7,257
edits
Changes
Jurisdiction
}}
The '''Church of Russia''', also referred to as the '''Moscow Patriarchate''', is one of the [[autocephalous]] Orthodox churches, ranking fifth after [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]], [[Church of Alexandria|Alexandria]], [[Church of Antioch|Antioch]], and [[Church of Jerusalem|Jerusalem]]. It exercises [[jurisdiction]] over Orthodox Christians in Russia and the surrounding Slavic lands as well as [[exarchate]]s and patriarchal representation churches around the world. It also exercises jurisdiction over the autonomous [[Church of Japan]] and Orthodox Christians in China. The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia is currently His Holiness [[Alexei II (Ridiger) of Moscow|Alexei II]].
==Jurisdiction==
According to the statutes of the Russian Orthodox Church, its jurisdiction includes persons of Orthodox confession living on the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia, Ukraine, Byelorussia, Moldavia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Latvia, Lithuania, Tajikistan, Turkmenia, Uzbekistan, Estonia, and also Orthodox Christians living in other countries who voluntarily join the jurisdiction.
This includes these self-governing Churches:
*The [[Church of Estonia|Estonian Orthodox Church]]
*The [[Latvian Orthodox Church]]
*The [[Moldovan Orthodox Church|Orthodox Church of Moldova]]
*The [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]]
*The [[Church of Ukraine|Ukrainian Orthodox Church]]
The self-governing churches receive their [[Holy Chrism]] from the Patriarch of Moscow and exercise their activities on the basis on Patriarchal [[Tomos]].
==History==
