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The Orthodox church building is nothing more (or less) than the architectural setting for the Liturgy. Originally, converted houses served the purpose. The history of the church as a conspicuous structure begins with the official toleration of Christianity by Constantine the Great in 313, although there is evidence that sizeable churches existed before his time in some large cities. In the fourth and fifth centuries, buildings were erected to facilitate baptism (baptistries) and burial (mausolea) and to commemorate important events in the lives of Christ and the saints (martyria); but it was the building designed primarily to accommodate the celebration of the Eucharist that became the typical Christian structure - the church as we think of it today.
The early art of the Church was undeniably decorative, but its chief function was to instruct and elevate. The selection of themes from the Old and New Testaments and from sacred tradition was guided by the Church's unerring sense of what was dogmatically important. Representations of Christ, the Virgin, angels, and saints, shown looking at the viewer or engaged in some narrative action, were executed on the walls of churches and other buildings and on ecclesiastical and personal objects of almost every description. The images that were treated with special reverence and used in prayer were the icons. This word simply means "images" in Greek and was employed thus by the Byzantines; but in English it has come to mean the sacred images painted on panels, usually of wood. Icons were venerated out of love and respect for the people represented on them and because the sanctity of their subject matter set them apart from other material objects.
One of the monuments, the greatest in the history of the world, is the Bible. It has met great challenges of its literal expression as well as its trials over its validity and accuracy. The critical scrutiny of the Bible is the most thorough effort and examination that has ever been made of a literary work from the beginning of time, an examination challenging its integrity, and meaning. Its words, thoughts and personalities have been the subject of controversial discussion and debate through the centuries, both in its original language and its translation.
The bishop is the head of the local Church. He is elevated to the episcopacy from the ranks of the celibate clergy. Each bishop can trace his ordination back to one of the original apostles! As head of the local Church he can perform all the sacraments of Church including the ordination of other bishops, priests and the consecration of churches. In the Orthodox Church, all bishops are equal. Special titles are given to bishops depending on the geographic size, population or historic prominence of their diocese. Thus we have titles such as: Metropolitan, Archbishop or Patriarch.
The Orthodox Church consists of both clergy and laity. The ranks of the clergy are: bishop, priest and deacon. The clergy may be married or celibate, except in the case of the bishop who according to a long standing practice has been celibate. The deacons and priests must be married before ordination, and, once married cannot remarry.
Deacons cannot perform the sacraments, but can administer them. For example, once the priest or bishop consecrates the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ, the deacon can administer the sacrament to the faithful at the Divine Liturgy or, in case of the sick and elderly, to homes and hospitals.
It was in the early centuries of the Church's existence, while fighting to safeguard the true doctrines of Christ, that the Christian Church officially took on the name "Orthodox." The word Orthodox literally means "straight teaching" or "straight worship," being derived from two Greek words: orthos, "straight," and doxa, "teaching" or "worship."
The Orthodox speak of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit: three divine persons sharing the same essence and a perpetual movement of love which makes the Holy Trinity act harmoniously as one. The Orthodox have always maintained a theological balance between the oneness of God and the threeness of God.
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity who proceeds from the Father. Like the Son, there was no time that the Holy Spirit did not exist. He was present at the creation of the world (Genesis 1:2). He was present, "in the form of a dove" at the baptism of Jesus; and, He is the person of the Trinity that Jesus promised He would send upon the Church as its Comforter and guide after His ascension (John 14 and John 15:26). Jesus sent the Holy Spirit upon the Church (Acts 2:1-4; the Orthodox Church celebrates this great event on Pentecost); and the Church in turn bestows the Holy Spirit to each of its members through the sacrament of Chrismation. In fact, the Holy Spirit is present in all the sacraments of the Church.
Icons served a many-fold purpose in the Orthodox Church. They were used to help teach the faithful about God. A person can walk into an Orthodox Church and see the whole Bible story unfolded on its walls. Icons of Old and New Testament people and events were used to teach the faithful-keeping in mind that many could not read- about the Christian Faith.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He came into the world by the Holy Spirit and
the Virgin Mary; thus, the Church gave Him the title "Theanthropos" i.e., the
God-man. The Orthodox Church clearly teaches that Jesus Christ was fully divine
and fully human.
