FOR INQUIRERS

The process of becoming an Orthodox Christian typically involves three stages:

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Stage One: Inquirer (or Seeker)

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This stage can be broken into two phases: formal & informal.

Most people begin this informally by conducting their own research online, through books, and/or through conversations with Orthodox people they know or meet. It is this informal inquiry that leads to contacting a local parish and/or priest to begin more formally as an Inquirer.

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At this first stage, a person may bring a number of questions to the priest, might be provided with some directed reading or other multimedia resources (should they request it or be willing) to help direct their initial inquiry, and will probably start attending Orthodox services in some capacity. At this stage a person might visit a variety of local Orthodox churches and monasteries will the the purpose of acclimatizing oneself to Orthodox Christianity and its approach to worship, to theology, and to life. The inquirer is "dipping his toes" into the waters of Orthodoxy, and is in the process of exploration with the goal of potentially and/or eventually pursuing formal enrollment as a catechumen into one particular parish community. 

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There is no set time-limit placed on this stage, but is dependent on the thoughts of the inquirer in consultation with the priest of the local parish he chooses. Typically, this stage will last a least a few months (or longer) between its informal and more formal stages.

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One other important aspect that is necessary for the shift from Inquirer to Catechumen is for him to cease all participation in his previous religious body and to formally be removed from any membership and/or roles in that prior community.

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Of this inquirer stage, the Rev. Dr. Josiah Trenham has the following insightful description to contribute: "When a person first becomes interested in the Orthodox Church a series of initial interactions take place. Perhaps one visits for a liturgy, researches Orthodoxy on-line, or engages in a conversation with a friend who is Orthodox. If these initial interactions are blessed, a more studied process of inquiry follows which can be compared to the process of courtship. One who launches into this dance with the Church is called by the Church an inquirer or a seeker. These early days of exploration can be overwhelming and eye-popping for an inquirer, who perhaps has never seen anything like the Divine Liturgy, a church temple full of sacred icons staring at the inquirer, and persons crossing themselves, bowing, and prostrating. It may be the inquirer’s first exposure to sacred chant, incense, and sacred space. As such it takes a while to become familiar and comfortable with these new liturgical surroundings, and the inquirer is encouraged to be patient and to expect to slowly and progressively come to a greater understanding and appreciation of the deep meaning of each liturgical action. During this courtship with the church the inquirer is encouraged to be focused, and to attend as many divine services as possible. The best catechism is in frequent and watchful attendance at the divine services. This is true because the Church prays what she believes, and believes what she prays. Every service of prayer is deep theology, and all true theology is prayer. During the period of inquiry/courtship the seeker is also encouraged to read at least one basic text that introduces the Orthodox Church. If all proceeds well, the seeker will begin to ask himself if he could, in fact, become an Orthodox Christian; if he could envision himself living the Orthodox life. This is a natural development, much like a couple in courtship beginning to envision the possibility of wedlock." (Trenham, "Starting Down the Royal Path: How to Become an Orthodox Christian," p. 3. https://saintandrew.net/files/catechumen%20info/Starting-Down-the-Royal-Path.pdf )

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After this initial period of serious inquiry, the inquirer may come to a place in which he wishes to be enrolled among the catechumens of a particular parish in order to be prepared for reception into the Church. As Fr Josiah writes: "This is a very serious decision akin to becoming engaged, and Orthodoxy takes engagement very seriously. When one moves from courtship to engagement, no longer is the question asked “Will we get married?” That question was asked and answered in the act of engagement, and the engagement itself is a matter of preparation for the wedding. So it is with the inquirer becoming a catechumen. Once that move has been made, it is no longer a question of whether the person intends to be baptized into the Orthodox Church but rather it is a matter of preparing for such. It is not a question of if, but when," (ibid., p. 4).

 

At this time the inquirer should seek the blessing of the parish priest he is choosing to attend, and to request to be made a catechumen. Should the priest judge that the inquirer is well-prepared to do so, he will read the Prayer for Enrolling a Catechumen, making the Inquirer a catechumen of the community.

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Again, Fr Josiah provides a nice summary of the movement from Stage One to Stage Two: "At this point the inquirer has made a definitive decision to become an Orthodox Christian forever. He knows that this commitment is not a denominational switch, but an approach to the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. It is a commitment to faithfully serve God as a member of the Orthodox Church no matter where one lives on this earth. The catechumen is engaged to the Church, and will complete this engagement with the spiritual marriage which is holy baptism .... The catechumen is numbered among a class of catechumens that belongs to the particular parish, and will begin the formal process of catechesis. From this point the catechumen self-identifies to the outside world as an Orthodox Christian. Should the catechumen die before reception into the church, he will be buried as an Orthodox Christian."

