The Sacraments or Mysteries
The Orthodox Catholic Church of America, like all other Orthodox Churches, recognizes Sacraments which are a part of our salvation history. Tradition tells us that the Church has used them through the centuries to mark the mile posts of our Christian lives. These become outward signs of the grace of God working in our lives. Some of the Sacraments may be received only once, while others may be received over and over again working to change our lives. They are a mark of the hand of God. Unlike the West, the Orthodox world has not entered the debate as to exactly how many Sacraments there are in the Church. (The West chose seven.) Our sense is that God in Christ is reconciling the whole universe, bringing each and all of us into the divine inner life in a multitude of ways through all the elements of God's creation. The Church has honored certain rituals and gestures as central to this divine dance. We hope and pray to honor the dance and not to become embroiled in a squabble about the number of dances.