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“The present life is a wrestling school, a gymnasium, a battle, a smelting furnace, and a dyer’s house of virtue”
St John Chrysostom
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A catechumen (Greek: κατηχούμενος) is one who is preparing for baptism in the Church. In modern usage, catechumen can also refer to one who is preparing for chrismation (or another form of reception) to be received from a heterodox Christian communion.
In the ancient Church, the catechumenate, or time during which one is a catechumen, often lasted for as much as three years and included not only participation in the divine services but also catechesis, formal instruction from a teacher, often the bishop or appointed catechist. Exorcists often performed the catechetical role, as well, following their initial prayers of exorcism over the one being made a catechumen, which is the traditional manner of receiving a catechumen into the community of the Church.
Catechumens are understood to be Christians upon beginning their catechumenate, and should they die before baptism, they are traditionally given an Orthodox funeral.
As the Church eventually became the majority religion of the lands in which it sojourned, the catechumenate as an institution gradually died out in many places, as most Christians were being baptized shortly after birth. As Orthodoxy has moved into the West and Far East and begun gaining converts to the faith, the catechumenate has been significantly rejuvenated.
Catechetical instruction in Orthodoxy in America does not typically last the three years which was common in the time of St. John Chrysostom, but typically can last from six months to a year, depending on the practice of the bishop, his jurisdiction, and the level of spiritual maturity of the catechumen. Local parish priests typically oversee the catechesis of those preparing to be received into the Church.
The Orthodox Church has no formal catechism, a single body of work that details the specifics of its faith. This is one difference between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, who does have a specific catechism.
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Attendance at the following Lectures (Required)
· Overview of Church History
· Overview of Holy Tradition
· Overview of the Nicene Creed
· Overview of the Life of the Holy Virgin
· Overview of the Purpose of Life: Becoming Saints
· Overview of the Church as Spiritual Hospital (Renunciations)
· Overview of the Ten Commandments
· Overview of Prayer: Jesus Prayer, Prayer Rule, etc.
· Overview of the Holy Mysteries and Scripture / Great Lent
· Overview of Holy Baptism / Church Etiquette and the Antiochian Archdiocese
· Overview of Confession: Life & Periodic Confessions / The Lord’s Day and Sabbath, Great Feasts
· Overview of the Eucharist / The Prayer Rule and Spiritual Father
· Overview of Marriage and Monastic Life / God parenthood, Service of Baptism, Presanctified
· Overview of Holy Unction / Services of Healing, Health and Illness in the Faith
· Overview of the Priesthood- Holy Orders
Texts Read (required)
· Chrysostom, St. John (1984)), On the Priesthood
· Carlton, Clark (1997), The Faith: An Orthodox Catechism OR
· Vlachos, Metropolitan Hierotheos Entering the Orthodox Church or The Mind of the Church
· Schmemann, Fr. Alexander (1998), For the Life of the World
· Schmemann, Fr. Alexander (2001), Great Lent
· Colliander, Tito (1985), The Way of the Ascetics
Suggested Texts
· Carlton, Clark (1997, 1999), The Way or The Truth
· Ware, Bishop Kallistos (1998), The Orthodox Way
· The Way of a Pilgrim (many editions)
Forms to be Completed
· Biography/Personal Informational Sheet.
· Copy of Protestant or Catholic Baptismal Certificate (for economizable candidates)
· Patron Saint Form.
· Renunciations & Affirmations
· Prayer Rule Form.
Click here to Read/Download
Activities
· Confirm Godparent(s), and confirm that Godparents have proper materials for Great Saturday.
· Visit at least two other Orthodox Churches during catechumenate.
· Prepare and make life confession. Establish regular confession practice.
· Turn in a pledge card to the parish.
· Attend Lenten Services- these are your primary preparation.
· Present yourself for Catechumen Litany in Presanctified Liturgies- Wednesdays 6pm.
· Obtain a baptismal robe. See Cindy Joris, Cynthia Wright, or Elizabeth Beck for fitting.
· Give Father $10 check made to “Antiochian Archdiocese” for your baptism/chrismation certificate
· Review the Baptism/Chrismation Service in Red Service Book 1x per week in Lent - pp. 146-165.
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