Discover Orthodoxy: The Holy Mysteries
Class 3: Experiencing the Sacraments in the Orthodox Church
The following is a summary of a class presentation at Saint Mark Greek Orthodox Church in Boca Raton, Florida. The video of the class is embedded below. This is the first of a 5 part series on the basics of Orthodox Christianity. For part 1, click here; for part 2, click here; for part 4, click here.
The Orthodox Church is not merely a place of worship; it is a living encounter with the Kingdom of Heaven. Every service, every prayer, every sacrament is a doorway into the divine life, a moment where the eternal breaks into the temporal. In the latest installment of Discover Orthodoxy, we will explore the sacraments of the Church—those sacred mysteries through which God pours out his grace upon us, transforming our lives and drawing us closer to his. But before we dive into the specifics, it’s important to understand that a sacrament is far more than a ritual or a symbolic act. In the Orthodox tradition, a sacrament (mysterion) is a tangible means through which we encounter the invisible God, a way that his mercy and life-giving empowerment are made manifest in our lives.
Here’s a one hour version of this article as a slideshow and class:
The Sacraments: A Divine Exchange
While the Church formally recognizes at least seven sacraments—Baptism, Chrismation, Eucharist, Confession, Marriage, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick—the reality is that Orthodox Christianity sees all of life as potentially sacramental. Everything in creation, from the simplest act of kindness to the most elaborate liturgical service, has the potential to be a point of connection with God. The sacraments, however, are gifts from God, and the most essential means through which we participate in God’s grace.
The sacraments are not merely something we do; they are something we enter into. They are mystical pathways into the Kingdom of Heaven, where we encounter something far greater than what is immediately visible. As St. Paul reminds us, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness” (Ephesians 6:12). When we participate in the sacraments, we are not just performing rituals—we are engaging in a cosmic reality, a participation in the heavenly liturgy.
Our Vocation as Stewards of God’s Gifts
To understand the sacraments, we must first recall humanity’s original vocation. In the Garden of Eden, God placed Adam and Eve as stewards of His creation, entrusting them with the care of his gifts. Their calling was to tend to the garden and to offer the fruits of their labor back to God in thanksgiving. This is the original vocation of humanity: to live in communion with God, stewarding his creation and offering it back to him in love.
This is precisely what happens in the sacraments. We take the gifts God has given us—bread, wine, water, oil—and offer them back to him in humble adoration. In return, he blesses these gifts, transforming them into channels of his grace and returning them to us as sources of healing, restoration, and spiritual nourishment. This is the beautiful, mystical cycle of the sacraments: we give to God what he has first given us, and he, in his infinite love, returns it to us transformed and sanctified.
The Eucharist: The Heart of the Christian Life
The clearest example of this divine exchange is the Eucharist, the very heart of Orthodox Christian life. In the Eucharist, we take simple bread and wine, the fruits of the earth, and offer them to God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and the words of institution spoken by Christ himself, these humble gifts are transformed into the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Eucharist is not merely a symbolic act; it is a real participation in the life of the risen Christ. As St. Paul reminds us, “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16). When we receive the Eucharist, we are united to Christ in the most intimate way possible. As he took on flesh, suffered, died, and rose again, so too does his deified humanity become our own through the Eucharist.
This is why the Eucharist is the central act of Christian worship. Everything in the Church—the prayers, the fasting, the almsgiving—leads us to this holy moment. As we partake of Christ’s Body and Blood, we are transformed from within, becoming more like him and more united to one another as members of his Body, the Church.
Just as with the Hebrews in the Old Testament, we believes God’s covenant extends to the children of believers. In the Orthodox Church, even the youngest members of the Body of Christ—infants who have been baptized and chrismated—receive Holy Communion. There is no age requirement or intellectual understanding needed. Just as Christ welcomed the little children, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:14), so too do we bring our children to the chalice, trusting in God’s grace to work in their lives.
Baptism and Chrismation: Entering the New Life
But how do we become worthy participants in this holy feast? How do we begin to live this sacramental life? It all starts with Baptism and Chrismation, the sacraments of initiation.
