ABSTRACT
Unlike Protestantism, Orthodoxy does not see a need to lay down guidelines for recognizing the true Church. For the Orthodox, it is already clear that their own Church is the One Church of Christ in the world, and since there are no doubts in this regard, no reference to any kind of notae ecclesiae is required. It is Orthodoxy that guards and teaches the true belief about God and glorifies Him through right worship. But their Church is more than just the place of correct teaching and worship; it is also the continuation of the Incarnation on earth. Christ’s ascension into heaven did not remove his presence from the world; he may be found in the fellowship (koinonia) of every worshipping community.1 This incarnational presence is most effectively realized in the celebration of the eucharist. This eucharist-centered ecclesiology is described by Ion Bria as a “eucharist-sacramental understanding” of fellowship (koinonia) of the Holy Spirit.2
