Intro Thread for Orthodox Catechumens

I need to find a priest. I'm currently hesitant with a church that is nearer me (1hr away) because I thought the priest was weak on the covidism question. There is another church (1.5 hrs away) where I know the priest is solid. It's no excuse either way, I realize this.

I'm chuckling a bit because most my questions are answered as: "ask your priest". I actually really appreciate this. Most things I ruminate about are probably meant for the real world. It's actually a good thing, I think, that these types of questions aren't just a matter of looking up some list of bylaws, or studying a deep theology, or researching on the internet. They are real questions for the real world where we meet the real person of Christ.

It's all going to come to this, eventually, I feel. We are going to have to go back to the real world. This is a nice haven for now though. I appreciate your answers.

Also the ask your priest thing is important from my standpoint because I am enough of an enemy to myself and my own spiritual progress most of the time, and I wouldn't wish to harm someone else spiritually by giving them an answer that assumes an authority I simply do not possess.

If you want to become Orthodox you will need to take part in the sacramental life of the church. Given that your salvation is why you are here, it's even worth considering moving to be closer to an Orthodox church, if it's possible, or in the very least its worth a journey to get to your nearest one.

All the best. May God illuminate your path into His Holy Church.
 
Finally picked up an Allan bible. They don't make many Longprimer 63 editions. Snagged it as soon as I saw it on the site.
Bible3.webp
This is easily the finest made bible I've held. Highland Goatskin cover, triple-sewn binding, three ribbons, full yap, 38GSM paper.

The shipping from England was free and fast. It arrived 5 days from my order.
 
It is a beautiful Bible. I have a similar Allan: same color scheme as yours but in Meriva calfskin, so the exterior is smooth, without the veined and dimpled exterior of the goatskin (which is a much more classic Allan look). I also love the print, font and layout of the Allan. Of course, it is not the full Orthodox canon but it is a very nice Bible nonetheless. And in my (admittedly still) limited experience in the Orthodox church, the KJV is still a highly regarded version to use for personal reading and for liturgical use.
 
My priest is great. He was willing to sit with me one on one, for many hours, just answering my questions and explaining various things to me. I want to ask you guys about some questions I have that I forgot to ask him at the time. If possible, I don't wish to further bother the priest for now. I hope someone here can answer my questions. I thank you all in advance and I apologize if these are too many questions.

- He told me to print an icon of the saint I choose as a patron saint, to frame it, and to get a little bag. After my baptism, I am to cut a bit of my hair, put it in this bag, and place the bag behind the icon inside the frame. Is this common practice? What does it mean? Any reading I can do on the matter?

- The priest recommended that I read Saint John Climacus' Ladder of Divine Ascent, but I've heard people saying that this is pretty advanced reading and kind of dangerous for catechumens or recent converts and that you can go into prelest or something. I plan on simply obeying the priest and giving it a read at some point, but I would like to ask, is there anything I should be mindful or careful of?

- What criteria should I consider when picking a patron Saint? Is it inappropriate to pick one just because he has the same name your parents gave you? My understanding is that your baptismal name basically becomes your true name as it's what you will be called in heaven, and I'm conflicted about the idea of changing my name.

- If I am baptized with a different name to my birth name, would I need to start introducing myself to new people I meet as "hello, I am [baptismal name]"? Would I need to explain to my parents that I have a different name now and whatnot? Or is that all totally unnecessary and I can just keep going by my birth name everywhere other than at Church?

- Please explain from the very basics, what should I expect going into an adult baptism? What should I bring and what must I learn beforehand? The priest seems to think I know more than I actually do, so he didn't explain some of this stuff in as much detail as I needed. I read Kallistos Ware's The Orthodox Church and read a big PDF document that the priest sent me which explained a lot of things, but I still feel totally lost on a lot of things that I feel are probably just the basics.

