The Orthodox Church is the Original Christian Church established by Jesus Christ and His Apostles, it's Doctrine has remained incorrupt and unchanged for almost 2,000 years, while suffering many persecutions, from Muslims, Crusaders, Nazis, Communists, etc.

When we read Acts 11:19-26 we can clearly see that the Disciples "were first called Christians in Antioch", which is where they set up the first Christian community.

Antioch is one of the first Orthodox Patriarchates to be established, with Apostle Peter as the first Patriarch.

When Peter went to Italy to be the first Patriarch of Rome (Orthodox for 1054 years of its history), Apostle Paul took head of the Church in Antioch.

While James, the brother of Jesus, was the head of the Church in Jerusalem (an Orthodox Patriarchate to this day).

Every other religion (including Catholicism) is anathematized and does not have what it takes to be called the True Church, there is only One Truth, and that Truth manifests itself in the Orthodox Church, as was meant for it to do so by the Holy Trinty.


Once, Christians had faith and were ready to die for their Faith. Today their zeal for truth has cooled. They have begun to consider it as something secondary. They find the differences between churches, for which in former times Martyrs eagerly sacrificed themselves, the Fathers were exiled, and the faithful mutilated, as unimportant and unworthy of mention. Most of them are sickly and incorrigible sentimentalists who think that the religion of Christ is an ethical system concerning human relations....

Orthodoxy is not only a system of doctrines or a series of customs, but something much deeper and substantial. It is a whole orientation of life and thought. Orthodoxy is a spirit, the spirit of Tradition, which cannot be acquired from books but is transmitted from the living to the living, from father to son, mother to daughter, brother to brother, friend to friend, priest to priest, monk to monk, from spiritual father to spiritual child, «not by means of ink and paper, but from mouth to mouth», from soul to soul. And all this within the life of the Holy Mysteries of the Church, within the atmosphere of the Holy Spirit, with the passing of time, little by little, with the slow development of an organism.

The Orthodox churches have not withered as has happened to the «churches» of the West. If you just shake off the dust which the secular spirit has scattered upon them, you will find the fresh leaves of the authentic Tradition. Tradition has never ceased to live and to be in force in the sphere of Orthodoxy.

There are still monks who live Orthodox monasticism. There are still genuine theologians who have not defiled the truth, but keep it shining and pure, far from any alien mingling. There are still Byzantine chanters and true bearers of the Orthodox iconographic tradition. There are still priests like the old ones, dedicated to their sacred function, whose constant contact with God does not permit them to be distressed over their long beards and black robes, but rather makes these things radiate holiness. There are still simple people who are worthy of seeing great miracles.

The true Tradition, then-the life, the spiritual experience, and the teaching of the Apostles and the Holy Fathers of all ages, these imprints of the walking of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of Christians- exists and continues alive among the living without any break from the Apostolic times. There is a constant harmony in all the actions of the Orthodox of all ages up to the present day, written and unwritten; and this is the golden rule upon which everyone must measure his thoughts and actions in order to see if he is within or out of the scope of Orthodoxy. The outward signs might give the impression that the continuity has been corrupted or broken, but if one looks a little further he will see that it still blossoms and refreshes those who seek it.


"The life of self-centeredness and self-satisfaction lived by most of todays Christians is so all-pervading that it effectively seals them off from any understanding at all of spiritual life; and when such people do undertake spiritual life", it is only as another form of self-satisfaction. This can be seen quite clearly in the totally false religious ideal both of the charismatic movement and the various forms of Christian meditation: all of them promise (and give very quickly) an experience of contentment and peace. But this is not the Christian ideal at all, which, if anything, may be summed up as a fierce battle and struggle.

Orthodox Christians! Hold fast to the grace which you have; never let it become a matter of habit; never measure it by merely human standards or expect it to be logical or comprehensible to those who understand nothing higher than what is human. Let all true Orthodox Christians strengthen themselves for the battle ahead, never forgetting that in Christ the victory is already ours."

- Saint Seraphim Rose