About us: Orthodox Faith l Design of Church l Iconography l Fr. John Bio

About Us: The Orthodox Faith
The Eastern Orthodox Church traces its hierarchical roots as an unbroken line back to the first Churches founded by the Apostles and to the Churches that derived their origin from the missionary activities of the Apostles and Saint Paul. The first important centers for Christianity became the Patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and Rome.

The early Apostles laid the foundation for the beginning and growth of the Christian Church. They provided for the ordaining of priests and deacons, preached the Word of God, celebrated the Holy Sacraments, and formed an Apostolic Council to continue the work of the Church. At its inception, the Church was undivided and it remained united for over one thousand years.

The Great Schism of 1054 saw the separation of the Western Patriarchate of Rome which became the Roman Catholic Church from the other ancient Patriarchates. The remaining Patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem still exist today. To this list are added the Patriarchates of Moscow, Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Georgia, the Autocephalous Churches of Greece, Albania, Finland, Cyprus. These Churches which maintain communion with one another, are united doctrinally and are collectively known as the Eastern Orthodox Churches. The Eastern Orthodox Church has remained unchanged in her doctrine and has admitted no doctrinal pronouncements since the last Ecumenical Council of the undivided Church held in
787 AD.

Saint George is under the jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco headed by His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco, which is, in turn, part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The Archdiocese is under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople headed by His All-Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew l.

Our beliefs as Orthodox Christians are contained in the Nicene-Constantinoplitan Creed formulated during the first two Ecumenical Councils held in 325 and 381 AD.

I believe in One God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth and of everything, visible and invisible.
And in One Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God. Begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light, True God of True God Begotten not made, one in essence with the Father, through whom all things were made.
For us and our salvation He came down from Heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man. Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried.
On the third day He arose according to the scriptures.
He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
And He will return in glory to judge the living and the dead. And of His Kingdom there will be no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the Giver of Life who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. Who spoke through the prophets.
I believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.
I await the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.

Orthodox Christianity has a 2,000 year rich history of contemplating the wonders of Creation, worshiping God and experiencing the Life in Christ. Orthodox Christianity is not a series of formulas but a way of life in which God permeates our total life experience, from the mundane to the glorious and everything in between.

Orthodox theology in a very basic nutshell sees the salvific work of Jesus Christ primarily as the redemption of mankind and the restoration of our true humanity and communion with the Holy Trinity.

To learn more about Orthodox Christianity the Archdiocese web site will provide a wealth of information: www.goarch.org

an exciting time as we build our new sanctuary. We wish Fr. John a long and fruitful ministry at our parish.