Greek Orthodoxy

The Orthodox Church of Greece (Eastern Orthodox Church).

No, the Greek Orthodox church is a part of the Eastern Orthodox Churches.

Yes, Greek Orthodox do use a rosary. It is called a komboskni and is made of knotted black yarn. There is one that is made to slip over a wrist, which contains 33 "bead-knots." Each knot, or bead, is made of several knots. At the point in which the komboskini bead-knots are joined, they sometimes also contain a knotted bead which which looks like a cross. The Jesus prayer is recited. Generally the komboskini is given by a loved one, or a Nun (part of your spiritual family.) There is also a longer komboskini, which contains 99 knotted beads, and at the place where the knots are joined, a red cross is made out of knotted/wrapped red yarn. It is my understanding that the Jesus prayer is also recited with the longer komboskini. This komboskini, and one that is about 15 inches in length, seem to be the closest to non-Orthodox rosaries.

Depends which "Ukrainian Orthodox Church" you mean. If you mean the Autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is self-ruld but under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church, the answer is "yes." If you mean the Ukrainian Orthodox parishes in the USA, Europe, and Australia which are under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople (although these are certainly NOT a "Ukrainian Orthodox Church," but simply Ukrainian Orthodox dioceses of the Patriarchate of Constantinople), the answer is "yes."

If you mean any other Ukrainian Orthodox groups-whther one of the so-called variety of "Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox" Churches IN the Ukraine (some of which also now have parishes in the USA), or any of the plethora of vagante, fly by night, non-canoncial, possibly heretical, possibly occult groups in the US that include the words "Ukrainian" and "Orthodox" iin their names, the answer is "NO."

See the question "is the Russian orthodox church in union with the ukrainian orthodox church" for more information

No.

A church plan in the form of a Greek cross, with a square central mass and four arms of equal length. The Greek-cross plan was widely used in Byzantine architecture and in Western churches inspired by Byzantine Architecture

the eastern orthodox church which has been established 2000 years ago by Jesus and his Apostles. Another important thing is that the Eastern Orthodox Church was is the second largest church in the world

Yes, they are part of the Eastern Orthodox Churches.

However in USA the Greek Orthodox Church and Antioch Ortodox church have deviated from the true orthodoxy. This is also relevent in certain european countries liek using a gregorian or the so called new Julian calendar that violates traditional orthodox christianity. Then thre is also the usage of the pews, If the president walks into the room everyone will stand up, so is God not worthy enough to have that respect. Lounging around in the church is unholy.

There are some who support the usage of an organ because it makes the praying and divine service less boring. If for these people praying is boring, than they might consider not praying at all. One may recommend them to go see a musical play, a movie, or just go fishing. A prayer is a dialogue with God, asking him for forgiveness and salvation… A person might just imagine this situation: "You come to your mother or father to ask them for forgiveness for something". Does one need a guitar or an accordion in hand to do that? Why? If in one's request for forgiveness (a prayer) there is not enough sincerity, will the musical accompaniment will be able to compensate that? No, it will probably mask that insincerity, but not form the one to whom one is praying. What about us why should we cheat ourselves?

In the Orthodoxy a human being is looked at as the most perfect instrument ,that must be tempered. For that, just like a guitar or any other instrument there needs to be a long and strenuous practice. That practice does not require one's personal will but a will of God. This practice requires humility, forgiveness, not being hypocoristic but to honestly look at oneself as the first of the sinners. Just like our faithful grandmothers taught us: Praying, fasting, and suffering. Then there will be no desire "to better" the divine service that was commanded to us by the holy fathers, the best of the representative of the church, which was founded by our God Lord Jesus Christ himself.

