INSTRUCTIONS_ON_JOINING_THE_ORTHODOX

The Orthodox Pages

INSTRUCTIONS FOR JOINING

THE ORTHODOX CHURCH

PAGE FIVE

WHAT IS BAPTISM?

Baptism is the first Sacrament. It is divinely instituted, as are all the Sacraments, i.e. it was instituted by Jesus Christ Himself and He instituted it by word and deed. By word as we have already mentioned above, and by deed when He Himself, though sinless, was baptized in the Jordan, thereby crushing the heads of the dragons, i.e. the demons, who dwelt in the water and sanctifying the water. He thus showed us the form and the need for us sinners to be baptized. The Sacrament of Baptism is thus God-instituted. Our Lord established it, the Apostles enforced and transmitted it to the Church, and the Church sustained and sustains it as she received it.

HOW IS BAPTISM ADMINISTERED?

After the candidate for Baptism has been instructed in the faith, he is ready to be accepted as a member of the Church. On the day of his Baptism, but before he is baptized, he will stand together with the Priest by the western doors of the Church. The Priest will then breathe on him three times and sign him with the sign of the Cross three times on his forehead and breast. The Priest will then read some exorcism prayers and having done this will turn the candidate to face westward and ask him if he renounces Satan. When the candidate replies with “I have renounced him” the Priest then turns him to face eastward and asks him if he joins Christ. The candidate answers with “I have joined Him” and then recites the Symbol of Faith.

THE SYMBOL OF FAITH [THE CREED]

I Believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in all things visible and invisible:

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, Begotten of the Father before all worlds; Light of Light, Very God of Very God, Begotten not made, Being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made: Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, And was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary, And was made man, And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, He suffered and was buried, And the third day He rose again according to the scriptures, And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And He shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead: Whose kingdom shall have no end.

And in the Holy Ghost, The Lord and giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets.

And in one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the Resurrection of the dead, And the life of the world to come. Amen.

The candidate then enters the main part of the Church, kisses the Icons of Christ and the Mother of God and then stands by the baptismal font. The Baptism service is now ready to commence.

Here we should explain how people were baptized in the early Church and how they are baptized today because the service books we now have, have been adapted for infant Baptisms and our Churches are not equipped with the proper Baptisteries which can cater for the proper administration of adult Baptisms.

BAPTISM IN THE EARLY CHURCH

From the beginning and up to the eighth century Baptism was administered mainly to adults in groups or households where the whole family was baptized at the same time. Isolated Baptisms were rare and only performed for reasons of necessity, neither were they performed on a day requested by the candidate, but on the Great Feasts, especially Easter and Theophany. The baptismal service was joined to the Divine Liturgy, thus all the congregation was present and received Holy Communion together with the new members. The actual Baptism though, was not seen by all the congregation. Churches had special baptisteries equipped with pools for adults. The baptisteries were curtained off to form dressing rooms where the candidates could get undressed and prepared for Holy Baptism. All candidates were stripped naked and the Priest would then anoint the forehead with exorcised oil. If the candidate was a woman, her body would still be covered at this stage [for at no time during the service would the Priest look upon her naked body] and when the Priest had turned away, a deaconess [women appointed to help at Baptisms] would anoint the whole body with the oil before leading the candidate into the water to be baptized. The same woman would also help with dressing the newly baptized with her bright baptismal garments. The same was done with the male candidates, only the candidate; the Deacon [possibly also the sponsor] and the Priest were present at the actual baptism.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem and St. John Chrysostom, two great fathers of the fourth century have the following to say about Baptism.

ST. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM

As soon, therefore, as ye entered in, ye put off your garment; and this was an image of putting off the old man with his deeds (Col. 3: 9). Having stripped yourselves, ye were naked, in this also imitating Christ, who hung naked on the Cross, and by His nakedness spoiled principalities and powers, and openly triumphed over them on the tree (Col. 2:15). For since the powers of the enemy made their lair in your members, ye may no longer wear that old vestment; I do not at all mean this visible one, but that old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts (Eph. 4:22). May no soul which has once put him off, again put him on, but say with the Spouse of Christ in the Song of Songs, I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? (Cant. 5:3). O wondrous thing! Ye were naked in the sight of all, and were not ashamed; for truly ye bore the likeness of the first-formed Adam, who was naked in the garden, and was not ashamed.

