A Guide to Church Etiquette St Luke Orthodox Church

Cell Phones - Switch them OFF!

Please switch off cell phones or put them into silent/vibrate mode BEFORE stepping into Church. If your cell phone does go off accidently then do not answer it in church. Walk out of the church quietly and calmly. Usually one incident like this will make you remember to always switch off before stepping into church.

No Photography without Permission

During services photography is not allowed unless a special permission/blessing has been received from the Priest.

Preparation for Communion

All Orthodox Christians are welcome to have Communion at St Luke provided they have Confession the night before receiving Communion. Confession can be heard by the Priest or with your own parish Priest/ Spiritual Father. It is tradition in the Russian Orthodox Church to have Confession prior to Communion and we ask all our Orthodox guests to honor this practice. "Prior to" Communion doesn't mean 6 or 12 months ago or even two weeks ago. If you are extremely frail, ill, disabled, live greater than one hour from the Church or there was no proceeding night service your confession may be heard in the morning before the Liturgy with the blessing of the Priest.

If you wish to receive Communion at the Liturgy you must have prepared by reading the prayers of preparation and fasting from midnight and not eating or drinking until after communion. If you have personal concerns or health issues, please talk to the Priest.

Standing vs. Sitting

The traditional posture for prayer and worship in the Orthodox Church has been to stand. There are seats available for the elderly, sick and disabled. It is fully acceptable (even preferable) to stand for the entire service if you can. You should definitely stand always during the Gospel reading, the Little and Great Entrances, the Anaphora, the distribution of Holy Communion, whenever the priest gives a blessing, and the Dismissal.

Lighting Candles

Lighting candles is an important part of Orthodox worship. We light them as we pray, making an offering to accompany our prayers. Orthodox typically light candles when coming into the church, and that is usually the best time to light them. It is not proper to light candles during the Epistle or Gospel readings, during the Little or Great Entrances, from the Creed to the end of "It is Truly Meet"(The Eucharistic Canon), "Our Father" and during the sermon.

Entering the Church (Late)

The time to arrive at church is before the service starts. If you arrive after the Divine Liturgy begins, try to enter the church quietly, and observe what is happening. If the Epistle or Gospel is being read, or the Little or Great Entrance is taking place, or if Father is giving the sermon, stay in the back until it is concluded.

Lipstick

Lipstick may look fine on lips, but it looks horrible on icons, crosses, the Communion spoon and the priest’s or bishop’s hand.

Icons have been ruined by lipstick; and even though the cross can usually be cleaned after everyone venerates it, it just isn’t considerate to others to impose your lipstick on them. If you insist on wearing lipstick to church, blot your lips well before venerating an icon, taking Communion, or kissing the cross or the priest’s or bishop’s hand.

Venerate Icons

When venerating (kissing) an icon, pay attention to where you kiss. It is not proper to kiss an icon in the face. When you approach an icon to venerate it, kiss the gospel, scroll, or hand cross in the hand of the person in the icon, or kiss the hand or foot of the person depicted.

Talking During Church Service

Please wait until AFTER the service to talk to friends and family members. Talking is disrespectful towards God, and it is disruptive to other people in the church who are trying to worship. Talk to God while in church through your prayers, hymns, and thanksgiving, and to your friends in the hall or outside afterwards. If you are new please ask someone discreetly if you do require some direction.

Kiss (Don’t Shake) the Priest’s or Bishop’s Hand.

The proper way to greet a priest or bishop is to ask his blessing and kiss his right hand. Approach the priest or bishop with your right hand over your left hand and say “Father (or “Master” in the case of the bishop), bless.” [He will make the sign of the cross, and place his right hand over yours.] This is much more appropriate (and traditional) than shaking their hands as they are the ones who “bless and sanctify” you and who offer the Holy Gifts on your behalf. When you kiss their hands, you show respect for Christ, whom they represent.

Dress Code

Children: Athletic shorts, cutoffs, and spandex shorts are never appropriate church wear (for children or adults). Shoes should be clean and tidy. No T-shirts with any kind of excessive writing on them.

Women: Please wear dresses that are modest. No tank tops or strapless dresses that would expose the back or low cut at the front. No mini-skirts. Skirts should be at knee or lower. If women wear pants to church, even though this is not preferred, should be dress pants (not jeans or leggings, etc.). Shorts of any type are not acceptable. Head coverings should be worn if you are married.

Men: Please wear shirts with collars and buttoned appropriately. Torn jeans, with patches and loose fitting are not acceptable. No T-shirts or shorts.

To Cross or Not To Cross

Anyone who has looked around on a Sunday morning will notice that different people cross themselves at different times (and sometimes in different ways). To a certain extent, when to cross oneself is according to personal piety and not an issue of dogma. But there are times when it is specifically proper to cross yourself, and times when you should not. Here is a brief list of when to cross and when not to cross:

Cross: When you hear one of the variations of the phrase, “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”; at the beginning and end of the liturgical service or your private prayers; entering or exiting the church, or when passing in front of the Holy Altar; before venerating an icon, the cross, or Gospel book.

Do not Cross: At the chalice before or after taking Communion (you might hit the chalice with your hand); when the priest or bishop blesses saying, “Peace be to all,” bow slightly and receive the blessing; when receiving a blessing from a bishop or a priest (kissing the right hand of the bishop or priest is appropriate, but not making the sign of the cross).

Handling the Holy Bread after Communion

After taking Holy Communion and at the end of the liturgy, it is traditional to eat a piece of antidoron and to drink some wine (zapivka). While antidoron is not Holy Communion, it is blessed bread and as such, should be eaten carefully so that crumbs don’t fall on the floor. Monitor your children as they take the antidoron and teach them to eat it respectfully. The purpose is to wash away any of the remaining remnants of the body and blood of Christ after receiving communion.

Crying Children

If your child is crying in church please take them outside or to the hall until they stop. Often children are kept to the back of the Church and cannot see what is going on which causes them distress. Bring children to the front so they can see what is happening.

If in doubt about anything, PLEASE ask the Clergy!