Temples internal and external structure. Temple, church. Architectural features of temple buildings
Last time we talked about what types of temples there are and about their external architectural features. Today let's talk about how the temple works inside.
Now we have crossed the threshold of the temple, and now let's figure out what the parts of the temple are called.
Immediately at the entrance, by the door, there is porch(narthex in Slavic means "door"). Usually located here candle box, where we can take candles, write notes about health and repose, order a prayer service or memorial service. In some churches, the vestibule is fenced off from the middle part of the temple.
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Having passed further, we will find ourselves in Withmiddle part of the temple, it is also called "ship". This part means the earth, all earthly space. Here we stand at the service, pray in front of the icons, and confession is held here in a specially designated place.
In the middle part of the temple, in the center on lectern(table with a beveled lid) is located icon of the day, this could be an image of a saint whose memory is celebrated on this day, or an icon of a holiday. Having entered the church, parishioners usually first go to venerate this icon and light a candle near it.
Between the middle part of the temple and its main part - the altar - there is iconostasis. The icons on it seem to connect our world with the heavenly world.
Iconostasis, translated from Greek, means "stand for icons". In ancient times there were no iconostases, the altar was not separated from the temple space, only sometimes a low grating was installed there to prevent the crowd. Subsequently, especially revered icons with their faces turned towards the worshipers began to be fixed on the grille. This testified that saints also participate in our prayer. Subsequently, the number of icons in the iconostasis began to multiply. In Rus', iconostases with 5 or more rows of icons appearing upward. The traditional Russian iconostasis has 4 or 5 rows.
First row– icons, called “local”, are the main icons of the iconostasis: images Savior And Mother of God, they are always located on the sides of the central entrance to the altar (royal doors). There is also an icon depicting the saint (or event) in whose honor the temple was consecrated, as well as icons of especially revered saints.
Second row iconostasis: Deesis rite, that is, saints standing before Christ in reverent prayer.
Third row: (usually) festive, these are the most important holidays of the Orthodox Church.
Fourth row: biblical prophets with scrolls in which their prophecies are written.
Fifth row: Old Testament forefathers, among whom, Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses and others.
The iconostasis usually ends with an icon Crucifixions or Cross of the Savior.
The traditional Russian iconostasis amazes with its power and spiritual content. He says that we are not alone in our paths of spiritual life. We have a host of helpers who pray with us and help us achieve salvation.
But a temple can have an iconostasis with fewer rows. Actually, only icons are mandatory Savior And Mother of God(from the first row), and the remaining icons are installed whenever possible.
The iconostasis is located on a certain elevation, on saltier, the center of which in front of the Royal Doors forms a semicircular protrusion called pulpit. This place marks the mountain from which the Lord Jesus Christ Himself preached. And today, from the pulpit, clergy address the people with a sermon, here they pronounce litanies and read the Gospel. On the pulpit it is taught to believers and Holy Communion.
Now we must say about the main part of the temple - about altar. Word "altar" translated from Latin as "high altar". The altar is located on the eastern side of the temple, since the Savior in the Holy Scriptures is called Sun of truth(Mal. IV, 2) and East(Zech. III, 8), in church hymns He is called "East of Easts"(the luminary of the feast of the Nativity of Christ).
The chronicle descriptions say that during the construction of the temple, the place of the altar was first outlined, and the longitudinal axis of the temple was drawn, oriented towards the first ray of the rising sun. Thus, the altar should be oriented towards sunrise, so that people standing in front of the iconostasis would face the east. This is how temples are built today.
The main entrance to the altar in the center is called Royal Doors, because through them the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the King of Glory, invisibly passes in the chalice with the Holy Gifts. To the left and right of the Royal Doors there are so-called deacon's gate(otherwise the northern and southern doors of the iconostasis), deacons most often pass through them.
At special moments of the service, clergy enter and exit through the Royal Doors. In other cases, entry and exit to the altar occurs only through the deacon's gate. Outside of divine services and without full vestment, only a bishop (bishop and above) has the right to enter and exit through the Royal Doors.
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Inside the altar behind the Royal Doors there is a special veil(in Greek catapetasma), opened at set moments in the service. It symbolizes the Stone rolled away from the Holy Sepulcher by an Angel, thereby introducing all the people standing in the temple to what is happening in the altar.
Behind the Royal Doors in the altar, on the table called throne, a mystery occurs Eucharist.
Here, to the left of the throne, stands altar- a small table on which food is prepared Gifts for the sacrament of Communion.
Behind the throne in the eastern part of the altar is Mountain place(“gorniy” in Slavic means “exalted”). On the High Place there is usually armchair for the bishop.
This is how the temple is arranged inside. It should also be said that the painting and decoration of temples can be different. Usually in murals there are plots Old and New Testaments.
In conclusion, I would like to say that the temple is a shrine, and one must behave piously and humbly in the temple. It would be a good idea to buy candles and submit notes before the service begins, so as not to talk and, if possible, not walk during the service. Let us remember that we are here as in God's House.
The altar part of the temple. Photo: www.nesterov-cerkov.ru
Altar. The third, eastern part of the church is called the altar. This part of the temple symbolizes paradise, the spiritual sky and symbolizes the place where the Lord is. This is the main part in the church and the place where all the clergy and subdeacons and readers can enter. Men who have received the blessing of the rector of the temple or bishop can also enter the altar.
Altar. Photo:www.hram-feodosy.kiev.ua
Women are strictly prohibited from entering the altar. In ancient times this may have included female deaconesses. These are women who trained women catechumens. In the altar, clergy perform divine services and services. The Orthodox church is covered with church frescoes depicting scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and saints. In addition, frescoes can depict images of God the Father, the Son of God, the Holy Trinity, the Mother of God, saints, etc.
Holy See. Photo:www.hram-feodosy.kiev.ua
Holy See. In the center of the altar is the Holy See. This is the main shrine of every church, this is a special place, a place where God resides. The Holy See is a table covered with beautiful brocade fabric. Under each church altar there is a piece of the relics of a saint. The placement of a particle of the saint’s relics dates back to the times when Christians were persecuted in the first three centuries; they performed divine services in the catacombs on the tombs of their dead brothers in faith. The placement of a particle of the saint’s relics in the altar is mandatory, and without it not a single divine service can be performed in the church.
Holy See. Photo:www.azbyka.ru
There are also mobile Holy Altars, the so-called traveling altars. They are used, for example, where it is not possible to build a church, in missionary activities, when the church has not yet been built, but it is necessary to perform the Holy Mysteries, during military operations, long expeditions...
At the Holy See, priests usually perform the Liturgy. Holy Communion is being prepared on the altar.
Liturgical objects located on the Holy See. Photo:www.hram-feodosy.kiev.ua
The following liturgical objects are located on the Holy See: cross with which the priest blesses the faithful, St. Gospel, antimens– illuminated fabric depicting the burial of Jesus Christ. Inside the antimind there is another fabric called oriton. In addition to oriton there is also anti-mise sponge. With it, randomly falling particles of sacramental bread are collected on the iliton after the preparation of the Holy Gifts. In the iliton there is a particle from the relics of a saint, a martyr saint.
Tabernacle. Photo:www.yapokrov.ru
Tabernacle. Here, too, there is a lamp, two candlesticks with one candle each, which are located on the right and left sides of the throne, and a tabernacle. The tabernacle is shaped like a small church or tomb.
