# How to Become Orthodox: 7 Steps to Join the Orthodox Church Canonical page: https://www.orthodoxbible.app/how-to-become-orthodox.html Published by the Orthodox Bible App (orthodoxbible.app). Last updated: November 10, 2026. A guide for inquirers and new converts. Join the Church that has stayed unchanged for 2,000 years, in seven simple steps, from your first visit to a parish to your first Holy Communion. ## What is the Orthodox Church? The Church that has stayed unchanged for 2,000 years The Orthodox Church is the direct successor of the early Church that Jesus Christ founded through His apostles, the Church that was born on the day of Pentecost. Its life has continued without a break from that day to ours. Seen through history, Orthodoxy has kept the Christian tradition of the first thousand years just as it received it: the same faith, the same sacraments and the same worship. When you become Orthodox, you join that same unbroken Church. - 2,000 years of unbroken life, from the apostles to today - Pentecost: the day the Church was born - First millennium: its Christian tradition, kept unaltered ## In short: how do you become Orthodox? You go through catechesis, a time of learning the faith, and are then received into the Orthodox Church: by Baptism if you were never baptized a Christian, or by Chrismation if you were. Along the way you visit a parish, talk with the priest, attend the Sunday services and begin to live a Christian life. ## 7 steps to becoming Orthodox Every parish is a little different, but the path usually looks like this. 1. **Visit an Orthodox parish near you.** Find the nearest Orthodox church and go to a service. Greek, Russian, Serbian, Romanian, Antiochian and other Orthodox parishes all belong to the one Orthodox Church. You don't need permission to come in and pray. 2. **Talk to the priest.** After the service, introduce yourself to the priest and tell him you would like to become Orthodox. He will get to know you, answer your questions and explain how his parish welcomes new members. 3. **Become a catechumen.** Next comes catechesis: a season of learning the Orthodox faith, its teachings (dogmas), its traditions and its prayers. As a catechumen you also begin to shape your days around a Christian way of life. This period lasts anywhere from a few months to two years, depending on the parish. 4. **Go to the Divine Liturgy every Sunday.** Start attending the Sunday service regularly. In the Orthodox Church it is called the Divine Liturgy, the service Catholics know as the Holy Mass. Coming week after week is how you learn the rhythm of the Church's worship and become part of the parish family. 5. **Receive Baptism or Chrismation.** If you have never been baptized, you will be baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity. If you were already baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, for example as a Catholic or a Protestant, you are usually received through the Sacrament of Chrismation, known in the West as Confirmation. 6. **Make your profession of faith.** When you are received, you publicly confess the Orthodox faith by reciting the Creed, which begins: "I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth." 7. **Live an active Orthodox life.** Being received into the Church is a beginning, not a finish line. You will be encouraged to take an active part in the life of the Church: regular Confession and Holy Communion, daily prayer, reading the Scriptures and keeping the fasts. ## Baptism or Chrismation? Which one you receive depends on whether you have already been baptized. - **Never baptized: Holy Baptism.** You are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, by immersion three times. Chrismation and your first Holy Communion follow right after. - **Already baptized as a Christian: Holy Chrismation.** If you were baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, for example in a Catholic or Protestant church, you are usually received through Chrismation, the sacrament the West calls Confirmation. You are anointed with holy chrism, then receive Holy Communion. Practice differs between jurisdictions, and some receive every convert by Baptism. Your priest will tell you what applies to you. Either way, you will usually have a sponsor, or godparent, to stand with you and help you grow in the faith. ## A companion for your first years in the Church The Orthodox Bible App puts the prayers, readings and calendar of the Church on your phone, so you can keep learning between Sundays. It is free on iPhone, iPad and Android. - Orthodox prayers: morning, evening, meal and Lenten prayers, with audio to pray along - Daily Bible readings: today's Epistle and Gospel, as read in your parish - The Orthodox Bible: the Septuagint Old Testament and the New Testament, with an audio Bible - Orthodox calendar: feasts, saints and fast days on the New and Old Calendars - The Jesus Prayer: a gentle guided timer for prayer and stillness - Words of the saints: daily wisdom from the Holy Fathers Download: https://orthodoxbible.app.link/EVJr5hKPYWb ## Questions about becoming Orthodox ### How long does it take to become Orthodox? Usually from a few months to two years. The length of catechesis depends on the parish and on your own journey, and the priest decides when you are ready to be received. ### Do Catholics and Protestants have to be baptized again? Usually not. If you were baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, you are normally received by Chrismation (Confirmation). Some parishes and jurisdictions baptize all converts, so ask your priest what applies to you. ### What is a catechumen? A catechumen is someone preparing to enter the Orthodox Church. During catechesis you learn the faith, its traditions and its prayers, and you take part in parish life before you are received. ### What is Chrismation? Chrismation is the sacrament in which you are anointed with holy chrism (myron), a specially consecrated oil, and sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. It follows Baptism, and it is also how most people already baptized in the Holy Trinity are received into the Orthodox Church. Western Christians call it Confirmation. ### Which Creed do you say when you become Orthodox? The Nicene Creed, also called the Symbol of Faith, which the Church set down at the Ecumenical Councils of 325 and 381. It begins: "I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth." ### Do I need a sponsor or godparent? Usually, yes. A sponsor, or godparent, is an Orthodox Christian who stands with you when you are received and helps you grow in the faith afterwards. Your priest can help you choose one. ### What should I expect on my first visit to an Orthodox church? Expect a service that is mostly sung, with icons, candles and incense. In many parishes people stand for much of the service, but you may sit if you need to. Dress modestly, follow along quietly, and stay afterwards to meet the priest and the people of the parish. ### Can I go to the Divine Liturgy before I become Orthodox? Yes. Everyone is welcome at Orthodox services, and going to the Sunday Divine Liturgy is one of the first steps. Holy Communion is received once you have joined the Church. Until then, in many parishes you can come forward at the end of the service for the blessed bread (antidoron). ### What happens after I am received into the Church? You become a full member of your parish. You are encouraged to go to Confession, receive Holy Communion regularly, pray every day, read the Scriptures and keep the fasts of the Church. ### Is the Orthodox Bible App free? Yes. The app is free to download on iPhone, iPad and Android, with free access to all core features, including some free daily readings and prayers. Premium unlocks the full Orthodox audio Bible, prayers with audio and daily audio readings.