Welcome to the Orthodox Church: A Guided Tour by Deacon Daniel Swires As you approach an Orthodox Church, you will

notice that it is quite di erent rom Western church buildin!s" The exterior o an Orthodox Church buildin! will usually ha#e one or more domes, o ten topped by a cupola" $nli%e the pointed steeples o Western churches, which point to God ar away in the &ea#ens, the dome is an all'embracin! ceilin!, re#ealin! that in the (in!dom o God, and in the Church, )Christ unites all thin!s in himsel , thin!s in &ea#en and thin!s on earth* +,phesians -:-./, and that in &im we are all ) illed with all the ullness o God"* +,phesians 0:-1/" O#er the entrance o the buildin!, or at times next to it, there is usually a bell tower" Di erent patterns o rin!in! the bells are used to call the aith ul to prayer and to the di#ine ser#ices" They also used at important points durin! ser#ices" The sound o bells reminds us o the hi!her, &ea#enly world" Orthodox churches !enerally ta%e one o se#eral exterior shapes that ha#e spiritual si!ni icance" The most common shape is a rectan!ular shape, in the orm o a ship" 2ust as a ship con#eys people throu!h the stormy seas to a calm harbor, so the Church, !uided by Christ, carries us to the (in!dom o God" Churches are also requently built in the orm o a Cross 3 to proclaim that we are sa#ed throu!h aith in the Cruci ied Christ" Almost always Orthodox churches are oriented ,ast'West, with the main entrance o the buildin! at the West end" This symboli4es the entrance o the aith ul rom the dar%ness o sin +the West/ into the li!ht o truth +the ,ast/" The interior o the Orthodox Church buildin! is desi!ned to con#ey the unity o the uni#erse in God" 5t is not simply a meetin! hall or people whose li e exists solely within the bounds o this earth" The Church buildin! is patterned a ter the ima!e o God6s (in!dom, as re#ealed in &oly Scripture: 5n the year that (in! $44iah died, 5 saw the 7ord sittin! on a throne, hi!h and li ted up, and the train o &is robe illed the temple" Abo#e it stood seraphim8 each one had six win!s: with two he co#ered his ace, with two he co#ered his eet, and with two he lew" And one cried to another and said: 9&oly, holy, holy is the 7O:D o hosts8 The whole earth is ull o &is !lory;6 And the posts o the door were sha%en by the #oice o him who cried out, and the house was illed with smo%e" So 5 said: 9Woe is me, or 5 am undone; <ecause 5 am a man o unclean lips, and 5 dwell in the midst o a people o unclean lips8 or my eyes ha#e seen the (in!, the 7O:D o hosts"6 Then one o the seraphim lew to me, ha#in! in his hand a li#e coal which he had ta%en with the ton!s rom the altar" And he touched my mouth with it, and said: 9<ehold, this has touched your lips8 your iniquity is ta%en away, and your sin pur!ed"6 +5saiah =:-'>/ This #ision o the &oly ?rophet 5saiah is a #ision into the &ea#enly throne room o God" 5n this #ision is re#ealed the eternal worship and adoration o God which ta%es place )at all times and in e#ery hour"* The Orthodox Church also li#es this di#ine re#elation" St" 2ohn the Theolo!ian also heard the same loud #oice and witnessed the eternal worship that ta%es place in the presence o the &oly God: And rom the throne proceeded li!htnin!s, thunderin!s, and #oices" Se#en lamps o ire were burnin! be ore the throne, which are the se#en Spirits o God" <e ore the throne there was a sea o !lass, li%e crystal" And in the midst o the throne, and around the throne, were our li#in! creatures ull o eyes in ront and in bac% @ each ha#in! six win!s,""" And they do not rest day or ni!ht, sayin!: 9&oly, holy, holy, 7ord God Almi!hty, Who was and is and is to come;6 +:e#elations A:B'C/ The Di#ine worship, prayers, ser#ices and Dysteries which are celebrated in the &oly Orthodox Church lead us into this mystic, di#ine and continuous &ea#enly adoration o the All'holy Trinity" 5n a most per ect way, the Church teaches us to ul ill St" ?aul6s inEunction to )pray without ceasin!"* St" 2ohn o (ronstadt re#eals this understandin! o the Church in his wor%, Dy 7i e in Christ: Truly the church is &ea#en upon earth8 or where the throne o God is, where the aw ul sacraments are celebrated, where the an!els ser#e to!ether with men, ceaselessly !lori yin! the Almi!hty, there is truly &ea#en" And so let us enter into the house o God with the ear o God, with a pure heart, layin! aside all #ices and e#ery worldly care, and let us stand in it with aith and re#erence, with understandin! attention, with lo#e and peace in our hearts, so that we may come away renewed, as thou!h made &ea#enly8 so that we may li#e in the holiness natural to &ea#en, not bound by worldly desires and pleasures" +Grinsbroo%e, W" 2"8 Spiritual Counsels o Father 2ohn o (ronstadt, p" >B/" Since the Orthodox Church has always li#ed this mystical lin% between &ea#en and earth, e#erythin! experienced in the Church is in response to this reality , pointin! us to this reality" The Church buildin!, the orderin! o the Di#ine ser#ices, their actions, mo#ements, ima!es, smells, prayers and readin!s" 5t all acts to lead us into the throne room, !rantin! access to the inaccessible" The icons at the entrance to the Church remind Orthodox Christians that Christ and the saints are in#isibly present in this &oly ?lace, the Sacred space o the Church" The irst thin! they do upon enterin! this &oly ?lace is to ma%e the si!n o the Cross and three deep re#erences" The interior o an Orthodox church is di#ided into three parts" The irst is the Garthex +7ity in Gree%8 ?rit#or in Sla#onic/" 5n ancient times it was a lar!e, spacious place, where the Catechumens recei#ed instruction while preparin! or <aptism, and also where ?enitents who were excluded rom &oly Communion stood" So, the Garthex o the Church represents this world in which man%ind is called to repentance" The main body o the church is the Ga#e, separated rom the Sanctuary +&oly ?lace/ by an icon screen with doors, called the iconostasis +icon stand/" The walls o the Ga#e are decorated with icons and murals, be ore many o which are han!in! lit lamps +lampadas/" The Ga#e is the place o the assembled Church, which includes both the li#in! and the departed, the people o God"

The Sanctuary, which lies beyond the iconostasis, is set aside or those who ha#e a special unction within the Di#ine ser#ices, and normally persons not consecrated to the ser#ice o the Church are not permitted to enter" Occupyin! the central place in the Sanctuary is the &oly Altar, which represents the Throne o God, with the 7ord &imsel in#isibly present there" The &oly Altar is the point o meetin! and union with God in &is (in!dom" As we noted, Orthodox churches #ary somewhat architecturally" <ut, all Orthodox Churches are built to represent the uni#erse" The ceilin! represents &ea#en" The openin! in the ceilin! +dome/, within which is an icon o Christ ?antocrator, i"e", the all'rulin! Christ, represents Christ loo%in! down rom &ea#en upon the assembled con!re!ation, hearin! their prayers, remindin! them o &is presence in the whole uni#erse" The loor o the Church, then, represents this world" The &oly Altar is upli ted rom the loor by a series o steps and suspended, as it were, between &ea#en and earth, because it is the meetin! point, the place where our !i t to God is brou!ht in the Great ,ntrance, and rom which comes the Grace o God in the readin!s and teachin!s o the &oly Gospel, and the Grace o the &oly Dysteries" The iconostasis or icon screen separates the Ga#e rom the Sanctuary, Eust as the #eil in the Old Testament Tabernacle and Temple" <ut, this #eil is no lon!er permanently closed: it has been opened by Christ &imsel " On the iconostasis are placed icons o Christ, Dary and #arious other Saints" All these are a #isible representation o an in#isible reality" They re#eal the presence o Christ and o &is Saints !athered around &is Throne" The second row o icons on some icon screens depicts the maEor e#ents in the li e o our 7ord rom the Annunciation to &is Ascension" This ser#es as the Gospel in pictures, re#ealed to the assembled aith ul" 5cons are much more than Eust beauti ul art or #isual aids" 5cons are windows throu!h which the aith ul see into the world beyond time and space" 2ust as Christ mani ested and communicated God to us in &is material body, so the Church today continues to use material thin!s +wood, paint, etc"/ to ma%e God %nown to man%ind" An Orthodox icon depicts the trans i!uration o the human body" 5t represents the saint6s body trans ormed, trans i!ured by Grace in the (in!dom o God" The Saints represented in icons loo% strai!ht into the eyes o their beholders, as i to say, )&ere 5 am" 5 am #ery much ali#e in the presence o God"* Durin! the ser#ices o the Orthodox Church, the deacon or priest censes irst the icons and then the entire con!re!ation" 5n so doin!, the Church honors not only the an!els, saints and martyrs, but also the li#in! icon +ima!e/ o God which e#ery aith ul Christian bears" The Tabernacle is %ept on the center o the &oly Altar" 5n the Old Testament, the tablets on which God had written the Ten Commandments were %ept in the Tabernacle" 5n the Gew Testament it is the 7ord 2esus Christ &imsel Who dwells here" &is precious <ody and <lood are e#er %ept in the Tabernacle" The Church, then, is truly the house o God" God is e#er present here in a #ery real way" This is why the Orthodox Christian ma%es the si!n o the cross whene#er he passes be ore the &oly Altar" The eternal li!ht is the #oti#e li!ht that is suspended abo#e the Tabernacle or burns be ore it on the altar table" 5t burns constantly to denote that the 7ord 2esus Christ Who is the )7i!ht o the World* is truly present" The two circular ans, which are ound in most Orthodox Churches on either side o the tabernacle, are called exapteri!a +six win!s/ in Gree%, or rapidi in Sla#onic" ,n!ra#ed on these are the six'win!ed an!els which, accordin! to 5saiah6s #ision o God, surround the throne o God in &ea#en" They remind us that these same an!els surround the throne o God on earth 3 the &oly Altar" The Table o ?reparation is a small table to the le t o the &oly Altar behind the iconostasis" &ere the people6s !i ts o bread and wine are prepared be ore the Di#ine 7itur!y and later carried to the &oly Altar durin! the Great ,ntrance" An icon o the Gati#ity is usually ound at the Table o ?reparation to si!ni y that Eust as 2esus was born in <ethlehem, so throu!h the &oly ,ucharist &e comes to be born and dwell in our li#es today" The <ishop6s throne is ound in di erent places in the #arious traditions, but it is always set apart or the bishop who is considered to be the head o the Church and represents 2esus Christ" For this reason an icon o Christ enthroned is usually ound there" The bishop occupies the throne durin! the 7itur!y when he is not actually ser#in!" Finally, remember that Orthodox Churches are &oly ?laces" One meanin! o the word )holy* is )set apart"* 5n the case o our Churches they are set apart or God" There are rules about not enterin! certain areas, or touchin! certain obEects" These rules are not so much bans or prohibitions but rather sa e!uards o that holiness, that bein! )set apart"* 5n our modern world, people tend always to see thin!s subEecti#ely and sel 'centerdly8 they are trained rom childhood to do this" So, they thin% o their )ri!hts,* and when they meet somethin! li%e this Orthodox practice, they ind the matter odd, because their irst thou!ht is that their )ri!hts* ha#e been eroded" 5n Churches that ha#e been set apart or God, we ha#e no )ri!hts,* e#erythin! that is allowed us is a mercy rom God, e#en enterin! there in the irst place" This is why upon enterin! the Church, e#en the Garthex, Orthodox Christians ma%e three deep re#erences, rememberin! their unworthiness to enter, that they ha#e been !i#en a blessin! to enter this holy place" So, rather than spea%in! o prohibitions o enterin! an area or touchin! somethin!, we would better say that we ha#e no blessin! to enter there or to touch that" ?roperly, althou!h this rule is not o ten %ept today, the non'Orthodox and catechumens should remain in the Garthex, because the Ga#e itsel is symbolic o the Church on earth and the catechumens are not yet members o the Church" 5n most churches, or pastoral and missionary reasons, they are allowed into the Ga#e" Sometimes they are expelled to the Garthex be ore the be!innin! o the 7itur!y o the Faith ul" The laity stand in the Ga#e, and do not enter the Sanctuary" O ten one hears that only men are permitted to enter the Sanctuary" Dore properly, only those whose ministry requires them to enter the Sanctuary, or those who ha#e recei#ed a

