The Orthodox Faith

There are a number of resources to find out more about how to observe and participate in our Orthodox faith. Some of our favourite resources can be found at the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain website (they also run Zoom lectures in English and Greek) as well the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

But one of the key sources of learning is from your local priest so we would encourage you to discuss any questions that you have with the priest at our church. You can contact The Very Reverend Archimandrite Vissarion Kokliotis via the contact page. Here are some of the basics.

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The Orthodox Faith

The Holy Sacraments

There are seven Holy Sacraments in our Orthodox faith.

Further information on the seven Sacraments can be found at https://www.thyateira.org.uk/category/chapel/theorthodoxfaith/ and also at https://www.goarch.org/-/the-sacraments

If you would like to discuss any of these with Father Vasileios, please use the contact page or to enquire about a booking use the bookings page.

The Eucharist

Greek for ‘thanksgiving’, this sacrament is also known as Holy Communion. All Orthodox Christians are encouraged to regularly participate in this Sacrament which is central to our faith.

Baptism

This sacrament introduces us to the life of the Holy Trinity and to Christian life. It normally happens at an early age but can be done at any stage in life.

Chrismation

This Sacrament, also known as Confirmation, immediately follows baptism and occurs during the Christening ceremony. The priest uses Holy Oil to anoint the various parts of the body of person who is being baptised.

Confession

This is the Sacrament where our sins can be forgiven. A key focus for this Sacrament is for the confessor to repent their sins. It should be accompanied with a period of individual reflection and contrition before confession.

Marriage

This Sacrament is where a man and a woman publicly enter into a new relationship with each other, God, and the Church.

Holy Orders

The Sacrament of Holy Orders ensures the continuity of the Church by ordaining Bishops, Priests and Deacons for special service to the Church. They are chosen from within the Church but the Sacrament can only be completed by a Bishop or above.

Anointing of the Sick (Holy Unction)

Within Orthodoxy this Sacrament is offered to all who are sick in body, mind or spirit. It is not only given to those who are near death. There is a church liturgy for this Sacrament on Holy Wednesday during Easter Week.

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The Orthodox Faith

Feasts of our church

As well as Great Lent, Holy Week And Pascha, there are 12 major feast days of our church as well as a number of others throughout the year. Our ecclesiastical year starts on 1 September every year.

More information on the feasts of our church can be found at https://www.goarch.org/feasts

The two feast days of our Holy Cross & Archangel Michael Cathedral

Our church celebrates two feast days:

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross (14 September every year) and Synaxis of the Archangel Michael, Gabriel and the other Archangels (8 November every year).

The Elevation of the Holy Cross

Every 14 September, we celebrate the finding of the ‘True Cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by Saint Helen, the mother of the Emperor Constantine’.

More information on this feast day can be found at https://www.goarch.org/en/exaltation

Synaxis of the Archangel Michael, Gabriel and other Archangels

Every 8 November, we celebrate the Synaxis of the Archangels. ‘The word synaxis means the gathering of believers to celebrate a feast, or to make a remembrance of a saint.’ This feast celebrates the unity of angels and humans. You may have noticed the two towering icons on either side of the iconostasis as the congregation faces the altar. These are of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel.

More information on this feast day can be found at https://greekcitytimes.com/2018/11/08/feast-of-synaxis-of-the-archangels-michael-and-gabriel/

Calendar of Saints, Feasts and Readings

This calendar is particularly useful if you want to locate the saints, feasts and readings on a particular day. It also lists fasting protocols on each day.

https://www.goarch.org/chapel/calendar

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The Orthodox Faith

Other services & blessings

For further information on other services and blessing, please go to https://www.goarch.org/-/special-services-and-blessings

The Great Blessing of Water

The Great Blessing of Water occurs on the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany and on the day itself, following the Divine Liturgy. The Blessing commemorates Our Lord’s baptism and the revelation of the Holy Trinity. Other Lesser Blessings of Water can occur at any time. It normally occurs on the first of every month, the beginning of a school year and the beginnings of something new such as the opening of a workplace.

The Blessing of Five Loaves of Bread

This is a thanksgiving service that is normally given during Vespers or after the Divine Liturgy on Feast days and other special occasions. It is offered to express our gratitude for the blessing of life. This brief service signifies the miracle of when Christ fed the masses with the multiplication of the bread and fish.

Oil, wine, wheat, and the loaves of bread are normally brought by the Community. After the Service, the bread is cut and offered to the congregation.

You can now submit names for blessings on feast days online. Please go to https://holycrossgreekchurch.org.uk/donate/

Please note that you can only use this online form on weekdays.

Memorials

The Church prays constantly for those in its community who have passed away. Memorial services, mnimossina, are normally given on the third, ninth, and fortieth days after someone has passed away.

They are also offered on the third, sixth and ninth months and then yearly. Memorials are also observed on the two ‘Saturdays of the Souls’ which occur throughout the year.

When memorial service is offered, please ensure that the family of the deceased bring ‘kollyva’, a dish of boiled wheat, to the Church on the day of the service. This dish is a symbol of the Resurrection.

You can now submit names for memorial services online at our church. Please go to https://holycrossgreekchurch.org.uk/donate/

Please note that you can only use this online form on weekdays.

Funeral services

The Funeral Service is there to comfort the family as well as other church goers who mourn for the deceased. It is also a way for the Church to pray for one of its members who has died in the faith of Christ. For further details on the funeral service and arrangements for a service at our church please contact Father Vissarion using our contact page.

The Orthodox Faith

The Word of our Lord

The Word of our Lord Sunday bulletins give the epistle and gospel readings of each of the Sunday Divine Liturgies as well as a sermon of the gospel readings. They are offered in English and Greek.

Click on this link to go https://www.thyateira.org.uk/category/chapel/sundaybulletins/

The Orthodox Faith