The Mariamite Christian
Orthodox Fathers
ABOUT US
We are a religious monastic community of priests and brothers that focuses on Eastern Orthodox Church Tradition, Faith, Unity, Evangelization, and Social Justice, with a strong emphasis on Mary as a model. We are fully autonomous /self -governing community headed by a Metropolitan Archbishop who is assisted by appointed Bishops and Priests.
The aim of the Mariamite Christian Orthodox Fathers is to seek unity among all Orthodox Churches. Altimetry, the main mission of the Mariamite Christian Orthodox Fathers , is to promote for the unity among all Christians.
Our model in life is following the Theotokos example of Purity, Faith, and Service. Our members live a simple lifestyle in the community, serve the poor, and resist social injustice. We are grounded in the Gospel, prayer, and the Christian faith.
We consider ourselves united and unified with our other sisters Orthodox Churches by; Scripture, Doctrine, Holy Tradition, the Seven Ecumenical Councils, Seven Sacraments and the teaching of the Church Fathers.
Our Eastern Orthodox Tradition places us within the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of God. Our theology is based on the Nicene Creed, the Seven Sacraments, Holy Tradition and the Teaching of the Church Fathers.
We draw on the our Eastern Orthodox Christian Traditiont to help ourselves and others to discern God’s presence in our lives. As contemplatives in action, we bring this spirituality into the wider human context as we strive for social justice, charity work, peace, education, dialogue and Church unity. Seeking to respond to the needs of the times and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as well as by human insight, the goal of its members is to embrace a way of life which, by Profession of the Evangelical Counsels, follows Christ and becomes an outstanding sign of the Heavenly Kingdom. We are dedicated to Christian evangelism.
Our goal is to bring together all faithful into a unified and coordinated effort, to spread the truth of the faith in our modern time, in other words; Christianity in the 21st Century.
We live in the world and pray for the world; we don’t leave it.
Many Christians think that monastics are just those folks who leave the world and withdraw into their monasteries. People are under the notion that monastics are not aware of what happens in the world. This is a wrong notion.
We all agree that the most important job of a monk is to pray, both privately and communally by reading the holy Hours, participating in frequent Liturgy, and observing all the other services and feasts in the cycle of the Church. We also go to Church several times a day, every day! We pray for all, we pray in our place when we are doing something which keeps us from saying our own prayers, we pray by asking God to grant salvation and health to every Christian.
This is our first responsibilities, to pray for the world, for her salvation, your salvation and our salvation. Our second responsibilities as a monastic community are to teach the True Faith, Holy Tradition, and a Christian lifestyle to all, we do that in both ways; formally (in sermons, lectures, or writings) and informally, by example. To do so, the community must be very much present in the world.
We work hard to follow the example that Christ taught us, lived and expects us to follow. We do so by working in different societies and cultures. We serve all who Christ brings to our doors or who He takes us to on the streets.
The Mariamite Christian Orthodox Fathers serves as a beacon, carrier, and witness of the message of Christ to all people through divine worship, preaching, teaching, and living of the Orthodox Christian Faith.
Our Eastern Christian tradition places us within the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of God. We hold as sacred the Holy Scriptures, the ancient Creeds of the Church, the Seven Sacraments and governance through valid Episcopal Orders. Our mission is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ, to teach and spread the Christian faith, to energize, cultivate, and guide the life of the Church according to the Christian faith and traditions.
We are dedicated to Christian evangelism and Unity.
. Our goal is to bring together all faithful into a united and coordinated effort, to spread the truth of in our modern time, in other words; Christianity in the 21st Century.
The Mariamite Christian Fathers considers that it sanctifies the faithful through divine worship, especially the Holy Eucharist and other Sacraments, building the spiritual and ethical life of the faithful in accordance with the Holy Scriptures, Sacred Tradition, the doctrines and canons of the Ecumenical and local Councils, the canons of the Holy Apostles and the Fathers of the Church and of all other Councils recognized by the Church.
Our Mission
The mission of the Mariamite Christian Orthodox Fathers, is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ, to teach and spread the Christian Faith, to energize, cultivate, and guide the life of the Church in Great Britain according to the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church Christian Faith and Tradition.
We sanctifies the faithful through divine worship, especially the Holy Eucharist and other Sacraments, building the spiritual and ethical life of the faithful in accordance with the Holy Scriptures, Sacred Tradition, the doctrines and canons of the Ecumenical and local Councils, the canons of the Holy Apostles and the Fathers of the Church and of all other Councils recognized by the Orthodox Church.
Our Vision
That all people may come to know the saving love of our Lord: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Our Values
We value proclaiming and witnessing Christ to all people with priority given to those who have never heard or accepted the Gospel.
We value sharing the love of Christ for the care of the total person – spiritual and physical. We value ministry in the language and culture of the people.
We value our people – well-trained Missionaries, Staff, Supporters, Indigenous Leadership and those being served.
We value communities, parishes, and individuals that are Orthodox mission-minded and have active mission involvement. We value being an open and transparent mission that values the gifts of stewardship provided to us by the faithful.
We are guided by the following principles:
On the Gospel
To believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to adhere to His commandments, as expressed in the life and teachings of the One Holy Cathoilc Apostolic Church.
On Holy Tradition
We consider and believe that Holy Tradition is our guid and is a living transmission of the Christian faith from the Apostles, encompassing Scripture, the teaching of the Church Fathers and the decrees of Ecumenical Councils, liturgical practices and Iconography.
On Communication
To acknowledge our responsibility to communicate to all Christianity and to the world, and to invite all to partake of the fullness of the faith.
On Education
To take a holistic approach to theological education and spiritual formation—integrating study, work, worship, and personal discipline.
On Values
To manifest Christian love, service, worship, and learning in the life of the community and beyond.`
To be open, transparent, and responsible stewards of the resources entrusted to us.
On Participation
To encourage every member of the community to be a full and active participant in our mission.
On Charity Work & Commitments
To be committed to the Holy Church teachings, to be also committed to fairness, justice, respect, and hospitality for all members of the community and our wider society, regardless of their background or beliefs. Seeking to respond to the needs of the times and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as well as by human insight, the intention of our mission is to embrace a way of life which, by profession of the Evangelical Counsels, follows Christ and becomes an outstanding sign of the Heavenly Kingdom.
We are a religious monastic community of priests and brothers that focuses on Eastern Orthodox Church Tradition, Faith, Unity, Evangelization, and Social Justice, with a strong emphasis on Mary as a model. We are fully autonomous /self -governing community headed by a Metropolitan Archbishop who is assisted by appointed Bishops and Priests.
The aim of the Mariamite Christian Orthodox Fathers is to seek unity among all Orthodox Churches. Altimetry, the main mission of the Mariamite Christian Orthodox Fathers , is to promote for the unity among all Christians.
Our model in life is following the Theotokos example of Purity, Faith, and Service. Our members live a simple lifestyle in the community, serve the poor, and resist social injustice. We are grounded in the Gospel, prayer, and the Christian faith.
We consider ourselves united and unified with our other sisters Orthodox Churches by; Scripture, Doctrine, Holy Tradition, the Seven Ecumenical Councils, Seven Sacraments and the teaching of the Church Fathers.
Our Eastern Orthodox Tradition places us within the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of God. Our theology is based on the Nicene Creed, the Seven Sacraments, Holy Tradition and the Teaching of the Church Fathers.
We draw on the our Eastern Orthodox Christian Traditiont to help ourselves and others to discern God’s presence in our lives. As contemplatives in action, we bring this spirituality into the wider human context as we strive for social justice, charity work, peace, education, dialogue and Church unity. Seeking to respond to the needs of the times and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as well as by human insight, the goal of its members is to embrace a way of life which, by Profession of the Evangelical Counsels, follows Christ and becomes an outstanding sign of the Heavenly Kingdom. We are dedicated to Christian evangelism.
Our goal is to bring together all faithful into a unified and coordinated effort, to spread the truth of the faith in our modern time, in other words; Christianity in the 21st Century.
We live in the world and pray for the world; we don’t leave it.
Many Christians think that monastics are just those folks who leave the world and withdraw into their monasteries. People are under the notion that monastics are not aware of what happens in the world. This is a wrong notion.
We all agree that the most important job of a monk is to pray, both privately and communally by reading the holy Hours, participating in frequent Liturgy, and observing all the other services and feasts in the cycle of the Church. We also go to Church several times a day, every day! We pray for all, we pray in our place when we are doing something which keeps us from saying our own prayers, we pray by asking God to grant salvation and health to every Christian.
This is our first responsibilities, to pray for the world, for her salvation, your salvation and our salvation. Our second responsibilities as a monastic community are to teach the True Faith, Holy Tradition, and a Christian lifestyle to all, we do that in both ways; formally (in sermons, lectures, or writings) and informally, by example. To do so, the community must be very much present in the world.
We work hard to follow the example that Christ taught us, lived and expects us to follow. We do so by working in different societies and cultures. We serve all who Christ brings to our doors or who He takes us to on the streets.
The Mariamite Christian Orthodox Fathers serves as a beacon, carrier, and witness of the message of Christ to all people through divine worship, preaching, teaching, and living of the Orthodox Christian Faith.
Our Eastern Christian tradition places us within the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of God. We hold as sacred the Holy Scriptures, the ancient Creeds of the Church, the Seven Sacraments and governance through valid Episcopal Orders. Our mission is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ, to teach and spread the Christian faith, to energize, cultivate, and guide the life of the Church according to the Christian faith and traditions.
We are dedicated to Christian evangelism and Unity.
. Our goal is to bring together all faithful into a united and coordinated effort, to spread the truth of in our modern time, in other words; Christianity in the 21st Century.
The Mariamite Christian Fathers considers that it sanctifies the faithful through divine worship, especially the Holy Eucharist and other Sacraments, building the spiritual and ethical life of the faithful in accordance with the Holy Scriptures, Sacred Tradition, the doctrines and canons of the Ecumenical and local Councils, the canons of the Holy Apostles and the Fathers of the Church and of all other Councils recognized by the Church.