I thought I sorta knew what I was going into when I first decided to stop being an online inquirer and just visit an Orthodox church and speak to the priest, but I keep constantly learning stuff I was utterly unaware of. Like, we're supposed to pray facing East kinda like Muslims? Should I use a compass to pray, then, or does it not matter that much? I also don't quite know yet when I'm supposed to to stand or sit or bow or make the sign of the cross during liturgy or during morning/evening prayers so I have to constantly look at the priest and the other people while trying not to distract them, I don't know how exactly you're supposed to do a prostration, so on and so forth, basic stuff like that, and I don't know where to even begin learning it.

I am thoroughly humbled, I don't know a thing. Will it all just come naturally after a couple months of just observing other people at church and consuming various Orthodox media/content and whatnot, or is there something I can read filling me in on pretty much all those types of basics?
 
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Only a catechumen myself, but I'll take a stab at the few of these that I can answer.

1. Saint John Climacus' Ladder of Divine Ascent. If your priest recommends it, I would go ahead and read it. My priest has never opposed my reading things like that, and even appreciates the seriousness that it reflects. The Ladder is advanced, in the sense that it is deep and full of really substantive spiritual advice. But the ascetical struggle is the struggle, whether one is a monk or a layperson. Just keep in mind that St. John was writing for coenobitic communities, and perhaps adjust your own expectations accordingly. While advanced, it does cover many fundamental concepts of the spiritual and ascetic life. If you get the Holy Transfiguration Monastery edition, you will also get the benefit of all the Biblical references in the marginal notes, and you can see how closely connected to Scripture St. John's writings were.

2. Patron saint and baptismal name. My understanding is that both you and your priest have a fair amount of discretion in dealing with this. So long as your birth name is a saint's name, it should be an acceptable baptismal name. And because there are usually a number of different saints with the same name, you can also do a bit of research to find someone who (1) has your birth name but (2) you also feel a true connection with due to his/her life and personality. As far as how to use the baptismal name, I would say practices also vary. In my admittedly limited experience, I would say the ordained or tonsured people uniformly use their new names. As far as baptized laypeople, it varies: Most people I have seen may introduce themselves with both their birth name and baptismal name in the context of the church but are not too fussed about which one people use. And most do not use their baptismal name in their "normie life". But again, my experience is somewhat limited and happy to be corrected by others with more knowledge and experience on this.

3. As far as your questions about the learning curve in how to behave in Liturgy etc., I would just give it time. It helps to remember that most people really aren't paying any attention to you, and to the extent they do notice, they are more likely to be helpful than judgmental. My priest, who is great, is much more focused on people's sincerity and heart than on whether they are doing everything "correctly". Eventually, it all falls into place.
 
I thought I sorta knew what I was going into when I first decided to stop being an online inquirer and just visit an Orthodox church and speak to the priest, but I keep constantly learning stuff I was utterly unaware of. Like, we're supposed to pray facing East kinda like Muslims? Should I use a compass to pray, then, or does it not matter that much? I also don't quite know yet when I'm supposed to to stand or sit or bow or make the sign of the cross during liturgy or during morning/evening prayers so I have to constantly look at the priest and the other people while trying not to distract them, I don't know how exactly you're supposed to do a prostration, so on and so forth, basic stuff like that, and I don't know where to even begin learning it.

I am thoroughly humbled, I don't know a thing. Will it all just come naturally after a couple months of just observing other people at church and consuming various Orthodox media/content and whatnot, or is there something I can read filling me in on pretty much all those types of basics?
My Jordanville prayer book has a lot of guidelines in the back about how to behave and pray in church. You can find similar resources online most likely. But you'll learn a lot of that through experience. The main thing that matters is your sincerity and that will count more than any number of crosses or bows, just as in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican.

I have my prayer corner at home set up facing east. But if I'm traveling and need to pray away from home, I don't worry too much about which way is east.

