St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church

Serving Emmaus and the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania

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      • 2022-2023 Church School Registration
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  • What is Orthodox Christianity?
  • Who Are We?
    • Introduction to the Parish
    • Parish History
    • Patriarchate of Antioch
    • Antiochian Archdiocese of North America
    • The Rev. Joseph Landino, Pastor
    • Former Pastors
      • The Very Rev. Archpriest Andrew Stephen Damick (2009-2020)
      • The Very Rev. Archpriest Theodore J. Mikovich (1999-2009)
      • The Very Rev. Archpriest John Kahle, Founding Pastor (1987-1999)
    • The Apostle Paul, Our Patron Saint
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  • Visiting?
    • Looking for an Orthodox Church in the Lehigh Valley?
    • The Gospel Story
    • What is the Gospel Message?
    • What Does “Orthodoxy” Mean?
    • For Roman Catholics: Quick Questions & Answers on Orthodoxy
    • For Evangelical Protestants: Quick Questions & Answers on Orthodoxy
  • Church Building Project
    • New Church Property Photos
    • Church Building Committee
    • Church Building Fundraising Committee
  • 2023 Parish Life Conference
  • Lehigh Valley Orthodox Churches
  • About Fr. Joseph Landino
  • Pledge 2023
  • Donate to St. Paul’s
  • Social Media

Clergy

The clergy of the Orthodox Church have been called by God to fulfill specific functions of service and leadership in the Church (Acts 6:1-6, 13:3; Titus 1:5; I Tim. 4:14; II Tim. 1:6). They are not worthy in themselves to serve in these ways, but by the grace of ordination, God enables them to carry out His will. This is why after an ordination is complete, the people shout the word Axios! (which means “Worthy!”), not because the Church is saying that he is worthy to be ordained (since he has already been ordained by that point in the service), but rather because the Holy Spirit has descended upon him and given him this ministry.

Clergy are not inherently higher or better than the laity in the Church, who are also ordained to a specific ministry as the royal priesthood of Christ. The ministry of the clergy is a more intense and potentially spiritually dangerous role, since its business is the ministry of the holy mysteries and the responsibility of the teaching of the people of God. God will hold clergy accountable for the responsibility He gave them.

There are two basic categories of clergy in the Church—minor orders and major orders. The minor orders currently in use in the Church are reader, cantor (chanter) and subdeacon. The major orders which are from apostolic times and remain permanent within the Church are deacon, presbyter (priest/elder) and bishop. The bishops are all sacramentally equal, working together in council to work through tough questions for the Church. Though certain bishops have more seniority and more responsibility than others, there is no Orthodox equivalent to the Roman Catholic pope, either administratively or doctrinally.

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Introduction to Orthodox Christianity

The following articles provide an introductory look into the major beliefs and practices of the Orthodox Christian faith:
  • Introduction to Orthodox Christianity
  • God
  • Jesus Christ
  • Mankind
  • Salvation
  • The Church
  • Holy Tradition and the Scriptures
  • Spirituality
  • Worship
  • Sacraments
  • Clergy
  • Saints
  • History
  • Conclusion
  • The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed

St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church

Planting the Seeds of Orthodoxy,
Cultivating Christian Community

Telephone


610.965.2298

Address


156 E. Main St.
Emmaus, PA 18049

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