#orthodoxy

• Holy Lamb — The central, square-shaped piece cut from the first altar bread (prosphora) during the Liturgy of Preparation (Proskomedia), stamped with the seal of Jesus Christ (IC XC NI KA); it symbolically represents the Lamb of God and, through consecration during the Divine Liturgy, becomes the Eucharistic Body of Christ.
• Anti-revisionist — Opposed to revisionism; a person or movement supporting the maintenance of current territorial borders or the preservation of established ideological dogmas. In the context of international relations, it describes opponents of modifying state borders fixed by treaties, whereas in the history of left-wing political currents, it denotes the defender of Marxist-Leninist doctrinal orthodoxy against reforms deemed deviant.
• Apodeipnon — A Christian liturgical service celebrated in the evening, after supper, in the Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox traditions, characterized by penitence, thanksgiving for the completed day, and prayers for protection before sleep; commonly known as Compline. This monastic or parochial liturgical rite varies in length, existing in distinct forms such as Small Compline, used daily, and Great Compline, specific to the Lenten season.
• Apophaticism — A theological and spiritual orientation, foundational in Eastern Christianity, asserting that God is absolutely transcendent and unknowable to the human mind, and can only be known by negating all created attributes; negative theology. This mystical doctrine places direct spiritual experience and ecstasy above standard rational, dogmatic, or scholastic definitions.
• Archimandritate — The dignity, title, office, or ecclesiastical administrative rank held by an archimandrite; the term can also denote the period of time during which a person exercises this function of spiritual and administrative leadership over a large monastery or an important monastic community. Historically, the term also referred to the territorial or symbolic jurisdiction exercised by the superior of a high-ranking monastery.
• Arch-metropolitan — An exceptional honorary title or ecclesiastical administrative rank historically used in certain Eastern churches to denote a primate metropolite or the supreme ruler of a high-ranking metropolitan province who holds jurisdiction or honorary precedence over other metropolitans within the same region. The term highlights strict canonical preeminence within the orthodox administrative hierarchy.
• Archpastor — An honorary and metaphorical ecclesiastical title used to denote a high-ranking hierarch, such as a bishop, archbishop, metropolitan, or patriarch, viewed in his capacity as the supreme spiritual leader and guide of the faithful within a diocese or national church. The term derives from the biblical symbolism of the shepherd of souls, adding the prefix of precedence to reflect supreme canonical authority over the clergy and community.
• Archpastoral — Belonging to the archpastor, relating to the archpastor or his dignity; specific to the authority, mission, or administrative acts carried out by a high hierarch. The adjective is utilized exclusively in official church language to describe the duties, messages, blessings, or official visits undertaken by the spiritual leader of a diocese.
• Archpastorate — The dignity, function, or office of an archpastor; the term also denotes the period of time during which a high hierarch (bishop, metropolitan, or patriarch) exercises his spiritual, canonical, and administrative leadership over a specific diocese or church community. In a historical context, it refers to the pastoral acts and achievements accomplished under the leadership of a specific religious leader.
• Archpastoral — A rare and archaic adjectival form, historically used in church manuscripts as a synonym for 'arhipăstoresc', denoting everything belonging to, derived from, or specific to the dignity of an archpastor. The term characterizes the supreme spiritual authority and hierarchical acts of guiding the ecclesiastical flock, being replaced in modern language by the current forms ending in '-esc'.
• Archprelate — A member of the higher clergy in the Christian Orthodox Church who has received through the sacrament of holy orders the fullness of priestly grace, holding the canonical right to consecrate and to spiritually govern a diocese; a generic term used to denote hierarchs of any higher rank, such as bishops, archbishops, metropolitans, or patriarchs. In theology, the archprelate is viewed as a direct successor of the holy apostles and as the mystical representative of Jesus Christ, the High Priest, in the midst of the community.
• Archistrategos — A solemn religious title granted in the Eastern Christian tradition to the Holy Archangels (especially to Archangel Michael), viewed as the leaders or glorious commanders of the angelic hosts and the spiritual defenders of the faithful in the fight against demonic forces. The term preserves the Slavic-Byzantine phonetic path and holds a strong liturgical weight, being frequently used in akathists, prayers, and official hagiographies.
• Arnota — A historic Romanian Orthodox monastery located in Vâlcea County, founded between 1633 and 1634 by Prince Matei Basarab. Situated at an isolated altitude on the mountain of the same name, it houses the tomb of its founder and highly valuable interior frescoes.
• Ash'arite — A proper noun or historical adjective designating a follower, a member, or a specific doctrinal trait of the Ash'arite school of Islamic theology (founded by Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari in the 10th century); this scholastic philosophical and theological movement became the main pillar of Sunni orthodoxy, attempting to reconcile dialectical rationalism with the literal interpretation of sacred texts.
• Autocephalous — Self-governing; used to describe a national Eastern Orthodox Church that is fully independent administratively and legally from any external hierarchical authority or foreign patriarchate, while maintaining full dogmatic communion.