Do You Have to Be Greek to be Greek Orthodox?

It's one of the most popular questions we hear all the time: do you have to be Greek to be part of the Greek Orthodox Church? Plus, how is Greek Orthodoxy practiced throughout the world and what languages can you expect to hear during service?
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Website: annunciationrochester.org/
Facebook: / annunciationrochester
Recorded & Edited by Demos Euclid
demoseuclid.com
#Greek #Orthodox #ROC

Пікірлер: 63

  • @Czellbuborek
    @Czellbuborek4 жыл бұрын

    I started attending Orthodox services in that church in Mannheim, Germany. Small world. Greetings from Hungary.

  • @SocialStudiess
    @SocialStudiess3 жыл бұрын

    I would like to say that I am a great example & answer to this question. I grew up in the Greek Orthodox church. I was baptized in the Castro Valley, CA Greek Orthodox church and my god parents were Greek and British. I loved the Greek Orthodox church and everything that came with it! My ethnicity is of Eritrea, Africa (so clearly I'm black). The majority of Eritreans arrived in America in the eighties and early nineties. Our faith of Orthodoxy is classified as Oriental Orthodox but we practice the same as the Greeks mostly. Because of this, most Eritreans went to Greek Orthodox churches in America until the early two thousands when they built their own place of worship and spoke the good word in our native tongue of Tigrinya. The Oakland Orthodox church is where I have had some of my best childhood memories. Every fall Oakland was our primary home court for the Castro Valley basketball team. We had a small court of our own, but it couldn't adequately host to the number of guests Oakland court was able to. Traveling to San Francisco for tournaments and the other churches for away games was always such a blast. This is what little boys live for, ya know! Getting to drive to Castro Valley (from Union City) twice a week for basketball practice on a day that wasn't Sunday made me appreciate the church more. All those years of Sunday School, serving as an alter boy, church at midnight every Easter. Seeing my sister & brother being baptized by father Ted. These are memories and a shared past myself and many like me who are not Greek expierinced growing up in the Greek Orthdox church. Everything I've ever learned and absorbed about my faith was in the Greek Orthodox church. There's a whole generation of us that can say the same thing. I feel so lucky and blessed to have been apart of this amazing culture and shared branch of the faith. Something funny to add. Being Eritrean our parents spoke Tigrinya to us at home, the priest spoke Greek at church and the teachers spoke English at school. On the playgrounds and in city sports leagues Eritrean kids are classified and assimilated as African American. When I would go around the native black American kids homes and discover how their church was ran and operated. Methodist, Baptist Presbyterian and when we moved to Oregon having discovered Protestant churches and their way of faith. Boy oh boy does that confuse you as child. The cool thing about having grown up in California for half my life and Oregon for high school and beyond. I've come to enjoy, embrace and love all cultures that I'm making it career. As my ambitions are not directly related to theological teachings, they are directed to educational ones. I'm in my second year of studies to become a high school geography teacher. Thanks for letting me share. All the best 🙏🏽

  • @DavidPittsChess

    @DavidPittsChess

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank u

  • @SocialStudiess

    @SocialStudiess

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@DavidPittsChess You're most welcome!

  • @SocialStudiess

    @SocialStudiess

    3 жыл бұрын

    @Giannis K thank you!

  • @chizzlemo3094

    @chizzlemo3094

    Жыл бұрын

    cool

  • @guilhermepaschoalplatania4727
    @guilhermepaschoalplatania47273 жыл бұрын

    Greetings from an brazilian orthodox christian, IC XC NI KA☦️♥️☦️🇧🇷

  • @chizzlemo3094
    @chizzlemo3094 Жыл бұрын

    i go to the Greek Orthodox church in Colombia, no-one is Greek! But we do get the flag out for Independence Day! I would like to give thanks to American donors who have built churches for us x

  • @terffragette2
    @terffragette2 Жыл бұрын

    I am a Catholic who is discerning Greek Orthodoxy vs Orthodox Church in America vs Russian Orthodox and this was helpful. I am English speaking and of English heritage. I ask you to pray for me please.

  • @RizaRidho
    @RizaRidho3 жыл бұрын

    I heard Indonesia in this video. Greetings from Indonesia.

  • @reigenlucilfer6154

    @reigenlucilfer6154

    3 жыл бұрын

    kamu kristen ortodoks? paroki mana?

