--- title: "Church history — Orthodoxy" description: "Articles on the history of the Church, the Ecumenical Councils, feasts, icons and the basics of the faith." url: "https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history" language: "en" --- # Church history Articles on the history of the Church, the Ecumenical Councils, feasts, icons and the basics of the faith. [Timeline](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/timeline) [Lives of saints](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/saints) [Glossary](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/glossary) ## Church history - [33–100 The Apostolic Age The birth of the Church at Pentecost and the preaching of the apostles in the 1st century.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-apostolic-age) - [64–313 Early Christianity and the Persecutions From Nero's persecution to the Edict of Milan in 313.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-persecutions) - [300–1400 Monasticism From the Egyptian desert fathers of the 4th century to Mount Athos and the Russian lavras.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-monasticism) - [330–1453 Byzantium and the Liturgy Constantinople as the centre of the Orthodox world: Hagia Sophia, the Liturgy, hymnography.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-byzantium) - [988 The Baptism of Rus The adoption of Christianity by Kievan Rus under Prince Vladimir in 988.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-baptism-of-rus) - [1054 The Schism of 1054 The mutual anathemas of 1054 and the gradual estrangement of East and West.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-schism1054) - [1448–2000 History of the Russian Church: from Metropolis to Patriarchate and the 20th century Milestones: autocephaly 1448, Patriarchate 1589, the Synodal period, the Council of 1917–1918, the persecutions of the 20th century.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-russian-church) - [The Local Orthodox Churches Orthodoxy is a family of autocephalous Churches united in faith and sacraments.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-local-churches) - [Church Art: Icon, Temple, Chant How iconography, church architecture and liturgical singing took shape.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-church-art) ## The Ecumenical Councils The seven Ecumenical Councils (325–787) formulated the dogmas of the Trinity, of Christ and of the veneration of icons. [The Ecumenical Councils](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-councils) 1. [325 The First Ecumenical Council (Nicaea, 325)](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-council1) 2. [381 The Second Ecumenical Council (Constantinople, 381)](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-council2) 3. [431 The Third Ecumenical Council (Ephesus, 431)](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-council3) 4. [451 The Fourth Ecumenical Council (Chalcedon, 451)](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-council4) 5. [553 The Fifth Ecumenical Council (Constantinople, 553)](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-council5) 6. [680–681 The Sixth Ecumenical Council (Constantinople, 680–681)](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-council6) 7. [787 The Seventh Ecumenical Council (Nicaea, 787)](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/history-council7) ## Basics of the faith - [What Orthodox Christians Believe A summary of the faith according to the Creed.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/basics-faith) - [The Sacraments Baptism, Chrismation, Eucharist, Repentance, Priesthood, Marriage, Holy Unction.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/basics-sacraments) - [The Divine Liturgy The principal service of the Church and its structure.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/basics-liturgy) - [Prayer and the Rule of Prayer How Orthodox Christians pray at home.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/basics-prayer) - [Fasting in the Orthodox Church The multi-day and one-day fasts, their meaning and measure.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/basics-fasting) - [The Church Year The fixed and movable cycles, Old and New Style.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/basics-church-year) - [The Layout of an Orthodox Church Narthex, nave, sanctuary and their meaning.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/basics-temple) - [The Iconostasis The tiers of icons between the sanctuary and the nave.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/basics-iconostasis) ## Feasts - [Pascha — the Bright Resurrection of Christ Meaning, history and worship of the chief Christian feast.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/feast-pascha) - [The Nativity of Christ The feast of the Incarnation: history, traditions, worship.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/feast-nativity) - [Theophany. The Baptism of the Lord The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan and the Great Blessing of Water.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/feast-theophany) - [The Exaltation of the Cross The finding of the Cross by St Helena and the meaning of the veneration of the Cross.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/feast-exaltation) - [Pentecost — Trinity Sunday The descent of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/feast-pentecost) - [The Protection of the Theotokos The vision of St Andrew the Fool-for-Christ at Blachernae and the Russian veneration of the Protection.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/feast-protection) ## Icons - [The Vladimir Icon of the Theotokos: history From Constantinople to the Tretyakov Gallery.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/icon-vladimir) - [The Kazan Icon of the Theotokos: history The appearance of 1579, the militia of 1612 and the fate of the original.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/icon-kazan) - [The “Trinity” of Andrei Rublev History, theology and composition of the most famous Russian icon.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/icon-rublev-trinity) - [How to Read an Icon Basics of iconography: types, colour, perspective, inscriptions.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/icon-how-to-read) ## Holy places - [Jerusalem and the Holy Land The places of Christ's earthly life and the oldest Christian shrines.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/place-jerusalem) - [The Holy Mountain of Athos The monastic republic on the Chalkidiki peninsula.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/place-athos) - [The Trinity-Sergius Lavra The spiritual centre of Russia founded by St Sergius.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/place-trinity-lavra) ## Lives of saints - [The Life of St Nicholas the Wonderworker Bishop of Myra in Lycia, swift helper and defender.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/saint-nicholas) - [The Life of St Sergius of Radonezh Abbot of the Russian Land and founder of the Trinity Monastery.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/saint-sergius) - [The Life of St Seraphim of Sarov The elder of Sarov and his teaching on the acquisition of the Holy Spirit.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/saint-seraphim) - [St John Chrysostom Preacher, interpreter of Scripture, author of the Liturgy.](https://spas.life/en/orthodoxy/history/saint-chrysostom)