Traditions

Tradition · Eastern Orthodox

Russian Orthodox Church

Русская Православная Церковь

Followersabout 100 millionself-identified Orthodox in Russia · 2010How countedAutocephaly1448Russian bishops elected their own metropolitan without Constantinople’s consent, asserting ecclesiastical independence.Read the historyCompare with another tradition

The largest autocephalous church of the Eastern Orthodox communion.

Historical relationships

Key timeline

View full timeline (11)
  1. 988Traditional

    Christianisation of Rus’

    Prince Volodymyr (Vladimir) of Kyiv accepts Byzantine Christianity; the Primary Chronicle places the baptism of Kyiv in 988. The church of Rus’ becomes a metropolitanate of Constantinople. The modern churches of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia all claim this Kyivan heritage.

  2. 1448

    Autocephaly

    A council of Russian bishops elects Jonah metropolitan without the consent of the Patriarch of Constantinople, marking the start of the Russian Church’s self-government. Constantinople did not recognise it at the time.

  3. 1589

    Moscow Patriarchate established

    Job is consecrated the first Patriarch of Moscow with the blessing of Patriarch Jeremias II of Constantinople; Eastern patriarchs confirm the rank at synods in 1590 and 1593. This is a separate event from the autocephaly of 1448.

  4. 20th century

    Revolution, persecution and revival

    Under Soviet rule many churches were closed and large numbers of clergy and believers imprisoned or killed. Limited toleration followed from 1943, and a broad revival after the late 1980s.

The Russian Church grew from the church of Kyivan Rus’, which was organised as a metropolitanate of the Patriarchate of Constantinople after the baptism of Prince Volodymyr. Modern borders and national identities should not be read back into this period: Ukrainian, Belarusian and Russian churches all claim the Kyivan inheritance.

As political power shifted north after the Mongol invasions, the metropolitans moved first to Vladimir and then, in 1325, to Moscow. When Metropolitan Isidore accepted union with Rome at the Council of Florence (1439), Moscow rejected him. In 1448 Russian bishops elected Jonah as metropolitan on their own authority. This act of autocephaly, not the 1054 schism, is the formative moment of the independent Russian Church.

Autocephaly and patriarchal rank are separate things. Moscow gained the rank of patriarchate only in 1589, with the participation of the Patriarch of Constantinople. The office of patriarch was abolished by Peter I in 1721 and restored in 1917–18, on the eve of decades of Soviet persecution.

Since the late 1980s the church has rebuilt on a large scale. Its relations with other Orthodox churches have been strained by disputes over jurisdiction in Ukraine, which led it to break communion with Constantinople in 2018.

Classification
Eastern Orthodox. An autocephalous (self-governing) church of the Eastern Orthodox communion, headed by the Patriarch of Moscow.
What this entry covers
A self-governing church within a wider family. The autocephalous Moscow Patriarchate. Its canonical territory claims extend beyond the Russian Federation. Part of Eastern Orthodox Church.
Autocephaly
1448. Russian bishops elected their own metropolitan without Constantinople’s consent, asserting ecclesiastical independence.

Relationships with other traditions

Autocephaly1448

The Russian Church becomes self-governing

Russian Orthodox Church (became self-governing) · Eastern Orthodox Church (Ecumenical Patriarchate, the mother church)

After Moscow rejected the Union of Florence, a council of Russian bishops elected Jonah metropolitan in 1448 without the consent of Constantinople. Constantinople did not recognise this at the time; Moscow's patriarchal rank followed in 1589 with Constantinople's participation.

2 sources

Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.

What remained shared
Later developments
  • 1589: Job was consecrated first Patriarch of Moscow with the blessing of Patriarch Jeremias II of Constantinople.
    Source

    Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.

Compare Russian Orthodox Church and Eastern Orthodox Church

Recognition or non-recognition2018

Ukraine and the break between Moscow and Constantinople

Russian Orthodox Church · Eastern Orthodox Church (Ecumenical Patriarchate)

When Constantinople moved to grant autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate ended Eucharistic communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate (Minsk, 15 October 2018).

Source

Causes
What changed
What remained shared
Today as of January 2026

Communion broken

Communion remained broken at the start of 2026.

Source

Compare Russian Orthodox Church and Eastern Orthodox Church

Explained on other pages

Through the wider family

These concern the family of churches this tradition belongs to, not this church alone.