Our Mission
The mission of the Mariamite Christian Orthodox Fathers, is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ, to teach and spread the Christian Faith, to energize, cultivate, and guide the life of the Church in Great Britain according to the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church Christian Faith and Tradition.
We sanctifies the faithful through divine worship, especially the Holy Eucharist and other Sacraments, building the spiritual and ethical life of the faithful in accordance with the Holy Scriptures, Sacred Tradition, the doctrines and canons of the Ecumenical and local Councils, the canons of the Holy Apostles and the Fathers of the Church and of all other Councils recognized by the Orthodox Church.
Our Vision
That all people may come to know the saving love of our Lord: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Our Values
We value proclaiming and witnessing Christ to all people with priority given to those who have never heard or accepted the Gospel.
We value sharing the love of Christ for the care of the total person – spiritual and physical. We value ministry in the language and culture of the people.
We value our people – well-trained Missionaries, Staff, Supporters, Indigenous Leadership and those being served.
We value communities, parishes, and individuals that are Orthodox mission-minded and have active mission involvement. We value being an open and transparent mission that values the gifts of stewardship provided to us by the faithful.
We are guided by the following principles:
On the Gospel
To believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to adhere to His commandments, as expressed in the life and teachings of the One Holy Cathoilc Apostolic Church.
On Holy Tradition
We consider and believe that Holy Tradition is our guid and is a living transmission of the Christian faith from the Apostles, encompassing Scripture, the teaching of the Church Fathers and the decrees of Ecumenical Councils, liturgical practices and Iconography.
On Communication
To acknowledge our responsibility to communicate to all Christianity and to the world, and to invite all to partake of the fullness of the faith.
On Education
To take a holistic approach to theological education and spiritual formation—integrating study, work, worship, and personal discipline.
On Values
To manifest Christian love, service, worship, and learning in the life of the community and beyond.`
To be open, transparent, and responsible stewards of the resources entrusted to us.
On Participation
To encourage every member of the community to be a full and active participant in our mission.
On Charity Work & Commitments
To be committed to the Holy Church teachings, to be also committed to fairness, justice, respect, and hospitality for all members of the community and our wider society, regardless of their background or beliefs. Seeking to respond to the needs of the times and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as well as by human insight, the intention of our mission is to embrace a way of life which, by profession of the Evangelical Counsels, follows Christ and becomes an outstanding sign of the Heavenly Kingdom.
OUR MISSION
The Mariamite Christian Orthodox Fathers, vowed religious in the Mariamite Family, live in community as equals. Through lives of prayer and Gospel service, we dedicate ourselves to follow of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Son of God who become the Son of the ever Virgin Mary the Theotokos. Wherever we are serving, we invite others to share in Mary’s mission of making Christ present in every age and culture by forming persons and communities of apostolic faith that advance justice and reconciliation.
Our mission is to witness to the truth, and by God's grace and in the power of the Holy Spirit, to reveal Christ's way of sanctification and eternal salvation to all and to unite all Christians through love and faith. Our mission is set to the worldwide exchange of faith, knowledge within the context of the Holy Tradition.
We are dedicated to Church unity, preach the Gospel, do charity work, to preserve the faith and advocate social justice. We serve all who Christ brings to our doors or who He takes us to on the streets. All set at Christ's table, Christians and others.
OUR VISION
That all people may come to know the saving love of our Lord: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
OUR VALUES
We value proclaiming and witnessing Christ to all people with priority given to those who have never heard or accepted the Gospel.
We value ministry in the language and culture of the people.
We value our people – well-trained Missionaries, Staff, Supporters, Indigenous Leadership and those being served.
We value communities, parishes, and individuals that are mission-minded and have active mission involvement.
We value being an open and transparent Congregation that values the gifts of stewardship provided to us by the faithful.
We are guided by the following principles:
GOSPEL
To believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to adhere to His commandments, as expressed in the life and teachings of the Church.
COMMUNICATION
To acknowledge our responsibility to communicate Christianity to the world and to invite all to partake of the fullness of the faith.
EDUCATION
To take a holistic approach to theological education and spiritual formation—integrating study, work, worship, and personal discipline.
VALUES
To manifest the Christian love, service, worship, and learning in the life of the community and beyond.
UNITY
To be committed to Christian unity.
TRANSPARENT
To be open, transparent, and responsible stewards of the resources entrusted to us.
PARTICIPATION: To encourage every member of the community to be a full and active participant in our Congregation.
CHARITY WORK & COMMITMENTS: To be committed to the Holy Church teachings, to be also committed to fairness, justice, respect, and hospitality for all members of the community and our wider society, regardless of their background or beliefs.
Seeking to respond to the needs of the times and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as well as by human insight, the intention of our mission is to embrace a way of life which, by profession of the Evangelical Counsels, follows Christ and becomes an outstanding sign of the Heavenly Kingdom.
The Mariamite Byzantine Fathers confirm that its mission must not remain indifferent to the pain of the world. Our faith is not just about candles and prayers but acts of love that should reach every corner of society. Where are we when the elderly are forgotten in their homes?
Where are we when orphans stare out of empty windows, and refugees lose hope for a new life? We are obligated to restore the Church's social heart. Programs to aid the needy, Sunday schools for everyone seeking light, family support centres where warmth can be felt again.
These are not just plans, they are our duty. The time has come not only to speak of Christ but to live in such a way that everyone can see Him in us. Restoring the Church's social role is our mission and challenge.
our faith
OUR FAITH
We are part of the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church conforms to that of the undivided Catholic Church of the first millennium of its existence. It is expressed in the ancient Symbol of Faith of the Nicene Creed, promulgated by the Council of Nicaea in AD 325 and enlarged by the Council of Constantinople in AD 381:
"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 only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, God of God, 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 by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary; and became man; He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered, and was buried, and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into Heaven, and is seated 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 and giver of life, Who proceed from the Father; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spoke by the prophets, and 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".
We believe that the source of the Christian faith is fully expressed in the Nicene Creed (based on Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition).
We believe that Sacred Scripture (the Bible), which comprises the Old Testament (including the deuterocanonical/apocryphal books) and the New Testament, contains God’s revelation to us, particularly that concerning His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and that in matters essential to our salvation it is inerrant.
ON THE BIBLE
We do not consider the Bible to be a source of information concerning science or any other human discipline. Its purpose is to teach us about God and about His Son Jesus Christ. It does that within the cultural environment of its time and place, hence the need for careful study to understand its message correctly.
We believe that Sacred Scripture itself is part of Sacred Tradition, that process by which God’s revelation is passed on to us from the Apostles, and unto the Church Fathers and to the unbroken succession of Bishops through the centuries. This handing on occurs through the prayers and liturgy of the Church, through preaching, teaching, catechesis, devotions, doctrines, and the Bible itself.
We believe that Church Tradition is a collection of Christian practices and beliefs, from the earliest of days, which makes Sacred Tradition an inerrant source of God’s revelation in matters essential to our faith and our Christian life. A very important part of Sacred Tradition is the teaching of the Ecumenical Councils.
We believe that the doctrinal definitions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils, that is those which took place within the undivided Catholic Church, were guided by the Holy Spirit and it accepts them as part of its faith.
Those seven Ecumenical Councils are the Councils of Nicaea in AD 325, Constantinople in AD 381, Ephesus in AD 431, Chalcedon in AD 451, Constantinople II in AD 533, Constantinople III in AD 680, and Nicaea II in AD 787.These Councils were concerned essentially with defining the true Catholic faith, in the Holy Trinity and in Jesus Christ the Son of God made man: God is triune, a single God in three Persons, Whom the Saviour Himself named as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, uniting in His single Person both the divine and the human natures.
We believe that equally important in Sacred Tradition are the Seven Sacraments.
We believe that these Sacraments, which are Baptism and Eucharist, both of which are particularly attested to in Sacred Scripture; Confirmation (or Chrismation), Penance (or Reconciliation), Matrimony, Holy Orders and Unction (or Anointing of the Sick and the Dying), are effective signs of the Lord’s continuing presence and action within His Church and efficacious channels of his Grace. Among the Sacraments, the Holy Eucharist holds prominence of place.
We believe that Our Lord Jesus Christ is really and truly present, in His humanity and in His Divinity, in the species of bread and wine that have been consecrated in the Eucharistic Liturgy of the Holy Mass, and that in Holy Communion we receive Him into ourselves to nourish the very life of the soul: ‘Those who eat My Flesh and drink My Blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day’, (John 6:54).
We believe that in Our Lord Jesus’ plan for His Church, the Apostles and the Bishops hold a special place.
We believe that the Bishops, canonically and liturgically consecrated in the unbroken line of Apostolic Succession are the successors of the Apostles and that they are responsible, as were the Apostles, for the ministry of service to the Church, consisting of preaching and teaching, of sanctifying and of governing, but most of all, for the safeguarding and the handing-on intact, of the Deposit of Faith and Sacred Tradition of the Church under the divine command.
BELIEF IN THE HOLY TRINITY
The fundamental truth of the Church is the faith revealed in the True God: the Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is in reality the declaration of the Christian faith, formulated and pronounced by the Ecumenical Synods of the One Undivided Church. It is impossible for the finite human mind to comprehend objectively the substance of the True God, true worship, and true norms of life. Human reasoning in regard to faith in the Holy Trinity is confined to formulating the truths which already have been revealed in the Scriptures and Sacred Tradition. These truths of the Holy Trinity were formulated by the First and Second Ecumenical Synods in the Nicene Creed and were based on Divine Sources.
We believe that God is one in substance and Triune in three Persons or Hypostases. The Church pronounces in its lucid liturgical confession: "I confess the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, Trinity consubstantial and undivided." In the Holy Scriptures, there are passages recorded to strengthen this belief in the Holy Trinity in which the faith in God is revealed. The Scriptures proclaim "to us there is but one God, the Father" (1 Cor. 8:6); "in him (the Son) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9; cf. Matt. 26:63); and, relating to the Holy Spirit, "thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God" (Acts 5:4).
