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Scriptures

• For the Old Testament: the first five books (Genesis to Deuteronomy) are called the Peneteuch & the Law. The next eight (Josue to Maccabees) are called historical. Then the next seven (Job to Sirach) are called poetic. The last five (the Twelve Prophets to Daniel) are called prophetic.

• The Twelve, also called the Minor Prophets, are: j. Osee, ij. Amos, iij. Michæas, iv. Joel, v. Abdias, vi. Jonas, vij. Naum, viij. Abacuc, ix. Sophonias, x. Aggæus, xi. Zacharias, & xij. Malachias.

• The Prayer of Manasses is appended to II Chronicles.

• Nehemias is appended to II Esdras. Regarding the counting of the books of Esdras:

• Tobit is also called Tobias.

• Baruch, Lamenations, & the Epistle of Jeremias are appended to Jeremias.

• Susanna is prepended to Daniel, & Bel & the Serpent is appended.

• The Psalms are one-hundred & fifty in number.

Disputed

These are included in appendices in Bibles, but their status as Sacred Scripture is not dogmatized.

Apocrypha

Some further count the Shepherd of Hermas, the Didache, & I-II Clement. These were passed down in appendices & are beneficial, but are not read in church nor counted with Sacred Scripture.

Additionally, the Lesser Genesis (so-called Jubilees), the Watchers (so-called I Enoch ch. I-XXXVI), & the Protoevangelium of James contain matters referenced by the Apostles, but are not authentic.

Councils

Œcumenical

• First – Nicæa I (5834 AM)
• Second – Constantinople I (5890 AM)
• Third – Ephesus (5940 AM)
• Fourth – Chalcedon (6960 AM)
• Fifth – Constantinople II (6062 AM)
• Sixth – Constantinople III (6189 AM)
• Quinisext – Trullo (6201 AM)
• Seventh – Nicæa II (6296 AM)
• Eighth – Constantinople IV (6388 AM)
• Ninth – Conatantinople V (6850 AM)

The imperial sponsor & the president at each council:

The principal figures whose theology was accepted or reject at each council:

The purpose of the quinisext council was to confirm canons rather than doctrine which the fifth & sixth passed over silently. These also endorsed:

• The Apostolic Constitutions – lxxxv. canons
• The Council of Ancyra (5828 AM)
• The Council of Neocæesarea (5823 AM)
• The Council of Gangra (5849 AM)
• The Council of Antioch (5850 AM)
• The Council of Serdica (5852 AM)
• The Council of Laodicea (5872 AM)
• The Councils of Carthage (5760-6034 AM)
• The Council of Constantinople (5903 AM)
• St. Dionysius of Alexandria – iv. canons
• St. Gregory the Wonderworker – xij. canons
• St. Peter of Alexandria – xv. canons
• St. Athanasius the Great – iij. canons
• St. Timothy of Alexandria – xviij. canons
• St. Basil the Great – xcij. canons
• St. Gregory the Theologian – j. canon
• St. Gregory of Nyssa – viij. canons
• St. Amphilochius of Iconium – j. canon
• St. Theophilus of Alexandria – xiv. canons
• St. Cyril of Alexandria – v. canons
• St. Gennadius of Constantinople – j. canon

Pan-Orthodox

• Jassy (7151 AM)
• Jerusalem (7181 AM)
• Constantinople (7381 AM)

These councils have been received by the whole Church & are of particular importance.

The president at each:

Again, those principal figures accepted or rejected:

Ecclesiastical Hierarchy

Another two Old Testament holy days—Atonement & the Feast of Lights—have New Testament parallels—the Exaltation of the Cross & the Nativity of the Lord.

