Orthodox Church in Italy
Encyclopedia
The Orthodox Church in Italy (Chiesa Ortodossa in Italia in Italian
) is an effort to establish a national Orthodox church in Italy, bringing all the Orthodox parishes and missions under an Italian Metropolitan, but only some independent groups have adhered to it. It was founded in 1991 by Italian Orthodox
bishop Antonio De Rosso
, a former Roman Catholic priest, who became bishop of Aprilia and Lazio under the jurisdiction of Metropolitan Cyprian of Oropos and Fili, a leader of Greek Old Calendarists
movement. In 1993 the church joined Bulgarian Orthodox Church
and in 1995 bishop Antonio was enthroned bishop of Ravenna
and Italy
. After 1997 the Orthodox Church in Italy remained linked with Patriarch Pimen's Bulgarian Alternative Synod and bishop Antonio became Metropolitan of Ravenna
and Italy
. During that year, the Orthodox Church in Italy was recognized as an autonomous church and Metropolitan Antonio became a full member of Pimen's Saint Synod. The Bishop Antonio has sought fellowship with Greek Old Calendarists
and the Bulgarian Alternative Synod. Nowadays, the Orthodox Church in Italy is in full communion with the Bulgarian Alternative Synod, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchy and some small churches.
After Metropolitan Antonio's death, the Church become an association in memory of its deceased Primate
and during 2011 it joined the Metropolis of Milan and of Aquileia
.
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
) is an effort to establish a national Orthodox church in Italy, bringing all the Orthodox parishes and missions under an Italian Metropolitan, but only some independent groups have adhered to it. It was founded in 1991 by Italian Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
bishop Antonio De Rosso
Antonio De Rosso
Antonio De Rosso was the founder of the Orthodox Church in Italy and the Metropolitan of Ravenna, L'Aquila and Italy....
, a former Roman Catholic priest, who became bishop of Aprilia and Lazio under the jurisdiction of Metropolitan Cyprian of Oropos and Fili, a leader of Greek Old Calendarists
Greek Old Calendarists
Greek Old Calendarists are groups that separated from the Orthodox Church of Greece or from the Patriarchate of Constantinople, precipitated by disagreement over the abandonment of the traditional Julian Calendar.- History :Up until the early 20th century, the Eastern Orthodox Church used the...
movement. In 1993 the church joined Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Bulgarian Orthodox Church
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Bulgarian Patriarchate is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church with some 6.5 million members in the Republic of Bulgaria and between 1.5 and 2.0 million members in a number of European countries, the Americas and Australia...
and in 1995 bishop Antonio was enthroned bishop of Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. After 1997 the Orthodox Church in Italy remained linked with Patriarch Pimen's Bulgarian Alternative Synod and bishop Antonio became Metropolitan of Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. During that year, the Orthodox Church in Italy was recognized as an autonomous church and Metropolitan Antonio became a full member of Pimen's Saint Synod. The Bishop Antonio has sought fellowship with Greek Old Calendarists
Old calendarists
The term Old Calendarist refers to any Orthodox Christian or any Orthodox Church body which uses the historic Julian calendar , and whose Church body is not in communion with the Orthodox Churches that use the New Calendar...
and the Bulgarian Alternative Synod. Nowadays, the Orthodox Church in Italy is in full communion with the Bulgarian Alternative Synod, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchy and some small churches.
After Metropolitan Antonio's death, the Church become an association in memory of its deceased Primate
Primate (religion)
Primate is a title or rank bestowed on some bishops in certain Christian churches. Depending on the particular tradition, it can denote either jurisdictional authority or ceremonial precedence ....
and during 2011 it joined the Metropolis of Milan and of Aquileia
Holy Synod of Milan
The Holy Synod of Milan, also known as the Milan Synod, is an autonomous Eastern Orthodox Church in Milan, Italy.It began as the Diocese for Western Europe of the Old Calendarist Greek Orthodox Church which was united under Archbishops Akakios of Diavleia and Auxentios.The Synod's...
.