If you're looking for more content on the essentials of our theology, I definitely recommend Kallistos Ware's other book The Orthodox Way which talks about the nature of God. Also, The Longer Catechism of the Eastern Orthodox Church is really useful because it's in a question and answer format and is officially used by the Russian Orthodox Church.

 
- He told me to print an icon of the saint I choose as a patron saint, to frame it, and to get a little bag. After my baptism, I am to cut a bit of my hair, put it in this bag, and place the bag behind the icon inside the frame. Is this common practice? What does it mean? Any reading I can do on the matter?

Unfamiliar with this practice

- The priest recommended that I read Saint John Climacus' Ladder of Divine Ascent, but I've heard people saying that this is pretty advanced reading and kind of dangerous for catechumens or recent converts and that you can go into prelest or something. I plan on simply obeying the priest and giving it a read at some point, but I would like to ask, is there anything I should be mindful or careful of?

Main thing is don't try to match monks asceticism prematurely or measure yourself against their standard as a catechumen. Prelest and despondency are possible if you don't keep the teachings in the correct perspective. But I asked my priest as well early on about reading such material and he was nothing but encouraging.

- What criteria should I consider when picking a patron Saint? Is it inappropriate to pick one just because he has the same name your parents gave you? My understanding is that your baptismal name basically becomes your true name as it's what you will be called in heaven, and I'm conflicted about the idea of changing my name.

Not inappropriate at all, I know a lot of people who picked the saint who shared a name with their birth name.

- If I am baptized with a different name to my birth name, would I need to start introducing myself to new people I meet as "hello, I am [baptismal name]"? Would I need to explain to my parents that I have a different name now and whatnot? Or is that all totally unnecessary and I can just keep going by my birth name everywhere other than at Church?

Totally up to you, I chose a patron saint that is a different name from my birth name and I only use it within the Church.

- Please explain from the very basics, what should I expect going into an adult baptism? What should I bring and what must I learn beforehand? The priest seems to think I know more than I actually do, so he didn't explain some of this stuff in as much detail as I needed. I read Kallistos Ware's The Orthodox Church and read a big PDF document that the priest sent me which explained a lot of things, but I still feel totally lost on a lot of things that I feel are probably just the basics.

Honestly if you understand and confess the Symbol of the Faith and commit yourself to attending the services, reading Scripture, learning to pray and living a life in humility and repentance, the rest is gravy. It's great to be thirsty to learn but in terms of intellectual understanding you don't really need that much. You'll pick up the most important things through practice, what you practice you'll learn and remember. Reading anything that's Orthodox and well-vouched for will steer you aright.

I thought I sorta knew what I was going into when I first decided to stop being an online inquirer and just visit an Orthodox church and speak to the priest, but I keep constantly learning stuff I was utterly unaware of. Like, we're supposed to pray facing East kinda like Muslims? Should I use a compass to pray, then, or does it not matter that much?

It is good practice but Orthodoxy is not legalistic in such matters, I don't have a eastern wall where I can make a prayer corner at home so I don't face east. The prayer is what is important. Everything else around the prayer is only there to enhance your prayer and to bring you into a state of repentance and humility before God.

I also don't quite know yet when I'm supposed to to stand or sit or bow or make the sign of the cross during liturgy or during morning/evening prayers so I have to constantly look at the priest and the other people while trying not to distract them, I don't know how exactly you're supposed to do a prostration, so on and so forth, basic stuff like that, and I don't know where to even begin learning it.

Looking and observing is the way, you won't be bothering other people. Rule of thumb is any time the Holy Trinity is named, you cross yourself. But you can also cross yourself any time you feel inspired to do so. And you won't be judged if you fail to do so when others do. Ultimately you want to cease to be self-conscious in your worship but that comes with time. And you can bring these questions back to your priest of course too, just keep a list. My priest always shows catechumens how to prostrate and such in catechism class, it's not expected that you'll know that already.

