Our Faith

Our Faith: Orthodox Christianity

Established in 1952, our parish serves as the spiritual center for the Serbian Orthodox community in Fair Oaks and the greater Sacramento area. We are a community defined by the Divine Liturgy, a dedicated Parish Council, and a commitment to preserving our faith and traditions for future generations.

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What is Orthodox Christianity?

  • It is Christianity in its original, pre-medieval form, without doctrinal change or adulteration.
  • It’s Orthodox, but not Jewish.
  • It’s Catholic, but not Roman.
  • It’s Evangelical, but not Protestant.
  • It’s not denominational; it’s pre-denominational.
  • It’s not ancient, it’s not modern… it is Eternal.

What do we believe in as Orthodox Christians?

Orthodox Christians believe in the Triune God-the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed summarizes and expresses fundamental Orthodox beliefs.

  • Iconography is part of Orthodoxy.
  • Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are elements of Orthodox life.
  • The Holy Sacraments – Baptism, Chrismation, Confession, Communion, Marriage, Holy Orders and Holy Unction – are fundamental to Orthodox life.
  • The Holy Scriptures have an integral place in Orthodoxy.
  • Apostolic Succession gives expression to the continuity of Orthodox Christianity.
  • Repentance is a recurring principle of Orthodoxy.
  • The lives of the saints instruct, inspire and are celebrated as fundamental to Orthodox life.
  • Order in the liturgical life of Orthodoxy enables the believer to worship, give glory to God.

What is Orthodox Christianity?

  • It is Christianity in its original, pre-medieval form, without doctrinal change or adulteration.
  • It’s Orthodox, but not Jewish.
  • It’s Catholic, but not Roman.
  • It’s Evangelical, but not Protestant.
  • It’s not denominational; it’s pre-denominational.
  • It’s not ancient, it’s not modern… it is Eternal.

What do we believe in as Orthodox Christians?

Orthodox Christians believe in the Triune God-the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed summarizes and expresses fundamental Orthodox beliefs.

  • Iconography is part of Orthodoxy.
  • Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are elements of Orthodox life.
  • The Holy Sacraments – Baptism, Chrismation, Confession, Communion, Marriage, Holy Orders and Holy Unction – are fundamental to Orthodox life.
  • The Holy Scriptures have an integral place in Orthodoxy.
  • Apostolic Succession gives expression to the continuity of Orthodox Christianity.
  • Repentance is a recurring principle of Orthodoxy.
  • The lives of the saints instruct, inspire and are celebrated as fundamental to Orthodox life.
  • Order in the liturgical life of Orthodoxy enables the believer to worship, give glory to God.

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Faith That Endures

Our parish was not built in ease, but in perseverance, through times of struggle, loss, and renewal. Even when numbers declined and circumstances changed, the life of the Church did not disappear; it endured. In every generation, faith was carried forward, not as something inherited passively, but as something preserved through sacrifice, devotion, and unwavering hope.

A Living Continuity

The story of our parish is not only a record of the past, but a testimony of constant renewal. From its beginnings, through moments of growth and hardship, it has remained a place where faith is lived and restored again and again. What was once built by those before us now calls us forward, to continue, to strengthen, and to give life to the same enduring mission.