Autocephaly

Autocephaly is a status in Eastern Orthodoxy where a church oversees its own affairs independently, without outside approval from a higher church authority like a patriarch or the Ecumenical Patriarch. It allows a national church, such as the Greek Orthodox or Serbian Orthodox Church, to govern itself, appoint bishops, and make decisions locally. Autocephaly is often granted through formal recognition and can be a nation’s assertion of religious independence. This status fosters self-governance and national identity within the church, distinguishing it from churches that are under the authority of a higher patriarchate.