Church of Constantinople

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The Church of Constantinople

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

The local Churches of the Ecumenical Patriarchate consist of five archdioceses, three churches, 13 metropolises ("metropolis" is preferred use over "metropolitanate" within this particular Orthodox jurisdiction), 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.

Ecumenical Patriarchate 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

Structure of the patriarchate

  • Archdiocese of Constantinople
    • Metropolis of Chalcedon
    • Metropolis of Gokceada and Bozcaada (Imbros and Tenedos)
    • Metropolis of the Prince's Islands
    • Metropolis of Derkos
  • 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
  • Archdiocese of America
    • 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
  • Archdiocese of Australia
  • Archdiocese of Great Britain
  • Metropolis of Rhodes
  • Metropolis of Kos
  • Metropolis of Karpathos and Kasos
  • Metropolis of Leros, Kalymnos and Astypalaia
  • American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese
  • Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA
  • Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
  • Metropolis of Korea
  • Metropolis of Canada
  • Metropolis of Argentina
  • Metropolis of Central America
  • Metropolis of New Zealand
  • Metropolitanate of Hong Kong
  • Metropolis of France
  • Metropolis of Germany
  • Metropolis of Austria
  • Metropolis of Belgium
  • Metropolis of Scandinavia
  • Metropolis of Switzerland
  • Metropolis of Italy
  • Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America
  • Russian Orthodox Exarchate in Western Europe


There are also two autonomous churchs whose primates are confirmed by Constantinople, but which is not hierarchically or administratively part of the patriarchate, the Church of Finland, and the Church of Estonia.


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