Orthodox Christianity

Eastern Orthodox Church building

Orthodox Churches

Orthodox prayer rope ©

The Orthodox Church is ane of the three primary Christian groups (the others being Roman Cosmic and Protestant). Around 200 one thousand thousand people follow the Orthodox tradition.

Information technology is made up of a number of self-governing Churches which are either 'autocephalous' (significant having their own head) or 'autonomous' (meaning self-governing).

The Orthodox Churches are united in faith and by a common approach to theology, tradition, and worship. They draw on elements of Greek, Middle-Eastern, Russian and Slav culture.

Each Church has its ain geographical (rather than a national) title that normally reflects the cultural traditions of its believers.

The word 'Orthodox' takes its meaning from the Greek words orthos ('right') and doxa ('belief'). Hence the give-and-take Orthodox means correct conventionalities or right thinking.

The Orthodox tradition developed from the Christianity of the Eastern Roman Empire and was shaped past the pressures, politics and peoples of that geographical surface area. Since the Eastern capital of the Roman Empire was Byzantium, this style of Christianity is sometimes called 'Byzantine Christianity'.

The Orthodox Churches share with the other Christian Churches the belief that God revealed himself in Jesus Christ, and a belief in the incarnation of Christ, his crucifixion and resurrection. The Orthodox Church differs substantially from the other Churches in the mode of life and worship, and in sure aspects of theology.

The Holy Spirit is seen as present in and every bit the guide to the Church working through the whole body of the Church, equally well as through priests and bishops.

Are Orthodox Churches the same every bit Eastern Orthodox Churches?

Non all Orthodox Churches are 'Eastern Orthodox'. The 'Oriental Orthodox Churches' accept theological differences with the Eastern Orthodox and grade a separate group, while a few Orthodox Churches are not 'in communion' with the others.

Not all Churches in the Eastern tradition are Orthodox - Eastern Churches that are not included in the Orthodox grouping include the Eastern Catholic Churches.

The Eastern Orthodox Churches

The nominal caput of the Eastern Orthodox Churches is the Patriarch of Constantinople. Withal, he is only first among equals and has no real authorisation over Churches other than his own.

There are 15 'autocephalous Churches', listed in guild of precedence.

Churches 1-9 are led by Patriarchs, while the others are led by Archbishops or Metropolitans:

1. Church of Constantinople (ancient)
2. Church of Alexandria (ancient)
3. Church of Antioch (ancient)
4. Church of Jerusalem (aboriginal)
5. Church of Russian federation (established in 1589)
6. Church of Serbia (1219)
7. Church building of Romania (1925)
8. Church of Bulgaria (927)
9. Church building of Georgia (466)
10. Church of Republic of cyprus (434)
11. Church building of Greece (1850)
12. Church of Poland (1924)
13. Church building of Albania (1937)
14. Church building of Czech and Slovak lands (1951)
15. The Orthodox Church in America (1970)

The Orthodox communion also includes a number of 'democratic Churches':

• Church of Sinai
• Church of Finland
• Church building of Republic of estonia*
• Church of Japan*
• Church of China*
• Church of Ukraine*
• Archdiocese of Ohrid*

* indicates a Church building whose autonomy is recognised by merely some of the other Churches

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History and schism

The Great Schism

The doctrine of the Christian Church was established over the centuries at Councils dating from as early on as 325CE where the leaders from all the Christian communities were represented. The Eastern Church recognizes the authority of the Councils of Nicea 325 CE, Constantinople I (381), Ephesus (431) Chalcedon (451) Constantinople II (553), Constantinople Iii (680) and Nicaea Ii (787).

Although initially the Eastern and Western Christians shared the aforementioned organized religion, the ii traditions began to separate later on the seventh Ecumenical Council in 787 CE and is usually believed to take finally split over the conflict with Rome in the so chosen Great Schism in 1054.

In particular this happened over the papal claim to supreme authorisation and the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. The suspension became final with the failure of the Quango of Florence in the fifteenth century.

However, in the minds of about Orthodox, a decisive moment was the sack of Constantinople in 1204 during the (Western Christian) Fourth Cause. The sacking of Constantinople by the Crusaders somewhen led to the loss of this Byzantine majuscule to the Muslim Ottomans in 1453. This has never been forgotten.

