Questions and Answers on the Orthodox Faith

What does an Orthodox Christian believe?

I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not created, of one essence with the Father, through Whom all things were made. Who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; And He rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father; And He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom shall have no end.

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and together glorified, Who spoke through the prophets.

In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come.

Symbol of the Faith or Creed of Nicaea and Constantinople 

How to Read Scripture?

It should be our ambition that the Word of Christ dwell in us richly (Colossians 3:16).

St John Chrysostom 

Who is our Lord Jesus Christ?

There is one Physician who is possessed both of flesh and spirit; both made and not made; God existing in flesh; true life in death; both of Mary and of God; first passible and then impassible — even Jesus Christ our Lord.

St Ignatios of Antioch

Why does the Priest call on the Holy Spirit in the Divine Liturgy?

Would you also learn from another miracle the exceeding sanctity of this office? Picture Elijah and the vast multitude standing around him, and the sacrifice laid upon the altar of stones, and all the rest of the people hushed into a deep silence while the prophet alone offers up prayer: then the sudden rush of fire from Heaven upon the sacrifice:— these are marvellous things, charged with terror.

Now then pass from this scene to the rites which are celebrated in the present day; they are not only marvellous to behold, but transcendent in terror. There stands the priest, not bringing down fire from Heaven, but the Holy Spirit: and he makes prolonged supplication, not that some flame sent down from on high may consume the offerings, but that grace descending on the sacrifice may thereby enlighten the souls of all, and render them more refulgent than silver purified by fire.

St John Chrysostom

Why Venerate Icons?

The Scripture says, “You have not seen his face.” [Ex. 33.20] How wise the Law is! How could one depict the invisible? How picture the inconceivable? How could one express to the limitless, the immeasurable, the invisible? How give infinity a shape? How paint immortality? How put mystery in one place?

But when you think of God, who is a pure spirit, becoming man for your sake, then you can clothe him in a human form. When the invisible becomes visible to the eye, you may then draw his form.

Depict his coming down, his virgin birth, his baptism in the Jordan, his transfiguration on Mt Tabor, his all-powerful sufferings, his death and miracles, the proofs of his deity, the deeds he performed in the flesh through divine power, his saving Cross, his grave, his resurrection and his ascent into heaven. Give to it all the endurance of engraving and color. Have no fear or anxiety; not all veneration is the same. Abraham venerated the sons of Emmor, impious men who were ignorant of God, when he bought the double cave for a tomb. [Gen. 23.7] Jacob venerated his brother Esau and the Egyptian Pharaoh. [Gen 33.3] He venerated, but he did not worship in the full sense. Joshua and Daniel venerated an angel of God [Jos. 5.14, Dan. 8:16-17] they did not worship in the full sense.

Worship is one thing, veneration another.

St John of Damascus 

On the Mother of God

When the soul abides in the love of God — oh, how good all things are then! How full of mercy and joy! But even with the love of God, there are sorrows — and the greater the love, the greater the sorrow.

The Mother of God never sinned, not even in a single thought, and never lost grace; yet even She endured great afflictions. And when She stood by the Cross, Her sorrow was boundless as an ocean, and the agony of Her soul was incomparably greater than Adam’s torment after his expulsion from Paradise — for Her love, too, was beyond all measure, greater than Adam’s love in Eden. And if She remained alive, it was solely because the Lord’s strength sustained Her; for the Lord willed that She behold His Resurrection, and after His Ascension remain on earth as comfort and joy to the Apostles and the newly formed Christian people.

We do not attain the fullness of the Mother of God’s love, and thus cannot fully comprehend Her sorrow. Her love was perfect: She loved God and Her Son immeasurably, yet She also loved the people with great love. And what did She endure when those very people whom She loved so deeply — and for whom She desired salvation to the end — crucified Her beloved Son?

We cannot grasp this, for we have meagre love for God and for mankind.

As the Mother of God’s love is boundless and unfathomable, so too Her sorrow is boundless and unfathomable to us.

St Silouan of Mt Athos 

How do Saints hear our Prayers?