blessin! to enter there, are permitted to enter" ,#en in the Ga#e area, the aith ul should be care ul not to stand on the Ambon, the raised area immediately in ront o the &oly Doors" This is because this area represents the 2ud!ment Seat and we only stand there to recei#e the &oly Dysteries, rememberin! both that in doin! so we participate in the royal priesthood o all belie#ers, and that we shall ha#e to !i#e an account or our reception o the Dysteries at the 2ud!ment" Thus, i one needs to wal% across, say in li!htin! the lamps be ore the icons, one comes down rom the Soleas +the raised area on either side/, rather than wal%in! across the Ambon" Also, the aith ul should not wal% across the Church in ront o the celebrant i the ser#ice requires that he be standin! in the Ga#e3always wal% around behind him" Those who are blessed to enter the Sanctuary should ma%e a deep re#erence when doin! so +a prostration i it is appointed on that day/" ,xcept or the bishop, all enter throu!h the Deacons6 +side/ Doors, unless they are required to enter throu!h the &oly Doors durin! the 7itur!y, while properly #ested" ,#en then, only the priests and deacons +and in some practices, the subdeacons/ are permitted to enter throu!h the central doors" 5n crossin! rom one side to the other in the Sanctuary, we always !o behind +to the east/ o the &oly Altar itsel , unless, a!ain, the ser#ice itsel requires that one o the ministers wal% across in ront o the Altar, such as durin! a censin! o the Altar" A!ain only those who are at least subdeacons would be permitted to do this, and e#en they do not wal% across that area or stand there unless it is required by the 7itur!y" Only bishops, priests or deacons are permitted to touch the &oly Altar or the sacred #essels +the only exception is when, in the :ussian practice, the aith ul %iss the base o the chalice immediately a ter recei#in! &oly Communion/" This applies at all times, both within the Di#ine ser#ices and at other times" Only the deacons and priests touch or carry the Antimension or the &oly Gi ts themsel#es" Go one, who is not at least a deacon, is permitted to ta%e anythin! rom, or place anythin! on, the &oly Altar, and the sacred thin!s %ept there are only touched by the aith ul when they are o ered or their #eneration by the priest, or instance the Gospel <oo% durin! Datins o the :esurrection on Sundays, and the Cross at the end o the 7itur!y" This should draw our attention to the importance o these blessin!s, and we should always #enerate the Gospel and Cross on these occasions with !reat re#erence" ,#erythin! in the Orthodox Church is done with a blessin!" So, sometimes a priest may !i#e someone a particular blessin! to do somethin! that mi!ht not otherwise be !enerally allowed" These departures rom normal practice are extraordinary and should ne#er be ta%en or !ranted" 5n e#ery situation it is proper to as% a blessin!" And this is why we re!ard the seemin! prohibitions a!ainst enterin! or touchin! thin!s not as prohibitions but as our not ha#in! a blessin!" A ter these thin!s 5 loo%ed, and behold, a door standin! open in hea#en" And the irst #oice which 5 heard was li%e a trumpet spea%in! with me, sayin!, 9Come up here, and 5 will show you thin!s which must ta%e place a ter this"6 5mmediately 5 was in the Spirit8 and behold, a throne set in hea#en, and One sat on the throne" And &e who sat there was li%e a Easper and a sardius stone in appearance8 and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance li%e an emerald" Around the throne were twenty' our thrones, and on the thrones 5 saw twenty' our elders sittin!, clothed in white robes8 and they had crowns o !old on their heads" And rom the throne proceeded li!htnin!s, thunderin!s, and #oices" Se#en lamps o ire were burnin! be ore the throne, which are the se#en Spirits o God" <e ore the throne there was a sea o !lass, li%e crystal" And in the midst o the throne, and around the throne, were our li#in! creatures ull o eyes in ront and in bac%" The irst li#in! creature was li%e a lion, the second li#in! creature li%e a cal , the third li#in! creature had a ace li%e a man, and the ourth li#in! creature was li%e a lyin! ea!le" The our li#in! creatures, each ha#in! six win!s, were ull o eyes around and within" And they do not rest day or ni!ht, sayin!: 9&oly, holy, holy, 7ord God Almi!hty, Who was and is and is to come;6 Whene#er the li#in! creatures !i#e !lory and honor and than%s to &im who sits on the throne, who li#es ore#er and e#er, the twenty' our elders all down be ore &im who sits on the throne and worship &im who li#es ore#er and e#er, and cast their crowns be ore the throne, sayin!: 9Hou are worthy, O 7ord, to recei#e !lory and honor and power8 or Hou created all thin!s, and by Hour will they exist and were created"6 +:e#elations A:-'--/ Deacon Daniel Swires ser#es at St" Gicholas Orthodox Church in Do!adore, Oh" Some Thin!s To Do Try the ollowin! acti#ities to introduce your children or !odchildren to the )physical en#ironment* o the Orthodox Church: Ta%e a tour o your parish be ore or a ter ser#ices one day, and identi y the Garthex, Ga#e, Sanctuary, dome, and icon screen" As% your priest to !i#e a )tour* o the Sanctuary +pointin! out the Table o Oblation, the &i!h ?lace, the Altar Table and the holy items on it, etc"/, either by ta%in! the boys into the Sanctuary or allowin! boys and !irls to stand in the doorway o the Deacons6 Doors" +Children lo#e to pee% throu!h the &oly Doors and Deacons6 Doors when they open durin! ser#ices, but rarely !et a !ood #iew;/ As% your priest or parish careta%er or a copy o the blueprintsI loor plans o your parish church buildin!, i they are a#ailable" As% your children to label the )%ey areas*, and draw in the Altar Table, Table o Oblation, <ishop6s throne, and any shrines you ha#e in your parish" +This is also a !reat acti#ity or helpin! your child learn the icons on the icon screen8 we ound an old schematic o the icon screen rame when cleanin! a bac% room, copied it, and as%ed our dau!hter to )draw* her own icons in the blan% spaces on the schematic and tell us a bit about each" She had a !reat time )researchin!* who or what was depicted"/ Ta%e a trip to your local library to research )historic* buildin!s used or Orthodox Christian worship, or example: the ?arthenon in Athens8 the Church o &oly Wisdom in 5stanbul8 the S" Jitale and S" Apollinare in Classe baptistries in :a#enna" Compare the loor plans o these buildin!s to your own parish6s loor plan"

Discuss the similarities and di erences amon! the buildin!s o your parish and other Orthodox parishes in your areaIthat you #isit while tra#elin!" +With older children, you may also include non'Orthodox Christian churches or 2ewish syna!o!ues you may ha#e #isited or #arious occasions, li%e a riend6s weddin! or barIbat mit4#ah" 2ust be prepared to discuss di erences in theolo!y, too;/ by Gichola T" (rause K L..- by Orthodox Family 7i e and the ori!inal author+s/" $:7: http:IIwww"theolo!ic"comIo lweb" This web site is donated and maintained by Theo7o!ic Systems, which pro#ides so tware and in ormation tools or Orthodox Christians and parishes world wide" ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' ,mbracin! 7o#e by Gicholas ?" ?apas The )Dore Spacious than the &ea#ens* icon is #ery prominent in an Orthodox church", perhaps because it expresses some o our Faith6s core belie s, principally the willin!ness o our Dother, the Church, to recei#e us with her outstretched and waitin! arms" This icon o ten %now by its Gree% name o ?latytera Ton Ouranon, or simply, ?latytera" 5t is ound in most Orthodox churches in an ama4in!ly prominent position 3 hi!h in the apse 3 and is o ten o such a scale that it o#erwhelms and o#ershadows in emphasis all other icons" This can present a rather odd irst impression especially to a non'Orthodox #isitor" ,#en to Orthodox it may present a bit o a dilemma" &ow is it that in a Christian church, a place where li e centers around Christ, an ima!e o &is mother Dary would appear to ha#e dominanceM 5n reality there is an ima!e o Christ, as Almi!hty, in a place o preeminence, in the honored position o the ceilin! Nor the dome, i the church buildin! has oneO" Secondly, Christ is ound in the ?latytera at bull6s eye center on Dary6s lap" This shows a balance in the historical Church6s #iew o the place and role o Dary" She is essential and si!ni icant by her relationship to Christ" Christ could not ha#e been born without her ree consent" She is made si!ni icant by the One she bore" She pro#ides the throne" She is in the bac%!round" These characteristics re#eal her humility, and oddly enou!h the icon in its way !lori ies her because o it" She is si!ni icant to us as an example o the potential outcome o ree'will submission to God6s !oodness" She is indispensable because without her Christ6s birth could not ha#e ta%en place" The architectural placement o the ?latytera power ully teaches that she is the person throu!h whom hea#en and earth are united, since this mural is where ceilin! and loor meet" &er icon )unites* Christ6s ceilin! icon with those o us standin! on the !round" With the comin! o the &oly Spirit at ?entecost a remar%able thin! happened: God re#ealed to man%ind that e#eryone could ha#e God dwellin! in them" This was a radically di erent concept to the 2ews o that day who saw God6s throne as a physical structure, the Temple in 2erusalem" Gow, all belie#ers could be li%e Dary 3 the irst and most excellent example o the idea that the physical body o any belie#er )is a temple o the &oly Spirit* +- Corinthians =:-1/" Since Dary is this prime and per ect example o bein! )a temple,* the wisdom o the ?latytera6s placement is recon irmed" 5n the same way ?entecost made people rethin% their belie s about where exactly it is that God dwells, in a literal way we are aced with ponderin! how it is that God li#es in us belie#ers" 5n this icon Dary6s hands are open and outstretched" This is a position o prayer" We can plainly see that she is always prayin! or us, li%e the !ood mother that she is" At the same time her open arms can be seen as a willin! and ea!er in#itation or us to be hu!!ed" Spiritually, no one can pro#ide a more per ect )hu!* than her" With Dary bein! an ima!e o )The Church,* we can see how this )hu!* is !i#en" 7i%e any !ood mother, our Dother the Church cares or all our needs" And with the Church, our deepest and truest needs are inally cared or" She eeds us with the )<read o 7i e* )+2ohn =:0B/, dresses us with a )!arment o incorruption* and a )robe o ri!hteousness* +5saiah =-:-./, washes us o our sins +Acts LL:-=/ with )the la#er o re!eneration,* !i#es us drin% rom )The Fountain o 7i e,* shelters us )under the shadow* o &er win!s +?salm ->:C/, and !i#es us a place to ind )rest or our souls"* Our !ood and unconditionally lo#in! Dother is always ready and waitin! or us" <ein! ready to embrace us is how She is depicted in the sublime ima!e o the ?latytera" 5t is an accurate, true ima!e that shows the mar#elous mystery o God6s ea!er but patient willin!ness to !i#e unconditional lo#e " 5n the depiction o Dary in the ?latytera we can ind a simple messa!e: Come and be embraced by per ect lo#e" 5cono!rapher Gicholas ?" ?apas, his wi e ?atty, and their three really cool children are parishioners at St" Dichael Antiochian Orthodox Church in Greensbur!, ?a" K L..- by Orthodox Family 7i e and the ori!inal author+s/" $:7: http:IIwww"theolo!ic"comIo lweb" This web site is donated and maintained by Theo7o!ic Systems, which pro#ides so tware and in ormation tools or Orthodox Christians and parishes world wide" '''''''' The Orthodox 7itur!y ?art L: The 7itur!y o the Word

