Welcome to St. Mary’s Cathedral
What to Expect When Visiting an Orthodox Church
We call our church (or temple) the House of the Lord – not that God dwells in buildings – but as the place where we gather as God’ s children to offer worship, praise, and thanksgiving to Him.
We come together in this special place to encounter God together, united in a bond of Christian love, to glorify, praise, and worship the God Who loves us and sent His only-begotten Son to save us from sin and death.
Each Sunday, we gather for the Divine Liturgy, receiving spiritual nourishment through the reading of Scripture and the reception of the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. When the Liturgy concludes, we return into the world with the strength and faith to bear witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ, acting as Orthodox Christians in word, deed, and thought.
For the most part, what you experience at St. Mary’s is what you would see and hear at any other Orthodox Church around the world. Orthodox Christians worship in the language of the people, which means that here in America, our primary language is English. While you may hear other languages at times, it is a ministry to those in our community who are multilingual, reflecting the diverse cultural traditions found in Orthodox communities.
In other countries, the language might be different, and there might be subtle nuances in how the service is celebrated, but the Orthodox faith and its theological beliefs are the same worldwide, providing a consistency found in what we believe and profess as Orthodox Christians, making it feel familiar and inviting to all.
What is done in the Orthodox Church is accomplished out of love for God (1 Corinthians 16:14). The beauty of the Orthodox faith goes beyond the icons and how ornate the church may be decorated, making God’s Kingdom present here on earth.
The Orthodox faith makes real the expression of God’s love for humanity, as experienced in the liturgical services, proclaiming Christ’s victory over death through His crucifixion on the cross and resurrection from the dead.
What is the Orthodox Faith?
While Orthodox Christianity is the second-largest Christian tradition globally, we believe it is the True Faith, tracing its direct and unbroken historical lineage back to its founding by Jesus Christ through the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and disciples on the Great Feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4). In short, Orthodoxy is the original Church.
Orthodoxy is centered on belief in God as Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14). The teachings of the church are grounded in holy tradition (2 Thessalonians 2:15) which, combined with sacred Scripture articulates what we believe, how we live our lives: worshiping God, interacting and caring for others, and working out our salvation in this life.
The Orthodox faith preaches Jesus Christ as the incarnate Son of God (John 1:14) who took on flesh and lived in this world to give us commandments for our salvation. Salvation is viewed not as a legal contract, but as a lifelong process through which we constantly turn away from sin to approach God (John 14:6) Who loves us without condition, and provides the means for us to be saved through grace (James 2:24).
Orthodox Christians believe that the Holy Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ (Luke 22:19, Matthew 26:26, Mark 14:22, and 1 Corinthians 11:24), stands at the center of our worship of God. We remember the words of Christ, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19) knowing that each time we receive the Eucharist, we confess His death and proclaim His resurrection.
What Does it Mean to be Saved?
From an Orthodox Christian perspective, humanity was created for the express purpose of having a loving relationship with God and with those around us (Colossians 3:23–24).
The book of Genesis tells us we were created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27) - to reflect His divine image of love freely and without coercion. The relationship between the members of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14) are the prime example of how we should live in relationship to God and others, with fidelity, humility, compassion, and love.
Sadly, humanity turned from God and by listening to the temptation of Satan, introduced sin, corruption, and spiritual death into creation. Orthodox Christianity does not view the Fall as a legal crime requiring judicial punishment or even something for which we are held responsible. Instead, Orthodoxy sees humanity suffering the effects while in the condition of the Fall (Ezekiel 18:20 and Romans 5:12), and attempting to turn away from sin to grow closer to God. Sin separates us from the source of all life, entangling us to physical death and corruption (2 Timothy 2:22).
To heal this separation, and restore our communion with Himself, God the Father sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to become human without ceasing to be God. Through His incarnation, life, voluntary death on the Cross (John 10:18), and glorious resurrection, Christ entered and accepted the human condition, and experienced everything that we experience, so that He could destroy the power of death from within. It wasn't a punishment, but a voluntary sacrifice by God (John 6:38) to conquer death and restore what was created in the beginning (Luke 19:10).
By trampling down death, Christ has given us a path to Paradise and eternal life, freely offering us His victory over sin and corruption as our own (John 1:17). When we accept this gift, we are united to all of creation and the Body of Christ who have united themselves to Him (Galatians 3:27).
Salvation is understood not as a single past event, but as an ongoing process called theosis by which we gradually are transfigured (Philippians 2:12-13 and 1 Corinthians 1:18), growing in the light and saving grace, in communion with God. It is through the Life of the Church, active participation in its sacramental life, prayer, repentance, and living a life of godliness that we encounter God and his grace (1 Corinthians 12:12 and Romans 12:6), restored to God's image and likeness so that we may become partakers of divine nature while remaining human (2 Peter 1:4).
This matters because the Orthodox Christian understanding of salvation differs from the perspective of Western Christianity and all other religious traditions.
This perspective fundamentally shapes how we experience and encounter God, how we view human nature, our relationship with one another, with creation, and ultimately how we live our daily lives.
Salvation is grounded in an experience of love. It is not a legal transaction, a personal self-fulfillment, or experience of enlightenment. Orthodox Christianity sees salvation as a dynamic and living relationship between us and God and those around us.
