Home page News
Autonomy and the Means of Proclaiming It

Autonomy and the Means of Proclaiming It

Decision taken by the 5th Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conference, Chambésy, October 10-17, 2015
Published in compliance with the resolution of the Synaxis of Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches, Chambésy, January 21-28, 2016.
Upon completing the work based on the text “Autonomy and the Means of Proclaiming It” that had been agreed upon and adopted by the Inter-Orthodox Preparatory Commission at its session in Chambésy on December 9-17, 2009, the 5th Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conference considered ecclesiological, canonical and pastoral aspects of the institution of autonomy and arrived at a unanimous Pan-Orthodox position on the matter.
The issues considered by the 5th Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conference, derived from the topics of the text adopted by the Inter-Orthodox Preparatory Commission, related to:
a) the concept, nature and various forms of the institution of autonomy;
b) the prerequisites, on the basis of which a local Church petitions the Autocephalous Church to which it belongs to grant it autonomy;
c) the exclusive prerogative of the Autocephalous Church to initiate and complete the process of granting autonomy to a certain part of its canonical jurisdiction, provided that no autonomous Churches shall be established in the territory of the Orthodox diaspora; and
d) the impact of this ecclesiastical act on relations of the proclaimed Autonomous Church both with the Autocephalous Church to which it belongs, and with the other Autocephalous Orthodox Churches.
1. The institution of autonomy is a canonical expression of the status of relative or partial independence that a certain ecclesiastical area has from the canonical jurisdiction of the Autocephalous Church to which it canonically belongs.

a) The application of this institution in church practice has resulted in varying degrees of dependence of an Autonomous Church upon the Autocephalous Church to which it belongs.
b) The election of the head of an Autonomous Church shall be approved or carried out by the competent ecclesiastical authority of the Autocephalous Church, the primate of which the Autonomous Church shall commemorate and be in canonical relationship to.
c) Functioning of the institution of autonomy implies that it shall be used in church practice in various forms, as defined by the degree of an Autonomous Church’s dependence on the Autocephalous Church.
d) In some forms of autonomy, the degree of dependence of an Autocephalous Church shall be expressed through its primate’s participation in the Synod of the Autocephalous Church.
2. The initiation and completion of the process of proclaiming autonomy to a part of its canonical jurisdiction, to which the Church belongs, having been proclaimed autonomous, is the canonical prerogative of the Autocephalous Church. Accordingly,
a) If a local Church requesting autonomy fulfills all necessary ecclesiastical and pastoral prerequisites, it shall appeal to the Autocephalous Church to which it belongs, explaining the serious reasons prompting such an appeal.
b) Upon receiving the appeal, the Autocephalous Church shall consider all its prerequisites and reasons, and make a decision whether or not to grant autonomy. Should the decision be favorable, the Autocephalous Church shall issue a Tomos defining the territorial boundaries of the Autonomous Church, as well as its relations with the Autocephalous Church to which it belongs, in accordance with the established criteria of ecclesiastical Tradition.
c) The primate of the Autocephalous Church shall inform the Ecumenical Patriarchate and other Autocephalous Orthodox Churches of the proclamation of the Autonomous Church.
d) The Autonomous Church maintains inter-Orthodox, inter-Christian and inter-religious relations via the Autocephalous Church that granted it autonomy.
e) Each Autocephalous Church may only grant autonomy to a Church that acts within its geographical boundaries. No Autonomous Church shall be established in the territory of the Orthodox diaspora, except by pan-Orthodox consent mediated by the Ecumenical Patriarch in accordance with pan-Orthodox procedure.
f) Should two Autocephalous Churches grant autonomous status within one and the same geographical ecclesiastical area, with resulting disagreements concerning these autonomies, the parties involved shall appeal, together or separately, to the Ecumenical Patriarch to come to a canonical solution to the question in accordance with pan-Orthodox procedure.
3. The implications arising from the proclamation of autonomy concerning the Autonomous Church and its relationship with the Autocephalous Church are as follows:
a) The head of the Autonomous Church shall only commemorate the primate of the Autocephalous Church;
b) The name of the head of the Autonomous Church shall not be included in the Diptychs;
c) The Autonomous Church shall receive Holy Chrism from the Autocephalous Church;
d) Bishops of the Autonomous Church shall be elected and appointed by its own competent ecclesiastical authority. In the event that the Autonomous Church finds this absolutely impossible, it shall receive assistance from the Autocephalous Church to which it belongs.
Chambésy, October 15, 2015

