Orthodoxy in France

The Orthodox Christians in Central and Western Europe are a religious minority in these countries.

Greek orthodoxy

Until the Second World War, mainly Greeks came to study in Western Europe or as refugees from what is now Turkey (1922 ). Public Characters ( Constantin Carathéodory ) worked as a scientist, artist, or diplomats in Western Europe. Many Greeks abroad - especially from North Africa (Egypt) - emigrated in the 1950s to Western Europe ( eg, Georges Moustaki was known among them ). Due to the labor shortage in the 1960s, many workers were recruited from Greece to Germany. During the military dictatorship (1967-1974) in Greece many political refugees ( eg wiw Andreas Papandreou, Mikis Theodorakis ) came to Western Europe. Today, many Greek students still come for the purpose of studies to Western Europe. Among the Greek communities in Western Europe usually includes the faithful of the Greek Cypriot sister church. Many Cypriots came after the Turkish invasion and occupation especially from the northern part of the island to Western Europe (mostly the UK ).

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople Opel has in each case in Germany (Bonn), France with 16 municipalities and Metropolitan Church of St Stephanos (St. Etienne), in Paris, in Switzerland (Geneva), in Austria a Metropolitan ( bishop's seat ). The churches are mostly in large cities such as Vienna, Frankfurt, Mannheim, Lyon, Grenoble, Nice to see ( seat of the suffragan bishop ). The Metropolitan of Germany and Exarch of Central Europe is Augoustinos Lambardakis, Metropolitan of Austria Arsenio Kardamakis.

Romanian orthodoxy

The Romanian Orthodox Church currently has five dioceses in the Western and Central European diaspora. In 1949 there were about 300 000 Romanian Orthodox believers in Western Europe. For a long time the Metropolitan in Paris was responsible for these believers. After the fall of the communist regime and the opening of borders many Romanians have come to Western Europe. Since 1993 there is in Germany a Metropolitan for Germany and Central Europe. The current Metropolitan Serafim is Joanta ( since 1994). The seat of the metropolitans in Nuremberg. The Metropolitan Church is the Church of the Holy Martyr Demetrios in Nuremberg. The auxiliary bishop Sofian resided since 2003 in Munich. Since May 2008, there is in the canonical framework of this Metropolie a Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Northern Europe. It is presided over by Bishop Macarie Drăgoi.

In France, after an unusually long vacancy on March 15, 1998 His Exzelenz Metropolitan Iosif Pop was ordained. He is assisted in the management of affairs since 2005 by the Bishop Marc Alric. The Metropolitan Church since 2009, the Saint- Archanges Church in Paris. This Metropolie are two dioceses, one for Italy and one for Spain and Portugal, subordinates. The Spanish-Portuguese diocese is the Bishop Timotei Lauran and the Italian diocese is led by Bishop Silouan SPAN.

Slavic orthodoxy

Even before the October Revolution there were some communities of the Eastern Churches in Western Europe. During the communist period, there were political reasons little emigration of citizens from the Eastern bloc countries to Western Europe. The communities in Western Europe developed normally a life of its own. In part, the authority of the Patriarch was not recognized in their home countries. The Russian Church in Western Europe also maintained a religious radio program media of the Christian Orient. After the end of communist rule in the states of the former Warsaw Pact citizens are again increasingly migrated to Western Europe. This led in particular to strengthen the Western European communities abroad.

The Russian Orthodox Church has been established at the time of the Tsars some parishes in Western Europe. Most places where Russian aristocrats or upper middle class settled down and came to take the waters. For instance, in Wiesbaden, Darmstadt, Baden -Baden, Nice, Paris and Vienna Russian Orthodox parishes. By October Revolution many Russians fled to Western Europe. The Russian Orthodox Church in Paris is Ste. Trinité (Paris).

• The Exarchate of the Orthodox churches of Russian tradition in Western Europe (former Archbishopric of the Orthodox Russian churches in Western Europe) (Ecumenical Patriarchate ) Orthodox parish of the Holy Archangels with the Jan- Wellern Chapel in Dusseldorf.
• Among the oldest Slavic Orthodox dioceses in Western Europe is the Russian Orthodox Diocese of the Orthodox Bishop of Berlin and Germany.
• There is also the Berlin diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate of Berlin and Germany meanwhile about 60 municipalities and fixed places of worship.

Single Russian Orthodox parishes:

• Russian Church (Baden- Baden)
• Russian Memorial Church in Leipzig
• Russian Orthodox Church (Wiesbaden)
• Alexander Nevsky Memorial Church in Potsdam
• Russian Chapel ( Bad Homburg )
• Russian Chapel (Darmstadt)
• Russian Orthodox Church Weimar

• The Ukrainian Orthodox Eparchy of Western Europe has its headquarters in Bergisch -Gladbach.
• The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Western Europe has its headquarters in Paris, the. Central Europe in Hildesheim - Himmelsthür
• The Metropolitan Church of the Bulgarian Diocese of Western and Central Europe located in Berlin.
• French Orthodox Church