Christmas

Christmas is an annual holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. Christmas festivities often combine the commemoration of Jesus' birth. Traditions include the display of Nativity scenes, Holly and Christmas trees, the exchange of gifts and cards, and the arrival of Santa.




http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/holidays/christmas.htm

Sign of the Cross

The Sign of the Cross is a ceremonial hand motion made by the vast majority of the world's Christians. It is usually accompanied with the Tritarian Formula ("in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit"). For Christians, the motion symbolizes the Cross on Calvary by tracing the shape of the cross in the air or on one's own body. This act may symbolize confession of faith in the Holy Trinity, a silent declaration of faith in Christ as the Savior and Redeemer of mankind or simply as a prayer.



http://www.saintnicholas.org/sign_of_the_cross.htm

Easter

Easter is a celebration of Jesus Christ's return to life after his resurrection, and is held on the first Sunday after the full moon following the first day of Spring. It is the most important holiday for Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Christians. Easter is the main act that emphasizes Christ's ministry on earth- "to defeat death by dying and to purify and exalt humanity by voluntarily assuming and overcoming human frailty." Easter can also be a non-religious holiday; it is also a celebration of feasting.

More information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter

Saint

Although the title of Saint is thought to be only for those who's impact effects the entire world. Anyone who is believed to have gone to heaven is a Saint. Since this could be completely based on biased opinions the claim is seldom used. When somebody is named a Saint a day is decided on to feast and celebrate his/her life. Because of this the Church very, very rarely allows a day to be set aside for one person, although many people celebrate their "own" saints even though the Church does not recognize the person as one.

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Christianity
http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article8044.asp

Free Will

God always knows what choices individuals will make tomorrow, but has actually determined those choices. Even though God has the power to make the choices for an individual, he still gives individuals the power to ultimately choose (or reject) everything, regardless of any internal or external conditions relating to the choice.

http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article7063.asp

Salvation

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they introduced a new element into human nature (sin and corruption). This prevented man from going to the Kingdom of Haven. God changed human nature by uniting the human and the Divine ("The New Adam.") By his participation we could be restored to our original purity and regain heaven. This is what the Orthodox call salvation from the fate of hell. God made it possible for rightous people to be saved.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church#Sin.2C_salvation_and_the_incarnation

Marriage

The sacrament of marrige is not a union of man andwomen, but yet a way for the church to recognizethat the lord is already in the couple life. The stepsto a marrige in the Eastern orthodox church arevery specific. The marriage starts out with theChurch praying for the couple, then the rings areplaced on the right hand. Right after this is done themarriage continues into the procession where thepreist chants psalm 128. The man and Women mustthen proclaim that they came freely into this. Theyare then handed candles that are lit representingthem following the light of God. As the marriagecomes to an end the man and women are crowned,which are taken off at the end of the wedding andthe preist prays for the crowns to be excepted intothe kingdom of heaven. For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_in_the_Eastern_Orthodox_Church

Messiah

Messiah is another term for Savior, which also means "The Appointed One." Christians believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, "whose coming was promised in the Old Testament, and that he was resurrected after his crucifixion."



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus

Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the main focus of Christianity. Christians believe Jesus is the "Messiah," meaning he is looked at as a king-like figure. Christians also believe that Christ is God, which is stated in the New Testament, where it says "Jesus Christ is Lord." The title "Christ" is derived from the Greek word, meaning "Appointed One," which also means "Messiah." He was killed (crucified) because people thought he was a false prophet and not a Savior. He came to Earth as the son of God in flesh to show us a better way to live, love, and learn.


More information on Jesus Christ:
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/beliefs/christ.htm
http://www.jesuz.com/Amazing_Grace.htm

Monotheism

Monotheism is the belief in only one God, who created the universe and also interacts with it. Showing personal devotion to Jesus Christ is a main part of Christian Monotheism.


For more information: http://mb-soft.com/believe/txn/monothe.htm

Canonization

Canonization is when a Christian Church declares a deceased person to be a saint. That person is then inscribed into the canon or list of recoginized saints.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and falls between February 4th and March 11th, 6 1/2 weeks before Easter. Early penitents were sprinkled with ashes, wore sackcloth, and were required to remain apart from the rest of the community until they were reconciled on Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter.The most obvious mark of celebrating Ash Wednesday is the blessing and application of ashes to the foreheads of those who participat. By the 11th century this custom had largely disappeared and was replaced with the distribution of ashes during the services and their application to the foreheads of all members of a congregation. Traditionally this is accompanied by “Remember you are dust and will return to dust,” but today “Turn from sin and live the gospel” is often used.

http://www.unicorne.org/orthodoxy/jan2003/ashwednesday.htm

Advent

Advent is a holy season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ, also known as the season of Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western Christian year and commences on Advent Sunday. (The Eastern churches begin the year on 1 September.) Adventus is the Latin word for "coming". The season of Advent serves a dual reminder of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting that Christians today endure as they await the second coming of Jesus the Christ.

Confession

The purpose of confession, Repentence, is to confess your sins to the Lord and ask for forgiveness. People usually confess to a Parish Priest. Because people are not perfect they will sin at some point or another, when this happens all that is required from god is to admit your sin and learn from it. Before repenting the person usually will pray, and recite/reflect, on the 10 Commandments. Annonimity for confessors is extremely important for the churches credibility and any Priest who breaks this secrecy will be kicked out of the church, and his reputation will be ruined. It's also very important for the church to have the confessing know that repentence is not just an apology, but is supposed to be able to start over and learn from your sins through Christ.

http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article8493.asp
http://orthodoxwiki.org/Confession#Preparing_for_Confession
http://www.allsaints.il.goarch.org/vsItemDisplay.dsp&objectID=F488208C-B7B4-4CFD-BAEA9B18EC3F5534&method=display

The Bible

The bible is a collection of Hebrew and Greek scriptures, and is known as the "sacred book of Christianity." It contains history of God's people, and the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. It also contains God's words and how Christians are supposed to apply them to life. The bible is a collection of 66 books and contain messages that God wants us to know.

(http://www.uxbridgenazarene.com/index.htm)

Trinity

Christians believe in a God who is both three and one, in other words triune. The Holy Trinity is three, distinct, divine persons without overlap among them, who share one divine essence (uncreated, immaterial and eternal). The word Trinity doesn't actually appear in the New Testement, however foundations of the concept can be seen. Trinitarian beliefs can also be seen in the teachings of extra-biblical writers as early as the end of the first century. However the clearest early expression of the concept came with Tertullian. Tertillian tied the word "Trinity" and "Person" and explained that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirt were one in essence, not one in person.

http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/beliefs/trinity.htm

Original Sin

The idea of orginal sin came from when Adam and Eve were put on earth by God. God forbid them to eat the fruit off of one tree. Adam was tempted by a searpent and his curiosity got him to eat the fruit, hence, the original sin. In western christianity it is believed that if one sins, if not atoned, will be passed down to his/her children or to those he/she is close to, and cannot be forgiven until he/she asks for forgiveness from The Lord. While in the Eastern Orthodox it is believed that sin is the fault of only that person and it is their responsibility to atone for and affects only them, and the people close to, or around him cannot be held accountable for his sinning.
For a shorter explination, sin is not passed down or to another person, it can only be brought on by yourself and is your responsibility to atone for it.

Dr. Alexander Roman - http://www.unicorne.org/orthodoxy/articles/alex_roman/originalsin.htm