An Overview on Holy Tradition in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
St. Athanasius tells us that “Orthodoxy is what Christ taught, the Apostles preached, and the Fathers kept.” The Orthodox faith that has been “believed everywhere, always, and by all” is known as Holy Tradition and was born on Pentecost in 33AD, and has remained unchanged since. Holy Tradition for us does not change because it deals with things that do not change: the nature of One God in the Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It includes the worship of the Church which began in the temple tradition of the Israelites and was continued and perfected following the fall of Temple Judaism.
Holy Tradition is firm and unyielding to the whims of the age, but isn’t rigid or legalistic - it lives within the Church and remains consistent without additions (as Roman Catholics engaged in) or subtractions (as protestants sought to). Holy Tradition also encompasses dogmatic and doctrinal statements of faith such as the Nicene Creed we recite each week and that has been supported throughout the seven Ecumenical Councils. At the heart of all of this is each and every one of us faithfully participating as fully as we’re able to in the Mysteries of Christ and His Church, and spreading the Truth of that Church to everyone whom we encounter. For a truly wonderful discussion of Holy Tradition alongside Holy Scripture, please see this excerpt from a text by Elder Cleopa.