Then, when ye were stripped, ye were anointed with exorcized oil, from the very hairs of your head, to your feet, and were made partakers of the good olive-tree, Jesus Christ. For ye were cut off from the wild olive-tree, and grafted into the good one, and were made to share the fatness of the true olive-tree. The exorcized oil therefore was a symbol of the participation of the fatness of Christ, the charm to drive away every trace of hostile influence. For as the breathing of the saints, and the invocation of the Name of God, like fiercest flame, scorch and drive out evil spirits, so also this exorcized oil receives such virtue by the invocation of God and by prayer, as not only to burn and cleanse away the traces of sins, but also to chase away all the invisible powers of the evil one.

After these things, ye were led to the holy pool of Divine Baptism, as Christ was carried from the Cross to the Sepulchre, which is before our eyes. And each of you was asked, whether he believed in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and ye made that saving confession, and descended three times into the water, and ascended again; here also covertly pointing by a figure at the three-days burial of Christ. For as our Saviour passed three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, so you also in your first ascent out of the water, represented the first day of Christ in the earth, and by your descent, the night; for as he who is in the night, sees no more, but he who is in the day, remains in the light, so in descending, ye saw nothing as in the night, but in ascending again, ye were as in the day. And at the self-same moment, ye died and were born; and the Water of salvation was at once your grave and your mother. And what Solomon spoke of others will suit you also; for he said, “There is a time to bear and a time to die” (Eccles. 3:2); but to you, on the contrary, the time to die is also the time to be born, and one and the same season brings about both of these, and your birth went hand in hand with your death.

O strange and inconceivable thing! We did not really die, we were not really buried, we were not really crucified and raised again, but our imitation was but a figure, while our salvation is in reality. Christ was actually crucified and actually buried, and truly rose again; and all these things have been vouchsafed to us, that we, by imitation communicating in His suffering, might gain salvation in reality. O surpassing loving-kindness! Christ received the nails in His undefiled hands and feet, and endured anguish; while to me without suffering or toil, by the fellowship of His pain He vouchsafes salvation.

ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

After the renunciation of the devil and the covenant with Christ, inasmuch as you have henceforth become His very own and have nothing in common with that evil one, He straightway bids you to be marked and places on your forehead the sign of the Cross. That savage beast is shameless and, when he hears those words, he grows more wild [as we might expect] and desires to assault you on sight. Hence, God anoints your countenance and stamps thereon the sign of the Cross. In this way does God hold in check all the frenzy of the Evil One; for the devil will not dare to look upon such a sight. Just as if he had beheld the rays of the sun and had leaped away, so will his eyes be blinded by the sight of your face and he will depart; for through the chrism the Cross is stamped upon you. The chrism is a mixture of olive oil and unguent; the unguent is for the bride, the oil is for the athlete. And that you may again know that it is not a man but God Himself who anoints you by the hand of the Priest, listen to St. Paul when he says: “It is God who is warrant for us and for you in Christ, who has anointed us” (2 Cor. 1:21). After He anoints all your limbs with this ointment, you will be secure and able to hold the serpent in check; you will suffer no harm.

After the anointing, then, it remains to go into the bath of sacred waters. After stripping you of your robe, the Priest himself leads you down into the flowing waters. But why naked? He reminds you of your former nakedness, when you were in Paradise and you were not ashamed. For Holy writ says: Adam and Eve were naked and were not ashamed, until they took up the garment of sin, a garment heavy with abundant shame.

Do not, then, feel shame here, for the bath is much better than the garden of Paradise. There can be no serpent here, but Christ is here initiating you into the regeneration that comes from the water and the Spirit. You cannot see here beautiful trees and fruits, but you can see spiritual favours. You cannot find here the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, nor the law and commandments, but you can find grace and gifts. For sin shall not have dominion over you, since you are not under the Law, but under grace (Rom. 6:14).

Being stripped naked therefore had many symbolisms. It symbolized the putting off of the old man and all his sins, the old Adam who had fallen from grace. It symbolized Christ who was crucified naked upon the Cross. It was to remember mans former nakedness in Paradise where, because of his childlike innocence, he was not ashamed, until he sinned and fell from grace. And Baptism is the cleansing of that original sin, but also bestows on man something far better than his former glory, for he emerges from the water dead to sin, reborn unto a new life, resurrected into a life in Christ; a child of God; a faithful Christian; a citizen, heir and member of God’s heavenly kingdom. And as he was born into this world naked so also he is reborn into this spiritual rebirth naked.