by Archimandrite Alexander Cutler 5n the world o the :oman ,mpire, the Gree% word litur!y meant 9any public wor%6 or 9wor% done or the common !ood6" Thus the reemen stood in the orum, #oted, and too% part in the litur!y or public wor% o the :oman state" The assembly o Christians, ree and sla#e, who stood in the church buildin! and prayed, was a wor% done or the spiritual wel are and well'bein! o all, and was called the Di#ine 7itur!y" The prayers o the Orthodox Church6s 7itur!y are belie#ed to uphold the whole world; The Church6s 7itur!y is di#ided into three parts: the preparation, the 7itur!y o the Word +or 7itur!y o the Catechumens/, and the 7itur!y o the ,ucharist +or the 7itur!y o the Faith ul/" The preparation is that part o the 7itur!y when the bread and wine are prepared or the ,ucharistic ser#ice" The 7itur!y o the Word is much li%e the 2ewish syna!o!ue ser#ice, which consists o prayers, psalms and hymns, scripture readin!s, and a sermon" Catechumens Nthose preparin! to enter the <ody o Christ, the ChurchO were allowed to attend the 7itur!y o the Word" Ful illin! the 7ord6s commandment, the 7itur!y o the ,ucharist imitates what Christ did at the 7ast +Dystical/ Supper, and by the power o the &oly Spirit chan!es bread and wine into the <ody and <lood o the 7ord" This 7itur!y o the Faith ul is closed to the catechumens" Only initiated Orthodox Christians are allowed to attend and recei#e the ,ucharist" The 7itur!y o the Word be!ins with the words, )<lessed is the (in!dom o the ather, and o the Son, and o the &oly Spirit@* With these words, those participatin! in the 7itur!y enter into a di erent dimension o time 3 the dimension o the eternal )now* o God" We also enter into a !atherin! o the an!elic ran%s +in#isible creation/ and are Eoined to those united in and enli#ened by the <ody o Christ 3 li#in! on earth, li#in! in paradise, and yet to be born +#isible creation/" 5n the 7itur!y, we will experience a oretaste o the (in!dom o &ea#en here and now, and o its eternal banquet; +7ater in the 7itur!y o the Faith ul, we will be reminded to )lay aside all earthly cares"* 5n the ,ucharistic 7itur!y, we will east on the <ody and <lood o Christ"/ The deacon, i one is ser#in!, or the priest then prays the Great 7itany o ?eace" 5t is called the 97itany o ?eace6 because the irst three petitions all concern peace: )5n peace let us pray to the 7ord,* )For the peace rom abo#e@,* and )For the peace o the whole world@"* The petitions o this litany address the basic and !eneral needs o e#ery community and its members" 5n the prayer o the litany, the priest as%s, )O Daster, impart the riches o Hour mercy and Hour compassion to us and to those who pray with us"* 5n the irst part o the 7itur!y, we ind the litanies and prayers ollowed by a ?salm, a ?salm and a hymn, Scripture #erses and hymns, or ?salm #erses and re rains" A ter the Great 7itany and prayer, or example, ?salm -.L is sun!" Some parishes sin! a ew #erses o that ?salm, while some monasteries and some parishes will sin! the whole ?salm" The Second Antiphon, which ollows a little litany, is ?salm -AB and then the hymn, )Only'be!otten Son and immortal Word o God@*" The third Antiphon is #erses o the <eatitudes with hymns rom the tone o the wee% or east day sun! toward the end o the <eatitudes between the #erses o the <eatitudes" Durin! estal 7itur!ies and certain daily 7itur!ies, the First Antiphon may not be ?salm -.L, but selected ?salm #erses with a re rain such as, )Throu!h the prayers o the Theoto%os, O Sa#ior sa#e us"* Dependin! on the calendar and what the Church is celebratin!, the Second antiphon mi!ht be selected ?salm #erses with the re rain, )Throu!h the prayers o the saints, O Sa#ior sa#e us,* or, or example, rom the Ascension, )O Son o God, Who ascended in !lory, sa#e us who sin! to Hou: Alleluia;* The Third Antiphon mi!ht be ?salm #erses with the troparion o a east or o Sunday, or the re rain o Sunday, )O Son o God, Who rose rom the dead, sa#e us who sin! to Hou: Alleluia;* or on wee%days, )O Son o God, Who is wondrous in &is saints, sa#e us who sin! to Hou: Alleluia;* <ecause o the way the )hymns* a ter these irst three litanies are supposed to be sun!, they are called antiphon" To sin! antiphonically means that two choirs or cantors chant the lines o the ?salms alternately" 5 , or example, the choir or cantor on the south side o the church chants the irst line, then the choir or cantor on the north side chants the second line" Thus, they chant the #erses bac% and orth until they ha#e inished" The practice o sin!in! antiphonically durin! the ser#ices is a practice o the early Church %nown rom the Ath century onwards" The ?salms especially lend themsel#es to antiphonal sin!in!" The ?salms are &ebrew poetry whose characteristic is that the lines o the #erses respond to one another" 5n other words, what the irst line says, the second line o ten repeats or urther de#elops usin! di erent words 3 or example, )5 will #isit their sins with the rod, and their iniquities with the scour!e* +?salm CC:00/" At the conclusion o the Antiphons, the Gospel <oo% is brou!ht rom the altar area into the main body o the temple" This is called the 7ittle ,ntrance" $nless there is a deacon, the priest carries the holy Gospel" The Gospel is preceded by a candle that symboli4es Christ, the 7i!ht o the World" The candle also denotes the sanctity o the Gospel" 5n the early centuries o the Church, this was the procession o the <ishop and his cler!y into the temple to be!in the 7itur!y" A ter the deacon called all to attention, )Wisdom; 7et us attend;* Then the cler!y called all to prayer, )Come let us worship and all down be ore Christ@* As the cler!y processed throu!h the temple and into the altar area, the hymns +theme son!s 3 troparion and %onta%ion/ o the day and east were sun!" A ter a prayer at the &oly Table and the blessin! o the <ishop and all the priests went to sit on either side o the <ishop in a raised area o the apse +the rounded, eastern wall o the altar area/", called the )hi!h place* or the Scripture readin!s" Today, a ter the choir sin!s the hymns o the day, they then sin! the )&oly God"* There is a le!end that this hymn was introduced into the 7itur!y ollowin! a tornado in Constantinople" A youn! boy was pic%ed up by a unnel cloud and disappeared, and was later ound some distance away" The people as%ed what he had heard and seen when he was )ta%en up to hea#en"* The boy replied that he had heard the an!els sin!in!: )&oly God, &oly Di!hty, &oly 5mmortal, ha#e mercy on us;* Followin! this hymn, the priest !oes to the hi!h place to !i#e his blessin! or the be!innin! o the Scripture

readin!s" These readin!s are usually rom the Gew Testament, althou!h durin! Jesperal 7itur!ies 3 7itur!ies immediately preceded by Jespers 3 there are also Old Testament readin!s" As an introduction to the irst readin!, a ?salm #erse +?ro%imenon/ is sun! as a re rain, with other ?salm #erses" The reader then reads a desi!nated portion rom an ,pistle +letter by an Apostle/ or the Acts o the Apostles +a short history o the Church in 2erusalem a ter Christ6s :esurrection/" <e ore the Gospel is read, it is preceded by the re rain )Alleluia* sun! three times alon! with selected ?salm #erses" Durin! the Alleluia, the altar, icons, temple, and people are incensed in preparation or hearin! the holy Gospel and to remind us o God6s presence throu!h &is Word 3 2esus Christ 3 in the Gospel" The deacon, i one is present, or a priest then reads the appointed Gospel o the day" The Gospel is the Word o God !i#en to us as ood and nourishment or our souls" This is ollowed by a sermon or time o instruction on what we ha#e Eust heard in the Scriptures or on some other theme" Althou!h some Eurisdictions in America be!in the )Cherubim &ymn* ri!ht a ter the Gospel or sermon, the 7itur!y actually continues with a litany that is #ery much li%e the Great 7itany, and whose petitions are answered by a three old )7ord, ha#e mercy"* This litany allows the local community to add names and special petitions that address the speci ic needs o indi#iduals in the community, as well as or the particular needs o the community as a whole" Then there is a litany or those departed this li e 3 members o our amily and community, who ha#e ) allen asleep* in the 7ord" The 7itur!y o the Word, or the 7itur!y o the Syna!o!ue, or the 7itur!y o the Catechumens ends ollowin! the 7itany o the Catechumens" This litany prays or those who are bein! instructed in the Faith and who are preparin! ro <aptism and admission into the Church" At the end o this litany, those who are not yet bapti4ed members o the Church are dismissed" Only the aith ul, who ha#e been initiated into the Church throu!h <aptism, Chrismation, and ultimately the &oly ,ucharist, are allowed to remain or the 7itur!y o the Faith ul" Two little litanies with prayers or the aith ul, be!in the 7itur!y o the Faith ul and brin! us to the )Cherubim &ymn*" Some parishes omit the 7itany o the Catechumens and its dismissal, especially i they ha#e no one currently preparin! or entrance into the holy Orthodox Church o Christ +a condition which is hope ully a rarity/" Today, throu!hout the world in A rica, Asia, and ,astern ,urope, there are many people who are catechumens preparin! or <aptism" They need our prayers, and the prayers o this litany" 5 nothin! else, this litany reminds us a!ain and a!ain that we are to be a missionary and e#an!eli4in! Church 3 that is, a Church brin!in! the !ood news o the Gospel to those who ha#e not come to belie#e in Christ and who are not members o &is <ody, the &oly Orthodox Church" This series o articles, introducin! children and their parents to the theolo!y, symbolism, and historical de#elopment o the 7itur!y will continue in the next issue o OF7" Fr" Alexander Cutler, who )narrates* the 7itur!y or children at altar ser#er rallies and youth meetin!s and instructs 7ate Jocations candidates in litur!ics, is the abbot o the Orthodox Donastery o St" 2ohn the Theolo!ian in &iram, Ohio" K L..- by Orthodox Family 7i e and the ori!inal author+s/" $:7: http:IIwww"theolo!ic"comIo lweb" This web site is donated and maintained by Theo7o!ic Systems, which pro#ides so tware and in ormation tools or Orthodox Christians and parishes world wide" '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Candy'cane 7ore The stoc%in!s that 5 ound as a child next to my bedroom door on the mornin! o December =th 3 St" Gicholas6 east day 3 and tuc%ed under the tree on Christmas mornin! were always o#er lowin! with !oodies: oran!es and apples, walnuts and pecans still in the shell, and candy, candy, candy; <ut each candy meant somethin!: There were always !um'drop bells in the stoc%in! to represent the son!s the an!els san! to the shepherds about Christ6s birth, and chocolate coins or the bundles o !old coins <ishop Gicholas le t or the poor amily with three dau!hters" Finally, the bi! candy cane slipped o#er the cu o the stoc%in! was a symbol o the sta that <ishop Gicholas carried: e#ery bishop carries one Eust li%e it, too, because the bishops are responsible or watchin! o#er the 7ord6s loc%" Dy mother tau!ht me to say an extra prayer or )my* bishop whene#er 5 crunched into a candy cane, or hun! one on a wreath or tree branch, so he6d do his Eob well" 5 Eust %new him as a %ind, older man with a lon! white beard and bri!ht purple )cape* who #isited our parish se#eral times a year8 5 had no other understandin! o his duties" Gow, as an adult, 5 %now how much )my* bishop tra#els so that he can watch o#er, teach, and reassure 9the loc%* 3 buildin! and stren!thenin! the Church 3 and 5 %now why my mother told me what she did; +Candy'cane season doesn6t seem li%e enou!h any more, so 56#e extended this personal tradition to be applied or all types o mints" Silly, 5 %now, but a !reat reminder to pray@/ &ere is another bite o )modern* candy'cane lore you mi!ht enEoy sharin! with your children, adapted rom ACS5 Ohio :i#er Jalley :e!ional Gews, Go#emberIDecember L...: Dany years a!o, a pious old candy ma%er decided to ma%e a special candy or Christmas, to remind people how important this holiday was and what it really meant" &e started with pure white mint candy, to remind those who tasted it o the sinless nature o Christ and the way &e came into the world: born o a pure #ir!in" &e made the candy hard, so those who bro%e o pieces would remember the )roc%* on which Christ built &is Church, the statement o the Apostle ?eter that &e was indeed the only Son o God" The candy ma%er shaped the stic% o candy into a croo%, to remind those who saw it that 2esus Christ is the both Good

