2. Orthodox Church
⢠The Orthodox Church is one of the three main Christian groups
(the others being Roman Catholic and Protestant). Around 200
million people follow the Orthodox tradition.
⢠It is made up of a number of self-governing Churches which are
either 'autocephalous' (meaning having their own head) or
'autonomous' (meaning self-governing).
3. Orthodox Church
⢠The word 'Orthodox' takes its meaning from the Greek
words orthos ('right') and doxa ('belief'). Hence the word
Orthodox means correct belief or right thinking.
⢠Sometimes called the Byzantine Christianity
4. Orthodox Church
⢠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 way of life and worship, and in certain aspects
of theology.
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5. Orthodox Church
⢠The Holy Spirit is seen as present in and as the guide to the
Church working through the whole body of the Church, as well
as through priests and bishops.
7. The Great Schism
⢠The Great Schism is the title given to separation between the
Western Church (the Roman Catholic) and the Eastern Church,
(the Orthodox), which took place in the eleventh century.
Relations between the two great traditions of the East and the
West had often been strained since the fourth century
8. The Great Schism
⢠By the ninth century, however, legitimate differences were
intensified by political circumstances, cultural clashes, papal
claims, and the introduction in the West of the Filioque phrase
into the Nicene Creed. The Filioque affirms that the Holy Spirit
proceeds from the Father and the Son. Both the papal claims
and the Filioque were strongly repudiated by the East.
11. Causes of Great Schism:
ďPolitics
ďNicene Creed
ďUse of Leaven and Unleavened Bread
ďCelibacy
ďNature of Trinity
ďValid rules of fasting
12. Beliefs and Worship
⢠The Bible of the Orthodox Church is that of most Western
Churches, except that its Old Testament is based not on the
Hebrew, but on the ancient Jewish translation into Greek called
the Septuagint.
13. Beliefs and Worship
⢠The wisdom of the Fathers of the Church is fundamental to the
Orthodox way of life as today's successors of the "true faith
and Church" passed on in its most authentic form.
⢠By maintaining the virtue of the received teachings of the
apostles, followers are more conscious of the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit being present both in history and in the modern-day.
14. Beliefs and Worship
⢠Fasting and prayer represent an essential part of the Orthodox
Christian life. Orthodox believe that fasting can be the
"foundation of all good." The discipline of withholding food
from the body can empower a believer to focus the mind
completely on preparing for prayer and spiritual matters.
15. Beliefs and Worship
There are four central fasting periods:
ďThe Great Fast or the period of Lent.
ďThe Fast of the Apostles: Eight days after Pentecost until June 28.
The ends with the Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
ďThe Dormition Fast which begins on August 1 and ends on August
14.
ďThe Christmas Fast from November 15-December 24
16. Beliefs and Worship
Orthodox Easter
the most meaningful and holy season of the Orthodox Church
calendar. Orthodox Easter primarily commemorates the
resurrection of Jesus Christ with a series of celebrations or
movable feasts.
17. Beliefs and Worship
Orthodox Easter
the most meaningful and holy season of the Orthodox Church
calendar. Orthodox Easter primarily commemorates the
resurrection of Jesus Christ with a series of celebrations or
movable feasts.
18. Sacraments
Baptism and Chrismation
Baptism of adults and infants is by immersion in water 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 called Chrism. Chrismation is followed by Holy Communion. This
means that in the Orthodox Church babies and children are fully
communicant members of the Church.
20. Sacraments
The Eucharist
The Orthodox believe that by the consecration the bread and wine are truly
changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. Communion is given in a spoon
containing both the bread 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 blessed, but not consecrated, bread is
distributed to the congregation, and non-Orthodox are often invited to share in
this as a gesture of fellowship.
22. Sacraments
Orders
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.
Priests in the Orthodox Church are permitted to be married but may not marry
after ordination. Bishops must always be celibate. Orthodox priests normally do
not shave their beards, in accordance with the Bible. (Leviticus 19:27)
24. Sacraments
Penance
⢠All Orthodox Churches use the Mystery of Penance, or Confession, but in Greek
speaking Churches only priests who have been blessed by the Bishop as
'Spiritual Fathers' are allowed to hear confession. Children may be admitted to
the sacrament of Confession as soon as they are old enough to know the
difference between right and wrong.
25. Sacraments
Penance
⢠Through this sacrament sinners may receive forgiveness. They enter into
confession with a priest often in an open area in the church (not in a
confessional as in the Roman Catholic tradition nor separated by a grille).
26. Sacraments
Anointing of the Sick
⢠In Greek-speaking Churches this is performed annually for the whole
congregation during Holy Week on the eve of Holy Wednesday. Everyone 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.
27. Sacraments
Marriage
Marriage is celebrated through the
rite of crowning, showing the
importance of eternal union of the
couple. Although marriage is seen as
a permanent commitment in life and
in death, remarriage and divorce are
permitted in certain circumstances.
28. Icons
An icon is usually an
elaborate, two dimensional
painting. They often have a
gold leaf background and are
usually on wood. They depict
Christ, his mother Mary,
scenes from the Bible or the
lives of the Saints.
