The Orthodox Church A to Z · A Practical Handbook of Beliefs, Liturgy, Sacraments, Customs, Theology, History, and Prayers for Orthodox Christians by Grube, George W. -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

1. WHAT WE BELIEVE . 15

SOURCES OF ORTHODOX DOCTRINE . 15 THE ORTHODOX SYMBOL OF BELIEF: THE CREED . 15 OUR SYMBOL OF FAITH: THE NICENE CREED . 15 WHY THE CREED IS IMPORTANT TO ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS . 15 WHAT DO WE LEARN IN THE CREED? . 16 WHAT DOES THE CREED TELL US ABOUT GOD? . 16 WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE? . 17 WHAT ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS BELIEVE ABOUT ALMIGHTY GOD . 17 TO SUMMARIZE WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT GOD . 18 THE CREED OF THE CHURCH AS SUPPORTED IN HOLY SCRIPTURE: 18 GOD; FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT IN THE WORLD . 20 THE ATTRIBUTES OF ALMIGHTY GOD . 20 WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT JESUS CHRIST? . 21 HOW DOES CHRIST SAVE US? ( Atonement ) 22 AN ORTHODOX VIEW OF SALVATION . 23 THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD . 24 THE TRINITY . 24 HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT WORK AMONG US TODAY? . 25 THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DEIFIED BELONG TO THE LORD . 25 THE LAST THINGS – ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS AND DEATH . 25 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE? . 25 CAN ANYONE ESCAPE ETERNAL PUNISHMENT? . 26 HEAVEN . 26 HELL . 26 WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR SOUL WHEN WE DIE? . 27 ON THE SUBJECT OF BODILY DEATH . 27 HOLY UNCTION FOR THE SICK . 28 INTERCESSION FOR THE DEAD . 28 THE FUNERAL SERVICE . 28 IF GOD IS ALL-GOOD WHY DOESN’T HE END EVIL AND SUFFERING? . 29 The ANTICHRIST . 29 SATAN . 29 2. LIVING AS ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS . 30 “PRINCIPLES FOR A PIOUS LIFE” by Bishop Averky . 30 From Homily 69: St. Isaac of Syria: 33 GOD INVITES US TO COME TO HIM . 33 3. PRAYER TRANSFORMS OUR LIVES . 34 TYPES OF PRAYER . 34 AN ORTHODOX RULE OF PRAYER . 34 MEDITATIONS of St John Chrysostom .. 35 THE ORTHODOX PRAYER ROPE . 36 THE JESUS PRAYER . 36 MATINS (ORTHROS) AND VESPERS . 36 OTHER SERVICES OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH WHICH SANCTIFY THE DAY . 37 THE LENTEN PRAYER OF ST. EPHRAIM THE SYRIAN . 37 ARTOKLASIA (LITIYA) THE BLESSING OF THE LOAVES . 37 AKATHIST HYMN . 38 PARAKLISIS - THE SERVICE OF SUPPLICATION . 38 DAILY PRAYERS . 38 MORNING PRAYERS . 38 EVENING PRAYERS . 41 PRAYER WITH MEALS . 43 TRISAGION PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED . 45 An Historical Note About Orthodoxy #1 . 47 SACRED THOUGHTS FROM ST. ISAAC OF SYRIA (7TH CENTURY) 47 PRAYER BEFORE READING THE HOLY SCRIPTURES . 48 PRAYERS AND PSALMS TO BE SAID BY ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS . 48 PENITENTIAL PSALM 50 (51) 51 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS . 52

4. GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT . 53

THE PRACTICE OF VIRTUES AS DUTIES OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS . 53 THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT . 53 THE SEVEN CAPITAL VIRTUES . 53 THE SEVEN GRIEVOUS SINS . 53 THE FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT . 54 THE THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES . 54 THE FOUR CARDINAL VIRTUES . 55 THE THREE DANGERS TO THE SOUL . 55 THE CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY . 55 THE SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY COMMANDED BY THE CHURCH . 55 THE CHIEF AIDS TO RECOGNIZING OUR SIN AND CONFESSING OUR SORROW FOR THESE OFFENSES . 56 SETTING YOUR PRIORITIES . 56 ORTHODOX CHURCH LAWS . 56 WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS TOWARDS THEMSELVES? . 56 GUIDES FOR THE CONTEMPORARY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN . 57

