Orthodoxy Sunday: A Day to Contemplate Our Faith

Across the land this day, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, an unusual event takes place in many churches. Faithful from the various jurisdictions gather to observe the victory of the Church over heresy and over those who opposed the presence of icons at worship.

The pious custom at many of these services is to have the faithful solemnly recite the Nicene Creed, compiled over sixteen hundred years ago, which contains the basic truths of the Christian religion. Then the faithful go on to proclaim: “This is the Faith of the Apostles, this the Faith of the Fathers …” And so in our bulletin this day we have a unique rendering of the apostolic group, indicating that the Church of Christ is founded on the Faith of the Apostles, and that the Church has preserved this apostolic treasure untrampled through the centuries.

The Apostles were a select group. Christ Himself picked them and trained them, prepared them to carry on the work of His Church. When one of the group members proved unfaithful and departed, the eleven met to select a successor and keep the group intact. To this day, we look upon the Episcopate, the body of our Bishops, as successors of the Apostles and witness of the true Faith.

As we appreciate our religious heritage of the past, let us rededicate ourselves on this day to live the Christian Faith in the future. This is the best way to observe Orthodoxy Sunday.
The Orhtodox Weekly Bulletin …… Vestal, Cliffwood, New Jersey …… Litho in USA