What is worship?
Worship means showing love, thanks and respect to God. People can worship alone, but most religions also have times when the whole community gathers. Christians worship every Sunday and on special feast days. People of other faiths gather in their own ways too: in a temple, mosque, gurdwara, synagogue or monastery.
This lesson explains Christian worship, because that is where the words liturgy and icon are used most.
The liturgy: the main service
The word liturgy comes from old Greek and means "work of the people". It is the fixed order of a church service. In Orthodox churches it is called the Divine Liturgy. It has these parts:
- Opening prayers and peace between people.
- Readings from the Bible and a short talk (the sermon).
- The Creed, a short statement of what Christians believe.
- The shared holy meal (communion) of bread and wine.
- Final blessing and going home.
Because the order is fixed, people can follow even if they are young or new. The same words are said in many countries.
Prayers and hymns
A prayer is talking to God. It can be to thank, to say sorry, to ask or to praise. Some prayers are said alone and some together, such as the Lord's Prayer ("Our Father").
A hymn is a prayer that is sung. Hymns are easy to remember because of the tune, so the whole community can join in. In Orthodox churches, the choir sings hymns without instruments.
The sign of the cross
The sign of the cross is a short prayer made with the body. Orthodox Christians join the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand, then touch the forehead, the chest, the right shoulder and then the left shoulder. The three joined fingers remind them of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The two folded fingers stand for the two natures of Christ, divine and human.
People make the sign at the start of a prayer, when they enter a church, or before a meal or a journey. Some other Christian groups cross the shoulders in the opposite order.
The icon of the Holy Trinity
An icon is a painted holy picture. It is not meant to be a photo; it helps a person to pray. Christians do not worship the picture; they honour the person it shows.
The best known Trinity icon was painted by the Russian monk Andrei Rublev about 600 years ago. It shows three figures seated at one table, with a cup in the middle. The three look alike, but are separate. They help believers think about one God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity is explained in its own lesson.
Try it: draw the sign
Open the 3D and press Sign of the cross. Watch the four dots come on one by one. Now predict: which point comes third? Then point to your own forehead, chest and two shoulders in the same order, slowly. Next, ask a friend or neighbour of another faith how their community gathers to pray, and compare: what do you share, and what is different?
Key formulas and definitions
- Worship = love, thanks and respect shown to God, often together
- Liturgy = the fixed order of the main church service
- Hymn = a prayer set to music
- Sign of the cross: forehead, chest, right shoulder, left shoulder
- Icon = a holy picture that helps us pray
Worked examples
1. Name three parts of a church service.
Any three of: opening prayers, readings from the Bible, the Creed, hymns, the holy meal (communion) and the final blessing.
2. Why do the three joined fingers matter in the sign of the cross?
They remind Christians of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
3. Why is the Trinity icon painted with three figures at one table?
It helps believers think about three persons who are one God, sharing one table and one cup.
Common mistakes
- Thinking Christians worship the icon itself. They honour the person it shows and use it as a help for prayer.
- Thinking liturgy means any church service. It means the fixed order of the main service.
- Thinking worship only happens in a building. People also pray at home, outdoors and with family.
- Mixing up the order of the sign. Forehead, chest, right shoulder, left shoulder.