In Baptism, we die to our old selves and are reborn into new life in Christ. We are washed clean of our sins and united to Christ’s death and resurrection. As St. Paul writes, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
In the Orthodox Church, we baptize infants as well as adults. This is because we believe that the grace of God is not limited by age or intellectual understanding. Just as Christ welcomed the little children, so too do we bring our children to the waters of Baptism, trusting in God’s grace to work in their lives from the very beginning. (Moreover, in the New Testament, we see baptisms of entire households recorded in Acts 10, Acts 16, and 1 Corinthians 1.)
Chrismation, which is often administered immediately after Baptism, can be seen as our personal Pentecost. Through anointing with special holy oil (Chrism), we receive the seal of the Holy Spirit. This sacrament empowers us to live out our Christian calling, guiding, protecting, and sanctifying us as we grow in our faith.
Confession: Healing and Restoration
Even after our initiation into the Church, we continue to stumble and fall. We sin, straying from God and fracturing the relationships within our spiritual family. To help us heal these wounds and restore us to communion, the Church offers the sacrament of Confession.
Confession is not so much about punishment or judgment; it is about healing and restoration. When we confess our sins, we come before God with a contrite heart, acknowledging our failings and seeking his forgiveness. Like a loving physician, God offers us counsel, guidance, and the assurance of his boundless mercy through the person of the Confessor. Through Confession, we are washed clean and empowered to begin anew, restored to full communion with God and his Church.
Marriage: An Eternal Union
Marriage is another sacred mystery in the Orthodox Church, a sacrament that reflects God’s love for his people and his desire for our fulfillment. In marriage, a man and a woman are united by God himself, not merely for this life, but for eternity. This is not simply a legal contract or a social arrangement; it is a mystical union, a journey of mutual love and support on the path to salvation.
In the Orthodox tradition, there are no vows exchanged during the wedding ceremony. This is because the marriage is not an agreement between two people as much as it is an act of God—after all, the agreement was already made at the engagement. We stress that it is Christ who unites the couple in Himself. And as Christ said, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mark 10:9). Marriage is a reflection of Christ’s love for the Church, a sacred bond that helps us grow in holiness and love.
Holy Orders, Anointing of the Sick, and Other Sacramental Acts
While we have focused on the sacraments of Baptism, Chrismation, Eucharist, Confession, and Marriage, it is important to briefly mention the other sacraments of the Orthodox Church.
Holy Orders is the sacrament through which men are ordained as deacons, priests, or bishops to serve the Church. This sacrament is a continuation of the apostolic ministry, ensuring that the Church’s mission of preaching, teaching, and administering the sacraments continues throughout the generations.
The Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament of healing, both physical and spiritual. Through the anointing with oil and the prayers of the Church, we ask God to heal the sick and strengthen those who are suffering. This sacrament reminds us that even in our weakness and illness, God is present, offering his grace and comfort. “Is anyone 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” (James 5:14).
In addition to these sacraments, the Orthodox Church also recognizes other grace-filled acts, such as the blessing of water, the veneration of icons, and the prayers for the departed. All of these are part of the Church’s rich sacramental life, drawing us closer to God and preparing us for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Conclusion: A Foretaste of the Kingdom
Every sacrament in the Orthodox Church is a foretaste of the Kingdom of Heaven, a participation in the divine life that is to come. Through these sacred mysteries, God pours out his grace upon us, transforming our lives and drawing us closer to him. Whether we are baptized, receive the Eucharist, confess our sins, or enter into marriage, we are participating in the life of Christ and the communion of his Church.
As St. Paul writes, “No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). The sacraments are a glimpse of that unimaginable glory, a foretaste of the eternal joy that awaits the Faithful in the Kingdom of God. Let us, then, approach these holy mysteries with faith, reverence, and gratitude, knowing that through them, we are being transformed into the image of Christ and prepared for the life to come.
Another great peice Jamey. Keep them coming. You are loved. -T