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    Published: 2025-12-281
    Vol. 67 No. 2 (2025)

    The issue of granting autocephaly in the preparatory process for the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church

    Andrzej Kuźma

    Ikona ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4485-9821
    Ikona DOI https://doi.org/10.36124/rt.2025.10

    Abstract

    There is no clear-cut procedure in the Orthodox Church for granting autocephaly to a newly established local Church. It was stated at the beginning of preparations for convening the Great and Holy Council of the Orthodox Church that a document on the principles of granting autocephaly should be developed. However, because it was not possible to develop a draft document during the preparatory process, the Council held in Crete in 2016 did not deal with the procedure for granting autocephaly. Nevertheless, many points were agreed in the process that express the common approach of the whole Orthodox Church to this issue. The article shows the common agreements regarding issues such as who grants autocephaly, how autocephaly is conferred and who signs the Tomos granting autocephaly. It was stated that the granting of autocephaly is a matter for the entire Orthodox Church. Autocephaly is granted by the Patriarch of Constantinople with the agreement and the consent of all the superiors. The Tomos granting autocephaly is signed by the Ecumenical Patriarch and the other members of the autocephalous Churches. However, no agreement was reached on whether the signature of the Patriarch of Constantinople should differ from the others.

    Keywords:

    autocephaly, the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, granting autocephaly, Tomos of autocephaly

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    Kuźma, A. (2025). The issue of granting autocephaly in the preparatory process for the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church. Theological Yearbook, 67(2), 207–228. https://doi.org/10.36124/rt.2025.10

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