Eastern Orthodoxy

Many people follow Eastern Orthodoxy.

This is a big branch of the Christian faith. It began a long time ago.

They believe in one God. They also believe in three persons.

These three persons are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

They think Jesus is very important. They believe he died and came back to life. This helps people find a way to God.

They also honor Mary. She is the mother of Jesus.

They call her the Mother of God.

People in these churches pray together. They use a special book to guide them. This helps them live a good life.

Eastern Orthodoxy is a large branch of Christianity.

It grew from the Greek culture of the Mediterranean. Many different churches make up this faith. They are often independent from one another.

Some of these churches have their own leaders. These leaders choose their own head.

Followers believe in one God. They see God as three persons.

These are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They believe these three are one. They also believe Jesus is very important. They say he died and rose again. This is a core belief for them.

People follow a special calendar for their year. They also honor the Virgin Mary. They call her the Mother of God. They believe she is a great saint. Many people also honor other saints. They believe the bodies of saints are holy.

Life is seen as a journey toward God. This is sometimes called theosis. It means becoming more like God through grace. People use the Bible as their holy book.

They see it as a way to find truth.

Eastern Orthodoxy is one of the three main branches of Christianity.

It is also called Byzantine Christianity. This faith grew from the Greek culture in the eastern Mediterranean Basin. The church is made of many independent groups.

These are called autocephalous churches. There are 17 mainstream ones in this tradition. Each group chooses its own leader, or primate. Some groups have authority over others. For example, the Patriarchate of Moscow covers Russia and some other states.

Followers believe in one God, which is called monotheism. They believe God is both far away and close to the world.

They see God as a Trinity. This means three distinct persons in one essence. These are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father is eternal and starts from no one. The Son is begotten of the Father. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. This belief is written in the Greek Nicene Creed. They do not use a phrase called the Filioque. This phrase was added by the Latin Church later.

Life is seen as a spiritual journey.

This journey is meant to help people become more like God. This goal is called theosis. People do not become divine by nature. Instead, they participate in God's energies through grace. They are like icons of the living God.

Baptism is how people enter this new life. They use prayer and follow the example of Christ. The church includes people living now and those from the past. This group is called the communion of the saints. It joins heaven and earth together.

Many special people are honored in this faith. The most important is the Virgin Mary. They call her the Theotokos, which means Mother of God. They believe she carried God in her person. They also honor many other saints.

The bodies of these saints are considered holy. People sometimes find miracles through their relics. These miracles can include healing from sickness. The church uses a special calendar to mark important days. This helps the community follow the rhythm of their faith.

Everything in the faith leads to the end of time.

They believe Jesus Christ rose from the dead after three days. This is the most important event for them. When a person dies, their soul is temporarily separated from the body. The soul goes to a place called paradise or Hades. This is just a foretaste of what comes later. At the Final Judgment, souls and bodies will be reunited.

The saints will then live in deep love with God forever.

Eastern Orthodoxy is one of the three primary branches of Chalcedonian Christianity.

It is also frequently called Byzantine Christianity. This faith grew within the Byzantine Greek culture of the eastern Mediterranean Basin. The religion is not a single, centralized organization like some other Christian groups. Instead, it is composed of several independent churches.

These are known as autocephalous churches. This term means they are self-governing and choose their own primate, or leader. There are 17 mainstream autocephalous churches within the Eastern Orthodox tradition. Some of these churches hold authority over others, which can be called autonomous status. Many of these jurisdictions align with the borders of modern nations. For example, the Patriarchate of Moscow oversees Russia and several post-Soviet states.

The structure of the church involves many different levels of organization. These include metropolises, bishoprics, parishes, and monasteries. Some jurisdictions also include outlying metochia, which are locations for people living far from their home country. Sometimes, the territories of different patriarchs can overlap. An example of this occurs in Moldova, where the jurisdictions of Bucharest and Moscow meet. Despite this independence, these churches share very similar teachings and offices. They view themselves as parts of one single, unified church. Adherents follow a liturgical calendar to mark the rhythm of their religious year.

At the center of Eastern Orthodox theology is the concept of the Trinity.

Followers believe in one God, a monotheistic view. They describe God as both transcendent and immanent. Transcendent means God is wholly independent of the material universe. Immanent means God is also actively involved within the universe. To explain this, theologians use the concept of divine energies. While God's eternal essence is totally separate from creation, His uncreated energies are how He reaches humanity. These energies are not things God produces; they are God Himself. This specific way of understanding God is often called Palamism.

The Trinity consists of three distinct, divine persons, or hypostases. These are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They all share one single divine essence, or ousia. The Father is eternal and is not begotten by anyone. The Son is eternal and is begotten of the Father. The Holy Spirit is eternal and proceeds from the Father. This distinction is important to the Orthodox faith. Because of this, they reject the "Filioque" clause used by the Latin Church. The Filioque is a phrase meaning "and the Son" that was added to the Nicene Creed. Eastern Orthodox Christians believe this addition was made without a proper council.

Eastern Orthodox Christians believe that human nature is "fallen" but not inherently evil. They teach that humans are still made in the image of God. Being fallen means that people are inclined toward sin and temptation. However, they reject the idea that descendants are guilty of the original sin of Adam and Eve. The central event of their faith is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They believe Jesus was killed under Pontius Pilate and rose after three days. This resurrection is how sin is fully absolved.

Following his resurrection, they believe He walked the earth for 40 days before ascending to heaven.

The goal of the Christian life is a process called theosis.

This is the pursuit of becoming more like God through grace. People do not become divine in their nature, but they participate in God's energies. This makes them "icons of the living God." This spiritual journey involves unceasing prayer and the imitation of Christ. The church is seen as the Body of Christ, which includes both living people and the saints who have passed away.

This unity of the living and the dead is called the communion of the saints. It is a community that transcends both time and space.

Many holy figures are honored within the tradition, especially the Virgin Mary. She is called the Theotokos, which means "Mother of God." This title affirms that the person she gave birth to was truly divine. The church also honors many other saints. They believe the bodies of saints, known as relics, are holy. Many miracles, such as healings, have been reported in connection with these relics throughout history.

This holiness is connected to the saints' participation in holy mysteries.

Finally, the faith includes specific beliefs about the end of life. When a person dies, their soul is temporarily separated from their body. The soul enters a state that is a "foretaste" of what is to come. It may go to paradise or the darkness of Hades.

Unlike Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy does not accept the doctrine of Purgatory. They believe the prayers of the living can affect the state of the soul in Hades. After the Final Judgment, all souls will be reunited with their resurrected bodies. At this time, the saints will progress into a deeper and fuller love of God forever.