Why do we bless water in our churches? What is the history behind this tradition? What do we use it for? Where and how should we store it?
Whether you are new to Orthodoxy or are in the process of rediscovering your Orthodox faith and traditions in a new and maybe more meaningful way, it is my hope that this article will introduce you to this beautiful tradition or enhance what you already know about it.
Anyone who walks into an Orthodox Church - especially someone who is not an Orthodox Christian or even a Christian - will notice something unusual, and that is the smell of incense. And if they walk in during a service, they will see how incense is used and the ‘tools' used to burn it.
Of course, you are familiar with what a censer is by now and you know that to make that censer smoke, an altar server, deacon, or priest will put a few pieces of specially prepared incense on top of burning charcoal.
Why do we use incense and censers during our services?
A newcomer to an Orthodox Church might notice differences in priestly vestments. Among many styles of priestly vestments, these two are the most known in the Orthodox world: "Greek" style and "Russian" style.
The differences are mostly in appearance, but meaning of all the pieces of the vestments remains the same.
Orthodox iconography includes symbolism to emphasize some important aspects of the depicted person or event that took place in biblical times or recently.
In the Orthodox Church, especially in Slavic countries (former Kievan Rus), the Crucifix is one of the examples of telling story through both actual occurrence and symbolism that in turn refers the viewer to something else in biblical history and gives to the story more meaning.
No doubt, Jesus was crucified on one bar cross. However, Eastern Orthodox Crosses have three bars. The middle one is the actual cross. The top bar represents the inscription that Pontius Pilate nailed to the cross above the head of Jesus Christ and the bottom one is the footstool - rest for the feet to prolong agony of the one that was crucified. Nobody would survive crucifixion if there was no footrest as hands and feet would have been torn under the heaviness of the body. However, in orthodox iconography you will see the bottom bar is at the angle to the main post with the right side pointing up and left side pointing down.
- especially someone who is not an Orthodox Christian or even a Christian - will notice something unusual, and that is the smell of incense. And if they walk in during a service, they will see how incense is used and the ‘tools' used to burn it.
