Truly, the
Orthodox faith is a treasure chest filled with beautiful
traditions, sacraments that are spiritual mysteries,
and practical directions for enjoying a grace-filled
life.
What is it about our middle name? In
Greek tradition, children were (and in many cases still
are) given their father’s first name for a middle
name. In other traditions the middle name might be a family
name or a mother’s maiden name. In these examples
of tradition, the middle name is a sense of identity and
a link to heritage. The Orthodox Church has an unwavering
link to a heritage that is over 2,000 years old. The Church
was started by Jesus Christ himself through his beloved
disciples on the day of Pentecost. The Church has suffered
many persecutions and trials, but persevered over the
years and is still alive and well today. We treasure this
gift of the Holy Spirit that has been guarded and unchanged
all these 2,000 plus years, and pass the love of Christ
on to all the children who pass through the doors of the
school.
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Jesus Christ is the “only begotten Son of God”.
He willingly was crucified for the sins of the world,
died, and rose three days later to bring about eternal
life for the world. While on earth he was both human and
divine. The Holy Trinity is one God in three undivided
persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
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Holy Scripture is the Word of God as passed on to man.
The Orthodox Church also includes in its study the many
writings of holy men and women which compliment and coincide
with the Bible. These letters and writings are part of
our Holy Tradition.
We believe that Mary was a person who, because of her
holiness, was selected by God to become the bearer of
God. We believe she willingly said, “yes”,
to God’s calling, and thus became the greatest of
all saints of the Church for her selfless example of faith
and love. She is ever-Virgin, and we refer to her as the
Theotokos, or Mother of God.
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We believe that the saints on earth are the “Church
Militant”, and the saints in heaven are the “Church
Triumphant”. Thus, as we know the soul lives on,
we can pray through the saint to ask his or her intercessions
before God. We know they are holy, and that God hears
all prayer, so we may ask for a saint’s words to
God on our behalf. We do not pray to a saint, but rather
with the saint to God.
Icons are “windows to the soul”. They help
us remember a holy person or event so that our faith
can be strengthened. The icon is not art for art’s
sake, but rather art for the edification of mankind.
Just as incense is for the nose, Holy Communion is for
the taste, and chanting of hymns and psalms are to the
ear, so the icon is to the eye. Thus our whole body
worships God. Icons can depict a beloved saint, just
as we keep photographs of beloved family members who
have passed on and remember them.
How does this translate into an understanding of what
our School’s middle name means to AOS? The history
of the Orthodox faith brings to our School a solid foundation,
a quiet strength, an embrace of all of God’s creation,
and an unwavering spirit. It has value because of its
perseverance, its survival, and its mission to serve
and to honor God. And isn’t that what we want
for our children…that they remain true to their
beliefs, respect all things and all beings, serve others,
know they are loved, and feel grounded in themselves?
That is exactly what we strive for at AOS, not just
in the weekly religion classes or Chapel services, but
also in every moment and occurrence everyday. Why? Because
Orthodox is our middle name.
For more information about
the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, click here.
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