More and more people from all kinds of backgrounds are turning their eyes toward Orthodoxy. They are discovering the original Christian faith and the incredibly rich traditions of Eastern Christianity—drawn by its mystical vision of God and His Kingdom, the beauty of its worship, the purity of its confession of faith, and the unbroken connection between the Church and its ancient past.
Orthodox Christians worship the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is God the Son, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, is the incarnate Second Hypostasis of the Trinity, the Only-Begotten Son of God, true God and true Man—born in time from the Virgin Mary and eternally begotten from God the Father. His earthly ministry was entirely dedicated to the salvation of humanity. Everything the Lord Jesus Christ did—from His Baptism and preaching in parables to healing the sick, His death on the Cross, and His Resurrection on the third day—was for our salvation.
In the short years of His earthly life, the Lord Jesus Christ called many disciples, twelve of whom became His apostles. These twelve accompanied Him from His Baptism all the way to His Ascension into Heaven. Later, the holy apostles spread throughout the world, preaching the faith of Christ and founding churches across the Roman Empire. The early Church was not uniform: two great traditions—Eastern and Western—coexisted in unity for more than a thousand years. Today, Catholics and Protestants are the heirs of the Western tradition, while Orthodox Christians preserve the heritage of the East.
Orthodoxy embodies and reveals to the world the spiritual treasures of Eastern Christianity. It’s important to remember that the Gospel of Christ was first proclaimed, and the earliest Christian communities were born, right here in the lands of the Mediterranean. It was in these eastern regions of the ancient Roman Empire that the Christian faith grew strong. It was in the cities of the Christian East that the foundations of our faith were proclaimed at the Seven Ecumenical Councils.
In the United States, Orthodoxy is officially recognized as one of the four major Christian confessions. Its presence in America is due to the faithfulness of countless immigrants from Greece, Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the Middle East. During the great waves of migration in the 19th and 20th centuries, Orthodox Christians from many different cultures came to America seeking freedom and opportunity, bringing with them the ancient faith of the Orthodox Church. Following the practice of the Early Church, Orthodoxy deeply values the cultural diversity of its peoples, yet it is not limited to any single nation or ethnic tradition.