This fundamental belief in the Holy Trinity was the subject of all the Ecumenical Synods in which the unchangeable pronouncement on the Holy Trinity was affirmed. They proclaimed primarily that the second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Logos, and the Third Person, the Holy Spirit, are of the same essence, Homoousios, of the Father. In the personal attributions of the Divine Persons of the Holy Trinity, the Father begot the Son and from the Father proceeds the Holy Spirit. The Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, sends the Holy Spirit to guide His Church (cf. John 15:26). The nature and attributes of the Persons of the Holy Trinity are revealed through Jesus Christ. The truth can be reached only by faith, being above and beyond human comprehension.
THE SECOND PERSON OF THE HOLY TRINITY
Another fundamental belief of the Church is the faith in the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ, Who became "incarnate by the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary and became man" (Nicene Creed) for our salvation. The Virgin Mary Theotokos gave birth to Jesus, Who is the only begotten Son of God. In the Orthodox Church, the Theotokos is highly honoured, as expressed in praises recorded in the Scriptures with qualities mirrored in the Magnificat (cf. Luke 1:46 ff.). Despite the high honour and the highest admiration which the Orthodox Church bestows upon the Virgin Mary Theotokos, it does not teach either her immaculate conception or her bodily assumption into the heavens. The Church venerates the Theotokos as "holder of Him Who is illimitable...and infinite Creator."
God's love caused Him to send His Son Jesus Christ to save man. For the Christian, the Incarnation of Christ is a mystery. Apostle Paul, the keenest interpreter of the life of Christ, in his epistle to the Colossians writes that it was "the mystery hidden for ages and generations, but now made manifest to his saints" (Col. 1:26; cf. Rom. 16:25-26). Jesus Christ was sent for this divine mission "when the fullness of time was come" (Gal. 4:4), when man was prepared to accept Him as his Saviour. Christ was born with two perfect natures, the divine and human, as God-man. When a Christian refers to Christ in the Old and New Testaments, he should presuppose the fact of the two natures of Jesus Christ which are made manifest in His Gospel and deeds.
Another essential in the life of Christ, which is indispensable for the Church faith, is the Crucifixion of Christ, which is considered the end of His humiliation and emptiness on earth. The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ nails to the Cross the sins of mankind. The Church considers this divine event the "sorrowful Easter," for it is linked with His Resurrection.
We consider that the highest event in the life of Christ to be His Resurrection. It is pronounced as the glorification of Christ, touching upon the scope and the nature of Christ's Mission, which has been a part of the everlasting Christ. Christ presented Himself, as "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25). Without this belief in the Resurrection, the preaching and the faith of the Church is in vain, as Apostle Paul proclaims (cf. 1 Cor. 15:14). The belief of the Church is that, on the third day, Jesus Christ rose again. The Resurrection of Christ is considered by the Church to be the supreme declaration of faith. The Lord's Day, Sunday, is dedicated to His Resurrection. For this reason, the celebration of Easter in the Orthodox Church is called the "Feast of Feasts."
The Church believes that "He shall come again with glory to judge" the world and everyone on earth, to "render to every man according to his works" (Romans 2:6) of faith in Christ and His Gospel, his love expressed in good works, and in helping others, described as the "least," as explicit witnesses to the steadfastness of his faith in Him. In the Orthodox Church, the justification and salvation of man depends on the standard of "faith which worketh by love" (Gal. 5:6).
THE THIRD PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRT
And in the Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father, who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets . . .
The Holy Spirit bears the title of Lord with God the Father and Christ the Son. He is the Spirit of God and Spirit of Christ. He is eternal, uncreated, and divine; always existing with the Father and the Son; perpetually worshipped and glorified with them in the oneness of the Holy Trinity.
Just like the Son, there was no time when there was no Holy Spirit. The Spirit is before creation. He comes forth from God, as does the Son, in a timeless, eternal procession. “He proceeds from the Father,” in eternity in a divinely instantaneous and perpetual movement (Jn 15.26).
Orthodox doctrine confesses that God the Father is the eternal origin and source of the Spirit, just as He is the source of the Son. Yet, the Church affirms as well that the manner of the Father’s possession and production of the Spirit and the Son differ according to the difference between the Son being “born,” and the Spirit “proceeding.” There have been many attempts—by holy men inspired by God and with a genuine experience of His Trinitarian life to explain the distinction between the procession of the Spirit and the begetting or generation of the Son. For us it is enough to see that the difference between the two lies in the distinction between the divine persons and actions of the Son and the Spirit in relation to the Father, and so as well to each other and to the world. It is necessary to note further that all words and concepts about God and divinity, including those of “procession” and “generation” must give way before the mystical vision of the actual Divine Reality which they express. God may somehow be grasped by men as He has chosen to reveal Himself. However, the essence of His Triune existence remains—and will always remain—essentially inconceivable and inexpressible to created minds and lips. This does not mean that words about God are meaningless. It only means that they are inadequate to the Reality which they seek to express . . .
At this point also it is necessary to note that the Roman and Protestant churches differ in their credal statement about God by adding that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father “and the Son” (filioque)—a doctrinal addition unacceptable to Orthodoxy since it is both unscriptural and inconsistent with the Orthodox vision of God.
With the affirmation of the divinity of the Holy Spirit, and the necessity of worshipping and glorifying him with the Father and the Son, the Orthodox Church affirms that the Divine Reality, called also the Deity or the Godhead in the Orthodox Tradition, is the Holy Trinity.
The Holy Spirit is essentially one in his eternal existence with the Father and the Son; and so, in every action of God toward the world, the Holy Spirit is necessarily acting. Thus, in the Genesis account of creation it is written: “The Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters” (Gen 1.2). It is this same Spirit who is the “breath of life” for all living things and particularly for man, made in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1.30; 2.7). Generally speaking the Spirit in Hebrew is called the “breath” or the “wind” of Yahweh. It is He who makes everything alive, the “Giver of life” Who upholds and sustains the universe in its existence and life (e.g. Ps 104.29; Job 33.4).
The Christian Church lives by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit alone is the guarantee of God’s Kingdom on earth. He is the sole guarantee that God’s life and truth and love are with men. Only by the Holy Spirit can man and the world fulfill that for which they were created by God. All of God’s actions toward man and the world—in creation, salvation and final glorification—are from the Father through the Son (Word) in the Holy Spirit; and all of man’s capabilities of response to God are in the same Spirit, through the same Son to the same Father.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of life
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies through the Spirit who dwells in you (Rom 8.11).
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truthWhen the Spirit of Truth comes he will guide you into all the Truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come (Jn 16:13; see also Jn 14:25; Jn 15:26).
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of divine sonshipFor all who are led by the Spirit are sons of God. For you did not receive the Spirit of slavery. . . . but you received the Spirit of sonship. When we cry “Abba! Father!” it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Rom 8.14; also Gal 4.6).
The Holy Spirit is the personal presence of the new and everlasting covenant between God and man, the seal and guarantee of the Kingdom of God, the power of the divine indwelling of God in man.. . . you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. . . . our sufficiency is from God who has qualified us to be ministers of a new covenant, not in written code but in the Spirit, for the written code kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor 3.2–6).
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you . . . For God’s temple is holy, and that temple you are (1 Cor 3.16; also Rom 6.19).
. . . through him [Christ] we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of apostles and the prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows in a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit(Eph 2.18–22; also 1 Pet 2.4–9).
In the Holy Spirit men have the possibility of receiving every gift from God, of sharing His divine nature and life, of doing what Christ has done by fulfilling His “new commandment” to love one another even as He has loved us, “because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which He has given us” (Rom 5.5).The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control . . . . And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit . . . he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life(Gal 5.22–25; 6.8).
THE FALL AND REGENERATION OF MAN
Almighty God created man after His own image and likeness (cf. Genesis 1:26), and bestowed upon him endowments to fulfil his destiny. God instructed the first created human beings, Adam and Eve, in what they ought not to do. They failed to obey God's commandment and fell into sin, through arrogance and disobedience which deprived them of God's Grace. With them, "the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now" (Romans 8:22). We believe that the corruption of the God-like image of man was not complete, that man's will became blurred, but did not disappear. Man's desire for salvation implies that man feels his inner emptiness and turns to God for forgiveness and redemption. Almighty God in His compassion and love prepared for this regeneration of man by sending His Son, Jesus Christ the Saviour.
ON THE BLESSED VIRGIN MART, THE THEOTOKOS
We believe that Mary, the Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Theotokos, the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church and the Queen of Heaven and earth, holds a special place in the faith, the lives and the liturgy of the our Church.
ON DORMITION OF THE THEOTOKOS
We believe that the Dormition of Our Blessed Lady and Her ascension into Heaven, are held in accordance with Sacred Tradition, the Church Fathers and the Sacred Liturgy from the earliest of times; and in oneness with the Orthodox Church of the East and the Latin Roman Church in the West.
ON THE SAINTS
We believe in the Communion of Saints, and the fellowship of the whole Church in Glory, the Church Militant and the Church Suffering. It holds to the honouring of Saints, and the prayers for their intercession for both the Church Militant and Suffering.
ON LIFE AFTER DEATH
Each person is subject to what is called "private judgment" and to what is called "general judgment”.
The private judgment is what an individual receives immediately after death.
The souls of the righteous, who have received a "positive" private judgment have a certain "foretaste" of Heaven, and the souls of unrepentant sinners who received a "negative" private judgment have a "foretaste" of hell.
However, neither Paradise nor the Inferno even exist yet, because the final division of all humans into those who are saints and those who are damned will occur only after the Second Coming of Christ and the general resurrection of the dead (Matthew 25: 31-46).
Even though a person whose soul is separated from his/her body is not able to repent anymore, and thus cannot change the private judgment by him- or herself, the prayers of others, the prayers of the Church, and especially the prayers of the Most Holy Mother of God the Theotokos still can change the destiny of those who received a negative private judgment.
ON THE DIVINE LITURGY
The authorized Eucharistic Liturgies we use in the Eastern Rite are: John Chrysostom, Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian, Pope of Rome.
