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Catechism of the Orthodox Eastern Church (1888)
Ignatios Moschakis, tr. Baker, 1894
4. Part 1, Chapter 4: Concerning the Church
§ 29. What Does the Creed Say Concerning the Church?
“I believe in one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.”
The Church of Christ is here called one, because her Head is one only, Christ, and one only is the faith of its members—that is, faith towards Christ. She is called Holy, because she has been sanctified by Christ, and advances the holiness of Christians; she is called Catholic, because she is to be found everywhere, she preserves at all times the same teaching, and is destined to include all men; she is called Apostolic, because she was founded and settled by the Apostles.
§ 30. What is the Church?
The Church is a community of men who are bound together by the same faith in Jesus Christ, and by the same sacraments (Eph. iv. 5), and governed by canonical bishops. The Church was founded in Jerusalem in the beginning, and then spread throughout the whole world through the teaching of the Apostles and their successors. She endured many and dreadful persecutions, and countless numbers of Christians were barbarously tortured, and died on behalf of their faith, and so were called Martyrs. In the end, the Church gained her freedom in the reign of Constantine the Great, in the year 313. There arose in the Church many heretics—that is, persons who taught false and strange doctrines opposed to the genuine teaching of the Church. Against these heretics were summoned what are called General Councils, which condemned the heresies, and settled the doctrines of the Church. And then schisms took place in the Church. Thus, in the ninth century, there arose the schism between the Eastern and the Western Church, provoked by the popes, who, because of their own haughty pride, desired to become masters of the whole Church; and in the sixteenth century arose the schism between the Western and the Protestant Church. But the true, one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, which is designated by the Creed, is our orthodox Eastern Church; because, whereas the Western and the Protestant Churches have in many things perverted the Christian doctrine, our Church has kept it holy and pure, as the Apostles delivered it. Now, the Eastern orthodox Church includes within her limits three very important Churches: the Church in Turkey, the Church in Greece, and the Church in Russia. The Church in Turkey is governed by the Patriarch of Constantinople; and the remaining three Patriarchs are those of Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem: but the Church in Greece is governed by a synod of bishops, which sits at Athens; and that in Russia is governed by an equal number of bishops and priests, which synod sits in St. Petersburg.
§ 31. The Church Advances the Holiness of the Faithful.
The Church has been founded, in order that she may follow up the work of salvation accomplished by Jesus Christ; that she may plainly by degrees lead all men to Christ, and teach them that they should live a life in accordance with His teaching. And this aim the Church pursues in a threefold manner; that is, through the teaching of the gospel, through Prayer, and through Sacraments.
§ 32.
The Church effects the sanctification, or, in other words, the moral progress, of the faithful, firstly, through the preaching or teaching of the gospel. In the gospel are truly found the “Words of eternal life” (St. John vi. 68). A man must hear in order to believe, and there must be a preacher in order that he may hear: “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. x. 17). By means of preaching the Apostles and their successors disseminated the gospel, and up to this day it is being preached to the heathen. Our Lord gave His disciples a charge that they should preach the gospel to all the nations (St. Matt. xxviii. 19). In the early Church the preaching of the gospel was always a part of each service. By the teaching of the gospel in the Church, in the school, and in the home, men are guarded from indifference to, and hatred of religion, and from many errors and superstitions.
§ 33. Concerning Prayer.
A second means of regeneration or moral progress in Christians the Church has in Prayer. Prayer is the lifting up of the heart to the Creator, the communing of the soul with God. The pious man perceives the necessity of expressing his sentiments towards God, just as man in general perceives the necessity of expressing every sentiment, whether of joy or pain. Prayer strengthens the religious sentiment, cleanses the soul, lifts it up, and causes it to draw near to God. Now, man prays either that he may express repentance toward God, or that he may give God thanks for His blessings, and extol His greatness, or that he may ask somewhat from God. We pray, and we rightly pray, properly speaking, to God alone. And if we pray also to the saints and the Mother of God, we do this, not because we would make gods of them, but in order that we may use them as mediators with God, Whose friends they became through their holy lives. “Watch and pray” (St. Matt. xxvi. 41).
§ 34. In What Manner We Ought to Pray.