Shepherd and the 7amb o God" When &e hears e#en one stray sheep callin!, &e will ind him and return him to the loc%, and &e o ered &imsel as a sacri ice to brin! sal#ation to all man%ind" Thin%in! that his candy creation was #ery plain, or all it symboli4ed, the candy ma%er added a thic% red stripe to it, or the <lood that &e shed on the Cross, alon! with three thin stripes, or the scour!in! and humiliation &e su ered on our behal " The candy cane tells the story o our 7ord and Sa#ior, 2esus Christ; by Gichola T" (rause K L..- by Orthodox Family 7i e and the ori!inal author+s/" $:7: http:IIwww"theolo!ic"comIo lweb" This web site is donated and maintained by Theo7o!ic Systems, which pro#ides so tware and in ormation tools or Orthodox Christians and parishes world wide" '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' A ?reparatory Sundays ,#ery year, the Church spends a whole month teachin! us about and preparin! us or the Great Fast 3 why we need it, how we should and must approach it, what it will )do* or us in our spiritual stru!!les 3 throu!h the passa!es read rom &oly Scripture durin! ser#ices" 5n act, the our Sundays precedin! For!i#eness Sunday and the start o the Great Fast are %nown by their Gospel themes" Hou can use these our preparatory Sundays as a !uide to introduce your children to the Orthodox understandin! o the ri!ht desire to lo#e and ollow God, o repentance and or!i#eness, and o humility and the )ri!ht mind* or spiritual stru!!le" The Sunday o Pacchaeus +7u%e -1: -'-./ 2anuary LCth in L..Pacchaeus was the chie tax'collector appointed by the :omans, hated by his own people 3 the 2ews 3 because he collected money not only or the ,mpire, but also or himsel " &e was abulously wealthy but riendless, and considered the most despicable o sinners" The Gospel tells us that Pacchaeus was #ery short 3 in act, he ) ell short* o God6s ima!e; 3 and had to scramble up into a tree to see the 7ord as he passed by in the street" The 7ord saw Pacchaeus in the tree, his di!nity or!otten in his desire to see &im and repent o his e#il, and called out to him by name, sayin! that &e would come to Pacchaeus6 house" The crowds murmured that &e was dis!racin! &imsel , sociali4in! with sinners@ but the 7ord !oes to those who need &im, li%e a ?hysician to the ill and dyin!; The Sunday o the ?ublican and the ?harisee +7u%e -C:-.'-A/ February Ath in L..At the time o Christ, there were three 2ewish sects: the ?harisees, who thou!ht themsel#es #ery ri!hteous because o their )superior* reli!ious %nowled!e and ri!orous obser#ance o 2ewish law8 the Sadducees, who did not belie#e in the existence o an!els or resurrection rom the dead8 and the ,ssenes, who led a #ery strict ascetic li e in the desert" The 7ord called the ?harisees hypocrites, because they made a !reat outward show o holiness in their daily li#es, but did not truly repent o their sins" They loo%ed down their noses at others, especially )sinners* li%e tax'collectors and 2ewish a!ents o the :oman ,mpire +called ?ublicans/ who did not strictly ollow 2ewish law" The 7ord told a story +called a parable/ about a sel 'ri!hteous ?ublican and a contrite ?ublican prayin! in the Temple to demonstrate that no one should be pride ul, e#en i he commits acts o %indness and ri!hteousness, but should be humble and be! God6s a#or with all his soul" ,#en i he has allen into the worst e#ils, he should ne#er lose hope or coura!e, because he is ne#er ar rom sal#ation" The Sunday o the ?rodi!al Son +7u%e -B:--'0L/ February --th in L..5n this parable told by the 7ord, the son o a wealthy landowner ta%es his inheritance and wastes it" When his wealth is !one and he is )down and out*, he reco!ni4es his error and returns to his ather, hopin! or a position as the lowest o ser#ants in his ather6s house" The ather !reets him with Eoy, and welcomes him without reser#ation: he is !i#e his old position 3 a son o the manor; The elder son, who had ne#er !one away and had always done as his ather as%ed, is resent ul@ The ather lo#in!ly sets him strai!ht: )Hou are always with De, and it is ittin! to be !lad and to reEoice with your Father" For this son o Dine was dead in sin, and he has been re#i#ed by repentin! o#er what he committed@"* The Sunday o the 7ast 2ud!ment +Datthew LB:0-'0=/ February -Cth in L..The 7ord came to earth physically at &is nati#ity, quietly and without !lory" At the Second Comin!, )&e will come rom hea#en with supernatural wonders and mani est bri!htness" &e will come with &is body, so that &e will be reco!ni4ed as the One who has come be ore and reed the human race, and will come a!ain to Eud!e whether it has well'preser#ed what it has been !i#en" )Go one %nows exactly when the 7ord6s Second Comin! will occur" The 7ord %ept this hidden e#en rom the Apostles, but &e did allow or some #isible si!ns to ta%e place in the meantime" Some o the saints ha#e expanded on the description o

these si!ns" 5n any case, it is said that it will occur a ter the passa!e o se#en thousand years o human history" ?rior to the 7ord6s reappearance, the Antichrist will come" &e will be born, as St" &ippolytus o :ome says, o a de iled woman who will appear to be a #ir!in and will be rom the 2ewish race, rom the tribe o Dan, one o 2acob6s sons" &e will li#e a li e imitatin! that o Christ" &e will per orm miracles, such as the ones Christ did, and will e#en raise the dead" Het, all that he shall do will be an illusion: his birth, his lesh, and so on, as the Apostle ?aul says: 9The comin! o the lawless one is accordin! to the wor%s o Satan, with all powers, si!ns, and lyin! wonders, and with all unri!hteous deception amon! those who perish, because they did not recei#e the lo#e o the truth, that they mi!ht be sa#ed6 +55 Thessalonians L:1'-./" <ut, as St" 2ohn o Damascus says, Satan will not himsel be trans ormed into lesh, but a man born o ornication will accept into himsel all the acti#ity o Satan" &e will suddenly rise up in rebellion" Then he will appear to be %ind and accommodatin! to all" There will be a !reat amine and he will supply the people with ood" &e will study the &oly Scriptures and practice astin!" Forced by the people, he will be proclaimed %in!" &e will !reatly lo#e the 2ewish race, restore them to 2erusalem, and build their temple" )Accordin! to the &oly prophet Daniel, se#en years be ore the end, St" ,noch and St" ,liEah will come preachin! to the people not to accept the Antichrist" &e will imprison them, torture them, then behead them" Those people who choose to li#e piously, %eepin! their true reli!ion, will lee ar away" Findin! them in the mountains, the Antichrist will tempt them by means o demons, but those se#en years will be shortened or the sa%e o the elect" There will be a !reat amine, with all the elements under!oin! a chan!e, such that almost all li#in! creatures will be obliterated" )A ter this, suddenly, li%e li!htnin! rom hea#en, the 7ord will appear, preceded by &is precious Cross" A boilin! ri#er o ire will !o be ore &im, puri yin! all the earth o its de ilements" The Antichrist will immediately be captured , to!ether with those who ha#e ser#er him, and will be deli#ered to the eternal ire" )When the an!els ha#e sounded the trumpets, then the entire human race will at once come to!ether rom the ends o the earth and rom all the elements to 2erusalem 3 or 2erusalem is the center o the center o the world" &ere thrones will ha#e been set up or Eud!ment" Het each person will be with his own body and soul, all o which will ha#e been trans i!ured and made incorruptible, and all will ha#e one appearance" The elements themsel#es will ha#e under!one an alteration or the better" )With a sin!le word, the 7ord will separate the ri!hteous rom the sinners" The wor%ers or !ood will !o to recei#e eternal li e and the sinners eternal torment" We ou!ht to %now that when &e comes a!ain, Christ will not require astin! or miracles, thou!h these are !ood, but rather wor%s o mercy and compassion, which are ar better" Accordin! to the Gospel o St" Datthew, both the ri!hteous and the sinners will be Eud!ed accordin! to six requirements: !i#in! ood to the hun!ry, pro#idin! drin% to the thirsty, showin! hospitality to the stran!er, clothin! the na%ed, #isitin! the sic%, and #isitin! prisoners" <y renderin! these acts o compassion to the least o our brothers, we per orm them or Christ &imsel " Since these six requirements can be carried out by e#eryone, and where on earth, it can be understood why &is Eud!ment shall be a Eust one" Throu!h this reali4ation that God is mani ested in lo#e, e#ery ton!ue shall con ess that 2esus Christ is 7ord, to the !lory o the Father"* Ta%en rom the Synaxarion o the 7enten Triodion and ?entecostarion, edited by Fr" Da#id (idd and Dother Gabriella $rsache, :i#es 2unction, Di": &DD ?ress, -111", pp" 0B'0>" Some Thin!s To Do :ead the Gospel or each Sunday at home as a amily durin! the precedin! wee%" As% youn!er children to color a copy o the icon, or write their own to illustrate the story, to help them remember the e#ents and people" As% children to recall e#ents or their own li#es when they beha#ed li%e the people discussed in each Gospel and share them" For example, did they try to chan!e a habit only to be ridiculed, or loo% down on someone else or doin! the same thin! they did +or still do/M Did they whine or become de ensi#e when a ection or ac%nowled!ement was !i#en to a siblin! or classmate who made a special e ortM Choose a amily proEect or the next year that allows you to per orm some act o mercy to!ether" Hou mi!ht consider wor%in! at +or startin!/ a community hot meal pro!ram, writin! to your parish shut'in and hospitali4ed parishioners e#ery wee%, etc" by Gichola T" (rause K L..- by Orthodox Family 7i e and the ori!inal author+s/" $:7: http:IIwww"theolo!ic"comIo lweb" This web site is donated and maintained by Theo7o!ic Systems, which pro#ides so tware and in ormation tools or Orthodox Christians and parishes world wide" ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' ,xpectin!M Today6s American amilies usually prepare or the birth o a child inancially and physically: We put aside money or room additions and be!in education accounts" We ta%e out insurance policies" Dad wallpapers the nursery and sets up a crib, while Dom buys &u!!ies by the case" <ut what do we do spiritually to prepare to welcome God6s !i tM Accordin! to &oly Tradition, Dary spent almost all o her childhood in the Temple preparin! to become the Dother o our God, the Theoto%os" She )soa%ed in* the holiness o her surroundin!s, and was tau!ht and cared or by the an!els o the 7ord" She learned what she would need to do to nurture her Son, the Son o God"

