Visitors are always welcome to join us for prayer and worship. If you have never visited an Orthodox Christian church before, you may be interested in the article below by Frederica Mathewes-Green, explaining about some of the things that she found confusing at first. We also have a short paper written by Father Kevin on church etiquette for St Brendan's. Also be sure to look at the information in our Resources page.

What should I wear? These are some general guidelines to help you feel comfortable when you visit. For Divine Liturgy at St Brendan, “business casual” is a good standard.  Most (not all) women wear skirts, some wear head coverings. Both men and women should wear shirts with sleeves. Shorts, minis, graphic T’s, tank-tops, and sweats are not suggested.

Any new or potential visitors with questions are invited to email our priest, Father Kevin at info@orthodoxastoria.org

First Visit to an Orthodox Church: Twelve Things I Wish I Had Known

by Frederica Mathewes-Green

(NOTE: excerpted; the entire article can be found in the PDF below)

Orthodox worship is different! Some of these differences are apparent...from the first moment you walk in a church. Others become noticeable only over time. Here is some information that may help you feel more at home in Orthodox worship – twelve things I wish I'd known before my first visit to an Orthodox church. 

1. WHAT'S ALL THIS COMMOTION?

During the early part of the service the church may seem to be in a hubbub, with people walking up to the front of the church, praying in front of the iconostasis (the standing icons in front of the altar), kissing things and lighting candles, even though the service is already going on. In fact, when you came in the service was already going on, although the sign outside clearly said "Divine Liturgy...(10:00)." You felt embarrassed to apparently be late, but these people are even later, and they're walking all around inside the church. What's going on here? 

In an Orthodox church there is only one Eucharistic service (Divine Liturgy) per Sunday, and it is preceded by an hour-long service of Matins...and several short preparatory services before that. There is no break between these services – one begins as soon as the previous ends, and posted starting times are just educated guesses. Altogether, the priest will be at the altar on Sunday morning for over three hours, "standing in the flame," as one Orthodox priest put it...

2. STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS.

In the Orthodox tradition, the faithful stand up for nearly the entire service. Really. In some Orthodox churches, there won't even be any chairs, except a few scattered at the edges of the room for those who need them. Expect variation in practice: some churches, especially those that bought already-existing church buildings, will have well-used pews. In any case, if you find the amount of standing too challenging you're welcome to take a seat. No one minds or probably even notices. Long-term standing gets easier with practice. 

3. IN THIS SIGN.

To say that we make the sign of the cross frequently would be an understatement. We sign ourselves whenever the Trinity is invoked, whenever we venerate the cross or an icon, and on many other occasions in the course of the Liturgy. But people aren't expected to do everything the same way. Some people cross themselves three times in a row, and some finish by sweeping their right hand to the floor. On first entering a church people may come up to an icon, make a "metania" – crossing themselves and bowing with right hand to the floor – twice, then kiss the icon, then make one more metania. This becomes familiar with time, but at first it can seem like secret-handshake stuff that you are sure to get wrong. Don't worry, you don't have to follow suit.

We cross with our right hands from right to left (push, not pull), the opposite of Roman Catholics and high-church Protestants. We hold our hands in a prescribed way: thumb and first two fingertips pressed together, last two fingers pressed down to the palm. Here as elsewhere, the Orthodox impulse is to make everything we do reinforce the Faith. Can you figure out the symbolism? (Three fingers together for the Trinity; two fingers brought down to the palm for the two natures of Christ, and his coming down to earth.) This, too, takes practice...

4. WHAT, NO KNEELERS?

Generally, we don't kneel. We do sometimes prostrate. This is not like prostration in the Roman Catholic tradition, lying out flat on the floor. To make a prostration we kneel, place our hands on the floor and touch our foreheads down between our hands. It's just like those photos of middle-eastern worship, which look to Westerners like a sea of behinds. At first prostration feels embarrassing, but no one else is embarrassed, so after awhile it feels OK. Ladies will learn that full skirts are best for prostrations, as flat shoes are best for standing.

Not everyone prostrates. Some kneel, some stand with head bowed; in a pew they might slide forward and sit crouched over. Standing there feeling awkward is all right too. No one will notice if you don't prostrate. In Orthodoxy there is a wider acceptance of individualized expressions of piety, rather than a sense that people are watching you and getting offended if you do it wrong.

