The Church of Antioch

Introduction

The Church of Antioch is one of the five Christian churches that composed the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church before the East-West Schism(in 1054). The Church traces its origins to the Christian community founded in Antioch by the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul. It later became one of the five major patriarchates of early Christianity.
In the Bible, Acts 11:19-26 states that the Christian community at Antioch began when Christians who were scattered from Judea because of persecution went to Antioch. They were joined by Christians from Cyprus and Cyrene who migrated to Antioch. It was in Antioch that the followers of Jesus were first referred to as Christians.

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The Church of Alexandria

Introduction

The Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, also known as the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa is one of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Churches.
It is sometimes called the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria to distinguish it from the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, and in Egypt members of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate were also known as Melkite, because they remained in communion with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople after the schism that followed the Council of Chalcedon in 451.
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The Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America

Introduction

The Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America is a jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the United States.
A significant portion of Orthodox Albanian-Americans petitioned the Patriarch of Constantinople, Athenagoras (himself of Albanian ancestry), to send a canonical bishop.

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The Church of Albania

Introduction

The Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania is one of the newest autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches, having only been established in the 1922 by the fathers of the Albanian Orthodoxy Fan Noli, Visarion Xhuvani, et al. The Church of Albania witch claimed its autocephaly in 1922, was recognized by Constantinople in 1937.
Christianity arrived in Albania before the 4th century from two directions. The Ghegs in the north of the country became Latin Christians, while the Byzantine tradition was predominant among the Tosk people in the south.

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