Greek Orthodoxy

As of recent estimates, there are approximately 300,000 members of the Eastern Orthodox Church in England. This number includes a diverse range of nationalities and ethnic backgrounds, reflecting the global nature of Orthodoxy. The community has been growing, particularly due to immigration and the establishment of new parishes. However, exact numbers can vary based on different sources and definitions of membership.

The leader of the Greek Orthodox Church is the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, currently Bartholomew I, who has held the position since 1991. He is considered the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Christians and plays a significant role in promoting unity among Orthodox churches worldwide. The Patriarch's authority is primarily spiritual and symbolic, as each national Orthodox church operates independently.

To plan a 40-day memorial service in the Greek Church, first consult with the priest to schedule the service and understand any specific requirements. Prepare a list of names to be commemorated and arrange for the necessary items, such as candles, flowers, and koliva (a traditional dish made of boiled wheat). Inform family and friends about the service date and gather them for support, ensuring that any customs or traditions are honored during the memorial. Lastly, consider refreshments for after the service to foster community and remembrance.

Greek Orthodox Christians typically make the sign of the cross by touching their forehead, chest, and then their right and left shoulders, symbolizing the Holy Trinity. In contrast, Coptic Orthodox Christians often touch their forehead, chest, and then their right shoulder followed by the left, which reflects their own theological and cultural traditions. These differences in the cross-signing practices illustrate the unique liturgical customs and interpretations of faith within the broader Orthodox Christian tradition. Both practices, however, express a deep reverence for the cross and the central beliefs of Christianity.

The Orthodox Christian tradition originated in the early Christian church, emerging from the teachings and practices of Jesus Christ and his apostles during the first few centuries AD. Following the Great Schism of 1054, which divided the Christian church into Western (Roman Catholic) and Eastern (Orthodox) branches, the Orthodox tradition solidified its theological, liturgical, and cultural identity, heavily influenced by Byzantine practices and the Council of Chalcedon. The Orthodox Church emphasizes the continuity of Apostolic Tradition, including the veneration of icons and the sacraments, maintaining a distinct theological framework that differentiates it from other Christian denominations.

A martial bed in a Greek Orthodox wedding is a symbolic representation of the couple's new life together. During the ceremony, the priest blesses the bed, which is often adorned with flowers and linens, signifying the sanctity of marriage and the couple's union. This tradition emphasizes the importance of love, fidelity, and the creation of a family. The martial bed symbolizes both physical and spiritual intimacy, reflecting the couple's commitment to each other.

The Syriac Orthodox Church in Spain has a presence primarily in Madrid, where it serves the local community of Syriac Christians. The church is known as the "Syriac Orthodox Church of Saint Ephrem." It conducts religious services and community activities to cater to the spiritual needs of its members.

The Greek Orthodox Lamentations service, typically held on Good Friday evening, lasts about 1 to 1.5 hours. It includes the chanting of the Lamentations, which are poetic hymns reflecting on the crucifixion of Christ. The service is characterized by its somber tone and includes processions and the veneration of the epitaphios, or tomb of Christ. While the duration may vary slightly by parish, it generally adheres to this timeframe.

Yes, there are Greek Orthodox churches in and around Malaga. One notable example is the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George, located in the city. Additionally, the presence of a Greek community in the region may lead to other smaller congregations or services being held nearby. It's recommended to check local listings or community resources for specific details and service times.

In the Greek Orthodox religion, there is no specific Saint Isabella recognized. The Greek Orthodox Church primarily venerates saints from the early Christian era and the Byzantine Empire, and Isabella is not a commonly recognized name in that context. It is possible that there may be local or regional traditions that venerate a Saint Isabella in certain Greek Orthodox communities, but it is not a widely known or established figure in the broader tradition of the church.

The majority of Greeks identify as Greek Orthodox Christians, which is the dominant religion in Greece. Greek Orthodoxy is a branch of Eastern Orthodoxy, which follows the teachings and traditions of the Christian Church as established by Jesus Christ and his apostles. The Greek Orthodox Church plays a significant role in Greek culture and society, with many religious festivals and traditions observed throughout the year.

