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805 ILCS 110/ Religious Corporation Act.

(805 ILCS 110/0.01) (from Ch. 32, par. 163m)     Sec. 0.01. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Religious Corporation Act. (Source: P.A. 86‑1324.)

(805 ILCS 110/35) (from Ch. 32, par. 164)     Sec. 35. Any church, congregation or society formed for the purposes of religious worship, may become incorporated in the manner following: By electing or appointing, according to its usages or customs, at any meeting held for that purpose, two or more of its members as trustees, wardens and vestrymen, (or such other officers whose powers and duties are similar to those of trustees, as shall be agreeable to the usages and customs, rules or regulations of such congregation, church or society), and may adopt a corporate name; and upon the filing of the affidavit, as hereinafter provided, it shall be and remain a body politic and corporate, by the name so adopted. (Source: P.A. 81‑1509.)

(805 ILCS 110/36) (from Ch. 32, par. 165)     Sec. 36. The chairman or secretary of such meeting shall, as soon as may be after such meeting, make and file in the office of the recorder in the county in which such congregation, church or society is organized (which shall be recorded by such recorder) an affidavit, substantially in the following form: State of Illinois,)                   ) ss. .......... County.)     I, ...., do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be), that at a meeting of the members of the (here insert the name of the church, society or congregation, as known before incorporation), held at (here insert place of meeting), in the County of ...., and State of Illinois, on (insert date), for that purpose, the following persons were elected (or appointed) (here insert their names) trustees (or wardens, vestrymen or officers by whatever name they choose to adopt, with powers and duties similar to trustees), according to the rules and usages of such (church, society or congregation). And the (church, society or congregation) adopted as its corporate name (here insert the name). And at the meeting this affiant acted as (chairman or secretary, as the case may be).     Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date). ............... (Name of affiant).     Such congregation, church or society may change its name or make other amendment to its original affidavit of incorporation by passing a resolution of such amendment in accordance with the rules and usages of such congregation, church or society and filing an affidavit to that effect in the office of the recorder in the county in which such congregation, church or society is located.     Such affidavit, or a copy thereof duly certified by the recorder, shall be received as evidence of the due incorporation of such congregation, church or society. (Source: P.A. 91‑357, eff. 7‑29‑99.)

(805 ILCS 110/37) (from Ch. 32, par. 166)     Sec. 37. The term of office of the trustees of any such corporation may be determined by the rules or by‑laws of the congregation, church or society. (Source: Laws 1871‑72, p. 296.)

(805 ILCS 110/38) (from Ch. 32, par. 167)     Sec. 38. A failure to elect trustees at any time shall not work a dissolution of such corporation, but the trustees last elected shall be considered as in office until their successors are elected. (Source: Laws 1871‑72, p. 296.)

(805 ILCS 110/39) (from Ch. 32, par. 168)     Sec. 39. All elections of trustees after the first, and elections to fill vacancies, may be called and conducted upon such notice and in such manner as may be provided by the rules, usages or by‑laws of the congregation, church or society. No certificate of election, after the first, need be filed for record. (Source: Laws 1925, p. 261.)

(805 ILCS 110/40) (from Ch. 32, par. 169)     Sec. 40. A trustee may be removed from office by an election, called and conducted in like manner as elections for trustees, or his office declared vacant for a failure to act, immoral conduct, or for an abandonment of the faith of the congregation, church or society. (Source: Laws 1871‑72, p. 296.)

    (805 ILCS 110/41)(from Ch. 32, par. 170)
    Sec. 41. Upon the incorporation of any congregation, church or society, all real and personal property held by any person or trustees for the use of the members thereof, shall immediately vest in such corporation and be subject to its control, and may be used, mortgaged, sold and conveyed the same as if it had been conveyed to such corporation by deed; but no such conveyance or mortgage shall be made so as to affect or destroy the intent or effect of any grant, legacy or donation that may be made to such person or trustee for the use of such congregation, church or society. However, this limitation on the disposition of real or personal property does not apply to the extent that a restriction imposed by a donor on the use of an institutional fund may be released by the governing board of an institution under the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act.
(Source: P.A. 96‑29, eff. 6‑30‑09.)

