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The '''Church of Constantinople''' is one of the fourteen or fifteen [[autocephaly|autocephalous]] churches, also referred to as the '''Ecumenical [[Patriarchate]]'''. It is headed by the Ecumenical Patriarch, who has the status of ''[[primus inter pares]]'' ("first among equals") among the world's Orthodox [[bishop]]s.  The current Ecumenical Patriarch is His All-Holiness [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew I]], Archbishop of Constantinople.
 
 
The local churches of the Ecumenical Patriarchate consist of five archdioceses, three churches, thirteen metropolises, and one diocese, each of which reports directly to the Patriarch of Constantinople with no intervening authority.  In addition, three of the five archdioceses have internal metropolises (16 in all), which are part of their respective archdioceses rather than distinct administrative entities, unlike the other metropolises.
 
 
[[Image:Ecumenical Patriarchate.jpg|right|frame|The entrance to the headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the [[Phanar]] in Constantinople]]
 
 
==Peculiar prerogatives of the patriarchate==
 
:''Main article: [[Prerogatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate]]''
 
In history and in [[canons (law)|canonical literature]] (i.e. the Church's canons and traditional commentaries on them), the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been granted certain prerogatives (''[[presbeia]]'') which other autocephalous Orthodox churches do not have.  Not all of these prerogatives are today universally acknowledged, though all do have precedents in history and canonical references.  The nature of these prerogatives or even their very existence is hotly contested on [[Prerogatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate#Canonical claims|canonical grounds]] by certain other Orthodox churches, particularly the [[Church of Russia]].
 
 
The following is a (non-exhaustive) list of these prerogatives and their reference points:
 
*Equal prerogatives to Old Rome (Canon 3 of the [[Second Ecumenical Council]], Canon 28 of the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council]], Canon 36 of the [[Quinisext Council]])
 
*The right to hear appeals, if invited, regarding disputes between clergy (Canons 9 and 17 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council)
 
*The right to ordain bishops for areas outside defined [[canonical territory|canonical boundaries]] (Canon 28 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council)
 
*The right to establish [[stavropegial]] [[monastery|monasteries]] even in the territories of other [[patriarchate]]s (the [[Epanagoge]], commentaries of [[Matthew Blastares]] and [[Theodore Balsamon]])
 
 
 
{{church|
 
{{church|
 
name= Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople[[Image:Constantinople seal.gif|center|The Church of Constantinople]]|
 
name= Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople[[Image:Constantinople seal.gif|center|The Church of Constantinople]]|
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website=[http://www.ec-patr.org Church of Constantinople]
 
website=[http://www.ec-patr.org Church of Constantinople]
 
}}
 
}}
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The '''Church of Constantinople''' is one of the fourteen or fifteen [[autocephaly|autocephalous]] churches, also referred to as the '''Ecumenical [[Patriarchate]]'''. It is headed by the Ecumenical Patriarch, who has the status of ''[[primus inter pares]]'' ("first among equals") among the world's Orthodox [[bishop]]s. The local churches of the Ecumenical Patriarchate consist of five archdioceses, three churches, thirteen metropolises, and one diocese, each of which reports directly to the Patriarch of Constantinople with no intervening authority.  In addition, three of the five archdioceses have internal metropolises (16 in all), which are part of their respective archdioceses rather than distinct administrative entities, unlike the other metropolises.
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The current Ecumenical Patriarch is His All-Holiness [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew I]], Archbishop of Constantinople.
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==Metropolitanates of Constantinople==
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<small>''See Main Article'' '''[[Church of Constantinople Structure]]'''</small>
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The [[Church of Constantinople]] is headed by the [[Patriarch of Constantinople]] and is split into a number of Metropolitanates as listed below.
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[[Image:Byzantine-Constantinople.jpg|left|thumb|Map of Byzantine Constantinople.]]
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{| width="100%" align="center" cellpadding="2" border=0
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| align="left" valign="top"|
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*The '''[[Archdiocese of Constantinople]]'''
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**[[District of Stavrodromion]]
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**[[District of Tatavla]]
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**[[District of the Bosphorous]]
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**[[District of Hypsomatheia]]
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**[[District of the Phanar and the Keratius gulf]]
  
== Structure of the patriarchate ==
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| align="left" valign="top"|
*The [[Archdiocese of Constantinople]]
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*'''Sacred Metropolitanates within Turkey:'''
**District of Stavrodromion
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**[[Metropolis of Chalcedon]]
**District of Tataoula
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**[[Metropolis of Derkoi]]
**District of the Bosphorous
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**[[Metropolis of the Imbros and Tenedos|Metropolis of Gokceada and Bozcaada (Imbros and Tenedos)]]
**District of Hypsomatheia
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**[[Metropolis of the Prince Islands]]
**District of the Phanar
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| align="left" valign="top"|
*Sacred Metropolitanates within Turkey
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|}
**Metropolis of Chalcedon
 