• Mysteries
  • Baptism
  • Chrismation
  • Communion
  • Repentance
  • Unction
  • Matrimony
  • Ordination
• Saints
  • Apostles
  • Martyrs
  • Prophets
  • Hierarchs
  • Monastics
  • Righteous
• Clergy
  • Episcopate
    • Patriarch
    • Archbishop
    • Metropolitan
    • Bishop
  • Presbyterate
    • Archpriest
    • Protopriest
    • Priest
  • Diaconate
    • Archdeacon
    • Protodeacon
    • Deacon
  • Suborders
    • Subdeacon
    • Reader
• Monastics
  • Abbot
    • Archimandrite
    • Hegumen
  • Great Schema
  • Stavrophore
  • Rassophore
  • Novice

The Mysteries are also called Sacraments.

The Mystery of Repentance is more commonly called Confession. Some count more or less than these by considering some as one with others—e.g. Baptism with Chrismation, &c.

Apostles

The Twelve Apostles are:

• j. Peter
• ij. Paul
• iij. Andrew the First-called
• iv. James the Great
• v. John the Theologian
• vj. Bartholemew
• vij. Philip
• viij. Thomas
• ix. Matthew the Evangelist
• x. Simon
• xj. Jude
• xij. James

The Seventy Apostles are:

• j. James the Brother of the Lord
• ij. Mark the Evangelist
• iij. Luke the Evangelist
• iv. Cleopas
• v. Simeon
• vj. Barnabas
• vij. Justus
• viij. Thaddeus
• ix. Ananias
• x. Stephen the Protomartyr
• xj. Philip the Deacon
• xij. Prochorus the Deacon
• xiij. Nicanor the Deacon
• xiv. Timon the Deacon
• xv. Parmenas the Deacon
• xvj. Timothy
• xvij. Titus
• xviij. Philemon
• xix. Onesimus
• xx. Epaphras
• xxj. Archippus
• xxij. Silas
• xxiij. Silvanus
• xxiv. Crescens
• xxv. Crispus
• xxvj. Epænetos
• xxvij. Andronicus
• xxviij. Stachys
• xxix. Amplias
• xxx. Urban
• xxxj. Narcissus
• xxxij. Apelles
• xxxiij. Aristobulus
• xxxiv. Herodion
• xxxv. Agabus
• xxxvj. Rufus
• xxxvij. Asyncritus
• xxgviij. Phlegon
• xxxix. Hermas
• xl. Patrobas
• xlj. Hermes
• xlij. Linus
• xliij. Gaius
• xliv. Philologus
• xlv. Lucius of Cyrene
• xlvj. Jason
• xlvij. Sosipater
• xlviij. Olympas
• xlix. Tertius
• l. Erastos
• lj. Quartus
• lij. Evodius of Antioch
• liij. Onesiphorus
• liv. Clement
• lv. Sosthenes
• lvj. Apollos
• lvij. Tychicus
• lviij. Epaphroditus
• lix. Carpus
• lx. Quadratus
• lxj. John Mark
• lxij. Zeno
• lxiij. Aristarchus
• lxiv. Pudens
• lxv. Trophimus
• lxvj. Mark (nephew of Barnabas)
• lxvij. Artemas
• lxviij. Aquila
• lxviv. Fortunatus
• lxx. Achaicus

Further, an additional two are counted by some for Seventy-two Apostles:

• lxxj. Dionysius the Areopagite
• lxxij. Simon

Jurisdictions

The first five (Rome to Jerusalem) are called the Ancient Patriarchates. The next five (Moscow to Sofia) are called the Junior Patriarchates. The Patriarchates & the following seven (New Justiana to Washington) are all autocephalous (i.e. self-headed).

The next seven from Sina to the Russian Church Abroad are autonomous (i.e. self-governing); Sina being under Jerusalem, Helsinki under Constantinople, & the rest under Moscow.

The last four from Minsk to Tallinn are semi-autonomous, under Moscow.

Liturgics

The Divine Liturgy is mystically outside the daily cycle, but is usually celebrated after the Sixth Hour.

The liturgical tradition of the Church was standardized by the Great Lavra of St. Sabbas in Jerusalem, Palestine, which was founded in 5987 AM. It was re-standardized for civil use by St. Theodore (†6335 AM) at the Studion Monastery, Constantinople.

