OBJECTS OF RELIGIOUS CEREMONIAL 61 



monial differences which arose between western and eastern Christen- 

 dom, with their representative seats at Rome and Constantinople 

 in the preceding centuries of the church. 



The Greek Orthodox Church has, in common with the Roman 

 CathoHc Church, the doctrines of seven sacraments, namely, bap- 

 tism, chrism (confirmation), penance (preceded by confession), 

 eucharist (the Lord's Supper), ordination, marriage, and extreme 

 unction; besides the sacrifice of the mass; the religious veneration 

 of Mary, the saints, images, relics, and the cross; the hierarchical 

 degrees; and monasticism. 



Its peculiar tenets are mainly as follows: It adheres only to the 

 decrees of the first seven ecumenical councils. It teaches the pro- 

 cession of the Holy Ghost from the Father alone. It denies the 

 dogmas of the immaculate conception of Mary and of the supremacy 

 and infallibility of the Roman pontiff, and rejects the doctrine of 

 purgatory, of works of supererogation, and indulgences, but prays 

 for the dead that God would have mercy on them on the day of 

 judgment. 



Its ritual and ceremonial differences from those of the Western 

 Church are chiefly the following: Baptism is administered by three- 

 fold immersion ; chrism (confirmation) is conferred immediately after 

 baptism and by a priest (not by a bishop); in communion both bread 

 and wine are given to the laity and even to infants, the bread being 

 put into the wine; anointing (extreme unction) is performed on the 

 sick, not the dying; and fasts are kept on Wednesday and Friday. 



The clergy of the Greek Orthodox Church are divided into two 

 classes — the black clergy (so called from their dress), or monks, and 

 the white, or secular clergy. The former live in celibacy, and from 

 among them are chosen the higher hierarchical grades — that is, the 

 patriarchs, metropolitans, archbishops, and bishops. The lower 

 secular clergy, comprising popes (priests), deacons, subdeacons, and 

 readers must be married before receiving orders, but can not marry a 

 second time. 



The churches of the Greek Orthodox Church are mostly buUt in 

 form of a cross. In Russia they are generally crowned with one or 

 more cupolas of a bulbous shape, which are surmounted by a cross. 

 Sometimes there is a belfry standing separate from the church. The 

 altar space, which usually faces east, is divided from the main body 

 of the church by a board partition, called iconostas (image stand), 

 which is covered with images of Christ and the saints, and contains 

 three doors. The service is performed behind this screen, and only 

 at certain stages are the middle doors, called the "sacred," or "royal 

 gates," opened. There are no benches in the churches, the people 

 standing during service. No organ or any other instrumental 



