Visiting For The First Time? 10 Things To Know
Based on the article by Frederica Matthews-Green, enjoy this adapted version by our parish priest Fr. Timothy:
1. There is Movement Before and During Worship
During the early part of the service, you may see people walking up to the front of the church, say a brief prayer in front of one of the icons (the standing icons in front of the altar), kissing it and lighting a candle, even though the service has already begun.
In the Orthodox church the main service is called the Divine Liturgy (The work of the people) and is celebrated each Sunday and sometimes on weekdays. It is preceded by an hour and a half service called Matins (or Orthros). There is no break between these services, one begins as soon as the previous ends. Matins is comprised of readings from the book of Psalms, the Gospel, and has many hymns. It typically precedes the Divine Liturgy, though it can stand alone as a service in the church.
Orthodox worshippers arrive at any point from the beginning of Matins up until the beginning of the Divine Liturgy. Though some come late to the Divine Liturgy, it’s not a good practice. Just as you wouldn’t show up to a movie fifteen minutes after it has already started.
2. We Stand When We Pray
In the Orthodox tradition, the faithful stand up for nearly the entire service. The reason for this is that we understand worship to be work. Sitting is a form of rest. We believe that when in the presence of God, we should all stand. If you find the amount of standing too challenging, you're welcome to sit at any time.
The liturgy at St. Katherine’s begins at 9:30 AM. Around 9:50 AM we hear the reading of the Epistle, one of St. Paul’s letter, and everyone sits at this point. Immediately following the Epistle, a passage from one of the Gospels is read, for which everyone stands as the Good News is being proclaimed. After the reading of the Gospel, the priest gives a sermon. Around 10:30, the Faithful, who have prepared themselves, receive Holy Communion. The children approach first and then depart for Sunday School, while the parents return to their seats until the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, which typically ends around 10:45 AM.
3. People Make the Sign of the Cross
We sign ourselves whenever the name of the Trinity is invoked (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The faithful also make the sign of the cross whenever they venerate the cross or an icon, and on many other occasions during the course of the Liturgy. People, however, aren't expected to do everything the same way. Some cross themselves three times, and others just once. When first entering the church people typically approach the icons in the Narthex (foyer), make the sign of the cross and a slight bow, and then kiss the icon, and then make one more bow. This becomes familiar with time, don't worry, you don't have to follow suit.
4. Orthodox People Venerate
When we first enter the church, we light a candle, and we kiss (venerate) the icons. You may also see that some kiss the chalice after receiving Holy Communion. When the priest comes in procession at one point, some touch the edge of his vestment as he passes by. The acolytes kiss his hand when they give him the censer, and we all line up to kiss the priest's hand at the end of the service as we receive the blessed bread. When we talk about "venerating" we simply mean showing reverence.
The reason for kissing the hand of the priest has to do with our understanding that during the liturgy the hands of the priest are Christ's hands. The priest also holds in his hands the "Body of Christ" while he prepares the chalice. It is also through the laying on of hands that that ordinations are done by the bishops. The laying on of hands goes back to the Apostles in the Orthodox Church.
5. There is Blessed Bread and Consecrated Bread
Only Orthodox may receive Holy Communion, but anyone may receive what is called (Andithoron) “blessed bread” offered at the conclusion of the liturgy. We receive this from the hand of the priest.
Visitors are sometimes offended that they are not allowed to receive Holy Communion. Orthodox believe that receiving communion is broader than me-and-Jesus; it acknowledges one’s faith and belief in historic Orthodox doctrine, obedience to a particular Orthodox bishop, and a commitment to a particular Orthodox worshipping community. There's nothing exclusive about this; everyone is invited to make this commitment to the Orthodox Church. But the Eucharist is the Church's treasure and is reserved for those who have united themselves with the Church through Holy Baptism and Chrismation.
We also hold Holy Communion (The Eucharist) with more gravity than many denominations do. We believe it is truly the Body and Blood of Christ (John 6). In fact, Orthodox believers do not receive communion unless they have properly prepared themselves by receiving the mystery of confession, fasting, asking forgiveness from those they may have offended and forgiving others who have offended them. On the morning we wish to receive Holy Communion (unless there are reasons one is unable to) we fast from all food and drink from midnight the night before, yes, even a morning cup of coffee.