(805 ILCS 110/42) (from Ch. 32, par. 171)     Sec. 42. Any corporation that may be formed for religious purposes under this Act, or any law of this State, for the incorporation of religious societies, may receive land, by gift, legacy or purchase and may erect or build thereon such houses, buildings, or other improvements as it may deem necessary for the convenience and comfort of such congregation, church or society, and may lay out and maintain thereon a burying ground: but only 10 acres of such land shall be exempt from assessment for taxation, and all such land in excess of 10 acres shall be assessed at the same valuation as if it were not a part of a cemetery; and no such property shall be used only except in the manner expressed in the gift, grant or legacy, or if no use or trust is so expressed, only for the benefit of the corporation, church or society for which it was intended. (Source: P.A. 83‑388.)

    (805 ILCS 110/43)(from Ch. 32, par. 172)
    Sec. 43. The trustees shall have the care, custody and control of the real and personal property of the corporation, subject to the direction of the congregation, church or society, and may, when directed by the congregation, church or society, erect houses or buildings and improvements, and repair and alter the same, and may, when so directed, mortgage, incumber, sell and convey any real or personal estate of such corporation, and enter into all lawful contracts in the name of and in behalf of such corporation: but no mortgage, incumbrance, sale or conveyance shall be made of any such estate, so as to defeat or destroy the effect of any gift, grant or legacy which may be made to such corporation; but all such gifts, grants and legacies shall be appropriated and used as directed or intended by the person or persons making the same. However, this limitation on the disposition of real or personal property does not apply to the extent that a restriction imposed by a donor on the use of an institutional fund may be released by the governing board of an institution under the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act.
(Source: P.A. 96‑29, eff. 6‑30‑09.)

(805 ILCS 110/44) (from Ch. 32, par. 173)     Sec. 44. Any congregation, church or society, heretofore incorporated under the provisions of any law for the incorporation of religious societies, may become incorporated under the provisions of this act, relative to religious societies, in the same manner as if it had not previously been incorporated, in which case the new corporation shall be entitled [to] and invested with all the real and personal estate of the old corporation, in like manner and to the same extent as the old corporation, subject to all the debts contracts and liabilities. The word trustees, wherever used in this act, shall be construed to include wardens and vestrymen, or such other officers as perform the duties of trustees. (Source: Laws 1871‑72, p. 296.)

(805 ILCS 110/45) (from Ch. 32, par. 174)     Sec. 45. Any congregation, church or society, incorporated under this Act, may receive, by grant or legacy, real estate, for the purpose of holding camp meetings, and may make such improvements thereon as they may deem for their comfort and convenience. The title to such real estate shall be in such corporation, subject to like conditions as are provided in this act in regard to other real estate held by such corporation. (Source: P.A. 83‑388.)

(805 ILCS 110/46) (from Ch. 32, par. 175)     Sec. 46. The trustees, or any other persons, designated by any such congregation, church or society incorporated under this act, shall have power to publish, print, circulate, sell or give away such religious, Sabbath school and missionary tracts, periodicals or books as they may deem necessary to the promotion of religion and morality. (Source: Laws 1871‑72, p. 296.)

(805 ILCS 110/46a) (from Ch. 32, par. 176)     Sec. 46a. It shall be lawful for any congregation, church or society, now or hereafter existing in the State of Illinois, and which is under the patronage, control, direction or supervision of any ecclesiastical body, diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer, agreeably to the laws thereof, to become incorporated according to sections 46a to 46h, inclusive, of this act. Such ecclesiastical body, diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer may nominate and appoint, according to the usages, customs, rules, regulations, articles of association, constitution, by‑laws or canons of any ecclesiastical body, diocesan or like ecclesiastical officer, or sect, or denomination, two or more of the members of such sect, or denomination, residing within any ecclesiastical district, or diocese, to act with the presiding officer, or authorized representative of any ecclesiastical body, or with the diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer, having jurisdiction, agreeably to the laws of any sect, or denomination, over such ecclesiastical district, or diocese, in managing the temporal affairs of such congregation, church or society. The presiding officer, or authorized representative of any ecclesiastical body, or the diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer having jurisdiction as aforesaid, shall, by virtue of his office, be a trustee of any congregation, church, or society which shall hereafter be incorporated under sections 46a to 46h, inclusive, of this act, and which shall be under the patronage, control, direction, or supervision of any ecclesiastical body, diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer aforesaid. (Source: Laws 1913, p. 191.)