Orthodox Baptism is the sacrament (or mystery) by which persons become part of the Holy Orthodox Church. It can be administered to infants, childrens, or adults. It consists of a triple immersion in water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. It is always joined to the sacraments of Chrismation and Holy Communion (the Orthodox Church practices paedocommunion, or the communion of infants).

The Orthodox Church claims to trace its development back through the Byzantine or Roman empire, to the earliest church established )by St. Paul) and the Apostles.

The Catholic Church claims to trace its development back through the Roman empire, to the earliest church established (by St. Peter who was martyred in Rome) and the Apostles.

Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria was also established (by St. Mark) around the same time in 42 AD.

In effect they are both Orthodox and the Catholic churches were the same Church until they split apart with the Roman Empire in 1054. The Coptic church as always been separate.

The Protestant Church then split form the Catholic Church beginning around 1521, in revulsion of the practices and corruption of the Catholic Church as it was at that time.

Note there were also other churches that also existed in the past but these were crushed by the early Roman Catholic leaders.

Hi! I'm taking Greek! I toke my 10th (I think) class on Monday! Well, in Greek you spell God Θεός, "Theos", that's how you say it "THEOS"!

Oh! By the way! capitalize God, it's disrespectful if you do not!

The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in communion with the Pope in Rome. What that means is that a member of a local Catholic Church and a member of the Armenian Catholic Church are essentially the same. The Apostle Peter is considered to be the first Pope and founder of Roman Catholicism. Tradition tells us that the Eastern churches were formed by others of Jesus's Apostles after his death and resurrection. It is interesting to note that many of the Eastern churches have been in and out of communion with Rome, and that most if not all of the Eastern churches (19+ from different parts of the world) have counterpart churches with virtually the same traditions which are not in communion with Rome. Roman Catholics can attend Masses and take Communion in Eastern Catholic Churches and vice versa, but the liturgies (order of the Mass) will be very different.

No, it is considered a sub-group. "Eastern Orthodox" is a broad term used to edscribe the group of chruches that split with the Roman Catholics in the 11th century

Well if we think about it - every village in Greece has a chuch, most towns have 2-5 and cities have maybe 20-50...And the Greek islands have 50+ each...

I guess it depends on how much islands and villages there are, i would say 5,000 as a minimum...

There are various paths/belief systems within paganism that believe in the existence of the Greek gods. One such path is known as Hellenismos, a religion that is attempting to reconstruct the ancient Greek faith.

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How does one "join" the Greek Orthodox Church? The answer is that first, you must attend the Greek Orthodox (or any) Christian church to become a member of that church. The Greek Orthodox Church is an organization, not just the one church on the corner. As a whole, it has specific beliefs that one must agree with:

*You must believe that the Holy Bible is the word of God

*You must believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and Savior Sent by God, and is God's Holy Son

*You must believe that the Holy Spirit was sent by Jesus to comfort mankind in the absence of Jesus Christ

*You must believe that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are One, Indivisible God - a Trinity

*You must be willing to be baptized according to the Greek Orthodox Church's proceedures

*You must be willing to take communion

*You must be willing to make a confession of your sins to a Priest of the Orthodox Church

*You must be willing to turn away (repent) from your sins and attempt to change your lifestyle

Once you are willing to do these things, then you make an appointment with your Priest and tell him that you want to join the Greek Orthodox Church - your priest will make arrangements for your education in Christianity per the Greek Orthodox Church, and help you to arrange to do the things listed above that you need to do, and then do these things to or for you, so that you become a member of the Greek Orthodox Church. Really, to become a member, you must work with your Priest to arrange it, as in any church.

Most churches have some proceedures that people go through to join up. Usually these things are arranged by a group of volunteers or office workers who operate under the direction of the Head Minister or Priest. They "know" what to do, how to arrange things, and so on. Usually, before any church will permit you to join, they want to ensure that you understand and agree with what they teach and how they teach it. After you know what the beliefs are and you agree with them, then these people will assist you in the rest of your journey in membership. It also may depend on whether you are already a Christian, or if you are a convert from a different religion.

The Bottom Line at the Greek Orthodox or any other Church? Attend first, then make an appointment with the Priest or minister for instructions about what to do next. You will be gently guided through the rest of the process.

