Orthodox Aroman Church in Ebrary
| Orthodox Aroman Church in Ebrary | |
|---|---|
| Ecclesia Aroman Orthodoxe de Ebraria | |
| Abbreviation | EAOE |
| Classification | Aroman/Orthodox |
| Scripture | Septuagint, New Testament |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Primate | Bishop Jon Baran |
| Language | Ebrarese, Laimiaic |
| Liturgy | Ebrarian |
| Origin | 1939 |
| Separated from | Church of Ebrary |
The Orthodox Aroman Church in Ebrary (Ebrarese: Ecclesia Aroman Orthodoxe de Ebraria), abbreviated EAOE and also known in Ebrary simply as the Ebrarian Orthodox Church, is an autonomous Christian church located in Ebrary. It is headed by the Bishop of Laverna and headquartered in the Church of the Pentecost in Ceres. As an autonomous church and not an autocephalous church, the Bishop of Laverna is confirmed by Patriarch of Europatorion, head of the Aroman Church.
The Aroman church has a long tradition in Ebrary, but its presence was effectively ended after the Amendant Reformation in Ebrary. Most ancient and medieval cathedrals and churches are today used by the Ecclesiastical Amendant Church (formerly the Church of Ebrary), which evolved from an autocephalous Christian church into a state church and then again into an independent, Amendant denomination. However, priests and churchgoers with sympathies to the Orthodox (sic) tradition persisted in the church for centuries, under the moniker Ebraro-Orthodox. The Ebraro-Orthodox parishes and priests continued to use various forms of Aroman liturgy, and the practice was tolerated to varying degrees by the church hierarchy. Due to this history, the EAOE is sometimes referred to as the Ebraro-Orthodox Church
During the Republic of Ebrary, the Church of Ebrary became disestablished and there was, for the first time in centuries, no established church in the country. In 1939, the Ebraro-Orthodox elements of the church and the more traditionally Amendant elements voted to separate the majority of Ebraro-Orthodox dominated parishes and the historic Church of the Pentecost in Ceres from the main Church of Ebrary to form the new Orthodox Aroman church. The separation was largely amicable due to the differences between the two factions in the church, and separation was arguably postponed for decades due to the fact the Church of Ebrary was under the control of the government which opposed such a move.
Theology
Ebrarian Orthodox believe in the trinitarian view of God, which is three distinct and divine persons with one essence. They believe that mankind has a fallen nature because man chose to participate in evil, as illustrated in the Biblical story of Adam and Eve. The intent and the action of this choice were separate from God's will, and it is that separation that defines and marks any action as sinful. The Ebrarian Orthodox church believes the virgin birth, death, and resurrection of Christ were real, historical events. They also believe that when a person passes away, the soul is separated from the body for a temporary period. After the Temporary Judgment, the soul is then ultimately escorted either to Heaven or Hell. The experience of the soul in either of these realms is only a precursor to the Last Judgement when the soul and body will be reunited. The Bible and sacred tradition are both seen as equally valid sources of authority in the church.
Iconography
The EAOE allows both aniconism and iconolatry to coexist in its organization, while the church stands against explicit iconoclasm (destruction of icons). The bishop of a diocese is the sole authority to decide whether the usage of icons will be permitted in his diocese. A priest or bishop must not forbid communion to any baptized person in the church due to their position on icons, and this extends to those baptized in other churches the EAOE is in communion with. The bishop and his diocese must must decide the locations and churches where icons are permitted. These regulations were formulated at the formation of the EAOE to unite the anti-icon and pro-icon factions of the Ebraro-Orthodox community, and both factions have continued to exist with little incident. Currently, the Bishop of Laverna permits iconography in the Church of the Pentecost, the headquarters of the EAOE, iconolatry is most common in western Ebrary while aniconism predominates in eastern Ebrary.
Liturgy
The liturgy of the EAOE is an adaptation of the old Aroman Rite used by the Christian church in Ebrary before the Amendant Reformation. After the Reformation, the liturgy was informally maintained for centuries until it was codified by a council of Ebraro-Orthodox ministers in the Church of Ebrary during the 19th century, which created an Ebraro-Orthodox form of the main Ebraricist liturgy. In 1950, the EOE published an updated version of the liturgy which attempted to bring the liturgy of the church back in line with mainstream Orthodoxy while simultaneously preserving the Ebrarian character inherited from the liturgy of the Church of Ebrary. This liturgy, outlined in the "Ebraro-Orthodox Prayer Guide", has continued to be used up to the current year with only minor revisions and is known as the Ebrarian Rite.