The seven holy mysteries of the Church
The Church is the Body of the Lord. A Christian's life can be compared to the branch of a tree, which lives as long as it is joined to the tree. We live spiritually when we are joined to the holy Church. She passes on to us the grace of the Spirit of God, which the apostles of Christ received. The Church prays to God that this grace may come down upon us. In the Church, at the time of prayer, the mysterious power of the Spirit of God acts invisibly. In Christianity we know seven holy mysteries of the Church in all; they are:
1. Baptism 2. Chrismation 3. Holy Communion 4. Repentance, or confession 5. Holy Unction 6. Holy Orders 7. Marriage
The first mystery in a Christian's life is Baptism. Only after baptism are we counted as Christians. That is why baptism should be performed as early as possible — by custom, on infants. When this mystery is performed, the godparents of the one being baptised, holding the child, stand with lit candles before a vessel full of water, which is called the font. They confess their faith and promise God to keep His commandments. The priest blesses the water and immerses the infant three times, saying: “The servant of God (name) is baptised in the name of the Father, Amen; and of the Son, Amen; and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.”
The godparents are answerable before the Church for the faith of the one being baptised, and after the baptism they take him under their protection and responsibility and strengthen him in the faith.
The new life received in baptism means living a holy life. For this, spiritual strength must be gained, and every Christian receives it in Chrismation. This mystery is performed at baptism. The priest anoints the newly baptised with chrism on the forehead, eyes, ears, mouth, nostrils, breast, hands and feet. The Spirit of God comes to dwell in the soul and body of the newly baptised, sanctifies him and gives him the spiritual strength he needs for the new life. After baptism and chrismation the priest leads the newly baptised three times around the font, and the new member is joined to the Church for ever.
The body dies if it receives no food for a long time; so too the soul, if it goes away from the Christian life and receives no spiritual food. We are fed spiritually by receiving Holy Communion. This mystery is performed at the Liturgy. In the consecrated bread and wine we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. At Communion the priest says: “The servant (or handmaid) of God (name) partakes…” Through Communion we are united with Christ Himself. The priest brings out the chalice; the faithful cross themselves and repeat the prayers before Communion. Then they approach the chalice carefully and kiss it, and receive warm wine (the ablution) and a piece of prosphora. Before Communion one may not eat or drink anything. Finally the faithful read the prayers of thanksgiving after Communion.
To receive Communion worthily, we need a sincere desire to sin no more, and repentance for the sins we have already committed. How are we to repent of these sins? For this the mystery of Repentance, or confession, has been established. We must prepare for confession. Let us try to remember everything by which we have sinned against God, our neighbours and ourselves.
We must ask forgiveness of everyone we have offended. The priest reads special prayers called the “canon of repentance.” The priest becomes the witness of our confession; before God we confess our sins and together with the priest ask forgiveness.
During confession we listen to the priest's instruction. Then we kneel; the priest covers our head with the epitrachelion and reads prayers through which our sins are forgiven. By the grace of the Holy Spirit these sins vanish from our soul. Every Christian should go to confession before Communion — and also when our conscience troubles us over some sin. Children must be sure to repent of bad behaviour before Communion.
Close to the mystery of Repentance stands the mystery of Holy Unction. It is performed mainly on the sick, and once a year on everyone. By the invisible grace of the Spirit of God our sins are forgiven, and we are healed of pains of soul and body. The order of performing the mystery of Unction is this: first the oil is blessed, then the sick person and all present are anointed with the blessed oil. Before the anointing, passages from the apostles' epistles are read, and the priest reads a special prayer and passages from the Gospel. This service is performed with several priests taking part.
The mysteries of Baptism, Chrismation, Communion, Repentance and Unction are part of every Christian's life. Besides these, two more mysteries have been established, by which people are blessed when they choose a special path in life. The mystery of Holy Orders is performed on a person who becomes a clergyman and receives a special grace. There is a hierarchy for the clergy, that is, ascending degrees. On the highest step stands the bishop, who appears as the heir of the Gospel. Bishops govern the Church and can perform all the mysteries. A bishop may be a bishop, an archbishop, a metropolitan or a patriarch. The second step is the priest, who performs all the mysteries except the ordination of a priest. The last degree is the deacon. He cannot perform the mysteries; he helps the priest.
When the mystery of Holy Orders is performed, the bishop reads special prayers over the future priest during the Liturgy. The priest is vested in the vestments he needs. Clergymen devote their lives to the service of God. A great grace has been handed on to them from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and we should treat them with special respect and love.
Children's Church Calendar, 2002
