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The '''{{church|name=Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia''' presents both an ancient history as well as a very modern history[[Image:Czechslovakia logo. The present day gif|center|Orthodox Church occupies of the lands, Moravia, where the brothers SSCzech Lands and Slovakia]]|founder=Ss. [[Cyril and Methodius began their mission to the Slavs]]|independence=1951, introducing the liturgical and canonical order 1998 |recognition=1951 by [[Church of the Orthodox Eastern Russia|Moscow]], 1998 by [[Churchof Constantinople|Constantinople]] |primate=[[Christopher (Pulets) of Prague|Metr. Christopher]]|hq=Prešov, translated into the Slavic 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. In doing this they developed the first slavic alphabetpravoslav.gts. This mission was destroyed after Methodius died in 885, as Pope Stephen V cz/ Church of Rome forced all disciples of the brothers to leave the countryside which now is the Czech Republic. The Orthodox order survived in present day Lands and Slovakia due to its nearness and influence to Kievian Russia until the union with Rome was instituted by the Viennese Court.]}}

After The '''Church of the legal restrains to Orthodoxy were removed with Czech Lands and Slovakia''' is a [[autocephaly|self-governing body]] of the Orthodox Christian church that territorially covers the end countries of World War I, many people left the Roman Catholic Church. Many looked to Czech Republic and the Serbian Orthodox Church as parts Republic of it had been within the pre-war unionSlovakia. Among them was a Roman Catholic priestThe [[primate]] is His Beatitude, Matthias PavlikMetropolitan [[Christopher (Pulets) of Prague|Christopher of Prague]] and the Czech Lands and Slovakia, who had been interested in Orthodox Christianity for years. The Church of Serbiawas elected on [[May 2]], thus, consented to consecrate Fr. Matthias as a bishop of the Orthodox Church with the name Gorazd2006.

On ==History==The Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia presents both an ancient history as well as a very modern history. The present day church occupies the land of Moravia, where the brothers Ss. [[September 25Cyril and Methodius]]began their mission to the Slavs, 1921 Archimandrite Gorazd was consecrated introducing the liturgical and canonical order of the [[BishopOrthodox Church]] of Moravia and Silesia at , translated into the Cathedral of [[Church Slavonic]] language. In doing this they developed the Holy Archangel Michael first Slavic alphabet. This mission was destroyed after Methodius died in Belgrade885, Yugoslavia by as Pope [[PatriarchStephen V of Rome]] Dimitri forced all disciples of Serbiathe brothers to leave the countryside which is now the Czech Republic. Bp. Gorazd (Pavlik) is considered The Orthodox order survived in present day Slovakia due to its nearness and influence to be in Kievan Russia until the succession from Archbishop Methodius of Moravia and bears union with Rome was instituted by the name of one of St Methodius’ disciples and successor, Bp. GorazdViennese Court.

As After the Orthodox leader in legal restraints to Orthodoxy were removed with the new nation end of CzechoslovakiaWorld War I, Bpmany people left the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. Gorazd laid Many looked to the foundations [[Church of the Serbia|Serbian Orthodox Church throughout Bohemia, Moravia, and into Slovakia. In Bohemia, he oversaw the building ]] as parts of eleven churches and two chapels. He also had published the essential books for the conduct of Serbian church service that were translated in had been within the Czech languagepre-war union. He provided aid to Among those in Slovakia and Subcarpathian Russia which then seeking the Orthodox church was part of Czechoslovakiaa Roman Catholic priest, Matthias Pavlik, and who wanted had been interested in Orthodox Christianity for years. The [[Church of Serbia]] thus consented to return to their ancestral Orthodox faith[[consecration of a bishop|consecrate]] Fr. Thus, in Matthias as a bishop of the intra war period, Bp. Gorazd built Orthodox Church with the small Czech name [[churchGorazd (Pavlik) of Prague|Gorazd]] that during World War II would show how firmly it was connected to the Czech nation.

As Hitler and his Nazis swept through EuropeOn [[September 25]], 1921, a harsh rule descended on each nation. Czechoslovakia Archimandrite Gorazd was no different as it suffered under the rule of Hitler’s heir apparent, Reichsprotector Reinhard Heydrich. After the consecrated [[May 27Bishop]], 1942 assassination attack on Heydrich’s car near of Moravia and Silesia at the SS Cyril and Methodius Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Archangel Michael in PragueBelgrade, Yugoslavia, the Czech patriots took refuge in the by [[cryptPatriarch]] Dimitri of the Cathedral before continuing their escapeSerbia. They were aided in this by senior church laymen and about which Bp. Gorazd was informed. However, their presence was discovered by (Pavlik) is considered to be in the Nazis, succession from Archbishop Methodius of Moravia and on [[June 18]] bears the Nazis attacked their hiding place in the Cathedral, killing themname of one of St. The Orthodox [[priest]]Methodius'sdisciples and successor, laymen, and Bp. Gorazd were arrested and killed by firing squads on [[September 4]], 1942.