I am thoroughly humbled, I don't know a thing. Will it all just come naturally after a couple months of just observing other people at church and consuming various Orthodox media/content and whatnot, or is there something I can read filling me in on pretty much all those types of basics?

There is too much difference parish-to-parish in a lot of these smaller nuances of worship to have an all-in-one guide. Just don't stress about it too much. No one expects you to do everything perfectly, that's not even a thing.
 
He told me to print an icon of the saint I choose as a patron saint, to frame it, and to get a little bag. After my baptism, I am to cut a bit of my hair, put it in this bag, and place the bag behind the icon inside the frame. Is this common practice? What does it mean? Any reading I can do on the matter?

The Priest will cut off a small piece of hair when he tonsures you during the baptism service. I’ve not heard of the practice of specifically keeping it with the icon of your Saint, but it seems reasonable to me. This could be one of those things that varies in different jurisdictions for cultural reasons.
 
I was baptized on Saturday so I'm not a catechumen anymore, but I'm certainly still a baby in the faith. I don't feel my question requires it's own thread.

It's only been two days, but I definitely feel a sharpness to my conscience. Almost like I am "desecrating the temple," so to speak, when the passions start to bubble up in me. Is this normal? Am I deluded? Lord have mercy. I should probably just ask my priest.
 
I was baptized on Saturday so I'm not a catechumen anymore, but I'm certainly still a baby in the faith. I don't feel my question requires it's own thread.

It's only been two days, but I definitely feel a sharpness to my conscience. Almost like I am "desecrating the temple," so to speak, when the passions start to bubble up in me. Is this normal? Am I deluded? Lord have mercy. I should probably just ask my priest.
Ask your priest 🙂
 
I was baptized on Saturday so I'm not a catechumen anymore, but I'm certainly still a baby in the faith. I don't feel my question requires it's own thread.

It's only been two days, but I definitely feel a sharpness to my conscience. Almost like I am "desecrating the temple," so to speak, when the passions start to bubble up in me. Is this normal? Am I deluded? Lord have mercy. I should probably just ask my priest.

Welcome to the Lord's Church, brother! (see your tag)
 
I was baptized on Saturday so I'm not a catechumen anymore, but I'm certainly still a baby in the faith. I don't feel my question requires it's own thread.

It's only been two days, but I definitely feel a sharpness to my conscience. Almost like I am "desecrating the temple," so to speak, when the passions start to bubble up in me. Is this normal? Am I deluded? Lord have mercy. I should probably just ask my priest.

Naturally your priest is your best source of guidance. I will only say that I experienced the same post-baptism. Indeed since then, the more I participate in the Church and the sacraments, the more sharply I perceive my sins, and the further I stray from Church, the more dulled and numb my conscience becomes. Being a sinner, unfortunately I was not able to maintain myself in that blessed post-baptismal state. So your experience makes perfect sense, you are not deluded, but neither can you rejoice in victory for your struggle has only begun. Congratulations on your baptism brother.
 
I've recently become interested in getting to know the Orthodox Saints from Western Europe. I pretty much default to a post-Schism lens in terms of Church history there so I'm trying to see it in a different light.

I've found a few.

In England there is Saint Cuthbert, who lived as quite the wild saint on an island while serving and healing people back on the mainland. The people eventually dragged him off the island to make him bishop. He was known to walk out neck deep in the ocean to pray all night. You can find icons depicting this:

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In France, I'm just now learning about Saint Geneviève the patron Saint of Paris. She was a contemporary of Symeon the Stylite and corresponded with him.

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Boniface has been a Saint I've seen mentioned in many Christian circles lately ( probably from that book - The Boniface option) but I didn't realize until just recently that he is the patron Saint of Germany. He's quite the bold missionary: pretty much went headlong at the pagan culture there chopping down their tree dedicated to Thor and building a church out of its wood. He was eventually martyred by the pagans. Here's the cathedral that now stands there:

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Any others that stick out to people?
 
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