Alavaster or myrrh. St. Miro is kept in alavastra and is located near the tabernacle.
Mirnitsa.Photo:www.yapokrov.ru
Monstrance. The tabernacle is designed to preserve the Holy Gifts for sick Orthodox Christians and the monstrance. The priest brings it home and gives communion to seriously ill, difficult to move and immobile parishioners who are physically unable to come to the temple themselves and receive the Holy Gifts.
Monstrance.Photo:www.yapokrov.ru
Seven-branched candlestick. Behind the throne is the seven-branched candlestick - a candlestick on a high stand with seven candles. In the ancient Orthodox Church there was no seven-branched candlestick in the church altar. In ancient times, only two candles were lit on the throne. They symbolize the two natures of the Son of God - divine and human. He later appeared in Orthodox houses of worship. Today it is a mandatory liturgical item in the altar in the church. The roots of the seven-branched candlestick in the Orthodox church go back to the Old Testament Jewish temple.
Seven-branched candlestick. Photo:www.yapokrov.ru
The seven-branched candlestick has more than one symbol. We learn about its symbols from the last book of the New Testament - Revelation, written by St. John the Theologians. From this sacred book we learn that the simis candlestick symbolizes the seven spirits of God, seven Orthodox church sacraments, seven churches, seven bowls of God's wrath, seven thunders, seven seals of the mysterious book, seven angelic trumpets.
Altar cross and altar cross. Photo:www.yapokrov.ru
Altar cross. Near the seven-branched candlestick there is also an altar cross with the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This is a large wooden cross with the image of the Savior crucified on the cross.
Altar. In addition to the altar, there is an altar in the Holy of Holies in the Orthodox prayer house. It is located on the left, northern side of the throne. The altar is also called a proposal or protisot. In size, it is almost identical to the throne and has the same height as the throne. In the first centuries of the construction of Orthodox churches, the altar was not located in the altar. It was later moved to the altar.
Altar. Photo:www.azbyka.ru
The altar contains the following sacred objects: Holy Chalice or St. Chalice. This is the Sacred Cup into which water and wine are poured. The Holy Chalice is a symbol of the Blood of Jesus Christ. Paten- This is a flat, round, disc-shaped metal vessel. Bread for Holy Communion is placed on it. The communion bread symbolizes the Body of the Son of God. Copy- This is a metal stick, similar to a small knife, with the help of which particles are removed from the sacramental bread during Proskomedia. The symbol of the spear is the spear with which the crucified Savior was pierced. Zvezditsa- these are two arcs connected at the top by a cross. It serves when the paten with the removed particles of the sacramental bread is covered with coverings. Therefore, a star is placed between the paten and the covers so that the particles do not touch the covers. A metal cup for warm water called heat. Liar for Communion. This spoon is used for the laity in the temple. Air- this is a quadrangular fabric measuring seventy by seventy centimeters, Pokrovtsy- fabrics that have a cross shape, sponge and so on. Proskomedia, the first part of the Liturgy, is celebrated on the altar.
The altar contains other liturgical objects, such as censer or censer, dikiriy, trikirium And two ripids.
Dikiriy is a candlestick with two candles that symbolize the two natures of Our Lord Jesus Christ - human and divine. Respectively, trikirium is a candlestick with three candles, symbolizing the three Persons of the Holy Trinity. They are used by metropolitans and the patriarch when they serve in a church with a local priest and bless parishioners with them.
Dikiriy, triky and ripida. Photo:www.azbyka.ru
Ripida- a metal circle on a long pole. In the early centuries of Christianity, they were made from peacock feathers and served to drive away insects from the Holy Communion. Currently they have spiritual symbolism. They symbolize the presence of angelic powers over the Body and Blood of Christ.
Censer.Photo by Ilya Svinkovsky, www.foma.rukadilo.html
Sacristy. There is also a sacristy in the altar. It is located on the right side of the throne. This is the place where clergy dress and the liturgical clothes of priests, deacons and subdeacons are preserved. Also, church utensils and liturgical books will be preserved here. In Bulgarian churches, especially in ancient churches, the sacristy is most often an ordinary wardrobe. In small and rural houses of God in Bulgaria, the sacristy “serves” as a table on which liturgical vestments lie.
A high place with a bishop's throne. Photo:www.simvol-veri.ru
Mountain place. The place between the altar and the eastern wall of the altar is called the High Place. It has “entered” the altar since ancient times. This is an elevated place behind the throne, where in ancient times the archbishop’s chair was located - the bishop’s throne. Today this throne in Bulgarian Orthodox churches is located in the naos.
Materials used
3.“Establishment of an Orthodox Church.”- http://berezniki.cerkov.ru/ustrojstvo-pravoslavnogo-xrama/
4. Makariopolsky Bishop Dr. Nikolai and Archimandrite Dr. Seraphim, "Temple"- http://www.pravmladeji.org/node/36
5. "Altar and church utensils", Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Balkanabat (Turkmenistan) - http://www.balkanabat.prihod.ru/
6. From a book "Temple. Rituals. Divine services", website of Holy Trinity Orthodox School - http://www.holytrinitymission.org/index.php
Master of Divinity
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Many Orthodox churches amaze with the beauty and elegance of their decoration and architectural splendor. But in addition to the aesthetic load, the entire construction and design of the temple carries a symbolic meaning. You cannot take any building and organize a church in it. Let us consider the principles by which the structure and interior decoration of an Orthodox church is organized and what meaning the design elements carry.
Architectural features of temple buildings
A temple is a consecrated building in which Divine services are held, and believers have the opportunity to take part in the Sacraments. Traditionally, the main entrance to the temple is located in the west - where the sun sets, and the main liturgical part - the altar - is always located in the east, where the sun rises.
Prince Vladimir Church in Irkutsk
You can distinguish a Christian church from any other buildings by its characteristic dome (head) with a cross. This is a symbol of the Savior's death on the cross, Who voluntarily ascended the Cross for our redemption. It is no coincidence that the number of heads on each church is:
- one dome signifies the Commandment of the unity of God (I am the Lord your God, and you will have no other gods besides Me);
- three domes are erected in honor of the Holy Trinity;
- the five domes symbolize Jesus Christ and His four evangelists;
- seven chapters remind believers of the seven main Sacraments of the Holy Church, as well as the seven ecumenical councils;
- Sometimes there are buildings with thirteen chapters, which symbolize the Lord and the 12 apostles.
About Orthodox churches:
When laying the foundation stone for a temple, one of the following figures may be laid in the foundation:
- cross (signifies the instrument of the Lord’s death and the symbol of our salvation);
- rectangle (associated with Noah's Ark as a ship of salvation);
- circle (meaning the absence of beginning and end of the Church, which is eternal);
- a star with 8 ends (in memory of the Bethlehem star, which pointed to the birth of Christ).
Top view of the Church of Elijah the Prophet in Yaroslavl
Symbolically, the building itself correlates with the ark of salvation for all mankind. And just as Noah many centuries ago saved his family and all living things on his ark during the Great Flood, so today people go to church to save their souls.
The main liturgical part of the church, where the altar is located, faces east, since the goal of human life is to go from darkness to light, and therefore from west to east. In addition, in the Bible we see texts in which Christ himself is called the East and the Light of Truth coming from the East. Therefore, it is customary to serve the Liturgy at the altar in the direction of the rising sun.