Parish of the Mother's of God Protection c / Aragó, 181, 08011 Barcelona, Spain AND Paroquia Ortodoxa de San Andrés y San Nicolás Virgen del Socorro, 59, 03001 Alicante, Spain Hipodiácono Nicolás, Telephone: 676 929 455, parroquiaortodoxaalicante@msn.com

The primary difference between the Armenian orthodox church (oriental orthodox) and Greek Orthodox church (eastern orthodox) is their views on the nature of christ which is now seen that both churches used different terminology to describe the same thing however here is an extract of the arguemnt made by the coptic orthodox church which belongs to the oriental orthodox family,the main church that took the stance on the issue since the Armenians did not attend as a war was taking place. The Lord Jesus Christ is God Himself, the Incarnate Logos.Who took to Himself a perfect manhood. His Divine nature is one with his human nature yet without mingling, confusion or alteration; a complete Hypostatic Union. Words are inadequate to describe this union. It was said, that without controversy, "Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, (1 Tim. 3:16).As this union is permanent, never divided nor separated, we say in the liturgy that His Godhead never departed from His manhood for a single moment nor even for a twinkle of an eye. The Divine nature (God the Word) was united with the human nature which He took of the Virgin Mary by the action of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit purified and sanctified the Virgin's womb so that the Child to whom she gave birth would inherit nothing of the original sin; the flesh formed of her blood was united with the Only-Begotten Son. This unity took place from the first moment of the Holy Pregnancy in the Virgin's womb. As a result of the unity of both natures-the Divine and the human-inside the Virgin's womb, one nature was formed out of both: "The One Nature of God the Incarnate Logos" as St. Cyril called it. The Holy Church did not find an expression more reliable, deep and precise than that which was used by St. Cyril the Great, and which St. Athanasius the Apostolic used before him. Both of them were true leaders in the theological field worldwide When the church participated in the dialogue arranged by the Pro Oriente group in Vienna, Austria in September 1971 between the Roman Catholic Church and the ancient Oriental Orthodox Churches concerning the Nature of Christ, the point of discussion was St. Cyril's expression "One Nature of God the Incarnate Logos" (Mia Physis Tou Theou Logou Sesarkwmene).After the schism which took place in the year 451 AD, when the Coptic Orthodox Church rejected the motions of the Council of Chalcedon and its theological struggles, we were called "Monophysites" that is, those who believe in the "One Nature".Sharing our belief are the Syrians, the Armenians, the Ethiopians and the Indians; who were also called "NonChalcedonian" Orthodox Churches.On the other hand, the Chalcedonian Catholic and Greek Churches "The Roman Orthodox" believe in the two natures of Christ; the Protestant Churches also hold this belief. Consequently, these churches are known as "Diophysites" - believers in the two natures of Christ. The Roman - or Chalcedonian - Orthodox Churches include those of Constantinople, Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Romania, Hungary and Serbia as well as the Roman Orthodox Churches of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, America and the St. Catherine Monastery in the Sinai desert.The term "Monophysites" used for the believers in the One Nature has been intentionally or unintentionally misinterpreted throughout certain periods of history. Consequently, the Coptic and the Syrian Churches in particular were cruelly persecuted because of their belief, especially during the period which started from the Council of Chalcedon held in 451 AD and continued to the conquest of the Arabs in Egypt and Syria (about 641 AD). This misinterpretation continued along history as though we believed in one nature of Christ and denied the other nature. We wonder which of the two natures the Church of Alexandria denies? Is it the Divine nature? Certainly not, for our Church was the most fervent defender against the Arian heresy in the Council of Nicea, held in the year 325 AD, as well as before and after that. Or is it The Lord's human nature that the Church of Alexandria denies? St. Athanasius of Alexandria resolved this entirely in the oldest and greatest book on this subject The Incarnation of the Word, The expression "One Nature" does not indicate the Divine nature alone nor the human nature alone, but it indicates the unity of both natures into One Nature which is "The Nature of the Incarnate Logos". The same applies when we speak about our human nature which comprises two united natures: the soul and the body. Thus, man's nature is not the soul alone nor the body alone, but their union in one nature called human nature. St. Cyril the Great taught us not to talk about two natures after their unity.So we can say that the Divine nature united hypostatically with the human nature within the Virgin's womb, but after this unity we do not ever speak again about two natures of Christ. In fact, the expression "two natures" implies in itself division or separation, and although those who believe in "the two natures" admit unity, the tone of separation was obvious in the Council of Chalcedon - a matter which prompted us to reject the Council and caused the exile of St. Dioscorus of Alexandria. Since the Holy Synods of both the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa have already accepted the outcome of the official dialogue on Christology between the Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, including the two official agreements: the first on Christology signed in June 1989 in Egypt and the second also on Christology and on the lifting of anathemas and restoration of full communion signed in Geneva 1990, in which it is stated that "In the light of our agreed statement on Christology..., we have now clearly understood that both families have always loyally maintained the same authentic Orthodox Christological faith, and the unbroken continuity of Apostolic tradition". It was agreed to have mutual recognition of the sacrament of Baptism, based on what St Paul wrote, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph 4:5) But since up until now we are waiting for the responses of the Holy Synods of some other churches in both families, the restoration of full communion is not yet reached between the two sides of the bi-lateral dialogue. And due to the pastoral consequences and implications caused by mixed Christian marriages between the members of the two Patriarchates of Alexandria, having the majority of their people living in the same countries. Those marriages being difficult to perform in both Churches at the same time or in concelebration. The result is that many sensitivities are created between the two families of the partners of such marriage. Those sensitivities which can extend even after the marriage and may affect the relation between the two communities of churches. For those mentioned reasons, the Holy Synods of both Patriarchates have agreed to accept the sacrament of marriage which is conducted in either Church with the condition that it is conducted for two partners not belonging to the same Patriarchate of the other Church from their origin. Both the Bride and the Groom should carry a valid certificate from his/her own Patriarchate that he/she has a permit of marriage and indicating the details of his/her marriage status up to date. Each of the two Patriarchates shall also accept to perform all of its other sacraments to that new family of Mixed Christian Marriage. It is agreed that the Patriarchate which shall perform the marriage shall be responsible for any marriage problems that may happen concerning this certain marriage, taking into consideration the unified marriage laws signed by the heads of Churches in Egypt in the year 1999. Each Patriarchate shall preserve its right not to give its sacraments to any persons whom she does not find fulfilling its canons according to the Apostolic Tradition. Petros VII Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Shenouda III Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St Mark . "We believe that our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Incarnate - Logos is perfect in His Divinity and perfect in His Humanity. He made His humanity One with His Divinity without Mixture, nor Mingling, nor Confusion. His Divinity was not separated from His Humanity even for a moment or twinkling of an eye. At the same time, we anathematize the Doctrines of both Nestorius and Eutyches". Signatures. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In a nutshell ,the Greek churches were led from Constantinople,the seat of the newer Eastern Roman Empire and the western chuches from Rome. In time their cultures

