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Greek Orthodoxy
A category with questions on Greek Orthodoxy, one of the many branches of the Orthodox Church.
378 Questions
Can a woman become a Greek Orthodox Priest?
No, but they can become nuns or serve God in many other ways. The place of women in the Orthodox Chuch is very important and should not be underestimated, but this does not extend to becoming priests. The reason for this is because the Orthodox Church follows the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Bible and the practices of the Holy Apostles. When Jesus chose people for His Ministry on earth, He called twelve male disciples to go and preach to the whole world. Then they chose another 70 male disciples, and so on for over 2,000 years. This is also in keeping with the Old Testament practice of choosing men to become priests of the Temple and rabbis of synagogues. So from this we conclude that Christ has called certain men (but not all men) to become His Priests. He could have chosen women, such as His own Mother, or Mary Magdalene, but did not. We are in no position to say that Christ was wrong in doing this, because Christ is God, and therefore He is without sin and makes no mistakes. This does not in any way mean that women are inferior to men. On the contrary, women were given the same possibility of salvation as men, for the first time in history by Jesus Christ. Baptism in Christ now enabled both males and females to be equally saved (Galatians 3:27-28). Christ also broke many of the social Jewish customs of that time, for example, by speaking with the Samaritan woman by the well, which was not permitted for any Jew to do. So Christ elevated women to the same status as men, but maintained their different roles in society. In other words, women are seen as equal, but different. In the Orthodox Church, the highest place that any human being has ever reached, was achieved by a woman, not a man. The Virgin Mary was the only human being to be elevated to the second highest position in Heaven! Second only to God Himself. After God, comes the Virgin Mary, and then the highest male,who was John the Baptist, and then the Apostles and others. So the highest position that any male on earth has ever reached was achieved by the Prophet St John the Bapstist, but even he is lower in status and importance than the Virgin Mary. Therefore any male or female can achieve greatness in the Church and become a great saint, but no one else can or ever will be able to reach the heights of the Virgin Mary, a woman, who achieved the highest place of any other human being on earth. Yet, the Virgin Mary did not have to become a priest in order to do this! God has given men and women different roles, and this is something that we humans cannot change. For example, God gave women the possibility of bearing children, which is a great blessing. But God did not give this same blessing to men. Does this mean that God has discrimination against men? Of course not! Men simply have to accept that only women can give birth to children. Both men and women can achieve salvation equally, by believing in God and being baptised (Mark 16:16) and by doing good works (James 2:14). Many men and women have become saints and martyrs in this way, and many more will be saved. Being a priest, or bishop, or monk or nun, still requires correct faith and good works, as it does for lay people. After all, the Virgin Mary was only a lay person, but she remained pure and faithful to God. She was a human being like any other woman on earth, yet she became higher than all other men and women and priests and bishops who have ever lived! So being a priest does not bring anyone salvation. In fact, it comes with a very heavy burden and responsibility: to preach correct doctrine. Just look at the example of the famous priest from Alexandria called Arius, who was declared to be a heretic by the church for preaching false doctrines (Arianism) about Christ. Also, Nestorius, who was Patriarch of Constantinople, was also condemned as a heretic for preaching fasle dogmas (Nestorianism), not to mention the betrayal of Christ by Judas Iscariot, who was one of the original Twelve Apostles. So do not think that being a priest or bishop or a disciple will automatically bring you any special blessing or greater benefit than you have now. Sometimes, it can even cause our downfall.
Is Catholic dogma the same as Greek Orthodox dogma?
No they are not although both are apostolic churches, the Eastern Orthodox hold that Church Doctrine cannot change without the decision of an Ecumenical Council, as with the seven recognized Ecumenical Councils of the first millennium of the Church. Catholics, however, believe that the Pope can define new Church doctrine without consultation with the rest of the Church and, when he defines new teaching, Catholics believe the Pope is infallible.
Is there any Greek orthodox founder?
Jesus. The Orthodox Church traces itself right back to the Apostles. The Orthodox Church is known to directly descend from The Apostles who were given the right to preach the Word of God through Jesus Christ.
