A BRIEF CATECHISM

(What every Orthodox Christian should know)

God's Ten Commandments

These commandments (also called The Decalogue) contain the teaching of the Old Testament Law, given by God to Moses (Exodus 20:1-17). The Orthodox Christian is obligated to follow them because they are the foundation of the Old Testament, which is fully realized and fulfilled in Christ.

1. I am the Lord, your God! You shall have no other gods before Me.

2. You shall not make unto yourself any graven images, or fashion the likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on earth below, or that is in the waters under the earth: you shall not bow down to them nor worship them. For I am the Lord your God.

3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: six days you shall labour, and do all the work you have to do. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.

5. Honour your father and your mother, that it may be well with you and that your days may be long upon the earth.

6. You shall not kill.

7. You shall not commit adultery.

8. You shall not steal.

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

10. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife, you shall not covet your neighbour's house, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any of his cattle, nor anything that is your neighbour's.

The Two Great Commandments of God

These commandments, which our Lord Jesus Christ distinguished as the Great Commandments (Matthew 22:34-40) sum up the Ten Commandments of God and the entire teaching of the Law and the Prophets. They were already present in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18).

1. The first and greatest commandment: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

2. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

The Nine Commandments of the Beatitudes

At the Sermon on the Mount the Lord indicated the life that all Christians must live. They must fulfill the Law of God in order to receive blessedness: eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. For this He gave the Nine Commandments of Blessedness, or The Beatitudes (Matthew5:3-12).

• Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

• Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

• Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

• Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

• Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

• Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

• Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

• Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

• Blessed are you when men shall revile and persecute you and speak all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake.

• Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.

The Church Commandments

The life of an Orthodox Christian is based on Holy Tradition and maybe summarized in the following precepts:

1. Observe the ecclesiastical Holy Days.

2. Attend Church services on Sundays and Holy Days.

3. Keep the fasts prescribed by the Church.

4. Confess your sins and receive the Holy Eucharist (Communion) as often as possible, especially during the four lenten periods established by the Church, and on all the great feasts.

5. Abstain from holding marriage feasts or parties during days of fasting.

Truths of the Faith

There is only one God, Who created and governs all things,Who cares for all.

God is One, yet a Trinity of Three Persons (hypostases): God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. That is why God is called Trinity Consubstantial and Undivided.

The Son of God, Jesus Christ, was born of the Immaculate and Most-Pure Virgin Mary and from her received human flesh, becoming man. He suffered and died on the cross for us and for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day. After forty days He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.

On Pentecost (50 days after Paschal the Holy Spirit, Who proceeds from the Father, descended on the apostles and abides continually in the Holy Church of Christ.

The grace of God, faith, and good works are necessary to attain salvation.

After death, human souls experience a foretaste of either eternal happiness or eternal torment. After the awesome judgment they receive their just reward - either the heavenly mansions or the devil's hell.

The Church, which Jesus Christ established while He was on earth and of which He is the Head, is governed through the bishops, by the Grace of the Holy Spirit. She is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

The Holy Mysteries*

1. Holy Baptism

2. Holy Chrismation

3. Holy Repentance (Confession)

4. Holy Eucharist (Communion)

5. Anointing of the Sick (Holy Unction)

6. Holy Matrimony (Crowning)

7. Priesthood

*Many other sacramental acts of the Church are also considered to be Mysteries - the blessing of water, Christian burial, etc.

Christian Virtues

1. Faith

2. Hope

3. Love

4. Wisdom

5. Justice

6. Patience

7. Temperance (moderation)

The Seven Bodily (Corporal) Acts of Mercy

1. To feed the hungry

2. To give drink to the thirsty

3. To clothe the naked

4. To receive the traveler

5. To visit the sick

6. To visit the imprisoned

7. To bury the dead

The Seven Spiritual Acts of Mercy

1. To convert sinners to the path of righteousness.

2. To instruct the ignorant and help them to discern truth.

3. To give good counsel to your neighbour.

4. To comfort the sorrowful.

5. To bear personal wrongs patiently.

6. To sincerely forgive those who offend us.

7. To pray for the living and the dead.

Major Sins and their Opposite Virtues

Sins Against the Holy Spirit

1. Excessive hope in God's compassion.

2. Despairing of God's compassion.

3. Rejection of the teachings of the Christian faith.

4. Envying my neighbor the grace bestowed by God on him.

5. Hard-hearted refusal of salvific admonishment.

6. Lack of repentance unto death.

Conditions for a Good Confession

1. 1. A clear consciousness and sincere sense of moral responsibility for your transgressions against God, yourself, other individuals and society.

