What to know at first Orthodox service?

[AMM]

I'm going to my first service tomorrow, here: Transfiguration Church

1. They have "Orthros (9:30AM) Divine Liturgy (10:30AM) followed by Great Agiasmos (Blessing of waters) - Saturday". So first question: what time do I show up? 9:30? 10:30? 10:15? 6am?

2. What do I do when I arrive? Where do I go? Where do I stand? If there are pews or chairs, am I still supposed to stand?

3. When it is time for the Eucharist, I certainly do not intend to commune. But, should I stay where I'm standing, or should I go up and receive a blessing (crossing my arms as in a Roman Catholic or Lutheran mass)?

4. I've heard that there's bread that gets passed around after the Eucharist -- this is not the body of Christ, correct? I.e., if I'm offered it, should I eat it?

5. Should I introduce myself to the priest before the service? After? Just sneak out and leave as soon as it's done because I'm an introvert (lol)?

6. What is Great Agiasmos?

7. Is there likely a bulletin or a hymnal that I should get before the service starts?

8. What should I wear? Khakis, a dress shirt, and a sweater?

9. Anything else I should know, anything I'm forgetting, any thing that I'm not expecting?

 

[ArmyMatt]

try to wear long sleeves and long pants, stay put during communion but follow others lead, don't feel pressured to do anything, try to talk to Father afterwards

 

[tapi]

Relax, enjoy the service. Wearing a respectful attire will do. Don't take too much pressure. It's not rocket science, just about rendering service to the Lord.

 

[AMM]

try to wear long sleeves and long pants, stay put during communion but follow others lead, don't feel pressured to do anything, try to talk to Father afterwards

It's been below freezing for high temperatures recently, so my southern sensibilities will certainly have me in long sleeves and pants. Thank you, I'll try to talk to him.

Relax, enjoy the service. Wearing a respectful attire will do. Don't take too much pressure. It's not rocket science, just about rendering service to the Lord.

Thanks. I'm looking forward to it, but I'm also nervous (anxiety problems don't make any sense - I logically know I have nothing to worry about).

 

[“Paisios”]

Thanks. I'm looking forward to it, but I'm also nervous (anxiety problems don't make any sense - I logically know I have nothing to worry about).

I was extremely nervous about my first visit too, but I found everyone very friendly and patient and accommodating . I hope your experience will be similar.

 

[WadeTheophan]

I'm going to my first service tomorrow, here: Transfiguration Church

1. They have "Orthros (9:30AM) Divine Liturgy (10:30AM) followed by Great Agiasmos (Blessing of waters) - Saturday". So first question: what time do I show up? 9:30? 10:30? 10:15? 6am?

2. What do I do when I arrive? Where do I go? Where do I stand? If there are pews or chairs, am I still supposed to stand?

3. When it is time for the Eucharist, I certainly do not intend to commune. But, should I stay where I'm standing, or should I go up and receive a blessing (crossing my arms as in a Roman Catholic or Lutheran mass)?

4. I've heard that there's bread that gets passed around after the Eucharist -- this is not the body of Christ, correct? I.e., if I'm offered it, should I eat it?

5. Should I introduce myself to the priest before the service? After? Just sneak out and leave as soon as it's done because I'm an introvert (lol)?

6. What is Great Agiasmos?

7. Is there likely a bulletin or a hymnal that I should get before the service starts?

8. What should I wear? Khakis, a dress shirt, and a sweater?

9. Anything else I should know, anything I'm forgetting, any thing that I'm not expecting?

Wow what a list. It is pretty common in my church(Antiochian) for people or even whole families to go forward for a blessing during communion. Crossing your arms over your chest is appropriate. The bread afterwards is blessed bread and you are very welcome to it. Members usually take extra to give to visitors. Yes, there is a bulletin and a book available in the pew or as you enter so you may follow the liturgy. No hymnal. Agiasmos is a brief service for blessing of the water. It won’t take long. . By all means relax but also be aware that many people find a noticeable quickening to the Lord’s presence in a body of Orthodox believers gathered for worship. Please let us know your reaction tomorrow afternoon. I would be quite interested.

 

[Chesterton]

I'm going to my first service tomorrow, here: Transfiguration Church
1. They have "Orthros (9:30AM) Divine Liturgy (10:30AM) followed by Great Agiasmos (Blessing of waters) - Saturday". So first question: what time do I show up? 9:30? 10:30? 10:15? 6am?

