Question

[Joshua G.]

He was... but even Catholics can be good guys

 

[Macarius]

He was... but even Catholics can be good guys

Was it Catholics-is-good-guys in mother Russia??

No??

IS OUTRAGE.

 

[Dorothea]

What everyone said. I'm of Greek heritage, and go to a Greek Orthodox Church because it was what I was familiar with and comfortable there (feels very homey to me ). But there is a mixture. There are Serbians, Palestinians, Jordanians, Americans, Russians, Romanians, Albanians, Greeks, Lebanese, and Ethiopian at our tiny parish.

 

[Kristos]

Chesterton was Roman Catholic...

You must be missing the word play - I'm referring to his book...

 

[Chesterton]

I agree with everyone in this thread. I'm orthodox Christian, and I have no ethnicity at all - I'm ah 101% pure 'merican.

 

[All Englands Skies]

I agree with everyone in this thread. I'm orthodox Christian, and I have no ethnicity at all - I'm ah 101% pure 'merican.

Yeah, but i mean how do people react to you?

I mean i dont know where an Orthodox Church is here, but what would the feeling be to storm in through the doors, to have an entire Church of Greeks look around at you?

I mean, its not like Church of England or Catholic here, i mean, there doesnt seem to be a stigma attached.

sorry if im being ignorant, but i mean in practise, how is somebody of a non-traditionally orthodox heritage treated?

 

[seashale76]

Yeah, but i mean how do people react to you?

I mean i dont know where an Orthodox Church is here, but what would the feeling be to storm in through the doors, to have an entire Church of Greeks look around at you?

I mean, its not like Church of England or Catholic here, i mean, there doesnt seem to be a stigma attached.

sorry if im being ignorant, but i mean in practise, how is somebody of a non-traditionally orthodox heritage treated?

I've only been treated normally. Also, my own parish has people from multiple ethnicities and cultures. We have got your white anglo types (like me), African Americans, Lebanese, Greeks, Russians, Ukrainians, Egyptians, Ethiopians, Indians, Palestinians, and others I'm sure I've forgotten. Not a problem.

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

sorry if im being ignorant, but i mean in practise, how is somebody of a non-traditionally orthodox heritage treated?

With Christian love and charity, of course.

As my picture testifies, I have red hair and blue eyes and basically look like I came off the boat from Ireland. (I'm half Ukrainian, half Irish.)

I was raised in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In 2007, I moved to Atlanta, Georgia and the closest Orthodox parish near me was a Greek Orthodox parish.

Needless to say, everyone knew by my appearance that I was not Greek. Even though I was not Greek, I was still welcomed and loved by all. (And very well fed, thank you very much!)

Yes, a few grandma's asked me "Are you Greek?" "Are you married to a Greek?" But when I simply explained to them I was Orthodox and interested in the Church, they welcomed me and gave me more food. (We're big on food in Orthodoxy!)

If you are interested in Orthodoxy, call or email the priest of the parish nearest you. Explain that you are interested in learning more about the Church, and I'm sure that he will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Then, GO to the Church. Let him know which week you are coming, so he will expect you. Stay for coffee hour, talk with people.

Trust me, they will not throw you out on your backside just because you're not Greek or Russian!

More than likely, they will welcome you, then shove food in your mouth!

 

[Blackknight]

Nobody cares if you're Greek or Russian or whatever. The church is one big family.

 

[Kreikkalainen]

Location: Leicestershire

I mean i dont know where an Orthodox Church is here

LEICESTER
The Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St Nicholas and St Xenophon
Aylestone Road, Leicester LE2 7LN​

I also know there's one in Nottingham, I think there should be one in Coventry & of course there's 2 or 3 in Birmingham. Possibly also in Northampton and/or Peterborough. So that's about it around Leicester. If you can make it down to Cambridge, there's two really great parishes there. I'd recommend either.

As to how you'll be treated, most likely people will just continue their prayers and leave you in peace to say yours. If you want more than that, I guess you'd have to contact them (the priest?) first.

 

[All Englands Skies]

LEICESTER
The Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St Nicholas and St Xenophon
Aylestone Road, Leicester LE2 7LN​

I also know there's one in Nottingham, I think there should be one in Coventry & of course there's 2 or 3 in Birmingham. Possibly also in Northampton and/or Peterborough. So that's about it around Leicester. If you can make it down to Cambridge, there's two really great parishes there. I'd recommend either.

As to how you'll be treated, most likely people will just continue their prayers and leave you in peace to say yours. If you want more than that, I guess you'd have to contact them (the priest?) first.

For the longest time, i thought the "Greek" tag meant it was a "Greek only" Church!

But its not like that?

 

[Anhelyna]

no - it's not like that at all

Despite my comments earlier - go - introduce yourself as someone who wants to know about Orthodoxy - they will make you very very welcome .

I have memories of visiting St Sophia's GO Cathedral in London with my GodPapa - and neither of us are Orthodox - but we went to Vespers there. One of the chanters spotted us looking round the Cathedral afterwards and came over to talk with us - he showed us round the Church and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

One word of warning - Greeks are not known for their punctuality Services will start on time - but you may spot a lot of latecomers

 

[Kreikkalainen]

In the UK most likely the majority of parishioners in a random greek parish will be cypriots and the service will be in greek (there are exceptions). But nobody will ask for your passport at the door .

 

[E.C.]

Yeah, but i mean how do people react to you?

I mean i dont know where an Orthodox Church is here, but what would the feeling be to storm in through the doors, to have an entire Church of Greeks look around at you?

I mean, its not like Church of England or Catholic here, i mean, there doesnt seem to be a stigma attached.

sorry if im being ignorant, but i mean in practise, how is somebody of a non-traditionally orthodox heritage treated?

