonical tradition by some centuries, and so Churches in the canons don't currently directly address world. This does not require the question blessing of any single particular bishop and certainly not an official gathering of how one obtains autocephaly in the 21st centuryan [[Ecumenical Council]].

==External links== *[http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article8131.asp Unity and Autocephaly: Mutually Exclusive?], by Dr. Lewis J. Patsavos, a canonist at [[Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Brookline, Massachusetts)]]* [http://www.ocagoarch.org/pagesen/ourfaith/orth_chriarticles/Q-article8148.asp The Origins and-A_OLDAuthority of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Orthodox Church], by [[Demetrios Constantelos|Demetrios J. Constantelos]]* [http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles5/PatAlexisCanon28.shtml A Letter To The Ecumenical Patriarch Concerning The Situation Of The Diaspora], by Patr. [[Alexei II (Ridiger) of Moscow]]* [http://www.oca.org/Autocephaly-1970QAindex-QAautocephaly.html asp?SID=3 Questions and Answers on Autocephaly], an ''apologia'' for the [[OCA]]'s autocephaly by Fr. [[Thomas Hopko]] (1971)