Transcript The Orthodox Church

The Orthodox Church
By : Ms. Darlene Tempelton
Catholic Central High School
Like the Catholic Church, the Orthodox
Church traces it’s beginnings back to
Christ and His Apostles.
The two churches split in 1054 primarily over
the issue of the authority of the Pope.
Today there are between 230 – 300 million
Orthodox Christians. Most live in Greece,
the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and
Russia.
Orthodox and Catholics share many
of the same beliefs and practices:
7 sacraments
Trinity
Nicene Creed
First seven ecumenical councils of the
Church
• Veneration of saints and especially of the
Virgin Mary (often referred to as the
Theotokos or “God-Bearer”)
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SACRAMENTS IN THE
ORTHODOX CHURCH
Mysterion
• “Mysteries” – the
Sacraments
• Ways in which God
reaches out to
humanity through
normal material
substances such as
bread and water
• Orthodox do not limit
the number
• There are 7 “Great
Mysteries”
Baptism
• Usually infants
• Full immersion three
times – in the name
of the Father, of
the Son and of the
Holy Spirit
Chrismation
• Confirmation
• Chrism = holy oil
• Normally performed
immediately after
being baptized
• One may receive all
the other
sacraments after
being confirmed
The Divine Liturgy
• Most important
sacrament
• Celebrated only once a
day
• Lasts between 90
minutes & 3 hours
• Congregants usually
stand or kneel
• Usually in native
language of the
church (Greek for
Greek Orthodox)
Receiving Communion:
• At every service
• Becomes “body and
blood” of Christ
• Bread is dipped into
wine and received
from a golden spoon
• Must go to Confession,
fast and pray before
receiving
• Only Orthodox
Christians may receive
Penance
• Required to participate in penance before
planning on receiving communion
• Before a priest or bishop designated as a
”Confessor”
• Do not always receive a penance – if they
do it is something to help so you do not
commit that sin again
• No “First Penance” – one receives it when
one is ready to (no age requirement)
Unction
• Anointing of the sick
• For anyone who feels
the need for
physical or spiritual
healing
Holy Orders
• Includes bishops,
priests and deacons
• Priests and deacons
may marry before
ordination
• Only ordain men
• Are discussing the
possibility of
ordaining women to
the diaconate
Marriage
The bond of love between a husband and
wife is a foretaste of the love that will
exist between us and God in heaven
The ceremony includes:
The Exchange of Rings
• Takes place at the
door of the church
• Priest blesses the
rings and they are
placed on the bride
and groom’s right
hands
• After this, the
entrance procession
take place
The Crowning
• The bride and groom
are crowned by the
priest – they wear
these for the rest
of the ceremony
• Ceremony contains
Scripture readings,
prayers and
blessings, sharing of
a cup of wine
Dance of Isaiah
• Dance of Isaiah –
the couple circles
the altar three
times
• The circle is a
symbol of eternity
and reminds the
couple that marriage
is forever
• There is no
exchange of vows
AN ORTHODOX CHURCH
A typical Greek Orthodox church:
• Usually cruciform in shape
• Three sections:
• Narthex
• Nave
• Sanctuary
Narthex
• Entryway
• Contain icons and
places for votive
candles
• A place to pray and
prepare oneself for
entering into
worship
Nave
• The main worship
area
• May contain pews or
kneelers – but many
do not
• Bishop’s throne –
found in all
Orthodox churches
• Men & women are
usually separated
Iconostasis
• Also called “templon”
• An icon screen
• Separates the nave
from the sanctuary
• Contains icons of
Jesus, John the
Baptist, Mary and the
church’s patron saint
• May contain other
icons
• Three doors – middle
door (“The Beautiful
Gate”) is only for the
priest
• Only the priest and
deacon may enter the
sanctuary on the
other side of the
iconostasis
• Much of the service
takes place where the
congregation cannot
see what is happening
Sanctuary
• Contains the altar, a
seven branched
candleholder, and
the Tabernacle
• The consecration of
the Eucharist takes
place here
On the back wall
there is nearly always
a painting of “Christ
Pantocrator” – “Christ
All-Powerful”
ICONS
• From the Greek
word eikona, meaning
“image”
• An icon is a painting
of Jesus, Mary (The
Theotokos) or a
saint done in a very
stylized form
Colors, symbols and
the posture of the
person all have
symbolic meanings
Icons in a prayer corner of a home
ORGANIZATION
Patriarchs
• Originally heads of
churches founded by
the Apostles:
Jerusalem, Antioch,
Alexandria, Rome
• Constantinople was
added in the fifth
century
• Others were added as
missionaries spread
the church into
Eastern Europe
Patriarch Alexei of
Moscow
• Today Patriarchs are
the heads of the
national churches
• The Patriarch of
Constantinople is
“First Among Equals”
• Patriarchs are equal
in authority to one
another
Patriarch Bartholomew of
Constantinople
• Organization of the Orthodox Church is
similar to that of the Catholic Church,
with Metropolitans, Archbishops,
Bishops, Priests and deacons
Monasticism
• The earliest
monastic rules
(Pachomius and Basil)
were Orthodox
• Orthodox
monasteries today
still follow the Rule
of St. Basil
St. Paul’s Monastery, Mt. Athos
Several Medieval monasteries are located on this “holy
mountain” in Greece
Areas where most Christians belong
to the Orthodox Church: