The information on this page has been prepared for those who are new to Orthodox Christianity and wish to know more about the Orthodox faith and the way that it is practised. It will also be helpful for Orthodox Christians who wish to better understand their faith and deepen their spiritual life. Although it summarises the advice that one could expect to receive in this parish and our neighbouring parish of Saint Panteleimon, Gosford, care has been taken to ensure that the advice is broadly consistent with that likely to be given in other regular parishes of the Australian-New Zealand Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. Additional information and new links to online resources will be added from time to time. The information and links provided here are current as of 26 January 2023.
For those wishing to learn more about the Orthodox Christian faith in general and the life of the Russian Orthodox Church in particular, we offer:
- a list of books to read
- some trustworthy online resources
For those wishing to deepen their spiritual life, we offer advice concerning:
- prayer at home
- prayer at church
- fasting
- confession
- preparation for Holy Communion
We also offer some further suggestions of a general nature to help those looking for an Orthodox Christian parish to visit, and to then help when visiting for the first time.
Books are listed below without details of publishers or dates of publication. This is because many have been issued by different publishers and in various editions. All can be found readily online when searching by author and title.
The definitive English-language introductory books to Orthodox Christianity are:
Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity
Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Way
Timothy Ware (1934-2022), later Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia, was a bishop of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, an academic, a noted translator, and a theologian. He was received into the Orthodox Church in 1958.
Some other helpful introductory books are:
Thomas Hopko, The Orthodox Faith
An online version of this four-volume book is available here. Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko (1939-2015) was a priest of the Orthodox Church in America, an academic, and a theologian.
Hilarion Alfeyev, The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to the Teaching and Spirituality of the Orthodox Church
Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) (b.1966) is a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church and a noted theologian, historian and composer.
John Anthony McGuckin, The Orthodox Church: An Introduction to its History, Doctrine, And Spiritual Culture
Father John McGuckin (b.1952) is a priest of the Romanian Orthodox Church, an academic, and a theologian.
A short but immensely helpful book of Orthodox Christian instruction, originally written back in 1833 for the evangelisation of the Aleutian people of Alaska, is:
Innocent Veniaminov, Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven
An online version is available here. Saint Innocent (Veniaminov) (1797-1879) was an Orthodox bishop and renowned missionary who later became Metropolitan of Moscow. He was canonised in 1977.
A good book for those wishing to better understand Orthodox Christian theology and the key differences from Roman Catholic and Protestant teaching is:
Michael Pomazansky, Orthodox Dogmatic Theology: A Concise Exposition
An online version of this book is available here. Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky (1888-1988) was a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, an academic and a theologian.
Another helpful text by Father Michael Pomazansky is:
The Old Testament in the New Testament Church
An online version is available here.
An excellent book about Orthodox Christian spiritual life is:
Tito Colliander, The Way of the Ascetics
An online version of this book is available here. Tito Colliander (1904-1989) was a Russian-born layman of the Orthodox Church of Finland, a theologian, teacher, and novelist. He was a spiritual son of Schema-Igumen John (Alekseyev).
Another excellent book on Orthodox spirituality is:
Father John, Christ is in our Midst: Letters from a Russian Monk
Righteous Schema-Igumen John (Alekseyev) (1873-1958) was a priest of the Finnish Orthodox Church and the confessor of the New Valaam Monastery. He was canonised in 2018.
A good non-academic introduction to sacred history and to Orthodox Christian faith, spirituality and worship is:
Seraphim Slobodskoy, The Law of God: For Study at Home and School
Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy (1912-1971) was a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and a renowned pastor and artist.
Some good and edifying books for those wishing to understand the experience of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Twentieth Century are:
Tikhon Shevkunov, Everyday Saints and Other Stories
Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov) (b.1958) is a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, a writer and a filmmaker.
Father Arseny 1893-1973: Priest, prisoner, Spiritual Father
Father Arseny: A Cloud of Witnesses
Father Arseny (Streltzof) (1894-1975) was a monastic priest of the Russian Orthodox Church who endured long imprisonment for his faith during the Soviet era.
For those who wish to have some simple spiritual reading each day, we recommend:
Nikolai Velimirovic, Prologue from Ochrid
A link to an online version of this book is available here. It includes lives of saints, reflections, homilies and other material for each day on the according to the Julian Calendar. Saint Nikolai (Velimirovic) (1881-1956) was a bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church and a gifted writer and preacher. He was canonised in 2003.
Information about prayer books and other books to help with understanding of Orthodox divine services is provided below.
