Changes

The Creed:

The Creed:

<blockquote>''I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light; true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence 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 Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. In one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. [[Amen]].''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light; true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence 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 Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under [[Pontius Pilate]], and suffered, and was buried. And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. In one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. [[Amen]].''</blockquote>

[[Image:Malbis Church altar.jpg|thumb|Greek Orthodox Church outside Mobile, Alabama.]]

[[Image:Malbis Church altar.jpg|thumb|Greek Orthodox Church outside Mobile, Alabama.]]

This creed is professed by all Orthodox Christians prior to baptism, and at every celebration of the Divine Liturgy (the main service of the Orthodox Church).

This creed is professed by all Orthodox Christians prior to baptism, and at every celebration of the Divine Liturgy (the main service of the Orthodox Church).

The Orthodox regard the Bible as the main source of and rule against which the life, actions, words, and thoughts of the Church and her members are judged.  Its role in the life of the church can not be overstated.  It is read from at every service, in fact, most of the services of the Orthodox Church consist, at least in part, of chanting large portions of the Bible.   

The Orthodox regard the Bible as the main source of and rule against which the life, actions, words, and thoughts of the Church and her members are judged.  Its role in the life of the church can not be overstated.  It is read from at every service, in fact, most of the services of the Orthodox Church consist, at least in part, of chanting large portions of the Bible.   

The Gospels are accorded a special place in the worship of the orthodox Church.  They are afforded great honor.  For example, they are bound in Gold often beset with gems, separately from the rest of the Bible. They are carried in processions, they are kissed, they are bowed to, and they are censed.  All stand when the Gospel is read during a service.  When the Gospel is not being venerated or being read from it is kept on the Altar.

The Gospels are accorded a special place in the worship of the Orthodox Church.  They are afforded great honor.  For example, they are bound in Gold often beset with gems, separately from the rest of the Bible. They are carried in processions, they are kissed, they are bowed to, and they are censed.  All stand when the Gospel is read during a service.  When the Gospel is not being venerated or being read from it is kept on the Altar.

All Orthodox Christians are expected to read from the Gospels and the [[Epistles]] every day, except during [[Lent]] when Old Testament readings are assigned.

All Orthodox Christians are expected to read from the Gospels and the [[Epistles]] every day, except during [[Lent]] when Old Testament readings are assigned.

===Church of Constantinople===

===Church of Constantinople===

This church which had always had a strong missionary zeal has suffered greatly under the heel of [[Islam]].  Also, the catastrophic effect of the Roman Catholic invasion of Constantinople during the 4th Crusade can not be overstated.  That event saw most of the relics carted away or destroyed, and a Roman Catholic pretender put in the place of the Orthodox [[patriarch]]. Nevertheless, in the last hundred years this Church has recaptured its missionary heritage, establishing churches in Singapore, Malaysia, [[Australia]], India, Korea, New Zealand, North America, Mexico, and South America.  The Church of [[Constantinople]] also provides arch-pastoral services for some Orthodox in the U.S. who are not part of the Orthodox Church in America.  This Church was established by [[Andrew the Apostle|St. Andrew]] but was a very small and almost insignificant Church until [[Constantine]] moved the capitol of the [[Roman Empire]] to this city and the [[Council of Nicea]] gave the Church there second place after [[Rome]].

This church which had always had a strong missionary zeal has suffered greatly under the heel of [[Islam]].  Also, the catastrophic effect of the Roman Catholic invasion of Constantinople during the 4th Crusade can not be overstated.  That event saw most of the relics carted away or destroyed, and a Roman Catholic pretender put in the place of the Orthodox [[patriarch]]. Nevertheless, in the last hundred years this Church has recaptured its missionary heritage, establishing churches in Singapore, Malaysia, [[Australia]], India, Korea, New Zealand, North America, Mexico, and South America.  The Church of [[Constantinople]] also provides arch-pastoral services for some Orthodox in the U.S. who are not part of the Orthodox Church in America.  This Church was established by [[Andrew the Apostle|St. Andrew]] but was a very small and almost insignificant Church until [[Constantine]] moved the capital of the [[Roman Empire]] to this city and the [[Council of Nicea]] gave the Church there second place after [[Rome]].

With the Great Schism, Rome was removed from the [[pentarchy]], and Constantinople was elevated into its place as "first among equals" with the Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem patriarchates (not superior over them).  But according to its understanding of church tradition, it considers itself to have the sole right to declare another church body [[autocephalous]] (or not).

With the Great Schism, Rome was removed from the [[pentarchy]], and Constantinople was elevated into its place as "first among equals" with the Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem patriarchates (not superior over them).  But according to its understanding of church tradition, it considers itself to have the sole right to declare another church body [[autocephalous]] (or not).

