Terminology - Glossary B

BLASPHEMY – Speech, writings, gestures or thoughts which show contempt for God, His Church, the saints or sacred things.

BLESSED AND POTENTETE – (an appellation or Title of Jesus) “Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;” 1 Tim 6:15 also: blessed and only Sovereign

BLESSING – A ceremony or rite by which the Church dedicates persons, places or things to a sacred purpose, or attaches to them a spiritual value. Places that are blessed – a church, cemetery, house; things – water (on the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord), vestments, icons, food on Easter Day.

BLESSING CROSS – (or Hand Cross) Used in the Orthodox Church by a priest or bishop to give a blessing or benediction. The hand cross is kept on the Holy Table in the Altar and used at certain moments during the liturgy, most noticeably when he holds it in his right hand as he gives… Read More

BLIND MAN, SUNDAY OF THE -The sixth Sunday of Easter commemorates the healing of the man blind from birth (Jn 9). We are identified with that man who came to see and to believe in Jesus as the Son of God. The Lord has anointed our eyes with his own divine hands and washed them… Read More

BODY OF CHRIST – The Church is the Body of Christ both because its parts are united to Christ through His divine mysteries and because through her, Christ works in the world.  We partake of the Body and Blood of Christ, in the holy Mysteries, so that we ourselves may be members of Christ’s Body:… Read More

BOOK OF NEEDS – (Euchologion, Sl. Sluzhebnik) A book containing the texts of the Liturgies and prayers required for the administration of Sacraments and other offices. The Book of Needs includes the order of service for the various Sacraments. Other services found in the Book of Needs are the Burial Service, the Blessing of Water,… Read More

BOOKS OF THE LAW – The five books written by Moses–Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  Jesus Christ himself gives to these books the general name of the law of Moses. Luke xxiv. 44.

BORN AGAIN – Literally, “born from above.” A person must be born again to new life in Christ to enter God’s eternal Kingdom. This new birth takes place through the sacrament of Holy Baptism (John 3:16; Rom. 6:3, 4; Gal. 3:27). Spiritual life begins by receiving the Holy Spirit in baptism, and it is a… Read More

BOWING – Besides kneeling and standing, bowing by a simple inclination of the head is a manner of expressing reverence and respect in the church. Bowing is appropriate after making the sign of the cross, when receiving blessing from the priest, on entering and leaving the church and when passing in front of the altar.

  BRANCH – (an appellation or Title of Jesus) “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.” (Jer 23:5) “Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that… Read More

BREAD OF LIFE – (an appellation or Title of Jesus) – “I am that bread of life.“  John 6:48

BREATH OF LIFE – The soul, a substance spiritual and immortal.

BRIDE OF CHRIST – 1)The Church is the Bride of Christ, the eschatological spouse of the Son of God, united to him in faith and love, for which he gave himself up on the cross. The intimacy of a husband and wife is an earthly image of the intimacy that Christ has with his Church,… Read More

BRIDEGROOM – (an appellation or Title of Jesus) ” And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.” Matt 9:15

BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR – (an appellation or Title of Jesus) ” I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” Rev 22:16

BRIGHT WEEK – Every day during the week of Easter, called Bright Week by the Church, the paschal services are celebrated in all their splendor. The Easter baptismal procession is repeated daily. The royal doors of the sanctuary remain open. The joy of the Resurrection and the gift of the Kingdom of eternal life continue… Read More

BRIGHTNESS OF THE FATHER’S GLORY – (an appellation or Title of Jesus)  “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”… Read More

BROTHERS OF THE LORD – St. James, the first bishop of Jerusalem, Joses, Simon, and Judas are referred to as brothers of Christ (Matt. 13:55). In the ancient Middle East one’s close relatives were frequently referred to as brothers and sisters. Also, there is an ancient tradition that the “brothers and sisters” of Christ were… Read More

BULGARIAN CHANT – One of the liturgical chants of the Russian Orthodox Church, which came into use in Muscovite Russia in the mid-17th c. Since Bulgarian chant does not have a direct connection with the chant used in the Bulgarian Church, its Bulgarian origin has not been definitely established; it is possible that the term… Read More

BURIAL, CHRISTIAN – (Sl. Pogrebeniye) The act of interment of a corpse (the dead body) of an Orthodox faithful according to the religious service of the Church. On the day of burial, or before, the body is brought to the church where the Office of the Burial of the Dead (Otpevaniye) is read. Those denied… Read More

BURNING BUSH – (an appellation of the Theotokos) On Mt. Sinai, Moses saw the Bush that was burning, but was not consumed. So too, the Theotokos bore the fire of Divinity, but was not consumed (Ex. 3:1-6).

BYZANTINE RITE – The Uniats are called the Roman Catholics of the Byzantine Rite because while accepting the Roman Catholic dogmas and recognizing the supremacy of the Pope, they hold to the services and the customs of the Greek Orthodox Church. They celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the Slavonic, or other native language.

BYZANTINE STYLE – The manner of church building and decoration of Greek or Russian origin. The model is the church of the Holy Wisdon (Hagia Sophia) in Constantinople, consecrated in 562. Many Western churches have been patterned after the Byzantine Style.