About Orthodox Christianity
The Orthodox Church is the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church founded by our Lord Jesus Christ at Pentecost. It preserves the fullness of the Christian faith as handed down from the Apostles through the Holy Fathers.
Who We Are
The Orthodox Church is the original Christian Church, tracing its unbroken lineage to the Apostles themselves. With approximately 300 million faithful worldwide, it is the second-largest Christian communion. Its spiritual heart beats in the ancient patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, and it flourishes in Greece, Russia, Romania, Serbia, Georgia, and throughout the world.
What We Believe
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God, and in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life — the Holy Trinity, one in essence and undivided. We confess the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed without alteration. We honor the Most Holy Theotokos as the Mother of God, venerate the saints and their holy icons, and celebrate the seven Holy Mysteries (Sacraments).
The Divine Liturgy
The Divine Liturgy is the central act of Orthodox worship — the offering of the Eucharistic sacrifice and the participation in the Body and Blood of Christ. The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated on most Sundays, while the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is offered on ten occasions each year. The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is served during weekdays of Great Lent.
The Spiritual Life
Orthodox spirituality is therapeutic — the Church is a hospital for souls. Through prayer, fasting, almsgiving, participation in the Mysteries, and the guidance of a spiritual father, the faithful are gradually healed of the passions and united with Christ. The goal (telos) of the Christian life is theosis — deification, participation in the divine nature — not through our own power but by the uncreated grace of God.