Internal structure of the temple
Entering any church, you can see the division into three main zones:
- porch;
- main or middle part;
- altar.
The narthex is the very first part of the building behind the entrance doors. In ancient times, it was accepted that it was in the narthex that sinners before repentance and catechumens stood and prayed - people who were just preparing to accept Baptism and become full members of the Church. In modern churches there are no such rules, and candle kiosks are most often located in the vestibules, where you can buy candles, church literature and submit notes for commemoration.
The narthex is a small space between the door and the temple
In the middle part are all those praying during the service. This part of the church is also sometimes called the nave (ship), which again refers us to the image of Noah’s ark of salvation. The main elements of the middle part are the solea, pulpit, iconostasis and choir. Let's take a closer look at what it is.
Solea
This is a small step located in front of the iconostasis. Its purpose is to elevate the priest and all participants in the service so that they can be better seen and heard. In ancient times, when churches were small and dark, and even crowded with people, it was almost impossible to see and hear the priest behind the crowd. That's why they came up with such an elevation.
Pulpit
In modern churches this is part of the solea, most often oval-shaped, which is located in the middle of the iconostasis right in front of the Royal Doors. On this oval ledge, sermons are delivered by the priest, petitions are read out by the deacon, and the Gospel is read. In the middle and on the side of the pulpit there are steps to ascend to the iconostasis.
The Gospel is read from the pulpit and sermons are preached
Choir
The place where the choir and readers are located. Large churches most often have several choirs - an upper and a lower one. The lower choirs are usually located at the end of the solea. On major holidays, several choirs, located in different choirs, can sing in one church at once. During regular services, one choir sings from one choir.
Iconostasis
The most noticeable part of the interior decoration of the temple. This is a kind of wall with icons that separates the altar from the main part. Initially, iconostases were low, or their function was performed by curtains or small grilles. Over time, icons began to be hung on them, and the height of the barriers grew. In modern churches, iconostasis can reach the ceiling, and the icons on it are arranged in a special order.
The main and largest gate leading to the altar is called the Royal Doors. They depict the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and icons of all four evangelists. On the right side of the Royal Doors they hang an icon of Christ, and behind it an image of the main holiday in honor of which the temple or this border is consecrated. On the left side there is an icon of the Mother of God and one of the especially revered saints. On the additional doors to the altar it is customary to depict Archangels.
The Last Supper is depicted above the Royal Doors, along with the icons of the major twelve holidays. Depending on the height of the iconostasis, there may also be rows of icons depicting the Mother of God, saints, passages from the Gospel... They were the ones who stood on Golgotha during the execution of the Lord on the cross. The same arrangement can be seen on the large crucifix, which is located on the side of the iconostasis.
The main idea of designing the iconostasis is to present the Church in its entirety, with the Lord at the head, with the saints and Heavenly powers. A person who prays at the iconostasis, as it were, stands before everything that constitutes the essence of Christianity from the time of the Lord’s earthly life to this day.
About prayer in the temple:
Altar
Finally, the holy of holies of any church, without which the celebration of the Liturgy is impossible. A church can be consecrated even in a simple building without domes, but it is impossible to imagine any church without an altar. Anyone cannot enter the altar; this is allowed only to clergy, deacons, sextons and individual males with the blessing of the rector of the temple. Women are strictly prohibited from entering the altar completely.
The main part of the altar is the Holy Throne, which symbolizes the Throne of the Lord God himself. In physical terms, it is a large, heavy table, maybe made of wood or stone. The square shape indicates that food from this table (namely the word of God) is served to people all over the Earth, in all four directions of the world. For the consecration of the temple, the laying of holy relics under the Throne is mandatory.
Important! Just as in Christianity there is nothing accidental or unimportant, so the decoration of the house of God has a deep symbolic meaning in every detail.
To new Christians, such concern for details may seem unnecessary, however, if you delve deeper into the essence of the service, it will become clear that every thing in the temple has a use. This order sets an example for every person: we must live in such a way that both external and internal order leads us to God.
Video about the internal structure of the temple
External and internal structure of the temple
The Temple of God differs in appearance from other buildings. For the most part, the temple at its base is arranged in the form of a cross. This means that it is dedicated to the Lord crucified on the cross for us and that through the cross the Lord Jesus Christ delivered us from the power of the devil. Often the temple is built in the form of an oblong ship, which means that the Church, like a ship, in the image of Noah’s Ark, saves us from the raging sea of life and leads us to a quiet, reliable harbor in the Kingdom of Heaven. Sometimes the temple building is arranged in the form of a circle: this reminds us of the eternity of the Church of Christ; it can also be arranged in the form of an octagon, like a star, meaning that the Church, like a guiding star, shines in this world.
The temple building usually ends at the top dome, depicting the sky. The dome crowns chapter, on which a cross is placed - for the glory of the Head of the Church Jesus Christ. Often, not one, but several chapters are placed on the temple: two chapters mean two natures (Divine and human) in Jesus Christ, three chapters - the three Persons of the Holy Trinity, five chapters - Jesus Christ and the four Evangelists, seven chapters - the seven sacraments and seven Ecumenical Councils, nine chapters - nine ranks of angels, thirteen chapters - Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles; Sometimes more chapters are built.
Orthodox churches are built with the altar facing the east - towards the light, where the sun rises: the Lord Jesus Christ is the “East” for us, from Him the eternal Divine Light has shone for us.
Each temple is dedicated to God, bearing a name in memory of one or another sacred event or saint of God, for example, Trinity Church, Transfiguration, Nikolaevsky, etc. If several altars are installed in the temple, each of them is consecrated in memory of a special event or saint. Then all altars, except the main one, are called side altars, or aisles(an extension to the main temple, which has its own altar and a special altar in it).
It is built above the entrance to the temple, and sometimes next to the temple. Bell tower, or belfry, that is, a tower on which bells hang, used to call believers to prayer and to announce the most important parts of the service performed in the temple.
The Orthodox church (modeled on the Old Testament temple, which had a courtyard, a sanctuary and a holy place) according to its internal structure is divided into three parts: the altar, the middle church and the vestibule.
The narthex called the western part of the temple, where the main entrance is located. It corresponds to the courtyard of the Old Testament temple, where all the people prayed. Previously, the porch was intended for persons who did not have the right to enter the temple. Here stood the catechumens, who, preparing to become Christians, had not yet received the sacrament of baptism; and those who seriously sinned and apostatized from the Church were sent to stand in the vestibule for correction. Currently, candles and prosphora are sold in the vestibule. Sometimes in the narthex there are people who have received appropriate penance (punishment) from the confessor, as well as people who, for one reason or another, consider themselves unworthy to go into the middle part of the temple at this time. Therefore, even today the porch retains its spiritual and practical significance.
The common name for this part is the meal, since in ancient times treats for the poor were held there on the occasion of a holiday or commemoration of the dead. In Byzantium, this part was also called narfiks - a place for those punished.
Now the porch has a liturgical purpose. It is where litias are celebrated at Great Vespers and memorial services for the departed.
The entrance to the narthex from the street is usually arranged in the form porch- a platform in front of the entrance doors of the temple, to which several steps lead. The porch has a very specific meaning, since it is an image of the spiritual elevation on which the Church is located among the surrounding world.
