The Orthodox Church views itself as the continuation of the original Church founded by Jesus Christ. Its history began in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. For the first thousand years of Christianity, the East and West were generally united under the "Pentarchy"—five major episcopal sees: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. The Great Schism (1054)
Held between 325 and 787 AD, these councils defined core doctrines like the Trinity and the nature of Christ. The Orthodox Church: An Introduction to its His...
Emphasis on the mysteries of Baptism, Chrismation, and the Eucharist as the "medicine of immortality." The Orthodox Church views itself as the continuation
A dispute over the Western addition of "and the Son" to the Nicene Creed. The Great Schism (1054) Held between 325 and
The central goal of life is "divinization"—becoming more like God through grace and participation in the life of the Church.
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, many Orthodox Christians lived as subjects under the Ottoman Empire, preserving their faith through local traditions.