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 own geographical (rather than a national) title that usually reflects the cultural traditions of its believers.
The Orthodox tradition developed from the Christianity of the Eastern Roman Empire and was shaped by the pressures, politics and peoples of that geographical area. Since the Eastern capital of the Roman Empire was Byzantium
Yet, unity and harmony was maintained in spite of differences in theological expression, liturgical practices, and views of authority.
From that period onward, the Western Church, centered about the Pope of Rome, and the Eastern Church, centered about the Patriarch of Constantinople, went their separate ways. Although there were attempts to restore communion in the years 1274 and 1439, there was no lasting unity achieved. While political, cultural, and emotional factors have always been involved, the Orthodox Church believes that the two principal reasons for the continued schism are the papal claims of universal jurisdiction and infallibility, as well as the meaning of the Filioque.
For nearly 500 years the two traditions lived in formal isolation from each other. Only, since the early 1960âs have steps been taken to restore the broken unity. Most significant has been the mutual lifting of the Anathemas of 1054 by the late Patriarch Athenagoras and Pope Paul VI in 1965.
Eastern Christianity emphasizes a way of life and belief that is manifested especially through worship. By preserving the conventional method of worshipping God, passed on from the very beginnings of Christianity. Eastern Christians maintain that they acknowledge the true doctrine of God in the right (orthodox) way
Septuagint-Tradition says 72 men translated Pentateuch in 72 days
Also all Wednesdays and Fridays are expected to be days of fasting.
In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the spiritual preparations begin with Great Lent, 40 days of introspection and fasting (including Sundays), which starts on Clean Monday and finishes on Lazarus Saturday.
Clean Monday falls seven weeks before Easter Sunday. The term "Clean Monday" refers to cleansing from sinful behavior through the Lenten fast. Lazarus Saturday occurs eight days before Easter Sunday and signifies the end of Great Lent. Next comes Palm Sunday, one week before Easter, commemorating the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, followed by Holy Week, which ends on Easter Sunday, or Pascha.
Chrism can only be consecrated by the Patriarch, or chief 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 faith.
The Chrism is used to anoint different parts of the body with a sign of the cross. The forehead, eyes, 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 'Royal 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.
Both parts of the Liturgy contain a procession. At the Little Entrance, the Book of the Gospels is solemnly carried into the sanctuary and at the Great Entrance the bread and wine are carried to the altar for the Prayer of Consecration and Holy Communion.
The prayer of consecration is always preceded by the proclamation of the Nicene Creed, frequently by 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 down his Holy Spirit to effect the change of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.
Both parts of the Liturgy contain a procession. At the Little Entrance, the Book of the Gospels is solemnly carried into the sanctuary and at the Great Entrance the bread and wine are carried to the altar for the Prayer of Consecration and Holy Communion.
The prayer of consecration is always preceded by the proclamation of the Nicene Creed, frequently by 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 down his Holy Spirit to effect the change of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.
Read First: Although the Church is a self-governing community the Church recognises the diaconate, the presbyterate or priesthood and the episcopate (bishops).
You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard.
Leviticus 19:27
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 standing slightly apart. This stresses that the priest is simply a witness and that forgiveness comes from God not the priest.
The priest will then hear the confession and perhaps give advice. After confession the penitent kneels before the priest, who places his stole on the penitent's head saying a prayer of absolution.
Anointing of the sick can also be performed on individuals. People sometimes keep the blessed oil of the sick in their homes.
The Church anoints the sick with oil, following the teaching of St James in his Epistle (5:14-15), "Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the Church, and they should pray over him and anoint (him) with oil in the 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 be forgiven."
Icons are of great importance to Orthodox Christians. These beautiful and elaborate paintings are described as "windows into the kingdom of God". They are used in worship both in the decoration of the church and for private homes. The icon is seen as both a form of prayer and a means to prayer.
Icons are of great importance to Orthodox Christians. These beautiful and elaborate paintings are described as "windows into the kingdom of God". They are used in worship both in the decoration of the church and for private homes. The icon is seen as both a form of prayer and a means to prayer.
he icon is venerated and often 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 it. In most Orthodox churches the Altar, or sanctuary, is separated from the main body of the church by a solid screen (known as the iconostasis), pierced by 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.
Icons are of great importance to Orthodox Christians. These beautiful and elaborate paintings are described as "windows into the kingdom of God". They are used in worship both in the decoration of the church and for private homes. The icon is seen as both a form of prayer and a means to prayer.
he icon is venerated and often 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 it. In most Orthodox churches the Altar, or sanctuary, is separated from the main body of the church by a solid screen (known as the iconostasis), pierced by 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.
Icons are of great importance to Orthodox Christians. These beautiful and elaborate paintings are described as "windows into the kingdom of God". They are used in worship both in the decoration of the church and for private homes. The icon is seen as both a form of prayer and a means to prayer.
he icon is venerated and often 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 it. In most Orthodox churches the Altar, or sanctuary, is separated from the main body of the church by a solid screen (known as the iconostasis), pierced by 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.