The Eastern Orthodox Church – or the Orthodox Church - is a religious organization founded by Jesus and his Twelve Apostles. It officially calls itself the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. There are approximately 220 million Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide. Eastern Orthodoxy is the second largest Christian communion in the world after the Roman Catholic Church, and the third largest religious grouping overall after Protestantism.
Eastern Orthodoxy is the largest single religious faith in Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, but there are also large Orthodox communities in Africa, Asia, Australia, Albania, Estonia, Jerusalem, North America, and South America.
There are Seven Sacraments within Christian Orthodoxy:
• Baptism
• Chrismation
• Confession
• Communion
• Marriage
• Holy Unction
• Holy Orders
Orthodox Christians believe in a single God who is both three and one (triune): Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity is three distinct, divine persons (hypostases) who share one divine essence (ousia)—uncreated, immaterial and eternal.
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