When St. Mary Fell Asleep
Do we venerate or worship St. Mary?
Orthodox Christians venerate St. Mary, meaning we respect her and try to follow her example.
St. Mary is considered the first among the saints and blessed among women as the person chosen to bear Jesus Christ.
We do not worship St. Mary, for worship belongs to God alone.
What is Consecration?
A dedication or setting apart for a special purpose
What is a Synod
A group of bishops
What is Monasticism?
A calling, in which you separate yourself, with fewer comforts and connections to the material world, do not marry, may still live around other people.
What is Dormition?
Death or "falling asleep" of St. Mary
The Orthodox Church has preserved the account of Mother Mary's death as being peaceful, as if falling asleep.
Afterward, her soul as well as her earthly body were taken into heaven by the Angels as commanded by Jesus Christ.
Name the four parts of the Church Consecration.
1). A prayer is said to lay the foundation stone
2). The bishop then lays the foundation stone in the hole
3). Purification and sanctification of the altar
4). Holy Mooron
What did the Church Fathers do for us?
They are in-charge of keeping the church rules and the faith clear for the people.
The church fathers came together in several councils and made sure everyone knew the true identity of Jesus Christ and agreed on many important things that are foundational to our faith as Orthodox Christians.
Do you have to become a monastic in order to live a Holy Life?
No, we don't have to become a monastic in order to live a holy life.
People who choose to separate themselves from the world to live a holy life and grow closer to God, we call Monastics.
When and why do we celebrate Dormition?
When - August 15th
Why - We follow this fast with a special emphasis on remembering the holy life of St. Mary, the Mother of God.
TRUE OR FALSE.
We consider the church building to be a living thing just like us.
TRUE
In what ways are they like spiritual doctors?
They give us prescriptions for our spiritual healing.
Many of them continue to teach us through the prayers they passed on and the stories of their lives.
In the Holy Qurbana, we sing hymns that remind us that the faith we know today was preserved, defended and handed down to our generation by our forefathers.
A practice of self-denial and abstinence from worldly pleasure to achieve a spiritual goal.
How many days is the Shunoyo Fast and when does it start?
Shunoyo Fast lasts for 15 days, starting on August 1st.
Why do we pray facing east?
The altar in every Orthodox Christian Church building faces East and we also place icons on an eastern wall of our home.
When Christ comes again He will come from the East. Facing the East in prayer prepares us for Christs return.
Why do we remember Church Fathers and Mothers?
The Fathers and Mothers of our church were very brave and faithful.
They spoke up and taught the true faith no matter what anyone said.
How can we practice Asceticism in our lives today?
-Fasting from certain foods on certain days. When we fast we give up something we enjoy and add more time with God.
-Discipline ourselves by praying regularly
-By giving to the poor
-Reading Scripture
-Participating in Holy Qurbana
How is veneration different from worship?
Worship - To acknowledge as God by offering your whole body and soul in prayer and action
Veneration - To give great respect to something or someone.
Name one similarity between Baptism and Consecration of the Church.
Holy Mooron is used during both services.
As Christians we are anointed with Holy Mooron during Baptism and during a church consecration the church building is anointed with Holy Mooron.
Name 2-3 of the Church Fathers and Mothers.
Apostolic Fathers
Fathers of the Councils
Church Fathers from Kerala
St. Mary
St. Photini
Solitary or Eremitic monastics - live by themselves completely
Communal or Cenobitic monastics - Those monks who choose to live with other monks