The Russian Orthodox Church. Contemporary position and brief historical informationThe Russian Orthodox Church is one of 15 Local Autocephalous Churches and is placed within dogmatic unity and prayer–canonical contact with other Local orthodox Churches. The Russian Church acquired its autocephalous status in 1448. In the diptych of autocephalous Churches, the Orthodox Church occupies fifth place, following the four eastern Patriarchates. The Russian Church is the most multitudinous of all Orthodox Churches; it effectively comprises half of the entire orthodox population of the world with its congregation of over 100 million people.
Orthodoxy todayOrthodoxy is the most ancient branch of Christianity, dating back to the times of the Holy Apostles. Orthodoxy ranks third in the Christian world in terms of numbers of followers, coming just after the Catholic and Protestant faiths with about 230 million followers. Today, the Orthodox Church is a fraternal community of fifteen Local Orthodox Churches, which retains dogmatic, Eucharistic and spiritual unity, while each church remains canonically / administratively independent.
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