The Creed

With the exhortation of the priest to guard well—i.e. with wisdom and attention—the doors so that the uninitiated are unable to enter the church, the faithful proceed to a confession of faith. Yet the above exhortation has also a more profound and vital meaning; it reminds the faithful that they need to guard the doors of their senses, their mind, their thoughts and their eyes, for it is these doors that might make them vulnerable to sin. While the faithful confess their faith, the priest raises the Aer from the Diskos and Chalice and shakes it slowly over them, in a gesture symbolizing the descent of the Holy Spirit.

18 from Αθωνική Ψηφιακή Κιβωτός on Vimeo.

With the recitation of the Creed the faithful express all these that they have in common. This must happen before they receive the Holy Communion! The Church struggled to formulate its teachings about the Triune God, the One Church and the expected resurrection of the dead. The recitation of the Creed reminds the faithful of this struggle. It is also a chance for the faithful to get a better understanding of the truths of the Church, outside which there is no salvation.


Last modified: Wednesday, 7 October 2020, 8:40 PM