The divisions between the E and Western Churches happened gradually over the centuries as the Roman Empire fragmented.

Somewhen, while the Eastern Churches maintained the principle that the Church building should go along to the local language of the community, Latin became the language of the Western Church.

Until the schism the 5 great patriarchal sees were Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem. After the interruption with Rome Orthodoxy became 'Eastern' and the dominant expression of Christianity in the eastern Mediterranean, much of Asia Minor, Russian and Balkans.

Life and worship

Life and worship

Eastern Christianity stresses a manner of life and belief that is expressed particularly through worship. By maintaining the correct form of worshipping God, passed on from the very ancestry of Christianity. Eastern Christians believe that they confess the true doctrine of God in the right (orthodox) way.

The Orthodox Bible is almost the aforementioned every bit that found in Western Churches ©

The Bible of the Orthodox Church building is the same as that of most Western Churches, except that its Quondam Attestation is based not on the Hebrew, but on the aboriginal Jewish translation into Greek chosen the Septuagint.

The wisdom of the Fathers of the Church is fundamental to the Orthodox manner of life as today's inheritors of the "truthful faith and Church" passed on in its purest class. By maintaining the purity of the inherited teachings of the Apostles, believers are made more aware of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit beingness nowadays both in history and at the present day.

A life of prayer

At the heart of worship and belief is the Eucharist surrounded past the Divine Offices or the Cycle of Prayer. These prayers are sung particularly at Sunset and Dawn and at certain other times during the day and night.

Personal prayer plays an important part in the life of an Orthodox Christian. For many Orthodox Christians an of import form of prayer is the Jesus Prayer. This is a sentence which is repeated many times; for instance: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." The aim of this repetition is to enable the person to concentrate solely on God.

The strict life of a monk or nun is seen equally an of import expression of faith.

Mount Athos and Monasticism

Monastery on Mount Athos ©

Monasticism is a cardinal part of the Orthodox faith. Mountain Athos in due north-eastern Hellenic republic is described as the centre of Orthodox monasticism. It is the simply place in Greece completely dedicated to prayer and worship of God. For this reason, it is called the Holy Mount.

Most monasteries are coenobitic: living a communal life. The peninsula is divided into twenty cocky-governed territories. Each territory consists of a major monastery and some other monastic establishments that surroundings it (cloisters, cells, cottages, seats, hermitages).

For monk and nun alike, their spiritual life should follow the same way of living that all Christians try to achieve past following God'southward commandants. While non being against marriage, information technology is generally accustomed that celibacy in the Church building allows for a closer agreement of the Christian life away from worldly things.

Fasting and prayer

Fasting and prayer play an important function of the Orthodox Christian life. Orthodox believe that fasting can be the 'foundation of all good'. The bailiwick of training the body can enable a believer to concentrate the heed totally on training for prayer and things spiritual.

In that location are four main fasting periods:

• The Great Fast or the menses of Lent
• The Fast of the Apostles: Eight days after Pentecost until 28th June. The ends with the Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
• The Dormition Fast which begins on 1st August and ends on the 14th August
• The Christmas Fast from 15 November to 24th December.

Also all Wednesdays and Fridays are expected to be days of fasting.

Even though today the call to fast is not always strictly followed, nevertheless many devout Orthodox Christians do undergo a time of 18-carat hardship and information technology has been said that:

Orthodox Christians in the twentieth century - laity every bit well as monks - fast with a severity for which in that location is no parallel in western Christendom...

Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church

A discussion of self-deprival

Contributors from Opus Dei and a Greek Orthodox church building discuss self-denial and corporal mortification with a Muslim chaplain.

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Sacraments

Sacred Mysteries (sacraments)

The post-obit seven master Mysteries or sacraments are at the heart of the Eastern Orthodox Church building.

Baptism and Chrismation

The showtime two are Baptism and Chrismation. Baptism of adults and infants is by immersion in h2o three times in the name of the Trinity and is both the initiation into the Church and a sign of forgiveness of sins.

Chrismation follows immediately after baptism and is by anointing with holy oil chosen Chrism. Chrismation is followed by Holy Communion. This means that in the Orthodox Church building babies and children are fully communicant members of the Church building.

Chrism tin can only be consecrated past the Patriarch, or main Bishop, of the local Church. Some of the old Chrism is mixed with the new, thus linking the newly baptised to their forbears in the religion.