As a youn! woman, the Theoto%os was approached by the Archan!el Gabriel or her consent be ore the conception o our 7ord, so she was able to be!in preparations or &is arri#al immediately@ throu!h astin! and prayer, with the support o her relati#es" We Orthodox Christian amilies can prepare spiritually or the birth o a child, too 3 a child who will someday be part o the Church, and there )wor% out* his or her sal#ation" We can start be ore birth to !i#e our children the tools and s%ills and mindset they6ll need to achie#e that !oal: Than% God or the !i t &e has !i#en you" Gew li e is precious, especially in our allen world, and it is completely impossible without God; Consider as%in! your priest to o er a molieben +short ser#ice o than%s!i#in!/ when you disco#er your amily is expectin! a new child" For couples who ha#e prayed or God6s help and stru!!led to concei#e, this is a natural response, but or couples +or sin!le mothers/ ta%en by surprise, !i#in! than%s may not be the irst reaction" :emember that, planned or not, li e is miraculous; ?ray or the health o the child and mother throu!hout the pre!nancy" ?reparin! or a new child is physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually stress ul, e#en under the best o circumstances" Family and riends can Eoin to!ether to pray with the expectant mother, as well as or them both" ,xpectant mothers +and athers/ may need extra prayers and support i they encounter problems alon! the way, such as se#ere mornin! sic%ness, !estational diabetes, or toxemia in the mother, or de ects in the unborn child" +:emember, too, that e#ery Orthodox Christian has a !uardian an!el@ <ased on personal experience, 5 thin% they6re )on duty* be ore a child is born, e#en thou!h we parents and !odparents don6t actually as% God or one to be sent until the exorcism be ore &oly <aptism" An extra prayer as%in! or the uture an!el6s intercession couldn6t hurt;/ ?ray or )!reat* !odparents to be li ted up or the child" Don6t underestimate the importance o sponsors in the spiritual li e o a child: they help the child6s parents teach him or her about God, and throu!h their example, how to properly lo#e and ser#e God" ,xpectant parents may ind wonder ul candidates to be the child6s !odparents amon! those who prayed with and or them throu!hout the pre!nancy" This was de initely true or our amily, when routine blood test results indicated that our new baby could ha#e serious de ects" For our days, we li#ed on the prayers and lo#e o se#eral amilies close to us while we waited or our appointment or an ultrasound and amniocentesis" +Than% God, the initial test results were wron!, because doctors had underestimated the a!e o the baby"/ Deal with the stresses o pre!nancy with more requent participation in the sacraments o Con ession and &oly Communion and increased scripture study, not less" 5n the ace o ati!ue and Eust eelin! crummy, many expectant mothers cut bac% their e orts in many areas, hopin! or some rest" 7et the housewor% slide 3it6s not important in the lon! run; 3 but %eep spiritual e orts !oin!" Whate#er the expectant mother and her amily do to come closer to God 3 by !oin! to Church ser#ices, prayin! re!ularly, continuin! ministry e orts, etc" 3 impro#es the )en#ironment* in which the child !rows both be ore and a ter birth" ?re!nancy is also a time ripe or sins, includin! doubt o God and &is !i t, apprehension and despair, sometimes e#en an!er" The healin! <ody and <lood o Christ remo#es the wei!ht o sin and !i#es much'needed stren!th to the expectant amily 3 and 5t nourishes the baby throu!h his or her mother e#en be ore birth" Consider names or the child by studyin! the li#es o the saints, especially those commemorated around the time the child was concei#ed +that is, his or her )real* birthday/ or when he or she will be bapti4ed and chrismated" Our amily chose 9Ditchell 2ohn6 or St" 2ohn the <aptist, because based on the ori!inal due'date the doctor !a#e us, the indin! o the saint6s head was near the baby6s conception and his synaxis was near when the baby would be bapti4ed" The 9Ditchell6 +a orm o Dichael/ turned out to be appropriate, too, because our baby was born near the Synaxis o the Archan!els" 5nclude icons or the child6s room on your )layette* list" An icon o 2esus Christ andIor a !uardian an!el to han! o#er the child6s crib ma%e wonder ul baby shower presents" Hou ha#e to %now the name o the child be ore an icon o his or her patron saint can be purchased, thou!h" We called riend Q icono!rapher Gic% ?apas the day our dau!hter came home rom the hospital to !i#e him the news and the name 3 (athryn or St" Catherine" We6#e already warned him about Ditchell 2ohn, too; ?lan ahead or the ?rayers o the Gamin! o a Child and his or her <aptism" There are many lo#ely ethnic traditions surroundin! both o these Eoyous, than% ul ser#ices" The whole parish amily can loo% orward to celebratin! a new arri#al" +See OF7, #ol" B iss" L, or more on the namin!"/ Fastin! Tips or the ,xpectant Dother Dost doctorsIobstetricians will ad#ise their patients not to ast at all durin! pre!nancy, stressin! the act that the expectant mother needs more calories and better nutrition than normal" And e#ery priest with whom 5 shared our amily6s !ood news has made a point o tellin! me that the Church does not require expectant mothers to ast or abstain" Our amily6s blessin! was a surprise, so we had an extra wrin%le in the astin!Imaternal nutrition department: We went throu!h all o the Great Fast without %nowin! 5 was expectin!" Go meat, no ish, minimal dairy +a concession to our B' year'old6s lo#e o (ra t macaroni Q cheese/, a li!ht snac% and one meal a day@ 5 was di44y throu!hout the Great Fast and actually ell o#er se#eral times +mostly on Wednesday e#enin!s when we were at ?resancti ied, durin! the ?rayer o St" ,phraim/, but my doctor and 5 both blamed the problem on a stubborn sinus and inner ear in ection" When we disco#ered that 5 was expectin! on 7a4arus Saturday, toward the end o the irst trimester, my irst concern was or the baby6s health: had 5 un%nowin!ly star#ed this child, caused brain dama!e, or stunted his !rowthM Dy doctor

reassured me that many, many women who ollow strict #e!an diets ha#e healthy babies e#ery day@ they increase their caloric inta%e, and add more peanut butter and beanIrice combinations or protein, etc" The babies are ine, as lon! as the mothers balance their diet care ully, and eat o ten" A mon% rom the Didwest o ered me this com ortin! thou!ht when 5 was stru!!lin! with the issue o ha#in! asted or so lon!, and continuin! some type o e ort or the upcomin! &oly Wee%: Fastin! will ne#er hurt you or the child, who God lo#es and !a#e to you8 astin! hurts the de#il""" the baby will be ine, because your body protected and nurtured him""" now !o eat somethin!; Than% God, we were all ta%in! #itamins and eatin! spinach salads to )%eep healthy* durin! the ast" We were usin! real recipes rom the Taste and See coo%boo%, too, instead o eatin! Eust pasta +our ormer astin!' ood staple/" 5 5 had been eatin! more, more o ten, 5 probably wouldn6t ha#e had any di44iness problems at all, and not disco#ered 5 was expectin! until 5 actually !ot %ic%ed" <ut e#ery woman is di erent: some women can6t stand the si!ht or smell o ood, or certain oods +li%e our nei!hbor, Susie8 the only thin! she could %eep down or the irst six months was plain chic%en breast/" Some experience serious !as and bloat problems eatin! #e!etables o any type, or horrible heartburn that is only helped with yo!urt or mil%" The bottom line is, i you want to ast while expectin! 3 or eel you need to ast 3 tal% to both your doctor and your priest about alternati#es" Fastin! is a #ital spiritual tool, and doesn6t need to be abandoned completely" &ere are some thin!s you mi!ht be able to try or ast days: Durin! a lon!er astin! season, limit the %inds o oods you eat 3 without limitin! quantity or s%ippin! meals 3 only on certain days +e"!", no meat or ish on Dondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, but %eep the dairy/" Da%e the oods you eat simple" $se simple coo%in! methods, and stay away rom dressin!s or spices to ma%e ood taste !ood" A#oid the thin!s you )cra#e*" 5n my case, late in pre!nancy, 5 cra#ed (it(ats8 no ar!ument can be made or the nutritional #alue o these at'laden, chocolate'co#ered su!ar bars, so they6re a !ood candidate or )pre!nancy astin!*" Finally, you may want to tal% to your priest i you ha#e di iculty abstainin! be ore &oly Communion on Sundays and east days durin! your pre!nancy" Dany women become li!ht'headed i they don6t eat somethin! in the mornin!, and your priest may ad#ise you that you may eat a small amount ) or medicinal purposes*" :emember to %eep what you eat simple and li!ht: Euice and whole'!rain cereal, or example, rather than a western omelet with hash browns, bacon, and toast +sa#e that or a ter 7itur!y;/" by Gichola T" (rause K L..- by Orthodox Family 7i e and the ori!inal author+s/" $:7: http:IIwww"theolo!ic"comIo lweb" This web site is donated and maintained by Theo7o!ic Systems, which pro#ides so tware and in ormation tools or Orthodox Christians and parishes world wide" ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' The Tale o a 7a4y ?arent Dy husband and 5 made what 5 consider in hindsi!ht to be a maEor mista%e in introducin! our dau!hter (atie, now i#e, to the li e o the Church" When she was a toddler, we brou!ht children6s picture prayer boo%s, <ible story boo%s, and reli!ious colorin! boo%s with us to ser#ices, and encoura!ed her to sit quietly loo%in! at the pictures or colorin!" This allowed us parents to pray and participate in the ser#ices, and %ept her relati#ely quiet so those around us weren6t disturbed@ she was in Church #ery re!ularly, soa%in! in the smells and sounds o worship, and )learned* about 2esus with materials )appropriate* or her a!e" These were !ood thin!s, the ri!ht thin!s to do 3 or so we thou!ht; $n ortunately, we !a#e (atie a completely incorrect notion o what we Christians actually do in Church, and we ha#e spent the past two years )unteachin!* our mista%e" 5t has been a #ery, #ery rustratin! process; What are we supposed to do in ChurchM The word 9litur!y6 means wor%; ,#eryone 3 men and women, adults and children 3 wor%s to!ether in Church to praise God and as% or &is mercy and help, led by the priest and deacons" This wor% o worship is hard, and there are no shortcuts" The ser#ices o the Church are also where we learn about God 3 the Father, Son, and &oly Spirit 3 by learnin! and then participatin! in the li#in! Tradition o the Church" We do what the Apostles did, because they tau!ht their parish amilies what 2esus and the &oly Spirit re#ealed to them, and those early Christians tau!ht their children, and those children tau!ht their children@ The Faith we Orthodox Christians li#e is the Faith o the Apostles, )deposited* with us throu!h the Church" Teachin! a child to be an Orthodox Christian 3 and what that means e#ery day 3 ta%es a hu!e commitment and constant e ort on the part o the parents and !odparents" &ere are some o the thin!s we learned the hard way, or were shown to us by people much wiser@ A!e by A!e, Sta!e by Sta!e <e ore <irth 3 <e ore your child is born, you can )set the sta!e* or his or her introduction into the li e o the Church" Choose !odparents or your child rom your own )home parish* who attend ser#ices re!ularly and participate with Eoy, and who ma%e a !reat e ort to li#e the Faith in their e#eryday li#es" As% your priest or his ad#ice about people you are considerin! as%in! to be your child6s !odparents: he may recommend someone you had not considered, or warn you that

