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In its doctrinal statements and liturgical texts,
the Orthodox Church strongly affirms that it holds the original Christian faith,
which was common to East and West during the first millennium of Christian
history. More particularly, it recognizes the authority of the ecumenical
councils at which East and West were represented together. These were the
councils of Nicaea I (325), Constantinople I (381), Ephesus (431), Chalcedon
(451), Constantinople II (553), Constantinople III (680), and Nicaea II (787).
Later doctrinal affirmations by the Orthodox church — for instance, the
important 14th-century definitions concerning communion with God — are seen as
developments of the same original faith of the early church.
The concern for continuity and tradition, which
is characteristic of Orthodoxy, does not imply worship of the past as such, but
rather a sense of identity and consistency with the original apostolic witness
and truth, as realized through the sacramental community of each local church.
The Holy Spirit, bestowed on the church at Pentecost, is seen as guiding the
whole church “in all truth” (John 16:13). The power of teaching and guiding the
community is bestowed on certain ministries (particularly that of the bishop of
each diocese) or is manifested through certain institutions (such as councils).
Nevertheless, because the church is composed not only of bishops, or of clergy,
but of the whole laity as well, the Orthodox Church strongly affirms that the
guardian of truth is the entire “people of God.”
This belief that truth is inseparable from the life of the sacramental community
provides the basis for the Orthodox understanding of the apostolic succession of
bishops: Consecrated by their peers and occupying the “place of Christ” at the
Eucharistic meal, where the church gathers, they are the guardians and witnesses
of a tradition that goes back, uninterrupted, to the apostles and that unites
the local churches in the community of faith.
The ecumenical councils of the first millennium
defined the basic Christian doctrines on the Holy Trinity, on the unique Person
(One God) and the three natures of Christ (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), expressing
fully the authenticity and fullness of his divinity and his humanity. These
doctrines are forcefully expressed in all Orthodox statements of faith and in
liturgical hymns. Also, in light of this traditional doctrine on the Person of
Christ, the Virgin Mary is venerated as Mother of God Mary. Further Mariological
developments, however, such as the more recent Western doctrine of the
immaculate conception of Mary, are foreign to Orthodoxy. Mary’s intercession is
invoked because she was closer to the Savior than anyone else and is, therefore,
the representative of fallen humanity and the most prominent and holiest member
of the church.
The Sacraments of the Orthodox Church are composed of prayers, hymns, scripture
lessons, gestures and processions. Many parts of the services date back to the
time of the Apostles. The Orthodox Church has avoided reducing the Sacraments to
a particular formula or action. Often, a whole series of sacred acts make up a
Sacrament. Most of the Sacraments use a portion of the material of creation as
an outward and visible sign of God's revelation. Water, oil, bread and wine are
but a few of the many elements which the Orthodox Church employs in her Worship.
The frequent use of the material of creation reminds us that matter is good and
can become a medium of the Spirit. Most importantly, it affirms the central
truth of the Orthodox Christian faith: that God became flesh in Jesus Christ and
entered into the midst of creation thereby redirecting the cosmos toward its
vocation to glorify its Creator.
HOLY EUCARIST
The Sacrament of Holy Eucharist, which is known
as the Divine Liturgy, is the central and most important worship experience of
the Orthodox Church. Often referred to as the "Sacrament of Sacraments", it is
the Church's celebration of the Death and Resurrection of Christ offered every
Sunday and Holy day. All the other Sacraments of the Church lead toward and flow
from the Eucharist, which is at the center of the life of the Church.
HOLY BAPTISM
The Sacrament of Baptism incorporates us into the
Church, the Body of Christ, and is our introduction to the life of the Holy
Trinity. Water is a natural symbol of cleansing and newness of life. Through the
three-fold immersion in the waters of Baptism in the Name of the Holy Trinity,
one dies to the old ways of sin and is born to a new life in Christ. Baptism is
one's public identification with Christ's Death and victorious Resurrection.
Following the custom of the early Church, Orthodoxy encourages the baptism of
infants. The Church believes that the Sacrament is bearing witness to the action
of God who chooses a child to be an important member of His people. From the day
of their baptism, children are expected to mature in the life of the Spirit,
through their family and the Church. The Baptism of adults is practiced when
there was no previous baptism in the name of the Holy Trinity.