5. WITH LOVE AND KISSES

We kiss stuff. When we first come into the church, we kiss the icons (Jesus on the feet and other saints on the hands, ideally). You'll also notice that we  kiss the chalice...the (altar boys) kiss his hand when they give him the censer, and we all line up to kiss the cross at the end of the service. When we talk about "venerating" something we usually mean crossing ourselves and kissing it...

6. BLESSED BREAD AND CONSECRATED BREAD.

Only Orthodox may take communion, but anyone may have some of the blessed bread. Here's how it works: the round communion loaf, baked by a parishioner, is imprinted with a seal. In the preparation service before the Liturgy, the priest cuts out a section of the seal and sets it aside; it is called the "Lamb". The rest of the bread is cut up and placed in a large basket, and blessed by the priest.

During the eucharistic prayer, the Lamb is consecrated to be the Body of Christ, and the chalice of wine is consecrated as His Blood. Here's the surprising part: the priest places the "Lamb" in the chalice with the wine. When we receive communion, we file up to the priest, standing and opening our mouths wide while he gives us a fragment of the wine-soaked bread from a golden spoon. He also prays over us, calling us by our... saint-name which we chose when we were baptized or chrismated (received into the church by anointing with blessed oil).

As we file past the priest, we come to an altar boy holding the basket of blessed bread. People will take portions...

Visitors are sometimes offended that they are not allowed to receive communion. Orthodox believe that receiving communion is broader than me-and-Jesus; it acknowledges faith in historic Orthodox doctrine, obedience to a particular Orthodox bishop, and a commitment to a particular Orthodox worshipping community. There's nothing exclusive about this; everyone is invited to make this commitment to the Orthodox Church. But the Eucharist is the Church's treasure, and it is reserved for those who have united themselves with the Church. An analogy could be to reserving marital relations until after the wedding.

We also handle the Eucharist with more gravity than many denominations do, further explaining why we guard it from common access. We believe it is truly the Body and Blood of Christ. We ourselves do not receive communion unless we are making regular confession of our sins to a priest and are at peace with other communicants. We fast from all food and drink – yes, even a morning cup of coffee – from midnight the night before communion...

7. WHERE'S THE GENERAL CONFESSION?

In our experience, we don't have any general sins; they're all quite specific. There is no complete confession-prayer in the Liturgy. Orthodox are expected to be making regular, private confession to their priest.

The role of the pastor is much more that of a spiritual father than it is in other denominations. He is not called by his first name alone, but referred to as "Father Firstname." His wife also holds a special role as parish mother, and she gets a title too, though it varies from one culture to another... *(in our tradition usually) "Matushka" (Russian), which means "Mama."

Another difference you may notice is in the Nicene Creed, which...(is )sung... If we are saying that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, and you from force of habit add, "and the Son," you will be alone. The "filioque"  (Latin: and the Son) was added to the Creed some six hundred years after it was written, and we adhere to the original...

8. MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC.

About seventy-five percent of the service is congregational singing. Traditionally, Orthodox use no instruments... Usually a small choir leads the people in a capella harmony, with the level of congregational response varying from parish to parish. The style of music varies as well, from very Oriental-sounding solo chant in an Arabic church to more Western-sounding four-part harmony in a Russian church, with lots of variation in between.

This constant singing is a little overwhelming at first; it feels like getting on the first step of an escalator and being carried along in a rush until you step off ninety minutes later. It has been fairly said that the liturgy is one continuous song.

What keeps this from being exhausting is that it's pretty much the "same" song every week. Relatively little changes from Sunday to Sunday; the same prayers and hymns appear in the same places, and before long you know it by heart. Then you fall into the presence of God in a way you never can when flipping from prayer book to bulletin to hymnal.

9. MAKING EDITORS SQUIRM

Is there a concise way to say something? Can extra adjectives be deleted? Can the briskest, most pointed prose be boiled down one more time to a more refined level? Then it's not Orthodox worship. If there's a longer way to say something, the Orthodox will find it. In Orthodox worship, more is always more, in every area including prayer. When the priest or deacon intones, "Let us complete our prayer to the Lord," expect to still be standing there fifteen minutes later.

