Oriental Orthodox Church
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged into Oriental Orthodoxy. (Discuss) Proposed since September 2008. |
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The Oriental Orthodox Church is a communion of 6 autocephalous churches that accepted the Miaphysite christology in the 5th century AD following the 4th Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon.
The 6 autocephalous churches in Oriental Orthodox Communion include:
1. Orthodox Church of Coptic Alexandria
2. Orthodox Church of Syriac Antioch
3. Orthodox Church of Armenia
4. Orthodox Church of India
5. Orthodox Church of Ethiopia
6. Orthodox Church of Eritrea
Orthodox Church of Coptic Alexandria
The head of the Orthodox Church of Coptic Alexandria is the Patriarch of Alexandria. The current Patriarch is Pope Shenouda III. He is the 117th Patriarch seated in the apostolic Throne of St Mark.
There are about 16 million adherents to this church worldwide.
Orthodox Church of Syriac Antioch
The head of the Orthodox Church of Syriac Antioch is the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East. The current Patriarch is Ignatius Zakka I. He is the 122nd Patriarch seated in the apostolic Throne of St Peter.
There are about 1.2 million adherents (excluding 2.5 million from India, who recognises this Patriarch as the Spiritual leader) to this church worldwide.
Orthodox Church of Armenia
The head of the Orthodox Church of Armenia is the Catholicos of Armenia. The current Catholicos is Karekin II. He is the 132nd Catholicos since its establishment in 302 AD.
There are about 7 million adherents to this church worldwide.
Orthodox Church of India
Three sets of Oriental Orthodox churches together comprises to form the Orthodox Church of India:
The head of the Orthodox Church of India is the Catholicos of East. The current Catholicos is Baselios Thoma Didymos I. He is the 105th Catholicos seated in the Throne of Saint Thomas.
A rivlary between the Catholicos and Patriarch of Antioch, split the church of India into 2 sets. The head of the this fraction by name Jacobite Church is Catholicos Baselios Thomas I. This fraction functions as an Archdiocese of the Orthodox Church of Syriac Antioch.
There is another 3rd set of Orthodox Christians by name Thoziyoor Church, which is not in full communion with the other Oriental Churches. The head of this set is Archbishop Cyril Baselius.
There are about 2.6 million adherents to this church worldwide.
Orthodox Church of Ethiopia
The head of the Orthodox Church of Ethiopia is the Patriarch of Ethiopia. The current Patriarch is Abune Paulos. He is the 5th Patriarch of the Ethiopian church.
There are about 45 million adherents to this church worldwide.
Orthodox Church of Eritrea
The head of the Orthodox Church of Eritreaa is the Patriarch of Eritrea. The current Patriarch is Abune Dioskoros. He is the 4th Patriarch of the Eritrean church.
There are about 2.5 million adherents to this church worldwide.