ON THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH
The Seven Sacraments: We recognize and affirm the Seven Mysteries or Sacraments of the Church:
Baptism
First place among the Sacraments of the Catholic Christian Church is Holy Baptism, by which a man/women, who has come to believe in Christ, by being immersed three times in water in the Name of the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is cleansed through Divine Grace of all sins (Original Sins and personal sins) and is reborn into a new holy, and spiritual life. Baptism serves as the door through which man enters into the House of Eternal Wisdom - the Church - for, without it, a man cannot be united completely with the Saviour, become a member of His Church, receive other Sacraments, and be the heir to Eternal Life. As the Lord Himself said, in His discourse with Nicodemus, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God." (St. John 3:5)
Chrismation (Confirmation)
In the Sacrament of Baptism man is called out of spiritual darkness into the light of Christ and is initiated into the economy of salvation by the Son of God. This initiation is effected, however, in the Sacrament of Holy Chrismation.
"Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ," the Apostle Peter preached to the people on Pentecost, "and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) Since that time the Divine Gift of the Holy Spirit is bestowed upon each person who rises from the baptismal font. And everything the Holy Spirit touches receives the seal of an invaluable treasure, a ray of eternal light, and the reflection of Divine action. It awakens in the soul that inner, spiritual thirst to grow toward the Heavenly, to the eternal and to the perfect as Temples of the Holy Spirit.
Communion (Holy Eucharist)
The central place among the Sacraments of the Catholic Christian Church is held by the Holy Eucharist - the Precious Body and Blood of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The Saviour Himself said, "I am the Bread of Life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst...If anyone eats of this Bread he will live forever; and the Bread which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh." (St. John 6:35, 51) At the Last Supper, "Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, 'Take, eat; this is My Body.' And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, 'Drink of it, all of you; for this is My Blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.' “(St. Matthew 26:26-28; cf. St. Mark 14:12-16; St. Luke 22:7-13; 1 Corinthians 11:23-30.)
Holy Ordination
In the Eastern Orthodox Church there are to be found three "Major Orders" - Bishop, Priest and Deacon - and two "Minor Orders" – Sub-Deacon and Reader. The Holy Apostles appointed seven men (Church Tradition calls them "Deacons') to perform a special serving ministry (Acts 6:2-6) and in his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul speaks of various ministries in the Church (1 Cor. 12:28). Likewise, he address his Letter to the Philippians, "To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons" (Phil. 1:1}.
In his first Letter to Timothy, the Holy Apostle also speaks of the qualifications of Bishops and Deacons (1 Tim. 3:1-13), as well as in his Letter to Titus (1.5-9).
Ordinations are accomplished by the Laying-on of Hands and intercession of the Holy Spirit. Bishops and Priests must be men.
Penance (Confession)
The Sacrament of Repentance developed early in the Church's history in the time of persecutions of the 3rd and 4th Centuries, when many people, giving to the threats of persecutors, apostasized and fell away from the Church. Apostacy was considered to be a very serious sin; many held the extreme position that such could not be received back into the Church in their lifetime, while others held that those who had lapsed should be re-baptized - that is, their sins should be washed away by a second baptism. Moderation, in the course of time, prevailed and a penitential discipline - the Sacrament of Repentance - developed, taking on the meaning of Second Baptism. In the Sacrament, the Priest is "only the witness" and pronounces the absolution. "If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (St. John 1:9)
Holy Matrimony (Marriage)
In the theology of the Eastern Catholic Church; man is made in the Image of the Most-holy Trinity, and, except in certain special cases (such as the calling to monasticism), he is not intended by God to live alone, but in a family situation. Just as Almighty God blessed the first humans, Adam and Eve, to live as a family, to be fruitful and multiply, so too the Church blesses the union of two people. Marriage is a state of Grace requiring a gift or charism from the Holy Spirit - this give being conferred in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.
Holy Unction (Anointing of the Sick)
This Sacrament is described in Holy Scripture by St. James the Brother of the Lord: "Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven." (St. James 5:14-15). From the text, we can see that this Sacrament has a twofold purpose - bodily healing and the forgiveness of sins. The two are joined, for man is a unity of body and soul and there can be no sharp distinction between bodily and spiritual sickness.
Of course, the Church does not believe that this anointing is automatically or magically followed by recovery of health, for God's will and not man's prevails in all instances. Sometimes the sick person is healed and recovers after receiving the Sacrament, but in other cases he does not recover, but the Sacrament, nonetheless, gives him the spiritual strength to prepare for death.
We must note that this Sacrament is NOT only for those on their deathbed, but for anyone who is sick. It may also be performed over the healthy as well (as is the custom on Holy Wednesday) and in some traditions it is often performed over the healthy before Holy Communion, since the rite also contains elements of repentance, although it should be noted that this does not replace the Sacrament of Penance.
The life of the Orthodox Church perpetuates and fulfils the ministry of Jesus Christ. The close association between Christ and His Church is reflected in the images from the Scriptures which declare that Christ is the Head and the Church is His Body, and that Christ is the Bridegroom and the Church is His bride. These images express the reality that the Church does not exist independently from Christ.
The Lord and Saviour, who was known, loved, and followed by the first disciples in Galilee nearly two thousand years ago, is the same Lord and Saviour who is known, loved, and followed through His Church. As Christ revealed the Holy Trinity, His Church continues to reveal the Holy Trinity and to praise God in her worship. As Christ reconciled humanity to the Father, His Church continues to be the medium of reconciliation by word and action throughout the world. As Christ manifested the vocation of authentic human life, His Church continues to be the realm through which the image and likeness of God in each of us is brought to perfection.
The Orthodox Christian becomes united with Christ at Baptism and is nurtured by Christ at every Eucharist. We believe that the Holy Spirit acts in and through the Church to make Christ our Lord and to bring His work to fulfilment.
Orthodoxy has avoided any temptation to reduce its vision of the Church. The biblical descriptions of the Church as the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit indicate that she truly must be recognized as much more than one institution among many, or a social service agency, or as an ethnic or fraternal organization. Certainly the Church does have her institutional aspects, and she is always subject to the sins and limitations of her human members. Yet, Orthodoxy believes that in addition to her obvious human side, the Church also has a Divine dimension. The Greek word for Church, ecclesia, implies a community called and gathered by God for a special purpose. This means that the Church can be described as the unique meeting place between God and His people.
THE SEVEN ECUMENICAL COUNCILS
The highest authority for the interpretation and protection of the truths of the Revelation of God and for the preserving of those which were disputed is the Ecumenical Synod, the official council of bishops. The synods were modelled after the gathering of the Apostles who came together to discuss the truths which were disputed at that time (cf. Acts 15:22 ff).
The bishops of the One Undivided Church were summoned in synods to discuss and decide on matters of faith as well as rules of discipline; the former are called "oroi," dogmas, and require unanimous decision, while the latter are called "canons,"
The Orthodox Church recognizes the Seven Ecumenical Synods (Councils) of the bishops of the One Undivided Ecumenical Church which took place between the 4th and 8th centuries. This includes decisions and canons of provincial synods, canons of the Apostles and of the Fathers which have been adopted by an Ecumenical Synod.
The Seven Ecumenical Synods pronounced various statements of Faith (dogmas) stating Christian Truths in answer to heresies and disputes, and also issued many canons for discipline and administration.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
The Orthodox Faith cannot be appreciated fully, or appropriated personally, by the individual who is outside the Orthodox Church. Viewed from this vantage point, Orthodoxy can falsely appear as one world-view among many, as a cultural appendage, or merely as a ceremonial church. It is only from within the Church that one has the necessary perspective of experiencing Orthodoxy as the revelation of Divine Life.
BECOMING AN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN
The Orthodox Church has a universal appeal and vocation. She does not restrict membership to people of any culture, race, class, or section of the world. Indeed, Orthodoxy values the diversity of cultures, peoples, and languages which are part of her life. She also affirms a unity of faith and love in Christ which transcends all artificial barriers. Membership in the Orthodox Church is open to all persons.
Q&A
WHO ARE THE MARIAMITE CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX FATHERS, KNOWN AS THE MARIAMITE FATHERS?
We are part of an Orthodox Congregation. The term “MARIAMITE” refers to the brothers and priests who are members of The Mariamite Orthodox Fathers, Community of Mary. The word Mariamite comes from the Hebrew Miryam (מרים), which became Maryam (ܡܪܝܡ) or Mariam in Aramaic, the language Jesus and his mother spoke. In English its Mary. WHAT DOES THE MARIAMITE CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX FATHERS DO? The Mariamite Christian Orthodox Brothers and Priests serve God’s people in a variety of ways. Many are educators, others serve parishes and missions, or in professions careers in societies
. WHAT MAKES THE MARIAMITES DIFFERENT FROM OTHER RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES?
The Mariamite Christian Orthodox Fathers are distinguished by the unique charism. A charism is a gift given by the Holy Spirit for the benefit of God’s people. We are being called by God, formed by the Ever Virgin Mary and sent on the mission of Christ to embody the Good News in one’s time and place. Our mission underlines community, inclusivity, faith, and service to the needy. Members of our religious order seek to continue the Blessed Mother’s mission of bringing Christ to the world.
HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
We describe ourselves as spiritual people who believe in a loving God living and acting through service and prayer. We as Mariamite Christian Fathers, we turn to Mary, the Theotokos as a model for Christian living. She lived a life free from sin and in service to God. This is the life we aspire to live.
HOW ARE YOU GOVERNED?
Our governing structure follows the Eastern Churches governing structure of religious communities. We are headed by a Metropolitan Archbishop who is the Primate.
WHAT VOWS YOU TAKE?
Members of our monastic community take the following vows: poverty, chastity and obedience.
HOW DO YOU SUPPORT YOURSELF AND YOUR MISSIONARY WORK?
As Saint Paul supported himself by making tents, to support his ministry of witnessing to Christ (Acts 18:1–4), so we as members, we support ourselves and the Society by working secular jobs. We do not ask for any donations or support.
WHERE DO YOU WORK?
We work wherever we are needed. Our base is Great Britain. We worked in: Kerala- India, Myanmar-Yangon, Beirut-Lebanon, Juba- South Sudan, Kampala-Uganda, Cairo-Egypt, Belgrade- Serbia, Manila-Philippines, USA and United Kingdom.
