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{{cleanupchurch|name=Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia[[Image:Czechslovakia logo.gif|center|Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia]]|founder=Ss. [[Cyril and Methodius]]|independence=1951, 1998 |recognition=1951 by [[Church of Russia|Moscow]], 1998 by [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]] |primate=[[Christopher (Pulets) of Prague|Metr. Christopher]]|hq=Prešov, Slovakia|territory=Czech Republic and Slovakia|possessions=—|language=[[Church Slavonic]]|music=[[Prostopinije]]/Choral|calendar=[[Julian Calendar|Julian]], [[Revised Julian Calendar|Revised Julian]]|population=71,000|website=[http://www.pravoslav.gts.cz/ Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia]}}

The '''Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia''' is a [[autocephaly|self-governing body ]] of the Orthodox Christian church that territorially covers the countries of the Czech Republic and the Republic of Slovakia. The current ruling hierarch [[primate]] is His Beatitude, Metropolitan Nicholas [[Christopher (Pulets) of PresovPrague|Christopher of Prague]] and the Czech Lands and Slovakia, who was elected on [[May 2]], 2006.

The Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia presents both an ancient history as well as a very modern history. The present day Church church occupies the lands, land of Moravia, where the brothers SSSs. [[Cyril and Methodius ]] began their mission to the Slavs, introducing the liturgical and canonical order of the [[Orthodox Eastern Church]], translated into the Slavic [[Church Slavonic]] language. In doing this they developed the first slavic Slavic alphabet. This mission was destroyed after Methodius died in 885, as Pope [[Stephen V of Rome ]] forced all disciples of the brothers to leave the countryside which is now is the Czech Republic. The Orthodox order survived in present day Slovakia due to its nearness and influence to Kievian Kievan Russia until the union with Rome was instituted by the Viennese Court.

After the legal restrains restraints to Orthodoxy were removed with the end of World War I, many people left the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. Many looked to the [[Church of Serbia|Serbian Orthodox Church ]] as parts of the Serbian church had been within the pre-war union. Among those seeking the Orthodox church was a Roman Catholic priest, Matthias Pavlik, who had been interested in Orthodox Christianity for years. The [[Church of Serbia]], thus, consented to [[consecration of a bishop|consecrate ]] Fr. Matthias as a bishop of the Orthodox Church with the name [[Gorazd (Pavlik) of Prague|Gorazd]].

On [[September 25]], 1921 , Archimandrite Gorazd was consecrated [[Bishop]] of Moravia and Silesia at the Cathedral of the Holy Archangel Michael in Belgrade, Yugoslavia , by [[Patriarch]] Dimitri of Serbia. Bp. Gorazd (Pavlik) is considered to be in the succession from Archbishop Methodius of Moravia and bears the name of one of St. Methodius's disciples and successor, Bp. Gorazd.

As the Orthodox leader in the new nation of Czechoslovakia, Bp. Gorazd laid the foundations of the Orthodox Church throughout Bohemia, Moravia, and into Slovakia. In Bohemia, he oversaw the building of eleven churches and two chapels. He also had published the essential books for the conduct of church service services that were translated in the Czech language. He provided aid to those in Slovakia and Subcarpathian Russia which then were part of Czechoslovakia, and who wanted to return to their ancestral Orthodox faithfrom the [[Unia]]. Thus, in the intra war interbellum period, Bp. Gorazd built the small Czech [[church]] that during World War II would show how firmly it was connected to the Czech nation.[[Image:Pravoslavny katedralni chram sv. Cyrila a Metodeje Resslova Praha.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Ss. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral in Prague, Czech Republic]]As Hitler and his Nazis swept through Europe, a harsh rule descended on each nation. Czechoslovakia was no different as it suffered under the rule of Hitler's heir apparent, Reichsprotector Reinhard Heydrich. After the [[May 27]], 1942, assassination attack on Heydrich's car near the [[Ss. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral (Prague, Czech Republic)|Ss. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral]] in Prague, Czech patriots took refuge in the [[crypt]] of the cathedral before continuing their escape. They were aided by senior church [[laity|laymen]], who kept Bp. Gorazd informed. However, their presence was discovered by the Nazis, and on [[June 18]] the Nazis attacked their hiding place in the cathedral, killing them. The Orthodox [[priest]]s, laymen, and Bp. Gorazd were arrested and killed by firing squads on [[September 4]], 1942.

