Organizers

Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia

The Orthodox Church in the Czech lands and Slovakia is the successor of the missionary work of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius, which began in 863. Despite the fact that the disciples of the holy brothers were expelled from the territory of the Great Moravian Empire, Orthodox services were held in Bohemia and Moravia until the 12th century. In the territory of Slovakia and the former Kingdom of Hungary, Orthodoxy survived in the nation even after the forcible introduction of the union in 1646. In the 19th century, there was a great revival of Orthodoxy in the territory of Bohemia (Prague, Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně, Františkovy Lázně) with significant assistance from the Russian Orthodox Church. The Orthodox church registry was kept in Vienna by the Serbian Orthodox Church, because it was the only one officially recognized by Austria-Hungary (at the end of the 16th century, the Serbian patriarch even resided for a short time in southern Slovakia in Komárno).

After the establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic, which also included Subcarpathian Rus' (today's Transcarpathian region of Ukraine), a large number of former Uniate believers began to return to Orthodoxy, despite obstacles from the authorities. Although at that time three jurisdictions operated in the territory of Czechoslovakia - Constantinople, Russian Foreign and Serbian - the state recognized only Serbian. The number of Orthodox believers in 1929 rose to 130,000. In the same year, two eparchies were established – the Czech one, headed by Bishop Gorazd, and the Subcarpathian Russian one, called Mukachevo-Prešov, with the Serbian Bishop Damaskin. In 1942, the Czech and Slovak assassins of the German Reich Protector Reinhard Heydrich hid in the Orthodox Church of St. Cyril and Methodius in Prague. After their discovery, the German authorities banned the Orthodox Church in Bohemia and executed Bishop Gorazd and his collaborators. In the territory of the Slovak State, the Orthodox Church was closely monitored and only tolerated. After 1945, Orthodoxy enjoyed considerable popularity in Czechoslovak society. Because the Serbian Orthodox Church had no influence on the events and life of the Orthodox Church in Czechoslovakia after World War II, Orthodox believers asked the Russian Orthodox Church for admission to its jurisdiction. They were granted. In 1950, the communist state power decided to liquidate the so-called Greek Catholics. It aimed to weaken the influence of the Vatican on society. Believers could adopt the Latin rite or convert to the Orthodox Church. The insensitive approach of the communists aroused aversion among many. After the restoration of the so-called Greek Catholic Church in 1968, there were many attacks on Orthodox priests and violence against Orthodox believers. A new wave of unrest occurred in 1990 during the so-called property-legal settlement, when the Orthodox Church in Slovakia lost almost all of its real estate. Despite everything, it managed to build more than 130 churches and new church buildings in 20 years.

www.orthodox.sk
From a missionary point of view, socio-political life showed that it would be better if the Orthodox Church in Czechoslovakia was independent. Therefore, the Holy Synod asked His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow to grant autocephaly. Since the reasons for this request were well known and understandable to both sides, Patriarch Alexy granted autocephaly in 1951. This autocephaly was not recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and other Greek-speaking Churches. Despite this, the Orthodox Church in Czechoslovakia had a good reputation in world Orthodoxy. After establishing closer relations, His Beatitude Metropolitan Dorotei wrote to the Ecumenical Patriarchate to confirm autocephaly. This request was granted by issuing Patriarchal and Synodal Tomos No. 1058 of 27 August 1998. On 1 January 1993, the Czechoslovak Federal Republic was divided into two independent states – the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. The Orthodox Church was forced to respond to this fact. In both states, two separate legal entities were registered under the Church Act, namely the Orthodox Church in the Czech Lands and the Orthodox Church in Slovakia. The faithful and clergy of the Orthodox Church in the Czech Lands and Slovakia decided at its local assembly to preserve the canonical unity of this local Church through a common Holy Synod. Currently, the Orthodox Church in the Czech Lands and Slovakia has two metropolitan councils, four eparchies, one theological faculty – the Orthodox Theological Faculty of the Prešov University in Prešov – and several monasteries. The Church operates philanthropic institutions focused on children, youth and refugees. Church communities provide philanthropic service to those in need. The church is involved in ecological and environmental activities. It publishes liturgical books, theological literature, and in the Czech Republic the official magazine Hlas pravoslavi and in Slovakia Odkaz sv. Cyrila a Metoda. In both parts of the church there are Orthodox Youth Brotherhoods, which are members of the World Brotherhood of Orthodox Youth Syndesmos.

OrthPhoto

ORTHPHOTO is a unique project and website which involves both professional photographers and amateurs who want to share their photographs representing the beauty of the Orthodox Christian faith around the world.

ORTHPHOTO contains over 100,000 photographs from 80 countries – from Brazil to China, from Russia to Uganda. The website attracts more than 500 people from over 100 countries each day, and now exists in 11 language versions.

www.orthphoto.net

The Publishing House of Polish Orthodox Church

One of the largest companies in Poland that deals with Orthodox literature.

It publishes two magazines (“Wiadomości Polskiego Autokefalicznego Kościoła Prawosławnego”, “Cerkiewny Wiestnik”), as well as literature connected to theology, history and contemporary issues of the Orthodox Church: albums, books, liturgical books, calendars, booklets, paper icons, etc. One of the main project is series of albums “Colours of Orthodoxy”, presenting a beauty and diversity of the Orthodox Church throughout the world. Up to now 15 albums have been published.

www.orthodox.pl

Partners

Partners helping us with organization, promotion and sponsoring

Sponsors

Album production

KAN

Album production

Kendron

Album production

Maksbud

Album production

Fundacja KAN Vision

Album production

Telłącz

Media partners

We are waiting for you

We invite you to join us and be a part of an exciting community of photographers who seek to share the beauty of the Orthodox Church.
To inquire about becoming a project partner or sponsor please write to us at:

contest@orthphoto.net

Account information:
Acount number: PL 96 1240 5211 1111 0010 4608 9158
code BIC (Swift): PKOPPLPW
Title: Colours of Orthodoxy. Czechia and Slovakia - donation
organization:
OrthNet
ul. Św. Mikołaja 3
15-420 Białystok

The names of sponsors and partners will be published together with their companie’s or institution’s logo in all publications and events made within the framework of this project: Contest, Exhibitions, Albums, posters web pages etc.
Partners and sponsors will have an opportunity to be a part of the award ceremonies by choosing the category for which they would like to present the prize.

Thank you for all your support

How to participate

Entering the competition is free of charge. Entries must be received until 30th of November 2026.

Additional information