WHERE DO YOU STAND WITH RESPECT TO CANON LAW?
Our guide in matters related to Canon Law is the Code of Canons of the Orthodox Church.
HOW MANY MYSTERIES (SACRAMENTS) YOU HAVE?
In the Christian East tradition the "Sacraments" are called "Mysteries". This is because they vessels of mystical participation in Divine Grace. Saint John Chrysostom taught that we call them mysteries because what we believe is not fully shown in what we see. The Latin "sacramentum" means "to consecrate" and comes from the Greek "mysterion". The Holy Mysteries are as follows:
+ Baptism
+ Chrismation
+ Eucharist
+ Confession
+ Anointing
+ Marriage
+ Ordination
The first three Mysteries are administered together, typically to infants but also to adults when joining Christ's Church. The Mystery of Anointing is administered not just to the dying, but to anyone in need of healing (James 5:14-15). It is also offered in parishes on Holy Wednesday to everyone who seeks it, as a preparation for the remembrance of the Cross and Resurrection.
WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THE APOSTLES?
The twelve disciples/apostles of Jesus were the foundation stones of His church, several even wrote portions of the Bible. As we study these courageous first century lives, and what discipleship meant in the time of Jesus, we may expect to be aided in developing a Spirit-directed twenty-first-century discipleship as Christ must have meant it to be. Although we remember each of the Twelve Apostles at different times throughout the year, on June 30th (Eastern Rite) we celebrate the Synaxis o, f the 12 Apostles, a general remembrance for all of them with liturgical services and hymns that honour their contributions to the Church.
WHAT DO SAY ABOUT THE SAINTS?
The Church Fathers included the commemoration of many Martyrs and other Saints in the liturgical year. The Second Vatican Council reminds us that the Martyrs and Saints, being “raised to holiness by abundant graces of God and already in possession of their eternal salvation, sing constant praises to God in heaven and offer prayers for us” (ct. Decree on the Liturgy, n. 104). By celebrating the passage of the Saints from the earth to heaven, the Church also proposes them to us as so many examples of genuine Christian living. The veneration of the Saints has a similar purpose. This began in the first century, first the Veneration of the Martyrs and then of the Apostles. Soon other Saints were added. Between the fourth and the fifth centuries the veneration of the Saints became a general practice, ceding the first place to St. John the Baptist (after the Blessed Mother and the Angels), in view of Christ’s testimony: “There is no one greater than John!” (Lk. 7:28). The Saints usually are commemorated on the anniversary of their death, since the departure of those “that died in the Lord” (Rom. 14:8) was considered by the Christians as a day of birth to a new and happy life with God.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT ICONS & ICONOGRAPHY?
Icons play a central role in the liturgical and spiritual lives in the Eastern Christian tradition. They adorn the walls and sanctuaries of our Churches and are frequently carried in processions. It is not uncommon for Eastern Rite Christian to have an "icon corner" in their home designated for prayer. Rich theology of icons manifests to us something of the hidden spiritual realities that they represent. Icons are windows into the spiritual world. They help us to look into eternity, and they make the historical events of our salvation, as revealed in Scripture, present to us. They are truly "theology in colour." Through their many symbols, icons allow us to touch the mysteries they represent. They tell us the story of what happened in the events they depict. It is common to hear of someone "writing icons" rather than "painting" them. We do not worship the icons, but only persons they depict. As a picture of a loved one helps us to keep him or her close to our heart, so too do the icons help in our prayer to be in the presence of God, to feel close to Him, the Mother of God, and all the saints and angels. They help us to know that God, the Theotokos, and the saints and angels are always close to us.
WHAT IS YOUR DIVINE LITURGY?
The Divine Liturgy (Mass) is the central experience of Faith in the Christian Eastern Tradition. Through it, we participate in the supernatural life, receive inspiration for our spiritual lives, and are catechized in a profound and foundational way. Simply meditating on the prayers of the Divine Liturgy totally immerses one in the mysteries of salvation and the teaching of the Church. The Liturgy connects the whole Church - Her past, present, and future, uniting us with all the saints and angels, as well as the believers from all times (the Pilgrim Church, Suffering Church, and Glorified Church). The Divine Liturgy is composed of three main parts: The Prothesis (or proskomedia), the service preparing the holy gifts The Liturgy of the Catechumens, or the Liturgy of the Word the Liturgy of the Faithful, or Liturgy of the Eucharist. We have three liturgies that are used throughout the year: The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, celebrated on most Sundays throughout the year and most weekdays. The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil celebrated only ten times during the liturgical year, most notably on the first five Sundays of Lent and Christmas Eve. The Divine Liturgy of St. Gregory the Dialogist, also known as the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, celebrated during the weekdays of Lent especially on Wednesdays and Fridays.
WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING ON THE VIRGIN MARY?
The Virgin Mary, the Theotokos (in Greek word that means “God-bearer or Birth-giver to God”, the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son and Word of God. She conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is our belief and tradition that the holy Virgin was a virgin before, during and after the birth of Christ. Our devotion to the Virgin Mary the Theotokos is not merely a matter of popular piety. It is also an expression of the central teaching of the Catholic Church, the doctrine of the Incarnation of Christ. Mary to us represents the submission of humanity to the will of God.
WHAT IS THE TRANSLATION OF THE WORD THEOTOKOS?
While some languages used by various Eastern Byzantine Churches often have a single native word for Theotokos, it gets translated into English in several ways. The most common is Mother of God, though God-bearer and Birth-giver to God are also common. There are difficulties with all these translations, however. The most literally correct one is Birth-giver to God, though God-bearer comes close.
I READ IN THE BYZANTINE EASTERN RITE CHURCH TRADITION; THERE ARE WEEKLY CHURCH CYCLES. WHAT ARE THEY?
Each day of the week has its own commemoration: 1) Sunday - Resurrection of Christ 2) Monday - The Holy Angels 3) Tuesday - St. John the Forerunner 4) Wednesday - The Cross and the Theotokos 5) Thursday - The Holy Apostles and St. Nicholas 6) Friday - The Cross 7) Saturday - All Saints and the departed.
WHAT ABOUT ADVENT?
The Eastern Byzantine Liturgical year does not use the Roman Catholic structure and terminology for cretin seasons. In the Eastern Rite Tradition, the season prior to Christmas, known in the Latin Church as Advent, is called the Nativity Fast.
YOU TALK ABOUT THE CHURCH AS UNITY IN THE TRUTH AND LOVE OF GOD.WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THIS?
We believe that the life of the Church is life in communion with God Himself, in the Truth and Love of Christ, by the Holy Spirit. We believe that Christ is the Son of God. We believe that He reveals the truth about God and man. We believe that we can know this truth by the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit that He gives to us. The greatest truth shown to us by Christ is that God is Love, and that the only true way of living is by following Christ who called Himself, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Christ gave the great commandment and the great example of perfect love. Thus, the greatest truth is love. This is our conclusion. And life in this truth which is love is the life of faith, the life of the Holy Church. Of course, there are deviations and betrayals and sins all around. Clergy and laymen alike are guilty. But the Church itself, despite the sins of its members, is still the union with the Truth and Love of God given to men in Jesus Christ, made present and accessible in the Holy Spirit, who lives in those who believe.
WHAT ARE YOUR RELIGIOUS HABITS AND YOUR LITURGICAL VESTMENTS?
+ Our religious habit as in Eastern Byzantine tradition; black Cassock woollen material (represent Poverty) and a black leather girdle / belt (represent Chastity). A black vest can be worn if needed.
+ Our Liturgical vestments are Greek style Byzantine Vestments.
WHICH LITURGICAL CALENDAR YOU FOLLOW?
We follow the Revised Julian Calendar that is followed and adopted by: the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Cypriot Orthodox Church, the Church of Greece, the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Orthodox Church in America and the Orthodox Church of America, also many Eastern Byzantine Catholic Churches as well, such as the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church, the Romanian Greek Catholic Church and some parishes of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in the Middle East.
HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND FREEDOM?
Freedom is one of God’s greatest gifts to the human being. He who created man in the beginning made him free and self-determined, limiting him solely by the laws of the commandment (Gregory the Theologian, Homily 14, On Love for the Poor, 25. PG 35, 892A). Freedom renders the human being capable of progressing toward spiritual perfection; yet it also includes the risk of disobedience as independence from God and consequently the fall, which tragically gives rise to evil in the world.
WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING TO MARRIAGE?
In our understanding, marriage is the oldest institution of divine law because it was instituted simultaneously with the creation of Adam and Eve, the first human beings (Gen 2:23). Since its origin, this union not only implies the spiritual communion of a married couple a man and a woman but also assured the continuation of humanity. As such, the marriage of man and woman, which was blessed in Paradise, became a holy mystery, as mentioned in the New Testament where Christ performs His first sign, turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, and th us reveals His glory (Jn 2:11). The mystery of the indissoluble union between man and woman is an icon of the unity of Christ and the Church (Eph 5:32).
The Church consider the union of man and woman in Christ constitutes “a small church” or an icon of the Church. Through God’s blessing, the union of man and woman is elevated to a higher level, for communion is greater than individual existence because it initiates the spouses into the order of the Kingdom of the All-Holy Trinity. A necessary condition of marriage is faith in Jesus Christ, which must be shared by the bridegroom and the bride, man and woman. Consequently, unity in Christ is the foundation of marital unity. Thus, marital love blessed by the Holy Spirit enables the couple to reflect the love between Christ and the Church as a mystery of the Kingdom of God—as the eternal life of humanity in the love of God. As for civil marriage between a man and a woman registered in accordance with the law lacks sacramental character since it is a simple legalized cohabitation recognized by the State, different from a marriage blessed by God and the Church.
