The Living Tradition An Orthodox Archive of the Church Fathers and Early Church

Orthodox Christianity: start here — lesson 16

Visiting a parish and speaking with a priest

The practical last step, and the one this archive exists to serve.

  • Pastoral applicationHow a teaching is ordinarily applied in practice, under the guidance of a priest and bishop. Never a substitute for that guidance.
  • Jurisdiction-specific practicePractice varies legitimately between canonical Orthodox jurisdictions. Variation in practice is not variation in faith.

Awaiting official-source verification Content last reviewed 2026-08-29

What still needs checking (2)
  • Confirm the description of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops and its directories against assemblyofbishops.org.
  • Confirm the description of the catechumenate against the OCA's own guidance for inquirers.

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What this lesson covers

  • Know what to expect at a first visit.
  • Know what is asked of a visitor and what is not.
  • Know how to find a canonical parish and how to begin a conversation.

About 6 minutes to read.

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If you have read this far, the useful next step is not another lesson. It is a Sunday morning.

What to expect

  • The Divine Liturgy usually lasts between an hour and a half and two hours, often preceded by Matins.
  • Much of the service is sung. There may be little or no seating in some traditions, and standing is normal; sitting when you need to is fine, and nobody will mind.
  • People arrive at different times, light candles, venerate icons and move about more than is usual in Western churches. This is not disorder.
  • Communion is given only to Orthodox Christians who have prepared. At the end many parishes distribute blessed bread, which is not communion and which anyone may receive — ask if you are unsure.
  • Most parishes have coffee and food afterwards, and this is where you will actually meet people.

What is asked of you

Nothing. You are welcome to attend, to say nothing, to leave when you wish, and to come back or not. No Orthodox parish expects a visitor to participate in anything they do not understand.

Dress is usually modest and varies by parish and culture. If you are unsure, ordinary clean clothes are fine, and nobody is examining you.

Speaking with the priest

On finding a canonical parish in the United States, the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops maintains directories of the canonical jurisdictions. That is the reliable way to check whether a parish belongs to a canonical jurisdiction, which matters and which is not always obvious from a website.

Key Scripture

  • John 1:46 — Come and see.
  • Acts 8:30-31 — How can I, unless someone guides me?

On Scripture references. References are given so you can read the passage in the translation your parish uses. This site does not reproduce a modern copyrighted Bible text.

Why this matters in lived Orthodoxy

Becoming Orthodox is not a transaction. It normally involves a period as an inquirer, then as a catechumen, then reception by baptism or chrismation at a time the priest and bishop judge right.

Almost everyone finds some part of it difficult. That is expected, and it is one of the things a priest is for.

Review

Who may receive communion at an Orthodox Liturgy?
Orthodox Christians who have prepared. Blessed bread distributed at the end is not communion, and anyone may receive it.
How long does becoming Orthodox usually take?
It varies, but the catechumenate is normally measured in months rather than weeks, and the timing is a decision of the priest and bishop.
How can you check that a parish belongs to a canonical jurisdiction?
Through the directories of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the United States.

Your notes

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Going deeper

Sources for this page

  1. Tier C The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (eds.); A. Cleveland Coxe (American ed.) Justin Martyr, The First Apology, Chapter LXVII translated edition of primary texts The earliest description of what happens on a Sunday. Source record

Tiers are explained in the methodology. No page on this site has been reviewed or approved by any bishop, priest, synod or seminary.