The temple consists, as a rule, is divided into main parts: the altar with the solea, the vestibule and the temple itself.
What is a porch?
this is, quite simply, a porch, i.e. elevated platform in front of the church entrance.
What is a porch?
The narthex may contain shelves with church literature, candles, icons and other church utensils for sale. There may also be hangers for parishioners' clothes.
The main part of the temple.
After the vestibule, we find ourselves in the temple itself, where worshipers stand during the service.
What is the name of the place in front of the iconostasis? What is soleya?
This place is called the solea - the elevation in front of the altar part of the temple. The Solea consists of an ambo and a choir. — K You cannot step on the sole except on special occasions (for example: Communion).
What is an pulpit?
- This is a ledge extended into the temple in the middle of the solea. The pulpit is intended for reading the Holy Scriptures, sermons and some other sacred rites.
What is a choir?
- this is a place in the temple for clerics (choristers)
What are the iconostasis and the royal doors in the temple?
- this is usually a solid wall separating the altar from the main room Orthodox church and composed of icons. The Royal Doors are the large central doors of the iconostasis.
What is an altar in a church?
- the most sacred place in the temple, fenced off by the iconostasis from the main part of the temple.
Is it possible for women to enter the altar?
Women are not allowed to enter the altar, and male parishioners can enter there only on special occasions and with the permission of the priest (for example, during baptism). There are 3 doors leading out of the altar: the Royal Doors (the most important), as well as the northern and southern doors. No one is allowed to walk through the Royal Doors except the priest.
What is in the altar of an Orthodox temple (church)? ,
In the middle of the altar is Throne, which is used for the preparation of holy gifts (communion). The throne contains the relics of saints, the Gospel and the Cross.
In the north-eastern part of the altar, to the left of the throne, when looking east, there is a F altar. The height of the altar is equal to the height of the throne. The altar is used for the preparation of holy gifts. A table is usually placed near the altar to place on it prosphoras served by believers, and notes about health and repose.
What is a high place? The most important thing is the main thing. In a high place in the altar of an Orthodox church, a rich chair is installed for high-ranking priests (bishops). The high place is a designation of the mysterious presence of God and those who serve him. Therefore, this place is always given due honors, even if, as is often the case in parish churches, it is not decorated with a dais with a seat for the bishop.
And its internal structure fully and completely expresses its aspiration to the Lord, and also serves salvation. Usually the part of the temple in which the altar is located is facing. The fact is that it is the east that symbolizes paradise.
Any Christian church can have from one to several domes. One dome is the Savior, three domes are the Holy Trinity, five domes are Christ and the four evangelist apostles. If the temple has twelve domes, these are the twelve apostles-disciples of Jesus Christ. The domes of the Christian church end with eight-pointed crosses, symbolizing salvation.
Part of the church, separated from it by a solid wall, a vestibule. It serves as a place of residence for penitents and catechumens. In general, the porch is a symbol of earthly existence. Also next to a Christian church there is usually a belfry (or bell tower).
Internal structure of the Christian church
Altar. This is a symbol of the Kingdom of Heaven and the realm of God's existence. The semicircular altar is usually separated from the middle part by a special altar barrier. It develops to the iconostasis. Inside the altar there is a special throne that serves for the performance of certain church sacraments.
On the left side of the throne there is usually an altar. This place is necessary for the performance of proskomedia. To the right of the throne is the deaconnik, i.e. a place where liturgies are celebrated. The part of the altar directed to the east has one or three apses - rounded shapes. The elevation, which is located between the altar and middle part Christian Church is called soleia. This is the place of all clergy. In its center is the pulpit, necessary for preaching.
The middle part of the Christian church is a kind of world of Angels and righteous people, symbolizing the human nature of Jesus Christ and the human soul. This part can have a variety of shapes - from oblong or round to octagonal. Today the most common cross-domed form of church. Inside the middle part of the church there are usually choirs (galleries), as well as additional chapels - special altars facing east and separated from the main church by their own iconostasis.
It is worth noting that the entire interior of the Christian church is covered with wall paintings. These are frescoes. They are arranged according to the principle of the hierarchy of sacred images and in accordance with the symbolism of all parts of the temple. All frescoes represent stylistic unity - a single dogmatic system, which is directly related to the liturgical action. The altar is also painted with frescoes.
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 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. WITH right side from the Royal Doors they hang an icon of Christ, and behind it the 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... It was they 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
Where did the first Christians pray? What are octogon, transept and nave? How is a tented temple structured and why was this form so popular in Rus'? Where is the highest place in the temple and what will the frescoes tell you about? What items are in the altar? We share an excerpt from Mikhail Braverman’s book about the history and structure of the temple.
In the first years after the Ascension of the Lord, Christians still visited the Jerusalem temple, but the sacrament of Communion, established by the Lord at the Last Supper, was celebrated in their homes.