It looks like your Blessing of the Waters was today, so not tomorrow. It would be fine if you want to show up at 10:30, when the Liturgy begins.

3. When it is time for the Eucharist, I certainly do not intend to commune. But, should I stay where I'm standing, or should I go up and receive a blessing (crossing my arms as in a Roman Catholic or Lutheran mass)?

I think you should stay where you are. Don't get in the communion line.

4. I've heard that there's bread that gets passed around after the Eucharist -- this is not the body of Christ, correct? I.e., if I'm offered it, should I eat it?

Yes, there is the blessed bread (antidoron) which is not the body, and you can and should have some.

5. Should I introduce myself to the priest before the service? After? Just sneak out and leave as soon as it's done because I'm an introvert (lol)?

lol, sneaking out afterwards is what I did for a good while, but I'd recommend introducing yourself to the priest.

7. Is there likely a bulletin or a hymnal that I should get before the service starts?

I think that's kind of hit or miss. Our church has Liturgy books/hymnals in the back of every pew, but I've heard of some churches which don't have them.

 

[FenderTL5]

I'm going to my first service tomorrow, here: Transfiguration Church

1. They have "Orthros (9:30AM) Divine Liturgy (10:30AM) followed by Great Agiasmos (Blessing of waters) - Saturday". So first question: what time do I show up? 9:30? 10:30? 10:15? 6am?

Orthros is a prayer service. You can certainly attend if you want. The regualars will likely filter in during the Orthros. Quite a few will move about, lighting candles, venerating icons and such. You'll want to be on-time for the beginning of Liturgy.
The first time I went, my intent was to go to the Orthros (Matins) and leave before the Liturgy not knowing the services flow into each other non-stop. I was expecting a break between them.

2. What do I do when I arrive? Where do I go? Where do I stand? If there are pews or chairs, am I still supposed to stand?

If there are pews, it's OK to take a seat if others are seated. Just follow everyone, you'll know when to stand. Once Liturgy starts we stand for most of the service.

3. When it is time for the Eucharist, I certainly do not intend to commune. But, should I stay where I'm standing, or should I go up and receive a blessing (crossing my arms as in a Roman Catholic or Lutheran mass)?

stay put

4. I've heard that there's bread that gets passed around after the Eucharist -- this is not the body of Christ, correct? I.e., if I'm offered it, should I eat it?

This will be at the end and yes, take and eat.

5. Should I introduce myself to the priest before the service? After? Just sneak out and leave as soon as it's done because I'm an introvert (lol)?

introduce yourself to the priest as you receive the blessed bread.

6. What is Great Agiasmos?

The Blessing of the Waters as another service that will follow the Liturgy. One will likely flow right into the next with no break.

7. Is there likely a bulletin or a hymnal that I should get before the service starts?

Our parish ha a printed bulletin. It has the daily scripture readings and hymns printed along with various announcements. We have service books available as well. I don't know in the parish you are visiting.

8. What should I wear? Khakis, a dress shirt, and a sweater?

Since you said you are an introvert, dress to not stand out.
nice pants/khakis & shirt, maybe a jacket. tie optional It'll likely be more varied in dress than you anticipate.

9. Anything else I should know, anything I'm forgetting, any thing that I'm not expecting?

Follow the context cues around you..
Godspeed and God Bless

 

[AMM]

Wow what a list. It is pretty common in my church(Antiochian) for people or even whole families to go forward for a blessing during communion. Crossing your arms over your chest is appropriate. The bread afterwards is blessed bread and you are very welcome to it. Members usually take extra to give to visitors. Yes, there is a bulletin and a book available in the pew or as you enter so you may follow the liturgy. No hymnal. Agiasmos is a brief service for blessing of the water. It won’t take long. . By all means relax but also be aware that many people find a noticeable quickening to the Lord’s presence in a body of Orthodox believers gathered for worship. Please let us know your reaction tomorrow afternoon. I would be quite interested.

Thank you for the advice, I will certainly let you all know what I think tomorrow afterwards.

It looks like your Blessing of the Waters was today, so not tomorrow. It would be fine if you want to show up at 10:30, when the Liturgy begins.

I think you should stay where you are. Don't get in the communion line.

Yes, there is the blessed bread (antidoron) which is not the body, and you can and should have some.

lol, sneaking out afterwards is what I did for a good while, but I'd recommend introducing yourself to the priest.

I think that's kind of hit or miss. Our church has Liturgy books/hymnals in the back of every pew, but I've heard of some churches which don't have them.

