When discussing a church’s relationship with Rome, one of the first questions you should ask is “is the Orthodox Church in Communion with Rome?” The answer to this question may not be as simple as it sounds. This question must be resolved from the standpoint of both sides. While a Catholic may refuse to receive Holy Communion from an Orthodox Church, an Orthodox Christian may want to accept a Catholic’s baptism, confirmation, or marriage.
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Patriarchate of Alexandria
The Patriarchate of Alexandria is a part of the Eastern Orthodox Church and its seat is Alexandria, Egypt. It has canonical jurisdiction over the entire African continent. Its current primate is His Beatitude Theodoros II. The church is made up of around 300,000 Orthodox Christians.
In recent years, the Patriarchate of Alexandria has been working hard to spread its faith, particularly to African and Arab nations. It has encouraged the use of local languages in the liturgy. In addition, missions have flourished in places such as Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar, and Cameroon.
In the early Church, the Alexandrian patriarchate was one of five patriarchates, which were part of the Pentarchy. Its cathedral is called the Cathedral of Evangelismos. It is also one of the earliest Christian communities. The Patriarchate was founded by the Apostles Paul and Peter. However, persecution of Christians in the first century led to the creation of the patriarchate of Antioch.
The doctrines of the Orthodox Church are based on the life of Jesus Christ. Orthodox churches view sin as an opportunity for spiritual growth. Therefore, they practice penance as a specific act of repentance that seeks to bring a deeper understanding of the wrong done. The main sources of Orthodox doctrine and practice are the Scriptures and the Sacred Apostolic Tradition.
Patriarchate of Antioch
Founded by the Apostles Peter and Paul, the Church of Antioch is the third largest Orthodox church in the world. Historically, its seat was Antioch (Antakya) in Turkey, but it is now located in Damascus, Syria. It is also known as the “Straight.”
The Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East covers much of the orient, including the Arabian peninsula, southern Turkey, and northern and eastern Europe. It also includes the Arab-speaking Orthodox of North and South America. Despite its size, the church is divided in a number of jurisdictions and is made up of diocesan leaders, or metropolitans. Priests are trained in the Patriarchal St George Monastery and at the St John of Damas theological faculty in Tripoli.
There is a history of tension between the two Orthodox churches. While the Patriarchate of Antioch and the Orthodox Church in Communion with Rome are two separate organizations, they share many similarities and differences. While both organizations are primarily Orthodox, they are in communion with Rome.