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 Stage Two: Catechumen 

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This stage begins with the prayer for making a catechumen, and sometimes also the renunciations of previous heresies and the Service of the Making of a Catechumen at the beginning of the baptismal service (though in common practice this is saved for the time of one's baptism). This stage generally lasts one year so as to allow the Catechumen to experience all the aspects of life in the Church.

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At this stage, there are two aspects to the spiritual preparation and formation of a Catechumen: one is intellectually, and the other is practically. What that means is that the Catechumen in his period of catechumency is being formed by a combination of learning the true Faith and exercising true spiritual Practice. These are the two sides of the coin that make up Orthodox Christianity: Faith and Life.

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The thing to remember is that, "the goal of all catechism is purification, and conformity to the commandments of God and the Church. For catechumens who come from pious and active non-Orthodox Christian backgrounds there will be less requirement for radical personal changes, but for those who come from no religious background and whose lives have been deeply influenced by secular culture there will be radical changes that may involve the abandonment of illegitimate employment, the cessation of certain personal associations, and deep repentance from sins. Persons who have been married and divorced, sometimes multiple times, must work through these matters with the pastor. All are welcomed to the Church for the Lord God is calling every human being to His household and family, which is the Church, but for some the adjustments will be serious," (ibid., p. 6).

 

One of the most important responsibilities of the Catechumen is to attend as many of the divine services as he is able. This should at a minimum include the Saturday night-Sunday services. But a Catechumen is encouraged to make a concerted effort to experience the variety of services offered within one's parish. As Fr Josiah wrote above: "The best catechism is in frequent and watchful attendance at the divine services. This is true because the Church prays what she believes, and believes what she prays. Every service of prayer is deep theology, and all true theology is prayer," (ibid., p. 4). In the experience of the divine services a Catechumen has the opportunity to be formed into the mind of Christ and His Body, the Church, by being taught both intellectually and practically. This is first place for a Catechumen to focus their energies and to learn in practice what being Orthodox will entail.

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But a Catechumen is also expected to undergo a process of formal instruction in the Orthodox Faith and Spiritual Life. This varies from parish to parish, as their is no 'set' curriculum defined by the hierarchy of the Orthodox Church. While it is expected that Catechumens will explore a program that provides a general overview of the Faith and Life of Orthodoxy, they often will also follow a program of study meant to address their particular questions or spiritual background (some of which should have already been taking place as an Inquirer). This formal instruction can be done either by the parish priest or by a trained catechist who has been appointed by the local Bishop or the parish priest. Depending on the number of catechumens in the community, these sessions may be taught either communally or one-on-one.

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In concert with this, a Catechumen is expected to be putting into practice what he is learning. This generally involves:

         A) a daily prayer rule (provided by one's priest)

         B) adherence to the cycle of fasting (both Wednesday and Fridays and Fast Periods)

         C) consistent attendance at the divine services (particularly Sundays & Great Feasts)

         D) practicing the commandments of Christ (cutting off passions & developing

              corresponding virtues)

         E) a Life Confession (with helpful direction by one's priest when the time for preparing one 

              is approaching)

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Fr Joshiah provides another nice description of what it meant historically to be a Catechumen: "In the ancient Church, the catechumenate, or time during which one is a catechumen, often lasted for as much as three years. This was the case because Greeks and barbarians were polytheists, and idolatry and its superstitions were deeply imbedded in the Greco-Roman way of life. It took time to be purged of these unseemly beliefs and practices, and to form a Christian mind and disposition. Catechism itself included not only participation in some of the divine services but also formal catechesis, formal oral instruction from a teacher, often the bishop or appointed catechist, special prayers of exorcism and entreaty, and extensive involvement in the fellowship of the church which enabled the catechumens to form the new social connections that would become the most important bonds in their lives. This authentic integration into the family of believers with a supreme bond established by the blood of Christ, not by the blood of one’s biological parents, has always been a central hallmark of the Christian Church. The believer’s ultimate loyalty is not to one’s earthly family or tribe, but to Christ and the Church. No one who loves mother or father or siblings more than Christ and the believers is worthy of Christ and His Kingdom," (ibid., p. 5).

