Russian Orthodox ChurchandGreek Orthodox Church

= What they share

• The same Orthodox faith, creed, holy mysteries and Byzantine rite; both became self-governing from Constantinople (1448 and 1833).

  2 sources

  • The Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Eastern ChristianityIdentified, not independently read
  • Russian Orthodox ChurchIdentified, not independently read

  Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.

• God

  • One God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit

  Russian Orthodox Church on God ›Greek Orthodox Church on God ›

• Christ

  • Christ is fully divine and fully human
  • Two natures united in one person, as defined at Chalcedon (451)

  Russian Orthodox Church on Christ ›Greek Orthodox Church on Christ ›

• Creeds and councils

  • The Nicene Creed is confessed
  • The Creed is used without the Filioque
  • The first three ecumenical councils (325, 381, 431)
  • The fourth to seventh councils (451 to 787)

  Russian Orthodox Church on Creeds and councils ›Greek Orthodox Church on Creeds and councils ›

• Scripture and authority

  • Scripture read within Holy Tradition, the councils and the Fathers

  Russian Orthodox Church on Scripture and authority ›Greek Orthodox Church on Scripture and authority ›

• Salvation and grace

  • Salvation as theosis: union with God by grace

  Russian Orthodox Church on Salvation and grace ›Greek Orthodox Church on Salvation and grace ›

• Sacraments and ordinances

  • Seven sacraments (holy mysteries)
  • Christ's body and blood are truly present
  • Infants are baptised

  Russian Orthodox Church on Sacraments and ordinances ›Greek Orthodox Church on Sacraments and ordinances ›

• Church and ministry

  • Bishops governing in synods; self-governing churches without a universal head
  • Bishops in historic apostolic succession

  Russian Orthodox Church on Church and ministry ›Greek Orthodox Church on Church and ministry ›

• Mary and the saints

  • The saints, above all Mary, are venerated and asked for their prayers
  • Mary is honoured as Mother of God (Theotokos)

  Russian Orthodox Church on Mary and the saints ›Greek Orthodox Church on Mary and the saints ›

• Day of worship

  • Sunday, the Lord's Day

  Russian Orthodox Church on Day of worship ›Greek Orthodox Church on Day of worship ›

≠ Where they differ

• Language, music and calendar. Church Slavonic and Russian choral singing; liturgical Greek and Byzantine chant. The Russian Church keeps the Julian calendar; the Church of Greece adopted the New (Revised Julian) Calendar for fixed feasts in March 1924.

  2 sources

  • The Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Eastern ChristianityIdentified, not independently read
  • History of the Church of Greece in the 20th centurySource verified

  Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.

§ How their histories relate

• Recognition or non-recognition · 2019

  Moscow and the Church of Greece after 2019

  A decision by one church to recognise, or to refuse to recognise, another church’s sacraments, hierarchy or status.

  After Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens entered communion with the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in October 2019, Patriarch Kirill stopped commemorating him. A Moscow synod decision (17 October 2019) told Russian pilgrims not to visit 21 named Greek metropolises.

  2 sources

  • Patriarch Kirill stopped commemorating Archbishop of Greece on SundaySource verified
  • To the attention of pilgrims from the Russian Orthodox ChurchSource verified
  Read in Greek Orthodox Church history ›

◦ Their relationship today

Communion partly brokenas of September 2023

Based on Moscow and the Church of Greece after 2019

✢ Developments towards reconciliation

No documented agreement or formal dialogue between these traditions is recorded in the Atlas.

Explore further

All citations link to the Atlas’s single source register.