As the Byzantine Empire fell, Russia emerged as a powerhouse of Orthodoxy. Moscow began to view itself as the "Third Rome," inheriting the mantle of the protector of the faith. The Rise of National Churches
The Orthodox Church by Timothy (Kallistos) Ware — The most widely used English-language introduction to the history and theology of the Church.
To finalize your paper, you should consult and cite authoritative texts on this subject: Istoria Biserici Ortodoxe
Moscow as the "Third Rome" and the expansion of the Russian Church.
The 19th and 20th centuries saw the Ottoman Empire crumble and the rise of modern nation-states in the Balkans. This led to the establishment of self-governing () national churches, such as the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Church of Greece, and the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Communist Crucible As the Byzantine Empire fell, Russia emerged as
The breaking point of 1054 and the Fall of Constantinople (1453).
The Orthodox Church views itself as the direct, uninterrupted continuation of the original Christian community established by Jesus Christ and His Apostles. In its early centuries, the Church was organized around five major patriarchal sees (the Pentarchy): Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. The Era of the Seven Councils To finalize your paper, you should consult and
The fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 marked a major turning point.