In the narthex there are images of the prophets who foreshadowed the incarnation of Christ, Old Testament events that were prototypes of His coming. An image of the Last Judgment is placed on the western wall of the narthex so that those leaving the church can take with them the thought of the inevitable end and think about their sins.
The middle part of the temple where the worshipers stand corresponds to the sanctuary of the Old Testament temple. No one had the right to enter the sanctuary of the Old Testament temple except the priests. All Christian believers stand in our church, because now the Kingdom of God is closed to no one.
Here are images of the incarnate Christ the Savior in the arms of the Mother of God, the Holy Trinity, saints and Angels. In the dome rises Christ Pantocrator, the Head of the Church, with the Gospel revealed in words: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matt. 11:28). Under the dome, in the four corners called “sails”, evangelists are depicted spreading the teachings of Christ throughout the world.
In this part of the temple the Eucharist is eaten. It symbolizes the area of earthly existence, the world of people, but already justified, sanctified. Interpretations agree that, unlike the altar, which marks the realm of God’s existence, the middle part of the temple is a semblance of the created world.
Altar- This is the most sacred part of the temple. Just as the holy place meant saints in the Old Testament temple, so now the altar means the Kingdom of Heaven. In the Old Testament, only the high priest could enter the holy place - and only once a year and only with the blood of a cleansing sacrifice. After all, the Kingdom of Heaven was closed to man after the Fall. The high priest was a prototype of Christ, and this action of his signified to people that the time would come when Christ, through the shedding of His blood and suffering on the cross, would open the Kingdom of Heaven to everyone. That is why, when Christ died on the cross, the curtain in the temple, covering the holy of holies, was torn in two: from that moment on, Christ opened the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven for all who come to Him with faith.
In the altar, in the recess of the vault, there is an image of the Mother of God, who is inseparable through the incarnation from the Redemptive Sacrifice. Above the altar, where the Holy Gifts are prepared, there are icons: “Crucifixion”, “Entombment” or “Descent from the Cross”.
The sanctity of this place is so great that in ancient times, entry into the altar was strictly prohibited for any lay person, both women and men. An exception was sometimes made only for deaconesses, and subsequently for nuns in nunneries, where they could enter the altar to clean and light lamps. Subsequently, with a special bishop's or priest's blessing, subdeacons, readers, as well as the so-called altar servers of reverent men or nuns, whose duties included cleaning the altar, lighting lamps, preparing censers, etc., were allowed to enter the altar.
In the center of the altar is throne- a specially consecrated quadrangular table, decorated with two clothes: the lower one - white, made of linen, and the upper one - made of more expensive material, on which the sacrament of communion is performed.
The Holy Altar of an Orthodox church symbolizes the immaterial Throne of the Most Holy Trinity, God the Creator and Provider of all things. The four sides of the throne correspond to the four cardinal directions, the four seasons, the four periods of the day (morning, afternoon, evening, night), the four degrees of the realm of earthly existence (inanimate nature, flora, fauna, human race).
The throne also signifies Christ. In this case, the quadrangular shape of the throne means the Four Gospels, containing the entirety of the Savior’s teachings, and the fact that all four corners of the world, all people, are called to communicate with God in the Holy Mysteries.
The Holy See also marks the tomb of the Lord Jesus Christ, in which His body rested until the moment of the resurrection, as well as the Lord Himself lying in the tomb.
On the holy throne there are: an antimension, a Gospel, one or more altar crosses, a tabernacle, a shroud (translucent fabric) covering all objects on the throne in the intervals between services, and a monstrance.
Antimens– boards with sewn-in particles of the relics of Christian saints and the bishop’s inscription. The antimins is a necessary accessory for celebrating the full liturgy. It is consecrated according to a special rite only by the bishop. It is usually quadrangular, made of silk or linen. Modern antimensions depict the position of Jesus Christ in the tomb after being taken down from the cross and the four evangelists. There is always a sponge on the antimension for collecting small particles of the Body of Christ into a chalice, as well as for wiping the hands and lips of clergy after Communion. Without an antimension it is impossible to serve the liturgy. For safety, the antimind is wrapped in another silk cloth - oriton.
On top of the folded antimension it is certainly placed on the throne Gospel, called the altar table, in order to testify in a visible way to everyone about the constant presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in the most important part of the temple. With this Gospel they enter into the liturgy, at some vespers it is taken to the middle of the church for reading or veneration, in certain cases it is read on the altar or in the church, it is used to cross the altar at the beginning and at the end of the liturgy.
Since the Bloodless Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ is performed on the throne, a cross with the image of the crucified Lord will certainly be placed on the throne next to the Gospel.
In addition to the antimension, the Gospel, the Cross, which constitute an integral part of the throne, it contains tabernacle,- a special vessel, usually built in the form of a temple or chapel, with a small tomb. Inside this vessel in the tomb or in a special box in the lower part are placed particles of the Body of Christ, soaked in His Blood, prepared in a special way for long-term storage. These particles are used for the communion of the faithful at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts and the Sick.
It is also customary to believe on thrones monstrance- small reliquaries, most often arranged in the form of a chapel with a door and a cross at the top. Inside the monstrance there is a box for placing particles of the Body with the Blood of Christ, a small cup, a spoon (a small spoon for communion), and sometimes a vessel for wine. The monstrances serve to transfer the Holy Gifts to the homes of sick and dying people for their communion.
Over time, the altar began to be increasingly fenced off from the rest of the temple. In the catacomb churches there already existed soles and altar barriers in the form of low gratings. Then arose iconostasis with royal and side doors, which serves as a kind of dividing line, separating the altar from the rest of the temple.
The iconostasis is arranged as follows. In its central part there are royal gates– double-leaf, specially decorated doors located opposite the throne. They are called so because through them comes the King of Glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Holy Gifts to administer the sacrament to people, as well as during entrances with the Gospel and at the great entrance for the Liturgy in the offered but not yet given Holy Gifts.
To the left of the royal gates, northern single-leaf doors are installed for the exit of clergy at the statutory moments of the service. To the right of the royal doors, in the southern part of the iconostasis, there are southern single-leaf doors for the statutory entrances of clergy to the altar, when they are not made through the royal doors. From inside the royal doors, from the side of the altar, a curtain is hung from top to bottom. It withdraws and twitches at statutory moments and generally marks the veil of secrecy that covers the shrines of God.
On the royal doors there is usually placed the image of the Annunciation by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary about the upcoming birth of the Savior of the world, as well as the images of the four evangelists who announced this coming of the Son of God in the flesh to all humanity. This coming, being the beginning, the main event of our salvation, truly opened for people the hitherto closed doors of heavenly life, the Kingdom of God.
To the right of the royal doors is the image of Christ the Savior, and immediately behind it is the image of that holy or sacred event in the name of which this temple or chapel is consecrated. To the left of the royal doors is an image of the Mother of God. Thus, it is shown to everyone present in the temple that the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven is opened to people by the Lord Jesus Christ and His Most Pure Mother.
Next, behind the icons of the Mother of God and the temple feast, on both sides of the royal doors, icons of the most revered saints or sacred events in a given parish are placed. On the side, northern and southern doors of the altar, as a rule, Archdeacons Stephen and Lawrence (first martyrs) or Archangels Michael and Gabriel are depicted. Above the royal doors is the image of the Last Supper as the beginning and foundation of Christ's Church with its most important sacrament. This image also indicates that behind the royal doors in the altar the same thing is happening that happened at the Last Supper, and that through the royal doors the fruits of this sacrament will be brought out - the Body and Blood of Christ for the communion of believers.