The original liturgy lasted something over five hours; those people must have been on fire for God. The Liturgy of St. Basil edited this down to about two and a half, and later (around 400 A.D.) the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom further reduced it to about one and a half. Most Sundays we use the St. John Chrysostom liturgy, although for some services (e.g., Sundays in Lent, Christmas Eve) we use the longer Liturgy of St. Basil.

10. OUR CHAMPION LEADER

A constant feature of Orthodox worship is veneration of the Virgin Mary, the "champion leader" of all Christians. We often address her as "Theotokos," which means "Mother of God." In providing the physical means for God to become man, she made possible our salvation.

But though we honor her, as Scripture foretold ("All generations will call me blessed," Luke 1:48), this doesn't mean that we think she or any of the other saints have magical powers or are demi-gods. When we sing "Holy Theotokos, save us," we don't mean that she grants us eternal salvation, but that we seek her prayers for our protection and growth in faith. Just as we ask for each other's prayers, we ask for the prayers of Mary and other saints as well. They're not dead, after all, just departed to the other side. Icons surround us to remind us of all the saints who are joining us invisibly in worship.

11. THE THREE DOORS

Every Orthodox church will have an iconostasis before its altar. "Iconostasis" means "icon-stand", and it can be as simple as a large image of Christ on the right and a corresponding image of the Virgin and Child on the left. In a more established church, the iconostasis may be a literal wall, adorned with icons. Some versions shield the altar from view, except when the central doors stand open.

The basic set-up of two large icons creates, if you use your imagination, three doors. The central one, in front of the altar itself, is called the "Holy Doors" or "Royal Doors," because there the King of Glory comes out to the congregation in the Eucharist. Only the priest and deacons, who bear the Eucharist, use the Holy Doors.

The openings on the other sides of the icons, if there is a complete iconostasis, have doors with icons of angels; they are termed the "Deacon's Doors." Altar boys and others with business behind the altar use these, although no one is to go through any of the doors without an appropriate reason. Altar service – priests, deacons, altar boys – is restricted to males. Females are invited to participate in every other area of church life. Their contribution has been honored equally with men's since the days of the martyrs; you can't look at an Orthodox altar without seeing Mary and other holy women. In most Orthodox churches, women do everything else men do: lead congregational singing, paint icons, teach classes, read the epistle, and serve on the parish council.

12. WHERE DOES AN AMERICAN FIT IN? 

Flipping through the Yellow Pages in a large city you might see a multiplicity of Orthodox churches: Greek, Romanian, Carpatho-Russian, Antiochian, Serbian, and on and on. Is Orthodoxy really so tribal? Do these divisions represent theological squabbles and schisms?

Not at all. All these Orthodox churches are one church. The ethnic designation refers to what is called the parish's "jurisdiction" and identifies which bishops hold authority there. There are about 6 million Orthodox in North America and 250 million in the world, making Orthodoxy the second-largest Christian communion...

Why then the multiplicity of ethnic churches? These national designations obviously represent geographic realities. Since North America is also a geographic unity, one day we will likewise have a unified national church – an American Orthodox Church. This was the original plan, but due to a number of complicated historical factors, it didn't happen that way. Instead, each ethnic group of Orthodox immigrating to this country developed its own church structure. This multiplication of Orthodox jurisdictions is a temporary aberration and much prayer and planning is going into breaking through those unnecessary walls...

Brief Guide to Church Etiquette

Father Kevin Lien

Welcome to the Orthodox Church—a place where we encounter the Kingdom of God on earth. We gather together to honor this sacred space by our prayerful attentiveness and respectful behavior.

This guide is meant to be a friendly instruction for personal reflection, not for judging others. While there are different traditions even among the Orthodox faithful, we come to church above all to worship God and stand in His living presence. That should be our focus.

Entering the church

The Divine Liturgy begins when the priest exclaims, “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit...” Do your best to arrive before it begins. If you are late, please be discreet. In this case, it is best to venerate only the main icon and avoid chatting or greeting others in a way that would be a distraction. Coming to Matins beforehand will not only ensure you’re on-time to Liturgy but will help you prayerfully enter into the mystery of the service. If you have arrived after the reading of the Gospel it is not appropriate to receive the Holy Eucharist.

