Everyone is encouraged to visit our church for a service. Take the plunge and do it! It's the best way to learn. Are you undergoing a spiritual search in looking for a place where God is worshipped "in spirt and in truth", as Jesus said? Or are you more interested in the church as a fundamental part of Russian culture? In either case, you are most welcome to visit any time you would like. If you believe in God (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit), pray to Him to guide you and help you not to be scared away by things you find different, or even strange. Things may appear that way at first because our practices are so ancient -- they go back 2,000 years to the time of Christ and His apostles.
You will not offend anyone by being unfamiliar with the customs and practices. We do not expect visitors and newcomers to know these things ahead of time, and we have many American visitors who come to see what an Orthodox service is like. Many of our parishioners found the church by doing exactly what you are thinking of doing, and they (we - I am one of them!) remember clearly what it was like to come to an Orthodox Church the first time. We know that Orthodox traditions are different from what Americans expect from a church service, so we have a lot of sympathy for anyone "trying it out" for the first time.
Just enter the church. By tradition, men usually stand on the right side and women on the left, but this is NOT a rigid rule. Actually, none of our rules are rigid. Men and women (spouses or friends) can certainly stand together. Wear comfortable shoes! The Sunday morning liturgies last about 2 hours, and on weekdays, one and a half hours. We usually stand during the services, but there are benches around the back wall where you can sit down to rest your feet. Don't be afraid to move around a bit. This is possible because we are not "chained" to pews. You can even walk out during the service, if you need to, to go to the coat room or rest room and then come back in.
There is a simple "dress code" that is part of showing respect to the holiness of God in an Orthodox church. Dress conservatively: e.g. for men and women, no shorts or sleeveless shirts or blouses; for women, a dress or skirt knee length or longer.
You will see people doing certain things during the service, such as lighting candles and making the sign of the cross over their forehead and chest at certain times. Of course, you don't have to do this, and probably shouldn't until you have had occasion to learn what they mean and how they are done.
Feel free to
contact us if you have any questions.
Русская Версия