As Hitler and his In reprisal the Nazis swept through Europe, a harsh rule descended on each nation. Czechoslovakia was no different as it suffered under forbade the rule of Hitler’s heir apparent, Reichsprotector Reinhard Heydrichchurch to operate in Bohemia and Moravia. After the [[May 27]], 1942 assassination attack on Heydrich's car near the [[Ss. Cyril Churches and Methodius Cathedral (Praguechapels were closed, Czech Republic)|Ss. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral]] in Praguea rounding up of Czechs was conducted, including the Czech patriots took refuge in the [[crypt]] whole village of the Cathedral before continuing their escape. They Lidice, whose inhabitants were aided in this by senior church laymen and about which Bp. Gorazd was informedeither killed or sent to forced labor camps. However, their presence was discovered by For the Nazis, and on [[June 18]] Orthodox the Nazis attacked their hiding place in whole church fell under the Cathedral, killing themNazi persecution and was decimated. The A total of 256 Orthodox [[priest]]s, priests and laymenwere executed, and Bp. Gorazd were arrested and killed by firing squads on [[September 4]], 1942church life came to a stop.

In reprisal After World War II the Nazis forbid the church to operate Orthodox Church in Bohemia and Moravia, the churches and chapels were closedCzechoslovakia began its recovery without its beloved bishop. On [[December 9]], and a round up of Czechs was conducted1951, including the whole village Patriarch of Lidice, whose inhabitants were either killed or sent off Moscow granted [[autocephaly]] to forced labor camps. For the Orthodox Church of Czechoslovakia, though this action was not recognized by Constantinople, which regarded the whole Czechoslovakian church fell as being [[autonomy|autonomous]] under the Nazi persecutions and was decimatedits authority. A total The Patriarch of Constantinople later granted a [[tomos]] of 256 Orthodox priests and lay people were executed[[autocephaly]] on [[August 27]], and church life came to a stop1998.

After World War II the Orthodox Church in Czechoslovakia began its recovery, without its beloved bishop. On [[December 9]], 1951, the Patriarch of Moscow granted an [[autocephalous]] status to the Orthodox Church of Czechoslovakia. The Patriarch of Constantinople followed on August 27, 1998 with a [[Tomos]] of [[autocephaly]]. The [[martyr]]dom of Bp. Gorazd was recognized by the Serbian Orthodox Church on [[May 4]], 1961, which glorified Gorazd as a [[New Martyr]]. Subsequently, on [[August 24]], 1987 , he was [[glorification|glorified ]] at the Cathedral of St. Gorazd in Olomouc, Moravia.

After the Czech and Slovak Republics separated into independent republics in 1993, activity continued in each country as separate legal entities: in the Czech Republic as the '''Orthodox Church in the Czech Lands''' and in the Slovak Republic as the '''Orthodox Church in Slovakia''', but canonical unity was maintained as the '''Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia'''. The Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia church is now organized into four [[eparchy|eparchies ]] divided into two administrative centers: the Metropolitan Council for the Czech Republic resident in Prague and the Metropolitan Council for the Slovak Republic in Presov. Under the Council in Prague are the eparchies of Prague and Olomouc-Brno, while the eparchies of Presov, and Michalovce are under the Council for Slovakia.

After the repose of His Beatitude, [[Metropolitan]] [[Dorotheus (Filipp) of Prague|Dorotheus ]] of Prague and All Czechoslovakia, [[Archbishop]] Nicholas of Presov was elected the new Metropolitan metropolitan, and the Church’s church's primatial see was moved from Prague to Presov. Metr. Nicholas reposed on [[January 30]], 2006, and was replaced by Archbishop Christopher of Prague and the Czech Lands (elected [[May 2]], 2006).

In the Czech Republic, there are 82 [[parish]]es , with 51 in Bohemia and 31 in Moravia and Silesia. In the Republic of Slovakia, there are 69 parishes in the [[eparchy]] of Presov and 21 parishes in the eparchy of Michalovce. The Orthodox Theological Faculty of the University of Presov provides an education for future [[priest]]s of combined Church. The faculty maintains a detached branch in Olomouc.

== External Links links==* [http://www.pravoslavnacirkev.cz/ Orthodox Church in the Czech Lands]* [http://www.orthodox.sk/ Orthodox Church in Slovakia]*[http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx?eccpageID=26&IndexView=toc Eastern Christian Churches: The Orthodox Church in Czech and Slovak Republics], a scholarly text by Ronald Roberson, CSP, a Roman Catholic priest and Eastern Christianity scholar