Terminology -

OMOPHORION – A part of the vestment of a Bishop. A band of brocade worn around the neck, one end of which hangs on the front of the left shoulder and the other end hangs on the back from the right shoulder. It typifies the Good Shepherd taking upon his shoulders the wandering sheep.

ORARION (orar in the Slavic traditions) – A part of the vestment of the Deacon, worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm. He holds up the front end when he chants the litany. The Subdeacon wears the Orarion crossed over his breast and the back. In some traditions, acolytes may sometimes be… Read More

ORDINAL –  Book containing the prayers and ceremonies in use at the Pontifican services ordination of deacons and priests, the blessing of the church building, etc.

ORTHODOX – (Gr. right believer, right worship ) One who professes the true doctrine as taught by the Holy Orthodox Church.

ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH – The Church established by our Lord Jesus Christ, propagated by His Apostles and handed down by the true believers by word and example from one generation to another. The Church includes several Patriarchates. Originally there were five Patriarchates ; Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and Rome. In 1054 the Roman Patriarchate separated… Read More

ORTHODOX SUNDAY – ( Feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, Sunday of Orthodoxy) The first Sunday of Lent which celebrates the restoration of the icons to the churches in 842. It is the triumph of Orthodoxy over iconoclasm and other heresies. Each of the Sundays of Great Lent has its own special theme. The first… Read More

ORTHROS – (Gr. daybreak) The morning service usually called Matins. It consists principally of six psalms (3,37,62,87,102,142), a litany, troparion, kathisma, a Gospel and the Canon.

NABEDRENNIK – (Epigonation) A part of the priestly vestment which is suspended upon the left hip signifying the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

NAME – (a) Personal. A name is given at the time of Baptism. Only one name should be given. A name should be chosen from the list of saints. In some Orthodox countries it is the custom to give the child the name of the Saint who is commemorated on the day of birth, (b)… Read More

NAME-DAY – The celebration of the feast-day of the saint of one’s name. In Russia it used to be popular to celebrate the name-day rather than the birth-day.

NARTHEX – The vestibule area of the church leading to the nave. In the early Christian church the catechumens and the penitents were limited to this part of the church.

NATIVITY – The name is used to designate three feasts: the birth of our Lord (Dec. 25), the birth of the All Holy Virgin (Sept. 8), and the birth of St. John the Baptist (June 24). These are the only actual birthdays kept by the Church.

NAVE – The center or the body of the church occupied by the people.

NEW TESTAMENT – The books of the Bible which contain the revelation of God since the coming of Christ: the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the seven General Epistles, the fourteen Epistles of Saint Paul, and the Book of Revelation (Apocalypse). The center of the New Testament part of the Bible is the… Read More

NICENE CREED – The statement of the Orthodox Christian faith expressed in twelve articles. This formula of the confession of faith was made at the first Council of Nicea (in 325) and expanded at the first Council of Constantinople (in 381). The Western Church made an alteration in this original form by adding the Filioque,… Read More

NIKA – NIKA is a Greek word meaning “conquers” (and is not an abbreviation!), referring to Christ’s conquest of Hades and His victory over death and sin. NIKA is stamped on the prosphora below the initials Ic Xc which are abbreviations of “Jesus Christ.” Initials of Greek words meaning “By this thou conquer.” These initials… Read More

NOMOCANON – A compendium of the Orthodox Church law consisting of canons of Councils and pertinent civil legislation.

NORMAL STATUTES – The rules and regulations adopted by the Sobor for the guidance and the administration of the external affairs of the Church.

NOVICE – One undergoing a period of probation before taking the monastic vows.

NUN – A woman who has taken the monastic vows. In Orthodoxy monasticism embraces both men and women. The general rules for the organization of monastic life, the Monastic Grades, Tonsure, Habit, etc., are the same for all monastics, and the goals and aspirations of monastic life likewise are the same for both men and… Read More

NUNC DIMITIS – Two Latin words beginning the Song of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32) sung at Vespers : “Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart”

MAGI  –  (Sl. Volhvy) A name given to the “Wise Men from the East,” who were guided by a star.

MANTIA – Bishop’s mantle, purple or blue in color open in front but fastened at the neck and at the foot where it is ornamented with four squares of embroidery typifying the Scriptures, from which issue the streams of doctrine in the form of red and white horizontal stripes.

MARRIAGE – MARRIAGE in the Orthodox Church is forever. It is not reduced to an exchange of vows or the establish­ment of a legal contract between the bride and groom. On the contrary, it is God joining a man and a woman into “one flesh” in a sense similar to the Church being joined to… Read More