General Question

[MrJim]

These questions are generally comparisons with RCC.

1. Does EO recognize a difference between mortal/venial sins like RCC?

2. Is nonattendance to worship on Sunday considered a serious sin like RCC?

3. Is there typically a baptistry in EO church buildings? I don't recall seeing one last week but I understand it is immersion. I saw a Russian EO baptism service where there was an inflatable swimming pool used. Then the guy was stripped to his skivvies (it appeared). How are adults baptized in your congregation? [I recall seeing a baby baptized in large milking pail in a book once]

 

[Etsi]

Can't answer for #1

#2 our baptistry for infants and young children is movable. They keep it behind the iconstasis and bring it out when needed. I've seen larger bronze/copper tubs for adults before. However, if you've been baptised ever in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, then your baptism is acceptable and you only need to be chrismated (in fact, our parish will NOT rebaptise you if you have already been acceptably baptised, even in a heterodox church...aka Catholic or Protestant).

 

[Knee V]

1) It is my understanding that we do not make such a distinction. Some sins do more damage than others, and even the sins that do more damage can vary from person to person (something may be very damaging to my soul but if it were to be committed by you, it may damage your soul less).

In addition to that, the remedy to heal your soul after committing a more damaging sin may be different from what is needed for someone else. After confessing it, based on what your spiritual father / confessor knows about you, he'll give you advice or even a "prescription" that is suited to your specific case. But whatever it is, it is because he knows from experience that that thing will help your soul heal from the damage that that sin has done.

2) In and of itself, no. But the "seriousness" of one's non-attendance depends on the individual and why he or she didn't attend. If I miss the Liturgy because I was lazy and didn't feel like getting out of bed, then there are more serious spiritual problems with me than missing Liturgy, and those need to be brought up with my spiritual father so that I can learn how to better struggle against laziness and apathy. But in general, if one misses Liturgy and it wasn't out of necessity, it should be brought up in confession.

3) I'm used to seeing a portable metal "tub" as opposed to a permanent baptistry, but it really doesn't matter what the container of the water is. And a small inflatable pool holds water just as well as anything else.

Adults are baptized by triple immersion. What I've seen is the person will go down to his knees, then he'll be brought face down into the water. It will go roughly as follows: "The servant of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father, *dunk*, and of the Son, *dunk*, and of the Holy Spirit *dunk*." There's a lot more to the baptismal service than that, but that's how the actual act of immersion transpires.

 

[ArmyMatt]

1. Does EO recognize a difference between mortal/venial sins like RCC?

not really no. for us sin is sin. I guess one could use those terms to describe the severity of certain sins, but all sin breaks communion with God and our neighbor.

2. Is nonattendance to worship on Sunday considered a serious sin like RCC?

it depends on the heart of a person, just not wanting to get out of bed is pretty bad, missing your alarm clock is just a mistake.

3. Is there typically a baptistry in EO church buildings? I don't recall seeing one last week but I understand it is immersion. I saw a Russian EO baptism service where there was an inflatable swimming pool used. Then the guy was stripped to his skivvies (it appeared). How are adults baptized in your congregation? [I recall seeing a baby baptized in large milking pail in a book once

]

we are baptized in the narthex of our Churches because the narthex is the entrance into the Church building, and baptism and chrismation are our entrance into the Body of Christ. Adults, when baptized, I have seen are usually baptized in whatever will work, from kiddy pools to rubbermaid containers.

 

[MrJim]

1) It is my understanding that we do not make such a distinction. Some sins do more damage than others, and even the sins that do more damage can vary from person to person (something may be very damaging to my soul but if it were to be committed by you, it may damage your soul less).

In addition to that, the remedy to heal your soul after committing a more damaging sin may be different from what is needed for someone else. After confessing it, based on what your spiritual father / confessor knows about you, he'll give you advice or even a "prescription" that is suited to your specific case. But whatever it is, it is because he knows from experience that that thing will help your soul heal from the damage that that sin has done.

2) In and of itself, no. But the "seriousness" of one's non-attendance depends on the individual and why he or she didn't attend. If I miss the Liturgy because I was lazy and didn't feel like getting out of bed, then there are more serious spiritual problems with me than missing Liturgy, and those need to be brought up with my spiritual father so that I can learn how to better struggle against laziness and apathy. But in general, if one misses Liturgy and it wasn't out of necessity, it should be brought up in confession.

3) I'm used to seeing a portable metal "tub" as opposed to a permanent baptistry, but it really doesn't matter what the container of the water is. And a small inflatable pool holds water just as well as anything else.

Adults are baptized by triple immersion. What I've seen is the person will go down to his knees, then he'll be brought face down into the water. It will go roughly as follows: "The servant of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father, *dunk*, and of the Son, *dunk*, and of the Holy Spirit *dunk*." There's a lot more to the baptismal service than that, but that's how the actual act of immersion transpires.