someone you were considerin! is o#erburdened or stru!!lin!, and not a !ood choice at this time" $ltimately, your child6s !odparents will share the burden o teachin! your child about the Faith@ pic% a !ood teacher and role model; 5n ants Q Toddlers 3 Da%e a point to hold your child up so that he can see what is !oin! on around the Church durin! ser#ices" Durin! a recent monastery #isit, 5 watched dumb ounded as the Abbess scooped up a toddler in a hu! as Ji!il be!an, then mo#ed slowly around the na#e with the little !irl +and her doll/ durin! the ser#ice" She touched e#erythin! she could reach, she san! as Dother san!, and two hours later she ell asleep in Dother6s embrace" Wow; 5 thou!ht, that6s how to introduce a child to the %in!dom o God; ?oint out the censin! o the Church and the clouds o smo%e, the !leamin! icons, the lic%erin! candles, the music, and the entrances +or 9parades6/ to %eep his attention ocused on the worship" (eep up a whisperin! commentary i you can +e#en i he is too youn! or explanation, say the names o thin!s, and that they are ) or God* and )beauti ul*/" Don6t be a raid to mo#e around the bac% and sides o the na#e with your child so that he can touch the icon o St" &erman, or pic% up an unlit candle, or breathe in the incense, or see the #iew ri!ht up the center aisle" 7et him )explore* this holy en#ironment with you as a !uide@ the side bene it o this is that your child will probably be too ascinated to uss durin! ser#ices, and he6ll learn to be completely welcome in the house o God" Does this mean that toddlers, or e#en older children, should be allowed to wander around on their own, explore under the pews, hide behind baptismal ont at the bac% o the na#e, or roll on the loor in the center aisle durin! the sermonM Go, absolutely not; Children still need to show proper respect or the holy place where they are, the house o God" And the parents and !odparents need to be at their side to explain what they6re supposed to be doin!, and illustrate both proper beha#ior and attitude by example" +Fr" Da#id <arr6s wonder ul article on Church etiquette, )Some Thin!s Hou Should (now while in Church,* appeared in the Summer -11> issue o OF7, and is a#ailable on the internet on at least B di erent sites, includin! www"theolo!ic"comIo lweb"/ ?re'Schoolers 3 ,ncoura!e your child to sin! so tly with you durin! the litanies and hymns, and wor% with him at home to learn the Our Father as soon as he is able to understand what he6s as%ed to repeat" :emind him to ma%e the si!n o the cross or bow toward the priest or deacon when it6s appropriate, and praise him when he does these thin!s by himsel at the ri!ht times" :epeat o#er and o#er that it6s his Eob to pray, too, so that God can )hear* him and )see* him@ he6s part o the )team* and can )play* Eust li%e the adults and older %ids" Hou may e#en want to !i#e him a picture prayer boo% so he can ollow alon! with the main points o the ser#ice +matchin! the picture in the boo% to what he sees/, and do what mom, dad, and the other adults are doin! +turnin! pa!es to!ether as the ser#ice pro!resses/" ,#entually, you6ll ha#e to )stay put* durin! ser#ices rather than wander to!ether explorin!, usually when a child is too hea#y to hold com ortably or a lon! period" Choose a place to stand in the na#e as close to the ront as possible +or com ortable, i you still need to ma%e occasional mid'ser#ice exits with youn!er children/ and on the center aisle, so that your child can stand on his own and be able to see" Don6t worry i you child )stic%s out* in the aisle a bit8 our dau!hter sometimes )blends in* with the altar boys holdin! candles durin! the !ospel +which is read in the center o the na#e in our parish, since we ha#e a deacon/, but she can see and hear e#erythin! that !oes on" This a!e is also when the )deep theolo!ical questions* usually start: What is Father doin! with that unny candlestic%M Why is he washin! his handsM Why is he holdin! up that piece o breadM For the parent, this is when the )real* wor% o teachin! the Faith be!ins; ,ncoura!e your child to as% you, your spouse, and his !odparents questions quietly durin! the ser#ice, and whisper an answer as he6s watchin! the ser#ice pro!ress, i possible" 5 you don6t %now an answer, ma%e a point to say, )5 don6t %now" We6ll as% Father at co ee hour" Hou remind me, o%ayM* As a parent, you6ll need to be prepared or a non'stop delu!e o questions" :ead up on the history and symbolism o the ser#ices your parish o ers re!ularly: the Di#ine 7itur!y at minimum, and Jespers, Datins, &ours, the weddin! ser#ice, and <aptismIChrismation as you are able" Ta%e a ew minutes to loo% up the e#ents bein! celebrated in an upcomin! east, and loo% at the icon as a )story boo%* be ore !oin! to the church" There are many excellent resources or these, includin! articles in your parish bulletin and OF7" (inder!arteners 3 As soon as your child is able to reco!ni4e words on a pa!e +e#en by memory, instead o actually readin!/, ha#e him ollow alon! with the ser#ice in your parish6s adult ser#ice boo%" As% him to %eep trac% o the )7ord, ha#e mercy*s or you as he sin!s, and to let you %now when it6s time or the Gospel or Our Father" This is a wonder ul way to %eep him in#ol#ed and interested, and to really illustrate the point that we are all wor%in! to!ether in the ser#ices: we all ollow the same )script*, Eust li%e our !randparents, and their !randparents, and e#en St" Gicholas +or hisIher patron saint/ did; ,ncoura!in! questions has wor%ed or our amily, 56m happy to say: our dau!hter (atie now points out chan!es in #estment color +alon! with her theory as to what the new color means/, and o ers her explanation o why somethin! is happenin! i she hasn6t seen it be ore +in her memory/" For example, on &oly Friday she told me as the plaschanitsa +or 9windin! sheet6/ was ta%en on procession, )See, Father is carryin! 2esus around and around, and puttin! &im in 2oseph6s tomb,* and when we approached to #enerate &is body, )There6s a cloth o#er &is ace now" Don6t li t it, because &e6s dead" That6s his mummy'cloth"* She has been listenin!; The most di icult )unlearnin!* tas% we aced personally +and are still wor%in! on/ was teachin! our dau!hter how to stand or prayer" She was used to sittin! while we stood, because we allowed her to as a toddler, and praised her when she

was still and quiet" We started teachin! her to stand last year by remindin! her to stand durin! entrances, the Gospel, the Cherubic &ymn, the Creed and Our Father, and the Anaphora, and then encoura!ed her to stand )with the bi! people* or more and more o the ser#ice" Occasionally, she will stand or a whole ser#ice now, but most o the time she !ets tired and sits or a ew minutes at a time" We don6t orce her, but continue to remind her when a )time to stand* comes alon!" Sometimes, she !ets ri!ht up without missin! a beat, but other times it6s, )Oh, Dom;* 5 Eust %now 56ll be happy when she stands all the time, because 5 !et li!ht'headed turnin! around and bendin! o#er to answer her questions; <ac% on the :i!ht Trac% We6#e !otten bac% on the ri!ht trac%, 5 thin%, in teachin! our dau!hter that the Church6s ser#ices are or worship and learnin! about God to!ether, not or readin! and drawin! on your own" 5t is a !radual process, and we still su er setbac%s rom time to time: standin! with a !ood riend, sociali4in! is more appealin! than prayin!8 near a !roup o youn!er children, colorin! or )babysittin!* are enticin!" <ut we %eep remindin!@ Don6t !i#e up on your own e orts to draw your child 3 whate#er his or her a!e 3 into the worshippin! community o the Church" 5t is worth it; by Gichola T" (rause K L... by Orthodox Family 7i e and the ori!inal author+s/" $:7: http:IIwww"theolo!ic"comIo lweb" This web site is donated and maintained by Theo7o!ic Systems, which pro#ides so tware and in ormation tools or Orthodox Christians and parishes world wide" ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' ?rayer or a Child6s ,nli!htenment O 7ord, our God and Creator, Who honor man in Hour own ima!e8 Who teach Hour elect, so that those who heed Hour teachin! become wise8 Who re#eal wisdom to babes: open the heart, the mind, and the lips o your child and ser#ant, that heIshe may recei#e the power o Hour law, and understand what will be tau!ht to himIher, to the !lory o Hour all'holy Game and the buildin!'up o Hour holy Church" Grant that heIshe may comprehend Hour Will, and ul ill Hour commandments" Deli#er himIher rom e#ery oppression, e#il thou!ht, and desire" Amen" Adapted rom A ?oc%et ?rayer <oo% or Orthodox Christians, ,n!lewood, G"2": Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, -1C., p,-L-'-LL" K L... by Orthodox Family 7i e and the ori!inal author+s/" $:7: http:IIwww"theolo!ic"comIo lweb" This web site is donated and maintained by Theo7o!ic Systems, which pro#ides so tware and in ormation tools or Orthodox Christians and parishes world wide" ''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''''''''''' The Orthodox 7itur!y ?art -: The ?reparation by Archimandrite Alexander Cutler 5n the world o the :oman ,mpire, the Gree% word litur!y meant 9any public wor%6 or 9wor% done or the common !ood6" Thus the reemen stood in the orum, #oted, and too% part in the litur!y or public wor% o the :oman state" The assembly o Christians, ree and sla#e, who stood in the church buildin! and prayed, was a wor% done or the spiritual wel are and well'bein! o all, and was called the Di#ine 7itur!y" The prayers o the Orthodox Church6s 7itur!y are belie#ed to uphold the whole world" The Church6s 7itur!y is di#ided into three parts: the preparation, the 7itur!y o the Word +or 7itur!y o the Catechumens/, and the 7itur!y o the ,ucharist +or the 7itur!y o the Faith ul/" The preparation is that part o the 7itur!y when the bread and wine are prepared or the ,ucharistic ser#ice" The 7itur!y o the Word is much li%e the 2ewish syna!o!ue ser#ice, which consists o prayers, psalms and hymns, scripture readin!s, and a sermon" Catechumens Nthose preparin! to enter the <ody o Christ, the ChurchO were allowed to attend the 7itur!y o the Word" Ful illin! the 7ord6s commandment, the 7itur!y o the ,ucharist imitates what Christ did at the 7ast +Dystical/ Supper, and by the power o the &oly Spirit chan!es bread and wine into the <ody and <lood o the 7ord" This 7itur!y o the Faith ul is closed to the catechumens" Only initiated Orthodox Christians are allowed to attend and recei#e the ,ucharist" <e ore the priest be!ins the preparatory part o the 7itur!y, he !oes be ore the :oyal Doors and prays" 5n his prayer, he as%s or God6s or!i#eness, and &is help to per orm the 7itur!y worthily and to o er the unbloody sacri ice" A ter bowin! to the people or whom and in whose name he will ser#e, the priest enters the altar area +also called the sanctuary/ prayin! the last hal o ?salm B: )5 will enter Hour house@* A ter bowin! down and %issin! the &oly Altar, he remo#es his outer !arment and be!ins to #est, or put on the !arments o the priesthood" ,ach #estment is put on with a prayer or a ?salm #erse" <e ore he be!ins the preparation ser#ice, the priest washes his hands, prayin! the last part o ?salm LB: )5 will wash my hands in innocence@* 5n ront o the priest on the table o oblation +or the table o o erin!/ 3 in the :ussian practice 3 are i#e round loa#es o

