SERVICES, SPECIAL OCCASIONS, PRAYERS AND BLESSINGS

There are many different prayers and services associated to the different occasions in life. A priest or a Bishop performs the Services and the Blessings. Individuals can say the prayers.

The following is an excerpt from the article titled "Special Services and Blessings" authored by Rev. Thomas Fitzgerald (Click Here to read the article in its entirety)

Besides the Eucharist and the major Sacraments, the Orthodox Church has a number of Special Services and Blessings which are associated with the needs, events, and tasks of human life. In celebrating these various Services and Blessings, the Church is constantly bearing witness to the presence and action of God in our lives. Our God is one who loves us, cares for us, and is near to us. The liturgical Services and Blessings also serve to remind us that all of life is important, and that the many events and gifts of life can be directed toward God and receive their fulfillment in Him.

The Special Services are often referred to as Non-sacramental Services in the sense that they are events of community worship which are not usually counted among the major Sacraments. However, they clearly have a sacramental quality in the sense that they reveal the presence of the Holy Trinity. Many of these Services, such as the Funeral, the Blessing of Water, and the Entrance into Monastic Life, just to name a few, are very significant to the life of the Church. The various Blessings are brief ceremonies which are occasional and do not necessarily involve directly the entire parish community.

Holy Services

Special Occasions

In the Orthodox Church the Sacraments are prayers and petitions that ask God's Blessing for an important event of any orthodox Christian's life.

First of all, the most important is a person to become Christian in order to receive the Sacraments of the Holy Church. The entrance of that person to the Orthodox Christian faith starts with the Holy Baptism. This is the first order given by Jesus Christ to His disciple, after His first appearance to the disciples on the Mount of Olive. " Go to all the nations, baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teach them all the things that I taught you".

BAPTISM

HOLY CHRISMATION

HOLY COMMUNION

HOLY CONFESSION

HOLY UNCTION

HOLY MATRIMONY

HOLY ORDERS

Please Click on the individual Sacrament for more information.