Does the Greek orthodox church believe in the virgin birth?
The Eastern Orthodox Church believes in the Immaculate Conception of Jesus Christ's birth by the Blessed Virgin Mary, but it does not accept the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary's birth.
What percentage of Greeks are in the Greek orthodox church?
95% of Greeks belong to the Greek orthodox church; the rest are members of other Christian groups or are Muslims
When did the greek orthodox church begin?
The Christian Church began on the day of Pentecost within the period of 30 through 33 A.D. The church consisted of 120 members. The 12 Apostles were the leaders with Peter as the primary spokesman. The church grew by leaps and bounds. The Apostles defined their primary role as teachers. The congregation elected leadership over things that involved their own matters (Acts 6). The Apostles appointed leaders in new churches (Titus 1). Historically, different patterns existed. St. Nicholas was elected bishop by a local congregation. Clement of Rome criticized the Church at Corinth for throwing out the church leadership by holding an election and deviating from the established pattern.
The current system more or less became established at the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. That council created part of the Nicene Creed. More important, it established the form of organization for the church. That was the point where the procedures of the Orthodox Church were first standardized. The Conference of Constantinople would change the Nicene Creed to the form we use today.
At 800 A.D. Charlemagne made the Roman Catholic Church the official church of his empire. The Roman Church adjusted to the new political situation. At that point, the two branches of Christianity began to split. The laity started losing its influence within the church organization. In 1054 the split became complete.
Can a Greek Orthodox person marry someone who is Coptic Orthodox?
Yes, according to an agreement reached between the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and the Coptic Orthodox Church in 2001. Actually, prior to this agreement, a Greek Orthodox person could still have married a Coptic Orthodox person, but for the marriage to be recognized by both Churches it would have had to be performed twice (once in each Church). The agreement obligates each Church to recognize the validity of a marriage performed in the other Church.
Who lead the eastern orthodox church and who lead the roman Catholic church?
The Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church is ultimately led by the Pope, who is the Bishop of Rome. The current Pope is Pope Benedict XVI. The hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church is there are parishes led by a pastor who is a normal priest, then bishops govern diocese which are comprised of many parishes (archbishops slightly outrank bishops and they govern either a large metropolitan area like New York or a regionally important diocese) and the Pope is considered the Supreme Pontiff. The Pope has the ability to make declarations which are infallible in the Catholic Church.
There are also different rites within the Catholic Church which have different hierarchies. Generally these rites are headed by Patriarchs who guide their rite but are not considered the frankly supreme leader as the Pope is to the Catholic Church, and they have bishops that govern their own members. The Patriarchs are considered generally autonomous but they must acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope.
The Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church is comprised of many different churches all in communion with each other, such as the Greek Orthodox, the Russian Orthodox, the Syro-Malabar Orthodox and numerous more. Each church is lead by a synod, or council, of bishops who govern the church. The "first among equals" of the church is the Patriarch who governs from a traditional See, for instance the Greek Orthodox patriarch is the Patriarch of Constantinople. Although the different typica, or customs and cultural practices, are different in each church they believe their theological basics are the same and therefore they do not conflict. A Patriarch is not comparable to the Pope as the head of their church as they do not issue infallible decrees and it is believed that all the bishops have an equal say in the declaration of the will of God.
Can a Catholic get married in a Orthodox Church?
As long as you are Christened you can marry in an Orthodox church - but you will need quite a bit of paper work translated.
Roman Catholic AnswerA Catholic is required to marry in front of a priest, preferably his pastor, or someone whom his pastor has delegated. He may marry elsewhere with a dispensation (if such a dispensation is given). You should talk to your parish priest about this.When is Greek Orthodox Lent 2010?
Eastern Orthodox Lent in 2010 begins on 15 February and ends on 4 April (Easter Day).
To be "an orthodox Christian" means to have the right or correct opinion about Christian doctrine.