The members of the Church who contract a civil marriage ought to be regarded with pastoral responsibility, which is necessary to help them understand the value of the sacrament of marriage and the blessings connected with it. The Church does not allow for her members to contract same-sex unions or any other form of cohabitation apart from marriage. The Church exerts all possible pastoral efforts to help her members who enter such unions understand the true meaning of repentance and love as blessed by the Church. The grave consequences brought about by this crisis of the institutions of marriage and the family are manifested in the frightening increase in the number of divorces, abortions, and other problems of family life. These consequences constitute a great challenge to the mission of the Church in the modern world, which is why the shepherds of the Church are obligated to make every possible effort to address these problems. The Church lovingly invites her children and all people of good will to defend this fidelity to the sacredness of the family.
WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING TO THE SPECIAL PASTORAL CARE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE?
The Church’s special pastoral care for young people represents an unceasing and unchanging Christ-cantered process of formation. Of course, the pastoral responsibility of the Church also extends to the divinely granted institution of family, which has always been and must always be founded on the sacred mystery of Christian marriage as a union between man and woman, as reflected in the union of Christ and His Church (Eph 5:32). This is especially vital considering attempts in certain countries to legalize and in certain Christian communities to justify theologically other forms of human cohabitation that are contrary to Christian tradition and teaching. The Church hopes for the recapitulation of everything in the Body of Christ, it reminds every person coming into the world, that Christ will return at His Second Coming judging the living and the dead (1 Pet 4, 5) and that His Kingdom shall have no end (Lk 1:33)
WHO ARE THE MARIAMITE CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX FATHERS, KNOWN AS THE MARIAMITE FATHERS?
We are part of an Orthodox Congregation. The term “MARIAMITE” refers to the brothers and priests who are members of The Mariamite Orthodox Fathers, Community of Mary. The word Mariamite comes from the Hebrew Miryam (מרים), which became Maryam (ܡܪܝܡ) or Mariam in Aramaic, the language Jesus and his mother spoke. In English its Mary. WHAT DOES THE MARIAMITE CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX FATHERS DO? The Mariamite Christian Orthodox Brothers and Priests serve God’s people in a variety of ways. Many are educators, others serve parishes and missions, or in professions careers in societies
. WHAT MAKES THE MARIAMITES DIFFERENT FROM OTHER RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES?
The Mariamite Christian Orthodox Fathers are distinguished by the unique charism. A charism is a gift given by the Holy Spirit for the benefit of God’s people. We are being called by God, formed by the Ever Virgin Mary and sent on the mission of Christ to embody the Good News in one’s time and place. Our mission underlines community, inclusivity, faith, and service to the needy. Members of our religious order seek to continue the Blessed Mother’s mission of bringing Christ to the world.
HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
We describe ourselves as spiritual people who believe in a loving God living and acting through service and prayer. We as Mariamite Christian Fathers, we turn to Mary, the Theotokos as a model for Christian living. She lived a life free from sin and in service to God. This is the life we aspire to live.
HOW ARE YOU GOVERNED?
Our governing structure follows the Eastern Churches governing structure of religious communities. We are headed by a Metropolitan Archbishop who is the Primate.
WHAT VOWS YOU TAKE?
Members of our monastic community take the following vows: poverty, chastity and obedience.
HOW DO YOU SUPPORT YOURSELF AND YOUR MISSIONARY WORK?
As Saint Paul supported himself by making tents, to support his ministry of witnessing to Christ (Acts 18:1–4), so we as members, we support ourselves and the Society by working secular jobs. We do not ask for any donations or support.
WHERE DO YOU WORK?
We work wherever we are needed. Our base is Great Britain. We worked in: Kerala- India, Myanmar-Yangon, Beirut-Lebanon, Juba- South Sudan, Kampala-Uganda, Cairo-Egypt, Belgrade- Serbia, Manila-Philippines, USA and United Kingdom.
WHERE DO YOU STAND WITH RESPECT TO CANON LAW?
Our guide in matters related to Canon Law is the Code of Canons of the Orthodox Church.
HOW MANY MYSTERIES (SACRAMENTS) YOU HAVE?
In the Christian East tradition the "Sacraments" are called "Mysteries". This is because they vessels of mystical participation in Divine Grace. Saint John Chrysostom taught that we call them mysteries because what we believe is not fully shown in what we see. The Latin "sacramentum" means "to consecrate" and comes from the Greek "mysterion". The Holy Mysteries are as follows:
+ Baptism
+ Chrismation
+ Eucharist
+ Confession
+ Anointing
+ Marriage
+ Ordination
The first three Mysteries are administered together, typically to infants but also to adults when joining Christ's Church. The Mystery of Anointing is administered not just to the dying, but to anyone in need of healing (James 5:14-15). It is also offered in parishes on Holy Wednesday to everyone who seeks it, as a preparation for the remembrance of the Cross and Resurrection.
WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THE APOSTLES?
The twelve disciples/apostles of Jesus were the foundation stones of His church, several even wrote portions of the Bible. As we study these courageous first century lives, and what discipleship meant in the time of Jesus, we may expect to be aided in developing a Spirit-directed twenty-first-century discipleship as Christ must have meant it to be. Although we remember each of the Twelve Apostles at different times throughout the year, on June 30th (Eastern Rite) we celebrate the Synaxis o, f the 12 Apostles, a general remembrance for all of them with liturgical services and hymns that honour their contributions to the Church.
WHAT DO SAY ABOUT THE SAINTS?
The Church Fathers included the commemoration of many Martyrs and other Saints in the liturgical year. The Second Vatican Council reminds us that the Martyrs and Saints, being “raised to holiness by abundant graces of God and already in possession of their eternal salvation, sing constant praises to God in heaven and offer prayers for us” (ct. Decree on the Liturgy, n. 104). By celebrating the passage of the Saints from the earth to heaven, the Church also proposes them to us as so many examples of genuine Christian living. The veneration of the Saints has a similar purpose. This began in the first century, first the Veneration of the Martyrs and then of the Apostles. Soon other Saints were added. Between the fourth and the fifth centuries the veneration of the Saints became a general practice, ceding the first place to St. John the Baptist (after the Blessed Mother and the Angels), in view of Christ’s testimony: “There is no one greater than John!” (Lk. 7:28). The Saints usually are commemorated on the anniversary of their death, since the departure of those “that died in the Lord” (Rom. 14:8) was considered by the Christians as a day of birth to a new and happy life with God.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT ICONS & ICONOGRAPHY?
Icons play a central role in the liturgical and spiritual lives in the Eastern Christian tradition. They adorn the walls and sanctuaries of our Churches and are frequently carried in processions. It is not uncommon for Eastern Rite Christian to have an "icon corner" in their home designated for prayer. Rich theology of icons manifests to us something of the hidden spiritual realities that they represent. Icons are windows into the spiritual world. They help us to look into eternity, and they make the historical events of our salvation, as revealed in Scripture, present to us. They are truly "theology in colour." Through their many symbols, icons allow us to touch the mysteries they represent. They tell us the story of what happened in the events they depict. It is common to hear of someone "writing icons" rather than "painting" them. We do not worship the icons, but only persons they depict. As a picture of a loved one helps us to keep him or her close to our heart, so too do the icons help in our prayer to be in the presence of God, to feel close to Him, the Mother of God, and all the saints and angels. They help us to know that God, the Theotokos, and the saints and angels are always close to us.
WHAT IS YOUR DIVINE LITURGY?
The Divine Liturgy (Mass) is the central experience of Faith in the Christian Eastern Tradition. Through it, we participate in the supernatural life, receive inspiration for our spiritual lives, and are catechized in a profound and foundational way. Simply meditating on the prayers of the Divine Liturgy totally immerses one in the mysteries of salvation and the teaching of the Church. The Liturgy connects the whole Church - Her past, present, and future, uniting us with all the saints and angels, as well as the believers from all times (the Pilgrim Church, Suffering Church, and Glorified Church). The Divine Liturgy is composed of three main parts: The Prothesis (or proskomedia), the service preparing the holy gifts The Liturgy of the Catechumens, or the Liturgy of the Word the Liturgy of the Faithful, or Liturgy of the Eucharist. We have three liturgies that are used throughout the year: The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, celebrated on most Sundays throughout the year and most weekdays. The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil celebrated only ten times during the liturgical year, most notably on the first five Sundays of Lent and Christmas Eve. The Divine Liturgy of St. Gregory the Dialogist, also known as the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, celebrated during the weekdays of Lent especially on Wednesdays and Fridays.
WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING ON THE VIRGIN MARY?
The Virgin Mary, the Theotokos (in Greek word that means “God-bearer or Birth-giver to God”, the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son and Word of God. She conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is our belief and tradition that the holy Virgin was a virgin before, during and after the birth of Christ. Our devotion to the Virgin Mary the Theotokos is not merely a matter of popular piety. It is also an expression of the central teaching of the Catholic Church, the doctrine of the Incarnation of Christ. Mary to us represents the submission of humanity to the will of God.
WHAT IS THE TRANSLATION OF THE WORD THEOTOKOS?
While some languages used by various Eastern Byzantine Churches often have a single native word for Theotokos, it gets translated into English in several ways. The most common is Mother of God, though God-bearer and Birth-giver to God are also common. There are difficulties with all these translations, however. The most literally correct one is Birth-giver to God, though God-bearer comes close.
I READ IN THE BYZANTINE EASTERN RITE CHURCH TRADITION; THERE ARE WEEKLY CHURCH CYCLES. WHAT ARE THEY?
Each day of the week has its own commemoration: 1) Sunday - Resurrection of Christ 2) Monday - The Holy Angels 3) Tuesday - St. John the Forerunner 4) Wednesday - The Cross and the Theotokos 5) Thursday - The Holy Apostles and St. Nicholas 6) Friday - The Cross 7) Saturday - All Saints and the departed.
WHAT ABOUT ADVENT?
The Eastern Byzantine Liturgical year does not use the Roman Catholic structure and terminology for cretin seasons. In the Eastern Rite Tradition, the season prior to Christmas, known in the Latin Church as Advent, is called the Nativity Fast.
YOU TALK ABOUT THE CHURCH AS UNITY IN THE TRUTH AND LOVE OF GOD.WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THIS?
