Church history

Church history

• 33–100 The Apostolic Age The birth of the Church at Pentecost and the preaching of the apostles in the 1st century.
• 64–313 Early Christianity and the Persecutions From Nero's persecution to the Edict of Milan in 313.
• 300–1400 Monasticism From the Egyptian desert fathers of the 4th century to Mount Athos and the Russian lavras.
• 330–1453 Byzantium and the Liturgy Constantinople as the centre of the Orthodox world: Hagia Sophia, the Liturgy, hymnography.
• 988 The Baptism of Rus The adoption of Christianity by Kievan Rus under Prince Vladimir in 988.
• 1054 The Schism of 1054 The mutual anathemas of 1054 and the gradual estrangement of East and West.
• 1448–2000 History of the Russian Church: from Metropolis to Patriarchate and the 20th century Milestones: autocephaly 1448, Patriarchate 1589, the Synodal period, the Council of 1917–1918, the persecutions of the 20th century.
• The Local Orthodox Churches Orthodoxy is a family of autocephalous Churches united in faith and sacraments.
• Church Art: Icon, Temple, Chant How iconography, church architecture and liturgical singing took shape.

The Ecumenical Councils

The seven Ecumenical Councils (325–787) formulated the dogmas of the Trinity, of Christ and of the veneration of icons. The Ecumenical Councils

1. 325 The First Ecumenical Council (Nicaea, 325)
2. 381 The Second Ecumenical Council (Constantinople, 381)
3. 431 The Third Ecumenical Council (Ephesus, 431)
4. 451 The Fourth Ecumenical Council (Chalcedon, 451)
5. 553 The Fifth Ecumenical Council (Constantinople, 553)
6. 680–681 The Sixth Ecumenical Council (Constantinople, 680–681)
7. 787 The Seventh Ecumenical Council (Nicaea, 787)

Basics of the faith

• What Orthodox Christians Believe A summary of the faith according to the Creed.
• The Sacraments Baptism, Chrismation, Eucharist, Repentance, Priesthood, Marriage, Holy Unction.
• The Divine Liturgy The principal service of the Church and its structure.
• Prayer and the Rule of Prayer How Orthodox Christians pray at home.
• Fasting in the Orthodox Church The multi-day and one-day fasts, their meaning and measure.
• The Church Year The fixed and movable cycles, Old and New Style.
• The Layout of an Orthodox Church Narthex, nave, sanctuary and their meaning.
• The Iconostasis The tiers of icons between the sanctuary and the nave.

Feasts

• Pascha — the Bright Resurrection of Christ Meaning, history and worship of the chief Christian feast.
• The Nativity of Christ The feast of the Incarnation: history, traditions, worship.
• Theophany. The Baptism of the Lord The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan and the Great Blessing of Water.
• The Exaltation of the Cross The finding of the Cross by St Helena and the meaning of the veneration of the Cross.
• Pentecost — Trinity Sunday The descent of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church.
• The Protection of the Theotokos The vision of St Andrew the Fool-for-Christ at Blachernae and the Russian veneration of the Protection.

Icons

• The Vladimir Icon of the Theotokos: history From Constantinople to the Tretyakov Gallery.
• The Kazan Icon of the Theotokos: history The appearance of 1579, the militia of 1612 and the fate of the original.
• The “Trinity” of Andrei Rublev History, theology and composition of the most famous Russian icon.
• How to Read an Icon Basics of iconography: types, colour, perspective, inscriptions.

Holy places

• Jerusalem and the Holy Land The places of Christ's earthly life and the oldest Christian shrines.
• The Holy Mountain of Athos The monastic republic on the Chalkidiki peninsula.
• The Trinity-Sergius Lavra The spiritual centre of Russia founded by St Sergius.

Lives of saints

• The Life of St Nicholas the Wonderworker Bishop of Myra in Lycia, swift helper and defender.
• The Life of St Sergius of Radonezh Abbot of the Russian Land and founder of the Trinity Monastery.
• The Life of St Seraphim of Sarov The elder of Sarov and his teaching on the acquisition of the Holy Spirit.
• St John Chrysostom Preacher, interpreter of Scripture, author of the Liturgy.