**Metropolis of Derkos
 
**Metropolis of Gokceada and Bozcaada (Imbros and Tenedos)
 
**Metropolis of the Prince's Islands
 
*The Semi-autonomous [[Orthodox Archdiocese of Crete|Archdiocese of Crete]]
 
**Metropolis of Gortyna and Arkadia
 
**Metropolis of Rethymna and Avlopotamos
 
**Metropolis of Kydonia and Apokoronos
 
**Metropolis of Lampi, Syvritos and Sfakia
 
**Metropolis of Ierapytna and Siteia
 
**Metropolis of Petra and Herronisos
 
**Metropolis of Kisamos and Selinos
 
**Metropolis of Arkalohorion, Kastelio and Vianno
 
*Five Metropolitanates of the Dodecanese Islands
 
**Metropolis of Rhodes
 
**Metropolis of Kos and Nisiros
 
**Metropolis of Karpathos and Kasos
 
**Metropolis of Leros, Kalymnos and Astypalaia
 
**Metropolis of Symi
 
*[[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|Archdiocese of America]]
 
**Direct Archdiocesan District of New York
 
**Metropolis of Chicago
 
**Metropolis of New Jersey
 
**Metropolis of Atlanta
 
**Metropolis of Denver
 
**Metropolis of Pittsburgh
 
**Metropolis of Boston
 
**Metropolis of Detroit
 
**Metropolis of San Francisco
 
*[[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia|Archdiocese of Australia]]
 
*[[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain|Archdiocese of Great Britain]]
 
*[[American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese]]
 
*[[Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA]]
 
*[[Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada]]
 
*[[Orthodox Metropolis of Korea|Metropolis of Korea]]
 
*[[Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto (Canada)|Metropolis of Canada]]
 
*Metropolis of Buenos Aires
 
*Metropolis of Mexico
 
*Metropolis of New Zealand
 
*[[Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia|Metropolitanate of Hong Kong]]
 
*[[Greek Orthodox Metropolis of France|Metropolis of France]]
 
*Metropolis of Germany
 
*Metropolis of Austria
 
*Metropolis of Belgium
 
*Metropolis of Scandinavia
 
*[[Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Switzerland|Metropolis of Switzerland]]
 
*Metropolis of Italy
 
*Metropolis of Spain
 
*[[Metropolis of Singapore]]
 
*[[Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America]]
 
*[[Russian Orthodox Exarchate in Western Europe]]
 
  
There are 36 Metropolitanates of the "New Lands" of Northern Greece and some of the Aegean Islands which also fall under the spiritual and canonical jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; however, their administration has been entrusted to the [[Church of Greece]] on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarchate since 1928.
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== Places of Pilgrimage ==
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Some sites of pilgrimage are no longer owned by the Church nor function as orthodox centres but are historically connected and of great significance to Orthodoxy.
  
'''Patriarchal and Stavropegial Monasteries outside of Turkey:'''
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* Church of [[Hagia Sophia (Constantinople)|Hagia Sophia ]]
*The Monastery of St. John the Evangelist and the [[Patriarchal Exarchate of Patmos]], Greece
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* [[Church of the Holy Apostles (Constantinople)]]
*[[Mount Athos]], comprising of 20 large monasteries and their dependencies.
 
*The Monastery of St. Anastasia the Pharmokolitria, Chalkidiki, Greece.
 
*The Monastery of Vlatadoes, Thessaloniki, Greece
 
*The Monastery of the Entry of the Virgin Mary in Alabama, USA
 
*The Monastery of St. Irene the Chrysovalantou, New York, USA
 
  
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<gallery>
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Image:ChristChora.JPG
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Image:Christ03.JPG
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</gallery>
  
