definition
strict definition
oriental orthodox church
A house of worship belonging to one of the churches of the Oriental Orthodox communion.
An Oriental Orthodox church is a house of worship in the Armenian, Coptic, Eritrean, Ethiopian, Malankara Syrian, or Syriac Orthodox churches.
Oriental Orthodoxy and Eastern Orthodoxy are distinct church families. The Oriental Orthodox churches do not accept the Council of Chalcedon as an ecumenical council, while the Eastern Orthodox churches do. The name Oriental Orthodox identifies that religious communion.
The affiliation of the worshipping community distinguishes the church from a Roman Catholic church or a church of another communion. A dome, an icon, or a particular language of worship does not by itself establish the affiliation.
