Liturgical life

What is Holy Communion? Is it just a symbol?

For Orthodox Christians, Communion is not just a symbol, nor a mere memory. It is truly the Body and Blood of Christ, under the appearance of bread and wine. Christ said it clearly: take, eat, this is My Body (Matthew 26:26), not this reminds you of Me. It is the center of the Liturgy and the deepest nourishment of the Christian life.

Last updated: July 9, 2026

Why do we venerate saints and the Mother of God, is Christ not enough?

We do not worship saints instead of Christ, nor do we make them little gods. We ask them to pray for us, exactly as you would ask a faithful friend, pray for me. The only Savior remains Christ; saints are not a parallel path, they are friends of His who hold our hands on the way to Him.

Why should I go to church, can't I just believe at home?

You can believe anywhere, and it is good to pray at home too. But the Christian faith is not a personal hobby, it is a life together. Christ did not found a meditation app, He founded a Church, a body in which we are members of one another. And there are things you receive only there, especially Holy Communion, which you cannot give yourself at home.

Why do we baptize small children?

We baptize them because baptism is not a diploma you get when you are grown up and understand everything; it is a new birth, an entry into God's family. You don't wait for a child to grow up to love or feed them, you welcome them while they are small. Likewise, the Church does not leave the little one on the doorstep, but takes them in its arms from the very beginning.

Why do we make the sign of the cross, and why from right to left?

The sign of the cross is a brief prayer made with the body. Through this gesture, you confess in a single movement the Trinity and the cross of Christ, you ask for help, you seal yourself. Orthodox Christians do it from right to left, the opposite of Catholics, and it is not a whim; every gesture has a meaning.

What is the use of relics of saints? Isn't it morbid?

It seems strange at first sight, venerating bones, yes. But for Christians, the body is not trash to be thrown away; it is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and it will rise again. Relics are the remains of people in whom God dwelt, and through whom He has worked and continues to work miracles. We do not venerate death, we venerate the life that sanctified even the body.

Why do we kiss icons? Isn't it idolatry?

We do not bow down to wood or to paint. You kiss an icon the way you kiss a photo of your mother: love does not stop at the paper, it goes to the...

What is fasting for?

Fasting is not a diet and it is not about calories. It is a training of the will, a way to stop being the slave of your stomach, in order to make room...

Why confess to a priest? Why not directly to God?

Because Christ Himself willed it so. After the Resurrection, He breathed on the apostles and said to them: receive the Holy Spirit; those whose sins...

Why are there no statues in Orthodox churches, only icons?

It's not a matter of taste, it's theology made visible. A statue occupies space with its volume, it has a shadow, a weight, it imitates the fallen, fleshly body too closely — exactly the form the idols of the ancient world took. The icon is flat, stylized, bathed in a gold that is not the sky outside, but the other light, the uncreated one. It does not show just any body, it shows the glorified body, as the risen body will be. The difference between icon and statue is not one of artistic talent, it is a confession about what happened to matter in Christ.

Why does Orthodox Easter often fall on a different date than Catholic Easter?

It's not a quarrel, it's two things layered together: a different calendar and an old rule kept strictly. At the First Ecumenical Council, in 325, it was decided that Easter would fall on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. The Orthodox calculate this according to the Julian calendar, Catholics switched to the Gregorian calendar in 1582, and the several-day difference between the two calendars often pushes Orthodox Easter later.

Why can Orthodox priests marry, but not bishops?

This is an old distinction, not a recent one, and by no means a sign that marriage would be second-rate. A married man can become a priest, but he cannot marry after being ordained. Bishops, on the other hand, have for centuries been chosen only from among unmarried monks. The reason is not that the body or family would be impure, but a reason both practical and spiritual: a bishop shepherds an entire diocese, like a father to thousands of souls, and tradition judged that monastic life frees him for such a broad ministry.

What is a spiritual father or an elder (starets), and why is it so important to have one?

A spiritual father is a priest who accompanies you on the path of faith, listens to you in confession, gets to know you over time, and advises you. An elder (starets) is something even deeper, usually a monk very advanced spiritually, whom people come from afar to see for a clear word. Both exist for a very simple reason: alone, with no one to see you from the outside, it is easy to deceive yourself even in the holiest things.

My first visit to an Orthodox church: what should I know?

You don't need to do anything special for a first visit. Dress modestly, arrive a few minutes early, stand wherever you feel comfortable. No one will judge you. Observe, let the atmosphere carry you, and don't worry about the rest.

The interactive Orthodox church

Step into an Orthodox church without fear: click the markers to understand the iconostasis, altar, choir, candles, ambo and what a visitor may do.