The basis of the original Christian worship was both the Old Testament liturgical tradition and the Last Supper. And the formation of the Christian temple was influenced by both the Jerusalem Temple and the Zion Upper Room, in which the Lord established the Sacrament of Communion. (Zion is the name of one of the hills of Jerusalem.)
The creation of the Jerusalem Temple was preceded by a tabernacle - a tent, which, at God's command, was built by Moses on the way from the land of slavery to the Promised Land.
The tabernacle was divided into three parts. The most important, separated by a curtain, was called the Holy of Holies, for the Ark of the Covenant, a casket lined with gold, was kept there. The sculptures of winged cherubim (Angelic Forces) installed on its lid seemed to guard the shrines placed inside: a golden vessel with manna (with which God fed the people in the desert, and it was also a prototype of the Eucharist), the rod of the priest Aaron - the brother of Moses, as well as the tablets - slabs with ten commandments of the Old Testament.
And now the temple has a three-part structure: the vestibule, the temple itself and the altar, symbolizing the spiritual Heaven (the word “altar” is translated as “exalted altar”). The altar is usually oriented to the east, because the sun rises there, and the Church calls the Lord the “Sun of Truth.” A building dedicated to God and without an altar is called a chapel (from the service of the hours).
In the first three centuries the Church suffered severe persecution. At this time, services were often held secretly and even underground, in catacombs - underground burial galleries, in crypts (hides), sometimes the name given to the lower one, located under the main church, in more spacious chapels (from the Latin “to accommodate”).
After the end of the era of persecution, a rapid growth of temple construction began. Emperor Constantine the Great transfers public buildings to the Church - basilicas (royal houses). The basilica is a rectangular structure with an odd (1, 3, 5) number of naves (from the Latin “ship”) - elongated interior spaces bounded by rows of columns. One of the oldest Christian basilicas was consecrated in 339 at the site of the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem.
Other churches erected on behalf of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine in the Holy Land and associated with earthly life Christ the Savior, were rotundas (from the Latin “round”), for example over the Holy Sepulcher, or octahedrons - octogons. “Octo” means “eight”, in church symbolism this is the number of eternity, and therefore often the font in which they receive Baptism - they are born for eternity - is octagonal.
Gradually the temple acquires porch(“pre-temple”) and transept- transverse nave in front of the altar. Two cruciformly connected basilicas led to the appearance of a cross (in plan) temple, then supplemented by a dome, which symbolizes the spiritual firmament.
The cross-domed church, formed in the 5th–8th centuries in Byzantium, became one of the most common architectural types of Christian churches.
Massive construction of churches in Ancient Rus' began immediately after her Baptism in 988. The subsequent 11th century (during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise) was marked by the creation of St. Sophia Cathedrals in Kyiv, Novgorod and Polotsk. Sophia (from Greek - “wisdom”) is one of the names of the Lord Jesus Christ. The main temple was named Sophia Byzantine Empire. In the Russian land, the Sophia churches were dedicated to the Mother of God, from Whom the Divine Wisdom. In Kyiv, the patronal (main) holiday was the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, and in Polotsk and Novgorod - Her Assumption. Each temple has its own dedication, for example: Trinity Cathedral, Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The temple may bear the name of a holiday, or one of the Mother of God icons, or saints. There may be several altars in a temple and, accordingly, several patronal feasts.
St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod. 11th century
Gradually, a special character of Russian temple architecture emerged. The churches of Veliky Novgorod, Pskov, the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality and Moscow have their own style. An arched-stepped completion of the temple walls and a special “onion” dome mounted on a drum appeared.
If the Byzantine dome symbolizes Heaven descending to earth, then the Russian one symbolizes the burning of a candle. Subsequently, the Russian warrior’s helmet acquired this form. The temple represents the Divine order - the cosmos. But the world was created for man, and therefore the temple has human features: the dome is the head, the drum on which it is installed is the neck, the vaults are the shoulders. The entire temple, ending with an onion dome with a cross, signifies victory in spiritual warfare - the battle with sin.
The number of domes installed on the temple also has symbolism. One denotes faith in the One (One) God, two symbolize the two natures, Divine and human, in Jesus Christ, three - the mystery of the Holy Trinity, five - Christ and the evangelists, seven - a sacred number denoting completeness (the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are listed by the prophet Isaiah , the seven main church sacraments connect us with God, the history of the Church knows seven Ecumenical Councils), nine is the number of angelic ranks, thirteen domes symbolize the Lord and the twelve apostles. In Russia, since the 17th century, multi-domed churches were built, where twenty-four domes denoted the unity of the Old and New Testaments: the twelve judges (leaders) of Israel and the twelve apostles, and thirty-three - the years of Christ’s earthly life.
The temples were brick, white stone, and also wooden. The most common building material in Rus' was wood. This led to the emergence of a new type of temple - the tented one.