lea#ened bread called prosphora or o erin! bread" <e ore ba%in!, each o the loa#es is sealed or impressed with a mar% on the top sur ace" The usual mar% is a Cross with letters that proclaim that 2esus Christ conquers" Sometimes the breads may be mar%ed with an ima!e o the Dother o God or o other saints" The irst and best o the breads, with the clearest mar% o the Cross, will become the )lamb* or the o erin! bread chosen to consecrated the <ody o Christ" 5t is called the )lamb* because Christ is the )7amb o God, Who ta%es away the sins o the world* +2ohn -:L1/" The second bread, which may ha#e the ima!e o Dary, will be used in her honor" The third loa will be in honor o holy ones, the saints" The ourth loa will be used to remember the li#in!, and the i th loa to remember the departed" 5n the <y4antine practice, one lar!e o erin! loa +althou!h more than one may also be used/ is used in exactly the same way as the i#e smaller breads" The priest be!ins the preparation ser#ice by cuttin! out a cube o bread or the )lamb*" All crust is remo#ed rom this cube, except or the crust on the top with the impression o the Cross" &e then )sacri ices* the )lamb* with a special %ni e called a lance" &e cuts rom the center top to bottom and rom the middle side to side, in the orm o a Cross, quarterin! the cube but not cuttin! into the crust or seal on the top" &e then puts the quartered cube o bread n the discos +or plate/ and thrusts the lance into the ri!ht side o the )lamb*, immediately pourin! wine and water into the chalice +or cup/" This is what the priest says, and what we read in the Gospel: )And one o the soldiers pierced &is side with a spear and at once there came out blood and water* +2ohn -1:0A/" The priest then cuts out a trian!le or particle in honor o Dary, the Theoto%os" This particle is placed next to the )lamb* on its ri!ht side" 5n ?salm AB:1 we read: )@the queen stood on the ri!ht side clothed in !old o Ophir@"* +5n monasteries, another portion is cut out at this time, too, and sa#ed or a ser#ice to the Dother o God that ta%es place in the monastery dinin! room a ter the 7itur!y"/ Then the priest cuts out nine particles in honor o the saints" 5n the :ussian practice, the irst particle is or the holy ?rophet and Forerunner, St" 2ohn the <aptist" 5n <y4antine practice, the irst particle is or the holy an!els" The second particle is or the holy prophets" The third particle is or the holy Apostles" The ourth particle is or sainted bishops" The i th particle is or the holy martyrs" The sixth particle is or mon%s and nuns who are saints" The se#enth particle is or holy physicians who healed people or ree" NThese saints are called unmercenaries"O The ei!hth particle is or the patron saint o the parish or monastery, the saints who are )equal to the Apostles* because they con#erted a nation or people, and the saint or saints commemorated or the day" The ninth particle is or the saint whose 7itur!y we are celebratin!: St" 2ohn Chrysostom or St" <asil the Great" All o these particles are placed on the le t side o the )lamb* in rows o three" 5n the space below the )lamb*, the priest placed particles or the li#in! and the departed" Trian!les are cut or the patriarch, metropolitan, or archbishop and or the presidin! diocesan bishop" Another trian!le is cut out or the ci#il authorities" Smaller particles are cut out or the names o each li#in! person remembered" A ter the li#in! ha#e been remembered, the priest cuts out a trian!le or the bishops, priests, monastics, and ounders o the parish or monastery" Smaller particles are the placed on the plate to remember indi#iduals who ha#e allen asleep in the 7ord" Finally, the priest ta%es out a particle or himsel and places it with the rest o the particles or the li#in!" When all this is completed, we see the )lamb* R which will become the <ody o Christ durin! the ,ucharistic 7itur!y R enthroned on the plate surrounded by particles representin! the Dother o God and all the saints, and all the li#in! and the departed" The )lamb* now ta%es on the ima!e o the lamb enthroned and surrounded by the saints as described in the Apocalypse +or <oo% or :e#elation/, chapter >:1'->" The preparation ser#ice continues with the o erin! o incense and the co#erin! o the bread and wine with #eils or co#erin!s" The priest prays, )We o er incense to Hou, Christ our God"* 5ncense is made o resins that come rom special trees, which are mixed with ra!rant oils" 5t is then placed on a hot coal, which burns the incense and ma%es a sweet' smellin! smo%e" <ecause incense is expensi#e, when we burn it, it is an o erin! made to God" The burnin! o the incense symboli4es our prayer risin! up to God" St" Simeon o Thessaloni%a says that the temple illed with the smo%e o incense reminds us that God is present8 or in the Old Testament, when the Temple o Solomon was dedicated in 2erusalem, the presence o God illed the temple with so much )smo%e* that the priests were orced to !o outside; A ter the incense is o ered, the bread and win co#ered, then our !i ts are also o ered by the priest, who prays, )<less this o erin! and accept it on Hour hea#enly altar" :emember those who o ered it and those or whom it was o ered"* <read and wine are our particularly human o erin!s" $nli%e wheat and !rapes, ruits and #e!etables, or birds and animals that are ound naturally in the world around us, bread and wine must be made by man" The wheat must be !round into lour, then mixed with water and yeast, then ba%ed to become bread" The !rapes must be crushed, the Euice extracted and ermented, and the wine bottled" 5n the Great Church o the &oly Wisdom in Constantinople, the preparation ser#ice too% place in a separate, circular buildin! on the northeast end o the temple" This buildin! was called the s%euphyla%ion or 9place where the sacred #essels NwereO %ept6" To this sacristy, the aith ul brou!ht their personal o erin!s o bread, wheat, wine, and oil" From these o erin!s, the deacons chose the best breads and wine to use or the 7itur!y" The wheat was used to ma%e lour or more bread, and the oil was burned in the temple6s lamps R illuminatin! the house o God" Anythin! le t o#er was a#ailable to the cler!y and distributed to the needy" This ser#ice 3 which ta%es place today most o ten with the table o oblation in the northeastern corner o the sanctuary +behind the iconastas or wall o icons/ or in a special and separate room also o the northeast side o the altar area 3 concludes with its own dismissal li%e other ser#ices" $sually the only people who see this ser#ice bein! per ormed are the deacons and the altar ser#ers, who are in the sanctuary" 5n most parishes, the ser#ice ta%es place durin! the readin! o the Third and Sixth &ours, ri!ht be ore the 7itur!y be!ins" As soon as this ser#ice concludes, the priest or deacon+s/ cense the

altar area, the iconastas, the people +because they are all made in the ima!e or icon o God/, and the whole church" The bells are run!" All is now ready or the be!innin! o the 7itur!y o the Word" This series o articles, introducin! children and their parents to the theolo!y, symbolism, and historical de#elopment o the 7itur!y will continue in the next two issues o OF7" Fr" Alexander Cutler, who )narrates* the 7itur!y or children at altar ser#er rallies and youth meetin!s and instructs adult 7ate Jocations candidates in litur!ics, is the Abbot o the Orthodox Donastery o St" 2ohn the Theolo!ian in &iram, Ohio" Some Thin!s To Do Attend a )teachin! 7itur!y* as a amily at your own parish or a nei!hborin! parish" +5n our parish, Fr" Stephen per orms the 7itur!y o ?reparation on a oldin! table in the center aisle o the na#e a couple o times a year, so that all the children can see what !oes on" The hi!h point is always when Father prays and ta%es out a particle or each boy and !irl present by name, so they can hear it" Hou can hear them sayin!, )5 thin% 5 !ot my piece;* a ter recei#in! Communion"/ Jisit a local li#in!'history museum in your area +or while on summer #acation/ to see how wheat is har#ested and !round into lour )the old ashioned way* usin! a water' or ox'dri#en millstone" 5t6s hard wor%; Ta%e a mornin! ield trip to a local ba%ery to see how bread is made commercially" +Our amily has #isited both a )specialty bread* ba%ery in our area and the enormous Schwebel6s <read Q <uns plant" (atie was awed by the tan%er' truc%s ull o lour and the hu!e con#eyor'belt o#ens;/ As% your parish priest or permission to watch as he prepares the prosphora or 7itur!y, i he ba%es it himsel , or as% him to arran!e or you to #isit the 9desi!nated ba%er6 in your parish" Discuss how the ba%in! o o erin! bread di ers rom commercial ba%in!: prayers are said throu!hout the process8 the loa#es are imprinted with the Cross or an icon8 the bowls, bread board, and other utensils used to prepare the bread are not used or anythin! else" Jisit a local winery se#eral times o#er the summer so you can see the #ines bein! tended, the har#est process, and the )squashin!* o the !rapes in preparation or ermentation" A ter your #isits, discuss the many steps required o#er a lon! time to ma%e !rapes into wine" +Hou may be able to ind schedules or ormal toursIseminars at area wineries on the internet, thou!h most wineries are open daily to #isitors or )drop in* #isits" Dom and Dad may want to brin! a sample bottle home, too;/ Go on a sca#en!er hunt throu!h the <ible to ind examples o the o erin!s made to God be ore the cruci ixion o our 7ord 2esus Christ, and ma%e a list" What do they ha#e in commonM +Chec% out Cain and Abel, Abraham, Doses and Aaron, the priests o the Temple, etc"/ by Gichola T" (rause K L... by Orthodox Family 7i e and the ori!inal author+s/" $:7: http:IIwww"theolo!ic"comIo lweb" This web site is donated and maintained by Theo7o!ic Systems, which pro#ides so tware and in ormation tools or Orthodox Christians and parishes world wide" '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Summer Camp S Hou T A 7i etime o Demories; by 7ori A" (ochan and :eader <asil (ochan O#er the years many people ha#e written articles o their experiences o summer camp with many comin! to the same conclusion, )What would we do without our camp riends and memoriesM* Gow is the time or you as parents to plan so that your children can ha#e those un' illed memories too; The irst time 5 +7ori/ went to camp was when 5 was 1 years old" 5 couldn6t wait to !et to the camp!rounds but 5 also was #ery apprehensi#e" This was the irst time 5 was !oin! to be away rom my amily and riends" 5 went to camp not %nowin! anyone; When my amily and 5 arri#ed at the camp 5 re!istered immediately" 5 recei#ed my cabin and !roup assi!nment with which 5 would be doin! acti#ities with or the wee%" A ter all the paper wor% was done, we started to unload our car with the help o a ew counselors" They showed me to my )<utternut* cabin; +All o the cabins were named a ter trees"/ 5 was really surprised to ind out that the cabin wasn6t too bad" There were sin!le beds, mirrors, and plenty o windows or those hot, steamy ni!hts" 5 was eelin! sli!htly more com ortable at this point" Dy mom helped me ma%e my bed and put e#erythin! in a place where it would be easy to ind" Dy counselors were tal%in! with us about some o the acti#ities that were scheduled or the wee%" 5 became more excited to hear that we would be swimmin!, canoein!, cra tin!, dancin!, playin! !ames, baseball and hi%in!" Got to mention ha#in! prayer ser#ices, la! raisin!, camp ires, and as they said, )the amous end o the wee% <<U chic%en dinner*" 5 was loo%in! orward to bein! in#ol#ed in these acti#ities" As the counselors were tellin! us about the schedule, other campers were unpac%in! their belon!in!s" 5 !ot to meet them and we were all be!innin! to become excited" Soon it would be time or my amily to lea#e, which at that point 5 was ready to become a camper" All o these memories came bac% to me as my husband and 5 pac%ed up our dau!hter or her irst ull wee% o summer camp Eust a ew short years a!o" The apprehension wasn6t !one8 now it was Eust as a parent" &ere was our little !irl tra#elin! nearly ei!ht hours away to a church camp where she really didn6t %now any %ids" We pretty much ollowed the same procedure as my parents did when 5 was a child, and Sarah had a wonder ul irst camp"

