Riamese Orthodox Church

Riamese Orthodox Church Pakaraga Oradoka Ramio'i (Freician)
Classification	Orthodox
Orientation	Riamese Orthodoxy
Scripture	Riamese Synodal Bible
Theology	Riamese Orthodox theology
Polity	Episcopal polity
Supreme Head	Diana II
Primate	Kenelm II
Language	Common Language, Freician
Headquarters	Holy Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin, Guri
Territory	Riamese Federation, Hoterallia
Founder	The Apostles
Members	72,926,528 (baptised)
Official website	Template:Official URL

The Riamese Orthodox Church (Freician: Pakaraga Oradoka Ramio'i) is an Orthodox church whose canonical territory is the Riamese Federation (including Freice).

Structure

Primate

The most senior ecclesiastical figure within the ROC is the Primate of All Riamo, who holds the positions of Archbishop of Guri and Clerk in Holy Orders to the Queen. The official title of the primate is:

His Holiness Kenelm II, By the Mercy and Power of Almighty God, Archbishop of Guri, Chaplain-Superior and Principal Lord Clerk in Holy Orders to Her Majesty, Servant of Christ and Guardian of the Most Holy Church, Primate of All Riamo

The Primate is the focus of unity for all Riamese Orthodox adherents, and is responsible for several church-wide administrative matters. As Archbishop of Guri, his direct canonical authority does not extend outside of that archdiocese; spiritual responsibilities pertaining to other archdiocese are undertaken with reference to the duties and responsibilities of relevant archbishops.

It is customary for primates to take a spiritual name. The current Primate (born Elias Benedict Holmes) assumed the spiritual name Kenelm II (after St. Kenelm) on his becoming Primate on 19 June 2017.

Hierarchy

The Riamese Orthodox Church is hierarchically structured. At the lowest level, the church is organised into individual churches, headed by a priest. The general extent of a church's reach (the area in which it serves) is a parish, which is grouped with other parishes to form an diocese, presided over by a bishop. Unique to Riamese Orthodoxy, the structure of dioceses is loose, with each parish enjoying significant autonomy. Depending on the size of the diocesian, it may be governed by multiple bishops or only one.

Formally, the highest body within the church is the Holy General Synod (HGS), which is a tricameral body consisting of three councils: the Council of Bishops, the Council of Clergy, and the Council of the Laity. However, each of the three councils operate largely independently of each other, to the extent that their relationships with one another are only nominal. The HGS meets as a whole body only to elect the Primate.

The Council of Bishops (CoB) is composed of the bishops of each parish, and which constitutes the highest single body within the church. It is formally presided over by the Supreme Head (the Riamese monarch, but this duty is undertaken by the primate as Presiding Officer pro tempore. Most policy decisions relating to the church requires the approval of the CoB in order to be enacted into church law. The Council of Clergy (CoC) and the Council of the Laity (CoL) are representative bodies; they do not usually make laws, but rather make resolutions and remonstrances to be presented to the CoB. They offer a venue for the clergy and laity to express their opinions and to influence church policy.

The CoC and the CoL are each indirectly elected; the CoC is elected by each eparchy, which sends between two and eight priests to the council. The CoL is, likewise, elected by a general meeting of each parish, which selects lay members to attend the council.

Relationship with the Riamese monarchy

The Queen of the Riamese is Supreme Head of the church. Church law - the Book of Practices - describes the monarch as the "envoyee of our Holy Father the Almighty Lord God on Earth" and the "principal representative of Jesus Christ".

The church in Freice

Freice (a Country of the Riamese Federation) is constitutes two parishes under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Coeve. The parish of Sekapa covers the districts of Sekapa, Sekapa Seiva, and Peka, whilst the parish of Outer Freice covers the remaining districts. The priest of the parish of Sekapa serves as ex officio auxiliary bishop of Freice, assisting the Bishop of Coeve in matters relating to Freice.

Religious orders

Within the ROC, clergy may form religious orders, under which members live by a common rule of life and worship. Members take vows, often including a vote of obedience to a particular part of the Gospel or to a specified interpretation of faith. Membership is mostly extended only to clergy, although some orders extend membership to laity (either exclusively or alongside clergy).

List of current orders

Orders of men

• Brotherhood of the Sons of the Father (BSF)
• Society of St. Kenelm the Holy (SKH)
• Society of the Brotherhood of Christ (SBC)
• Holy Order of the Propagators of the Gospel (OPG)
• Reformed Order of the Propagation of Faith (OPF)
• Company of Missionaries of God (CMG)
• Order of the Mission of God (OMG)
• Order of Latitude (OL)

Orders of women

• Society of Marian Sisters (SMS)
• Society of the Women of the Holy Cross (WHC)
• Maidens of the Lord (ML)

Mixed orders of men and women

• Society of the Holy Trinity (SHT)
• Order of the Worker Brethren (OWB)
• Order of St. Julian (OSJ)
• Servants of Christ (SC)
• Abbey of the Holy Spirit (AHS)

See also

• Politics of Freice
• Freice
• Sekapa

External links

• Official website of the Island Meeting