Greek Church
Preserved but no longer current.
A name often given in- accurately to the Eastern or Orthodox Church fa.v.) of which the Greek Church is only an autocephalous unit, recognized as independent by the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1850. It is governed by a synod under the presidency of the Archbishop of Athens, and does not differ in any point of doctrine from its parent the Orthodox Church.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Greek Church” mean?
A name often given in- accurately to the Eastern or Orthodox Church fa.v.) of which the Greek Church is only an autocephalous unit, recognized as independent by the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1850. It is governed by a synod under the presidency of the Archbishop of Athens, and does not differ in any point of doctrine from its parent the Orthodox Church.
Is “Greek Church” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.