To the right and left of this icon of the image of the Last Supper, in the second (festive) row of the iconostasis, there are icons of the most important Christian holidays, that is, those sacred events that served to save people.
The next, third row of icons (the so-called deisis) has as its center the image of Christ the Pantocrator, in royal vestments seated on a throne, coming to judge the living and the dead. On the right hand of Christ is depicted the Blessed Virgin Mary, begging Him for the forgiveness of human sins, on the left hand of the Savior is the image of the preacher of repentance John the Baptist in the same prayer position. These three icons are called deisis (from the Greek “deisis” - prayer). On the sides of the Mother of God and John the Baptist are images of the apostles turning to Christ in prayer.
In the center of the fourth row (the so-called prophetic) iconostasis the Mother of God is depicted with the Child of God in Her bosom or on her knees. On both sides of Her are depicted the Old Testament prophets who foreshadowed Her and the Redeemer born from Her.
In the fifth row of the iconostasis (the so-called forefathers; the fifth row is optional and may be absent), images of the forefathers are placed on one side, and the saints on the other. The top row, represented by the Old Testament patriarchs with the corresponding texts on the scrolls, represents the Old Testament Church from Adam to Moses. In the center of this row is the image of the Holy Trinity, or “Fatherland” (one of the iconographic variants of the image of the Holy Trinity).
The iconostasis is certainly crowned with a cross or a cross with a Crucifixion as the pinnacle of Divine love for the fallen world, which gave the Son of God as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind.
Behind the throne is seven-branched candlestick, that is, a candlestick with seven lamps, and behind it - an altarpiece cross. The place behind the throne at the very eastern wall of the altar is called to the heavenly(high) place, it is usually made sublime.
On the sides of the seven-branched candlestick, on the northern and southern sides of the throne, it is customary to place on the shafts an external icon of the Mother of God (on the northern side) and a cross with the image of the Crucifixion of Christ (on the southern side). To the right or left of the altar there is a laver for washing the hands of the clergy before the liturgy and washing the mouth after it, and a place where the censer is lit.
Altar called a table covered with sacred robes, on which proskomedia is performed, that is, bread and wine are prepared for the sacrament of communion (Eucharist). He stands in the northeast corner of the altar. There are sacred vessels on it: bowl(chalice) into which church wine is poured; paten- a small round dish on a stand with an image of the Baby Jesus lying in a manger. Bread (Lamb - the cut out middle part of the prosphora) is placed on the paten for consecration at the liturgy, as well as particles taken from other prosphoras; star, consisting of two curved metal arcs interconnected crosswise; it is delivered on a paten so that the cover does not touch the particles taken out of the prosphora; a spear with which the Lamb is cut out of the prosphora and particles are removed from the prosphora; liar(spoon) for the communion of believers; sponge for wiping blood vessels.
In the ancient Church there was no altar in the altar. It was held in a special room in ancient Russian churches - in the northern aisle, connected to the altar by a small door. Such chapels on both sides of the altar to the east were ordered to be built by the Apostolic Decrees: the northern chapel is for the offering (altar), the southern chapel is for the receptacle (sacristy). Later, for convenience, the altar was moved to the altar, and temples most often began to be built in the chapels, that is, thrones were erected and consecrated in honor of sacred events and saints. Thus, many ancient temples began to have not one, but two and three thrones, to combine two and three special temples.
In parish churches that do not have a special vessel storage facility, liturgical sacred vessels are constantly located on the altar, covered with shrouds during non-service times. A lamp must be placed on the altar, and there is a cross with a Crucifix.
The altar marks the cave where there was a manger, that is, the place of the Nativity of Christ, as well as Golgotha, the place of the Savior’s feat of the cross. In addition, when the Holy Gifts at the end of the liturgy are transferred from the throne to the altar, it takes on the meaning of the heavenly Throne, where the Lord Jesus Christ ascended and sat down at the right hand of God the Father.
A table is usually placed near the altar to place on it prosphoras served by believers, and notes about health and repose.
The altar also contains censers, used for burning incense (incense). Everyday was established in the Old Testament Church by God Himself.
Worshiping before the holy altar and icons expresses our respect and reverence for them. Every prayer addressed to those praying expresses the wish that their prayer would be fervent and reverent and would easily ascend to Heaven, like incense smoke, and that the grace of God would overshadow the believers as the smoke of incense surrounds them. Believers respond to incense with a bow.
The altar also contains dikiriy And trikirium, used by the bishop to bless the people, and ripids.
On the right side of the altar there is a sacristy. This is the name of the room where vestments are stored, that is, sacred garments used during worship, as well as church vessels and books with which worship is performed.
The elevation on which the altar and iconostasis stand protrudes significantly forward, into the middle part of the temple, and is called salty.
The middle of the solea, the elevation in front of the royal doors, is called pulpit, i.e. by ascent. At the pulpit, the deacon pronounces litanies (prayer requests) on behalf of the worshipers and reads the Gospel. On the pulpit, Holy Communion is also given to believers.
Along the edges of the solea, near the walls of the temple, they arrange choirs for readers and singers.
They stand at the choir banners– images of the Face of the Savior or the Blessed Virgin Mary on fabric or metal, attached to long shafts. They are worn during religious processions as church banners.
The temple also has eve– a low table on which there is an image of the Crucifixion and a stand for candles. Before the eve, memorial services are served, that is, funeral services for the dead.
Standing in front of icons and lecterns candlesticks, on which believers place candles.
In the middle of the temple, at the top of the ceiling, hanging chandelier, i.e. a large candlestick with many candles. The chandelier is lit during solemn moments of the service.
An important feature of an Orthodox church is icons And frescoes with images of the Savior, Angels, saints of God and biblical scenes. Icons testify to God, the works of His mercy, and the heavenly world. They convey in colors what the Holy Scripture describes in words and create a prayerful mood in the church. When praying in front of an icon, we must remember that we are not praying to the substance from which it is made, but to the Lord, Mother of God or the saint who is depicted on it.
The most ancient places of Christian prayer, the catacombs, have preserved sacred images of those times to this day. These images are more symbolic in comparison with modern icons. Nevertheless, the idea is the same: to remind of God. Among such ancient images, mention should be made of a lamb - a symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ, who suffered for people; the lion is a symbol of His power; fish - in its Greek name “ichthys” contains the initials of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; anchor is a sign of Christian hope; a dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, etc. More complex compositions are also found in the catacombs, illustrating biblical events and gospel parables: Noah in the ark, the worship of the Magi, the resurrection of Lazarus and others. Over the centuries, these early Christian symbols and compositions became more artistic and varied.
On icons, God is depicted in the images in which He appeared to people. So, for example, the Holy Trinity is depicted as three wandering Angels sitting at a table. In this form the Lord appeared to righteous Abraham. On other icons, each of the Persons of the Holy Trinity has its own symbolic outline. God the Father is in the form of an old man, because this is how He appeared to the prophets Isaiah and Daniel. Jesus Christ is depicted in human form as He was when He descended to earth and became a man: as a baby in the arms of the Virgin Mary or teaching the people and performing miracles, being transfigured, suffering on the cross, lying in a tomb, resurrected or ascended.