After all the candidates had been baptized and dressed, they were led by the Priest into the main part of the Church where the whole congregation waited to receive them and celebrate with them the event of their salvation and to receive together with them Holy communion in the service of the Divine Liturgy.

With the establishment of the Imperial Church in the fourth century, it was inevitable that Christianity would spread and be accepted throughout the Roman Empire. By the eighth century all adult citizens of the empire were Christians and infant baptism prevailed. Instruction in the faith ceased and responsibility of confessing the faith at Baptism fell upon the sponsor [Godparent] who was also responsible and obligated, together with the child’s parents, to educate and rear the child in a Christian manner. The pools for adult Baptisms also became obsolete together with the baptisteries and Baptisms were administered there on in the Church proper in an infant font.

BAPTISM IN THE PRESENT DAY

Today, with many adults wishing to join the Orthodox Church, the Church has been caught unprepared insofar as she has not the proper facilities to administer Baptism to adults by immersion in pools (some Churches have now been furnished with pools). The service itself has been isolated from the Divine Liturgy and individual Baptisms are performed. The service is performed in the main part of the Church so without the proper baptisteries where the candidate can strip naked, it would be inconceivable for us to expect the candidate to stand naked in front of all his invited guests. Modesty must prevail, but at the same time, we must find a solution where the Baptism of old, with all its theological meanings and symbolisms is not lost altogether.

Some Priests insist that the candidate wears a white chiton [a garment that is worn like a dress], but this causes problems. It is anti-theological and non-traditional. The exorcized oil cannot be anointed on all the body and instead of hiding the body it reveals it, for when the person is baptized; the chiton sticks closely to the body. A more modest and practical way is for the man to wear loose swimming shorts. That way the Priest [or the sponsor] can anoint most of the body and the candidate himself can anoint the part that is covered by the shorts. A woman can also wear swimming shorts and a decent swimming bra and in the same way her body can be anointed. In this way we fulfil tradition as best as modesty permits. Another modern problem is where the newly baptized is dried and dressed. Most large city churches have adjoining rooms or offices that can double as dressing rooms, but many small Churches consist only of the main Church and Sanctuary. In such cases, the Priest should make available a mobile screen or screen off a corner of the Church with a sheet. Having said this, it remains for us to describe to you a summary of the service as it would be expected to be performed today, keeping in mind that the order of the service might vary according to the custom of each local Church.

A SUMMARY OF THE SERVICE

The Priest begins with the introductory prayers and then the prayers for the sanctification of the waters. He then takes up a vessel with olive oil and having said the prayer for the sanctification of the oil, pours some of the oil crosswise onto the waters of the font. At this point the candidate’s clothes are removed and the Priest takes the oil and anoints the candidate on his forehead, breast, shoulders, ears, feet and hands. The rest of the body is anointed by the sponsor [or the Priest]. After the anointing the candidate is then led into the waters to be baptized, i.e. thrice immersed in the sanctified water of the baptismal font. Where the Church is not equipped with a baptismal font for adults, the candidate stands in a suitable vessel and the Priest takes the water from the standard infant font and pours it three times over the person being baptized. Once out of the water, the Priest reads the prayer of Chrismation [Confirmation] and anoints the newly baptized with the Holy Chrism, making the sign of the Cross on the forehead, the eyes, the nostrils, the mouth, the ears, the breast, the hands and the feet, saying each time “The Seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen”. The Priest then takes up the new white garments of the baptized and invests him saying: “The servant of God is clothed with the garment of righteousness…” The newly baptized is then dried and dressed, either by himself or with the help of his sponsor. Once dressed the Priest takes the baptismal Cross and secures it round the baptizan’s neck saying Christ’s commandment: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”.