We believe that the life of the Church is life in communion with God Himself, in the Truth and Love of Christ, by the Holy Spirit. We believe that Christ is the Son of God. We believe that He reveals the truth about God and man. We believe that we can know this truth by the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit that He gives to us. The greatest truth shown to us by Christ is that God is Love, and that the only true way of living is by following Christ who called Himself, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Christ gave the great commandment and the great example of perfect love. Thus, the greatest truth is love. This is our conclusion. And life in this truth which is love is the life of faith, the life of the Holy Church. Of course, there are deviations and betrayals and sins all around. Clergy and laymen alike are guilty. But the Church itself, despite the sins of its members, is still the union with the Truth and Love of God given to men in Jesus Christ, made present and accessible in the Holy Spirit, who lives in those who believe.
WHAT ARE YOUR RELIGIOUS HABITS AND YOUR LITURGICAL VESTMENTS?
+ Our religious habit as in Eastern Byzantine tradition; black Cassock woollen material (represent Poverty) and a black leather girdle / belt (represent Chastity). A black vest can be worn if needed.
+ Our Liturgical vestments are Greek style Byzantine Vestments.
WHICH LITURGICAL CALENDAR YOU FOLLOW?
We follow the Revised Julian Calendar that is followed and adopted by: the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Cypriot Orthodox Church, the Church of Greece, the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Orthodox Church in America and the Orthodox Church of America, also many Eastern Byzantine Catholic Churches as well, such as the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church, the Romanian Greek Catholic Church and some parishes of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in the Middle East.
HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND FREEDOM?
Freedom is one of God’s greatest gifts to the human being. He who created man in the beginning made him free and self-determined, limiting him solely by the laws of the commandment (Gregory the Theologian, Homily 14, On Love for the Poor, 25. PG 35, 892A). Freedom renders the human being capable of progressing toward spiritual perfection; yet it also includes the risk of disobedience as independence from God and consequently the fall, which tragically gives rise to evil in the world.
WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING TO MARRIAGE?
In our understanding, marriage is the oldest institution of divine law because it was instituted simultaneously with the creation of Adam and Eve, the first human beings (Gen 2:23). Since its origin, this union not only implies the spiritual communion of a married couple a man and a woman but also assured the continuation of humanity. As such, the marriage of man and woman, which was blessed in Paradise, became a holy mystery, as mentioned in the New Testament where Christ performs His first sign, turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, and th us reveals His glory (Jn 2:11). The mystery of the indissoluble union between man and woman is an icon of the unity of Christ and the Church (Eph 5:32).
The Church consider the union of man and woman in Christ constitutes “a small church” or an icon of the Church. Through God’s blessing, the union of man and woman is elevated to a higher level, for communion is greater than individual existence because it initiates the spouses into the order of the Kingdom of the All-Holy Trinity. A necessary condition of marriage is faith in Jesus Christ, which must be shared by the bridegroom and the bride, man and woman. Consequently, unity in Christ is the foundation of marital unity. Thus, marital love blessed by the Holy Spirit enables the couple to reflect the love between Christ and the Church as a mystery of the Kingdom of God—as the eternal life of humanity in the love of God. As for civil marriage between a man and a woman registered in accordance with the law lacks sacramental character since it is a simple legalized cohabitation recognized by the State, different from a marriage blessed by God and the Church.
The members of the Church who contract a civil marriage ought to be regarded with pastoral responsibility, which is necessary to help them understand the value of the sacrament of marriage and the blessings connected with it. The Church does not allow for her members to contract same-sex unions or any other form of cohabitation apart from marriage. The Church exerts all possible pastoral efforts to help her members who enter such unions understand the true meaning of repentance and love as blessed by the Church. The grave consequences brought about by this crisis of the institutions of marriage and the family are manifested in the frightening increase in the number of divorces, abortions, and other problems of family life. These consequences constitute a great challenge to the mission of the Church in the modern world, which is why the shepherds of the Church are obligated to make every possible effort to address these problems. The Church lovingly invites her children and all people of good will to defend this fidelity to the sacredness of the family.
WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING TO THE SPECIAL PASTORAL CARE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE?
The Church’s special pastoral care for young people represents an unceasing and unchanging Christ-cantered process of formation. Of course, the pastoral responsibility of the Church also extends to the divinely granted institution of family, which has always been and must always be founded on the sacred mystery of Christian marriage as a union between man and woman, as reflected in the union of Christ and His Church (Eph 5:32). This is especially vital considering attempts in certain countries to legalize and in certain Christian communities to justify theologically other forms of human cohabitation that are contrary to Christian tradition and teaching. The Church hopes for the recapitulation of everything in the Body of Christ, it reminds every person coming into the world, that Christ will return at His Second Coming judging the living and the dead (1 Pet 4, 5) and that His Kingdom shall have no end (Lk 1:33)
STATMENTS
STATEMENTS ON PERSECUTED
Christian persecution is a significant global issue affecting over 380 million Christians who experience high levels of persecution and discrimination. This persecution can range from social discrimination and legal restrictions to extreme violence, imprisonment, and death. Scope and Statistics: Global Reach: Approximately 1 in 7 Christians worldwide face persecution. The number of countries where Christians suffer high or extreme levels of persecution has nearly doubled in the last 30 years. Violence: In 2024, an estimated 4,476 Christians were killed for faith-related reasons, with over 70% of those deaths occurring in Nigeria. Attacks on Property: In the same year, 7,679 churches and Christian properties were attacked globally.
Key Locations of Persecution: According to the Open Doors World Watch List 2025, the most dangerous countries for Christians include:
North Korea: Consistently ranked highest, where simply owning a Bible or attending an unauthorized prayer meeting can be a death sentence or lead to life in a labour camp.
Somalia, Yemen, and Libya: In these Muslim-majority nations, conversion from Islam is illegal, and Christians face severe pressure, discrimination, and violence from both communities and extremist groups like al-Shabaab and the Houthi movement.
Nigeria: The epicentre of violence, where Christian communities face brutal attacks, abductions, and destruction of property by militants and armed bandits.
Pakistan: Christians are often treated as second-class citizens and disproportionately affected by harsh blasphemy laws, which are frequently used to target religious minorities.
Eritrea: An authoritarian government closely monitors recognized churches and imprisons believers who belong to non-official denominations.
The Middle East: Christian persecution in the Middle East is a complex and deeply troubling issue characterized by historical conflict, the rise of extremist groups like the Islamic State (ISIS), and ongoing legal and societal discrimination in many countries. This has led to a steep decline in the Christian population, with the community facing the risk of disappearing from its birthplace.
Key Aspects of the Middle East Persecution: Violence and Genocide: Extremist groups, particularly ISIS, have committed atrocities against Christians and other minorities that have been formally recognized as genocide by the United States, the European Parliament, and the UK Parliament. This included massacres, forced conversions, sexual slavery, and the systematic destruction of churches and historical sites.
Exodus and Demographic Decline
The main impact of persecution is an ongoing exodus of Christians from the region.
In Iraq, the Christian population has plummeted from an estimated 1.4 million before the 2003 invasion to around 120,000 to 300,000 today. A similar trend is seen in Syria, where numbers have fallen from 1.5 million to approximately 300,000.
Legal Restrictions and Societal Discrimination
In many Middle Eastern nations, Christians face systemic, non-violent persecution, including: Prohibition of Public Worship: Till date, in some Arabic countries; public Christian worship is strictly illegal, forcing believers to meet in secret house churches. Restrictions on Conversion: Conversion from Islam to Christianity is often forbidden and can result in severe penalties, including imprisonment or the death penalty in some countries like Yemen and Iran.
Discrimination
Christians often face job and education discrimination and are subject to laws that inhibit church construction or ban the distribution of Bibles in local languages.
Christianity in our time is experiencing a significant decline in the Middle East, falling from around 20% of the population a century ago to an estimated 3-5% today, driven by, conflict, persecution, lack of economic opportunity, and emigration. This exodus has devastated historic communities in countries like Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, with some ancient communities facing near extinction.
ON FREEDOM
Freedom is one of God’s greatest gifts to the human being. He who created man in the beginning made him free and self-determined, limiting him solely by the laws of the commandment (Gregory the Theologian, Homily 14, On Love for the Poor, 25. PG 35, 892A). Freedom renders the human being capable of progressing toward spiritual perfection; yet it also includes the risk of disobedience as independence from God and consequently the fall, which tragically gives rise to evil in the world.
ON PEACE & JUSTICE
The Church has diachronically recognized and revealed the centrality of peace and justice in people’s lives. The very revelation of Christ is characterized as a gospel of peace (Eph 6:15), for Christ has brought peace to all through the blood of his Cross (Col. 1:20), preached peace to those afar and near (Eph 2:17), and has become our peace (Eph. 2:14). This peace, which surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7), as the Lord Himself told His disciples before His passion, is broader and more essential than the peace promised by the world: peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you (Jn. 14:27). This is because the peace of Christ is the ripe fruit of the restoration of all things in Him, the revelation of the human person’s dignity and majesty as an image of God, the manifestation of the organic unity in Christ between humanity and the world, the universality of the principles of peace, freedom, and social justice, and ultimately the blossoming of Christian love among people and nations of the world.
The reign of all these Christian principles on earth gives rise to authentic peace. It is the peace from above, for which the Unity Catholic Church prays constantly in its daily petitions, asking this of the almighty God, who hears the prayers of those that draw near to Him in faith.
ON PEACE & THE AVERSION OF WAR
The Church of Christ condemns war in general, recognizing it as the result of the presence of evil and sin in the world: Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? (Jm 4:1). Every war threatens to destroy creation and life. This is most particularly the case with wars with weapons of mass destruction because their consequences would be horrific not only because they lead to the death of an unforeseeable number of people, but also because they render life unbearable for those who survive. They also lead to incurable diseases, cause genetic mutations and other disasters, with catastrophic impact on future generations. The amassing not only of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, but of all kinds of weapons, poses very serious dangers inasmuch as they create a false sense of superiority and dominance over the rest of the world. Moreover, such weapons create an atmosphere of fear and mistrust, becoming the impetus for a new arms race.
