IF YOU ARE ORTHODOX.....

IF YOU ARE ORTHODOX, live by God's commandments, believe with all your heart in the teachings of the Holy Orthodox Church, read the Holy Bible, and pray every day unto God, for that is His wish.

IF YOU ARE ORTHODOX, attend Divine Services every Sunday and Holy Day, care for your Church and support Her. If you omit this because of idleness, negligence, hesitance or fear, you will be disgraced before God and His angels.

IF YOU ARE ORTHODOX, make your confession before every Holy Communion (or even more often), and receive Communion at least during the four great feasts to gain eternal life.

IF YOU ARE ORTHODOX, respect God's Mother, the Holy Virgin Mary, for that is God's wish. Honor your patron's day (slava) and do not substitute a birthday party or such, for God is beautiful among His saints and not in people's customs. Celebrate your patron's day with dignity and without excessive drinking and feasting.

IF YOU ARE ORTHODOX, do not enter into marriage without God's blessing, for marriage is a holy sacrament established by God.

IF YOU ARE ORTHODOX, do not forbid baptism and catechism to your children, for theirs is the Heavenly Kingdom.

IF YOU ARE ORTHODOX, do not use bad words, do not blaspheme God, do not scoff at sainthood, for one who does that will not find favor with God.

IF YOU ARE ORTHODOX, do not practice fortune-telling, witchcraft, spiritual seances and other superstitious practices, because those who do are disgraced before their God.

IF YOU ARE ORTHODOX, do not read heretic or anti-religious books, because teaching of that kind is neither blessed nor of God.

IF YOU ARE ORTHODOX, respect your priest and do not close the door of your home to him and thus banish God from you and your home.