There are also two [[autonomy|autonomous]] churches whose primates are confirmed by Constantinople, but which are not hierarchically or administratively part of the patriarchate, the [[Church of Finland]], and the [[Church of Estonia]].
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== Peculiar prerogatives of the patriarchate ==
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''Main article: [[Prerogatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate]]''
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 +
[[Image:Ecumenical Patriarchate.jpg|left|thumbnail|The entrance to the headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the [[Phanar]] in Constantinople]]In history and in [[canons (law)|canonical literature]] (i.e. the Church's canons and traditional commentaries on them), the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been granted certain prerogatives (''[[presbeia]]'') which other autocephalous Orthodox churches do not have.  Not all of these prerogatives are today universally acknowledged, though all do have precedents in history and canonical references.  The nature of these prerogatives or even their very existence is hotly contested on [[Prerogatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate#Canonical claims|canonical grounds]] by certain other Orthodox churches, particularly the [[Church of Russia]].
 +
<br>
 +
The following is a (non-exhaustive) list of these prerogatives and their reference points:
 +
*Equal prerogatives to Old Rome (Canon 3 of the [[Second Ecumenical Council]], Canon 28 of the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council]], Canon 36 of the [[Quinisext Council]])
 +
*The right to hear appeals, if invited, regarding disputes between clergy (Canons 9 and 17 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council)
 +
*The right to ordain bishops for areas outside defined [[canonical territory|canonical boundaries]] (Canon 28 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council)
 +
*The right to establish [[stavropegial]] [[monastery|monasteries]] even in the territories of other [[patriarchate]]s (the [[Epanagoge]], commentaries of [[Matthew Blastares]] and [[Theodore Balsamon]])
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
*[[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople]]
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*[[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|'''Hierarchical Succession''']]
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*[[Holy Synod of Constantinople|'''The Holy and Sacred Synod''']], ''The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate is presided over by His All-Holiness [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew I]], Archbishop of Constantinople and is comprised of XX Metropolitans.''
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*[[Theological School of Halki|'''Theological Institutions''']]
 
*[[Ecumenical Patriarchate in America]]
 
*[[Ecumenical Patriarchate in America]]
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*[[Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Mexico, Central America, Columbia, Venezuela, and the Caribbean Islands]]
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{{churches}}
 
{{churches}}
  
== External links ==
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==External links==
* [http://www.ec-patr.gr Official website of the Patriarchate of Constantinople]
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*[http://www.ec-patr.org/default.php?lang=en/ Official website of the Patriarchate of Constantinople]
* [http://www.ecupatria.org Official website of the Permanent Representation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the World Council of Churches]
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*[http://www.ecupatria.org Official website of the Permanent Representation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the World Council of Churches]
* [http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg.aspx?eccpageID=13&IndexView=toc Eastern Christian Churches: Patriarchate of Constantinople] by Ronald Roberson, a Roman Catholic priest and scholar
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*[http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article8148.asp The Origins and Authority of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Orthodox Church], by Demetrios J. Constantelos
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*[http://www.cnewa.org/default.aspx?ID=13&pagetypeID=9&sitecode=HQ&pageno=1 Eastern Christian Churches: Patriarchate of Constantinople] by Ronald Roberson, a Roman Catholic priest and scholar
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*[http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article8148.asp The Origins and Authority of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Orthodox Church], by [[Demetrios Constantelos|Demetrios J. Constantelos]]
 
*[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/balsamon-cpl.html Caesaropapism?: Theodore Balsamon on the Powers of the Patriarch of Constantinople], by Paul Halsall
 
*[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/balsamon-cpl.html Caesaropapism?: Theodore Balsamon on the Powers of the Patriarch of Constantinople], by Paul Halsall
 
*[http://www.svots.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=165&Itemid=116 Chalcedon Canon 28: Yesterday and Today], by Rev. [[John H. Erickson]]
 
*[http://www.svots.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=165&Itemid=116 Chalcedon Canon 28: Yesterday and Today], by Rev. [[John H. Erickson]]
 
*[http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/milton1_6.html Constantinople and Rome: A Survey of the Relations between the Byzantine and the Roman Churches], by Milton V. Anastos
 
*[http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/milton1_6.html Constantinople and Rome: A Survey of the Relations between the Byzantine and the Roman Churches], by Milton V. Anastos
 
*[http://www.ec-patr.gr/patrdisplay.php?lang=en&id=5 Brief Historical Note Regarding the Ecumenical Patriarchate], from the official website
 
*[http://www.ec-patr.gr/patrdisplay.php?lang=en&id=5 Brief Historical Note Regarding the Ecumenical Patriarchate], from the official website
* [http://www.patriarchate.org/ecumenical_patriarchate/timeline.swf Timeline]
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* [http://www.patriarchate.org/media/vrtour_patriarchate.php Virtual tour]
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*Prof. Thomas Mathews. [http://www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/fineart/html/Byzantine/ The Byzantine Churches of Constantinople]. New York University (Institute of fine Arts).
* [http://www.archons.patriarchate.org/patriarchate/ History]
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*[http://www.byzantium1200.com/ Byzantium 1200] (Byzantium 1200 is a project aimed at creating computer reconstructions of the Byzantine Monuments located in Istanbul, TURKEY as of year 1200 AD).
* [http://realserver.goarch.org/ram/en/lightstillbright.ram History - video]
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* [http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/ea_patriarch.aspx Articles Critical of Actions of Positions of the Ecumenical Patriarchate]
+
*[http://www.patriarchate.org/ecumenical_patriarchate/timeline.swf Timeline]
 +
*[http://www.patriarchate.org/media/vrtour_patriarchate.php Virtual tour]
 +
*[http://www.archons.patriarchate.org/patriarchate/ History]
 +
*[http://realserver.goarch.org/ram/en/lightstillbright.ram History - video]
 +
*[http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/ea_patriarch.aspx Articles Critical of Actions of Positions of the Ecumenical Patriarchate]
 +
*[http://www.ortodoksi.net/index.php/The_Legal_Status_of_the_Ecumenical_Patriarchate The Legal Status of the Ecumenical Patriarchate] by Jaakko Husa, Professor of Constitutional Law and General Jurisprudence at the University of Joensuu (Finland) / Ortodoksi.net
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[[Category:Jurisdictions|Constantinople]]
 