5. FASTING: A NOBLE DISCIPLINE . 59

FASTING . 59 PERIODS OF FASTING . 59 An Historical Note About Orthodoxy # 2 . 60 Repentance for Sin . 61 TITHING – RETURNING THE GIFTS OF GOD . 61

6. WORSHIP - RETURNING THE GIFT . 63

SOME GUIDELINES FOR ORTHODOX WORSHIP . 63 PROPER CHURCH MANNERS FOR ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS . 63 HOW SHOULD WE OBSERVE THE GREAT FAST? . 65 COMMEMORATION LISTS . 67 ON THE DUTY OF THE FLOCK TOWARD THE PASTOR . 69

7. THE HOLY MYSTERIES – GIFTS OF SALVATION . 71

THE MYSTERIES (SACRAMENTS) OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH . 71 THE MOST COMMON HOLY MYSTERIES: 71 THE MYSTERY (SACRAMENT) OF BAPTISM . 72 THE DIVINE LITURGY . 72 THE HOLY EUCHARIST . 74 SUMMARY OF THE DIVINE LITURGY . 75 THE VALUE OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST . 76 PROPER CONDUCT FOR ACOLYTES – AND THOSE WHO SERVE AT THE HOLY TABLE 78 THE FREQUENCY OF HOLY COMMUNION . 79 THE WESTERN RITE IN ORTHODOXY . 80 SOME COMMENDABLE CUSTOMS . 81 THE PROSPHORON – BREAD FOR THE DIVINE LITURGY . 81 RECIPE FOR PROSPHORA . 81 CONCERNING GODPARENTS FOR BAPTISM . 83 OUR BAPTISMAL COVENANT – PROMISE . 84 EMERGENCY BAPTISM . 85 THE CHURCHING OF WOMEN . 85 THE BAPTISM OF INFANTS . 85 THE MYSTERY OF CHRISMATION . 86 An Historical Note About Orthodoxy # 3 . 86 THE MYSTERY (SACRAMENT) OF CONFESSION . 87 HOW TO MAKE A CONFESSION . 88 THE QUESTION OF SIN - WHAT THE CHURCH TEACHES . 88 THE MARKS OF REAL SORROW FOR SIN . 89 WAYS OF PARTICIPATING IN ANOTHER’S SIN . 89 “ORIGINAL SIN” – MORE PROPERLY KNOWN AS ‘THE ANCESTRAL CURSE’ 90 CONSEQUENCES OF THE FALL – St. John of Kronstadt 91 AN EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCEBEFORE CONFESSION . 91 SACRAMENT OF PENANCE (Confession) 95 THE MYSTERY (SACRAMENT) OF HOLY ORDERS – ORDINATION . 97 ON THE PRIESTHOOD – St. John Chrysostom .. 98 THE MYSTERY OF MARRIAGE – HOLY MATRIMONY . 98 WHEN MARRIAGES ARE NOT PERMITTED . 99 DEGREES OF KINSHIP IN MARRIAGE AND IMPEDIMENTS . 100 MIXED MARRIAGE LAWS OF THE CHURCH . 100 THE MYSTERY OF HOLY UNCTION . 101

8. THE BIBLE AND ORTHODOXY – The Gift of His Word . 103

The Church as Guardian of Holy Scripture: The Holy Bible . 103 HOLY SCRIPTURE IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH . 103 DEALING WITH "DOOR-TO-DOOR" EVANGELISTS . 103 HOLY SCRIPTURE . 104 A. BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT . 104 HOW TO READ HOLY SCRIPTURE . 110 WHERE TO FIND WHAT HOLY SCRIPTURE SAYS ABOUT… .. 112 CHRIST’S PARABLES AND MIRACLES . 113 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21) 114

