The Orthodox religion was formed due to a schism of Christianity into East and West branches in 1054. Its followers recognise only the arrangements of 7 first ecumenical councils and the dogma on the descent of the Holy Spirit only from God the Father. They reject the dogma on the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. They do not recognise the authority of the Pope, priests are allowed to get married but only before being ordained. The liturgy is celebrated according to the Byzantine rite. 12 most important festives are celebrated whose dates are determined according to the Julian calendar. These are: Christmas (7 I), Easter, Baptism of the Lord (19 I), Presentation of the Lord (15 II), Annunciation of the Mother of God (7 IV), Palm Sunday, Ascension of Christ, Day of the Holy Trinity - Pentecost, Transfiguration (19 VIII), Dormition of the Mother of God (28 VIII), Nativity of the Mother of God (21 IX), Feast of the Cross (27 IX) and Presentation of the Mother of God (4 XII). The icons depicting the festivals are hung on the iconostasis, a partition separating the sacrum from the profanum. In Poland, the beginnings of Orthodoxy date back to the period of the formation of the state. The annexation of Red Ruthenia in the 11^th century was the beginning of the presence of the Orthodox Church within the state limits. By the end of the 13^th century, it was subject to the jurisdiction of the metropolitans of Kiev. After the conclusion of the Polish and Lithuanian Union (1385), the supervisors of the Church were the metropolitans of Lithuania. After the Union of Brest (1596), the Orthodox Church was delegalised and the Greek-Catholic Church was formed. Since the 17^th century, the Orthodox community has been subject to the jurisdiction of the patriarchate of Moscow. In 1924, the Polish Church was granted autocephaly from Constantinople. Becoming independent of the Russian church took place in 1948. Currently, the Orthodox followers belong to the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church. In six dioceses, there are more than 0,5 million of the faithful, headed by the Holy Council of Bishops. In Małopolska, Orthodox followers live mainly in the South-Eastern part – from the Sądecki Beskids to the Low Beskids. Orthodox parishes can be found, inter alia, in Bielanka, Leszczyny, Gładyszów, Gorlice, Hańczowa, Krynica-Zdrój, Zdynia and Krakow. The local place of worship is the Orthodox church, erected in the location of the Revelation of the Mother of God in 1925, on Jawor Mountain in the Low Beskids. The most important ceremonies take place here: on the feast of the Intercession of the Mother of God (14.10), fifth Sunday after Easter and on the feast of St. Peter and Paul (14.07), when pilgrims come here from Wysowa. The historic wooden Orthodox churches are located, inter alia, in Kwiatoń, Bartne, Bodaki.