This approach means that we are not focusing on guilt or a vengeful God. Sin is seen primarily as a disease rather than a crime. God is not an angry judge who needs to be appeased, but instead is the Divine Creator and the Merciful Physician. He calls us to repentance (Psalm 50) not as a form of self-condemnation, but to be transformed in mind, body, and spirit, so that we can be open to receiving God's grace and healing, so that we may be restored to spiritual health.
The Orthodox understanding of salvation gives meaning to our lives and purpose to our existence. Our potential as human beings is not centered on acquisition of wealth, or defined by our sexuality, or even our God-given talents. Instead, our true potential is seen by how we grow in God's love and holiness while being active members of the Body of Christ.
Our willingness to become "partakers of divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4) allows us to turn from a path of selfishness, the passions, and vices of life and actively work out our salvation in this place and time. We are called to be active members of the Body of Christ, as He warns us that the Last Judgment will be a reckoning of what we did to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect.
Our salvation is not experienced in a vacuum, because God took on real human flesh to sanctify it and restore it to what was intended when the world was created. Through our actions, we can either contribute to the building up or further destruction of creation. The holy acts of the Christian life allow us to restore the beauty of creation through our prayers, fasting, prostrations, feasting, and worship of God. Likewise, our sins and sinful acts further degrade and separate us from one another and God.
Salvation is a life long, lived journey and not a transaction. God's grace is a free gift, and there is nothing we can do to "earn" or "be made worthy" to receive it. Yet, God blesses us with His grace and mercy. In return, we choose to live as Christ commanded. Salvation therefore becomes a journey, Orthodox Christians do not prescribe to the modern concept of "Are you saved?" because our life is a process of "being saved," as we work out our salvation. There is no merit system or master scoreboard where God will judge us based on how many good deeds we did. Instead, our path to salvation is a union between our free will being aligned with God's grace.
The formal reception into the Orthodox Faith begins with a period of instruction as prescribed by the parish priest in conjunction with the catechumen taking an active role in the life of the parish, by attending divine services and participating in parish community activities and events.
The catechumenate is a period of preparation and formation for those seeking to enter the Orthodox Church through Baptism and/or Chrismation. In continuity with the early Church, catechumens are gradually instructed in the faith, immersed in the life of prayer and worship, and guided in repentance and spiritual growth.
This process is not merely intellectual learning but a transformation of their understanding and lifestyle, learning how to think, pray, and live as a member of the Body of Christ, the Church. The typical timeline for being received into the Orthodox Church is at least twelve months. During this time, you are expected to be regularly attending divine services, classes or events prescribed by the dean, and engaging in parish life.
Until their formal reception into the Orthodox faith through Baptism and/or Chrismation, catechumens cannot fully participate in the liturgical life of the Church or receive any of the Sacraments, including the Eucharist.
For seekers, those who are exploring the Orthodox faith, they are also welcome to attend services and ask questions of the clergy or lay leaders of the community.
Catechesis at St. Mary’s
If you are interested in becoming an Orthodox Christian, the period of instruction and initiation of catechumens into the life of the parish is determined by the clergy of St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral. To begin the process, please click on this link to speak with one of our priests.
Becoming an Orthodox Christian is not about adopting a set of beliefs and following a set of rules.
It is however, about living a new rhythm and lifestyle. Salvation is viewed as a process of healing and transformation, therefore the process is centered on a life-long journey of learning more about God and encountering God in our daily actions, words, and thoughts.
The spiritual habits we build into our daily routines help to shape and form who we are and who we want to become, created in the image of God.
Through the guidance of our parish priest who can also be our spiritual father, a daily rule of prayer should be established. Using the prescribed prayers for the morning, evening, and other times of the day, we may come to understand prayer not as a series of spontaneous or extemporaneous calls to God, but a series of moments where we learn to be silent in the presence of the divine. Prayer is not transactional, nor is it about what we have to say.
Our father confessor will also guide us in the use of icons in our personal lives, at home, and during prayer. They will also help and guide the adoption of a fasting regimen that is reasonable and spiritually healthy. In daily practice, we fast from particular foods on Wednesdays and Fridays, and during the four fasting seasons of the church year. What this looks like for each individual is understood in the context of one's personal health and wellbeing, with the guidance of their spiritual father.
The life of an Orthodox Christian is not lived in isolation, virtually, or only online. It could be said that it's impossible to be a Christian without interacting with those around us, especially in parish life. Coming to divine services is one aspect of becoming an Orthodox Christian. It also means getting involved in parish activities, helping with projects and ordinary community events. It means getting to know other parishioners and actively participating in the service projects, fellowship, and general care of the parish, just as the early Christians worked collectively for the building up of the Church.
Becoming an Orthodox Christian means working out our salvation with those around us, as we are all on this journey to eternal life, together. An Orthodox life is not one which is lived in isolation or apart from the community. Coming to Liturgy, hearing the Good News of Scripture, and receiving the Eucharist provide us with the spiritual nourishment to go back into the world to be Christ's witnesses as members of the Body of Christ.
Becoming an Orthodox Christian means discovering the means by which we acquire silence, nurture a spirit of humility, fight against the passions, and work out our salvation so that we may one day hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a little, enter into the joy of your Lord." (Matthew 25:23)