...
It appears I don't know how to read a calendar. You are correct, haha, and I am off by a day. Instead there is "Cutting of Vasilopita"

Thank you for the other advice. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens at this particular parish with some of these things.

 

[AMM]

Orthros is a prayer service. You can certainly attend if you want. The regualars will likely filter in during the Orthros. Quite a few will move about, lighting candles, venerating icons and such. You'll want to be on-time for the beginning of Liturgy.
The first time I went, my intent was to go to the Orthros (Matins) and leave before the Liturgy not knowing the services flow into each other non-stop. I was expecting a break between them.
If there are pews, it's OK to take a seat if others are seated. Just follow everyone, you'll know when to stand. Once Liturgy starts we stand for most of the service.
stay put
This will be at the end and yes, take and eat.
introduce yourself to the priest as you receive the blessed bread.
The Blessing of the Waters as another service that will follow the Liturgy. One will likely flow right into the next with no break.

Our parish ha a printed bulletin. It has the daily scripture readings and hymns printed along with various announcements. We have service books available as well. I don't know in the parish you are visiting.

Since you said you are an introvert, dress to not stand out.
nice pants/khakis & shirt, maybe a jacket. tie optional It'll likely be more varied in dress than you anticipate.

Follow the context cues around you..
Godspeed and God Bless

Thanks, this advice is all very helpful. I guess I need to decide if I want to go to Orthros or not, since the answers seemed to be mixed. I think I will try, so I can see more aspects of Orthodox services. My time is better spent at Orthros than sleeping an hour later, too.

 

[tapi]

I was also very nervous before my first visit too, so I can completely sympathize with you. But really, you will get by just fine with just basic manners Just enjoy the service, follow what other people do and do the same. It's that easy, and after 2-3 services you will feel right at home!

 

[tapi]

It is also helpful to keep in mind that in the service ultimately the main point is to render a service to the Lord, and not to just follow some kind of "code" of actions/manners.

 

[Silmarien]

Thanks. I'm looking forward to it, but I'm also nervous (anxiety problems don't make any sense - I logically know I have nothing to worry about).

The first time I visited my local Orthodox church, I got to the door, and then freaked out, turned around, and drove home.

Don't do that and you'll be fine.

 

[“Paisios”]

The first time I visited my local Orthodox church, I got to the door, and then freaked out, turned around, and drove home.

Don't do that and you'll be fine.

I almost did the same. It was a real struggle for me to get in my car and drive there. It was dark and raining that evening (my first service was a Vespers service) and I initially got lost, and was so close to turning around and going home. Once I got there, I forced myself to get out of the car, walked into the narthex and thought to myself that was far enough for the first time out. But in the end I did stay (and was glad of it).

I wonder why so many of us were so nervous? (Well, I’m shy, introverted and anxious normally, so I guess I’m not that surprised that I was nervous).

 

[Silmarien]

I almost did the same. It was a real struggle for me to get in my car and drive there. It was dark and raining that evening (my first service was a Vespers service) and I initially got lost, and was so close to turning around and going home. Once I got there, I forced myself to get out of the car, walked into the narthex and thought to myself that was far enough for the first time out. But in the end I did stay (and was glad of it).

I wonder why so many of us were so nervous? (Well, I’m shy, introverted and anxious normally, so I guess I’m not that surprised that I was nervous).

The service I'd meant to go to was a Vespers service too, but the local parish is very small, so when I got there, there were no cars around at all. So I was really afraid that if I walked in, it was going to be me and the priest, and nobody else.

Amusingly, the first service I actually did end up going to, it was practically just me and the priest for a little while, because I didn't realize at the time that if you're not a half an hour late, you're much too early. (It was also Pentecost, so surprise 3 hour service.)

 

[“Paisios”]

The service I'd meant to go to was a Vespers service too, but the local parish is very small, so when I got there, there were no cars around at all. So I was really afraid that if I walked in, it was going to be me and the priest, and nobody else.

Amusingly, the first service I actually did end up going to, it was practically just me and the priest for a little while, because I didn't realize at the time that if you're not a half an hour late, you're much too early. (It was also Pentecost, so surprise 3 hour service.)

The morning after that Vespers service, I attended an Orthros service followed by Divine Liturgy. At Orthros, I was the only one there except the priest and two chanters. Having never been there before and being alone, I had no idea when it was appropriate to stand, sit, or kneel, so I just stood through the whole thing. It was a bit awkward. But the priest came down in the middle of the service when the chanters were chanting to welcome me, let me know that this was morning prayer and that there would be more at the Divine Liturgy following, and then went back up to the altar.