2. Sincere sorrow for your sins.

3. Repentance- a firm resolve to amend your life and not repeat your sins.

4. Sincere confession before a priest, verbally recounting your sins.

5. Conscientious completion of any prescribed penance given.

Instruction about Prayer

I. What is necessary during prayer

1. Constantly remind yourself that you are in the presence of the Almighty and are asking Him to forgive the multitude of your sins, for which you will have to account, perhaps even today - for we do not know the last day of our life. St. Ephraim the Syrian says, "Being responsible for all of my evil deeds, when I am at prayer, I am fearful that fire from heaven might destroy me. However, I do not fall into despair, for I hope in the mercy of God." This is an example of prayer that is well-pleasing to God.

2. Stand up straight, do not slouch, and be attentive. Make the Sign of the Cross, and perform prostrations reverently.

3. Do not concern yourself with temporal or secular matters.

4. Pray sincerely, avoiding feelings of pride, self-satisfaction and emotional excess while cultivating a state of humility and peace.

5. If your spirit is moved to pray in your own words put aside your prayer book and do so.

1. Ask the Lord to guide you in your prayer.

II.What Hinders Prayer

1. An excess of food, drink or sleep.

2. Any excess that can suffocate the spirit and make it indifferent and insensitive to spiritual treasures and can lead to an obsession and compulsion to sin.

3. Spitefulness and anger.

4. An excessive obsession with your profession, work or worldly matters.

5. An excessive desire to serve the pleasures of the body.

1. All great and minor sins for which we do not sincerely repent.

Ill. What Helps Prayer

1. Daily reading of the Bible, the Lives of the Saints, and the writings of the Holy Fathers.

2. A life lived in accordance with the Commandments of God.

3. A daily examination of conscience, considering how you may have sinned against God and neighbor.

4. A pure conscience.

1. The Holy Mysteries of Confession and Communion.

2. Fasting.

3. Acts of charity towards your neighbor.

4. A constant and unrelenting struggle against sinful passions.

IV. Concerning Prostrations and Prayer

Full prostrations and kneeling are not prescribed on Great Feast Days, as well as during the period from Pascha to Pentecost and from the Nativity of Christ to the Leave-taking of Theophany, as well as Sundays. On days when one receives Holy Communion, one as a rule should not make prostrations, unless indicated otherwise in the Typicon.

V. About making the Sign of the Cross

1. We make the sign of the cross with our right hand. We place our thumb and the first two fingers together and the last two fingers we place in our palm. With our united thumb and first two fingers we touch our forehead, our belly, right shoulder and the left shoulder. When making the Sign of the Cross, we finish by placing our arm at our side and bowing.

The united thumb and first two fingers symbolize our faith in the Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The two other fingers symbolize the two natures of Jesus Christ, the divine and the human.

1. When we make the sign of the Cross, we touch our forehead asking God to sanctify our mind and our thoughts; we touch our belly asking God to bless our inner senses; we touch our shoulders asking God to give us strength and to bless all of our actions.

2. Make the sign of the Cross without rushing and with reverence.

When to Make the Sign of the Cross

1. When you enter the Church, it is important to make three reverences with the sign of the Cross and pray.

2. Before you venerate the Cross, icon or Gospel with a kiss, it is customary to make the sign of the Cross twice before venerating, and then make the sign of the Cross once more after veneration.

3. When the priest blesses us with the Cross, the Gospel, the Chalice or any other consecrated article, it is customary to make the sign of the Cross and bow. When the priest blesses us with his hand saying, "Peace be unto all", one should bow one's head only, but it is not necessary to make the sign of the Cross.

4. Each time the name of the Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - is prayerfully invoked.

5. Upon exiting the church.

Greeting Orthodox Clergy

Receiving a blessing from a bishop or priest is done in the following manner: the faithful approach the bishop (priest) without crossing themselves. They place their right hand (palm up) in the palm of their left hand. They bow their head and ask: "Master (Father), bless." The bishop(priest), having bestowed a blessing, places his right hand upon the palm of the faithful, who bows and kisses it.