Yup that's how I saw it on the youtube vid~~don't need as much space when in that position.

How are people dressed for baptism?~~didn't seem to modest in the Russian clip.

 

[MrJim]

Another question: In RCC I understand one needs a "sponsor" for the conversion; is it the same with EO?

 

[Knee V]

How are people dressed for baptism?~~didn't seem to modest in the Russian clip.

Infants are naked. I've seen children down to their underwear. Adults I've seen baptized in shorts and a t-shirt.

Another question: In RCC I understand one needs a "sponsor" for the conversion; is it the same with EO?

One will have a sponsor in the EOC as well.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Another question: In RCC I understand one needs a "sponsor" for the conversion; is it the same with EO?

needs? no. should have? yeah.

 

[MrJim]

About the sponsor~if I don't know anyone in the congregation does the priest or deacon assign one?

 

[Knee V]

The priest may pair you up with someone. The longer you're there the more you'll get to know people. You'll probably develop a relatively decent friendship with one of them. If not, you can work something out with the priest. My sponsor was a retired Navy chaplain and was an Episcopal priest for almost his entire adult life (he's now in his upper 70's). But my priest said that if I didn't find one then he (my priest) would be my sponsor.

It will work itself out.

 

[MrJim]

The priest may pair you up with someone. The longer you're there the more you'll get to know people. You'll probably develop a relatively decent friendship with one of them. If not, you can work something out with the priest. My sponsor was a retired Navy chaplain and was an Episcopal priest for almost his entire adult life (he's now in his upper 70's). But my priest said that if I didn't find one then he (my priest) would be my sponsor.

It will work itself out.

I bet the chaplain had some stories

 

[Knee V]

I bet the chaplain had some stories

He sure does!

 

[Coralie]

Since all your other questions have been answered, i'll just chime in and say I didn't have a sponsor for my baptism, i was previously baptised as an adult (Trinitarian) in the Anglican church but my priest rebaptised me, and I was baptised in a baptismal robe -- mid-calf & mid-forearm length, thick white canvas with a large red cross embroidered on the back. (very modest) I was at a super-old-school Greek parish when I converted.

 

[E.C.]

These questions are generally comparisons with RCC.

1. Does EO recognize a difference between mortal/venial sins like RCC?

Nope. Sin is sin. Whether you insult your older brother or kill somebody, you're still missing the mark.

3. Is there typically a baptistry in EO church buildings? I don't recall seeing one last week but I understand it is immersion. I saw a Russian EO baptism service where there was an inflatable swimming pool used. Then the guy was stripped to his skivvies (it appeared). How are adults baptized in your congregation? [I recall seeing a baby baptized in large milking pail in a book once]

We have what looks like a giant goblet looking thing for infants. When its not used for a baptism we have it in the altar with a piece of plywood on top for a table

We also have a 100 gallon tub which we use for the adults. The only non-immersion baptism that I can recall was for a kid who is mentally and physically disabled. She just had to stand in the tub and be sprinkled after which she said, "I'm all wet!"

 

[MrJim]

Since all your other questions have been answered, i'll just chime in and say I didn't have a sponsor for my baptism, i was previously baptised as an adult (Trinitarian) in the Anglican church but my priest rebaptised me, and I was baptised in a baptismal robe -- mid-calf & mid-forearm length, thick white canvas with a large red cross embroidered on the back. (very modest) I was at a super-old-school Greek parish when I converted.

 

[MrJim]

Nope. Sin is sin. Whether you insult your older brother or kill somebody, you're still missing the mark.


We have what looks like a giant goblet looking thing for infants. When its not used for a baptism we have it in the altar with a piece of plywood on top for a table

We also have a 100 gallon tub which we use for the adults. The only non-immersion baptism that I can recall was for a kid who is mentally and physically disabled. She just had to stand in the tub and be sprinkled after which she said, "I'm all wet!"

Goblet I bet babies love it.

I was surprised some years back when I learned Orthodox were dunkers. Just figured y'all were like all the other sprinklers & pourers.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

Goblet I bet babies love it.

I was surprised some years back when I learned Orthodox were dunkers. Just figured y'all were like all the other sprinklers & pourers.

Haha! Surely you know by now that we're maximalists in every way! :-D

Was it sprinkling and pouring in 19th century Russia???? Is outrage! It is dunking in ice-covered lake! ;-)

Mary

 

[E.C.]

Goblet I bet babies love it.

I was surprised some years back when I learned Orthodox were dunkers. Just figured y'all were like all the other sprinklers & pourers.

Hey, we're like John the Baptist: I'll baptize you with water, but someone better than me will give you the Holy Spirit!