Orthodox mess

At a certain time, there is only one Pope in Catholic Church. When one Pope dies or resigns, a new Pope is elected. In Orthodox Church, there are many Patriarchs and one Ecumenical Patriarch. Generally, the situation is a little or a lot messy. The highest ranking position, the primate, is the Patriarch. Below the Patriarch are Archbishops, Metropolitan bishops or Metropolitans and bishops.

But this order is in some Churches like Greek. In Slavonian and Antiochian traditions, Metropolitan is higher rank than Archbishop. Since the highest rank is Patriarch, autocephalous Churches should have a Patriarch at the top. Well, this is not the case. Most of autocephalous Churches have Patriarchs but some have Archbishops or Metropolitans.

Patriarchs are the heads in Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Moscow, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia. Cyprus, Greece, Albania, America have Archbishops. Poland, Czech Lands and Slovakia, Ukraine have Metropolitans. In Czech Lands and Slovakia, the position is vacant and Archbishop Simeon is the locum tenens (temporary) til a new primate is elected.

The Churches mentioned above are autocephalous. Sinai, Finland, Japan have Archbishops while Estonia a Metropolitan. These are autonomous Churches. Sinai is related to Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Finland and Estonia to Constantinople, Japan to Russia. Also autonomous Churches are Church of China, Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Archdiocese of Ohrid.

Macedonian (North) and Montenegrin Churches separated from Serbian but are not recognized as autocephalous by all Orthodox Churches. Also Orthodox Church of America and Orthodox Church of Ukraine are not recognized as autocephalous by all other Orthodox Churches. Ukraine has two Churches. Ukrainian Orthodox Church is related to Russian Church while Orthodox Church of Ukraine is autocephalous.

Some one may assume that autocephalous and autonomous churches are the largest in terms of followers, especially those that have a Patriarch as the primate. This is not the case. Estimated populations of some autocephalous and autonomous Churches are; Antioch 2 million, Poland 500 thousand, Alexandria 350 thousand, Albania 200 thousand, Jerusalem 130 thousand, Finland 70 thousand, Czech Lands and Slovakia 70 thousand, Japan 20 thousand, China 15 thousand.

Australia has six hundred thousand Orthodox Christians but there are more than one Orthodox Churches, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Antiochian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Church. The largest is the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia which is part of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople. In USA, Orthodox Christians are 1 - 2% or 3,5 - 7 million.

Orthodox Church of America is currently autocephalous but was part of Russian Church. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is part of Ecumenical Patriarchate. Greek Americans are estimated at 0,5 - 1% of USA's population and almost all of them are Orthodox. Orthodox countries are shown in Table A of Appendix 19. In Group 3, all countries are Orthodox, except Bosnia and Albania.

In these countries, Orthodox Christians are more than 65% of the population and in most of them more than 80%. Also Ethiopia and Erithrea are Orthodox. But considerable percentages are also in other countries; Bosnia 31%, Kazakhstan 24%, Latvia 18%, Kyrgyzstan 17%, Estonia 16,5%, Lebanon 9%, Albania 7,5%, Austria 6%, Turkmenistan 5,5%, Uzbekistan 5%, Croatia 4,5%, Lithuania 4,5%, Germany 3,5%, Spain 3%, Syria 3%, Guatemala 3%.

Australia, Azerbaijan, Palestine, Slovenia, Jordan, Tajikistan have percentages in the range 2 - 3%. Canada, Switzerland, Italy, Kosovo, Sweden, Poland, Finland, USA, France have in the range 1 - 2%. Another way to look at this is in absolute numbers. Top ten countries with most Eastern* Orthodox Christians in absolute numbers are; Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Greece, Belarus, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Moldova, Georgia.  Although Kazakhstan is not an Orthodox or even Christian country (69% Muslims), it is in seventh place.

Germany, USA, Spain, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Italy have more Orthodox Christians than Cyprus (780 thousand). Syria, Australia, Canada have more than Montenegro (510 thousand). Poland, Austria, France, UK have more than Transnistria (460 thousand). The countries mentioned above (this paragraph) and Latvia have more than Patriarchate of Alexandria. Lebanon, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Croatia, Estonia, Albania, Tajikistan, Jordan, Sweden, Brazil, have more than Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

So why Alexandria (350 thousand) and Jerusalem (130 thousand) have Patriarchs while the rest that have more followers do not? Most of the Patriarchates started centuries ago when there were many Orthodox Christians. Another reason may be geographic division. Patriarchate of Alexandria oversees all Africa. In Jerusalem, the existence of Partiarchate may want to show the importance of the land where Jesus lived and died.

Another way to see it is relatively to other denominations and religions. Orthodox percentage in Estonia is not much, 16,5%. Nevertheless, it is the first denomination. Lutherans are 7,7% and other Christians 2,7%. A very large percentage of Estonians, almost 60%, has no religion. Estonia caused a schism between Moscow and Constantinople in 1996.

Patriarch of Constantinople was Bartholomew while in Russia Alexy II was the primate. Patriarchate of Constantinople established Church of Estonia under its jurisdiction as an autonomous Church. Eventually, Moscow and Constantinople agreed to have two Orthodox Churches, one under the juristiction of each. A similar situation occurred in Ukraine, in 2018. At that time primate of Russian Church was current Patriach Kirill.

Bathrolomew is Ecumenical Patriarch. He is considered primus inter pares (first among equals). In reality he is last among equals. Although he holds the title of the Ecumenical Patriarch, he is really Patriarch or Archbishop of Turkiye. The Patriarch of Constantinople is elected by the Metropolitans of the Throne Synod and all are Turkish citizens. There are not very many Orthodox left in Turkiye.

It is estimated that there are around 16 thousand or 0,02% of Turkiye's population. Japan has more Orthodox Christians than Turkiye. This is a big anomaly in Orthodox Church and has to change ASAP. We mentioned that Patriarchs have generally Greek ancestry. This is correct but incomplete. They have to be Turkish citizens. Orthodox in Turkiye have mostly Greek ancestry. The Ecumenical Patriarch is not Ecumenical (global) at all.

He is just the Patriarch or the Archbishop of Greeks in Turkiye. The title has remained since Byzantine era. At that time, Patriarch of Constantinople was really Patriarch of all Byzantine Empire and was also considered the head of all Orthodox Churches. But Byzantine Empire has ceased to exist since 1453 AD. Western Europeans weakened Byzantium tremendously after the first sack in 1204 AD and Ottomans seized the opportunity.

Constantinople is not the capital of Byzantine Empire anymore but the largest city of Turkiye. So, Patriarch of Constantinople is in reality Patriarch or Archbishop of Turkiye where only a few thousand Orthodox are left. It is obvious to everyone who has common sense that big changes are required in Orthodox Church. Bartholomew was more concerned with NWO issues, interreligious dialogue, environmentalism etc.

Patriarchate must move immediately to an Orthodox country. Salonica is a good temporary location because they all speak Greek in Constantinople's Patriarchate. Greek Church has much property and many people that will assist them in finding buildings and everything else. Next Ecumenical Patriarch should be chosen from all Orthodox Churches, like it is done in Catholic Church.

Later, they can decide for a permanent location of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. This is not all. There is a lot of organizing required. Orthodox Church is a big mess. Bartholomew's tenure was a good period for organization because communism ended and Orthodoxy revived in ex - communist Eastern European countries. He can still make some of the necessary changes. If he refuses to do what is right, Orthodox Churches should renounce his authority and elect a new Ecumenical Patriarch.

*If we include Oriental Orthodoxy as well, Ethiopia is in second place.