We must pray, firstly, with a pure heart. God does not hear the prayer of him who nourishes in his heart hatred and enmity toward his neighbour (St. Matt. v. 23, 24). Secondly, we must pray with a firm conviction that God can and will hear our prayers, and knows far better than we do of what things we have need: therefore we must pray that God’s will, not ours, may be done: “Thy will be done” (St. Matt. vi. 10). Thirdly, we must pray sincerely, and not merely for pretence, as the Pharisees did (St. Matt. vi. 7).
§ 35. Where and When We Ought to Pray.
We ought to pray everywhere, because God as a Spirit is everywhere present (St. John iv. 24). Only, in addition to our prayer in private, or at home, we pray together in recognized sacred places set apart, in the Churches; and this is called Common Prayer or Worship. “Bless ye God in the congregations” (Ps. lxviii. 26). The Common Prayer is very profitable. First, because the adornment of the Church, the images, of course, and all the other sacred accessories, the hymns that are sung, and the prayers, arouse our religious sentiment, and inspire us with a greater readiness to pray. Secondly, because we see others pray, and are encouraged by their example to pray also ourselves. Thirdly, because when we pray to the same common Father in heaven we recollect that we are all His children, equal together, brethren one to another, and bound to love one another. And, fourthly, it is in the Church that the priest takes the opportunity to explain to us the Divine truths of the gospel. We may pray equally at all times, as often as we perceive the necessity of prayer; but it is good and profitable that we should pray at home at fixed hours, and in the Churches on fixed days, because the fixed hours and days of prayer keep us in mind of the duty of prayer, which, were it not for this custom, we might easily forget.
§ 36. The Lord’s Prayer.
Our Lord, desiring to teach His disciples how they ought to pray, gave to them the best form of prayer, the “Our Father.” Now, the Lord’s Prayer is as follows:—
“Our Father, Which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
In this prayer of our Lord we call upon God as our Father, and thus we are taught that we ought to pray with our heart full of love, both to God as our Father, and to our neighbour as our brother. God is said to be in heaven, not because He is confined to any fixed place, but that His greatness and His power might be shown, and that thus we should pray to Him with faith that He is able to hear our prayer. In the words “Hallowed be Thy Name” we are taught that it is our duty to worship God as holy with a pure heart, and by means of good works. When we say “Thy kingdom come,” we pray that the kingdom of God may be unfolded to men, and prevail in their hearts—that is, the gospel, by which men are taught that they should do the will of God upon the earth, as the angels do it in heaven: “Thy will be done, as in heaven, so upon earth.” We next call upon God to help us to obtain our daily bread—that is, all the necessaries of life; to forgive our debts—that is, our sins—as we forgive the sins of others; to guard us from every temptation—that is, from every impulse towards evil; and to save us from evil—that is, from sin.
§ 37. Concerning Sacraments.
“I acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.” And through Baptism and the other Sacraments the Church supplies the Divine grace, and effects the regeneration and sanctification of Christians. Now, the Sacraments are sacred rites, which have been ordained by Jesus Christ and His Apostles, and in which, under visible signs, the invisible grace of the Holy Spirit is communicated to Christians. The Sacraments also serve as outward signs and tokens through which Christians are distinguished from those who follow other religions. The Sacraments are seven in number—to wit, Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Repentance, Confession, Priesthood, Marriage, and Unction. The most essential of the seven are Baptism and the Eucharist, because by Baptism we become members of the Church, and by the Eucharist we are made one with Christ. And of the other Sacraments Confirmation and Confession are Sacraments binding upon every Christian; but Priesthood, Marriage, and Unction are matters of choice.
§ 38. Baptism.
Baptism is a Sacrament in which we believe that, as the body is cleansed by means of water, so the soul is cleansed from original sin through the grace of the Holy Spirit. This Sacrament our Saviour Himself ordained, when He sent forth His disciples to preach, and said to them, “Go ye and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (St. Matt. xxviii. 19). He who is being baptized is dipped thrice in the water by the priest, and this trine immersion is a figure of the three days’ burial of our Saviour, and His resurrection. It shows especially that we must die with Christ to sin, in order that we may be raised with Him to a new Christian life (Rom. vi. 4). He that is baptized ought first to confess his faith, and then to be baptized (St. Mark xvi. 16). For this reason in the early times of the Church, those who were about to become Christians were examined first, and then baptized. But when, afterwards, the custom of infant Baptism prevailed, sureties were appointed by the Church, who, as guardians of the infants, repeat the articles of faith, and undertake the duty of teaching, and, of course, catechizing the baptized infants, when they reach an age when they can understand.
