Secrets of the Church

The lecture explains the Coptic Orthodox understanding of the Church’s sacraments, clarifying the meaning of the word “mystery” and the distinction between mysteries of knowledge and mysteries of grace. It emphasizes that the seven sacraments are divine means through which the Holy Spirit grants salvation to humanity through visible actions and sacred rites handed down from the apostles.

First: The Meaning of the Word “Mystery”

In the Holy Bible, the word “mystery” has two meanings:

• Mysteries of knowledge, such as the mystery of the Gospel, the Incarnation, and redemption.

• Mysteries of grace, which convey hidden divine grace through visible actions, namely the seven sacraments of the Church.

Second: Definition of the Sacraments

The sacraments are invisible divine grace granted to humanity through visible actions, given by the Holy Spirit through a lawful priest.

Third: Visible Action and Hidden Grace

Each sacrament includes a visible action such as water, oil, bread, or wine, while the true grace—such as forgiveness, new birth, or the indwelling of the Holy Spirit—is invisible.

Fourth: The Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the true worker in all the sacraments:
He regenerates in baptism, dwells in chrismation, forgives sins in confession, transforms the offerings in the Eucharist, grants authority in priesthood, and gives healing in the anointing of the sick.

Fifth: The Role of the Priest

The priest is not the giver of grace but the servant of the sacrament and a steward of God. Grace is proclaimed through his mouth while the Holy Spirit works through his prayer and rite.

Sixth: The Laying on of Hands

The laying on of hands has various meanings in the Church: ordination, blessing, or healing, and in ordination it depends on the ecclesiastical declaration that defines the rank.

Seventh: Sacraments and Forgiveness of Sins

All the sacraments are connected to the forgiveness of sins, as they grant the merits of Christ’s blood and are inseparable from the sacrifice of the Cross.

Eighth: The Matter of the Sacrament

Each sacrament has a visible material through which the Holy Spirit works:
water in baptism, oil in chrismation, bread and wine in the Eucharist, which become holy through the action of the Holy Spirit.

Ninth: The Sacraments as the Way of Salvation

The sacraments are not human acts, but divine channels established by God for salvation, through which the Holy Spirit transmits the merits of redemption into the believer’s life.

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