Full timeline

  1. 988Traditional

    Christianisation of Rus’

    Prince Volodymyr (Vladimir) of Kyiv accepts Byzantine Christianity; the Primary Chronicle places the baptism of Kyiv in 988. The church of Rus’ becomes a metropolitanate of Constantinople. The modern churches of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia all claim this Kyivan heritage.

  2. 1054

    East–West estrangement

    Rome and Constantinople exchange excommunications. The church of Rus’, still part of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, stays with the Byzantine East. This is not the founding of a Russian church.

  3. 1299–1325

    The metropolitan moves to Moscow

    After the Mongol sack of Kyiv, the metropolitans reside at Vladimir; Metropolitan Peter settles in Moscow in 1325.

  4. 1439

    Council of Florence

    Metropolitan Isidore signs the union with Rome. Moscow rejects it and Isidore is arrested.

  5. 1448

    Autocephaly

    A council of Russian bishops elects Jonah metropolitan without the consent of the Patriarch of Constantinople, marking the start of the Russian Church’s self-government. Constantinople did not recognise it at the time.

    Explained below: The Russian Church becomes self-governing

  6. 1589

    Moscow Patriarchate established

    Job is consecrated the first Patriarch of Moscow with the blessing of Patriarch Jeremias II of Constantinople; Eastern patriarchs confirm the rank at synods in 1590 and 1593. This is a separate event from the autocephaly of 1448.

    Explained below: The Russian Church becomes self-governing

  7. 1666–1667

    Old Believer schism

    Councils uphold Patriarch Nikon’s liturgical reforms; those who reject them, the Old Believers, are condemned.

  8. 1721

    Patriarchate replaced by the Holy Synod

    Peter I abolishes the office of patriarch and places the church under a state-supervised synod.

  9. 1917–1918

    Patriarchate restored

    A Local Council restores the patriarchate and elects Tikhon of Moscow.

  10. 20th century

    Revolution, persecution and revival

    Under Soviet rule many churches were closed and large numbers of clergy and believers imprisoned or killed. Limited toleration followed from 1943, and a broad revival after the late 1980s.

  11. 2018

    Communion with Constantinople broken

    The Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate breaks communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate after Constantinople moves to grant autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (granted 2019).

    Explained below: Ukraine and the break between Moscow and Constantinople

The Russian Orthodox Church holds the faith common to all Eastern Orthodox churches. Little of its doctrine is distinctively Russian; what follows is shared Orthodox teaching unless marked.

  • Holy TraditionShared Orthodox

    Scripture is read within the Church’s Tradition: the creeds, the seven ecumenical councils, the Church Fathers and the liturgy.

  • The Nicene CreedShared Orthodox

    Confessed without the Western addition that the Spirit proceeds “and from the Son” (the Filioque).

  • TheosisShared Orthodox

    Salvation is understood as union with God by grace, received through the sacraments (the Holy Mysteries) and a life of prayer.

  • The ChurchShared Orthodox

    One, holy, catholic and apostolic, governed by bishops in apostolic succession and in council, without a single universal head.

  • Russian spiritual traditionsDistinctively Russian

    Monastic elders (startsy), saints such as Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov, and a strong tradition of icon painting associated with Andrei Rublev.

Positions used in comparisons

Short, sourced statements that the Atlas compares across traditions. Where a tradition has no single teaching authority, the record says whose statement it follows.

God

Shared Eastern Orthodox faith in the Trinity.

2 sources

Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.

Shared Eastern Orthodox teaching.

Christ

Shared Eastern Orthodox Christology of Chalcedon.

Source

Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.

Shared Eastern Orthodox teaching.

Creeds and councils

The Creed without the Filioque; seven ecumenical councils.

2 sources

Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.

Shared Eastern Orthodox teaching.

Scripture and authority

Scripture within Holy Tradition.

Source

Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.

Shared Eastern Orthodox teaching.

Salvation and grace

Salvation as theosis.

Source

Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.

Shared Eastern Orthodox teaching.

Sacraments and ordinances

The holy mysteries of the Orthodox Church; infants are baptised and receive communion.

Source

Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.

Shared Eastern Orthodox teaching.

Church and ministry

A self-governing patriarchate led by the Patriarch of Moscow with the Holy Synod.

Source

Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.

Mary and the saints

Mary as Theotokos and the saints are venerated and invoked.

2 sources

Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.

Shared Eastern Orthodox teaching.

Day of worship

Sunday, the day of the Resurrection.

Source

Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.

Shared Eastern Orthodox practice.