The Chrism is used to bless dissimilar parts of the trunk with a sign of the cross. The forehead, optics, nostrils, mouth and ears, the chest, the hands and the feet are all anointed. The priest says the words, "The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit" as he makes the sign of the cross at each point.

The newly baptised Christian is now a layperson, a full member of the people of God (the 'Majestic Priesthood'). All Christians are called to be witnesses to the Truth.

Chrismation is linked to Pentecost in that the same Holy Spirit which descended on the apostles descends on the newly baptised.

The Eucharist

The Eucharist, unremarkably called the Divine Liturgy, fulfils the control of Jesus Christ at the Concluding Supper: "Practise this in remembrance of me".

Singing hymns ©

As in many Western churches the Eucharist is a service consisting, in the commencement role, of hymns, prayers, and readings from the New Testament, and in the second the solemn offering and consecration of leavened staff of life and wine mixed with water, followed by the reception of Holy Communion.

The Orthodox believe that past the consecration the bread and vino are truly inverse into the Trunk and Blood of Christ. Communion is given in a spoon containing both the breadstuff and the wine and is received standing. A sermon is usually preached either after the reading of the Gospel or at the end of the service. At the end of the Liturgy blest, but not consecrated, staff of life is distributed to the congregation, and non-Orthodox are oft invited to share in this equally a gesture of fellowship.

Both parts of the Liturgy comprise a procession. At the Piffling Entrance, the Volume of the Gospels is solemnly carried into the sanctuary and at the Slap-up Entrance the staff of life and vino are carried to the altar for the Prayer of Consecration and Holy Communion.

The prayer of consecration is e'er preceded past the declaration of the Nicene Creed, frequently past the whole congregation.

The Orthodox Church lays particular emphasis on the role of the Holy Spirit in the Eucharist, and in the Prayer of Consecration calls on the Father to send downwards his Holy Spirit to effect the change of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.

There are 4 different liturgies used throughout the year:

• The Liturgy of St John Chrysostom (used on Sundays and weekdays)
• The Liturgy of St Basil the Great (used x times a year)
• The Liturgy of St James, the Brother of the Lord (sometimes used on St James' Mean solar day)
• The Liturgy of the Presanctified (used on Wednesdays and Fridays in Lent and on the first three days of Holy Calendar week)

Greek Orthodox priests ©

Orders

Although the Church is a self-governing community the Church recognises the diaconate, the presbyterate or priesthood and the episcopate (bishops).

The Bishops in the Orthodox Church are considered to be the direct successors of the original Apostles and they are very much a unifying focus in the Church building. Priests in the Orthodox Church are permitted to be married only may not marry afterward ordination. Bishops must ever be celibate. Orthodox priests normally do not shave their beards, in accordance with the Bible.

You shall not round off the pilus on your temples or mar the edges of your bristles.

Leviticus 19:27

Penance

All Orthodox Churches use the Mystery of Penance, or Confession, but in Greek speaking Churches simply priests who have been blessed by the Bishop every bit 'Spiritual Fathers' are immune to hear confession. Children may be admitted to the sacrament of Confession as soon every bit they are one-time plenty to know the difference betwixt correct and wrong.

Through this sacrament sinners may receive forgiveness. They enter into confession with a priest frequently in an open area in the church building (not in a confessional as in the Roman Catholic tradition nor separated by a grille).

Confession ©

Both priest and penitent stand and a cross and book of the Gospels or an icon is placed in front of the penitent with the priest continuing slightly apart. This stresses that the priest is but a witness and that forgiveness comes from God not the priest.

The priest will and so hear the confession and peradventure give advice. After confession the penitent kneels before the priest, who places his stole on the penitent's caput proverb a prayer of absolution.

Anointing of the sick

In Greek-speaking Churches this is performed annually for the whole congregation during Holy Calendar week on the eve of Holy Wed. Anybody is encouraged to come forward for anointing with the special oil whether they are physically ill or not. This is because it is generally held that all are in need of spiritual healing even if they are physically well.

Anointing of the sick tin can besides be performed on individuals. People sometimes continue the blessed oil of the ill in their homes.

The Church anoints the sick with oil, following the didactics of St James in his Epistle (five:fourteen-fifteen), "Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the Church building, and they should pray over him and anoint (him) with oil in the proper name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins he will exist forgiven."

