All should be prepared to remove shoes in the sanctuary.
Although the Eucharist cannot be taken unless one is baptized into the Oriental Orthodox Church, one can receive a blessing by going forward with arms crossed over one’s chest.
Orthodox Christians cross themselves from head to belly, then right to left shoulder.
Student Testimonial
St. Gebriel Ethiopian Orthodox Church is a member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, which is one of the six Oriental Orthodox Churches (which also include the Eritrean, Coptic, Syriac, Armenian, and Malankara Churches). These Oriental Orthodox Churches are referred to as “non-Chalcedonian,” since they reject the ruling of the Council of Chalcedon (451) that Jesus Christ has two distinct natures, instead maintaining that these two natures are “completely uni ed” in “one perfectly united nature of Christ.” Indeed, this means “tewahedo” – “united as one.” The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the largest of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, with origins that go as far back as the apostles of Jesus.