The Antiochian Orthodox Church is a member of the Middle East Council of Churches. It has many similarities to the Orthodox Church. Its members share beliefs and worship practices. Among these similarities are its membership in the Middle East Council of Churches, and the use of icons in worship.
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Patriarchate of Antioch
The Patriarchate of Antioch is a diocese in the Eastern Roman Catholic Church. Its historical origins go back to the Apostle Peter and his successors. After the Council of Chalcedon in 451 (which rejected the Meletian schism), the patriarchal succession became contested. Rival Melkite and non-Chalcedonian claimants began to appoint patriarchs. Later, the Maronites began to elect a patriarch. This patriarchate was dissolved in 1964.
The Patriarchate of Antioch is a relatively minor church in the Eastern Roman Catholic Church. Since the 14th century, the patriarchate has been headquartered in Damascus, Syria. The ancient city is now a part of Turkey, but it is still a small town. All of Antioch’s bishops are Arabs. The patriarchate has several metropolitan sees in Syria, Lebanon, and Baghdad. It also has new episcopal sees in North and South America and Australia. The principal liturgical language is Arabic, although Greek is still widely used in Syria.
Membership in Middle East Council of Churches
MECC, or the Middle East Council of Churches, is a body of Christian churches in the Middle East. The Council was founded in 1974 in Nicosia and is now based in Beirut. Its mission is to promote convergence among the Christian communities of the Middle East and to overcome confessional differences.
The MECC is comprised of a number of churches, including Antiochian orthodox churches. Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East, Head of the Council of Orthodox churches. In his meeting with the delegation, he congratulated the members of the Council, and he also gave instructions for the workings of MECC.
Relationship with Rome
In the early centuries of Christianity, the Antiochian orthodox church was an important center for Christian mission. It was the seat of many apostles, and was therefore regarded as the “Cradle of World Christianity” in early Church history. It is today located in Damascus, Syria.
The two churches had lived in formal isolation for almost five centuries, but in 1965 the two churches met and agreed on an agreement aimed at improving relations. They also agreed to lift the Anathamas of 1054, which separated their traditions.
Icons used in worship
Icons in the Antiochian Orthodox Church are symbols of the faith and are used in worship. They were created during the early Christian period, when the Church was subject to persecution from the Roman Empire. They depict the glory of God incarnate and are not graven images or idols. The Seventh Ecumenical Council of the Church approved the use of icons in Christian worship. Icons of the early Christian period were not the subject of consistent iconology. The development of iconology was not fully developed until the second century.
The earliest Icons were painted by the Apostle Luke. The apostle is often considered to be the founder of Christian iconography and is credited with painting three icons of the Mother of God and Saints Peter and Paul. Saint Luke had an incredibly talented artistic eye and may have been the first to use images to teach spiritual truth.
Origins
The Orthodox Church has its origins in ancient Eastern Christianity, and its history goes back as far as the Apostles. The Gospel of Christ was first preached and the first Christian communities grew in the eastern regions of the old Roman Empire. As the Christian faith evolved in those regions, its great Fathers lived and taught. These same eastern cities were the centers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils, where the basic beliefs of the Christian faith were proclaimed.
The church in Antioch was founded by Saint Peter, and he served as its first bishop. He also performed his first mission among gentiles in Antioch. Saint Peter stayed in Antioch for three years, and then returned twice before being martyred in Rome. The church in Antioch was the epicenter of Christendom outside of Palestine, and Saint Peter, Barnabas, and Paul were called as bishops by the Holy Spirit.
Relationship with Syriac Orthodox Church
When it comes to the Syriac Orthodox Church, the head of the church is Jesus Christ. They believe in the seven sacraments and believe in the Holy Trinity – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Syrian Orthodox Church also believes in the Virgin Mary as the Mother of God. According to the Syriac Orthodox Church, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and filled her with the Holy Spirit.
The Syriac Orthodox Church’s patriarch rarely lives in Antioch, and his usual residence is the monastery of Dayr al-Za’faran in Mardin, near Diyarbakir, in eastern Turkey. However, most Syriac Orthodox Christians left Turkey during World War I, and the patriarch moved to Homs in 1921, and then to Damas in 1957. Today, Syriac Orthodox Christians live in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and the United States.