God the Holy Spirit is depicted in the form of a dove (this is how He revealed Himself during the Baptism of the Savior in the Jordan) or in the form of tongues of fire (this is how He descended visibly on the holy apostles on the fiftieth day after the resurrection of Jesus Christ).
The newly painted icon must certainly be consecrated in the temple and sprinkled with holy water. After this, it becomes a sacred object through which the grace of the Holy Spirit works invisibly. There are many miraculous icons known from which healings are performed.
Around the head of the Savior and the saints on the icons a radiance is depicted - nimbus. It symbolizes the grace of God residing in the one who is depicted with a halo.
The placement of holy images reflects the harmonious continuity of the dogmas of Orthodoxy: the Indivisibility and Consubstantiality of the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation and the Redemptive Sacrifice of Christ.
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The temple includes main (main) and auxiliary premises, the composition of which varies depending on the type of temple and local conditions. The main (main) rooms are, first of all, the altar, the middle part and the vestibule, to which are added the sacristy, sexton, choir, belfry or bell tower, if the bells are placed on the temple. There may be a mortuary and a baptismal room. Auxiliary premises include: an office, a rest room for clergy and clergy, a bakery, warehouses, toilets, technical rooms (ventilation chambers, electrical panels, etc.). Some premises for social and educational purposes may be built into the temple building: a hall for choir practice, a parochial school, etc. But the main (main) premises of the temple constitute the canonical church and must be clearly separated from the auxiliary premises.
2.1. Narthex
The entrance to the church is preceded by a porch - a platform in front of the entrance doors, to which several steps lead. This rise has the meaning of the elevation of the Church above the world “as a Kingdom not of this world.” A porch from a small porch can turn into a vast gallery - a walkway, so common in the 17th century.
The porch in ancient Russian churches was often lowered, since there were no catechumens, and the penitents (who had committed a grave sin and therefore were not allowed to attend the service) stood on the porch. However, later the construction of the vestibule was considered necessary. This is where the candle box is located - a counter for selling candles and ordering required items. Placing a church box in the church itself distracts worshipers and interferes with the service.
The porch also has a liturgical purpose. Here (if conditions exist) memorial services for the deceased are performed, since they are associated with the offering of various products that are not considered decent to bring into the temple. Parts of the evening service are served here, a cleansing prayer is given to the woman after forty days after giving birth; Here are people who consider themselves, for one reason or another, unworthy to enter the temple. The painting of the narthex consists of wall paintings on the themes of the paradise life of pristine people and their expulsion from paradise. There may also be icons here.
In the right wing or in both wings of the porch there is a candle box. In the left wing there is traditionally a staircase leading to the choir and bell tower. An entrance to the ground floor is provided from the vestibule.
An ancient rule prescribes that the vestibule be separated from the middle part of the temple by a wall with three gates, the middle of which are called red. Before the red gates, entering the temple, the Orthodox Greek kings took off their weapons and insignia. These gates are decorated on the outside with descending and tapering arches - “strait is the gate and narrow is the path of believers to (eternal) life,” but this rule is rarely observed today. The forms of the vestibule can be extremely varied.
The porch is also called the refectory. In the first centuries of Christianity, after the liturgy, a meal, the so-called love supper, was arranged from the remains of the brought bread and wine. This custom has been preserved in monasteries, where the monastic refectory is located in the vestibule. A large refectory - a vestibule - was made in northern Russian wooden churches. Community meetings of the entire churchyard were held here, where both the church and secular life of the parish were decided. In modern Western Orthodox churches there are vestibules designed in the form of a refectory - a large room separated by doors, preceding the church. Here parishioners meet for religious conversations and to discuss matters in the parish. A bell tower may rise above the porch.
In general, the options for placing bells at the temple are different. They can be located on free-standing bell towers and belfries. But a much larger number of temples in recent centuries had bells on the temple. Apparently, this is due to ease of use. Bells can be located above the vestibule: in a bell tower, in a closed or open belfry. A tall bell tower is preferable, as the sound travels further and in all directions. Bells can also be located above the middle part of the temple: “temple with ringings” and bells in the false chapters of a multi-domed temple.
2.2. Middle part of the temple
The middle part of the temple is the part that is located between the porch and the altar. Between the middle part and the altar there is an iconostasis. In the first centuries of Christianity, the church was separated from the altar only by a curtain or lattice. Subsequently, a separating wall with icons located on it appeared in the Orthodox church. The iconostasis was finally formed at the beginning of the 16th century. There are three doors in the iconostasis: northern, southern (called Dyakonovsky) - single-leaf and middle - double-leaf. The middle ones are called “royal doors”, since “the king of kings (Jesus Christ) comes” through them in the Holy Gifts during communion, “he will be sworn and given as food to the faithful.”
The iconostasis, like the altar, is located on an elevation in relation to the floor of the main temple. Solea is an elevated place in front of the iconostasis, extending deep into the entire altar. The solea is the second elevation of the temple above ground level after the porch. It includes only the clergy leading the service and selected laity, for example, those taking communion.
The height of the solea varies: from five or even seven steps in a cathedral to one in a small parish or monastery church. If the salt is high, then the clergy experience sufficient inconvenience when carrying out the Holy Gifts, but if it is low, then the service is difficult for parishioners to see.
The part of the solea, protruding in a semicircle towards the center of the temple opposite the royal doors, is called the pulpit. From the pulpit, the deacon reads the Gospel and proclaims litanies, the priest reads sermons. Here the sacrament of communion of believers is performed. The pulpit is a sacred place on the sole.
Opposite the northern and southern gates of the iconostasis there are places for readers and singers - choirs. There are two choirs, since some church hymns are sung alternately by two choirs: first on one choir, then on the other. The choirs are lateral extensions of the solea.
Solea and choirs (except for the pulpit) are usually fenced with bars. Banners and icons on poles are attached to the fences - church banners, symbolizing the victory of Christianity over the pagans, the Church over its enemies.
In cathedrals, the bishop's pulpit is constantly located, and in parish churches only when the bishop arrives. They place it in the center of the temple opposite the pulpit (a raised square platform). A seat - a pulpit - is placed on the bishop's pulpit. On this ambo the bishop vests himself (hence the “cloud” place) and stands at the beginning of the liturgy.
In front of the pulpit, closer to the center of the church, but before the bishop's pulpit, there is always a lectern (Fig. 4). This is a high, sloping table in one direction, on which an icon of a saint or holiday celebrated on a given day is placed.
In the middle part of the temple there is also an image of Golgotha in the form of a large wooden crucifix. If there are no proper conditions in the vestibule, then a table with a kanun is placed near the northern wall of the middle part - a quadrangular table with a cross and a stand for candles. Memorial services for the deceased are held here. In addition to permanent accessories, in the middle part of the temple there may be a baptismal font, a bowl of blessed water, etc.
In the western part of a fairly large temple there are choirs. During ceremonial services, the church choir sings here, and not in the choir. Choirs are often located above the narthex.
The church must have very good acoustics. Carefully thought out geometry of the internal space from an acoustic point of view is very important during worship. In Orthodox worship, polyphonic singing is of great importance. Everyone present at the church service sings. The priest, standing in front of the gates of the iconostasis, says a chant of prayers, and a deacon with a bass trumpet voice stands nearby. The priest and deacon conduct a singing dialogue with the choir located in the choir or choir. Part of the liturgy is announced from behind the closed gates of the wooden resonating iconostasis and the voice then comes from above, reflected from the vault. From time to time, a deacon or priest leads the liturgy from the middle of the church, standing at the sound focal point of the central dome. Parishioners can also pray with singing. The sound impression of an Orthodox church is completely different from the organ music of a Catholic church.
