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{{[[Image:World canonical territories.png|right|thumb|600px|Map of the canonical territories of autocephalous and autonomous Orthodox jurisdictions ("churches}}"). Where a certain territory is disputed (either between two different churches or one church claims it as its territory while others consider it part of the diaspora), it is shown shaded. Click image to magnify.]][[Image:Europe canonical territories.png|right|thumb|200px|The European section of the above map, in closer detail. Click image to magnify.]]The '''[[autocephaly|autocephalous]] and [[autonomy|autonomous]] Orthodox churches''' are those churches (i.e. [[jurisdiction]]s) which have self-government. These jurisdictions are united in doctrine and worship, they recognize each other as canonical, they are in [[full communion]], and together they constitute ''the Orthodox Church''. The use of the term "churches" to refer to the various jurisdictions is informal; strictly speaking, they are just parts of the One Church, the Orthodox Church. The fact that these jurisdictions are in full communion with each other means that they recognize each other as parts of the Orthodox Church. However, it does not necessarily mean that they agree about each other's precise ''rank'' or ''status'' within the Church. The autocephaly or autonomy of several bodies is disputed. This means that there is a disagreement about whether the bodies in question are self-governing or not. So, for example, some consider the Orthodox Church in America to be self-governing, while others consider it to be a part of the Church of Russia.

The '''[[autocephaly|As a result, there are two ways to make a list of autocephalous]] and [[autonomy|autonomous]] Orthodox churches. The first way is to list only the jurisdictions that are ''universally' ' recognized as self-governing. This may be called the "minimal list", and it is used in most inter-Orthodox gatherings. The second way is to list all those jurisdictions that are those churches which have recognized as self-governmentgoverning by ''at least one'' other jurisdiction.

Despite these churches all being Groups that are ''not'' in [[full communion]] with one another, there is not currently unanimous agreement on which churches are considered autocephalous or autonomous. There is, however, an order which is followed in international Inter-the mainstream Orthodox gatheringsChurch, which is included here first. There is an expanded order which is recognized by such as some churches, most notably of the [[Church of RussiaOld Calendarists]] and its dependencies and historical daughter churches, are excluded from both versions of the list.

==Inter-Orthodox orderMinimal list==This is a list of churches that are recognized as autocephalous or autonomous by '''all''' the others. They are shown here in the canonical order established by Church Tradition.

==Expanded orderlist==This is a list of churches that are recognized as autocephalous or autonomous by '''at least some''' of the others. They are also shown here in canonical order.

It should be noted that in the [[diptychdiptychs]]s of the Moscow Patriarchate and some of its daughter churches (e.g., the OCA), the ranking of four of the patriarchal churches is different. Following Moscow in rank is Georgia, followed by then Serbia, Romania, and then Bulgaria. The remainder of the rankings beginning with Cyprus is the same.

*[[Church of Estonia (Ecumenical Patriarchate)|Church of Estonia]] (autonomy recognized by Constantinople but not Moscow)

*[[Archdiocese of Ohrid]] (autonomy recognized only by Serbia]]

==Formerly independent Former self-governing churches==These churches were formerly autocephalous or autonomous, but they are no longer Orthodox, or in some cases no longer exist.

==Unrecognized independent churchesChurches in schism==The following churches are variously unrecognized by in [[schism]] from the mainstream churches as independent Orthodox Church. In other words, they are not in communion and not considered part of the Orthodox Church, although in most cases they maintain the same doctrine and/or canonicalthe same practices.

*[[Macedonian Orthodox Churchof France]]

==External linkslink==