  • @yarednega9709
    @yarednega9709 Жыл бұрын

    Greeting from Ethiopia

  • @susansuewwilliams
    @susansuewwilliams4 жыл бұрын

    My church is St George Antiochian Greek Orthodox Church, Troy, MI. Although our Liturgy is in English and Arabic, we sing Lord have mercy in Greek. When our Metropolitan or Bishop visit, we greet him in Greek and always sing Holy God Holy Mighty in Greek during his visit. Our Liturgical heritage is Greek. Our Resurrection Greetings are always in English, Arabic and Greek.

  • @DavidPittsChess

    @DavidPittsChess

    3 жыл бұрын

    I live in Detroit what's the closest Greek Orthodox Church near mw

  • @armanious2567

    @armanious2567

    2 жыл бұрын

    Egypt?

  • @susansuewwilliams

    @susansuewwilliams

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@DavidPittsChess Sorry for the delay in answering, what is mw?

  • @susansuewwilliams

    @susansuewwilliams

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@armanious2567 The Coptic Church is the Orthodox Church, there are several in the Detroit Metro Area.

  • @MrGb1965

    @MrGb1965

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@DavidPittsChess Annunciation?

  • @antoniosvidakis
    @antoniosvidakis2 жыл бұрын

    The liturgy in Greece is only in New Testament Greek. It does not have to be in modern too so to be long. It almost lasts for 3 hours considering that usually there will be a memorial service in the end.

  • @DavidPittsChess
    @DavidPittsChess3 жыл бұрын

    Id like to attend but don't know where to start

  • @trinityteeters8402
    @trinityteeters84023 жыл бұрын

    Does this denomination study OT in Hebrew as well?

  • @paulhudson4254
    @paulhudson42543 жыл бұрын

    Fr. We appreciate you wonderfully egalitarian explanation (nice try) on “Greek” Orthodox. In the real world if you attend a Greek Orthodox Church as a non-Greek you and your family sit in the back of the bus! I’m alright with the experience, because the sign says “Greek” Orthodox, what did I expect! ☦️

  • @gammamaster1894
    @gammamaster18944 жыл бұрын

    How similar is modern Greek to New Testament Greek? Can Greek people easily understand it? Is it similar to a modern English person reading the KJV or Miles Coverdale bible for example? Thanks! Keep up the good work, this channel deserves so many more subscribers than it has!

  • @taurus167

    @taurus167

    4 жыл бұрын

    We understand everything.Testament Greek for us Greeks is just a more formal "type" of our language.

  • @tobiasbourne9073

    @tobiasbourne9073

    8 ай бұрын

    ​@@taurus167I've heard that normal Greeks struggle to understand Ancient Greek?

  • @taurus167

    @taurus167

    8 ай бұрын

    @@tobiasbourne9073 Ancient Greek is different than Testament Greek therefore anyone who hadn't studied Ancient Greek in school do struggle to understand it.

  • @tobiasbourne9073

    @tobiasbourne9073

    8 ай бұрын

    @@taurus167 Is the New Testament Greek Koine Greek?

  • @taurus167

    @taurus167

    8 ай бұрын

    @@tobiasbourne9073 Yes

  • @amanmichael7352
    @amanmichael73523 жыл бұрын

    I'm eritrean orthodox

  • @Maklopia

    @Maklopia

    2 жыл бұрын

    🇪🇹❤🇪🇷

  • @StoleBearer

    @StoleBearer

    2 жыл бұрын

    🇪🇷🇪🇷🇪🇷

  • @petros3876
    @petros3876 Жыл бұрын

    I have a question. North American culture moves further and further away from first generation Greeks and the younger generation is increasingly unable to speak Greek. Additionally many Greeks are marrying non-Greeks. Given that, having much of the service or even 50% of it in Greek becomes difficult for them to understand what is happening during the liturgy. Do you think the church will eventually move to a 90% English liturgy with a few parts of the liturgy remaining in Greek?

  • @Arginne

    @Arginne

    Жыл бұрын

    I go to a Greek Orthodox church in florida and most is in english.

  • @jade7602
    @jade7602 Жыл бұрын

    May the Holy Spirit enlighten the minds and spirits of all true seekers of the Light of Christ!

  • @bitolcanecc
    @bitolcanecc6 ай бұрын

    Please can anyone even explain what Greek Orthodox means??? And what is the difference between Orthodox and Greek Orthodox? Thank you to everyone who will answer me in the comments 🙏❤💛

  • @annunciationorthodox

    @annunciationorthodox

    6 ай бұрын

    Father will be addressing this question in tonight's Orthodoxy Questions Answered live show!