To determine why Catholics and Protestants use musical instruments in the churches, that should be discussed separately. In the end, if they have established such tradition for centuries, let them keep it, since the purity of the church they chose not to keep. Looking back at the history of our Orthodox church it is difficult to imagine that during the divine service there will be playing of an organ, a guitar, or a violin orchestra. That the Holy Communion will be accommodated by Rock music, like it is done in certain Protestant sects. Orthodox chants reflect the Orthodox life, a godlike life, a life with God. Orthodox chants help us to undergo that or the other event of the earthly life of Jesus Christ. Those are the gloomy chants of the holy week and those of full joy like the Paschal chants. Orthodoxy is not just emotional, it is first of all spirituality, that unity with the holy spirit. The real Orthodox chants like the Byzantine or Old Slavonic famous chants and others ideally represent the essence of Orthodoxy; mainly unity, secondly freedom in all and love. Early fathers saw instrumental music to lead to dancing and other passions that destroy the humility of the Christian life.

St. Basil the Great says: "Of the necessary to life which furnish a concrete result there is carpentry, which produces the chair; architecture, the house; shipbuilding; the ship, tailoring, the garment, forging, the blades. Of useless arts there is harp playing, dancing, flute playing of which, when the operation cease, the result disappears with it. And indeed, according to the word of the apostle, the result of these is destruction."

John Chrysostom says: "Marriage is accounted and honorable thing both by us and by those without ; and it is honorable. But when marriages are solemnized such a number of ridiculous circumstances take place as ye shall hear of immediately; because the most part, possessed and beguiled by custom, are not even aware of their absurdity, but need others to teach them. For dancing, and cymbals, and flutes, and shameful words and songs, and drunkenness, and revellings, and all the Devil's great help of garbage is then introduced."

"David formerly sang songs, also today we sing hymns. He had a lyre with lifeless strings the church has a lyre with living strings. Our tongues are the strings of the lyre with a different tone indeed but more in accordance with piety. Here there is no need for the cithara, or for stretched strings, or for the plectrum, or for art, or for yourself become a cithara, mortifying the members of the flesh and a full harmony of mind and body. For when the flesh is no longer lust against the spirit, but has submitted to its orders and has been led at length into the best and most admirable paths, than will you create a spiritual melody." John Chrysostom exposition of psalms 41, (381-398A.D.)

Clement of Alexandria says: "Leave the pipe to the shepherd the flute to the men who are in fear of goods and are intent on their idol-worshiping. Such musical instrument must be excluded form our wineless feasts, for they are more suited for beast and for the class of men that is least capable of reason than for men…In general, we must completely eliminate every such base sight or sound-in a word, everything immodest that strikes, the senses (for this is an abuse of the senses)-if we would avoid pleasures that merely fascinate the eye or ear, and emasculate."

Both Origen and Eusebius explain he Psalm 33:2, "Give thanks to the Lord on the harp; with the ten stringed psaltery chant His praises" as the harp meaning the soul, and the ten-stringed psaltery being a body with 5 senses and 5 faculties.

Eusebius (as historical witness): "Of old at eh time those of the circumcision were worshiping with symbols and types it was not inappropriate to send up hymns to God with the psalterion and cithara and to do this on Sabbath days… We render our hymn with a living psalterion and a living cithara with spiritual songs. The unison voices of Christians would be more acceptable to God than any musical instrument. Accordingly in all the churches of God, united in soul and attitude, with one mind and in agreement of faith and piety we send up a unison melody in the words of the Psalms." (Commentary on Psalms 91)

All of the beauty of our church services is concluded in texts of the holy chants. The text, is only capable of becoming possession of the praying when it is clearly pronounced by the human voice. Sounds of an organ undoubtedly darken and hide from the praying all the beauty and loftiness incorporated by the song-creating thoughts. From this point of view, besides harm an organ is incapable of bringing anything else into an Orthodox church services. Instead of introducing an organ into an Orthodox church to falsely improve the singing, we should put all of our efforts in to raising singing in the church that is common to the whole people. Only this path will bring our people to conscious participation in the church service, development of our choir. For two thousand years the Orthodox church has functioned without an organ and to bring in such an instrument into the church divides people. Psychology of the Orthodox people is unable to deal with such a shock. The motives of these heretic renovations are unclear. Have we not learned our history, that any apostasy does not lead to anything good and positive. Human singing involves a soul, which brings depth and mobility to the Orthodox chants thus making choir a higher form of art.