However, who is entitled to judge that? One approach is for an individual person to decide who he or she will trust to give them the right opinion. Another approach is for an individual to independently assess what is the right opinion about any particular issue.
For Catholics, orthodoxy lies in the Catholic Church itself, and in the end result, in the Pope. Catholics believe that both the Bible and tradition are authoritative.
For Protestants, the Bible stands above all other authorities, and every doctrine has to be measured solely against what the Bible says. Since the Bible was not written as a doctrinal manifesto, it is necessary to read the Bible and then to form a judgement on each issue to determine what is the right opinion. This means that there is some diversity in Protestant opinions on a number of issues of Christian doctrine, while retaining a large measure of agreement around the central doctrines of the faith.
There is also a very old part of the Church that describes itself as "Orthodox." So we have a Greek Orthodox Church and its daughter churches, such as the Russian Orthodox Church. In these churches there is great confidence placed in the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils, particularly the councils held at Nicea, Constantinople, Ephesus and Chalcedon, held in the fourth and fifth centuries. Catholics and most Protestants also have confidence in the decisions of these councils.
There are two other main branches of this self-described "Orthodox" part of the Church. Each branch differs in its respective attitude to the councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon. On one hand, there is the Syrian Orthodox Church, and the other independent churches who are associated with it, such as the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church. They formally reject the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon. On the other hand, there is the Church of the East. It formally rejects the decisions of the Council of Ephesus. Yet these differences go back a long way, and relate to questions that were hotly contested at the time, even though these churches believe that the underlying issues are capable of being expressed in different (but less controversial) terms on which almost all Christians would agree.
Orthodox Easter is the date when Eastern Orthodox Christians throughout the world celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This year, Orthodox Easter is on 27 April 2008, according to the Julian Calendar. The Western Christians (Catholics and Protestants) now use the Gregorian Calendar to calculate their Easter. Orthodox Easter is also known as 'Pascha' in Greek, and has continued to be celebrated in the same way by Orthodox Christians for over 2,000 years.
Who is the greek orthodox patron saint of teachers?
They are the Three Graet Hierarchs :Basil the Grate known as Basil of Caesarea,Gregory the Theologian known also as Gregory of Nazianzus ,and John the Chrysostom.Patrons also of Letters and pupils.
Why did the Eastern Orthodox Church break away from the Church at Rome?
The original church was called the Catholic Orthodox church or Universal Truth. The Greek orthodox church and Roman catholic church split in 1054. It was mainly the Roman Catholics fault since they changed the original creed which they agreed upon in the first NICENE COUNCIL and claimed papal infallible over the other patriachs.
Hence the name pope of Rome rather than patriach of Rome.
Who was the first bishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church?
Who was an early leader of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church
How is an Orthodox Patriarch chosen?
I am Orthodox, but I am not intimate with the details of the process. As I understand, the candidates are chosen by the Church, both clergy and laity. In most if not all jurisdictions, for the "inauguration" so to speak, an elected bishop must profess the entire faith before three other bishops, no two of whom are from the same archdiocese. The idea is that what makes him worthy of the office is not the "magic hand" of an apostolic line, but his profession of the Orthodox faith, coupled with the grace of Christ. I imagine this happens in patriarchal elections too.
A candidate is chosen by the members of the Holy Synod of each jurisdiction For example, the Holy Synod of Russia elects the Patriarch of Moscow, and the Holy Synod in Constantinople elects the Ecumenical Patriarch. The lay people must also approve the election of all bishops (including patriarchs as they are also bishops).
Does the greek orthodox religion recognize gay people?
The Orthodox Church loves and accepts all people, but it states that certain sexual practices are not permitted by the Bible, such as anal intercourse. Similarly, certain heterosexual practices are not permitted, such as adultery.
Why was greek religion important to the Greeks?
The same reason it's important to us; it offers a moral guidepost against which we can base our lives and gives hope for a better life beyond the one we have here (or just punishment for the wicked in the life beyond).
Who is Bishop-Elect Andrew Vujisic of Tralles?