Here are a few online resources that we are willing to recommend:
On Orthodox Faith and Life, the page for English-language publications on the website of Bishop Alexander (Mileant) (1938-2005):
https://www.fatheralexander.org
The Orthodox Faith, a page on the website of the Orthodox Church in America:
The website of Saint Elisabeth Convent in Minsk, Belarus:
Daily prayer at home is an essential part of Orthodox Christian life. Prayers are customarily read aloud whilst standing before icons of our Lord Jesus Christ, his Most Pure Mother, and of particulary revered saints. Couples and families may pray together, taking turns to read different prayers. If the melodies are known, certain familiar prayers ("O Heavenly King", "Our Father") and hymns ("O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice", "Save, O Lord, Thy people", "It is truly meet to bless Thee", "To thee, the Champion Leader") may be sung.
The definitive English-language Orthodox Christian prayer book in the Russian tradition is the ‘Jordanville’ Prayer Book, so called because it originates in, and is published by, the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York. It has Morning Prayers and Prayers before Sleep for home use, as well as the text of the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, the Order of Preparation for Holy Communion, and a great deal of other useful material. An online version of the Jordanville Prayer Book is available here. Another version is available here. Printed copies can be easily ordered online.
Some tips for reading Morning Prayers, Evening Prayers and Prayers before Sleep
Many people find it difficult to read all the appointed morning and evening prayers. If pressed for time or struggling with the length of the service, particularly when praying in a family setting with younger children, some of the ten prayers appointed to be read in the morning and in the evening may be omitted. Some people find it helpful to spread these prayers across the week, reading the first two on Monday, the second two on Tuesday, and so on. Others prefer to read a few of the prayers that particularly resonate. It is OK to do this.
Some printed copies of the Prayer Book include the following prayer with Morning Prayers:
O Lord Jesus Christ our God, forgive our iniquities. Through the intercessions of Thy most pure Mother, save the suffering Russian people from the yoke of the godless authority. Amen.
These words date back to the time of the Soviet Union. For contemporary use, we suggest that this prayer be amended as follows:
O Lord Jesus Christ our God, forgive our iniquities. Through the intercessions of Thy most pure Mother, save the Russian Orthodox Church and people from enemies visible and invisible. Amen.
This prayer is important for all who belong to the Russian Orthodox Church, whether Russian or not. Others may wish to replace it, or supplement it, with something like this:
O Lord our God, save and have mercy on this nation of Australia, established with trust in Thy blessing, its authorities, and armed forces, and on all the faithful and pious that dwell herein. Preserve us from famine, pestilence, earthquake, flood, fire, the sword, the invasion of enemies, and civil war; turn away all the wrath stirred up against us; extinguish every blasphemous impiety of the unbelieving world; and deliver us from Thy righteous judgement. Amen.
These words have been taken from petitions used in services of intercession on civil feast-days and modified for home use. The reference to our nation being established with trust in God's blessing refers to the opening words of The Australian Constitution.
We suggest that the long commemoration of the living and the departed at Morning Prayers in the Prayer Book be replaced with the following:
Then offer a brief prayer for the health and salvation of thy spiritual father, thy parents, relatives, those in authority, benefactors, others known to thee, the ailing, or those passing through sorrows.
Save, O Lord, and have mercy on Thy servants [names], upon all our benefactors, neighbours, relatives, and friends, those who have asked us to pray for them, and those for whom we have undertaken to pray.
Deliver them from every wrath, tribulation and necessity.
From every sickness of soul and body.
Forgive them their sins both voluntary and involuntary.
And do whatever is profitable for our souls.
For the Departed:
Grant rest, O Lord, to the souls of Thy departed servants [names] and upon all of our departed benefactors, neighbours, relatives, and friends, those for whom we have been asked to pray, and those for whom we have undertaken to pray.
Forgive and have mercy on them for whatsoever sins they have humanly committed, as Thou art a God who lovest mankind.
Deliver them from eternal torment.
Make them sharers of the kingdom of heaven.
And do whatever is profitable for our souls.
If time permits at the conclusion of Morning Prayers, it is a beneficial practice to read aloud the appointed Gospel reading for the day. Orthodox calendars are generally available that provide this information. In this parish, our parishioners and friends are provided with such a calendar each year.
The Prayers before Sleep may be read earlier in the evening - for example, after the evening meal. There are a few prayers that can be read later, immediately before going to bed; these begin with the "Prayer of Saint John Damascene, which is to be said while pointing at thy bed".
When should I begin the practice of daily prayer at home?
If you are already an Orthodox Christian, begin this practice as soon as you can. If you are interested in Orthodox Christianity and coming to the point of reaching out to a parish to learn more, we suggest that you too start to pray according to Orthodox Christian custom. The practice of prayer will be a help in itself, but you will also be learning forms and words of prayer that will help you make sense of Orthodox worship in church when you get to that point.
