Pytabian Orthodox Church
 Pytabian Orthodox Church ܥܺܕܬܳܐ ܣܽܘ̣ܪܝܳܝܬܳܐ ܗܰܝܡܳܢܽܘܬܳܐ ܬܪܺܝܨܰܬ ܫܽܘ̣ܒ̣ܚܳܐ | |
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| Abbreviation | POC |
| Orientation | Pytabian Christian |
| Theology | Miaphysitism |
| Patriarch | Ignatius George III |
| Region | Eastern Terranihil (Alaia) |
| Language | Pytabian |
| Liturgy | East Syriac Rite |
| Headquarters | Sipaipa, Terranihil |
| Origin | 451 |
| Separated from | Catholic Church |
| Separations | Pytabian Catholic Church of the East (1180) St. Thomas Evangelical Church of Terranihil (1820) |
| Members | 4,300,000 (2021) |
The Pytabian Orthodox Church, sometimes refered to as the Pytabian Church of the East or simply Church of the East, is a Miaphysite Orthodox Church of the western rite of Pytabian Christianity. Its liturgical language is Pytabian, a dialect of Aramaic The vast majority of its adherents are ethnic Arameans.
The Pytabian Orthodox Church is headquarted in Sipaipa, Terranihil. Its Patriarch is currently Ignatius George III. The church is in communion with the Miaphysite Orthodox Churches, but not the Catholic Church or the Pytabian Church of the West. The Pytabian Orthodox Church split from the Catholic Church in 451 after rejecting the verdict of the Council of Chalcedon. The Pytabian Catholic Church of the East left the Orthodox Church in 1180 but was defunct by the 16th century. The St. Thomas Evangelical Church of Terranihil split of in 1820.
History
Christianity originated directly south of Alaia, in the Romanyan province of Judea, among Aramaic-speaking Jews. It quickly spread along the Caelean coast to other Aramaic speakers. Christianity became especially common among Pytabian Arameans. They were the natives of the region of Pytabia in southern Alaia who spoke the Pytabian dialect of Aramaic. According to tradition, Pytabian Christianity was founded there by Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century CE.
The Pytabian Church of the East organized itself in the 5th century in the city of Sipaipa in the Romanyan province of Alaia. There was an east-west divide developing in the Pytabian tradition. The Pytabian Church of the West centered in Mestaga, Kagoria left communion with Romanyan Church following the Council of Ephesus in 431. The Church of the East maintained the rejection of Nestorianism. However, in 451, the Miaphysite Orthodox Churches, including the Pytabian Orthodox Church, rejected the verdict of the Council of Chalcedon. Estrangement continued to increase between the Western and Eastern rites in later years, additionally fueled by the political rivalry of the Romanyans and Kagorians.