Good acoustics are achieved by the historically established geometry of the temple space and by finding such a height of the church that the singing sound has strength and resonance. The layout of the vaults and domes was determined by the beneficial effects of the sound space (the beneficial effects of the sound chamber). Through holes in the vaults were never made above the altar, choirs and choirs, so that the sound would not be lost.
The middle part of the temple is the actual temple for the parishioner. He is not allowed into the altar. The traditional design of the interior of the church helps the layman to concentrate, understand the service, and become more deeply imbued with faith. The wall paintings of the temple, the icons, together with the very action of the service (the singing of the choir, the reading of the readers, the exclamations of the deacon, the prayers of the priest) constitute a single, integral image of God’s world, asking for the salvation of the entire earthly world.
All the walls of the Orthodox canonical church are covered with paintings (see Fig. 1). The vault represents Heaven and God, the floor is the earthly world. Heaven and earth are not opposed to each other, but with the help of painting they inextricably merge into a single world of worshipers. Options for painting the temple may vary slightly. The approximate order of the images is described below.
In the center of the dome is the image of the Lord Pantocrator (Pantocrator). Below him, along the edge of the dome sphere, are the seraphim, the forces of God. Eight archangels with insignia are written in the dome drum. In the sails under the dome are four evangelists with their symbols. Then along the northern and southern walls, from top to bottom (in rows), saints, saints and martyrs are depicted. The paintings do not reach the floor, leaving space for panels the height of a person. They often depict white towels decorated with ornaments. These panels symbolically equate to the lower rank of saints all living people and, therefore, those who have hope of salvation. Scenes from the history of the New and Old Testaments are also depicted on the northern and southern walls. The space between individual paintings and images of saints is filled with an ornament with images of the plant world, such elements as crosses in a circle and a rhombus, octagonal stars, etc. Images of saints and martyrs, the most revered in a given parish, are painted on the pillars. If, in addition to the central dome, there are other domes in the temple, images of the Cross, the Mother of God, the All-Seeing Eye in a triangle, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove are painted on them.
On the western wall of the middle part of the temple there are paintings calling for faith in God - “The Salvation of Drowning Peter”, “Christ and the Sinner”; above the entrance, red gate, there is a picture of the Last Judgment, as a reminder to those leaving the temple of God’s punishment.
The painting of the iconostasis allows one to understand the entire history of the Church. The arrangement of the icons may vary somewhat, but the general order is maintained (Fig. 5).
Rice. 5. Scheme of a complete five-row iconostasis
The Annunciation and the four evangelists are depicted on the royal doors; on the side doors there is an archangel and one of the deacons appointed by the apostles (usually Archdeacon Stephen). In the first row from the bottom on the sides of the royal doors there are icons: on the right is the image of the Savior, on the left is the Mother of God. Next to the icon of the Savior is the main icon of the temple, the icon of the saint in whose honor the throne was consecrated. In the second row above the royal doors there is an icon of the Last Supper, and on both sides there are images of the twelve most important holidays.
In the third row there are icons of the holy apostles and among them is the “Deesis” (an image of the Lord and the Mother of God and St. John the Baptist praying to him). In the fourth row, in the center, icons of the holy prophets are placed, in the center - an icon of the Mother of God with the Child. The last fifth row consists of images of the patriarchs and in the middle - the Lord of Hosts with the Divine Son. The iconostasis is usually crowned with a cross with a crucifix and the Mother of God and John the Baptist standing on either side.
Thus, the five rows of the complete iconostasis consistently describe the entire history of man’s knowledge of God: from the predictions of the forefathers and prophets (top two rows) to reminders of the life of Christ and the apostles (second and third row from the bottom). The bottom row with local and temple icons faces the present day of the temple. In the center of the iconostasis, from the upper cross to the royal doors and local icons, through all the rows there is an image of Jesus Christ in different forms. This axis clearly records to whom the Christian temple is dedicated and for whom it is intended to glorify (Fig. 6).
The iconostasis can also be incomplete, that is, consisting of a smaller number of rows, depending on the size and style of the temple (Fig. 7). The most common are single-row (Fig. 8) and three-row iconostases (Fig. 9).
Rice. 6. Scheme of the iconostasis
The temple is illuminated by three types of lamps: windows, lamps and candles. The liturgical charter provides for in some cases the lighting of all lamps, in others - almost their complete extinguishing. Thus, when reading the Six Psalms at the all-night vigil, it is necessary to extinguish the candles, except for the candles in the middle of the temple (where the reader stands) and in front of the three icons of the iconostasis: Christ, the Mother of God and the temple icon. But on holidays and at Sunday services, all the lamps are lit. Between services, a gloomy twilight prevails in the temple.
The light in the temple is a symbol of Divine light. The example is the twilight of a Byzantine temple, where “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Therefore, it is preferable to have narrow windows in the temple. Small spots of natural light, sifted through bars of regular or colored glass, are thoughtfully introduced into the interior. There are no large, representative stained glass windows on the windows, unlike Catholic churches. It is recommended to have five windows on each wall.
The two upper ones mean the light of Jesus Christ, cognizable in two hypostases, the three lower ones mean the trinitarian light of the deity.
Rice. 7. Scheme of a small single-row iconostasis
Rice. 8. Single-row iconostasis
In the center of the church, a chandelier descends from the dome - a large lamp with more than twelve candles (electric lamps in the form of candles are now allowed). According to the Church Charter, during Sunday and holiday services, all lamps are lit, including the chandelier, creating an image of God’s light that will shine on the faithful in the Kingdom of Heaven. With its many lights, the chandelier symbolically means the Heavenly Church as a constellation, a collection of people sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit, burning with the fire of love for God.
Rice. 9. Three-row iconostasis
From the side domes descend polycadils - lamps from seven to twelve candles. Lamps are lit in front of each icon; for those who are especially revered, several are lit.
The living, moving light of candles is the opposite of dead electric light. Flickering candles increase the mood of mystery of the temple. When electricity spread, at first they tried to ban it in the temple, but now in churches, lamps and chandeliers are usually electric. They are imitated as candles and oil lamps: lamps in the shape of candles, glass lamps in dark red or matte white.
Candles still occupy a special place in the temple. The candles that believers buy in the temple symbolize a person’s voluntary sacrifice to God, this is an expression of obedience to God (the softness of the wax), a testimony of faith, and it is a symbol of a person’s involvement in the Divine light. Candles brought by parishioners are placed in large candlesticks with cells in front of the icons. A large candlestick is always placed in the center of the temple on the eastern side of the lectern. The leaders of the service come out with lit candles.
2.3. Altar
The altar is the most important part of the temple, accessible only to church and clergy (Fig. 10).
The altar is elevated in relation to the floor of the middle part of the temple and is on the same level with the salt, separated from it by the iconostasis. In the altar on the iconostasis behind the royal doors, a long curtain is attached on rings.