  • @frankpontone2139
    @frankpontone21392 жыл бұрын

    As a Traditional Catholic, can I be accepted into Greek Orthodoxy even if I can't grow a beard?

  • @StoleBearer

    @StoleBearer

    2 жыл бұрын

    Lol of course

  • @jairiske

    @jairiske

    Жыл бұрын

    Its a tough question 😂

  • @bitolcanecc

    @bitolcanecc

    6 ай бұрын

    I'm imagining how can can someone change the ethnicity... 🙄

  • @danielgaley9676
    @danielgaley9676Ай бұрын

    Wghat If one only speaks English?

  • @MrGb1965
    @MrGb19652 жыл бұрын

    We need to get rid of any terms like Russian, Greek, etc. for the Orthodox. As Father Tom Hopko said, you can’t use earthly adjectives to describe the Church.

  • @KwnsatntinosSta
    @KwnsatntinosSta4 жыл бұрын

    About 04:20 : That statement is FALSE. In Greece the liturgy is done in ONLY New Testament greek. That is because modern (demotica/δημοτική) Greek is so close to New Testament (Koine/Κοινή) Greek that there was no need for further translation.

  • @mariansaldo1

    @mariansaldo1

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you. I was actually just pondering this out loud... to no one... except my dog. Anyway I'm just starting to study koine Greek. Not because of Greek orthodoxy (I'm Catholic) but because I want to be able to somewhat understand early Christian texts. Though the more I learn about Greek Orthodox Church the more I'm considering converting. Man I'm chatty this evening. Sorry.

  • @susansuewwilliams

    @susansuewwilliams

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@mariansaldo1 I pray Lord has brought you to Orthodoxy.

  • @pmparda

    @pmparda

    3 жыл бұрын

    I am so surprised he didn't know! This is soooo wrong, how can he say it with such a certainty?

  • @KwnsatntinosSta

    @KwnsatntinosSta

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@GreekOrthodox7 Γιατί είμαι ένας XD

  • @bernicesanders3148

    @bernicesanders3148

    Жыл бұрын

    @@susansuewwilliams you will need the Lord for sure especially if you don't look like them, you will not be accepted. I speak from personal experience.

  • @BartSimpson-jd2vs
    @BartSimpson-jd2vs3 жыл бұрын

    Greek orthodox = christian orthodox ( eastern christianity). Roman catholic = christian catholic (western christianity)

  • @Bellg

    @Bellg

    2 жыл бұрын

    This is wrong on so many levels

  • @cabellero1120
    @cabellero1120 Жыл бұрын

    No. not anymore. The Church opens it's doors to all who seek Christ

  • @juancamiloespinoza9067
    @juancamiloespinoza90672 жыл бұрын

    Well i prefer bizantine ortodox than greek ortodox

  • @antoniosvidakis

    @antoniosvidakis

    2 жыл бұрын

    Well you prefer a term that did not exist in that era, only in the recent years. Although this is based in the ancient city of Byzantium where Constantinople was built the Christian Orthodox never called themselves like that.

  • @Bellg

    @Bellg

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@antoniosvidakis So what, we aren't using all the terms from "that era" (which era even) anyway. language changes.

  • @bitolcanecc

    @bitolcanecc

    6 ай бұрын

    Why byzantine ??? Why Greek? why whatever ethnicity, it is about orthodox church!!! Ethnocentrism in the church is worst that the worst devilish heresy.

  • @mitchjames9350
    @mitchjames935011 ай бұрын

    I notice people who covert to orthodoxy they go to the Greek Orthodox Church.

  • @cabellero1120
    @cabellero11203 ай бұрын

    No.

  • @maricelachavezruiz620
    @maricelachavezruiz6202 жыл бұрын

    I'm going to respond the question before I listen to this video massage. No! Catholicism is world wide, Orthodox Catholic have many variations(Indian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox) yet we are one in the Holy Trinity. The division comes from religious leaders who turn cold in their spiritual life at one point while leading the church and causes division within communities.

  • @cabellero1120
    @cabellero1120 Жыл бұрын

    No. You do not. Orthodox Christianity welcomes visitors and inquirers of the Faith.

  • @bernicesanders3148

    @bernicesanders3148

    Жыл бұрын

    That has not been my experience