Orthodoxy is a Christian denomination that is widespread in Russia, but often for psychological reasons a person cannot start going to church, praying, fasting, and performing rituals, although he desires it. Various factors influence the decision to become church members. If you want to come to Orthodoxy, everything is in your hands.
You will need
- - to be baptized,
- - the Bible,
- - visiting the temple at least once a week,
- - conversations with the confessor,
- - the opportunity to go on pilgrimage trips or see local shrines,
- - textbooks on theology.
Instruction manual
1
Be baptized. If you were not baptized in childhood, you can do this at any age. For baptism, you need to go to the temple, where the sacrament will take place, talk with the priest before or after the service, sign up for one of the proposed dates. For baptism, a person requires godparents (ideally, both: father and mother, the Orthodox cross). Perhaps you will be asked to learn a few basic prayers, to confess. The main thing is not to be afraid to do something wrong, just listen to the priest and perform the ritual as he says.
2
Visit the temple and try to observe rituals, fasts, and celebrate Orthodox holidays. An Orthodox Christian should come to the temple at least once a week, as often as possible to confess, observe fasting and celebrate church holidays (12 main). During the holiday services, parishioners are united by a common sense of involvement in the miracle, it may be, these feelings of joint joy and grace will become the impetus for your first step in Orthodoxy.
3
Go on pilgrimage trips. Travel companies and churches, monasteries themselves organize pilgrimage trips to holy places: to the relics of saints, to healing springs and myrrh-streaming icons. You can go on one of the trips without setting global goals. It is enough that you spend a day thinking about the eternal, pray and put candles for your near and dear ones.
4
Study the Bible and Orthodox literature, read books on the history of Orthodoxy. The Bible is by no means the only source of knowledge about Orthodoxy, but it is the main book of all Christians. Of course, you need to read it. Start with the four gospels, the descriptions of the life of Jesus Christ by the apostles. You will be surprised that the same story is told several times in a new way. Books are sold in churches that answer many questions from Orthodoxy: the problems of family and marriage, faith and doubt, life and death are highlighted. It will also be useful to study literature on the history of Orthodoxy: you will see that for many centuries people have suffered, doubted, and have come to church again and again.
note
If you have any doubts about baptism, you can talk with the priest in the temple, work on the construction of the church or in the monastery.
Useful advice
The Bible can be read in chapters, while paying attention to interpretation and footnotes. Faith and understanding are not antonyms. You can believe in God and honor him, while trying to study the Scriptures.