After this the Priest takes up the censer and together with the newly baptized, holding a candle, encircle the font three times singing: “As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia”. This is done symbolically of the old order of Baptism when the newly baptised were led by the Priest from the baptistery into the main Church. Next follows the readings from the New Testament known as the Apostle and the Gospel. What takes place next is symbolic of what should take place on the eighth day after Baptism which we will explain below, but for now it suffices to say that it is done in anticipation. The Priest having read the three prayers of ablution [the washing], takes up a linen cloth and soaking the end in clean water sprinkles the newly baptized saying: “Thou art justified, thou art enlightened”. Then with the cloth or a sponge [or cotton wool] he wipes the baptizan’s face saying: “Thou art baptized, thou art enlightened, thou art Chrismated, thou art sanctified, thou art washed clean, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”. [Before leaving the Church, the newly baptized should wash his hands and face with soap and water, which again we will explain below]. The Priest then reads the two prayers of the Tonsure [the cutting of hair] and cuts hair from the baptizan’s head in the form of a cross. Why is this done? Having been baptized, you are now a new man reborn by water and the Spirit. God has granted you salvation and not only this; He has sealed you with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is only right that we offer something back to God for His loving-kindness; therefore the hair that is cut is a symbolic offering similar to the firstfruits one would offer God as a thanksgiving for the good harvest. But here the hair represents not fruit, but an offering of ourselves, the beginning of a new start and a sacrifice of our whole life to Christ our God. After the tonsure, the Priest says the closing prayers and invites the newly baptized to partake of the precious Body and Blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

An explanation is needed for the sprinkling and washing of the face mentioned above. In the early Church the newly baptized did not wash, but on the eighth day returned to the Church [probably the baptistery] and was bathed there. The Priest then read the prayers of ablution and continued with the prayers of the tonsuring and the tonsure. This was done so that man could differentiate between the things that had been sanctified and the things that had not. The oils, the water and the Holy Chrism used for his baptism had been sanctified through the grace of the Holy Spirit; they were used for his sanctification and salvation and therefore should be treated with the reverence due to them. It would be an impious act to bathe in a common place and the waters of the bath to flow into the common sewage. Today we still keep this devout tradition, but instead of on the eight day, it is now executed on the third day. We will explain the procedure according to infants, which can easily be adapted for adults.

On the third day the Godparent comes to the child’s home for the washing, as it is considered his responsibility to wash the child. A baby bath is set up and the child is washed and dressed. Then all the clothes the child wore for those three days and his bed sheets are washed in the same water and the water is then poured into a container. The clothes are then rinsed in clean water which again is poured into the container. The water is then carried to the Church and poured into the Church’s drainage. In this way the devout tradition and teaching is kept intact. The only thing that differs from the old way is that the child is not brought back to the Church for the prayers of ablution. The prayers were said on the day of Baptism in anticipation and the Priest symbolically washed the child’s face.

An adult can wash in a similar way by placing a baby bath in the normal bath and carefully washing with the minimum of water. With adults it would also be desirable and a move in the right direction, to return to the old order of things. They can, by asking the Priest beforehand not to read the prayers of ablution at the Baptism, return to the Church on the third day, at a time convenient to both, and have the prayers read then. Either way, one should return to the Church to pour the water from the bath down the Church’s drainage.

THE SPONSOR [GODPARENT]

With infant Baptisms the sponsor [or the Godfather as he is more commonly called] has an important role to play, not only during the ritual service, but also for the rest of the child’s life. By tradition he is obliged to buy for the child his baptismal Cross and the baptismal garments, and because in Orthodoxy everything is done in threes [symbolic of the Trinitarian God] he also buys other garments for the child in threes e.g. 3 pairs of socks, 3 vests etc. He is also obliged to bring to the Church everything that will be needed for the service. During the service he is the child’s representative and confesses the faith on behalf of the child, and it is he that is responsible for bathing the child on the third day. But his responsibilities do not stop here for as the child grows he is responsible and obliged, together with the child’s parents, to educate and rear the child in a Christian manner. The Church, recognizing the sponsor as the child’s spiritual father, enters his name on the Baptism certificate and in the Church’s register. As the child grows, he develops a special relationship with his Godparent. Of course this is mainly due to the fact that he receives presents from his Godparent on his birthday and other important dates, but when the child reaches an age of understanding, he respects him for what he is; a second father.

In theory adults do not need a sponsor for they can speak for themselves and so confess the faith by themselves. In practice though adults also have sponsors so what is their role in Baptism? The Greek word for sponsor is ‘Ανάδοχος’ and means someone who receives. The word also designates someone who takes upon himself a burden, sureties or guarantor. With this meaning in mind, St John Chrysostom has the following to say about sponsors:

Do you wish me to address a word to those who are sponsoring you that they may know what recompense they deserve if they have shown great care for you, and what condemnation follows if they are careless? Consider, beloved, how those who go surety for someone in a matter of money set up for themselves a greater risk that the one who borrows the money and is liable for it. If the borrower be well disposed, he lightens the burden for his surety; if the dispositions of his soul be ill, he makes the risk a steeper one. Wherefore, the wise man counsels us saying: If thou be surety, think as if thou wert to pay it. If, then, those who go surety for others in a matter of money make themselves liable for the whole sum, those who go surety for others in matters of the spirit and on an account which involves virtue should be much more alert. They ought to show their paternal love by encouraging, counselling, and correcting those for whom they go surety.