(805 ILCS 110/46b) (from Ch. 32, par. 177)     Sec. 46b. The presiding officer, or duly authorized representative of any ecclesiastical body, or diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer having jurisdiction agreeably to the laws of any sect or denomination over such ecclesiastical district or diocese, shall, as soon as may be after such appointment, make and file in the office of the recorder in the county of which such congregation, church, or society is organized, an affidavit, (which shall be recorded by such recorder), substantially in the following form: State of Illinois,)                   ) ss. County of ........)     I, ...., do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be), that the following persons (here insert their names) were appointed trustees (or wardens, vestrymen, or officers, by whatever name is adopted, with powers and duties similar with trustees) of (here insert the name of the congregation, church, society or corporation) according to the usages or customs (rule, regulations, articles of association, constitution, by‑laws, or canons, as the case may be) by the (synod, presbytery, conference, convention, council, episcopate, or like ecclesiastical body, or diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer, as the case may be), (here insert the name of the congregation, church, society, sect, or denomination, having charge or control over such congregation, church, society or corporation) under and by virtue of sections 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46e, 46f, 46g and 46h, of "An act concerning corporations," approved April 18, 1872, and the (church, society or congregation, or trustees) adopted as the corporate name (here insert name). .................................... (Name of affiant and title, if any.)     Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date).       Such affidavit, or copy thereof, duly certified by the recorder, shall be received as evidence of the due incorporation of such congregation, church or society. (Source: P.A. 91‑357, eff. 7‑29‑99.)

(805 ILCS 110/46c) (from Ch. 32, par. 178)     Sec. 46c. The successor of the presiding officer of any ecclesiastical body, or of the diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer, shall, by virtue of his office, be for the time being a trustee of such corporation in place of his predecessor, and when the office of any other trustee becomes vacant, his successor shall be appointed in the manner provided for in the original selection. The number, term of office, and the qualifications of the trustees of any such corporation, may be determined by the usages, customs, rules, regulations, articles of association, constitution, by‑laws or canons of the ecclesiastical body, or diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer. No certificate of appointment, after the first, need be filed for record. (Source: Laws 1913, p. 191.)

(805 ILCS 110/46d) (from Ch. 32, par. 179)     Sec. 46d. A trustee may be removed from office whenever his office shall be declared vacant for a failure to act, or for immoral conduct, or for an abandonment of the faith of the congregation, church, society, sect, or denomination, or for failure to observe the usages, customs, rules, regulations, articles of association, constitution, by‑laws or canons of the congregation, church or society, or of the ecclesiastical body, or diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer, having jurisdiction over any ecclesiastical district or diocese. (Source: Laws 1913, p. 191.)

    (805 ILCS 110/46e)(from Ch. 32, par. 180)
    Sec. 46e. The trustees of every such congregation, church, or society, under the patronage, control, direction, or supervision of any ecclesiastical body, or diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer, after the same has become incorporated under Sections 46a to 46h, inclusive, of this Act, and their successors, shall have perpetual succession with power to adopt a common seal, which may be altered and changed at pleasure, contract, and be contracted with, sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, by the corporate name of such congregation, in all courts, whatever; to receive, hold, dispose of, mortgage, and convey any kind of property; to make and adopt by‑laws for their government, not inconsistent with Sections 46a to 46h, inclusive, of this Act, or with the rules and regulations of the sect or denomination having the charge or patronage of the corporation; and shall alone have power to make all contracts needful in the management of the temporal affairs of such congregation, church, or society: but no conveyance, or mortgage shall be made to affect, or destroy the intent of any grant, legacy, or donation, that may be made to any person, or trustee, for the use of such congregation, church, or society, or for the use of any sect, or denomination. However, this limitation on the disposition of real or personal property does not apply to the extent that a restriction imposed by a donor on the use of an institutional fund may be released by the governing board of an institution under the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act. The trustees of any corporation, organized under Sections 46a to 46h, inclusive, of this Act, which is, or may be, under the control, patronage, direction or, supervision of any ecclesiastical body, diocesan, or like officer, shall hold and control, invest or reinvest the real and personal property of such corporation, and contract with reference thereto, according to the "Uniform Management of Institutional Funds Act", or the rules, regulations, constitution, articles of association, by‑laws, or canons of such ecclesiastical body, diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer.
(Source: P.A. 96‑29, eff. 6‑30‑09.)

