What was the center of the Eastern Orthodox Church?

Answer 1

The Eastern Orthodox Church does not have a headquarters or world leader, such as the pope in the Vatican City, however, the Ecumenical Patriarch is regarded as the 'First Among Equals' and he resides in the city of Constantinople.

Answer 2

The answer to your question depends upon what exactly you mean by a 'religious city.'

If you mean a city that is the foundation of Christian faith, the Orthodox look at the Christian history of Jerusalem as being something very special.

If you mean a city like Rome, or the Vatican within Rome, the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul,

Turkey is similar, but not identical in its importance to Orthodox Christians. Constantinople was founded both as the 'New Rome,' when Constantine, the Roman Emperor of the fourth century, moved the capitol of the Roman Empire to the location of a small town called Byzantium on the Golden Horn. Renamed Constantinople, the city was also founded as a Christian city, and many Churches, monasteries and Christian charities, such as hospitals, orphanages, and hospices were established within its walls. For more than one thousand years, it functioned as the capitol of the Roman Empire. While the bishop of Constantinople in his proximate to the Roman Emperor was influential, he did not have the same kind of authority as the Pope of Rome, in fact, when the Patriarches

of Constantinople deviated from the teachings of the Apostles, the laity and bishops outside of Constantinople frequently agitated until a Council of bishops was able to convene and depose the heretical teaching, restoring authority 'to that which had always been believed.' Only two of the seven Ecumenical Councils of the Church were held in Constantinople, and all others in other cities. The demand for a Council was done, not by the sole authority of the bishop of Constantinople and/or the Emperor, but was their response to the Body of Christ, the laity and the clergy in their proper roles as guardians of the Truth. The bishops who attended such Councils did not presume their deliberations to be correct, but expected the Body of Christ as the laity in their parishes to affirm or reject the statement of the Council.

Where ever Orthodox Christianity spread, the scriptures, hymns and Divine Liturgy were immediately translated into the local language. Over time, various localities became 'autocephalous'

or self-governing.

For example, the Russians, Albanians, Georgians, Ukrainians, Greeks,

Syrians, Palestinians, Romanians, Bulgarians, and Serbians at various times became self-governing,

but this does not mean that any of them changed their Orthodox Christian faith or practice. In various times and in various countries communities of Orthodox Christians have developed reputations for piety, and at that time, they have become attractive to visitors.

So, you might say that there are Churches, like The Church of the Holy Wisdom, and monasteries of great beauty, or with a reputation for piety that attract visitors for that reason, but as a Church we do not have a single 'relgious

city.'

Answer 3

The center was and still is Constantinople (now Istanbul, though the Orthodox do not recognize it as such).

Answer 4

It was and is in Constantinople (Istanbul).

Answer 5

constantinople