How to Convert to Orthodox Christianity

“Come and see.” – John 1:46

To enter the Orthodox Church is not simply to join a new community — it is to be grafted into the living Body of Christ, preserved in holiness and truth since the day of Pentecost. This journey, ancient and ever new, begins with a simple invitation: come and see.

Step One: Draw Near with Desire

Every conversion begins in the heart. Perhaps you’ve felt a tug — through the beauty of the Divine Liturgy, the lives of the saints, or the deep peace found in Orthodox prayer. This is not accidental. As St. Gregory of Nyssa teaches, “The soul that comes near to God, drawn by the fragrance of His grace, finds in its longing the beginning of salvation.”

Start by attending services regularly. The Orthodox faith is not learned in books alone, but in the living liturgy — the rhythm of prayer, fasting, and feasting. You may not understand all you see and hear at first. That’s okay. Let your heart listen before your mind explains.

Step Two: Speak with a Priest

Reach out to a local Orthodox parish and introduce yourself to the priest. Be open about your background, questions, and desire to explore the Orthodox faith. In most parishes, newcomers begin attending services and meeting regularly with the priest or a catechist for catechesis — the period of instruction and formation in the teachings and life of the Church.

This is not a class in theology alone. Catechesis in the early Church was a time of transformation — of renouncing falsehood, embracing the life of repentance, and slowly being shaped by the ethos of the Church. As St. John Chrysostom said, “We do not teach philosophy here; we teach how to live as citizens of the Kingdom.”

Step Three: The Life of Repentance

Conversion is not merely learning doctrine; it is the way of metanoia — a change of mind, heart, and life. You’ll begin to fast, pray, and confess regularly. You’ll start to see sin not as moral failure, but as separation from the One who is Life. The Orthodox Church welcomes you not as a spectator, but as one being healed — a patient entering the hospital of the soul.

Step Four: Reception into the Church

When the time is right — usually after several months or longer of preparation — you’ll be received into the Church, either by Holy Baptism (if you’ve never been baptized) or by Chrismation (anointing with holy oil) if your previous baptism is recognized. This moment is not symbolic. It is ontological: a real union with Christ in His death and resurrection.

From that day forward, you’ll partake of the Holy Mysteries, be sealed with the Holy Spirit, and walk the path of salvation not alone, but in communion with the saints and the faithful of every age.