diverged more and more in language, ritual and theological nuance. There is a long

wearisome history of various insults and political rivalry,ecclesiatical and not as well

as doctrinal and scriptural dispute.

This has often grieved thinkers on both sides mindful of the shared tradition.

As late as 1439 in Council in Florence the churches reunited only to resplit shorly

afterward.

The state of aggrieved separation persists.

Generally speaking, you convert to the Eastern Orthodox Church, not Greek Orthodox, unless you live in Greece. In all other countries you convert to the Orthodox Church, as the church is not an ethnic or national body. It is open to people of all nationalities and backgrounds. In most cases, a person begins the process of conversion by speaking with a local Orthodox priest, who gives instructions (or catechism) on the teachings and beliefs of the Orthodox Church. These beliefs and doctrines have continued unchanged for over 2000 years, since the time of Jesus and the Twelve Apostles. There is also plenty of resource material on the Internet, such as by looking up "Orthodox Wiki." This process of catechism could take many months. Once you have learned about the faith and teachings of the church, you would then be ready to be baptized as a member of the Orthodox Church, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (ie. the Holy Trinity). Baptism is by triple immersion in water. At the same time, you would be Chrismated, which means receiving the Holy Oil and the Holy Spirit. Although babies are baptized without clothes, adults are usually baptized while wearing a white gown with a red cross on it.

Some Orthodox Churches today do not baptize people who have already been baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, however, this is an exception to the rule. The correct practice is to be received by both baptism and christmation, rather than by chrismation on its own. The responsibility for this rests with the local Orthodox bishop in your area.