The purpose of Jesus Christ's coming to earth was to
reconcile mankind to God. In order to do this, God, in the person of Jesus
Christ, had to become fully human. He had to experience all the pain,
temptations and sufferings that all human beings face. Finally, having preached,
taught, healed and performed many miracles, He had to experience the last pain
that all people must undergo: death. Thus, He allowed Himself to be crucified.
As a human being, He died; but, being God, He rose from the dead, proving that
all who believe and follow Him will do likewise. This is why Jesus Christ is
called "Savior," for He saves us from death.
From the Greek word leitourgia meaning "a work of the people." Liturgy is the way we organize
our praise and worship to God. Through the
liturgy, we are gathered around God's word and sacraments,
and God offers us
gifts of forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.
We respond to God's generosity
with our prayers, praises, and thanks.
Liturgy is the basic skeleton of worship.
Monasticism spread quickly throughout the Byzantine Empire in the 4th-7th
centuries, flourished in the 16th century in all Europe, and recorded a revival
of interest in the 19th century.
Most monastics are imitators of Christ.
Like Christ, they fast. Like Christ, they live the life of poverty, both in what
they wear and what they possess. They do, therefore, spend time thinking about
food and clothing, but this in the strange sense of thinking how best not to
think of these.
Orthodox monastic life involves a system which contemporary psychologists call a "feed-back loop." By attention to externals, we affect internals; and by the restored internal state, external attributes are affected. Endlessly linked to one another, internals and externals interact with one another to the point that they are no longer separate. The humble spirit manifests itself in the humble face; the sweet countenance in the sweetness of spirit; and the contrite heart within a contrite act. Grace brings what is inside out and what is outside in. Grace molds, blends, and transforms.
Pentecost means the "fiftieth day." It is on the day of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles in the form of tongues of fire, fifty days after the resurrection of Christ. While the apostles were all assembled in one place, a rush of wind came into the house and the Holy Spirit filled each of them, giving them the power to speak in all languages and to be understood by all men. The twelve apostles seen on the icon form the apostolic college, which is the foundation of the Church, the twelve columns on which the building rests, built over the cornerstone, which is Christ. The icon of Pentecost then, is the symbol of the Church. The presence of the Holy Spirit is indicated by the flames which come from heaven and rest upon each apostle. The absence of Christ, necessary for the Holy Spirit to come, is indicated by an empty place. The arc of the circle is not closed at the top of the horseshoe formed by the apostles, leaving an empty space. This is the place Christ will occupy at the Second Coming.
There are at least seven sacraments in the Orthodox Church. The first is baptism
which is the Christian rite of initiation in the Church. Chrismation is the
second sacrament which bestows upon us the Holy Spirit. Holy Communion is the
sacrament of receiving the resurrected body and blood of Jesus Christ. Although
all Orthodox Christians are to confess their sins daily to God privately, all
are encouraged to participate in the sacrament of Confession with a priest.
Marriage is a sacrament of the Church for it is Christ himself through the
priest or bishop that joins the couple together. Ordination to the sacred
priesthood is also a sacrament, as is Holy Oil (Unction) which the faithful are
anointed with for the healing of soul and body and for the forgiveness of sins.
The Virgin Mary is the woman God chose to bear His Son in this world. The Orthodox believe in the ever-virginity of Mary. Since God chose her to manifest His presence among men, she is called, " All Holy" and the bridge between God and man. For this reason, she is highly praised and venerated in the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox always pray to the Virgin Mary, beseeching her to intercede for us to God. The Orthodox do not worship the Virgin Mary-worship is do to God alone. The Orthodox make a distinction between worship and intercessory prayer. Just as we ask other people to pray for us, we ask the Virgin Mary, for she has found favor in God's eyes and has a very unique relationship with God, to pray (intercede) for us. It should be noted that the Virgin Mary and all the saints are ceaselessly praying for all of us.
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