The
Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem (,
Patriarcheîon Hierosolýmōn; Kanisa Ar-rum Urtudoks fi al-Quds), also known as the
Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, is an
autocephalous Orthodox Church within the wider communion of
Orthodox Christianity. Headed by the
Patriarch of Jerusalem, it is regarded by
Orthodox Christians as the mother church of all of
Christendom.
Christians believe that it was in
Jerusalem that the Church was established on the day of
Pentecost with the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of
Jesus Christ () and that the
Gospel of Christ spread from Jerusalem. The Church celebrates its liturgy in the Byzantine rite, whose original language is Greek, and follows its own calendar of feasts, preserving the Julian calendar (that is thirteen days behind the Western (Gregorian) calendar). It is also often called "Σιωνίτις Εκκλησία" (, i.e. the "Church of
Zion").
The number of Orthodox Christians in the
Holy Land are estimated at about 500,000 people. A majority of Church members are
Palestinians and
Jordanians, and there are also many
Russians,
Romanians, and
Georgians. The Church's hierarchy is dominated by
Greek clergy, which in effect excludes the Arab majority from the Church's upper ranks. This has been a point of endless contention between Greeks in the patriarchate, who are backed by the Greek government in this regard, and the Palestinians. (see
Arab Orthodox)
The headquarters of the Orthodox Church in...
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