§ 39. The Chrism.
The Chrism, or holy oil, is a Sacrament in which the priest, anointing the baptized with oil, invokes upon him the grace of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles laid their hands upon the baptized, and invoked upon them the grace of the Holy Spirit; but their successors not only lay their hands upon the baptized, but also anoint them with oil. The anointing priest uses these words, “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” In fact, this Sacrament serves as the seal and confirmation with regard to the gift of the Holy Spirit, which the anointed received in Baptism, in order that he might advance to every good work. The Chrism was formerly united with Baptism, and carried out immediately after it.
§ 40. The Eucharist.
The Eucharist is a Sacrament in which, by partaking of the bread and of the wine, we partake of the very body and blood of Christ. This mystery our Lord instituted when He ate for the last time with His own disciples at the mystical supper. Holy Scripture says that “the Lord, in the same night that He was betrayed, took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: do this for My memorial. Likewise He took the cup also, and said, This cup is the New Testament in My blood; do this, as often as ye drink it for My memorial. Because as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do proclaim the Lord’s death” (1 Cor. xi. 23-26). Great is the mystery of the Eucharist, because it represents the death and sacrifice of Jesus on the cross on our behalf, and by it we are made one with Jesus (St. John vi. 56). A Christian, before receiving the Sacrament, ought first to examine his conscience, and if he perceives that his conscience is undefiled, then let him come to the Holy Eucharist; but if not, let him forbear to come, because he who partakes unworthily is guilty of sin. For this reason the Church ordained the Sacrament of Repentance, which ought to precede the Eucharist.
§ 41. Repentance.
Repentance, or Confession, is a Sacrament in which the Christian makes full confession of his sins in the presence of a spiritual person, and, on sincere repentance, receives at his hands the forgiveness of those sins from God. Confession is enjoined in Holy Scripture: “Confess your sins one to another, and pray for one another, in order that ye may be healed” (St. James v. 16). In order that a Christian may receive forgiveness, it is necessary that he should sincerely repent—that is, that he should confess his sins,—that he should experience heartfelt sorrow for them, and that he should declare that he will not return to them. If necessary, the spiritual person imposes spiritual penalties, when the sins are great, and forgives them, when they are small, and gives his counsel to the penitent, comforting him, and encouraging him to a better life.
§ 42. Priesthood.
Priesthood is a Sacrament in which the Bishop lays his hands upon him who is chosen, invokes upon him the Divine grace, and imparts to him the grace of the priesthood. Priesthood, established by our Lord Jesus Christ, had its beginning from the Apostles. The orders of the sacred ministry are three: that of the Bishop, that of the Priest, and that of the Deacon. The office of the Priest is to preach the Divine word, to celebrate the Sacraments, and perform the ceremonies, and to feed his spiritual flock. The priest should be trained in order that he may preach the Divine word, and virtuous in his life, in order that his teaching may bear fruit (1 Tim. iv. 12).
§ 43. Marriage.
Marriage is a Sacrament in which the priest invokes the Divine grace upon two persons who come together to be united in marriage. Holy Scripture represents marriage as according to the will of God, and a sacred bond. For this reason the Church always blesses marriage. Through marriage mutual assistance is afforded to those who are united, the human race is preserved and increases, it expands in a righteous manner, and is brought to perfection. For, were there no home, the bringing up of the children would be impossible. Lawful marriage is between one man only and one woman only. The married ought to have mutual faith in each other and esteem for each other, in order that they may take care that their children are well brought up, inspiring them meanwhile by their own words, and most of all by their example, with love toward God and their neighbour, and everything that is good and noble.
§ 44. Unction.
Unction is a Sacrament in which the priest anoints the sick with oil, and invokes upon him the Divine grace for the healing both of the body and of the soul. The Apostles used to perform this mystery, anointing the sick with oil, and curing them in the name of the Lord. Concerning this Sacrament St. James says, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the Church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he hath committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (St. James v. 14, 15).