Q 01/05

What official name does the communion use for itself in its liturgical texts?

A) Orthodox Catholic Church

B) Greek Apostolic Church

C) Byzantine Holy Church

D) Eastern Christian Communion

Answer · why

A) Orthodox Catholic Church

Its theologians still call the church 'Catholic'; 'Eastern Orthodox' simply avoids confusion with Rome.

Q 02/05

Roughly how many adherents does the Eastern Orthodox Church have?

A) 500 million

B) 220 million

C) 280 million

D) 350 million

Answer · why

B) 220 million

That makes it the second-largest Christian communion after the Catholic Church.

Q 03/05

Who is recognised by Orthodox churches as primus inter pares, 'first among equals'?

A) Patriarch of Alexandria

B) Archbishop of Athens

C) Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople

D) Patriarch of Moscow

Answer · why

C) Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople

The title belonged to the patriarch of Rome before the East–West Schism.

Q 04/05

How many ecumenical councils does the Eastern Orthodox Church recognise?

A) Three

B) Twelve

C) Twenty-one

D) Seven

Answer · why

D) Seven

Some expect the 879 council that vindicated Patriarch Photius to be counted as an eighth one day.

Q 05/05

In which year did the East–West Schism conventionally take place?

A) 1054

B) 1204

C) 1453

D) 1517

Answer · why

A) 1054

Scholars have also proposed 1009, 1204, 1277 and 1484 as the 'real' date.