The contemporary differences between the Greeks & the Slavs comes from a Greek reform in 7347 AM, & a revision of it in 7397 AM by Protopsaltes George Biolaces. More details about the differences.

Gospel

Book of the Gospels, one volume. Contains the Scripture readings from the canonical Gospels.

Apostol

Book of the Apostles, one volume. Contains the Scripture readings from the canonical Book of Acts & Epistles, but not the Apocalypse.

Prophetologion

Book of the Prophets, one volume. Contains the Scripture readings from the Septuagint, but not the Psalms.

Psalter

Book of Psalms, one volume. Contains the canonical Psalms & Odes from the Septuagint.

Horologian

Book of the Hours, one volume. Contains the immobile portions of the hourly services.

Octoechos

Book of the Eight Tones, eight volumes. Contains the mobile portions for each tone of the week.

Menaion

Book of the Months, twelve volumes. Contains the mobile portions for each commemoration of the day.

Triodion

Book of the Three Odes, one volume. Contains the mobile portions for each day of Great Lent & Holy Week.

Flowry Triodion

Also called the Pentecostarian, or Book of the Fifty Days, one volume. Contains the moving portions for each day of Pascha & Pentecost.

Synaxarion

Books of the Synaxes, twelve volumes. Contains readings of the lives of the Saints.

Menologion

Contains a list of the commemorations for each day.

Calendar

Paschal Cycle

Pascha is calculated as the Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox, i.e. March 21.

• Of the Last Judgement is also called Meat-fare.
• Of the Expulsion from Paradise is also called Forgiveness Sunday & Cheese-fare.
• Of St. Gregory Palamas was, in prior times, dedicated to St. Polycarp.
• Of the Entrance of the Lord is also called Palm Sunday.

After these is Pascha, then the feasts preceding Pentecost:

Great Feasts

Besides these twelve great feasts, there are these five others:

Fasting

The Typicon uses these symbols for each rank of feast, with the corresponding fasting rules:

Generally every Wednesday & Friday, except during a Great Feast, we fast from all dairy, eggs, & flesh (of vertebrates), with wine & oil.

During Great Lent & the Dormition fast, on days of a doxology, polyeos, or vigil rank feast, wine & oil are permitted. During the Nativity & Apostles’ fasts, wine & oil with are permitted on days of a doxology or polyeos, only if it is not Wednesday or Friday, which for those only wine & oil is permitted.

On the five days before Nativity, absolutely no fish is permitted.

During the Great & Holy Week, no permissions are prescribed, absolutlely nothing is to be eaten or drank on Great Friday, & only wine, but not oil, is permitted on Great Saturday.

The Greeks interpret wine & oil as referring to all alcohols & oils, but the Russians interpret it as for only wine & olive oil.

Celestial Hierarchy

• Virtues are, by some, called Powers.
• Powers are, by some, called Authorities.

Archangels

Despite their name, these are ranked as Seraphim.

An additional incorporeal power, here in parenthesis, is sometimes added.

The first four (Michael-Uriel) are who stand in the corners of the chariot (mercaba) of God, watched over the camps of Israel in the wilderness, & are set over the winds.

Hebrew

References

• John of Damascus, St. “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith” in: The Fount of Knowledge.
• Mogila, Peter, St. Catechism.
• Gregory of Nyssa, St. Great Catechism.
• Ignatius Theophorus, St. Epistles.
• Irenæus of Lyons, St. Against Heresies.
• Epiphanius of Salamis, St. Panarium.
• Epiphanius of Salamis, St. On Weights & Measures.
• Dionysius the Areopagite, St. The Ecclesiasitcal Hierarchy.
• Dionysius the Areopagite, St. The Celestial Hierarchy.
• Nicodemus the Hagiorite, St; Macarius of Corinth, St. The Philocalia.
• Velimirović, Nikolai, St. The Prologue from Ochrid