Let them not think that what takes place is a trifling thing, but let them see clearly that they share in the credit if by their admonition they lead those entrusted to them to the path of virtue. Again, if those they sponsor become careless, the sponsors themselves will suffer great punishment. That is why it is customary to call the sponsors “spiritual fathers,” that they may learn by this very action how great an affection they must show to those they sponsor in the matter of spiritual instruction. If it is a noble thing to lead to a zeal for virtue those who are in no way related to us, much more should we fulfil this precept in the case of the one whom we receive as a spiritual son. You, the sponsors, have learned that no slight danger hangs over your heads if you are remiss.

WHAT IS HOLY CHRISM

From the order of Baptism above, you will notice that immediately after being baptized, the Priest anoints you with Holy Chrism. Chrismation is a separate Sacrament from Baptism, but is performed immediately after. It is the sacrament whereby the newly baptized is bestowed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and like Baptism, is God-instituted. St. Cyril of Jerusalem says the following on the Sacrament of Holy Chrism:

“Having been baptized into Christ, and put on Christ, ye have been made conformable to the Son of God; for God having predestinated us to the adoption of sons, made us share the fashion of Christ’s glorious body. Being therefore made partakers of Christ, ye are properly called Christs, and of you God said, Touch not My Christs, or anointed. Now ye were made Christs, by receiving the emblem of the Holy Ghost; and all things of Christ. He also bathed Himself in the river Jordan, and having imparted of the fragrance of His Godhead to the waters, He came up from them; and the Holy Ghost in substance lighted on Him, like resting upon like. In the same manner to you also, after you had come up from the pool of the sacred streams, was given the Chrism, the emblem of that wherewith Christ was anointed; and this is the Holy Ghost; of whom also the blessed Isaiah, in his prophecy respecting Him, says in the person of the Lord, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach glad tidings to the poor (Is. 61: 1).

For Christ was not anointed by men with oil or material ointment, but the Father having appointed Him to be the Saviour of the whole world, anointed Him with the Holy Ghost, as Peter says, Jesus of Nazareth whom God anointed with the Holy Ghost. And David the Prophet cried, saying, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of the kingdom; Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God even Thy God hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows (Ps. 45:6). And as Christ was in truth crucified, and buried, and raised, and you in likeness are in Baptism accounted worthy of being crucified, buried, and raised together with Him, so is it with the Chrism also. As He was anointed with the spiritual oil of gladness, the Holy Ghost, who is so called, because He is the author of spiritual gladness, so ye were anointed with ointment, having been made partakers and fellows of Christ.

But beware of supposing this to be plain ointment. For as the Bread of the Eucharist, after the invocation of the Holy Ghost, is mere bread no longer, but the Body of Christ, so also this holy ointment is no more simple ointment, nor [so to say] common, after the invocation, but the gift of Christ; and by the presence of His Godhead, it causes in us the Holy Ghost. It is symbolically applied to thy forehead and thine other senses; and while thy body is anointed with the visible ointment, thy soul is sanctified by the Holy and Life-giving Spirit.

And ye were first anointed on the forehead, that ye might be delivered from the shame, which the first man, when he had transgressed, bore about with him everywhere; and that with open face ye might behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord (2 Cor. 3:18). Then on your ears; that ye might receive ears quick to hear the Divine Mysteries, of which Isaiah has said, The Lord wakened mine ear to hear (Is. 50: 4); and the Lord Jesus in the Gospel, He that hath ears to hear let him hear (Matth. 11: 15). Then on your nostrils; that receiving the sacred ointment ye may say, We are to God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved (2 Cor. 2: 15). Then on your breast; that having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ye may stand against the wiles of the devil. For as Christ after His Baptism, and the descent of the Holy Ghost, went forth and vanquished the adversary, so likewise, having, after Holy Baptism and the Mystical Chrism, put on the whole armour of the Holy Ghost, do ye stand against the power of the enemy, and vanquish it, saying, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13).

