When attending the Divine Services we all have the responsibility of maintaining a proper decorum and
atmosphere in the church. The very first thing to keep in mind is that we are to arrive on
time. In order to fully participate in our worship we should be in church from the beginning of the Divine Liturgy as well as, all of the Holy Services.

Remember! The church is the House of God. Reverence and good manners are required at all times. No
irreverent or irrelevant conversations should take place in the Narthex or in the Nave of the church. In addition, there are
certain times during the Divine Services when no one should be moving about, be entering or exiting the church or
be seated at a pew. Wherever a person happens to be at these moments, he or she should stop and
stand reverently until the proper time to be seated. These times are:

1. During the Great Doxology, while the priest is censing.

2. During the Small Entrance – The procession of the Gospel.

3. When the priest censes or blesses the church or faithful. 4. During the Readings (Epistle and Gospel).

5. During the sermon or sermonette.

6. During the Great Entrance – The procession of the Holy Gifts.

7. During the recitation of the Creed and Lord’s Prayer.

8. During the Consecration of the Holy Gifts. (Se Imnoumen)
 9. During Holy Communion.

10. During any special services. (Memorials, Artoclasia, special doxologies, etc.)

(Please Note: To receive Holy Communion the faithful should come forth from the center aisles and exit via the side aisles to return to their pew. Also, when receiving any Holy Sacrament, please use your baptismal/chrismation name.)

Please remember that Church Council members are obligated to maintain church order and etiquette during our worship. Please try to understand us. Cooperate with us. We are here to serve you. Your cooperation in maintaining Church order will help us greatly in offering you assistance for all of your spiritual needs.

When an Orthodox Christian enters the narthex of the church, he/she makes the sign of the Cross, makes an offering for a candle, venerates all the icons, and lights the candle while saying a prayer. Candles are lit as an expression of our belief that Jesus Christ is the “Light of the world.”

A candle may be lit for the health and well being of someone or in memory of a departed loved one. In particular, the larger votive candles may be lit for the same reasons. These candles are placed in the special stands located down each side aisle. Please remember when one should and should not enter during Divine Services.

When the Priest calls the faithful to receive the Holy Eucharist “With the fear of God, with faith and with love”, Godparents of newly baptized and/or chrismated members may come down to light candles even though the Priest is facing the congregation.

“The saints, during their earthly life, are filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit.  After their departure the same grace remains in their souls as in their bodies.  The very same grace is present and active in their sacred images and icons” (St. John of Damascus).  It is the practice of the Church to venerate, not worship icons.  The Orthodox Church calls for the elaborate use of symbolism and iconography in the interior decoration of the church building.  Icons are not simply portraits representing people, but graphic presentations of spiritual truths that are visual aids to contemplation and prayer.  When we venerate icons the honor is directed to Christ or to the Saint depicted on the icon, not to the wood, paint, or colors of the icon.

In the Orthodox Church the icons bear witness to the reality of God’s presence with us in the mystery of faith.  We are to look beyond the external and deep into the spiritual meaning of living the Christian life. Icons are the witnesses of the presence of the Kingdom of God to us, and so our own presence to the Kingdom of God in the Church.  They serve as windows to Heaven.  It is in the Orthodox Christian Faith that icons are not only permissible, but are spiritually necessary because “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).  Christ is truly man and, as man, truly the “icon of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15, 1 Cor. 11:7, 2 Cor. 4:4).  Just as the Holy Scriptures are God’s words in symbols of ink letters; icons are the God’s words in symbols of colour.

When venerating an icon we first make a prostration, make the sign of the cross, venerate “kiss” the icon and make a prostration.  Please consider our fellow worshippers and refrain from wearing lipstick when venerating icons as it can leave a residue on the icon and is considered disrespectful.

We make the sign of the Cross as a public profession of our Orthodox Christian faith.  The first 
two fingers and thumb of the right hand come together symbolizing the Holy Trinity.  The two remaining fingers symbolize the Humanity and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Therefore, in our right
hand, we hold the two major doctrines of our Christian Orthodox Church each time we make the
sign of the Cross.