===Church of Jerusalem===

===Church of Jerusalem===

The early history of this church is related in the [[Book of Acts]] in the New Testament. It too has been plagued by Islam and crusaders. Though its missionary activity is circumscribed by its being surrounded by other Patriarchates, it does engage in missionary activity to the Jews in [[Israel]] and the Muslims in [[Palestine]]. The liturgy is served in [[Hebrew]] and in [[Arabic]]. This is also the only one of the Orthodox churches still serving the Liturgy of [[St. James]], the oldest and longest liturgy of the Orthodox Church. (Only a small part of the liturgy was actually written by St. James.)

The early history of this church is recounted in the [[Book of Acts]] in the New Testament. It too has been plagued by Islam and crusaders. Though its missionary activity is circumscribed by its being surrounded by other Patriarchates, it does engage in missionary activity to the Jews in [[Israel]] and the Muslims in [[Palestine]]. The liturgy is served in [[Hebrew]] and in [[Arabic]]. This is also the only one of the Orthodox churches still serving the Liturgy of [[St. James]], the oldest and longest liturgy of the Orthodox Church. (Only a small part of the liturgy was actually written by St. James.)

===Church of Russia===

===Church of Russia===

{{See also|Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate}}

{{See also|Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate}}

[[File:Russian Orthodox Church - Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg|thumbnail|350px|Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in [[Moscow]], [[Russia]] ]]

[[File:Russian Orthodox Church - Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg|thumbnail|350px|Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in [[Moscow]], [[Russia]] ]]

Though there were already Orthodox Christians in some of the Black Sea ports, and though [[Viking]] traders had become Christians in Constantinople and had built some churches along their Volga river trade-route, and though the Polish had begun some missionary activity along the western frontier of the Kievan state, the year conventionally recognized as the establishment of the Church of Russia is 988 when St. Prince Vladimir decreed Orthodox Christianity as the state religion. This church, like many of the Orthodox Churches suffered from Islamic invasion, but also [[Mongol conquest]] and most recently, severe persecution under the [[Communists]] (though claims have been made that the church often sided with, or at least turned a blind eye to, actions taken by the Communist government). This last persecution produced more than 50 million holy [[martyrs]].

Though there were already Orthodox Christians in some of the Black Sea ports, and though [[Viking]] traders had become Christians in Constantinople and had built some churches along their Volga river trade route, and though the Polish had begun some missionary activity along the western frontier of the Kievan state, the year conventionally recognized as the establishment of the Church of Russia is 988 when St. Prince Vladimir decreed Orthodox Christianity as the state religion. This church, like many of the Orthodox Churches suffered from Islamic invasion, but also [[Mongol conquest]] and most recently, severe persecution under the [[Communists]] (though claims have been made that the church often sided with, or at least turned a blind eye to, actions taken by the Communist government). This last persecution produced more than 50 million holy [[martyrs]].

The Russian Orthodox Church has historically clashed with Constantinople over which jurisdiction can declare a church body in a country to be autocephalous (the only matter on which they agree is that a secular government has no power to do so):

The Russian Orthodox Church has historically clashed with Constantinople over which jurisdiction can declare a church body in a country to be autocephalous (the only matter on which they agree is that a secular government has no power to do so):

One of St. Tikhon's most important decisions during his time in North America had to do with how to minister to Orthodox Christians from the Middle East who were arriving on the East Coast.  He realized that these newest members of his flock needed someone who could speak their language and who was familiar with their distinct customs so he asked the Patriarch of Antioch to send him an Arabic-speaking priest.   

One of St. Tikhon's most important decisions during his time in North America had to do with how to minister to Orthodox Christians from the Middle East who were arriving on the East Coast.  He realized that these newest members of his flock needed someone who could speak their language and who was familiar with their distinct customs so he asked the Patriarch of Antioch to send him an Arabic-speaking priest.   

The priest who arrived was Fr. Raphael Hawaweeny.  In 1904 he was consecrated a Bishop by St. Tikhon and St. Innocent and from then until his death in 1915 he was known as Bishop Raphael of Brooklyn.  During the course of his ministry he established 29 parishes and assisted in the establishing of a monastery in [[Pennsylvania]].  He was recognized, even while living, as a saint but was not officially glorified by the Church until March 2000.

The priest who arrived was Fr. Raphael Hawaweeny.  In 1904 he was consecrated a Bishop by St. Tikhon and St. Innocent and from then until his death in 1915 he was known as Bishop Raphael of Brooklyn.  During the course of his ministry he established 29 parishes and assisted in the establishment of a monastery in [[Pennsylvania]].  He was recognized, even while living, as a saint but was not officially glorified by the Church until March 2000.

===The Russian Revolution===

===The Russian Revolution===