Welcome
to The Hill

Just so you know, the liturgical prayers we now use, written by St Basil, are the shortened version of the original 5+ hour liturgy of the early church. You may find yourself wondering, “Is there a more concise way to say this? Can extra adjectives be deleted?” However, each prayer is intentional and critical to the liturgical service. The centre of our life as a church family is the Eucharist; each prayer is vital in preparing us to receive the Body and Blood of Christ.

In the Orthodox tradition, the faithful stand for nearly the entire service. Really. In most Coptic churches, there will be pews or rows of chairs, but if you find the amount of standing too challenging, you’re welcome to take a seat. No one minds or likely even notices; you’ll probably see others doing it as well. Don’t lose heart—standing gets easier with practice.

To say that we make the sign of the cross frequently would be an understatement. We sign ourselves whenever we mention the Holy Trinity, venerate an icon, and on many other occasions during the Liturgy. You’ll notice it often when you hear specific words like “worship” or “glorify.” There is no set rule of when you should and shouldn’t cross yourself—it’s a personal thing. We cross with our right hand from left to right, traditionally holding our thumb and first two fingertips pressed together, with the last two fingers pressed down to the palm. The three fingers together symbolise the Trinity; the two fingers brought down to the palm represent the one Person of Christ, who is both fully human and fully divine, and His coming down to earth. This, too, takes practice. Don’t worry: a beginner’s imprecise arrangement of fingers won’t offend God.

The Orthodox church is known for being traditional, yet we express sincere affection through kissing. We kiss icons, the relics of saints, and a priest’s hand when greeting him. We even greet each other shortly after the sermon during the liturgical service. You’ll hear the deacon say, “Greet one another with a holy kiss” (1 Peter 5:14). Just follow the lead of those around you: both palms touching with thumbs crossed over each other, touch the hands of your neighbour and then kiss your own hand. Repeat. Exchanging the kiss of peace is a liturgical act, a sign of mystical unity between the entire congregation. It’s a reminder that Christ’s Spirit unites each of us, although we may not know each other well. Don’t worry, there is also a time for coffee, chatting, and fellowship later.

The entire liturgical service is focused on one main event: the Holy Eucharist (or Communion). In the Orthodox Church, we believe that the Eucharist is the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Communion is reserved for those who are baptised in the Orthodox Church. This is not a way to exclude people; rather, the Eucharist is the Church’s treasure, and it is reserved for those who have united themselves with the Church. It’s akin to reserving marital relations until after the wedding (baptism). Towards the end of the liturgy, everyone lines up to receive the bread (Body of Christ) and wine (Blood of Christ). If you have any questions about this (and you will), please ask our priest. As a primer, have a read of John 6.

Of course! God welcomes everyone, and so do we. The focus of our Church is every individual. Please feel free to bring anyone who may be interested, from the youngest child to the greyest elder. We understand that it is often difficult to contain loud children, but please do not let that be an obstacle. Most of us have young families, so we all understand. We also have a children's room to the left of the Church, which is sound-proof but has speakers and open windows so that you can still be part of the worship. Children are the life of the Church, and as such we follow the words of Christ: "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Traditionally, Coptic Orthodox services use cymbals and a triangle. You will also notice that more than half of the service is sung by the congregation. If you’re comfortable, sing along! Participation is key if you hope to stay focused during the liturgical prayers. The hymns of the Church pack a lot of meaning, not only in the words but also in the tunes. Each season of the Church has its own tunes and hymns.

Don’t worry, we have it under control. The smoke you see is actually incense that the priest releases from the censer. In the Orthodox Church, incense represents prayers and repentance that ascend into heaven. Each time the priest passes by with the censer, your prayers and those of everyone in the church are rising before the throne of God Himself. Revelation 5:8 says, “Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”

A constant feature of Orthodox worship is the veneration of the saints, particularly the Virgin Mary. We often address her as “Theotokos,” which means “Mother of God.” The saints who have departed this world are still alive and very much a part of our Church. We believe that they are the victorious church (having finished their race and received the prize of eternal life) and we are the struggling church. We do not pray to saints, contrary to popular belief, but we ask for their prayers on our behalf, just as you would ask a spiritual father or friend to pray for you. We also believe that the Church is Heaven on earth, and although the saints are not with us in the physical church, they are with us in the heavenly Church, praying with us and for us.

Come and experience how the earliest and original Church worships! There are many Orthodox churches: Coptic, Greek, Romanian, Russian, Antiochian, Serbian, and more. There are about 230 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, making Orthodoxy the second-largest Christian community. Each Church is called to nourish its faithful and sanctify its community. At St Peter & St Paul's, the liturgical services on Sunday are entirely in English. This is because we want to share the treasure and spiritual depth of the Orthodox Church with everyone, regardless of culture, language, or colour. You’ll always find someone who can answer any questions you might have along the way. Orthodoxy may seem different at first, but as the weeks go by, it will feel more like home and gradually draw you into your true home, the Kingdom of God. Come and check it out for yourself, especially now that you have the inside scoop.

(Adapted from a list created by Frederica Mathewes-Green & modified by Fr Anthony Messeh)