Main Entry: au·to·ceph·a·lousPronunciation: "o-tO-'se-f(&-)l&sFunction: adjectiveEtymology: Late Greek autokephalos, from Greek aut- + kephalE head -- more at CEPHALICDate: 1863: being independent of external and especially patriarchal authority -- used especially of Eastern national churches- au·to·ceph·a·ly /-f&-lE/ noun Merriam Webster Dictionary Importance: Eastern Churches do not recognize the Pope Rather, since the fall of Byzantium, while the Orthodox churches share doctrinal beliefs and traditionally honor the Greek church, they each have their own leaders and liturgy, and are closer culturally to their own lands than is the Roman Catholic Pope
Literally, "self headed " This refers to a national or regional church with no superior in another church Usually a church, diocese, or monastery of the Eastern Orthodox Church, but the Western diocese of Ravenna considered itself autocephalous while it was the Imperial See
(Gr "appointing its own leader") The status of an Orthodox church which is self-governed and also has the authority to elect or appoint its own leader or head (cephale)