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Orthodoxy

Coming from various emigrations (Russian, Greek) in the 19th and 20th centuries, the Orthodox presence in Belgium was singularly increased by post-Soviet immigration. Today there are about 100,000 members, from all origins, languages and traditions. About sixty communities (parishes, missions, small monasteries) are served by three bishops residing in Brussels (for the patriarchates of Constantinople, Moscow and Georgia), about fifty priests and about ten deacons.
These bishops form the Benelux Orthodox Bishops’ Conference, together with those responsible for the Romanian, Serbian and Bulgarian parishes, even if they reside elsewhere (in France in particular). As Brussels is the seat of many European and international institutions, the EU Representations of various Orthodox Churches have also set up offices there.
In accordance with the Belgian legal framework as concerns religions, the Orthodox Church has been recognised by the State in the same way as the Catholic, Protestant, Anglican, Jewish and Muslim faiths. It therefore enjoys the benefits (salaries, subsidies) of this official recognition.

Further information :
 MODEL Serge, L’Église orthodoxe en Belgique, Bruxelles, Courrier hebdomadaire du CRISP, 2018.
 Belgique : un panorama sur la situation de l’Église orthodoxe, Religioscope, 16 May 2019.

D 23 January 2020   

CNRS Unistra Dres Gsrl

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