In the Christian Orthodox Church, there are several specific sacred rites that bestow special divine grace on a person. Such ecclesiastical actions are called holy sacraments.
There are seven sacraments in the Orthodox tradition. These include: baptism, chrismation, repentance, communion, unction (blessing), wedding and priesthood.
In the sacrament of baptism, a person becomes a member of the Orthodox Church. He is adopted by God. In baptism, original sin is washed away, adults are granted the forgiveness of sins committed before the reception of the holy sacrament. It is in baptism that man is united to God, renounces Satan.
At present, together with the sacrament of baptism, chrismation is performed in Orthodox churches. During this ordinance, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to a person - a special grace that helps the newly-minted member of the Church in striving for goodness and holiness.
In the sacrament of repentance, a person confesses his sins to God. Members of the Church can begin this ordinance. It is during confession that a person repents of voluntary and involuntary sins, purifies his soul, once again getting the opportunity to start life in accordance with the commandments.
The sacrament of the sacrament is one of the most important sacraments in the Orthodox Church. It is celebrated during the Divine Liturgy, when bread and wine are miraculously applied to the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. By taking the sacrament, a person unites with God.
The sacrament of blessing (unction) is the anointing of a person with blessed oil. Believers know that during the time of blessing a person is given divine grace that can heal bodily ailments. In the sacrament of unction, forgotten sins and sins committed out of ignorance are forgiven to a person.
The sacrament of a wedding is a church marriage. At the wedding, the spouses take a vow of mutual love before God and receive a blessing from the Lord for living together and having and raising children in the Orthodox faith. During the wedding, the couple mysteriously become one in a spiritual sense.
The ordinance of the priesthood is the ordination of a person to the priesthood. Unlike other sacraments, in ordination the performer is the bishop of the Orthodox Church.
