There are
special experiences in our corporate life as Orthodox Christians
when the perception of God's presence and actions is heightened
and celebrated. We call these events of the Church Sacraments.
Traditionally, the Sacraments have been known as Mysteries in
the Orthodox Church. This description emphasizes that in these
special events of the Church, God discloses Himself through the
prayers and actions of His people.
Not only do the Sacraments disclose and reveal God to us, but
also they serve to make us receptive to God. All the Sacraments
affect our personal relationship to God and to one another. The
Holy Spirit works through the Sacraments. He leads us to Christ
who unites us with the Father. By participating in the
Sacraments, we grow closer to God and to receive the gifts of
the Holy Spirit. This process of deification, or theosis, as it
is known by Orthodoxy, takes place not in isolation from others,
but within the context of a believing community. Although the
Sacraments are addressed to each of us by name, they are
experiences which involve the entire 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.
THE EUCHARIST
The 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. The previous pamphlet in
this series was devoted to the meaning and celebration of the
Eucharist in the Orthodox Church.
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 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.
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.
CONFESSION
As members of
the Church, we have responsibilities to one another and, of
course, to God. When we sin, or relationship to God and to
others distorted. Sin is ultimately alienation from God, from
our fellow human beings, and from our own true self which is
created in God's image and likeness.
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
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.
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.
ANOINTING OF THE SICK (HOLY UNCTION)
When one is
ill and in pain, this can very often be a time of life when one
feels alone and isolated. 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 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.
Rev. Thomas
Fitzgerald
