Orthodoxy

(Gr. orthos, right, straight, true, and doxa, opinion). Conformity with the views officially held to be true. Dogmatic rectitude in political and social groups. Orthodox Church or Eastern Orthodox Church, official name of the Christian churches that practice Eastern rites (in Syria, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Serbia, Bulgaria, Rumania, Russia, the Ukraine, and other countries). Since 1054, when the Christian churches of Rome and Constantinople became separated, this centrifugal process has continued and intensified. Since 1961 most of the independent Orthodox churches that recognize the moral authority of the Patriarch of Constantinople have held conferences (in which fifteen official Orthodox churches have participated). And there are a number of Orthodox churches in each country. In Russia alone, in addition to the official church that enjoys the open support of the government, there are four Orthodox churches that follow the old rites and no fewer than six that follow other rites.