This sacrament,', remarks Sergius Bulgakov, 'has two faces: one turns towards healing, the other towards the liberation from illness by death.

Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church building

Marriage

Wedlock is celebrated through the rite of crowning, showing the importance of eternal spousal relationship of the couple. Although marriage is seen as a permanent commitment in life and in death, remarriage and divorce are permitted in certain circumstances.

Icons

Icons

Icon of the Virgin and child ©

Icons are of great importance to Orthodox Christians. These beautiful and elaborate paintings are described equally "windows into the kingdom of God". They are used in worship both in the ornament of the church and for private homes. The icon is seen as both a form of prayer and a means to prayer.

An icon is usually an elaborate, two dimensional painting. They often have a gold foliage groundwork and are usually on woods. They describe Christ, his mother Mary, scenes from the Bible or the lives of the Saints.

The iconographer prepares for the painting of an icon with prayer and fasting. By worshipping at the Icon the Orthodox Christian enters into a sacred place with God.

The icon is venerated and oftentimes candles and oil lamps are burnt before them. The worshipper kisses the icon, making the sign of the Cross and may kneel or prostrate before information technology.

In most Orthodox churches the Altar, or sanctuary, is separated from the main torso of the church by a solid screen (known as the iconostasis), pierced past three doors, the one in the centre being known as the Holy door. The screen is decorated with icons, of which the principal ones are those on either side of the Holy Door of Christ and the Mother of God.

Sir John Tavener ©

These are commonly flanked by icons of St John the Baptist and of the Saint, or Feast, to which the church is defended. In Russian churches the iconostasis unremarkably forms a solid wall busy with 4 or five rows of icons according to an elaborate traditional arrangement.

The composer Sir John Tavener is one of Britain's most famous followers of Orthodox Christianity and calls icons "the near sacred, the most transcendent fine art that exists". In this clip he talks about his interpretation of these works of art.

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Agenda and Christmas

The Orthodox calendar

Later on World State of war I various Orthodox Churches, beginning with the Patriarchate of Constantinople, began to abandon the Julian calendar or Old Agenda, and adopt a form of the Gregorian calendar or New Agenda. The Julian agenda is, at the present time, thirteen days behind the Gregorian Calendar.

Today, many Orthodox Churches (with the exception of Jerusalem, Russian federation, Serbia, and Mount Athos) use the New, Gregorian Agenda for fixed feasts and holy days but the Julian calendar for Easter and movable feasts. In this way all the Orthodox celebrate Easter together.

The Orthodox Church agenda begins on September 1st and ends on August 31st. Each day is sacred: each is a saint'southward 24-hour interval, and so at to the lowest degree one saint is venerated daily.

Orthodox Christmas

Candles ©

Christmas is celebrated by Orthodox Christians in Central and Eastern Europe and throughout the world on the 7th of Jan in the Gregorian Calendar - 13 days after other Christians.

In the East, Christmas is preceded past a twoscore mean solar day fast beginning on November 15th. This is a time of reflection, self-restraint and inner healing in the sacrament of confession.

Usually, on Christmas Eve, observant Orthodox Christians fast till late evening, until the first star appears. When the star is seen, people lay the table gear up for the Christmas supper.

On Christmas Day people take part in divine liturgy, after which many walk in procession to seas, rivers and lakes. Everyone gathers around in the snow for outdoor ceremonies to anoint the h2o. Sometimes rivers are frozen, so people make holes in the water ice to bless the h2o. Some have water home to bless their houses. Then a great feast is held indoors where everyone joins in to swallow, potable and savor themselves.

A Orthodox Russian custom is to serve Christmas cakes and to sing songs. The tradition is mixed with other pagan traditions of ancient Russia such that people may visit their neighbours in disguises, dance, sing and ask for presents, similar to fob-or-treating.

There are similarities, too as differences, betwixt the Eastern and Western celebration of Christmas. The Eastern Christmas has a very strong family and social appeal but as it does in the Due west. It brings people of all generations together to gloat the birth of Jesus Christ.

Unlike the West, where Christmas ranks supreme, in the E it is Easter, centred on the cross and the resurrection of Christ, which is the supreme festival of the year. Eastern Orthodox Christmas also lacks the commercial side that is typical of the West.

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Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/easternorthodox_1.shtml

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