Worship
The Holy Mysteries
Our life in Christ — the saving actions of Christ within His Church, by which we are united to Him and made participants in His divine life.
Our life in Christ
The Holy Mysteries, often called the Sacraments, are not merely symbolic ceremonies or important moments in a Christian’s life. They are the saving actions of Christ within His Church, accomplished through the Holy Spirit, by which human beings are united to Christ and made participants in His divine life.
Through water, oil, bread and wine, the laying on of hands, and the prayers of the Church, material creation becomes a bearer of grace. Although the sevenfold list is customary and useful, Orthodoxy does not seek to confine God’s grace within a rigid system; the entire life of the Church is sacramental. All the Mysteries belong to one reality: Christ dwelling in His people and forming them into His Body.
One life in Christ
The Holy Mysteries are distinct, yet they cannot be separated from one another. Together they form the one life of Christ within His Church: we are born in Baptism, sealed by the Spirit in Chrismation, nourished by the Eucharist, restored through Confession, served through Ordination, sanctified in Marriage, and healed through Holy Unction.
Their purpose is nothing less than our transformation—our growth into communion with God, our incorporation into Christ, and our participation by grace in His holiness, love, and eternal life.
The seven Mysteries
Come and see.
To ask about any of the Mysteries, reach the church office — or simply come and pray with us.