    (805 ILCS 110/46f)(from Ch. 32, par. 181)
    Sec. 46f. The trustees of any corporation formed for religious purposes under Sections 46a to 46h, inclusive, of this Act, may receive land in the name of such corporation by gift, legacy or purchase, and make, erect and build thereon, such houses, buildings, or other improvements, as may be necessary for the convenience and comfort of such congregation, church, society, or corporation, and may lay out and maintain thereon a burying ground, and may maintain and build thereon schools, orphan asylums, or such other improvements or buildings as may be necessary for the educational and eleemosynary purposes of such congregation, church, society, or corporation: but such property shall not be used except in the manner expressed in the gift, grant or bequest. However, this limitation on the disposition of real property does not apply to the extent that a restriction imposed by a donor on the use of an institutional fund may be released by the governing board of an institution under the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act. If no use or trust is so expressed, no such property shall be used except for the benefit of the corporation, church, society, sect, or denomination for which it was intended, or for any religious, educational or eleemosynary purpose approved by such corporation, church, society, or ecclesiastical body, diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer.
(Source: P.A. 96‑29, eff. 6‑30‑09.)

    (805 ILCS 110/46g)(from Ch. 32, par. 182)
    Sec. 46g. Any ecclesiastical body, or diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer, may elect, or nominate, or appoint, according to the usages, customs, rules, regulations, articles of association, constitution, by‑laws or canons of such ecclesiastical body, diocesan or like ecclesiastical officer, or any sect or denomination, 2 or more members of such sect, or denomination, residing respectively in any ecclesiastical districts, or dioceses, over which such ecclesiastical body, or diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer shall have jurisdiction, as trustees, who may become incorporated under Sections 46a to 46k, inclusive, of this Act, and may take, hold, regulate, control and dispose of any real, personal or mixed property in and outside of this State, devoted to eleemosynary, educational, cemetery or religious purposes (not exclusively belonging to, or used by, any particular congregation, church or society which as an organization, incorporated or unincorporated, is in the opinion of its trustees, wardens, vestrymen or other officers whose powers and duties are similar to trustees financially able to own and maintain such property) for the use of all of the members of the sect, or denomination within said districts, or dioceses, or for the use and benefit of such ecclesiastical body, diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer, or of any parishes, congregations, societies, churches, missions, benevolent, charitable or educational institutions existing under or related to the same, according to Sections 46a to 46k, inclusive, of this Act, according to the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act, or according to the usages, customs, rules, regulations, articles of association, constitution, by‑laws or canons of such ecclesiastical body, diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer. The presiding officer or authorized representative of such ecclesiastical body or diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer, shall, by virtue of his office, be a trustee of any such corporation and the number, term of office and qualifications of said trustees, their removal and succession and their powers, duties and manner of appointment, shall be regulated in the manner provided in Sections 46a to 46k, inclusive, of this Act. An affidavit showing the appointment of such trustees made and executed by the presiding officer, or duly authorized representative of such ecclesiastical body, or diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer, or such other person as may be designated by said trustees for such purpose, in substantially the same manner and form as provided in Section 46b of this Act shall be filed in the office of the recorder in the county in which the principal office or place of worship of such corporation is intended to be situated and also a duplicate copy in the office of the Secretary of State, whenever any district or diocese, under the jurisdiction or patronage of such ecclesiastical body, or diocesan, or like ecclesiastical officer, comprises more than any one county of this State or extends outside of the State.
    It shall be the duty of the recorder and the Secretary of State to record such affidavits and said affidavits or copies thereof, duly certified by the recorder and Secretary of State, shall be received as evidence of the due incorporation of the organization. No affidavit of appointment after the first need be filed for record.
(Source: P.A. 96‑29, eff. 6‑30‑09.)

