The Orthodox Church
The candles lit at the entrance, the iconostasis with its rows of saints, the chant under the dome, the Crowning at weddings, the Jesus Prayer on the prayer rope: what to expect from US Orthodox practice in five minutes.
01 What you would notice
An Orthodox church is recognizable from outside: a dome (or several), often blue or gold, sometimes the Russian onion shape, sometimes the rounded Byzantine. A three-bar Eastern Cross crowns the dome. Inside, the air smells of incense, used much more often than at Catholic Mass. A bank of candle stands sits near the entrance; parishioners light a thin taper, venerate an icon, cross themselves. The iconostasis, a wooden screen covered with icons, separates the nave from the altar. Many Orthodox churches have no pews. The congregation stands through the Liturgy, which runs 90 minutes to two hours. Worship is sung throughout, without instruments. Orthodox Christians make the sign of the cross from right shoulder to left, opposite the Western direction.
02 A typical Sunday
An active Orthodox family's Sunday often begins Saturday evening, because the liturgical day starts at sunset. The parish offers Vespers at 5 or 6 PM; many families attend. Saturday evening is also the typical time for confession before Sunday Communion. Many families fast from food after midnight in preparation for receiving.
Sunday morning Divine Liturgy starts around 9:30 or 10 AM. On entering, each person lights a candle, venerates the icons near the door, finds a place to stand. Communion is given by a small spoon: consecrated bread soaked in consecrated wine, placed on the tongue. Infants and children receive from their first Liturgy after baptism. After Communion, everyone (Orthodox and visitor alike) is welcome to come forward for the antidoron, blessed bread distinct from the Eucharist, given from the priest's hand. Coffee hour follows, often a full meal in Greek parishes.
03 Where you'll encounter Orthodox tradition
Most US readers meet Orthodox practice at specific life events. Here is what to expect, and where to find the practical guide on this site.
Baptism with Chrismation. Orthodox baptism happens within months of birth, by triple immersion in a large basin or pool. The priest holds the baby and immerses three times: "The servant of God [Name] is baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Chrismation, anointing with holy chrism on forehead, eyes, ears, mouth, hands, and feet, follows immediately, with the words "the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit." See /baptism/ and /gifts/baptism/.
Wedding: the Crowning. Orthodox weddings happen in two parts. The Betrothal (exchange of rings) takes place at the church door. The Crowning happens at the altar: two golden crowns (sometimes wreaths of flowers in Greek tradition) are placed on the heads of the bride and groom, held over them throughout the service by the koumbaroi (the principal sponsors). The couple is led around a small table three times in the Dance of Isaiah. See /wedding/ and /gifts/wedding/.
Funeral and Trisagion memorials. Orthodox funerals include an open casket and the chanted Trisagion. After burial, memorial services are offered at intervals: 40 days after death, three months, six months, one year, then on each anniversary. Many families bring koliva (a sweet wheat dish) for the 40-day Trisagion. See /funeral/ and /gifts/funeral/.
For attending a Divine Liturgy, see /first-time-at/orthodox-divine-liturgy/.
04 Variation within Orthodox life
Orthodox Christianity is doctrinally unified but organized into self-governing (autocephalous) churches. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese is the largest single US jurisdiction, under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Russian Orthodox heritage runs through the Orthodox Church in America (OCA, autocephalous since 1970) and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR, in formal union with Moscow since 2007). The Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese has been the principal home for the convert movement. The Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, and Georgian Orthodox each maintain US presence. The Oriental Orthodox Churches (Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Syriac, Indian Malankara) are separate from the Eastern Orthodox since the Council of Chalcedon in 451; they are fully Christian, distinct in liturgy and calendar. The calendar question divides Orthodox jurisdictions: some celebrate Christmas on December 25, others (Russian, Serbian, Georgian, Mount Athos) on January 7 by the Old Calendar.
05 Common assumptions about Orthodox Christianity
Three widely-held assumptions are worth correcting.
"Orthodox is the same as Catholic." No. Orthodox and Catholic Christianity share the first thousand years of Christian history and were in formal communion until the Great Schism of 1054. They have been separate churches since. Orthodox does not accept papal primacy or infallibility; does not add the filioque ("and the Son") to the Nicene Creed; does not hold the Immaculate Conception as defined Catholic dogma; preserves the Liturgy and spiritual heritage of the first-millennium Christian East. Eastern Catholic Churches (Maronite, Melkite, Ukrainian Greek Catholic) use Orthodox-style liturgy but are Catholic, not Orthodox.
"Orthodox icons are idols." False. Orthodox theology distinguishes veneration, given to icons and saints, from worship, reserved for God alone. The Seventh Ecumenical Council (Nicaea II, 787) defended icon veneration against the iconoclast position. Kissing an icon, bowing before it, lighting a candle in its presence are forms of honor toward the saint depicted, not worship of the image itself.
"Orthodox priests can't marry." Partly true and worth understanding. An Orthodox man may marry before ordination to the priesthood, and most parish priests in the US are married. Once ordained, a priest cannot marry; if his wife dies, he cannot remarry. Only bishops must be celibate; they are drawn from the monastic clergy.
06 Where to learn more
For attending a Divine Liturgy for the first time, see /first-time-at/orthodox-divine-liturgy/. For occasion-specific guides on Orthodox rites, readings, dress, gifts, and cards, see /baptism/, /wedding/, and /funeral/. For Orthodox naming traditions (patron saint names, name days), see /naming/ and /names/. The local parish priest is the source for any specific question about a particular parish's teaching or practice; the Orthodox Study Bible (2008) is a useful English Bible.