Eastern Orthodox Church - derived from the Byzantine Church and adhering to Byzantine ritescanonisation, canonization - (Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church) the act of admitting a deceased person into the canon of saints Catholic Church - any of several churches claiming to have maintained historical continuity with the original Christian Church Russian Orthodox Church - an independent church with its own Patriarch; until 1917 it was the established church or Russia bishop - a clergyman having spiritual and administrative authority; appointed in Christian churches to oversee priests or ministers; considered in some churches to be successors of the twelve apostles of Christ |