Orthodox worship is not a mere remembrance of an event, or a resemblance for that matter, but rather a participation in the same events of Christ’s salvation on our behalf. We use the word symbol quite frequently, however, the context/meaning of this word today is different from its’ original purpose.

“The history of religions shows us that the more ancient, the deeper, the more ‘organic’ a symbol, the less it will be composed of such ‘illustrative’ qualities. This is because the purpose and function of the symbol is not to illustrate (this would presume the absence of what is illustrated) but rather to manifest and to communicate what is manifested. We might say that the symbol does not so much ‘resemble’ the reality that it symbolizes as it participates in it, and therefore it is capable of communicating it in reality.”

From The Eucharist – Fr. Alexander Schmemann

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