Share:
Phone conversation took place between the Primates of Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches

17.11.2024

Telephone conversation held between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the Primate of the Malankara Church of India

01.11.2024

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the VIII World Congress of Compatriots Living Abroad

30.10.2024

Order of Right-Believing Prince Daniel of Moscow presented to Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk by Patriarch Kirill

24.10.2024

Primate of the Russian Church celebrates Divine Liturgy in the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius Lavra on the commemoration day of St. Sergius of Radonezh

09.10.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Little Vespers and Akathistos hymn to St. Sergius in the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius

07.10.2024

Message from the Primate of the Russian Church to His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia in connection with blasphemous act on the ruins of ancient Ulpiana

14.09.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates on the feast of the 300th anniversary of the transfer of relics of St.Alexander Nevsky to St. Petersburg

12.09.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates All-night Vigil at the Christ the Savior Cathedral on the eve of Transfiguration

18.08.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' met with the Ambassador of India to Russia

30.07.2024

Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Awa III: Ukrainian government’s support for schism and persecution of the major canonical Church is a religious pogrom against the faithful Orthodox Christians of that country

24.07.2024

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church consecrates the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in the city of Tver.

21.07.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Liturgy at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius on the commemoration day of the saint

18.07.2024

The Primate of the Russian Church celebrates All-night Vigil at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius

17.07.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Little Vespers at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius and reads akathist to the saint

17.07.2024

Phone conversation took place between the Primates of Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches

17.11.2024

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije

17.11.2024

Conference dedicated to centennial of the Holy Trinity Russian church is held in Belgrade

16.11.2024

Delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church takes part in COP29 Summit of Religious Leaders

06.11.2024

DECR chairman concludes his visit to India

03.11.2024

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with young Indian Christians

02.11.2024

Primate of Malankara Church of India receives Order of Glory and Honour, 1st Class

02.11.2024

DECR chairman takes part in church celebrations in India

02.11.2024

Telephone conversation held between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the Primate of the Malankara Church of India

01.11.2024

DECR Chairman has begun his visit to India

31.10.2024

Work of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is declared successful

24.10.2024

Synod acknowledges importance of bilateral projects carried out in collaboration with Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

24.10.2024

Order of Right-Believing Prince Daniel of Moscow presented to Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk by Patriarch Kirill

24.10.2024

DECR Chairman heads celebrations for the fifteenth anniversary of the consecration of the Dormition Church at the Russian embassy in Beijing.

19.10.2024

Saint Petersburg Theological Academy hosts conference on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) entitled ‘The Person of Metropolitan Nikodim in the History of the Church’.

16.10.2024

Metropolitan Hilarion: Many things in a person's life depend on faith

29.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Holy Spirit is the main treasure of the Christian soul

01.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: Holiness is a constant striving to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ

27.06.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: God does not want to condemn, but to save us

07.03.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord always grants to us the opportunity to display our talents

24.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord has imbued the waters of Jordan with his divine presence to wash away human sins

19.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: to repent means to change your way of life

17.01.2021

On commemoration day of St. Catherine, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk officiated at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr In-the-Fields  the representation of the Orthodox Church in America

07.12.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We can always show compassion for people

29.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates on commemoration day of St. Varlaam of Khutyn at the church of ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ icon of the Mother of God

19.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We should remember that the life of each human being is in the hands of God

06.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: For God there is nothing impossible

25.10.2020

Metropoplitan Hilarion: The cross which was an instrument of dishonourable execution becomes the symbol of salvation for millions of people

27.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Eucharist is the wedding feast, to which Lord Jesus Christ invites each of us

13.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Faith alone is not enough for salvation

30.08.2020

Page is available in the following languages
Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب