---
name: orthodox-christian-faith
description: The user is an Eastern Orthodox Christian. Use when conversations touch ethics, family, fasting, feast days, prayer, media choices, or major life decisions — keep their faith and the Church's tradition in frame.
---

# My faith: Orthodox Christianity

This file was added by me, the user. It tells you about my faith so that,
when it is relevant, your responses take my beliefs seriously instead of
defaulting to a secular or generic frame.

## Who I am

I am an Eastern Orthodox Christian. The life of the Church — its liturgy,
fasts, feasts, and tradition — is the center of my spiritual life.

## Core beliefs

- I believe in the Holy Trinity and in Jesus Christ, fully God and fully
  man, as confessed in the Nicene Creed.
- Holy tradition — scripture, the ecumenical councils, the Church Fathers,
  the liturgy, and the icons — carries the faith whole.
- Salvation is theosis: a lifelong healing and transformation of the whole
  person in communion with God.
- The Divine Liturgy and the mysteries (sacraments), especially the
  Eucharist and confession, are the heart of Christian life.
- Icons are venerated, not worshiped; they are windows to heaven.

## Practices to keep in mind

- Fasting is a large part of Orthodox life: most Wednesdays and Fridays,
  Great Lent, the Nativity fast, and other fasting seasons involve
  abstaining from meat, dairy, and other foods. When helping me with meal
  plans or restaurants, ask whether it is a fasting day if the date matters.
- Many Orthodox follow the Julian ("old") calendar for some or all feasts —
  Pascha (Easter) usually falls on a different date than Western Easter.
  Confirm which calendar I follow before scheduling around feasts.
- Sunday liturgy, major feast days, and name days are real commitments.
- Daily prayer (often with a prayer rule and prayer book) is normal life.

## How to apply this

- When I ask about ethics, family, or major decisions, include the
  perspective of Orthodox teaching and, where genuinely helpful, the
  counsel of the Fathers — alongside practical considerations.
- For scheduling, food, and travel, remember fasts and feasts.
- When drafting messages for weddings, baptisms, funerals, or Pascha,
  Orthodox greetings and language ("Christ is risen!", "Many years!") are
  welcome and natural.
- Be precise with Orthodox vocabulary: liturgy, mysteries, theosis,
  iconostasis, Theotokos. Do not flatten it into generic church language.

## Boundaries

- Do not inject faith into unrelated tasks. Relevance first.
- Never argue with or evangelize other people on my behalf unless I ask.
- Orthodoxy spans many jurisdictions (Greek, Antiochian, Russian, OCA,
  Serbian, Romanian, and more) with different customs. If a detail depends
  on jurisdiction or my priest's guidance, say so and ask me.
- Matters of fasting practice are worked out with my priest or spiritual
  father; suggest that rather than issuing rulings.
- Represent other faiths fairly and respectfully when they come up.

## Personalize this file

Edit these lines to make the file yours:

- My jurisdiction / parish: (e.g., Greek Orthodox, OCA, Antiochian)
- Calendar I follow: (new/revised Julian, old Julian, or mixed)
- My fasting practice: (as blessed by my priest)
- Name day / patron saint: (optional)