It is said the sword disappears and reappears without anybody realizes it. He is an angel of God (Christ); from those who have the capability to incarnate themselves (Elohim) and walk among men. One of the names of this specific one is El-Sendai.

They are on the feast day of whatever saint you were named for. For example, the Name Day for anyone named Spiro is on the feast day of St. Spyridon, which is December 12th.

The orthodox church see's suicide as a sin as it is against God's will to take your own life. This is down to the belief that God created a persons life and thus, is the only one who has the right to end it. By committing suicide, the church see's you as having committed a major sin. Even if you have "wiped the slate clean" so to speak, of all sins before you commit suicide you have no chance of salvation as you have committed another sin by taking your own life. If that makes any sense.

The Virgin Mary is commemorated on several dates in the Orthodox Church:

Sept. 8: Nativity of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary)

Nov. 21: The Entrance (or Presentation) or the Virgin into the Temple

Dec. 26: Synaxis of the Theotokos

March 25: Annunciation

Aug. 15: Dormition of the Theotokos (called Assumption in the Roman Catholic Church)

St. Jude is frequently confused with Judas, who betrayed Our Lord. When people were told to pray to St. Jude, they would think Judas and respond that praying to Judas was a hopeless cause.

An Orthodox priest is required to be a reverent man, not consuming much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. They should also be blameless, and the husbands of one wife (for married priests), ruling their children and their own houses well. (1Timothy 3:8-12).

The canons (rules) of the Church, also specify various other requirements for a priest. These include the minimum age (30 years) and how he should perform the church services, he should imitate Christ, he should obey his bishop, should not be drunk or gamble, he should wear a bear, and should always wear his clerical garments.

Kneeling is permitted at any time in the Eastern Orthodox Church, but most commonly during the preparation of the Holy Gifts (the prayers before Holy Communion).

However, the Fathers of the Church have recommended that kneeling should not take place on Sundays, since it is the Day of the Lord's glorious Resurrection. So whilst it is not a strict rule, it is best to kneel only during weekday services, from Monday to Saturday, but preferably not on Sundays. On Sundays, instead of kneeling, we should bow our heads.

This is done after the Blessing of the Waters service, from 6 January onwards, and he could visit any time during January, depending on how large his parish is. Sometimes parishioners contact their priest and arrange a convenient time for him to visit.

They use architectural drawings and engineering plans.

Catholic.

The present archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in America is Archbishop Demetrios.

Not only the Coptic, but also the Armenian, Syrian, Ethiopian and a few others form a group called the Oriental Orthodox Churches.

They did not accept the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451 since it declared Christ to be "in two natures" (human and divine), rather than "from two natures".

The difference is merely semantical (although some Eastern Orthodox would disagree), a misunderstanding at the time, fuelled by political issues.

Efforts to unite the two strands of Orthodoxy are underway, but unlikely to succeed, given this may split the Eastern Orthodox (eg Greek, Russian) communion in two.

you are confirmed immediately after you are baptised and you then receive the eucharist, as an infant or adolescent or adult.

Greek Orthodox only exists in Greece. In the rest of the world, it is known as the Orthodox Christian Faith. Its purpose is to bring salvation to its members through belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as Son of God and Saviour of the world. The words "greek orthodox" should not be used to describe the Eastern Orthodox Church. Those people who are Greek and Orthodox are Christians and they belong to the Orthodox Christian Faith. There is no nationality in the Orthodox Church. It is open to people of all backgrounds, races and cultures.

No. Greeks believe in the natural look.

The head of the Greek Orthodox Church is Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens. He was elected as Archbishop in 2008 when his predecessor, Archbischop Christodoulos died.

Depends what kind of orthodox you mean. Orthodox Jews wouldn't really be getting married in a church. Greek orthodox probably have a Greek Orthodox church. Perhaps a Justice of the Peace is the least controversial route -- this type of service is strictly for legal purposes and leaves out the religion.

Muslim man must marry a Christian woman in a church if she wants that.