(805 ILCS 110/46h) (from Ch. 32, par. 183)     Sec. 46h. The word "trustees," whenever used in this act, shall be construed to include wardens, vestrymen, or such other officers as perform the duties of trustee. The words "ecclesiastical body" shall be construed to include any synod, presbytery, conference, convention, council, episcopate, assembly, or any other regularly constituted body of a religious sect or denomination having jurisdiction or patronage of, or charge over, certain ecclesiastical districts, divisions or dioceses. The word "diocesan" shall be construed to include any bishop, archbishop, administrator, or such other ecclesiastical officer as shall be appointed according to the usages, customs, rules, regulations or canons, of any sect, or denomination to preside over and administer the affairs of any ecclesiastical district or diocese. (Source: Laws 1913, p. 191.)

(805 ILCS 110/46i) (from Ch. 32, par. 184)     Sec. 46i. Any congregation, church or society heretofore incorporated under the provisions of any law for the incorporation of religious societies, may become incorporated under the foregoing sections from 46a to 46h, inclusive, of this act, in the same manner as if it had not previously been incorporated, in which case the trustees of the new corporation shall be entitled to, and invested with, all the real and personal estate of the old corporation, in like manner and to the same extent as the old corporation, subject to all the debts, contracts and liabilities. (Source: Laws 1913, p. 191.)

    (805 ILCS 110/46j)(from Ch. 32, par. 185)
    Sec. 46j. Any church, congregation, society or corporation, heretofore or hereafter formed for religious purposes or for the purpose of religious worship under any of the provisions of this Act or under any law of this State incorporating or for the incorporation of religious corporations or societies, may receive land by gift, legacy or purchase and make, erect, and build thereon such houses, buildings, or other improvements as may be necessary for the convenience, comfort and welfare of such church, congregation, society or corporation, and may lay out and maintain thereon a cemetery or cemeteries, or a burying ground or grounds and may maintain and build thereon schools, orphan asylums, or such other improvements or buildings as may be necessary for the educational, eleemosynary, cemetery and religious purposes of such congregation, church, society or corporation; but no such property shall be used except in the manner expressed in the gift, grant or legacy. However, this limitation on the disposition of real property does not apply to the extent that a restriction imposed by a donor on the use of an institutional fund may be released by the governing board of an institution under the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act. Or if no use or trust is so expressed, no such property shall be used except for the benefit of the congregation, corporation, church or society, for which it was intended, or for such religious, educational or eleemosynary purpose as may be approved by such congregation, church, society or corporation or the ecclesiastical body having jurisdiction or patronage of or charge over such congregation, corporation, church or society.
    Any corporation, heretofore or hereafter formed for religious purposes under any of the provisions of this Act or under any other law of this State incorporating or for the incorporation of religious corporations or societies, which now or hereafter owns, operates, maintains or controls a cemetery or cemeteries, or a burial ground or grounds, is hereby authorized and empowered to accept by gift, grant, contribution, payment, or legacy, or pursuant to contract, any sum of money, funds, securities or property of any kind, or the income or avails thereof, and to hold the same in trust in perpetuity for the care of such cemetery or cemeteries, burial ground or grounds, or for the care of any lot, grave or crypt therein; or for the special care of any lot, grave or crypt or of any family mausoleum or memorial, marker, or monument in such cemetery or cemeteries, burial ground or grounds. No gift, grant, legacy, payment or other contribution shall be invalid by reason of any indefiniteness or uncertainty as to the beneficiary designated in the instrument creating the gift, grant, legacy, payment or other contribution. If any gift, grant, legacy, payment or other contribution consists of non‑income producing property, such corporation is authorized and empowered to sell such property and to invest the funds obtained in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act, or the provisions of the next succeeding paragraph.
    The trust funds authorized by this Section shall be held intact and, unless otherwise restricted by the terms of the gift, grant, legacy, contribution, payment, contract or other payment shall be invested, from time to time reinvested, and kept invested by such corporation in such investments as are authorized by the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act, and according to such standards as are prescribed, for trustees under that Act and the "Trusts and Trustees Act", approved September 10, 1973, as amended, and the net income only from such investments shall be allocated and used for the purposes set forth in the paragraph immediately preceding; but the trust funds authorized by this Section may be commingled and may also be commingled with any other trust funds received by such corporation for the care of the cemetery or cemeteries, or burial ground or grounds, or for the care or special care of any lot, grave, crypt, private mausoleum, memorial, marker, or monument whether received by gift, grant, legacy, contribution, payment, contract or other conveyance heretofore or hereafter made to such corporation.
    The trust funds authorized by this Section, and the income therefrom, shall be exempt from taxation and exempt from the operation of the laws against perpetuities and accumulations.
(Source: P.A. 96‑29, eff. 6‑30‑09.)