Chrism is also symbolic of the tongues of fire that descended upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost and were thus filled with the Holy Spirit. The Apostles in turn, passed on the gifts of the Holy Spirit to others by the laying on of their hands upon the heads of the faithful: “Then laid they their hands on them, [those who were baptized] and they received the Holy Ghost” (Acts 8: 17). “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them” (Acts 19: 6).

The Apostles also ordained bishops who were also empowered with the laying on of their hands to give the gift of the Holy Spirit. As the Church grew, it was impossible for the bishops to be present at all the Baptisms and so the Church introduced the use of the Holy Myron which through prayers by the bishop was sanctified and then given to the priests to anoint the newly baptized. In this way it was not necessary for the bishop to be present. Whether the recipient received the gifts of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the bishop’s hand or through the Chrism, the Sacrament was truly administered, for both these are the sensible and visible elements of the Sacrament. The invisible and supernatural element is always Divine Grace.

As has already been mentioned, the Orthodox Church performs the Sacrament of Chrismation [or Confirmation as it is better known in the west] immediately after Baptism. This is how the Church received it from the Apostles and has safeguarded this practice up to the present day. The Protestants reject this Sacrament altogether, while the Roman Catholic Church, since the Council of Trent [1545-1563] postpones the holy chrism and bestows it after many years have passed because, according to her rationalistic spirit, she believes that the child must be at an “age of reason” in order to receive the holy chrism or confirmation. The Anglican Church follows the practice of the laying on of hands by the bishop again when the child comes to an age of discretion.

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

This most divine Sacrament was instituted by Christ Himself at the Last Supper, on the night in which He was betrayed: “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take eat: this is my Body. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my Blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matth. 26: 26-28). Christ also said “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22: 19). And “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him” (John 6: 51, 53-56).

The Church in compliance with Christ’s bidding to “Do this in remembrance of me” celebrates this Mystery of Mysteries and will continue to celebrate it until the end of time. The service for this Sacrament is called the Divine Liturgy. The Priest, having set on the holy altar the bread and the wine, and at a time appointed during the service, repeats Christ’s words to his Apostles, “Take eat: This is my body…” and, “Drink ye all of it: This is my blood…” He then prays to the heavenly Father to make the bread the Body of Christ, and the wine the Blood of Christ, changing them by the Holy Spirit. And at precisely this moment, the Holy Spirit transmakes the elements into the Body and Blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

But beware, all you who are preparing to partake of this sublime Mystery, in thinking as the Protestants do, for they do not believe that the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, but are simply symbols and types which represent Christ’s body and blood. If they could, they would even change the very words of our Lord, for He said “This is my body” and not this is symbolic, or a type of my body. He said “This is my blood” and not this is symbolic, or a type of my blood. Of course our eyes see bread and wine and our tongue senses the taste of bread and wine, but things are not as they appear. From the moment when the Holy Spirit descended and the Sacrament was perfected, we no longer have that which we see with our eyes or taste with our tongue. We have that which we believe, worship and adore. We have the very Body and Blood of our Christ who communicates to us life and incorruptibility.

After the Sacrament of Baptism, the Church immediately bestows upon you the Sacrament of Chrismation and then, before you depart from the Church, she invites you to partake of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Nicholas Cabasilas, writing in the 14^th century says: “After the Chrismation we go to the table. This is the perfection of the life in Christ; for those who attain it there is nothing lacking for the blessedness which they seek. It is no longer death and the tomb and a participation in the better life which we receive, but the risen One Himself. Nor do we receive such gifts of the Spirit as we may, but the very Benefactor Himself, the very Temple whereon is founded the whole compass of graces”.

Having then received within us the Lord of Glory, we have become one with Christ. It follows then that our souls and our bodies are sanctified; the entire man is sanctified and thus becomes the abode of the Holy Spirit. We communicate our God and we ourselves become gods, partakers of divine life and heirs of God’s kingdom.

Another benefit is the union of all those Christians who communicate Christ in the one body, the one spiritual family, the one divine communion of sanctified and loving men. St. Paul says, “For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread” (1 Cor. 10: 17). The Eucharist, by uniting the members of the Church to Christ, at the same time unites them to one another. The Eucharist creates the unity of the Church. It is the Sacrament of the Church’s ascension to the kingdom, the Sacrament of the world to come. Amen.

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