In the center of the altar, opposite the royal doors, there is a throne. The throne is the most sacred accessory of the temple; only clergy can touch it. It is as if God himself is invisibly present on it. Here the consecration of the Holy Gifts takes place during communion. The throne is a quadrangular table about one meter high. It is made from wood (usually oak), marble, silver, and gold. It rests on four pillars; during bishop's consecration, sometimes a fifth pillar is made in the middle with an empty space for a box with relics.
Rice. 10. Scheme of the altar and temple salts:
1. Altar:
1.1 – throne; 1.2 – altar; 1.3 – Mountain place; 1.4 – altarpiece; 1.5 – seven-branched candlestick; 1.6 – external Cross; 1.7 – external icon of the Mother of God; 1.8 – lectern; 1.9 – resting place for a clergyman; 1.10 – table for vestments; 1.11 – cabinet (safe) for vessels and liturgical books; 1.12 – exhaust channel for the censer; 1.13 – switch for the temple chandelier, general lighting of the altar and local lighting of the altar; 1.14 – plug socket; 1.15 – washbasin; 1.16 – place for remote candles; 1.17 – clothes hanger
2. Iconostasis:
2.1 – “Royal Doors”; 2.2 – northern deacon doors; 2.3 – southern deacon doors
3. Solea with choirs:
3.1 – pulpit; 3.2 – salt fence; 3.3 – lectern of the regent; 3.4 – local lighting switch; 3.5 – cabinet for liturgical books; 3.6 – icon case; 3.7 – candlestick; 3.8 – place for banners
The throne (Fig. 11) is covered with two clothes (bedspreads).
On it there is an antimension, a cross, a Gospel, a monstrance, and a myrrh. Particular significance is attributed to the antimension, a silk plate with holy relics sewn into it. When the temple is consecrated, the antimension is brought into the church and placed on the altar. It is the presence of the antimension that makes the temple active and the throne sacred.
The throne is the third elevation in the temple after the porch and solea.
He personifies eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. There are two main ideas associated with the throne:
1. About the death of Christ (Holy Sepulcher).
2. About the royal glory of the Almighty (throne of God).
Rice. 11. Throne
A canopy or ciborium is usually installed above the throne, personifying the sky stretched over the earth on which the redemptive feat of Jesus Christ was accomplished. Inside the ciborium, from its middle, a figurine of a dove descends to the throne - a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The ciborium is arranged on four pillars, less often it is suspended from the ceiling. In the ciboria, curtains are made to cover the throne on all sides in the spaces between the pillars.
The place between the altar and the eastern wall of the altar is called the High Place. In cathedrals and in many parish churches, close to the middle of the apse, opposite the throne, they build an elevation on which stands a chair for the bishop as a sign of the throne on which the Pantocrator sits. On the sides of the chair there are benches for the clergy serving the bishop. This may not be the case in parish churches, but this place is always the personification of the Heavenly Throne. They burn incense in the high place, light candles and lamps.
In front of the High Place behind the throne there is a seven-branched candlestick, symbolizing the invisible heavenly light emanating from the throne. On the sides of the seven-branched candlestick it is customary to place on the shafts external icons of the Mother of God (north side) and the Cross with the image of the Crucifixion of Christ (south side).
On the left side of the altar, opposite the northern door, there is the second most important accessory of the altar - the altar (Fig. 12). The altar is a quadrangular table, equal in height to the throne, but smaller in width. He is also covered with clothes. Here prosphoras and liturgies are prepared for their subsequent consecration on the throne. The altar represents the cave and manger where Jesus Christ was born, as well as the heavenly throne where Jesus Christ ascended. Near the altar there is a table for prosphoras and notes for health and repose given by believers.
Rice. 12. Altar
To the right of the throne, near the wall, there is a table on which lie the robes of the clergy, prepared for worship. In front of the altar, to the right of the royal gate, at the southern door of the altar, a chair for the bishop is placed. To the left or right of the altar in the altar there is also a washbasin for washing the hands of the clergy before the liturgy and washing the lips after it.
The altar painting is not canonically permanent. Here is the most common order. Cherubs are painted in the altar vaults. In the upper part of the apse there is an image of the Mother of God “The Sign” or “The Unbreakable Wall” (derived from the painting of Sophia of Kyiv). The middle and central part of the semicircle is the Last Supper (a reminder of the establishment of the rite of Holy Communion) or the image of Christ Pantocrator on the throne (the importance of the throne and the High Place is emphasized as the personification of the heavenly throne of Jesus Christ). To the right of the center are placed on the northern wall images of the Archangel Michael, the Nativity of Jesus Christ (above the altar), then the holy liturgists (John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, Gregory the Great), at the end - the image of the prophet David with a harp. To the left of the High Place along the southern wall follow the images of the Archangel Gabriel, the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, images of liturgists or ecumenical teachers, at the end the singers of the New Testament - John of Damascus, Roman the Sweet Singer, etc.
Three windows (signifies the trinitarian light of the Divine);
Two times three windows;
Three and two windows (where two are the two natures of Jesus Christ);
Four windows (four evangelists).
The shape of the altar corresponds to the movement of the priest as he walks around the altar, and is preferably “semicircular or with several sides.” There are altars with a semicircle, square, or octagonal sector in plan.
2.4. Side chapels
A chapel is an additional church (with its own altar) built next to the main church. “The need for chapels arose in connection with the Eastern custom of serving only one liturgy per day on one altar. Additional chapels made it possible to serve twice and thrice.” The presence of chapels makes it possible to perform several services simultaneously and with varying degrees of solemnity. Genetically, the chapel is a separate church adjacent to the main temple. The instructions of the Stoglavy Cathedral (1551) have been preserved: churches that are empty and without clergy should be taken to the main churchyard and turned into chapels at existing churches.
The chapel consists of a middle part and an altar, which should face east. The canon prescribes that each chapel should be marked with a chapter with a cross. In ancient times, there was a mandatory requirement to separate the aisle from the main church by a door, and now the space of the aisle must be sufficiently separated from the space of the main temple. The sacristy and sexton, and other service premises are often made uniform for the entire church.
The church canon prescribed that each altar should have its own cross and, therefore, each altar should be marked with its own head. This rule was not always followed in practice. For example, a three-altar church could be designed as a five-domed cross-domed church.
2.5. Utility rooms of the temple
On both sides of the altar there are two auxiliary rooms: the northern one is the sexton and the southern one is the deaconry. Sometimes they occupy two side apses on the sides of the altar apse, but smaller in size.
The sacristy, or deaconry, is usually a room separate from the altar, where sacred vessels, vestments of the clergy, and liturgical books are kept during non-liturgical times. Along the walls there are deep cabinets with sliding walls. The sacristy and sexton will have sinks for hand washing. In multi-altar churches, as well as when it is necessary to build a very large sacristy, more complex solutions are possible. Thus, in multi-altar churches of the late 19th century, the sacristy and sexton were often located in the wraparound gallery behind the main altar.
The sexton in early Christian times was intended for storing gifts for the benefit of the community and preparing items for the liturgy, since it was here that the altar was located. Subsequently, the altar began to be placed in the altar. Now the sexton serves to prepare clergy and clergy for the service. The sexton is a room for storing and preparing auxiliary means for worship, has a separate exit directly to the street and is connected to the ground floor by a spiral staircase.
Pokoinitskaya - “a chapel for the dead, in which a coffin can be placed and where memorial services can be served. Given the existence of the deceased, the coffin has to be placed in the church only for one funeral liturgy.”