Standing in church

It is our custom to stand throughout the services. If you need to sit, you are welcome to use the pews. However, all who are able should stand at the Little and Great Entrances, at the censing of the icons and congregation, and at the reading of the Holy Gospel, and at the Anaphora.

Lighting of candles

It is a pious Orthodox tradition to light candles and to make personal prayers and intercessions when entering the church. It is best to allow candles to burn most of the way down without extinguishing them early, since they symbolize our prayers as well as the light of Christ in our midst. Please carefully supervise children around the candles.

Venerating icons

The Orthodox Church teaches that it is proper to venerate (not worship) icons. The acceptable way to do this is to kiss either the hands or feet of the saint depicted in the icon—or the scroll, Gospel book, or cross a saint is holding. Refrain from wearing lipstick when venerating since the residue is harmful to the icons.

When venerating icons on the iconostasis, worshippers should not step on the rug in front of the Royal Doors, rather they should walk on the steps below this area as they cross to the other icons.

Receiving Holy Communion

The reception of the Holy Eucharist is only for baptized members of the Orthodox Church who have prepared with fasting and periodic confession—and who have arrived on-time to prayerfully participate in the Divine Liturgy. All those in attendance, however, are welcome to receive the blessed bread that is offered at the end of the service. Inquirers and catechumens are encouraged to come and receive the blessed bread (antidoron) on their own to receive a blessing from the priest and to kiss the cross.

Please cross your arms over your breast as you approach the chalice. Forming a cross on your body is a pious custom and it also decreases the likelihood that you will accidentally bump the chalice. Please refrain from crossing yourself after receiving the gifts in the immediate vicinity of the chalice.

Cell phones and texting

The use of phones is not appropriate in church. Please turn off your phone before entering. If you have a professional reason to carry one for emergencies, please keep it on mute.

Lipstick and gum

Please avoid lipstick while taking Holy Communion, or when kissing icons or other sacred objects. It is best not to wear it at all in church because of the damage it causes to icons and chalices. Gum-chewing is prohibited.

Going downstairs

Generally, the kitchen and fellowship hall should not be occupied during the services out of respect for the holiness of the Divine Liturgy. However, parishioners who are assigned to prepare coffee and refreshments may need to be downstairs in the kitchen during the service.  The bathrooms are always available.

Children in church

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them; for such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14). It is indeed possible for young children to remain in church throughout an entire service if they are taught to be quiet and respectful. Please be aware of those around you—if your child becomes fussy or noisy, please quickly remove them. Eventually, children will be able to spend longer periods of time in the Liturgy. Consider bringing them into the church at a time when the Liturgy is finished to “practice” church behavior. Teach them that they are visiting God’s special house, and they will need to have special manners here.

Parents with toddlers 

If your toddler is restless during services, please take him or her downstairs to the parish hall toddler play area. 

Church attire 

We should dress modestly and with reverence. Generally, this will mean that we want to wear our best clothing out of respect to God and to others praying in the services. If possible, casual clothing such as jeans and t-shirts should be avoided as well as tight fitting or revealing attire. Women are asked to dress modestly. Some women have the pious tradition of covering their heads. Men and boys should remove their hats when entering the church. It is especially important that children who serve as acolytes or candle-bearers wear appropriate clothing. 

End of the Liturgy 

The Liturgy comes to an end with the final benediction (“The blessing of the Lord be upon you through His grace and love for mankind…”). After announcements come the post-communion prayers, chanted while the cross is venerated and the blessed bread distributed. The nave should be mostly silent during this time. Although you are free to leave after the benediction, worshippers are encouraged to remain for the entirety of the post-communion prayers.  

Please note that food is customarily not served until it has been blessed by a member of the clergy. 

Hospitality

For meals downstairs on Sundays and other feast days, it is our custom to invite guests to be served first. Younger children should be accompanied by their parents or an adult. Please go out of your way to welcome guests by helping them to the food table and sitting with them.

Photography  

Generally, permission should be obtained from clergy before taking photographs during services, and flashes should not be used. Because weddings often have professional photographers, others in attendance are usually expected to refrain from taking photos. During funerals, photography is not allowed unless permitted by family. For all services, the goal is to avoid distracting others or interrupting prayers. If photographs are going to be posted on-line, proper permission must be obtained. 

Above all

Glory to God for all things!