Baptism, is not a social custom or cultural tradition, but the very entrance into the Kingdom of God and the beginning of the Christian life.

In the Orthodox Church, marriage is not merely a legal contract or social institution, but a sacrament of healing and sanctification. The husband and wife, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, are united into one life in Christ.

When a faithful Christian departs this life, the Church gathers to commend the soul to God’s mercy, singing hymns of hope and resurrection. For us, death is not annihilation, but the falling asleep in Christ until the Last Day, when all shall rise.