Creating a dome from wood was technically difficult, so from the 16th century the tent structure became widespread. Then tented temples began to be built from stone and brick. The most famous example is St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow.
The Byzantine heritage, the character of Russian holiness, the nature of Russia - all this was reflected in the formation of the original style of Russian temple architecture.
Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye, 1532.
The first stone tented temple
Another feature was the openness of Russian culture. It is surprising that typical Russian examples of architecture - the Assumption and Archangel Cathedrals in the Kremlin - were created in the 15th–16th centuries by Italian architects Aristotle Fioravanti and Aleviz Fryazin. At the same time, the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg was built in the spirit of European architecture by the Russian architect Andrei Voronikhin, the son of a serf.
The fashion for architectural style: Baroque, Rococo, Classicism, Empire - was reflected in temple construction. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, an appeal to Byzantine and Old Russian models, combined with elements of modernity, led to the emergence of neo-Russian and Russian-Byzantine styles.
At the beginning of the 20th century after the October Revolution, the Church in Russia entered a period of persecution. Much of the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Church - the heritage of all humanity - was destroyed. In the years Soviet power temples were blown up, destroyed, vegetable stores and factories were set up in masterpieces of world architecture, and concentration camps and prisons were set up in monasteries.
After the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus', with the fall of the communist regime, a revival of church life began.
What is inside the temple?
The Solea raises the altar above the rest of the temple space. The central part of the solea is called the pulpit (raise), from the pulpit a prayer is offered, the Gospel is read, and a sermon is preached.
If the altar is the main place of the temple, then the most important place in the altar is the throne. The liturgy is performed on it, and at different moments of the service it denotes the Upper Room of Zion, Golgotha - the mountain on which the Cross was installed, the Tomb of Christ and the Mount of Olives, from where the Lord ascended.
Relies on the throne antimens. Wrapped in oriton(translated as “wrapper”) the antimension unfolds during the liturgy and folds up at its end. The altar Gospel is placed on top of the antimension.
Also on the throne may be tabernacle. It contains spare Holy Gifts - consecrated bread and wine, with which the priest gives communion to those who cannot, for example, come to church due to illness (the priest transfers the Holy Gifts in a monstrance). On the throne there is an altar cross, which the priest holds in his hands on let go- the last prayer blessing of the liturgy. On the throne or behind it is installed seven-branched candlestick. John the Theologian wrote in Revelation about seven lamps who are before the Throne of God. Behind the throne is altar cross. All these sacred objects may also be works decorative arts. The space between the altar and the eastern wall of the altar is called high place.
The temple may also contain banners- church banners with icons.
The casket in which the remains of a saint are stored is called cancer. The relics of saints are the subject of special veneration, because the human body can be the temple of God, and the temple is holy. Inside the temple there is Calvary- a cross (sometimes with the upcoming St. John the Evangelist and the Mother of God) and tetrapods, a table for candles, in front of which they bring prayer for the dead.
Candlesticks, lamps, lamps not only illuminate the temple space, but also symbolize light Divine love. The central candlestick is called chandelier, or khoros (from the Greek "circle").
During bishop's services they are used trikirium And dikiriy- candlesticks with three and two candles. Trikyriy reveals the number of the Trinity God, and dikyriy shows the two natures, Divine and human, in the Lord Jesus Christ. On the dikiria, between the candles, a cross is depicted - a sign of the Sacrifice of Christ the Savior.
Entering the temple, the walls of which are decorated with paintings, we find ourselves in the center of all the events of sacred history, as frescoes and mosaics tell. At the top of the dome is the Lord or His Most Pure Mother. The four sails (the so-called spherical triangles that support the dome) are decorated with images of the evangelists or their symbols - an eagle, a calf, a lion, a man. The eagle is the height of theology, the calf is the symbol of the Sacrifice of Christ, the Lion signifies the royal dignity of the Lord who became man. At the top of the walls are Gospel scenes, and below are images of saints who seem to be standing with us at the service.
From the book by Mikhail Braverman .
Canonarch- one of the clergy persons. His duty is to initiate certain chants. The canonarch must publicly proclaim what will be sung and in what voice; then he proclaims each chanted line of the chant, which is repeated after him by the choir. The canonarch's voice must be strong, clear, his pronunciation distinct and clear. Singing with the canonarch has been preserved mainly in monasteries.vestment- the name of the clothes in which clergy wear during worship.
Stole(Greek - on the neck) - accessory to priestly vestments: a long, wide ribbon worn around the neck. Its ends are fastened with buttons and go down to the chest, reaching almost to the ground.
Rod- a symbol of spiritual power. The most ancient images represent the Savior in the form of a Shepherd (Shepherd) with a staff in his hand. The apostles were also depicted with a rod (staff). In view of the continuity of spiritual power, the rod passed from the apostles to their successors -
