The European Fund for Slavic Literacy and Culture presents to you the book "Our Orthodoxy", written by Metropolitan Christophor, Bishop Emeritus of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, Honorary Archbishop of Prague, and Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.
The book has been discussed and approved for publication by the Presidium of the Fund for Slavic Literacy and Culture. The book's print run is 1,000 copies and it is available to the general public.
"Our Orthodoxy" is divided into two main parts.
The first part delves into the inner life of the Orthodox Church, consisting of three chapters. The first chapter is devoted to Faith, explaining its significance as the foundation of spiritual life. The source of faith is God's Revelation, recorded in the Bible and passed down through Church tradition. The expression of faith, shaped by various interpretative ambiguities that emerged throughout history, is known as dogmas.
The second chapter discusses Prayer, its role in the spiritual life of a person, and reviews the key Orthodox Church services such as Matins and Vespers. It also touches upon the importance of Icons in Orthodox piety and explains the external manifestations of prayer.
The third chapter in this part covers the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments), which are fundamental to the Church's life.
The second part of the book explores the external aspects of Church life and is divided into two chapters. The first focuses on the formation of the Church, key moments in its history, and ends with an overview of modern-day churches.
The final chapter, titled "Czechoslovak Orthodoxy", traces the development of Orthodoxy in our region, starting from the mission of Saints Cyril and Methodius and their efforts to spread the faith. It also examines the struggle for the revival of Orthodoxy and the contributions of various national groups and traditions, including the Serbian, Russian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Georgian, Greek, Albanian, Polish, Cypriot, Finnish, and Macedonian Orthodox Churches.
Additionally, the book includes a gallery of icons representing saints of the Orthodox Church.
