Structure & Organisation

The Orthodox church is a community of independent churches. Each is autocephalous (having its own head), or autonomous (having its own name). The autocephalous churches and the autonomous churches all share a common communion, a common faith, common principles of church policy and organization, and a common liturgical tradition.

The languages used in worship and minor customs may differ from country to country. But the essential faith is unchanging throughout all the Orthodox churches.

The heads of the autocephalous churches are all bishops and may be called patriarch, metropolitan, or archbishop. These prelates are presidents of episcopal synods. In each church, the head-and-synod constitute the highest canonical, doctrinal, and administrative authority.

Among the various Orthodox Churches there is an order of precedence, which is determined by history rather than by present-day numerical strength.