Sacraments and services

Baptism is the mystery of becoming a member of the Church. It is in two parts and includes both the sacrament of baptism and the sacrament of chrismation. For a child to be baptised as a member of the Orthodox Church, at least one parent must be a member of the Orthodox Church, and the consent of both parents is required. If you wish to join the Orthodox Church as an adult and have previously been baptised in a Christian church in the name of the Holy Trinity, baptism is not served again: only the sacrament of chrismation is served when joining.

The sacrament of confession supports the repair of the religious and spiritual life of a person. It is participated in when necessary, especially during periods of fasting. When joining the Orthodox Church as an adult, one always participates in the sacrament of confession before chrismation.

The most important and central sacrament of the Church is the Holy Communion. It means connection with Christ and with his whole body, the Church, and all its members. Participation in the Communion also signifies unity and membership of the Church. That is why Communion in the Orthodox Church can only be received by members of the Orthodox Church. Communion is part of the communion service, the Liturgy. The material used is bread and wine which, according to the belief of the Orthodox Church, become the body and blood of Christ.

In the Orthodox Church the sacrament of marriage is about seeking a blessing from God for a union and confirming it through the sacrament. A marriage can be consecrated in the Orthodox Church if at least one of the spouses is a member of the Orthodox Church and the other is a member of a Christian church, for example Lutheran or Catholic. If one of the spouses is not a member of a Christian church, the marriage can be contracted elsewhere, for example at the registry office, and blessed in an Orthodox church in a prayer service.

The blessing of a home is a prayer service where the home is sanctified in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit through the sprinkling of holy water. The blessing is usually served when moving to a new home, but it can also be served at another time.

The anointing of the sick, or holy unction, can be served to any member of the Orthodox Church at a church, at home or for example at a hospital. It is not served only to the dying or the very ill: any member of the Church can participate. A general anointing of the sick has traditionally been served during the Great Fast in the Turku parish, and all members of the Orthodox Church who feel they need it can take part.

When a member of the Orthodox Church dies, the relatives contact the parish of the deceased immediately. The details of the burial service are discussed with the parish and the serving priest: when and where the burial will take place, and where the deceased will be buried. If a priest is wished to be present at the memorial gathering after the burial, it is good to discuss this beforehand. The Orthodox burial service is before all else prayer for the eternal soul of the deceased.

Relatives can ask the priest to serve a panihida, a memorial service for the deceased. Traditionally a panihida is served on the day of the death, on the third day, 40 days after the death, a year after the death and annually on the day of the death.