Brief History of the Byzantine Church - Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Rochester NY

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BYZANTINE CHURCH

33 AD through 2009

Below are brief descriptions that highlight historical dates and events regarding the Byzantine Church

33AD Pentecost event – Birth of the Church – Apostles as first presbyters (Acts 2)	33-313AD The era of Christian persecutions	52-68AD The Apostle Thomas brings Christianity to India and China	33AD Constantine and Licinius issued the Edict of Milan making Christianity the state religion and ending the period of Roman persecution of Christians
319AD Constantine the Great begins construction on St Peter’s Basilica in Rome	330AD Constantine moves imperial residence to Byzantium (renamed Constantinople)	325AD The first of the seven (7) great Ecumenical Councils to formalize the dogma of the Christian faith	404AD The Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom is finalized. This Liturgy is based on the previous liturgies of St James and St Basil
532AD Emperor Justinian begins construction on Agia Sophia in Constantinople. Construction lasts 6 years	550AD The Pentarchy was first tangibly expressed in the laws of Emperor Justinian particularly in Novella 131.	692AD The Quinisext Council gives formal recognition to the Pentarchy and ranks the 5 great Patriarchates	787AD The era of Ecumenical Councils ends at Nicea; the Seventh Council restores the centuries-old use of icons to the Church
988AD Conversion of the Rus (Russia) by Greek missionaries from Constantinople, Saints Cyril and Saint Methodius. They developed the Cyrillic alphabet and translated parts of the Bible into Church Slavonic language	1054AD The Great Schism occurs in which the Eastern and Western Churches excommunicate one another. Two major issues include Rome’s claim to a universal papal supremacy and her addition of the filioque clause to the Nicene Creed.	1094AD The Crusades begun by the Roman Church. The Sack of Constantinople (1204) adds to the estrangement between East and West.	1453AD Ottomans overrun Constantinople. Byzantine Empire ends
1453-1825AD The Orthodox Church operates under the captivity of the Ottoman Empire	1715AD The first Orthodox mission in China was established in Beijing by the priestmonk Hilarion	1898-1900 The Boxer Rebellion in China targets Christian missionaries and Chinese converts slaughtering 222 Orthodox Chinese, including Chinese born Father Mitrophan. The Church celebrates this on June 24 as the Holy Martyrs of China	1794 Russian missionaries, including St. Herman of Alaska, arrive at Kodiak Island, bringing Orthodoxy to Russian Alaska.
1864 Holy Trinity Church established as the first Orthodox parish in America in New Orleans, Louisiana, by Greeks. Still active.	1895 Fr Raphael Hawaweeny is sent by Bishop Nicholas of Russia to establish the first Antiochian parish in America in Manhattan, NY to serve the Syrian Orthodox population	1904 Fr Raphael is consecrated “Bishop of Brooklyn” at St. Nicholas Church in NY becoming the first Orthodox bishop of any nationality to be consecrated in North America.	1908Patriarch of Constantinople gives temporary care of American Greek parishes to the Archdiocese of Greece
1918 Bolshevik Revolution throws the Church of Russia into chaos, which leaves the fledgling Russian mission in America stranded which then organizes into the Metropolia	1922 Church of Greece transfers control of Greek parishes in America back to the Church of Constantinople, which then creates the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America	1930 The Holy Synod and the Church of Romania proclaim the establishment of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America located in Ohio.	1931 Bishop Athenagoras becomes Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
1937 Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological School founded in Pomfret, Connecticut	1938 Founding of St. Vladimir’s Russian Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, New York) and St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SCanaan, Pennsylvania).	1946 Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological School moves to Brookline, MA	1955 Orthodoxy officially recognized as major faith by U.S. government
1959 Bishop Iakovos becomes Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Longest standing Archbishop from 1959-1996.	1970 Church of Russia grants autocephaly to the Metropolia and the Metropolia approves the new name of Orthodox Church in America (OCA). Constantinople ceases all official contact with the OCA and declares it uncanonical.	2009 The 14 Autocephalous Orthodox Churches establish the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central Americato allow the so-called Orthodox Diaspora the authority to propose future administrative structures for the Church in their respective regions. This Assembly replaces the former SCOBA.