[[Category:Jurisdictions|Constantinople]]
  
[[ar:القسطنطينية]]
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[[ar:بطريركية القسطنطينية]]
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[[el:Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο]]
 
[[es:Iglesia Ortodoxa de Constantinopla]]
 
[[es:Iglesia Ortodoxa de Constantinopla]]
 
[[fr:Église de Constantinople]]
 
[[fr:Église de Constantinople]]
 
[[ro:Biserica Ortodoxă a Constantinopolului]]
 
[[ro:Biserica Ortodoxă a Constantinopolului]]
 +
[[ru:Константинопольская православная церковь]]

Latest revision as of 13:05, February 22, 2015

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
The Church of Constantinople
Founder(s) Apostle Andrew
Autocephaly/Autonomy declared Traditional
Autocephaly/Autonomy recognized Traditional
Current primate Patriarch Bartholomew I
Headquarters Istanbul, Turkey
Primary territory Constantinople, most of Turkey, Mount Athos, Crete, parts of Northern Greece, the Dodecanese
Possessions abroad United States, Canada, Great Britain, Western Europe, South America, Central America, Australia, Southeast Asia
Liturgical language(s) Greek, English
Musical tradition Byzantine Chant
Calendar Revised Julian, Julian
Population estimate 3,500,000
Official website Church of Constantinople

The Church of Constantinople is one of the fourteen or fifteen autocephalous churches, also referred to as the Ecumenical Patriarchate. It is headed by the Ecumenical Patriarch, who has the status of primus inter pares ("first among equals") among the world's Orthodox bishops. The local churches of the Ecumenical Patriarchate consist of five archdioceses, three churches, thirteen metropolises, and one diocese, each of which reports directly to the Patriarch of Constantinople with no intervening authority. In addition, three of the five archdioceses have internal metropolises (16 in all), which are part of their respective archdioceses rather than distinct administrative entities, unlike the other metropolises.

The current Ecumenical Patriarch is His All-Holiness Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople.

Metropolitanates of Constantinople

See Main Article Church of Constantinople Structure

The Church of Constantinople is headed by the Patriarch of Constantinople and is split into a number of Metropolitanates as listed below.

Map of Byzantine Constantinople.

Places of Pilgrimage

Some sites of pilgrimage are no longer owned by the Church nor function as orthodox centres but are historically connected and of great significance to Orthodoxy.

Peculiar prerogatives of the patriarchate

Main article: Prerogatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate

The entrance to the headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Phanar in Constantinople
In history and in canonical literature (i.e. the Church's canons and traditional commentaries on them), the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been granted certain prerogatives (presbeia) which other autocephalous Orthodox churches do not have. Not all of these prerogatives are today universally acknowledged, though all do have precedents in history and canonical references. The nature of these prerogatives or even their very existence is hotly contested on canonical grounds by certain other Orthodox churches, particularly the Church of Russia.


The following is a (non-exhaustive) list of these prerogatives and their reference points:

See also


Autocephalous and Autonomous Churches of Orthodoxy
Autocephalous Churches
Four Ancient Patriarchates: Constantinople · Alexandria · Antioch · Jerusalem
Russia · Serbia · Romania · Bulgaria · Georgia · Cyprus · Greece · Poland · Albania · Czech Lands and Slovakia · OCA* · Ukraine*
Autonomous Churches
Sinai · Finland · Estonia* · Japan* · China* · Ukraine*
The * designates a church whose autocephaly or autonomy is not universally recognized.


External links

  • Prof. Thomas Mathews. The Byzantine Churches of Constantinople. New York University (Institute of fine Arts).
  • Byzantium 1200 (Byzantium 1200 is a project aimed at creating computer reconstructions of the Byzantine Monuments located in Istanbul, TURKEY as of year 1200 AD).