 

[Hermit76]

You may not see this before you go. This is a Greek church that has pews. Just find a seat and observe others and you'll be fine. It's much harder to hide out in a parish without pews. I'd like to hear your impressions also afterward

 

[~Anastasia~]

Lots of good advice here. There will be some minor differences between parishes (whether there will be books available, or pews).

If there's a book and you want to follow, pay attention to the parts the priest says (not necessarily the singing, because some of it won't be in the books). The Orthros and other things won't be in a regular book - only the Divine Liturgy. Unless they provide printed booklets for that service (ours are copied and stapled) you won't be able to follow the Orthros, etc.

We had blessing of the waters for the past two days and I think tomorrow again - in addition to cutting the Vasilopita. It's a busy weekend.

Speaking of which, they will possibly be giving out bottles of holy water. It is blessed and so should be treated with respect, but it's not a sacrament so you can receive and use it without being Orthodox.

Oh and some jurisdictions cross their arms to receive communion, some to indicate they only wish a blessing. So that can actually get confusing. It's really best IMO not to go up at all. Some don't commonly ask for blessings during Holy Communion so it could be confusing or awkward for a moment.

Oh and one more thing, more for the sake if there are any lurkers. If it seems too hard to go to a parish for a service, what I did was to contact the priest and meet him before attending a Liturgy. In two different parishes in fact. One gave me a tour of the Church and explained lots of things to me in advance, so that was very helpful, already knowing about the candles and icons and everything before showing up.

But the easiest thing is to watch what others do when in doubt. Don't feel you have to do anything - you don't have to venerate icons, light candles, or cross yourself, or make prostrations, or whatever else folks may do. (By the same token, you can do any of these things if you do want to - the only thing you cannot do is receive the Eucharist.) But you don't want to stand out either. So it might be best to position yourself far enough back that you can see what others are doing, but far enough to the side that you aren't standing alone in the middle if they happen to do prostrations. They don't in my (Greek) parish except at certain Lenten services, so it caught me off guard when I visited a parish (Antiochian) where they did.

Just some random thoughts to add. Please let us know how it goes. Prayers for you!

 

[AMM]

Thank you all for your help. I did attend the service this morning: I showed up for the last few minutes of Orthros, the full Divine Liturgy (including a memorial service for the reposed at the end), the cutting of Vasilopita, and introduced myself briefly to the priest at the end (but then ducked out quickly for reasons I'll explain momentarily )

Overall, I loved it! It was simultaneously very similar to the Lutheran services I'm used to (one of our liturgies is based almost entirely on St. John Chrysostom's), and remarkably different (and not only because it was half in Greek, though that was an extra challenge).

The church was beautiful - having Icons all over the place was stunning, and gave me something to focus on when I had no idea what was going on during the service. The Iconastasis is quite something to marvel at.

Some things raised questions -- do you guys always speak/read super duper fast? This isn't intended as an insult, it's just something I noticed. The creed, the Lord's prayer, basically everything that wasn't chanted/sung was read at a super fast speed (oftentimes it was fast in Greek, and then the second time in English it was slower)

At the end of the Liturgy when I went up to receive the blessed bread and the priest's blessing, I kissed the priest's hand (this was interesting -- he explained why it is proper to do that in his sermon, since the priest's hands have been consecrated and handle the Holy Things) and he gave me bread, I introduced myself briefly, etc. Then there was a guy who had a tray of Holy Water that he was handing out. Behind me was a girl around my age who introduced herself to the priest as a parishioners granddaughter. The Holy-Water-distributor asked her if I was her brother, to which she (naturally) said we were not. Then he asked if I was her boyfriend and we both laughed and I probably blushed and we said we were not, to which he responded something like "oh good, you young folks stay away from that stuff". So that's when I decided to leave instead of going to the coffee hour

But like I said at the start, I did enjoy my visit. I will likely be attending another Orthodox Church in the future when I am back at university (this is my last week of winter break). I am still not sure if I desire to become a catechumen, and I'm unsure as of this point in time (merely a few hours after the Liturgy) if this is influencing me one way or another, or just providing me with more information about Orthodoxy. In any case, thank you for all of the advice, it made this experience much more enjoyable.

 

[AMM]

Oh! Also, what do I do with my bottle of Holy Water?