How to Join the Orthodox Church: the Journey of a Catechumen

It may not always be clear how one should go about joining the Orthodox Church. Hopefully this video makes it clear for you.

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[DinoAli]

I’m an ex-Muslim. Became Protestant now looking into Orthodox Christianity for a while looking to be catechumen but struggling with persecution

[Aaron.T]

19 year old inquirer here. I had my first visit to a Serbian Orthodox Church last Sunday, so I have perhaps a useful anecdote for others who are looking into visiting for the first time.
Firstly, when you walk in it’ll smell like incense and you may hear the choir deeper in the church chanting Byzantine style chants. That is the way it was for me. As soon as I opened the door I met a kind old man and told him a crash course of my background and why I was there. He welcomed me and introduced me to others, and helped me get set up for the liturgy.
Also, even though my parish I went to was Serbian, there were a lot of converts, and I also met a fellow inquirer about 5 years older than me. So you won’t be alone, everyone has a story.
Be ready to hear a lot of chanting throughout the liturgy. If you’re big into listening to playlists of Orthodox chants, you may hear some familiar hymns. I personally got choked up sometimes throughout the service, it’s absolutely beautiful.
Be ready to stand for a while, there isn’t any pews. Definitely made me admire the 80 years old cradle Orthodox for how long they can stand.
The worship is much more passionate and intense when you have a real life encounter, compared to watching online. Be ready for that.
Make the sign of the cross whenever the Holy Trinity is pronounced.
At the end of the liturgy after Holy Communion, there is some bread blessed by the priests that is handed out, it isn’t communion bread. Feel free to take some. Before this though, everyone lines up to kiss the cross and the priest will say something like “Christ is risen.” To which you’ll reply, “truly He is risen.”
After the liturgy is when I introduced myself to more people and met the inquirer and many other great people, who gave me great advice and were so kind. Feel free to also attend the post-liturgy lunch in the basement if your parish has one. As one fellow parishioner said to me, the spiritual conversations in the post-liturgy lunch are “the liturgy after the liturgy.”
Overall, it’ll be a great spiritual experience of the authentic Christian faith that you won’t regret. Let the Lord guide you to the place you need to be! I know I can’t remain a Lutheran after truly experiencing Orthodox Christianity in real life. ☦️

[Athonite]

I'm privileged to have started my journey at a nearby monastery, attending a divine liturgy there was easier for me since I'm a bit shy. Had great conversations with the Priest. Vespers might be easier for first-timers or shy people like me, typically fewer people in attendance. But it is just an appetizer, divine liturgy is the spiritual main course 😊

[clivejames]

The Orthodox Church by the English Priest, Kallistos Ware, is absolutely brilliant. I read it as someone just interested in Church history but ended up attending Divine Liturgy services and now considering becoming a Catechumen

[VERYCHAOTICGOOD]

As a catechumen about to finish my year of preparation after just showing up on Pentecost last year, this is all good information and a really good overview for what to do, read, and focus on. In a way you do have to go through the motions for awhile, but it is so you get the rhythm of how the Liturgy is structured. Also, everyone will find their own entry point depending on your learning style. That’s what is so great about the way we worship, because all of the sense are engaged. Please pray for me as I prepare to be baptized on Pentecost!

[MalikaIC]

Thank you father for yourr advise in such clear and wonderful way..Your channel came to me today gor tge very first time and God send as i was asking myself how to go about reaching out to an orthodox church...
I appreciated all that you said:
The steps the books..and to take the time, to be be patienced while we discover and learn as we invite Christ to increase in us i found truly beautifully wise advise..I was also struck by how gentle you are( it is an priceless gift..you help us to be like bees instead of flies😊 and comferting that i do need to stress as i yourney into orthodoxy ( can not find the right words just yet, because english is not my native language..)

Your advice about zeal i found very powerful..

Discern but do not judge only Jesus is the truth, giving time for Jesus Christ to increase, so beautiful..
I realized how much i have been trying to transform" myself( understanding the importance of forgiveness and blessing the one who has abused me, i tried it through that understanding which is utter soundness, but confronted with... i constantly felt the struggle, even if it had the power of a strong breeze) instead of allowing Christ to become in me., listening to you made me realize that for the first time since i converted from islam to evangelic christianity which never fulfilled me but i did want to give up Jesus ( i did leave the church and used internet to learn and grow)

Thank God last year i " stumbled" on an orthodox channel and i felt a sence of coming home...

Thank you for this treasure father..
May God bless you and your abundantly..Glory to our Father God, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, now and

[Quency]

Like music to my ears, thank you Father

[frctlz]

I have started my journey into the Orthodox Church after 32 years of life. I found this video in research and preparation for becoming a catechuman. Thank you 🙏

[LindsayVardalos]

Great job on this video! I think this video would be so useful in a parish to show newcomers on the steps to Orthodoxy.

[theworldtodespise]

Fr, thank you very much for this video. I am an Anglican looking into converting to Orthodoxy after going back and forth on it for a couple years. I am trying to bring my family along but my wife is apprehensive, this video reminded me to be patient and not to push her away with my zealousness.

[Toddthest]

Very thankful for this video as I attend my first Divine Liturgy tomorrow. The part to strive for humility and to practice silence is a blessed message and I needed as I make this start on my journey. Additionally, the guidance to focus on the light in the world instead of the darkness around us. Thank you for the great messages within.

[joshuadilley]

Father, thank you so much for this video. The Lord has been drawing me to the Orthodox Church for years but I never lived near enough to attend one. But after many trying events in my life, I have ended up in a town with an OCA congregation just 15 minutes from my home. I will be attending next week. Videos like this have fed me spiritually when I had nowhere else to learn about the Orthodox faith. I thank the Lord for you and others who create such informative content for those who are hungry for the Truth.

[thehammared]

Love that you recommend the same 3 books I've been telling some people to read to get a crash course on the Faith.

[shanellroomsburg]

I absolutely loved this video. I have been very curious about the Orthodox Church. This video helped. I loved how you said to focus on the light and to focus on loving Jesus. Not the darkness. Because the world is full of this. And to be like the honeybee not the mosquito. That will stick with me. Thank you 🙏🏻✝️.

[EverettRoeth]

Many blessings to your channel and mission for the Lord! Love your content so far.

[DanielSobkowiak]

Thank you for the video, father! Very informative. I will be using those book recommendations.

[claytonbenignus]

I was a pre-Inquirer from 1978 to 1998, Calvinism had soured me so I started looking for something else. Orthodoxy had the best answers but I didn't have enough access to it to really be called an Inquirer or even a Visitor. At this stage of my Life, could be considered Frontier Orthodox. After another run-in with a Prosperity Theologian, I started my Inquirer-ship in earnest.

[Usernamebreh]

you made a big mistake calling Mormons and Jehovah witnesses Christians. stop throwing them all in the same pot. The Christians faith is believing in our triune God. Nothing else.

[jasminecabrera]

What are some resources you'd recommend for learning the lives of the Saints? Thank you for your guidance.

[flamechick]

I was standing just like this in the image, while scrolling and coming across this video 🤔😆