40-Day
Newborn Blessing
Sacrament of Baptism
Sacrament of
Marriage
Confession
Blessing of
The Waters
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Blessing of
The Five Loaves
The Akathist Hymn
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Fallen Asleep
In The Lord
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Memorials
At the center of the life of the Church is the Holy Eucharist, which is the principal celebration of our faith and the means through which we participate in the very life of the Holy Trinity. The Seven Major Sacraments are closely related to the Eucharist and they bear witness to the continuing presence of Christ in the lives of His people.
Besides the Eucharist and the major sacraments, the Orthodox Church has several Special Services and Blessings that are associated with the needs, events, and tasks of human life. In celebrating these various Services and Blessings, the Church is constantly bearing witness to the presence and action of God in our lives. Our God loves us, cares for us, and is near to us. The liturgical Services and Blessings also remind us that all of life is important and that the many events and gifts of life can be directed toward God and receive their fulfillment in Him.
The Special Services are often referred to as Non-sacramental Services because they are events of community worship that are not usually counted among the major Sacraments. However, they have a sacramental quality in the sense that they reveal the presence of the Holy Trinity. Many of these Services, such as the Funeral, the Blessing of Water, and the Entrance into Monastic Life, just to name a few, are very significant to the life of the Church. The various Blessings are brief ceremonies that are occasional and do not necessarily directly involve the entire parish community.
The Church blesses individuals, events such as trips, and objects such as icons, churches, flowers, fields, animals, and food. In so doing, the Church is not only expressing our thanksgiving, but also affirming that no gift, event, or human responsibility is secular or detached from God. For the Orthodox Christian, all good things have God as their origin and goal. Nothing is outside of God's love and concern.
