Chronology of Orthodoxy

With emphasis on Orthodoxy in America

All Dates A.D.

30 Christ's crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. First Pentecost

35 Death of Stephen, the first martyr.

36 Conversion of Paul on the road to Damascus.

42 Beginning of St. Paul's ministry and the writing of his epistles.

46 St. James (the elder) beheaded; first Apostle to die.

52 Apostolic Council of Jerusalem convened.

55 St. Matthew completes his gospel, written in Aramaic.

61 Church established in Antioch; the faithful first called "Christians".

62 St. Mark completes his gospel, written in Greek.

63 St. Luke completes his gospel, written in Greek.

64 Burning of Rome. First persecution of Christians by Nero. Ten great persecutions occur between 64 and 305 A.D.

64 St. Luke completes the book of Acts. St. Matthew's gospel translated into Greek.

96 St. John completes the book of Revelation.

102 Death of St. John. Last Apostle to Die.

325 First Ecumenical Council held at Nicaea.

326 Discovery of the Holy Cross by St. Helena.

381 Second Ecumenical Council held at Constantinople

431 Third Ecumenical Council held at Ephesus.

451 Fourth Ecumenical Council held at Chalcedon.

553 Fifth Ecumenical Council held at Constantinople.

657 Jerusalem falls to Arab Muslims.

680 Sixth Ecumenical Council held at Constantinople.

787 Seventh Ecumenical Council held at Nicaea.

963 Beginning of Christian mission to the Slavic nations.

988 Mass baptism at Kiev; Christianity becomes national religion of Russia.

1054 The Great Schism between Eastern Christians and Rome. Western church goes its own way.

1099 Western Christian Crusaders recapture Jerusalem in 1099.

1204 Sacking of Constantinople by Western Christian Crusaders.

1346 Serbian Orthodox Patriarchate established.

1589 Russian Orthodox Patriarchate established.

1794 Beginning of Russian Orthodox mission in Alaska

1833 Autocephalous Church of Greece established.

1850 Independent Church of Greece recognized by Constantinople.

1866 First Greek Orthodox Church established in New Orleans

1885 Romanian Orthodox Church recognized by Patriarch Joachim IV.

1894 First Serbian Orthodox church in America established at Jackson, California.

1895 First Syrian church society in the United States founded in New York.

1904 First Romanian Orthodox church in America established in Cleveland, Ohio.

1907 First Bulgarian Orthodox church in America established in Madison, Illinois.

1908 Albanian Orthodox Church in America organized in Boston.

1919 American Ukrainian Orthodox Church organized.

1922 Albanian Orthodox Church proclaimed independent.

1924 Gregorian (New) Calendar adopted by the Greek Orthodox Church

1925 Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate founded.

1936 American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox diocese organized.

1955 Eastern Orthodox Church officially recognized as a major faith in the United States by six states. Other states followed with similar recognition.