HOLY CHRISMATION
The Sacrament of Chrismation (Confirmation)
immediately follows baptism and is never delayed until a later age. As the
ministry of Christ was enlivened by the Spirit, and the preaching of the
Apostles strengthened by the Spirit, so is the life of each Orthodox Christian
sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Chrismation, which is often referred to as one's
personal Pentecost, is the Sacrament which imparts the Spirit in a special way.
In the Sacrament of Chrismation, the priest anoints the various parts of the
body of the newly-baptized with Holy Oil saying: "The seal of the gifts of the
Holy Spirit." The Holy Oil, which is blessed by the bishop, is a sign of
consecration and strength. The Sacrament emphasizes the truths that not only is
each person a valuable member of the Church, but also each one is blessed by the
Spirit with certain gifts and talents. The anointing also reminds us that our
bodies are valuable and are involved in the process of salvation. The Sacraments
of initiation always are concluded with the distribution of Holy Communion to
the newly-baptized. Ideally, this takes place within the celebration of the
Divine Liturgy. This practice reveals that Orthodoxy views children from their
infancy as important members of the Church. There is never time when the young
are not part of God's people.
HOLY CONFESSION
Holy Confession is the Sacrament through which
our sins are forgiven, and our relationship to God and to others is restored and
strengthened. Through the Sacrament, Christ our Lord continues to heal those
broken in spirit and restore the Father's love to those who are lost. According
to Orthodox teaching, the penitent confess to God and is forgiven by God. The
priest is the sacramental witness who represents both Christ and His people. The
priest is viewed not as a judge, but as a physician and guide. It is an ancient
Orthodox practice for every Christian to have a spiritual father to whom one
turns for spiritual advice and counsel. Confession can take place on any number
of occasions. The frequency is left the discretion of the individual. In the
event of serious sin, however, confession is a necessary preparation for Holy
Communion.
HOLY MARRIAGE
God is active in our lives. It is He who joins a
man and a woman in a relationship of mutual love. The Sacrament of Marriage
bears witness to His action. Through this Sacrament, a man and a woman are
publicly joined as husband and wife. They enter into a new relationship with
each other, God, and the Church. Since Marriage is not viewed as a legal
contract, there are no vows in the Sacrament. According to Orthodox teachings,
Marriage is not simply a social institution, it is an eternal vocation of the
kingdom. A husband and a wife are called by the holy Spirit not only to live
together but also to share their Christian life together so that each, with the
aid of the other, may grow closer to God and become the persons they are meant
to be. In the Orthodox Marriage Service, after the couple have been betrothed
and exchanged rings, they are crowned with "crowns of glory and honor"
signifying the establishment of a new family under God. Near the conclusion of
the Service, the husband and wife drink from a common cup which is reminiscent
of the wedding of Cana and which symbolized the sharing of the burdens and joys
of their new life together.
HOLY ORDERS
The Holy Spirit preserved the continuity of the
Church through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Through ordination, men who have
been chosen from within the Church are set apart by the Church for special
service to the Church. Each is called by God through His people to stand amid
the community, as pastor and teacher, and as the representative of the parish
before the Altar. Each is also a living icon of Christ among His people.
According to Orthodox teaching, the process of ordination begins with the local
congregation; but the bishop alone, who acts in the name of the universal
Church, can complete the action. He does so with the invocation of the Holy
Spirit and the imposition of his hands on the person being ordained. Following
the custom of the Apostolic Church, there are three major orders each of which
requires a special ordination. These are Bishop, who is viewed as a successor of
the Apostles, Priest and Deacon, who act in the name of the Bishop. Each order
is distinguished by its pastoral responsibilities. Only a Bishop may ordain.
Often, other titles and offices are associated with the three orders. The
Orthodox Church permits men to marry before they are ordained. Since the sixth
century, Bishops have been chosen from the celibate clergy.