We make the sign of the Cross before we eat, sleep, drive, pass by, enter or leave the church, travel
or begin any major endeavor, acknowledging our desire to include God in these activities. In
 church, make the sign of the Cross:

• When you venerate the icons
• When you light a candle
• When you hear “…Father, Son and Holy Spirit,” “Holy  God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy 
on us,” “…the Theotokos,”
• At the beginning and end of the Gospel reading
• During the Creed when we say Articles 8 and 9: “And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of
Life…” and “In one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church”
• Before and after receiving Holy Communion
• For an Altar Boy when you enter the Holy Altar, and when you approach, leave from or pass behind the Altar

(Please Note:  When the priest blesses or censes the faithful it is more correct to slightly bow than to make the sign of the cross since they are receiving the blessing rather than proclaiming their faith.  Also, it’s not uncommon to make the sign of the cross following each petition of the litanies.)

Orthodox Christians are encouraged to receive (not take) Holy Communion as frequently as possible. When
the Priest intones: “With the fear of God, with faith and with love draw near”, an invitation is given
to join oneself to the purity and beauty of the life in God.

However, this is the greatest of responsibilities. Care must be given to properly prepare to receive
Holy Communion. This includes: regular daily prayer, charity, fasting as prescribed by the Church Calendar and the priest, and the reading of the pre- and post- communion prayers. One should not
receive Holy Communion unless he/she has made serious preparation to do so. The most important of these preparations includes repentance or “metanoia”. This should be part of the daily cycle of prayer and should include the regular scheduling the Holy Sacrament of Confession prior to receiving Holy Communion.

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom 
of heaven’.” (Matt. 19:14)  Our Christian Orthodox Church baptizes and chrismates children at a
 young age to make them full members of the Body of Christ, the Church.  As members of the 
Church, parents are to instruct them to be respectful and quiet during Divine Services.  Please be
 mindful of fellow worshippers if a child becomes too disruptive and enter the “Cry Room” located at the back of the nave as 
quietly as possible. Please note that the “Cry Room” is not a playroom and should not be used as such.  Once the child has calmed down, come back into the church.  This is where they 
belong but remember that we come to church to pray and to worship God.

It is never appropriate to allow a child to run down or play in the aisles.  In addition, toys that make
 noise are not permitted in church. The child should not have 
anything in his/her mouth when coming forward to receive Holy Communion.  Remember, it is 
strictly forbidden to chew gum in church by anyone, at any time.  Please remember to bring your children to Church when Divine Services are scheduled.  They should be taught that the church is God’s 
House and that special manners are expressed there.

The Orthodox Christian respects and loves the clergy. Knowing that the clergy are servants of God and 
man, devoting their life for the salvation of their flock, the Orthodox Christian expresses his/her gratitude 
and respect to them on every occasion.

When speaking with the Clergy the following terms are proper:

• To the Patriarch of Constantinople: “Your All-Holiness”;
• 2. To all other Patriarchs: “Your Beatitude”;
• 3. To the Archbishop/Metropolitan: “Your Eminence”;
• 4. To the Bishop: “Your Grace”;
• 5. To a Priest: “Father”;
• 6. To a Deacon: “Deacon”.

Orthodox Christians address the Priest as “Father”, for he is the spiritual father of his flock; he is their
 teacher, confessor, sanctifier, and healer. There are people that belong to Christian denominations that do
not call their clergy, “Father”. But let us consider the words of St. Paul, “For if you were to have countless 
tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the
 gospel” (1 Corinthians 4:15). When we also read the gospel according to St. Luke, we find the rich man
calling up to Abraham in heaven with Lazarus in his bosom and addressing him as “Father Abraham” (See
Luke 16:20-31). Abraham’s response was not, “Do you not realize that only God the Father is to be called 
Father?” Rather, he replied, “Son, remember.”

When people greet a Hierarch or a Priest they kiss his hand as an expression of respect, as recognition of 
his Priesthood, and as a veneration to the holiness of his sacred office and duties. The proper way to do this
is to approach the Clergyman with right hand over the left, palms facing up and then bow slightly while
saying, “Master, bless” to a Hierarch; “Father, bless” to the Priest.