Bishop-Elect Andrew (Vujisić) of Tralles: Archimandrite Andrew (Vujisić) is the bishop-elect of Tralles, with the responsibility of establishing and administering Pan-Orthodox communities in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean for the Ecumenical Patriarchate. This is a new and important development in the life of the Orthodox Church in the diaspora.
Archimandrite Andrew (born Zoran Vujisić on January 30, 1957) is the first child of the late Vojislav and Sofia Vujisić (née Jovović). He is a Montenegrin of the Moračani clan, and is a close relative of Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral. He lived in the former Yugoslavia until he was 12 years old. In 1969, his family moved to West Germany, where he lived for one year before migrating to Australia. He is fluent in Serbian, English, and Spanish, and has a working knowledge of Romanian, Hungarian, and German.
He completed his undergraduate studies at Thomas Edison State College, and earned his Licentiate of Orthodox Sacred Theology at the St Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Seminary. He also completed a M.A. Ed. degree, with Honors, at the University of Phoenix; a D. Min. in Marriage and Family Therapy (Summa cum laude) at Southern Christian University; and a Ph.D. in English and Applied Linguistics at Rhodes University. Recently he has further earned a Th.D. in Practical Theology from the University of South Africa with his doctoral dissertation on The Impact of Neptic-Psychotherapeutic Treatment on Self-Reported Depressive Symptomatology and Comorbid Anxiety. He was also elected to "Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges" in recognition of his academic accomplishments and scholarship.
He returned to Australia in 1981, and after receiving the monastic tonsure, he was ordained to the diaconate on January 29 (January 16, O. S.), 1988, and to the priesthood on February 15 (February 2, O. S.), 1989. After his ordination, he served as assistant priest in St. Mary's Orthodox Parish in Sydney, Australia, where he was instrumental in bringing many converts to Orthodoxy, several of whom now serve as Orthodox clergymen. He also served as interim rector of Holy Annunciation Romanian Orthodox Parish and of St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Parish, both in the Sydney metropolitan area.
From 1982 through 1995, Fr. Andrew served as director of St. Mary's Orthodox Community Welfare Center and coordinator of the parish's Community Refugee Sponsorship Program. He was also the administrator of the Archdiocesan Community Housing Program, which provided low cost housing for underprivileged families. Additionally, he served as Archdiocesan Religious Education Coordinator for Public Schools from 1991 through 1995.
In 1996, Fr. Andrew arrived in the Caribbean where he established St. Spyridon's Orthodox Mission, the first Orthodox parish in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite by Metropolitan Athenagoras of Mexico on December 13 (November 30, O. S.), 1999.
In addition to his pastoral duties, Fr Andrew is the Rector of St. Basil of Ostrog Higher Institute of Theological Sciences and has served as a professor of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Turabo in Gurabo, Puerto Rico, and as a counselor/therapist at the University's Resource Center for Counseling and Professional Orientation. He was recently appointed Director of the University's Center for Language. He is also the editor of Puerto Rico's only ambilingual linguistic journal, Glossa, which is distributed globally.
On September 29, 2009, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected Archimandrite Andrew as Bishop of Tralles. The announcement of his election, citing the growing number of Orthodox immigrants to Latin American countries who are deprived of pastoral care, states that the Bishop-elect will assume the responsibility of establishing and administering pan-Orthodox communities wherever necessary.
Archimandrite Andrew will be consecrated to the episcopacy by His All-Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarch, at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St George in the Phanar on November 21 (November 8, O. S.), 2009, on which day he observes his Krsna Slava.
What is the religion in megara Greece?
Megara had the same religion as all the other regions of ancient Greece. They probably worshiped Apollo, Poseidon and Zeus ahead of the others, though.
The Orthodox Church as it is today was established at the Great Schism of 1054, when Christianity split into the East (Eastern Orthodoxy) and the West (Roman Catholicism).
Why do Orthodox churches have a dome?
Many Orthodox churches have a dome because it represents Heaven. Many Catholic churches also have domes, such as in St Peter's in the Vatican and St Mark's in Venice.
