Orthodox Church, how did you cope?

[sea-monkey 13]

Coming from a deeply religious Catholic family myself, I don't know what I'm going to do when my FSU lady comes here. Her being Orthodox.

The options I have are to attend both churches on Sunday, attend seperately or attend Orthodox only. She said her mass in Moscow is 1.5 hours each Sunday I'm used to mass being under 60 mins.

Christmas time should be pretty interesting also

[Used to be broken 147]

Coming from a deeply religious Catholic family myself, I don't know what I'm going to do when my FSU lady comes here. Her being Orthodox.

The options I have are to attend both churches on Sunday, attend seperately or attend Orthodox only. She said her mass in Moscow is 1.5 hours each Sunday I'm used to mass being under 60 mins.

Christmas time should be pretty interesting also

If she is willing to leave her country to be here in the US with you, perhaps she will also consider converting? Or you can convert and consider it a return to a more pure/primitive form of Catholicism.

Although there are some big differences and some worship style differences the tenants and object of the faith ie: Jesus, salvation, ceremony, celebration of sacraments, priesthood (except for the pope) is very similar. Most of the sacraments are the same and depending on where in the world you live, the dates/style of Christmas celebration may be a bit different.

It should not be a major obstacle one would think such as a "mixed marriage" of non Christians, Muslim-Catholic, or Muslim-Jew, or Catholic-Muslim.

If anything it should provide for some interesting dialogue, regarding your own beliefs and what precipitated the great East-West Schism. I would view it as an opportunity for you to learn more of you own Church history, and introduce your new spouse to the western Catholic style of worship.

Edited October 5, 2010 by brokenfamily

[baron555 934]

Coming from a deeply religious Catholic family myself, I don't know what I'm going to do when my FSU lady comes here. Her being Orthodox.

The options I have are to attend both churches on Sunday, attend seperately or attend Orthodox only. She said her mass in Moscow is 1.5 hours each Sunday I'm used to mass being under 60 mins.

Christmas time should be pretty interesting also

The Catholic faith and the Orthodox faith are very much alike, they both believe in God and Jesus, who is God's son.

So I don't see the big deal in switching back and forth or selecting one or the other.

Remember, the church and it's teachings (and especially it's "requirements") were all set my man, not Jesus or God.

So, if your faith is with God and with Jesus, it doesn't matter where you worship.

In the end, your relationship with God and Jesus is all that matters; that is what you will be judged on, not how well you followed man's rules.

[slim 1,525]

Like the whole sex thing.... try it out, see what you like, and roll with it. It's really not that big of a deal. (That was a different dude, wasn't it?)

As for Christmas, is sweet little 8 lb. 6 oz. newborn infant Jesus really gonna care if you stretch his birthday celebration out for two whole weeks?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Celebrate Orthodox Christmas...75% off!!!!!

[SMR 368]

Coming from a deeply religious Catholic family myself, I don't know what I'm going to do when my FSU lady comes here. Her being Orthodox.

The options I have are to attend both churches on Sunday, attend seperately or attend Orthodox only. She said her mass in Moscow is 1.5 hours each Sunday I'm used to mass being under 60 mins.

Christmas time should be pretty interesting also

One thing to consider is that Russian Orthodox do not believe in chairs in churches. So it's 1.5 hours on your feet.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I would say it is no problem at all if you don't make it one. The general beliefs are identical. Christmas is still the "same day" it is only a difference of which calendar is used. Calendars are man made things that change from time to time, what is to get so excited about? We ALL used the Julian calendar at one time, Catholic countries switched first to the Gregorian, followed some couple of hundred years later by the Protestant countries under English rule. What would you have done as a Cotholic under English rule in the American colonies before 1753? OMG! OH NOes! Russia didn't switch until 1922 under the Communists. Why would a "deeply religious person" get all in a wad over what is clearly a political game? You celebrate the birth of Christ, which makes you Christians. Enjoy.

In case anyone ever wonders why I am completely UNreligious....