We're treated with love of course.

My parish is a mix of American mutts, Norwegians, Russians, Ukrainians, Palestinians, Greeks, Serbs, Georgians (from the country), Puerto Ricans and even Kenyans as well as a Native Alaskan or two.

We are a family. We are united in Christ. Why should ethnicity matter?

I'm about as American mutt as they come. Sure, whenever I visit a parish many people think that I'm Russian, Serb or Ukrainian, but that happens. My girlfriend who is Puerto Rican gets mistaken for being Romanian, Greek or Russian and in that order too. Does it matter? Not really. Do I get mad a people for it? No, but then again I wear a leather jacket about 88% of the time, so I guess I can only have it coming to me. Do I get a chuckle out of it? Oh yeah!

The only time that I would get remotely close to being offended with a mistaken ethnicity is if someone thought I was English; however, that is only because a sizable chunk of my ancestors were Celts

As long as you don't go into a Greek church saying "Long live the Ottoman Empire and Suleiman the Magnificent!" or some similarly foolish thing like that than you should be okay

 

[E.C.]

For the longest time, i thought the "Greek" tag meant it was a "Greek only" Church!

But its not like that?

Nope

Does Church of England mean only English? Last I heard there were a few Anglican bishops that hailed from Africa.

My own parish has a Slavic history to it. The nearest Greek church from me, which is about ten or fifteen miles, recently received a new priest. Guess where he is from? India. Their new priest is not only from India, but also a convert from Hinduism.

 

[-Kyriaki-]

Also, if the service is in Greek, don't be put off. Most places have service books in both languages, and even if you can't find those when you get there (they're usually kept at the place where you buy candles), just stand in the service and absorb it. Talk to the priest after (most priests in English speaking countries speak English, and if they don't they'll have someone to translate or a deputy-type) and find out where you can get a resource to understand the service. Our service books equate to pretty much the Book of Common Prayer, but in two languages (Greek/Russian one page, English the other).

I'm an Aussie girl at a mostly Cypriot Greek speaking Church and I've been here for three years and love it

 

[Monica child of God 1]

I am Black American and I have felt completely comfortable at every Orthodox church I have visited and been a member of. The ROCOR (Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia) cathedral in my city has both a Russian speaking and an English speaking congregation. The priest of the Russian congregation is a Black American and is well loved and respected by everyone there. In my ROCOR parish of only a couple dozen people we have Black Americans, Latinos, WASP-type Americans, Italians in addition to Ukranians, Serbs and Russians. My priest is a convert to Orthodoxy from the Southern Baptist denomination.

Oh and, the head of the Orthodox Church in America is a convert to Orthodoxy and isn't of an ethnicity that is historically Orthodox.

M.

 

[Monica child of God 1]

Last I heard there were a few Anglican bishops that hailed from Africa.

And we have some too

Metropolitan Jeronymos of Mwanza

Born in Bulopa Busoga, Uganda on March 18, 1962 into an Orthodox family, Jeronymos Muzeeyi was raised within the loving arms of the Church. Yet surrounding him was the political chaos and bloodshed of the Idi Amin regime. Jeronymos attended Kasaka Primary School, Chwa II Memorial College and Kololo Senior Secondary School. He was very close to Metropolitan Theodoros (Nankyamas) of Uganda and stayed at the Mission Center in Namungona for seven years where he learned the Orthodox way of life as a young teen...

M.

 

[Joshua G.]

We're treated with love of course.

My parish is a mix of American mutts, Norwegians, Russians, Ukrainians, Palestinians, Greeks, Serbs, Georgians (from the country), Puerto Ricans and even Kenyans as well as a Native Alaskan or two.

We are a family. We are united in Christ. Why should ethnicity matter?

I'm about as American mutt as they come. Sure, whenever I visit a parish many people think that I'm Russian, Serb or Ukrainian, but that happens. My girlfriend who is Puerto Rican gets mistaken for being Romanian, Greek or Russian and in that order too. Does it matter? Not really. Do I get mad a people for it? No, but then again I wear a leather jacket about 88% of the time, so I guess I can only have it coming to me. Do I get a chuckle out of it? Oh yeah!

You certainly should feel at home at a slav-american parish. At my parish, you can tell when it's Pascha or a funeral of a slav because there is a sea of black leather across the entire Church. I don't know what it is with slav's and their black leather... but they love it! LOL

Josh

 

[Joshua G.]

Also, if the service is in Greek, don't be put off. Most places have service books in both languages, and even if you can't find those when you get there (they're usually kept at the place where you buy candles), just stand in the service and absorb it. Talk to the priest after (most priests in English speaking countries speak English, and if they don't they'll have someone to translate or a deputy-type) and find out where you can get a resource to understand the service. Our service books equate to pretty much the Book of Common Prayer, but in two languages (Greek/Russian one page, English the other).

I'm an Aussie girl at a mostly Cypriot Greek speaking Church and I've been here for three years and love it

The nice thing about being Orthodox (well, A nice thing) is that even if I were at a service done in Japanese, I would know what is happening for the most part at almost all times. The liturgy becomes a part of you. It's the thing that remains constant even though my emotion run the whole gammit. It follows it's own constant guide, the calendar, that takes me through the Church's experience in a year. From the excitement and exuberance of Pascha to the sadness, regret and hope of Holy week.

Not that it's not nice or important to have it in one's language at some point... but while Church is intellectual, it is above all spiritual and supra-intellectual. If the sermon was a dud... that's okay because you were in Christ's very presence and you were immersed in a place of prayer.

Josh