The Church of Christ, which understands war as essentially the result of evil and sin in the world, supports all initiatives and efforts to prevent or avert it through dialogue and every other viable means. When war becomes inevitable, the Church continues to pray and care in a pastoral manner for her children who are involved in military conflict for the sake of defending their life and freedom, while making every effort to bring about the swift restoration of peace and freedom. The Christian Church resolutely condemns the multifaceted conflicts and wars provoked by fanaticism that derives from religious principles.
There is grave concern over the permanent trend of increasing oppression and persecution of Christians and other communities in the Middle East and elsewhere because of their beliefs; equally troubling are the attempts to uproot Christianity from its traditional homelands. As a result, existing interfaith and international relations are threatened, while many Christians are forced to abandon their homes.
Orthodox, Catholic Christians throughout the world suffer with their fellow Christians and all those being persecuted in this region, while also calling for a just and lasting resolution to the region’s problems. Wars inspired by nationalism and leading to ethnic cleansing, the violation of state borders, and the seizure of territory are also condemned.
ON THE ATTITUDE OF THE CHURCH TOWARD DISCRIMINATION
The Lord, as King of righteousness (Heb 7:2-3) denounces violence and injustice (Ps 10:5), while condemning the inhumane treatment of one’s neighbour (Mt 25:41-46; Jm 2:15-16). In His Kingdom, reflected and present in His Church on earth, there is no place for hatred, enmity, or intolerance (Is 11:6; Rom 12:10). Our position on this is clear. We believes that God has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth (Acts 17:26) and that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus(Gal 3:28). To the question: Who is my neighbour? Christ responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37). In so doing, He taught us to tear down all barriers erected by enmity and prejudice. The Church confesses that every human being, regardless of skin colour, religion, race, sex, ethnicity, and language, is created in the image and likeness of God, and enjoys equal rights in society. Consistent with this belief, we reject discrimination for any of the reasons since these presuppose a difference in dignity between people.
The Church, in the spirit of respecting human rights and equal treatment of all, values the application of these principles in the light of her teaching on the sacraments, the family, the role of both genders in the Church, and the overall principles of Church tradition. The Church has the right to proclaim and witness to her teaching in the public sphere.
ON THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH AS A WITNESS OF LOVE THROUGH SERVICE
In fulfilling her mission in the world, the Church actively cares for all people in need, including the hungry, the poor, the sick, the disabled, the elderly, the persecuted, those in captivity and prison, the homeless, the orphans, the victims of destruction and military conflict, those affected by human trafficking and modern forms of slavery. The Church’s efforts to confront destitution and social injustice are an expression of her faith and the service to the Lord, Who identifies Himself with every person and especially with those in need: Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me (Mt 25:40). This multidimensional social service enables the Church to cooperate with various relevant social institutions. Competition and enmity in the world introduce injustice and inequitable access among individuals and peoples to the resources of divine creation. They deprive millions of people of fundamental goods and lead to the degradation of human person; they incite mass migrations of populations, and they engender ethnic, religious, and social conflicts, which threaten the internal cohesion of communities.
The Church cannot remain indifferent before economic conditions that negatively impact humanity. She insists not only on the need for the economy to be grounded upon ethical principles, but that it must also tangibly serve the needs of human beings in accordance with the teaching of the Apostle Paul: By labouring like this, you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35). Basil the Great writes that each person should make it his duty to help those in need and not satisfy his own needs (Moral Rules, 42. PG 31, 1025A). The gap between rich and poor is dramatically exacerbated due to the financial crisis, which normally results from the unbridled profiteering by some representatives of financial circles, the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few, and perverted business practices devoid of justice and humanitarian sensitivity, which ultimately do not serve humanity’s true needs. A sustainable economy is that which combines efficiency with justice and social solidarity. Considering such tragic circumstances, the Church’s great responsibility is perceived in terms of overcoming hunger and all other forms of deprivation in the world. One such phenomenon in our time, whereby nations operate within a globalized economic system, points to the world’s serious identity crisis, for hunger not only threatens the divine gift of life of whole peoples but also offends the lofty dignity and sacredness of the human person, while simultaneously offending God. Therefore, if concern over our own sustenance is a material issue, then concern over feeding our neighbour is a spiritual issue (Jm 2:14-18). Consequently, it is the mission of all Churches to exhibit solidarity and administer assistance effectively to those in need.
The Holy Church of Christ, in her universal body, embracing in her fold many peoples on earth emphasizes the principle of universal solidarity and supports the closer cooperation of nations and states for the sake of resolving conflicts peacefully. The Church is concerned about the ever-increasing imposition upon humanity of a consumerist lifestyle, devoid of Christian ethical principles. In this sense, consumerism combined with secular globalization tends to lead to the loss of nations’ spiritual roots, their historical loss of memory, and the forgetfulness of their traditions. Mass media frequently operates under the control of an ideology of liberal globalization and is thus rendered an instrument for disseminating consumerism and immorality. Instances of disrespectful, at times blasphemous, attitudes toward religious values are cause for particular concern, since arousing division and conflict in society. The Church warns her children of the risk of influence on their conscience by the mass media, as well as its use to manipulate rather than bring people and nations together. Even as the Church proceeds to preach and realize her salvific mission for the world, she is all the more frequently confronted by expressions of secularism.
The Church of Christ in the world is called to express once again and to promote the content of her prophetic witness to the world, grounded on the experience of faith and recalling her true mission through the proclamation of the Kingdom of God and the cultivation of a sense of unity among her flock. In this way, she opens a broad field of opportunity since an essential element of her ecclesiology promotes Eucharistic communion and unity within a shattered world. The yearning for continuous growth in prosperity and an unfettered consumerism inevitably led to a disproportionate use and depletion of natural resources. Nature, which was created by God and given to humankind to work and preserve (cf. Gen 2:15), endures the consequences of human sin: For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now (Rom 8:20-22). The ecological crisis, which is connected to climate change and global warming, makes it incumbent upon the Church to do everything within her spiritual power to protect God’s creation from the consequences of human greed. As the gratification of material needs, greed leads to spiritual impoverishment of the human being and to environmental destruction. We should not forget that the earth’s natural resources are not our property, but the Creator’s: The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world, and those who dwell therein (Ps 23:1). Therefore, the Church emphasizes the protection of God’s creation through the cultivation of human responsibility for our God-given environment and the promotion of the virtues of frugality and self-restraint. We are obliged to remember that not only present, but also future generations have a right to enjoy the natural goods granted to us by the Creator.
For the Church, the ability to explore the world scientifically is a gift from God to humanity. However, along with this positive attitude, the Church simultaneously recognizes the dangers latent in the use of certain scientific achievements. She believes that the scientist is indeed free to conduct research, but that the scientist is also obliged to interrupt this research when it violates basic Christian and humanitarian values.
According to St. Paul, All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful (I Cor 6:12), and according to St. Gregory the Theologian, he writes, Goodness is not goodness if the means are wrong (1st Theological Oration, 4, PG 36, 16C). This perspective of the Church proves necessary for many reasons to establish proper boundaries for freedom and the application of the fruits of science, where in almost all disciplines, but especially in biology, we can expect both new achievements and risks. At the same time, we emphasize the unquestionable sacredness of human life from its conception. Over the last years, we observe an immense development in the biological sciences and in corresponding biotechnologies. Many of these achievements are considered beneficial for humankind, while others raise ethical dilemmas and still others are deemed unacceptable.
The Church believes that the human being is not merely a composition of cells, bones, and organs; nor again is the human person defined solely by biological factors. Man is created in the image of God (Gen 1:27) and reference to humanity must take place with due respect. The recognition of this fundamental principle leads to the conclusion that, both in the process of scientific investigation as well as in the practical application of new discoveries and innovations, we should preserve the absolute right of each individual to be respected and honoured at all stages of life. Moreover, we should respect the will of God as manifested through creation.
Research must consider ethical and spiritual principles, as well as Christian precepts. Indeed, due respect must be rendered to all of God’s creation regarding both the way humanity treats and science explores it, in accordance to God’s commandment (Gen 2:15).
In these times of secularization marked by a spiritual crisis characteristic of contemporary civilization, it is especially necessary to highlight the significance of life’s sacredness. The misunderstanding of freedom as permissiveness leads to an increase in crime, the destruction and defacement of those things held in high regard, as well as the total disrespect of our neighbour's freedom and of the sacredness of life. Eastern & Western Church Tradition, shaped by the experience of Christian truths in practice, is the bearer of spirituality and the ascetic ethos, which must especially be encouraged in our time.
The Church’s special pastoral care for young people represents an unceasing and unchanging Christ-centred process of formation. Of course, the pastoral responsibility of the Church also extends to the divinely granted institution of family, which has always been and must always be founded on the sacred mystery of Christian marriage as a union between man and woman, as reflected in the union of Christ and His Church (Eph 5:32). This is especially vital considering attempts in certain countries to legalize and in certain Christian communities to justify theologically other forms of human cohabitation that are contrary to Christian tradition and teaching.
The Church hopes for the recapitulation of everything in the Body of Christ, it reminds every person coming into the world, that Christ will return at His Second Coming judging the living and the dead (1 Pet 4, 5) and that His Kingdom shall have no end (Lk 1:33). In our times, just as throughout history, the prophetic and pastoral voice of the Church, the redeeming word of the Cross and of the Resurrection, appeals to the heart of humankind, calling us, with the Apostle Paul, to embrace and experience whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report (Phil 4:8) namely, the sacrificial love of Her Crucified Lord, the only way to a world of peace, justice, freedom, and love among peoples and between nations, whose only and ultimate measure is always the scarified Lord (cf. Rev 5:12) for the life of the world, that is, endless Love of God in the Triune God, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, to whom belongs all glory and power unto the ages of ages.
ON SEX TRAFFIKING
The Mariamite Byzantine Fathers as the One Apostolic Catholic Church vehemently condemns sex trafficking and all forms of modern slavery, viewing them as heinous sins and a grave violation of human dignity. We consider every human person to be a living icon in the image of God, making exploitation a direct attack on this sanctity. We classify sex trafficking as a form of modern slavery that violates free will and human integrity.
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