(805 ILCS 110/46k) (from Ch. 32, par. 186)     Sec. 46k. Nothing contained in sections 46a to 46k, inclusive, of this act shall be construed as limiting, restricting, or curtailing the rights or powers of any corporation to take or hold real or personal property which has been or may be incorporated under any general law of this state for the purpose of establishing or conducting a university, college, academy or other institution of learning, or as affecting or limiting in any particular the rights or powers granted to any such corporation by an act entitled, "An act to revise the law in relation to universities, colleges, academies and other institutions of learning," approved March 24, 1874, in force July 1, 1874. (Source: Laws 1913, p. 191.)

(805 ILCS 110/47)     Sec. 47. Liability.     (a) The members of a corporation organized under this Act shall not be personally liable for any debt or obligation of the corporation.     (b) No director, officer, or trustee of a corporation organized under this Act shall be liable, and no cause of action may be brought, for damages resulting from the exercise of judgment or discretion in connection with the duties or responsibilities of the director, officer, or trustee, unless (i) the director, officer, or trustee earns in excess of $5,000 per year from his or her duties as director, officer, or trustee, other than reimbursement for actual expenses, or (ii) the act or omission involved willful or wanton conduct.     (c) No person who, without compensation other than reimbursement for actual expenses, renders services to or for a corporation organized under this Act shall be liable, and no cause of action may be brought, for damages resulting from an act or omission in rendering such services unless the act or omission involved willful or wanton conduct.     (d) As used in this Section, "willful or wanton conduct" means a course of action that shows an actual or deliberate intention to cause harm or that, if not intentional, shows an utter indifference to or conscious disregard for the safety of others or their property.     (e) Nothing in this Section is intended to bar any cause of action against the corporation or to change the liability of the corporation arising out of an act or omission of any director, officer, or person exempt from liability for negligence under this Section. (Source: P.A. 89‑81, eff. 1‑1‑96.)

(805 ILCS 110/50) (from Ch. 32, par. 187)     Sec. 50. As used in this section, the term "Eastern Orthodox Church", also known as the "Greek Orthodox Church", includes the following established and operating jurisdictions of that church:     (a) The jurisdictions of the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Apostolic Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, Patriarchate of Moscow, Patriarchate of Alexandria, Patriarchate of Yugoslavia (Serbia), Patriarchate of Jerusalem, exercised in the Americas including the United States and possessions, by their duly authorized exarch, metropolitan, archbishop or bishop.     (b) The jurisdiction of the autonomous churches which operate in Greece, Yugoslavia (Serbia), Rumania and Bulgaria exercised in the Americas including the United States and possessions, by their duly authorized exarch, metropolitan, archbishop or bishop.     (c) The jurisdiction of the Ukranian Orthodox Church of the United States of America, exercised in the Americas including the United States and possessions, by its duly authorized exarch, metropolitan, archbishop or bishop.     This Act shall apply to all churches, congregations, parishes, committees and other religious organizations governed by jurisdictions, archdioceses and dioceses of the Eastern Orthodox Church adhering to and maintaining the apostolic and historic communion, doctrine, disciplines, canon law, tradition, worship and unity of the Eastern Orthodox Church and such churches, congregations, parishes and committees and societies thereof may be incorporated pursuant to this Act. (Source: Laws 1955, p. 2112.)

(805 ILCS 110/51) (from Ch. 32, par. 188)     Sec. 51. If the usages, customs, rules, regulations or canons of any religious organization require that any subordinate body of that organization obtain the permission of any hierarch, archbishop, bishop, administrator or other official or officials of the organization before incorporating, such permission may be set forth in the affidavit provided for in Section 36 or Section 46b of this Act, whichever may be applicable, as evidence of incorporation under this Act. (Source: Laws 1955, p. 2112.)