Hello everyone, I am new here, I found this place via the Orthodox forum at Christianity Forums! I thought this would be a better place to post, my mind spins sometimes reading all the other threads, everyone is always arguing.
Anyhow, I was taking inquirer classes from October of last year till Pascha of this year. My fiance is GO and I will become a Catechumen soon. I have not been very active in attending Divine Liturgy because I find the priest and the church members to be a bit intimidating, but I have a deep desire to be apart of the true church, and I especially miss taking communion.
I was raised Roman Catholic and have not taken communion for seven years! I have become restless lately and if I could run out and be baptized tommorrow I would do it. My first step however is to attend Divine Liturgy every week, and then ask father, perhaps after Holy Nativity, if I can become a Catechumen so that I may be baptized come Pascha!
Father asked me to choose my saints name, my real name is not Christian so I spent some time reading and felt a deep connection with Saint Anastasia of Rome, Protector of Potions. I am sure some of you may be thinking, why is she being re-baptized? For me it is merely a preference over Chrismation. I know Chrismation is just as powerful and meaningful, but in my heart of hearts, I don't feel I was ever really baptized. I never knew the deep love of Jesus Christ until my first visit to the Orthodox church. It was then that I felt my spiritual life made sense, it was then that my soul was once again awakened to God. For years I felt an emptiness, church and religion were repetitive and mindless.
Then I began to attend Divine Liturgy, observe fast days, and live as an Orthodox Christian. I cannot wait for my baptism and especially my marriage! I hope I can learn a lot from all of you here, I'm sure I will.
In Christ,
Anastasia