When beginning prayer at home, don't be too worried about formalities. Orthodox Christians customarily pray facing east, but not every home - or even every church! - is set out in a way that makes that possible. Simply stand in front of your icons or icon - even one small icon is enough - and pray with sincerity and a heartfelt desire to draw closer to God.
It's usual to feel distracted in prayer, especially when there is a busy day ahead or something weighing heavily on us. Don't be discouraged when this happens to you! Simply recall your thoughts as soon as you realise that they are wandering, and make a renewed effort to focus. Don't start prayers over again - just acknowledge your weakness and ask for God's help. Even standing before your icons in prayer is a small offering of your time and effort to God - strive every day, with His help, to make that small offering to Him the best that it can be.
People sometimes worry that they need a blessing from a priest to begin to pray, especially if they are saying what Orthodox Christians call the 'Jesus Prayer': Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. There is no need to ask for a blessing to pray. If the Jesus Prayer is used as a simple and heartfelt prayer without hoping for anything more than what is actually asked for in the prayer – God’s mercy for me, a sinner - it’s hard to go wrong. It's only when people try to use prayer in a mechanistic way to bring about some kind of higher state that there is any spiritual danger.
Like daily prayer, fasting is an essential part of Orthodox Christian life. By fasting we practice faithfulness in small things so as to learn to be faithful in bigger things (Luke 16:10). Fasting also connects us in a simple way to the liturgical life of the Orthodox Church.
As a general rule, the Orthodox Church appoints the following days and seasons for fasting:
- Wednesdays
- Fridays
- the days of Great Lent, the period of seven weeks before Pascha (Easter)
- the days of the Apostles’ Fast - beginning on the second Sunday after Pentecost and continuing until 12 July, the day of commemoration of the Apostles Peter and Paul
- the days of the Dormition Fast, 14-28 August
- the days of the Nativity Fast, 28 November-7 January
- 11 September, the day of commemoration of the Beheading of St John the Baptist
- 27 September, the Great Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord
During Cheesefare Week, the week before the beginning of Great Lent, we refrain from eating meat every day but otherwise do not fast.
We do not fast on:
- the festive days between the Great Feasts of Christmas and Theophany (7-19 January)
- the festive days of Bright Week, the week after Pascha
Orthodox Christian fasting generally involves the restriction of types of food rather than the quantity of food. That does not mean that the quantity of food we eat is unimportant; rather, for Christians moderation in eating and drinking is something that should be practised at all times - not only when fasting. There is one day of the year many Orthodox Christians strive to go without eating at all – Great and Holy Friday.
On fasting days, we observe an essentially vegan diet – that is, we eat no meat, fish, dairy, eggs, or related products. Wine and other forms of alcohol are not permitted on many fasting days. Strictly speaking, oil is also not permitted on many days. On certain feast-days the rules are relaxed to reflect what is happening in the liturgical life of the Church – on these days, wine, oil and even fish may be permitted. In general, the rule is that the greater the festivity, the greater the relaxation of fasting. An Orthodox calendar usually shows the rules that apply on a given day.
When should I begin the practice of fasting?
If you are already an Orthodox Christian, begin this practice as soon as you can. If you are interested in Orthodox Christianity and have begun to pray at home according to Orthodox custom and also attend services, we suggest that you too begin to keep the appointed fasts. This is because the practice of fasting is both a helpful form of self-discipline and a way of connecting to the life of the Orthodox Church and other Orthodox Christians.
People often ask a priest if they can relax the rules of fasting for the sake of their health. In this parish, people with special dietary needs are simply advised to follow the advice of their doctor or other health professional. There is no requirement to observe the rules of fasting if there is a genuine risk to one’s health.
Sometimes the circumstances of life make fasting difficult. This is especially the case if one shares cooking and meals with family members or friends who do not fast. In this parish, people with such difficulties are simply encouraged to fast whenever they can. For example, breakfast and lunch are less likely to be shared meals than the evening meal, and the fast can usually be observed at those times without creating difficulties.
The difficulty of travelling is sometimes cited as a reason for not fasting. In times such as ours when fresh fruit and vegetables, in addition to plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy products, are widely available, travelling is unlikely to make fasting impossible.
Some people ask if they can exchange abstinence from one type of food for another. For example, if they are more fond of carrots than of meat, why not give up carrots instead? This approach is foreign to the Orthodox understanding of fasting, in which a common discipline is taken on by all.
There are special rules around fasting before receiving Holy Communion. These rules are discussed below.