9. THE CHURCH TEACHES MORALITY – TEACHING THE GIFT . 116

WHAT THE CHURCH TEACHES IN REGARD TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS . 116 Abortion . 116 Suicide . 116 Homosexuality . 116 Extramarital Sex . 117 Birth Control/Contraception . 117 Artificial Insemination . 117 Divorce . 117 The Family’s Welfare . 117 Cremation . 118 Autopsy . 118 Circumcision . 118 Euthanasia/Prolonging Life . 118 Capital Punishment 119 Gambling . 120 Other Questions 120 Drugs 120 Stem Cell Research . 120 THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH . 121 DEIFICATION . 122 THE FAMILY AND ORTHODOXY . 123

10. THE SETTING FOR WORSHIP – RETURNING THE GIFT . 125

ORTHODOX CHURCH ARCHITECTURE – The Setting for the Worship of God . 125 Iconostasis 125 The Church Edifice . 125 The Narthex: Entrance or Vestibule . 125 The Nave: the Body of the Church . 125 The Icons in the Church . 125 The Cathedral 125 The Candelabra . 126 The Royal Doors 126 The Holy Table – Altar 126 The Table of Oblation . 126 The Tabernacle . 126 The Eternal Light 126 The Gospel Book . 127 The Cross 127 The Seven-branch Candelabrum .. 127 The Fans ( Ripidia) 127 The Bishop’s Throne (Cathedral) 127 The Pulpit 127 The Antimens (Antimension) 127 Relics 127 ICONS . 128 ICON CORNERS . 129 HOW TO VENERATE ICONS . 129 THE MEANING AND LANGUAGE OF ICONS . 130 ELEMENTS OF ICONOGRAPHY . 131 BLESSINGS IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH . 133 Blessing of Bread, Wheat, Wine and Oil 134 Blessing of water 134 Blessing of Palms and Pussy Willows 134 The Paschal Basket 134 Blessing of Fruit 134 Blessing of Flowers 134 House Blessings 135 Requesting a Blessing . 135 Greetings to Fellow Christians 135 Other Mysteries and Blessings 135 Orthodox Greetings 136 Exorcisms 136 The Sign of the Cross 136 CHRIST’S TRUE CHURCH . 139 ECUMENISM . 139 THE ORTHODOX CHURCH – A CONSTANT FAITH . 140 TRADITION . 141 CANONS OF THE CHURCH . 143 COUNTERING THE CLAIMS OF FUNDAMENTALISTS . 144 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EASTERN ORTHODOXY AND ROMAN CATHOLICISM . 144 The Papacy . 145 PURGATORY AND INDULGENCES . 147 THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION AND ASSUMPTION . 148 DIFFERENCES IN PRACTICE . 148 THE SEVEN ECUMENICAL COUNCILS . 149 MONASTICISM IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH . 151 Mount Athos – Center of Monasticism .. 152 FATHERS OF THE CHURCH . 152

12. SAINTS: SPECIAL FRIENDS OF GOD . 155

SAINTS IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH . 155 BAPTISMAL NAMES–PATRON SAINTS . 155 PRAYER TO ONE’S PATRON SAINT . 155 ANGELS . 160 SHORT NOTES ABOUT ORTHODOXY . 160 The Theotokos: “The Bearer of God” 160

13. THE GIFT OF TIME IN THE KINGDOM – THE CALENDAR OF THE CHURCH . 162

CIVIL CALENDAR DATES OF PASCHA (Easter) 162 THE SEASONS OF THE CHURCH . 162 THE TWELVE GREAT FEASTS . 163 Major Feasts 164 Secondary Feasts 164 Minor Feasts 164 Dedication of Weekdays 164 Days On Which We Remember the Departed . 165 SUNDAY EPISTLES AND GOSPELS . 165 THE READINGS FOR THE MAJOR FEASTS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH YEAR . 168 ON OBSERVING THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST . 169 OTHER FEASTS AND HOLIDAYS . 169 GREAT AND HOLY WEEK IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH . 169 PASCHA – THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD . 172 YEARLY MIRACLE AT CHRIST’S TOMB . 174 THE CEREMONY OF THE HOLY FIRE IN JERUSALEM . 174 The Resurrection of Christ 176 True God and True Man . 176

APPENDICES . 178

READINGS – for days of the Church Year 178

Appendix 2 . 188

SYNAXARION . 188 Lay Ministry in the Church . 196

GLOSSARY . 200 FORMS OF ADDRESS OF THE ORTHODOX CLERGY . 236

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