Worship and Services

WORSHIP IN OUR PARISH

Our worships are open to everyone. According to the orthodox tradition the Holy Communion (Eucharist) is allowed only to the members of orthodox church. While visiting our worship you may light a candle and honour holy icons and the cross by kissing them. Timetables of different worships you will find here (in Finnish). The parish of Joensuu has 25 temples spread widely from up north Lieksa to far south Kitee. You will find more information about temples here (in Finnish).

HOLY SACRAMENTS

There are seven Holy Sacraments in orthodox church: Baptism, Chrismation, Eucharist, Confession, Holy Unction, Marriage, and Holy Orders. 

OTHER SERVICES

Other services are for example becoming a member of the parish, sacrification of home, funeral service and memorial service for deceased (panihida). Please contact our parish office 0400 397 900, Kirkkokatu 32, Joensuu or any of our priests if you are interested in our services.

Don’t hesitate to contact us, if you are interested in becoming a member of orthodox church! You will find our contact information here.

Different types of worship

Our timetables are most of the cases only in Finnish. You will find here, what those Finnish terms mean.

Liturgy (Liturgia)

Liturgy is a common worship, that all can join. Members of the orthodox church can join the Holy Eucharist. Liturgy contains prayes, readings of the Holy Scriptures, teaching and sung prayers. Liturgy lasts app. 2 hours. During the service you are allowed to move and sit down.

Vigil (Vigilia)

Vigil is an evening celebration of the next day’s Feast. It contains Vespers, Matins and the first hour of the Feast. Sunday is always a Feast and therefore there is always a Vigil on Saturdays in Joensuu and many other temples on the area. Vigil lasts app. 2 hours.

Matins (Aamupalvelus)

Matins are held mainly in the mornings. Matins tells us about the themes of the New Testymony and the resurrestion of Jesus Christ. Matins also tells about the saints of the day in question.

Vespers (Ehtoopalvelus)

Vespers are held in the evenings, and they start the ecclesiastical day. Vespers tells us about the creation fo God, fall of the human and the beginning of the salvation. Vespers also tell about the saints of the day in question.

Panikhida (Panihida)

A Panikhida is a prayer service offered by a priest for the repose of the soul of an Orthodox Christian who has departed this life. Customarily, a Panikhida is served on the third, ninth, and fortieth day after the repose of the Orthodox Christian, and every year on the anniversary of the repose.

Common panikhida (Yleinen panihida)

There are several days during the year, when there is a common panikhida. There we pray for all the persons deceased during the year and also the ones that people in the service has asked to pray for. The service is the same as the personal panikhida but it is prayed in plural.

Lithany (Litania)

Lithany is a serial of prayers that is at the end of Vespers before Feasts. At the end of the lithany is blessed bread, wine and oil. Lithany has also another meaning: it is the last part of the panikhida and it can be carried out on request for example after the Liturgy.

Jesus’ Prayer -service (Jeesuksen rukous -palvelus)

Praying service, that mainly repeats the Prayer of Jesus: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon us sinners.” Service can be held without priests.

Sanctification of Water (Vedenpyhitys)

The Great Blessing of Water is held on the Feast of the Epiphany. After the solemn blessing, the Holy Water is distributed to the faithful. When we drink the “Epiphany Water,” we are reminded of our own baptism. 

In addition to the Great Blessing of Water, there is a Lesser Blessing of Water service which can take place at anytime. Usually, it is celebrated when a home is blessed, on baptism or on a temple’s yearly feast.

Liturgy of presanctified gifts (Ennenpyhitettyjen lahjain liturgia (EPL))

The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is a liturgical service which is performed on the weekdays of Great Lent, commonly on Wednesdays and Fridays, wherein communion is received from Gifts (the Body and Blood of Christ) that are sanctified in advance on a previous Sunday.