HOLY UNCTION
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, or
Holy Unction as it is also known, remind us that when we are in pain, either
physical, emotional, or spiritual, Christ is present with us through the
ministry of his Church. He is among us to offer strength to meet the challenges
of life, and even the approach of death. As with Chrismation, oil is also used
in this Sacrament as a sign of God's presence, strength, and forgiveness. After
the reading of the seven epistle lessons, seven gospel lessons and the offering
of seven prayers, which are all devoted to healing, the priest anoints the body
with the Holy Oil. Orthodoxy does not view this Sacrament as available only to
those who are near death. It is offered to all who are sick in body, mind, or
spirit. The Church celebrates the Sacrament for all its members during Holy week
on Holy Wednesday.
No ultimate authority has ever limited the Holy
Sacraments to seven.
The most frequently used Eucharistic rite is
traditionally attributed to Saint John Chrysostom. This is the divine liturgy.
Another Eucharistic liturgy, celebrated only ten times during the year, was
created by Saint Basil of Caesarea. In both cases, the Eucharistic prayer of
consecration culminates with an invocation of the Holy Spirit (epiclesis) upon
the bread and wine, which symbolize our Lord Jesus Christ's body and blood.
Thus, the central mystery of Christianity is seen as being performed by the
prayer of the church and the action of the Holy Spirit, rather than by “words of
institution,” pronounced by Christ and repeated vicariously by the priest, as is
the case in Western Christendom.
One of the major characteristics of Orthodox worship is a great wealth of hymns,
which mark the various liturgical cycles. These cycles, used in sometimes
complicated combinations, are the daily cycle, with hymns for vespers, compline,
the midnight prayer, matins, and the four canonical hours; the paschal cycle,
which includes the period of Lent before Easter and the 50 days separating
Easter and Pentecost and which is continued throughout the Sundays of the year;
and the yearly, or sanctoral, cycle, which provides hymns for immovable feasts
and the daily celebration of saints. Created during the Byzantine Middle Ages,
this liturgical system is still being developed through the addition of hymns
honoring new saints.
Inseparable from the liturgical tradition,
religious art is seen by Orthodox Christians as a form of pictorial confession
of faith and a channel of religious experience. This central function of
religious images (icons) — unparalleled in any other Christian tradition —
received its full definition following the end of the iconoclastic movement in
Byzantium (843). The iconoclasts invoked the Old Testament prohibition of graven
images and rejected icons as idols. The Orthodox theologians, on the other hand,
based their arguments on the specifically Christian doctrine of the incarnation:
God is indeed invisible and indescribable in his essence, but when the Son of
God became man, he voluntarily assumed all the characteristics of created
nature, including describability. Consequently, images of Christ, as man, affirm
the truth of God’s real incarnation. Because divine life shines through Christ’s
risen and glorified humanity, the function of the artist consists in conveying
the very mystery of the Christian faith through art. Furthermore, because the
icons of Christ and the saints provide direct personal contact with the holy
persons represented on them, these images should be objects of “veneration” (proskynesis),
even though “worship” (latreia) is addressed to God alone. The victory of this
theology over iconoclasm led to the widespread use of iconography in the
Christian East and also inspired great painters — most of whom remain anonymous
— in producing works of art that possess spiritual as well as artistic value
The liturgical and, to a certain degree, the
artistic developments in Orthodoxy are connected with the history of
monasticism. Christian monasticism first began in Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and
Asia Minor and, for centuries, attracted the elite of Eastern Christians into
its ranks. Based on the traditional vows of celibacy, obedience, and poverty, it
took different forms, ranging from the disciplined community life of monasteries
such as the Stoudios, in Constantinople, to the eremitic and individual
asceticism of the Hesychasts (from Greek hesychia, meaning “quietude”). Today,
the monastic republic of Mount Athos, in northern Greece, where more than 1,000
monks live in 20 large communities as well as in isolated hermitages, bears
witness to the permanence of the monastic ideal in the Orthodox church.
Sources: Encyclopedia Britanica, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
John of Damascus, Writings; G Maloney, A History of
Orthodox Theology Since 1453; V Lossky, The Mystical Theology of the Eastern
Church; J Meyendorff, Byzantine Theology; J Pelikan, The Christian Tradition
III, The Spirit of Eastern Christendom; The Seven Ecumenical Councils of the
Undivided Church, N P N F , XIV; P Schaff, ed., The Creeds of Christendom, II,
445 - 542; A Schmemann, The Historical Road of Eastern Orthodoxy; N Zernov,
Eastern Christendom; K Ware, The Orthodox Way.