Alla is not "religious" but she IS Orthodox and raised Orthodox. Her and the boys have always celebrated Orthodox Christmas and New Years was always a bigger holiday to her since all of her childhood Christmas was "illegal". Her and the boys were used to celebrating New Years, so that is what we do. My sons are grown and do not live at home. If they visit at Christams, we will celebrate twice. Shoot me. Since New Year's is a holiday here to...what the heck? Plus...after Christmas sales!

Christmas as an exact date cannot be pinned down anyway. Between political changes of the calendar and the fact that biblical descriptions clearly put the birth of Christ in the summer, it is an arbitrary date (not really, it was chosen to attract Pagans who were celebrating winter Solstice at the same time) that can be agreed upon by you and your wife-to-be.

Relax and enjoy

[eekee 182]

You don't have to stay for the entire 1.5 hourservice, though. You're generally allowed to enter/exit an Orthodox service as you want. And Easter is almost always on a different day, and Christmas always is, so no conflict there. I grew up with a Catholic dad/Orthodox mom myself, and it wasn't really a big deal. I do think that it often seems that the religion of the mother dominates, so you may lose out there. Plus, I think churches take on a great important for immigrants as a center of culture of sorts, a connection to their roots. Also, I would be offended if someone referred to Orthodoxy as "primitive" Catholicism as SMR did above, so be careful with your wording!

[SMR 368]

You don't have to stay for the entire 1.5 hourservice, though. You're generally allowed to enter/exit an Orthodox service as you want. And Easter is almost always on a different day, and Christmas always is, so no conflict there. I grew up with a Catholic dad/Orthodox mom myself, and it wasn't really a big deal. I do think that it often seems that the religion of the mother dominates, so you may lose out there. Plus, I think churches take on a great important for immigrants as a center of culture of sorts, a connection to their roots. Also, I would be offended if someone referred to Orthodoxy as "primitive" Catholicism as SMR did above, so be careful with your wording!

Pardon me, but I said nothing of the sort. All I said on this topic was that in an Orthodox church, you are not allowed to sit. I believe that is the case. It's just a practical difference from Catholicism.

The only person that I can see using the word primitive is broken family and she combined it with the word pure so I don't think she intended it in a derogatory way.

Primitive and примативный are not the same thing. Particularly in Christianity, the primitive church is a reference to the church that Christ set up and was carried on by his Apostles. Thus, when someone states that a church is more pure and primitive, it often means that the church is more similar to the one that Christ set up. To a Christian, I don't see why that should be a bad thing.

[sea-monkey 13]

I didn't know about this standing up part. I wonder how long it would take for me to buckle and pass out

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I didn't know about this standing up part. I wonder how long it would take for me to buckle and pass out

So far, I have been afraid to test my endurance,

[eekee 182]

Pardon me, but I said nothing of the sort. All I said on this topic was that in an Orthodox church, you are not allowed to sit. I believe that is the case. It's just a practical difference from Catholicism.

The only person that I can see using the word primitive is broken family and she combined it with the word pure so I don't think she intended it in a derogatory way.

Primitive and примативный are not the same thing. Particularly in Christianity, the primitive church is a reference to the church that Christ set up and was carried on by his Apostles. Thus, when someone states that a church is more pure and primitive, it often means that the church is more similar to the one that Christ set up. To a Christian, I don't see why that should be a bad thing.

Ah, sorry for the incorrect attribution. I'm not sure that brokenfamily meant it with so specific a meaning.

[LvivLovers 39]

1.5 hours is easy! The only decent Orthodox church (that reminds my wife of home) here in Atlanta (at least that we've found) holds services that last 3-4 hours and yes...it's standing the whole time (except for a couple benches where elderly or people with physical problems may sometimes sit). Some people don't stay for the whole service, but most actually do! The only thing saving me lately is that my wife has been so busy with college we have barely been attending. I grew up Baptist but now I consider myself non-denominational and sort of a mutt between all the variations of Christianity...I always thought the variations were pretty stupid to be honest.

[Used to be broken 147]

Ah, sorry for the incorrect attribution. I'm not sure that brokenfamily meant it with so specific a meaning.

By primitive I meant "earlier" Church. The Roman church is a Schism from the Orthodox Church, in other words a later appearing branch from the same tree. Historical reference not derogatory. That should be clear since I mentioned the opportunity to learn about each others Church history and faith.