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Then he goes on to describe what it means today: "In contemporary times in the post-Christian west the length of catechesis is designed to help secularized westerners, many of whom have some attachment to western forms of Christianity, become Orthodoxized. This process is serious and the usual catechesis takes a minimum of one year. Since adults are received on Great and Holy Saturday, this means that the usual catechumen will be catechized for a minimum of one year and sometimes up to two years depending on what time in the church year the inquirer enrolls as a catechumen. There is no quick catechism, and the basic rule is that the deeper foundation a catechumen receives, the higher the tree of his Christian life will grow. One cannot embrace the Orthodox way of life quickly, and the Church and her faith uphold the whole universe. There is no reason to rush since the Church is not going anywhere. The catechumen should be zealous, focused, and stay the course at a sustainable pace. The one year catechism presupposes that the catechumen will be actively engaged in the process of learning and assimilation to Orthodox modes of belief and Christian living, and may be extended (and often is) as the pastor sees fit due to the catechumen’s absence from required lectures, prayers and activities," (ibid., p. 5)

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From here Cathechumens should also be actively praying about two additional practical aspects of their upcoming Baptism: choosing a Godparent (sponsor), and choosing a Patron Saint (whose name they will adopt). How do we go about doing this? As Fr Josiah writes: "Catechumens may wonder how exactly they are to identify a sponsor. This can take place through various means, but usually takes place naturally as the catechumen integrates himself into the life of the parish. Affinities will be made, and relationships established. In the course of such the catechumen might inquire of an acquaintance in the parish if he would be willing to stand as sponsor for him, or the acquaintance himself might inquire of the catechumen if they have found a sponsor. Obtaining a sponsor is a significant decision and ought to be done prayerfully. All sponsors must be approved by the pastor, since in order to serve as a sponsor in baptism one must be an upstanding Orthodox Christian. It is best, therefore, that the catechumen clear a particular name with the priest prior to soliciting a sponsor in order to avoid potential embarrassment."

Furthermore, one can find a great description of the importance of the name of a Patron Saint here: https://www.saintandrew.net/christiannames.

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It is a good practice for a person while still a catechumen to read over closely the services of Making a Catechumen/Baptism and the Divine Liturgy, and to feel comfortable and clear about what will be taking place at one's baptism. One may also want to ask any questions to his priest about these services.

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The end of the period of catechumency is determined in consultation with one's parish priest after the process of the catechumenate has been successfully accomplished. This usually terminates with the reception of Holy Baptism & Chrismation on Holy Saturday, the eve of Holy Pascha.

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"Each catechumen is reminded that the process of catechism is a road of repentance and faith which leads to union with the Holy Trinity and membership in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Such a road is a road toward Christ and away from the evil one. Demonic opposition is to be expected during the course of catechism. These obstacles canbe overcome by the help and mercy of God and a strong resolve on the part of the catechumen," (ibid., p. 9).

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 Stage Three: Holy Baptism, Holy Chrismation, & Holy Communion

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"The traditional day for the reception of converts into the Church is the baptismal liturgy of Great and Holy Saturday. This liturgy is designed so that the administration of holy baptism takes place in the middle of the service. In cases of catechumen illness, or menstruation, or other serious impediment, the Feast of Holy Pentecost is traditionally used as the alternative date for Holy Baptism (although the baptisms are administered outside of liturgy)," (ibid., p. 8).

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At this stage, a person will have completed their time as a catechumen, have a chosen godparent and patron saint, and will be prepared with all the practical necessities (such as candles, crosses, etc.), as well as prepared to receive Holy Communion (by having read the Preparation for Holy Communion Prayers).

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Depending on whether the baptism takes place during, or after, the Divine Liturgy of Holy Saturday morning, the newly-baptized will either receive Holy Communion for the first time at the conclusion of that liturgy, or later that evening at the Paschal Liturgy.

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Having received all three of the initiatory sacraments of the Orthodox Church, along with Holy Confession prior (and an Orthodox marriage to follow for married candidates for baptism), a person is now referred to as "Newly-Illumined" and has become a fully participating member of the Body of Christ, with all its privileges and responsibilities as one goes forth in their new life in Christ.

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From this point on it is expected that the good habits formed as a Catechumen (both of regular study, prayer, the practice of the spiritual life, and regular attendance at Divine Services) will continue as the Newly-Illumined grows and develops as an Orthodox Christian and as a witness to the the Faith of Christ.

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For more specific information on the process of becoming Orthodox at St Gregory Palamas Orthodox Mission (ROCOR), please contact Fr Matthew Penney (frmp.stgregoryp@gmail.com).

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