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Discover Faith
Debre Haile Saint Rufael · Tracy, California
An introduction to this parish for anyone who has never been inside an Ethiopian Orthodox church. You do not need to be Orthodox to read on, or to walk in.
Part one
Your first visit
Practical things nobody tells a first-time visitor, and which are much easier to know in advance than to work out at the door.
Where and when
We are at 21055 Corral Hollow Road, Tracy, California 95304.
Service times move with the church calendar and feast days fall on different dates each year, so rather than print times here that may go stale we keep one page current: Services. If you are unsure, call (209) 331-3916.
If it is your first visit and you would like someone to meet you at the door and sit with you, say so when you call, or use the form at the bottom of this page. We are glad to do it.
What to wear
Modest, ordinary clothing is fine. Nobody expects a visitor to arrive dressed as a member of the parish would.
- Cover your shoulders and knees. The one thing worth planning for. Long sleeves and long trousers or a long skirt are the safe choice.
- Women commonly cover their hair with a white shawl, called a netela. A scarf you already own works perfectly well, and arriving without one is not a problem.
- Shoes are removed before entering the church. This is normal Ethiopian Orthodox practice and you will see everyone doing it. Wear socks you are happy to be seen in.
When you arrive
The Divine Liturgy, called the Qidase, is long by the standards most Western visitors are used to. It runs for several hours, and it is entirely normal for people to arrive part-way through and for others to step outside and come back. You are not late and you have not interrupted anything.
Inside, men and women stand on separate sides of the church. If you are visiting as a couple or a family you will be separated for the service. This surprises visitors more than anything else, so it is better known before you walk in than discovered at the door.
People stand rather than sit. There is limited seating and it is generally used by the elderly and those who need it. If you need to sit, sit.
What you will hear
The service is chanted, not spoken. Much of it is in Ge’ez, the ancient liturgical language of the Church, which is no longer spoken in daily life — rather as Latin functions in some Western churches. Preaching and announcements are usually in Amharic.
So if you speak neither, you will not follow the words. Visitors worry about this more than they need to. Most find that the chant, the incense, the vestments and the movement communicate a great deal on their own.
If you would like to know what is being said, ask afterwards. Someone will happily walk you through it.
Communion, and what visitors do
At a certain point you will see members of the parish go forward to receive Holy Communion. Visitors are not expected to join them, and nobody will ask you to. Receiving Communion in the Orthodox Church follows preparation, including fasting and confession, and it is not something expected of a visitor.
Standing quietly where you are is entirely appropriate. If you want to understand the practice properly, that is a conversation to have with a priest rather than something to read on a web page.
Bringing children
Children are welcome and are not expected to be silent. Ethiopian Orthodox services are not quiet, still occasions, and a restless child is not a disruption. You do not need to apologise for your family.
Afterwards
People do not usually leave immediately. There is conversation, and often food and coffee. As a visitor you will very likely be greeted, offered something to eat, and asked where you are from — Ethiopian hospitality is insistent, and declining is harder than accepting.
If you would like to speak to a priest, this is the natural moment. Say that it is your first visit and that you would like to ask something.
Part two
Common questions
Tap a question to open the answer.
Do I need to be Orthodox to attend?
No. You do not need to be Orthodox, Christian, or anything in particular. You do not need an invitation and you will not be asked to explain yourself. Come, stand at the back if you prefer, and leave when you need to.
Are you going to try to convert me?
No. People come to us out of curiosity, on a friend’s invitation, for study, on a search of their own, or because they drove past. All of those are fine reasons. You are welcome to come, watch, leave, and never come back, and you will still have been a welcome guest.
How long is the service?
Several hours. People arrive part-way through and step out and back as they need to; this is normal and nobody minds. You are not obliged to stay for the whole of it.
Are children welcome?
Yes, and they are not expected to be quiet. See Bringing children above.
I have a question that is not answered here.
Ask it using the form below. A member of our clergy reads these and will reply to you personally. No question is too basic, and you do not need to be Orthodox to ask one.
Ask us anything
If something here left you unsure, or you would like to arrange a first visit with someone to meet you at the door, write to us. A member of our clergy reads these and will reply to you personally.