6. How we address our priest
In the Orthodox tradition, we call the priest “father” and then his name. St. Paul in his First Letter to the faithful in Corinth wrote: “I do not write this to make you ashamed but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you might have 10,000 guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Indeed, in Christ Jesus I became your father through the Gospel” (1 Corinthians 4:14-15). He also describes his relationship with the Christians of the Church in Thessalonica as being “like a father with his children” (1 Thessalonians 2:11), and he calls the apostle Timothy his son (I Timothy 1:2). The wife of the priest also holds a special role as parish mother and has the title of "Presvytera" (Greek), which means "wife of the presbyter."
Another difference you may notice is in the Nicene Creed, which is recited at one point in the Liturgy. If we are saying that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, and you from force of habit add, "and the Son," you will be alone. The phrase, “and the Son” (filioque) was added by the Roman Catholic church some six hundred years after it was written and accepted by the Church.
7. Hymnology Draws Us to Pray
In some Orthodox parishes you will see both Chanters and Choirs. At St. Katherine’s our music is offered by chanters. Some hymns are in the original Greek language, but most are done in English so that the faithful and our visitors can understand what is being said. Traditionally, hymns are sung a cappella, though in Slavic Orthodox churches, they will typically use four-part harmony.
8. The Virgin Mary
A constant feature of Orthodox worship is the veneration of the Virgin Mary, the "champion leader" of all Christians. We refer to her as "Theotokos," which means the one who “bore God,” providing the physical means for God to become man, and thereby making possible our salvation.
We honor her, as Scripture foretold, "All generations will call me blessed" (Luke 1:48). When we sing "Through the intercession of the Theotokos, Savior, save us," we don't mean that she grants us eternal salvation, rather we ask for her prayers and intercessions, as she is the mother of God and especially close to her Son. Just as we ask for each other's prayers, we ask for the prayers of Mary as well as the Saints, who are alive in Christ for all eternity. Since there is no death in Christ, even those who have passed on from this life, remain alive and continue to pray for those in the world. They're not dead, just departed from this world to the world to come. The many icons in the church which surround us are part of the “great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1) and remain a part of the Church, the Body of Christ. They are now a part of the Church Triumphant, while we still comprise the Church Militant on earth. These two are not separated but one.
9. The Three Doors
Every Orthodox church has an icon screen "Iconostasis", which stand between the Holy Altar and the Nave of the Church. It does not act as a barrier, but a symbolic link between the Altar, which represents the Kingdom of Heaven and the Nave, which represents the world. Every iconostasis has a large image of Christ on the right and a corresponding image of the Virgin and Child on the left. The basic set-up of two large icons creates, if you use your imagination, three doors. The central one, in front of the altar itself, is called the "Holy Doors" or "Royal Doors," because there the King of Glory comes out to the congregation in the Eucharist. Only bishops, priests and deacons, who bear the Eucharist, use the Holy Doors.
The openings on the other sides of the icons, if there is a complete iconostasis, have doors with icons of angels; they are called the "Deacon's Doors." Facing the Altar, the door on the left has a large icon of the Archangel Michael, while the door on the right bears the image of the Archangel Gabriel. Acolytes and others with responsibilities behind the altar use these two side doors, although no one is to go through any of the doors without an appropriate reason.
10. Where Does a "Non-Greek" Fit In?
There are about 6 million Orthodox in North America and 250 million in the world, making Orthodoxy the second-largest Christian body. Orthodox throughout the world hold unanimously to the fundamental Christian doctrines taught by the Apostles and handed down by their successors, the bishops, throughout the centuries. One could attribute this unity to historical accident. We would attribute it to the Holy Spirit.
Currently the largest American jurisdictions are the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, The Orthodox Church in America (Russian roots), and the Antiochian Archdiocese (Arabic roots). The liturgy is essentially the same in all, though there may be variation in language used, the type of music and some basic rubrics.
Orthodoxy seems startlingly different at first, but as the weeks pass, it gets to be less so. It will begin to feel more and more like home, and will gradually draw you into your true home, the Kingdom of God. I hope that your first visit to an Orthodox church will be enjoyable, and that it won't be your last. Keep in mind you are walking into the Christian Faith of 2,000 years, and the Divine Liturgy, the main service of worship, was composed over 1,700 years ago and yet remains unchanged.