The Orthodox Church

An Ancient Faith, Ever New

People are drawn to the Orthodox Church by her mystical vision of God, the beauty of her worship, the purity of her faith, and her unbroken continuity with the Church of the Apostles.

In the Americas, Orthodoxy has been a living presence for more than two hundred years. The first Greek Orthodox Christians arrived in 1768, establishing a colony near present-day St. Augustine, Florida — remembered today at St. Photios Shrine. Russian missionaries later brought the Gospel to Alaska, where many of the indigenous peoples remain Orthodox and have given the Church saints such as St. Herman.

While many Orthodox Christians in America trace their roots to Greece, Russia, the Middle East, and the Balkans, the Church here is no longer an immigrant Church — most of her members were born in America. Following the practice of the early Church, Orthodoxy treasures every culture but is bound to none. The Orthodox Church welcomes all.

Eastern Christianity

The Gospel was first preached, and the first Christian communities established, in the lands around the Mediterranean. There the great Fathers lived and taught, and there the fundamentals of the faith were proclaimed at the Seven Ecumenical Councils. Where the Christian West came to emphasize the Passion of Christ and human sin, the East has emphasized the Resurrection of Christ and the deification of the human person.

"Right Belief, Right Glory"

The word Orthodox carries two related meanings: "true teaching" and "true glory." The Church believes she has handed down the Christian faith, free from distortion, from the days of the Apostles — and that in her worship the glory of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is truly made present.

Unity in Diversity

The Orthodox Church is a family of self-governing churches — Constantinople, Antioch, Russia, Greece, and many more — each independent in its internal life yet united in one faith and one cup. Among the bishops, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople holds a place of honor as "first among equals."