FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  Yes, welcome. We are always glad to see our guests. 

 You can stand anywhere in the church. There are benches along the walls for those who have difficulty standing.  

  We do not require this from you. If you want, like all parishioners, to light a candle, cross yourself, venerate the icons and the cross, then you, of course, can do this. 

  We worship the Lord God alone. A person in the Church does not pray to icons, but in front of icons, which are designed to help us focus in prayer. An icon is like a family photograph. We lovingly keep and kiss photographs of people dear to us. How can we not kiss the holy icons of Jesus Christ and the saints of God? An icon for us is a shrine for the sake of the one who is depicted on it. And so, veneration of icons, like any shrines that exist in Christianity, is not idolatry. It is an expression of love, not worship, which is reserved for God.

  No. We worship exclusively God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We honor the Mother of God as an amazing example of faith, obedience and love. The veneration of the Mother of God has a Gospel basis: “From now on all generations will call Me blessed” (Luke 1:48). We address Her as “Most Holy Theotokos” or “Mother of God”, since the Son born by Her is the true Son of God. 

 We encourage adherence to New Testament traditions that call for women to cover their heads during worship. Also traditionally, women in church wear dresses or skirts. We do not require this from our guests.  

 Yes. In the narthex, you can find small pink books with the text of the liturgy in Russian and English.  

  No, you can’t. Don’t worry, though, you won’t be alone; in the Orthodox tradition, not all parishioners approach Communion during every service. But at the end of the service, you and everyone else can kiss the cross and receive a piece of blessed bread.

  Of course not! Orthodoxy is spread throughout the world. There are many Orthodox churches. Our parish belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. Today the Russian Orthodox Church unites people of various nationalities. 

 When you enter the church, the service may already be in progress. Before the Liturgy, the Hours are usually read and the sacrament of confession is available. The Liturgy is served mainly in English with some places in Church Slavonic. If you would like to leave donations, please place them in the collection basket located in the vestibule. After the Liturgy on Sundays you can stay for lunch. We always welcome children. If your child is tired or too noisy, you can go out with him for a while and then come back again. We usually stand throughout the service. But if you are tired, you can sit on the benches along the walls. And of course, if you have questions, please feel welcome to ask them to the priest.