Terminology -

HOLY ORDERS – (Ordination) The Sacrament through which men receive the power and grace to carry out the sacred duties of ministers of the Church. The diaconate, priesthood and episcopacy are the three grades of service contained in the Sacrament.

HOLY THURSDAY – Thursday of the Holy Week. It is the day in memory of the Last Supper. The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated and the Reserved Sacraments are prepared. In the evening at Matins (of Holy Friday) service the Twelve Passion Gospels are read.

HOLY WATER – Water blessed on the Day of Theophany (Jan. 6) and on other special occasions. It is used to bless persons and things.

HOLY WEEK – (Sl. Passion Week) The week preceding Easter in which the sufferings of Christ are commemorated. Each day of Holy Week has its own particular theme. The theme of Holy Monday is that of the sterile fig tree which yields no fruit and is condemned. Holy Tuesday the accent is on the vigilance… Read More

HOSANNA – From the Hebrew word meaning “O Lord, save, we pray.”

HOURS – Divine service of the Church appointed for different hours of the day. Prime (First Hour), consisting of Psalms and prayers is read after Vespers and Matins; Terse (Third Hour) is read before Divine Liturgy, also Sext (Sixth Hour). None (Ninth Hour) is read before Vespers, or Compline. These “hours” conform generally to the… Read More

GETHSEMANE-The garden of Jerusalem where Christ suffered and was taken by the soldiers.

GHOST, HOLY – (Holy Spirit) The Third Person of the Holy Trinity, proceeding from the Father, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son.

GIRDLE – (cinture or zone) The part of the vestments with which the priest or bishop encircles his waist to hold the alb and stole.

GLORIOUS WEEK ? (Bright week) The week following Easter Sunday.

GOD – The Supreme, Eternal and Almighty Spirit Who created all things and rules the universe. He is infinite in all perfections. He is One in Three Persons. The Orthodox Church teaches that we have knowledge of God, only because God has shown himself to his creation. God is the Lord and has revealed himself… Read More

GODPARENTS (GODFATHER, GODMOTHER) ? Sponsors at Holy Baptism and Chrismation who undertake the responsibility for the faith of that person, thereby contracting spiritual relationship. For validity the sponsors must be Orthodox. The duties of the godparents are to take a permanent interest in the spiritual welfare of their godchildren and, if necessary, to undertake their… Read More

GOLGOTHA – The Aramaic name for Mount Calvary where Christ was crucified.

GOOD FRIDAY – (Sl. Great Friday) The Friday before Easter Day on which the Church commemorates the death on the Cross of Jesus Christ. A very strict fast day. No Divine Liturgy on this day. (One exception, when the Feast of Annunciation falls on Good Friday, Divine Liturgy is celebrated.)

GOSPEL – (Sl. Eyangeliye, Gr. Evangelion) Literally “Good News.” A recording of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ written by an evangelist. Collectively, the writing of the four evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the first books of the New Testament. Also the word Gospel is applied to the reading of an extract from… Read More

GRADUAL – (Sl. Prokimen) Verses from the Psalms, or other parts of Scripture, sung before the reading of the Epistle.

GUARDIAN ANGELS – Angels appointed by God at Baptism to protect and guide each individual soul to eternal salvation.  We know this from the following words of holy Scripture: He shall give his angels charge over thee, to guard thee in, all thy ways. Psalm xci. 11.    Each one of us his guardian angels. Of… Read More

VESPERAL LITURGY – Vespers with Divine Liturgy This service  is prescribed only a few times each year.  It opens with the blessing used at Divine Liturgy: “Blessed is the Kingdom . . .”  The service continues similar to great vespers. There is no psalter reading, and there is an entrance with the gospel book. After… Read More

FAITHFUL – Those who have been baptized and hold to the truths as members of the Orthodox Catholic Church.

FAST -To abstain from certain foods, particularly meat foods.

FASTING DAYS – Days and season appointed by the Church during which the faithful abstain from meats: Wednesday and Friday throughout the year (except the weeks following Christmas, Easter and Pentecost), Great Lent (7 weeks before Easter), Pre-Christmas Lent (40 days before Christmas); SS. Peter and Paul’s Lent (from one week following the Feast of… Read More

FATHER OF ORTHODOXY – St. Athanasius, so called because of his inflexible opposition to Arianism.

FATHERS OF THE CHURCH – The teachers and defenders of the faith of the first six centuries who added notable holiness and complete Orthodoxy to their learning.

FEAST – A special day set apart for the liturgical commemoration of some saint, some event in the life of Christ, or in the life of the All Holy Virgin Mary. Feasts are classified as (a) immovable, which occur on fixed days, and movable, which depend on the date of Easter (Ascension, Pentecost) ; (b)… Read More