Since that time, both Sarah and her brother Andrew ha#e been re!ulars at the Ohio District FOCA sponsored St" Jladimir6s Camp or the past ew years" What we as parents learned rom these experiences are important or all to mana!e as the camp season is now upon us" As a %id, it was !reat that parents were trustin! me to !o somewhere by mysel " As parents, we ha#e to trust the adults in char!e o the camp to pro#ide all the nurturin! o home while osterin! a !reater sense o interdependence on others" Chec% out all o the acti#ities that your camp has to o er" Dost camps ha#e many physical and spiritual acti#ities or %ids o all a!es" A!ain, trust that the adults in char!e ha#e ta%en a !reat deal o time in plannin! a balance o learnin! and un" 2ust li%e you, they ha#e learned to be lexible" A ter you6#e re#iewed the daily plans, you will be surprised that your child could possibly %eep that busy schedule i they were home; As well, be prepared or the call home about )how borin! it is* or )how bad the ood is* or )5 don6t eel !ood*" ?erhaps the best thin! to do is listen attenti#ely and !i#e a ew words o ad#ice then tal% to an adult" Dany times, a camper can ha#e di iculty in ma%in! adEustments to people, schedule, or a wealth o di erent thin!s" Camps are desi!ned to handle all %inds o problems with %ids" 7et the adults ha#e a chance to ma%e the experience a positi#e one or your child" 5 you don6t %now about a speci ic camp, don6t hesitate to tal% to your parish priest about indin! in ormation" As% the camp directors i they can tell you o others in the area that ha#e brou!ht their %ids and spea% with those parents" Hou may eel one can ne#er ha#e enou!h re erences but be reasonable" There must be some reason that the camp is still open" ?repare your camper to ollow the rules" Once a!ain, the adults o the camp ha#e ta%en !reat care in desi!nin! air policies or all campers because there are requently so many di erent a!es with so many di erent bac%!rounds" Some o the best ad#ice !i#en may be )7isten to the adults*" ?repare your camper to ha#e un" $ndoubtedly, there will be some ree time at camp" ,ncoura!e them to ma%e new riends and include others into their ree time acti#ities" Some %ids are exceptional at includin! the le t'out %ids and can chan!e someone6s li e in a positi#e way ore#er" Try to chec% ahead or the weather and send the appropriate clothes" <alance the pac%in! with the act that they6re not mo#in! in or a ew months, Eust a ew days" Send a ew extra clothes and a bi! !arba!e ba! usually wor%s !reat or all that dirty laundry" +&int: Tell them to ma%e sure the clothes are dry be ore they put them in the ba!;/ 5 welcome, come out to the camp on the ?arent Gi!ht or S%it Gi!ht" 5t means a lot to the %ids to see their parents rom the outside world" They will lo#e to see you e#en i it seems that they are quic%ly i!norin! you" ,#en with all o these tips, trust us, you6ll or!et somethin!" Tal% it o#er with other parents and they will help you ill in the blan%s" And don6t or!et the bu! spray; 7ori A" (ochan ser#es as church school director at St" Gicholas Orthodox Church in Do!adore, Ohio" :eader <asil (ochan ser#es the Church as choir director and cantor" 7ori Q <asil are in#ol#ed with the St" Jladimir Camp and :etreat Center in Ohio" Some Thin!s To Do 5n addition to the normal campin! equipment R clothes, sleepin! ba!s, rain !ear, mosquito repellant R be sure to pac% you child6s <ible, prayer boo%, and an icon o his or her patron saint" +Hou mi!ht e#en ma%e a proEect o mountin! and polyurethanin! a paper icon8 laminatin! wor%s well, too, especially or tent campers or canoeIra t trips;/ ,ncoura!e your campers to %eep in touch with other youn! Orthodox Christians they meet at camp" Tent'mates and table'mates can become li e'lon! riends +or e#en uture spouses/" 5 you ha#e been loo%in! or a 9low resistance6 way to introduce more prayer into your amily li e, use Church camp as your openin!" At most camps, priests, counselors, and campers ha#e re!ular mornin! and e#enin! prayers as a !roup, and pray both be ore and a ter meals" As% your returned campers what they did, then as% them to teach the whole amily the 9camp prayers6" by Gichola T" (rause K L... by Orthodox Family 7i e and the ori!inal author+s/" $:7: http:IIwww"theolo!ic"comIo lweb" This web site is donated and maintained by Theo7o!ic Systems, which pro#ides so tware and in ormation tools or Orthodox Christians and parishes world wide" '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Summer Fare by An!ela &ays A ter we irst started attendin! an Orthodox church, but be ore we con#erted, 5 tried to pro#e my husband wron!" &e had irmly come to belie#e that Orthodoxy was the continuation o early Christianity" At the time, he was attendin! :e!ent $ni#ersity, an e#an!elical !raduate school ounded by ?at :obertson" 5 went to the school6s library to do some research on early Christian writin!s" There were hundreds o boo%s on church history" <y the !race o God, 5 soon ran across The Didache in a compilation o early Christian wor%s" The Didache, also %nown as The Teachin! o the 7ord to the Gentiles by the Twel#e Apostles, was written between -L. and -C. AD as a practical Church manual" For centuries it was hi!hly respected by Church leaders and St" Athanasius stron!ly recommended new con#erts read it" +The Apostolic Fathers, ed" 2ac% G" Spar%s, 7i!ht and 7i e ?ublishin! Company, -1>C, pa!e 0.B"/ $pon readin! it, 5 was ama4ed" Got only did it quote the scriptures continuously, but it also !a#e #ery practical teachin! on

such topics as the ,ucharist, <aptism, prayer, astin!, abortion, tithin!, and e#en hospitality towards tra#elin! Christians" 5 was ama4ed at how similar the Christian li e in this document was to what 5 had learned about Orthodoxy" 5 almost dropped the boo% when 5 read )<ut do not let your asts all on the same days as 9the hypocrites6, who ast on Donday and Thursday" :ather, you should ast on Wednesday and Friday@* +C:-/" 5 %new my new Orthodox riends asted rom meat and dairy on Wednesdays and Fridays, but 5 had no idea why until 5 read The Didache" For me, astin! durin! the Great Fast +a%a, 7ent/ is much easier than astin! the rest o the year" Durin! 7ent, we ha#e all the extra ser#ices, we6#e cleaned our homes o non' astin! oods, and we ha#e the support o our parish" We all !o throu!h it to!ether" ,#en society at lar!e is amiliar with the idea o !i#in! up somethin! or 7ent" The asts durin! the rest o the year, 5 ind, are much more challen!in!" The summer asts, the Apostles Fast and the Dormition Fast, are requently o#erloo%ed" The Apostles Fast starts on the Donday a ter All Saints Day +ei!ht days a ter ?entecost/ and continues until the e#e o the Feast o Saints ?eter and ?aul on 2une L1" Since this ast is mar%ed by a mo#eable east on one end +?entecost/ and a ixed east on the other +Ss" ?eter Q ?aul/, the len!th o this ast can #ary rom a ew days +li%e this year/ to six wee%s" The Dormition Fast, howe#er, is a set len!th: two wee%s, rom Au!ust - to Au!ust -A, Eust prior to the east o the Dormition +sometimes called 9the Assumption6/ o the &oly Theoto%os on Au!ust -B" The Wednesday, Friday and summer asts present the challen!e o )learnin! discipline and humility in the ace o bounty*, as a riend once told me" 5t6s much harder to discipline oursel#es when we ha#e a lot than when we ha#e #ery little" All that God has !i#en us is &is, not ours" We reEoice in what he has !i#en us, but must learn to !i#e it bac% to &im" 5t6s also #ery hard to ast when our culture is not !eared toward it" Summer is a time or coo%outs and beach parties, not spiritual discipline" Once a!ain we are reminded o the )narrow* way we must ta%e +Datthew >:-0'-A/" We were ne#er told the Christian li e would be easy" To aid in our support, some parishes add special wee%'day ser#ices durin! these astin! periods" Another problem that people encounter is that many o our )lenten* oods +#e!etable soup, #e!etarian chili, meatless stews/ are better suited or colder weather" The summer, howe#er, does pro#ide us with many ast' riendly oods li%e resh !arden #e!etables, ruits, and salads" There are also many alternati#es that you can ta%e to coo%outs, includin! #e!!ie bur!ers +5 usually !et the Dornin!star Farms brand in the ro4en ood section o my !rocery store/, #e!etarian ba%ed beans +on the same shel as the por% Q beans #ariety/, bean salad, and potato salad +see recipes with this article/" Dore important than the ood we eat, howe#er, is the attitude we ha#e" Don6t or!et the words o the Fathers who encoura!e us to combine astin! with prayer and alms!i#in! to combat all our sin ul desires: )There are three thin!s, my brethren, by which aith stands irm, de#otion remains constant, and #irtue endures" They are prayer, astin! and mercy" ?rayer %noc%s at the door8 astin! obtains8 mercy recei#es" ?rayer, astin! and mercy'' these three are one, and they !i#e li e to each other"* 3 ?eter Chrysolo!us, <ishop o :a#enna +SAB. AD/" )While astin!, let us puri y our hearts, sancti y our souls and trample down all #ices"* 3St" Theodore the Studite +SCL= AD/ K L... by Orthodox Family 7i e and the ori!inal author+s/" $:7: http:IIwww"theolo!ic"comIo lweb" This web site is donated and maintained by Theo7o!ic Systems, which pro#ides so tware and in ormation tools or Orthodox Christians and parishes world wide" '''''''''''''''''''''''