The fact that the Hierarch/Priest handles the Holy of Holies, that is, the Body and Blood of Christ, when he
 offers the Divine Liturgy, is recognized by Orthodox people, at all time throughout the world, as a great and 
awesome privilege. The hands that touch and offer the Bloodless Sacrifice on the Holy Altar; the hands that 
give to us the Body and Blood of Christ; the hands that baptize and anoint us with Holy Chrism; the hands
that absolve us in the Sacrament of Penance; the hands that bless our wedlock in the Sacrament of Holy
 Matrimony and anoint our bodies with the healing oil of the Sacrament of Holy Unction; the hands that
 sprinkle upon us the Holy Water of Sanctification; the hands that bless us, alive and dead, these hands are
 the instruments of salvation. For this reason Orthodox Christians through the centuries have kissed the hand
 of the Hierarch/Priest when he is greeted either in church when he distributes the “Antidoron” at the end of
the Divine Liturgy or outside the church whenever he is present.

Coming to church is not a
casual experience!  Instead, it involves preparation of oneself for a serious and sacred encounter and we dress accordingly out of love and respect for our Lord who we meet in a
mystical manner in church each time we celebrate the Divine Services.

Our clothing reveals much about us – our lifestyle, outlook on life, and even our self-esteem.  When 
it comes to Church attendance, our clothing can convey many messages: modesty, discretion, 
simplicity, indifference or vanity. For Orthodox Christians, there are several principles that must be
 considered in referring to what is appropriate attire for church.

As Orthodox Christians we are called to offer to Christ our best in all areas of our life, and the same is true 
of our attire.  There was a time when people referred to times when they wore their “Sunday best.”
 In the past, dress clothes were often referred to as “Sunday clothes” because people wore their 
very best to church.  When we dress up for Church it is a reflection of the importance we place on
 church attendance.

An important word to keep in mind is respect – respect for God, respect for oneself, and respect
 for those in whom we share in Christian Orthodox fellowship.  Equally as important as respect is -
modesty.  We should dress modestly, not in a flashy way that would call attention to us.  We must 
also realize that many of the styles that are popular today, especially among young people, are not
 appropriate for Church.  For example, exposed midriffs, pants or skirts worn very low, t-shirts with
 any kind of writing or slogans, shorts and mini-skirts, along with any kind of extreme hairstyles, or 
body-piercing and exposed tattoos, are not appropriate for either men or women.  Also, not
appropriate are tank-tops and sleeveless shirts, or tops that are low cut in either the front or 
back.  Women’s dresses and skirts should be at or below the knee in length.

One final point that is of paramount importance is that we should not focus on what other people
 are wearing but, instead, focus on ourselves and our own spiritual life.  Remember, judging others is 
a far greater sin than dressing inappropriately. Look within yourself and evaluate where your
priorities are and make sure that your own attire reflects your faith as an Orthodox Christian.

• Refrain from socializing during Divine Services. Communicating with fellow parishioners should
 be done during Fellowship Hour in the Church Hall and not prior to it. In Divine Services our focus must be on God and in bringing
 ourselves to worship Him
• Please remember to turn off your cell phone and/or pager during the celebration of Divine
 Services. Texting is also prohibited when attending Divine Services. If there is a professional or
 emergency situation that requires one to have access to a cell phone, it should be kept on
“silent” or “vibrate”. In this case, one should sit at the end of a pew so that should there be an
 emergency, it will not be a distraction for others when leaving
• Avoid reserving seats for family or friends that may come late to Divine Services. Make room for 
all that come to attend Divine Services and in particular, visitors so that they feel welcomed
• When venerating an icon, the cross, when receiving Holy Communion, or kissing the hand of the 
Clergy, please do not wear lipstick
• One must be attentive when attending Divine Services. Crossing of the legs or arms is
 considered disrespectful when attending Divine Services
• It is not appropriate to gather in the Fellowship Church Hall, the kitchen, administrative offices or 
Classroom Building during Divine Services
• Chewing gum in church is never permitted
• Only Sunday Church School teachers and students are permitted to depart early from the Divine 
Liturgy as their classes commence
• Once Divine Services have concluded, please depart from church appropriately. This may mean
 that the faithful come forward to receive the Antidoron or venerate the cross held by the Priest
• When receiving the Antidoron at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, please remember to
 venerate the hand of the Priest and try not to drop the crumbs since this bread is offered as a
blessing.