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The
Orthodox Church has never formally decided on a certain number of
Sacraments. The ones described below are considered the major
Sacraments because they involve the entire church community.
The Eucharist
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 days. 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. This is when you, as a
confessing and baptized Christian, would receive Holy
Communion.
The Sacrament of Baptism incorporates you into the Church, the Body
of Christ, and is your introduction to the life of the Holy Trinity.
Through the three-fold immersion in the waters of Baptism in the
Name of the Holy Trinity, you "die" to the old ways of sin and are
"born" to a new life in Christ. Baptism is your public
identification with Christ's Death and victorious Resurrection.
For more details on the Sacrament of Baptism,
click here.
In the Orthodox Church, in accordance with ancient Christian
practice, the Sacrament of Chrismation (Confirmation) immediately
follows baptism and is never delayed until a later age. Chrismation,
which is often referred to as your personal Pentecost, is the
Sacrament which imparts the Spirit in a special way. In the Sacrament of Chrismation, the priest anoints various parts
of your body (feet, hands, head, eyes, ears, nose, and lips) with
Holy Oil saying: "The seal of the gifts of the Holy Spirit."
The Sacrament emphasizes the truths
that not only are you a valuable member of the Church, but also you are
blessed by the Spirit with certain gifts and talents. The
anointing is also meant to remind you that your body is valuable and
is involved in the process of salvation.
For more details on the Sacrament of Chrismation,
click here.
As a member of the Church, you have responsibilities to yourself,
others and, of course, to God. When you sin, your relationship
to God and to others is distorted. Sin is ultimately
alienation from God, from your fellow brothers and sisters, and from your
own true self which is created in God's image and likeness.
According to Christian teaching, you confess to God and are 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 spiritual physician and guide. It is an
ancient Christian practice for every Christian to have a spiritual
father to whom you turn for spiritual advice and counsel.
Anything confessed during this Sacrament is absolutely
confidential, with serious consequences to a Priest if he reveals
anyone's confessions in any way shape or form.
For more details on the Sacrament of Penance (Confession),
click here.
Marriage
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
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. Following the custom of the
Christian Church, there are three
major orders each of which requires a special ordination (Deacon,
Priest, Bishop).
Celibate men may become monks.
Women may also receive a special blessing when they dedicate
themselves to become Nuns. Nuns, which are essentially the
"female version" of Monks, contribute to the spiritual well being of
the local Church and all of Christianity as a whole and are highly
respected and just as invaluable and necessary as Monks.
Anointing of the Sick (Holy Unction)
The Sacrament of the
Anointing of the Sick, or Holy Unction, reminds
you that when you are in pain, either physical, emotional, or
spiritual, Christ is present with you through the ministry of His
Church. He is there to offer you 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. It is
offered to all who are sick in body, mind, or spirit.
How do you get involved?
We are a mission parish, so there is no lack of things we need
your help to do. Simply show up, and talk to our Pastor about
getting involved.
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