Compare these positions with another tradition

  • Divine Liturgy

    Usually the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, with the Liturgy of St Basil on certain days, sung in Church Slavonic.

  • Icons and the iconostasis

    A screen of icons separates the sanctuary from the nave. Icons are venerated, not worshipped.

  • Choral singing

    Worship is sung without instruments. The congregation traditionally stands.

  • The Julian calendar

    The church keeps the Julian calendar for fixed feasts, so Christmas falls on 7 January in the civil calendar.

  • Fasting

    Four main fasting seasons, including Great Lent before Pascha (Easter), plus most Wednesdays and Fridays.

The follower figure

about 100 million self-identified Orthodox in Russia

What is counted
People who identify themselves with the tradition
As of
2010 data, published 2017
Reported by
Pew Research Center
Type
Estimate
Coverage
The Russian Federation only. The Moscow Patriarchate also has dioceses elsewhere; it does not publish a verifiable membership count.
Do not add
Counted within any Eastern Orthodox total. Self-identification is far higher than regular church attendance.
This entry is
A self-governing church within a wider family. The autocephalous Moscow Patriarchate. Its canonical territory claims extend beyond the Russian Federation.

Pew estimated 101 million Orthodox Christians in Russia, the largest Orthodox population of any country (2010 data).

Source

Replaces the starting figure. Workbook: 100,000,000 (no source or date).

Figures from different traditions measure different things and must not be added together or ranked against each other.

About the image · Historically associated symbol

Russian Orthodox cross: short upper bar (the inscription), the main crossbar, and a slanted footrest raised on the viewer’s left.

A cross form traditionally associated with the Russian Church; it is not a registered emblem. Geometry checked against published descriptions in the build session.

Editorial status

Reference entry, drafted with particular care. Key dates were spot-checked during this build against the sources marked “checked” below; other references are listed for later verification.

References

  • Primary sourceNot yet checked

    The Russian Primary Chronicle: Laurentian Text

    trans. S. H. Cross and O. P. Sherbowitz-Wetzor · Medieval Academy of America · 1953

    Main narrative source for the baptism of Rus’, compiled in the early 12th century. Bibliographic reference; not consulted in this build.

  • Secondary studyNot yet checked

    Byzantium and the Rise of Russia

    John Meyendorff · Cambridge University Press · 1981

    Standard study of church relations between Byzantium and Rus’ to the 15th century. Bibliographic reference; not consulted in this build.

  • Secondary studyNot yet checked

    The Orthodox Church

    Timothy (Kallistos) Ware · Penguin · new ed. 2015

    General introduction to Orthodox belief and worship. Bibliographic reference; not consulted in this build.

  • Reference work✓ Checked in build session

    Russian Orthodox Church

    Wikipedia · accessed 20 Oct 2026

    Consulted during the build to spot-check the dates 988, 1325, 1439, 1448, 1589, 1721, 1917 and 2018. A tertiary summary, not an authority.

  • Workbook linkNot yet checked

    patriarchia.ru

    Link supplied in the source workbook (“Christian Denominations”, row 12). It has not been checked to confirm that it supports every claim in that row.

Original workbook record

Imported unchanged from “Christian Denominations”, row 12. Values here are the starting dataset, not verified facts; where the Atlas differs, the reason is noted below.

Denomination / Tradition
Russian Orthodox Church
Broader Tradition
Eastern Orthodoxy
Date Established / Split
1448 AD (Autocephaly)
Origin / Location
Moscow, Russia
Forming Event / Schism
Autocephaly from Constantinople
Approx. Practitioners
100,000,000
Broke Away From
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
Primary Reason for Split / Core Doctrine
Declared independence following the Council of Florence; operates as an autocephalous patriarchate under East Slavic tradition.
Reference / Information Link
http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/

Editorial notes on this record

  • Approx. Practitioners: 100 million has no source or as-of date. Published estimates range from about 100 to 150 million or more. Shown as a qualified estimate.
  • Origin / Location: “Moscow, Russia” is correct for the autocephalous church but anachronistic for its Kyivan origins; shown as “Moscow; historically the lands of Rus’”.
  • Broke Away From: “Broke away” suggests a schism. 1448 was an assertion of autocephaly, not a doctrinal split, and was later regularised (1589–93).
  • Reference / Information Link: patriarchia.ru link (http, English section) not checked; it may have moved.

Research sources for this entry

Every relationship, position and figure above cites these. Each links to the Atlas’s single source register, which shows what each source supports and whether it was read.