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 reprisal Bohemia, he oversaw the building of eleven churches and two chapels. He also published the Nazis forbid essential books for the conduct of church services that were translated in the Czech language. He provided aid to operate those in Bohemia Slovakia and Subcarpathian Russia which then were part of Czechoslovakia, and Moraviawho wanted to return to their ancestral Orthodox faith from the [[Unia]]. Thus, in the interbellum period, Bp. Gorazd built the small Czech church that during World War II would show how firmly it was connected to the churches Czech nation.[[Image:Pravoslavny katedralni chram sv. Cyrila a Metodeje Resslova Praha.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Ss. Cyril and chapels were closedMethodius Cathedral in Prague, Czech Republic]]As Hitler and his Nazis swept through Europe, a round up harsh rule descended on each nation. Czechoslovakia was no different as it suffered under the rule of Czechs was conductedHitler'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, including Czech patriots took refuge in the whole village [[crypt]] of Lidicethe cathedral before continuing their escape. They were aided by senior church [[laity|laymen]], who were either killed or sent off to forced labor campskept Bp. Gorazd informed. For However, their presence was discovered by the Orthodox Church Nazis, and on [[June 18]] the whole church fell under Nazis attacked their hiding place in the Nazi persecutions and was decimatedcathedral, killing them. A total of 256 The Orthodox priests [[priest]]s, laymen, and lay people Bp. Gorazd were executedarrested and killed by firing squads on [[September 4]], and church life came to a stop1942.

After World War II In reprisal the Nazis forbade the Orthodox Church church to operate in Czechoslovakia began its recovery, without its beloved bishopBohemia and Moravia. On [[December 9]] Churches and chapels were closed, 1951and a rounding up of Czechs was conducted, including the Patriarch whole village of Moscow granted an [[autocephalous]] status Lidice, whose inhabitants were either killed or sent to forced labor camps. For the Orthodox Church of Czechoslovakiathe whole church fell under the Nazi persecution and was decimated. The Patriarch A total of Constantinople followed on August 27256 Orthodox priests and laymen were executed, 1998 with and church life came to a [[Tomos]] of [[autocephaly]]stop.

The 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 [[martyrautocephaly]]dom to the Orthodox Church of Bp. Gorazd Czechoslovakia, though this action was not recognized by Constantinople, which regarded the Serbian Orthodox Church on Czechoslovakian church as being [[May 4autonomy|autonomous]], 1961, as under its authority. The Patriarch of Constantinople later granted a New Martyr. Subsequently, [[tomos]] of [[autocephaly]] on [[August 2427]], 1987 he was glorified at the Cathedral of St. Gorazd in Olomouc, Moravia1998.

The [[martyr]]dom of Bp. Gorazd was recognized by the Serbian Orthodox Church of Czechoslovakia is now organized into four eparchies under the first hierarch, the on [[ArchbishopMay 4]] of Prague and , 1961, which glorified Gorazd as a [[MetropolitanNew Martyr]] of the Czech Lands and Slovakia. Subsequently, assisted by a on [[vicarAugust 24]] of the Prague , 1987, he was [[eparchyglorification|glorified]] with at the title Cathedral of Bishop of Marianske LazneSt. The four eparchies, each led by a bishop, are: Prague, Gorazd in Olomouc-Brno, Presov, and Michalovce. 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 SlovakiaMoravia.

There are 82 parishes ==Administration==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 with 51 as the '''Orthodox Church in Bohemia the Czech Lands''' and 31 in Moravia the Slovak Republic as the '''Orthodox Church in Slovakia''', but canonical unity was maintained as the '''Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and SilesiaSlovakia'''. The Orthodox Theological Faculty 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 University eparchies of Presov provides an education , and Michalovce are under the Council for future priestsSlovakia.

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 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. The Monastery of St. Procopius of Sazava is located in Most, and that of the Dormition in Vilemov. ==External 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 {{churches}} [[Category:Czech and Slovakian Dioceses| ]][[Category: Jurisdictions|Czech Lands and Slovakia]] [[es:Iglesia Ortodoxa de Chequia y Eslovaquia]][[fr:Église de Tchéquie et de Slovaquie]][[ro:Biserica Ortodoxă a Cehiei şi Slovaciei]][[ru:Чехословацкая православная церковь]]