Interior decoration of churches. Orthodox church: external and internal structure. Description of the internal structure of the temple

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.

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 talk about the main part of the temple - the 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.

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.

It is compared with other world masterpieces of architecture in terms of area and height, but in terms of grandeur and holiness, as well as the sophistication and luxury of its interior decoration, no monument of sculptural art can compare with it. Inside it looks like an elegant malachite box. An unprecedented number of types of stone were used during construction and in its decoration. Here you can find marble of various shades. It was mined throughout Russia and also purchased abroad. Tivdian pink, Siena yellow, red from France. White, dark red, and lemon were brought from Russian quarries.

Jasper, Shokshin porphyry, Badakhshan lapis lazuli, and Ural malachite were also used in decoration. France, Italy, Afghanistan, Karelia - this is just an incomplete list of places from which gems were imported. Over 400 kg of gold and more than a thousand tons of bronze were spent on decorating the temple. Nowhere else in the world have temples been built using such a quantity of finishing stone. The cladding of the walls inside the temple amazes with skill and grace. Every detail is made with amazing precision.

Magnificent finishing

The interior decoration of St. Isaac's Cathedral is striking in its beauty, scope and unusualness. The basic idea of ​​interior decoration has been preserved since the time of Peter the Great. In the first cathedral it was impossible to install a high altar with several tiers. And then the architects installed only the main icons of the bottom row in the iconostasis. And images of the twelve holidays were placed on the walls of the temple. This idea was followed during subsequent perestroikas. Although in the modern cathedral the height of the iconostasis made it possible to arrange many tiers, this was not done. Icons not included in the iconostasis are placed in niches in carved marble frames. Below them are panels made of burgundy marble, on which explanatory inscriptions are written in gilded letters.

Stained glass

Behind the Royal Doors of the main altar you can see a stained glass window depicting the Resurrection of Christ. Such images were not in tradition Orthodox churches. But the idea was supported by representatives of the Synod, who zealously monitored the progress of construction and compliance with all church canons. After Isaac, stained glass windows began to be placed in many churches. The creation of this masterpiece was led by the German artist Heinrich Maria von Hess. The area of ​​the stained glass window is 28.5 square meters. It is one of the main monuments of stained glass art in Russia.

Canvases and mosaics

Twenty-two famous artists of that time were involved in the design of the interior decoration of the temple: Shebuev, Bryullov, Bruni, Basin, Plushar and many others. There is a museum in the temple where you can see a collection of religious and historical paintings from 1840-1850. It includes 103 wall paintings and 52 canvas paintings.

During the work, the designers understood that the canvases would be impossible to preserve in the damp St. Petersburg climate. Artists had to redo their masterpieces several times due to the instability of colors. Only four years before the end of construction, a stable dye composition was found that could withstand such conditions.

But already in 1851, work began on converting paintings into mosaic works. This painstaking work continued until 1917. Now the cathedral has 62 mosaic paintings, the total area of ​​which exceeds 600 square meters. To give life and brightness to the works, over twelve thousand shades of smalt were used. The researchers calculated that it took about a year of hard work to complete 1 square meter of mosaic painting.

At an exhibition in London in 1862, mosaic works from Isaac were presented. They received the highest rating. The whole world has recognized that the production of smalt has been brought to perfection in Russia.

Dome

The main dome of the temple attracts the attention of the amazed public. Its vault is decorated with Bryullov’s painting “The Mother of God in Glory,” which depicts the Mother of God surrounded by John the Baptist, John the Theologian and patron saints royal family. Unfortunately, the artist was unable to complete the work due to deteriorating health. The background and figures of the apostles based on his cardboards were completed by another painter, Basin.

The drum of the dome is decorated with figures of twelve angels, who look from above at the people who came to the temple. The crown of the composition is the silver-plated figure of a dove soaring at an 80-meter height. The one and a half meter bird is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

Everything in this amazing temple delights and amazes. Everything is done with skill and grace. Despite the abundance of bright elements, there is nothing superfluous here. It is impossible to describe the magnificence of the temple in words - it needs to be seen.

By the beginning of the 14th century. The Byzantine system of church decoration received significant development. The somewhat restrained scheme that emerged immediately after the victory of icon veneration inevitably had to give way to a more relaxed one. The growth in the scale of icon-painting decoration was largely facilitated by changes both in the architecture of churches and in the technique and material of decoration. Byzantine icon painting of the middle period was done using the mosaic technique and occupied only certain areas of the interior, and the bottoms of the walls were usually lined with marble. By the 14th century mosaics almost completely gave way to less expensive fresco painting. Instead of marble and individual mosaic panels, almost all the internal surfaces of temples were now covered with plaster and painted with frescoes. The limited range of themes used in the 10th and 11th centuries expanded - because now more voluminous material was required to fill all the internal surfaces of the temple. The revival of the basilica style resulted in churches having large wall surfaces that had to be recorded. It was not possible to reproduce the hierarchical, sacramental scheme of the Byzantine mosaic of the middle period in such churches. Again, as in pre-iconoclastic times, narrative scenes began to appear.

Temple decoration not only expanded in scale, not only included new material, but also experienced considerable influence from the liturgy and its interpretation, as well as from the calendar that ordered the church year. The main themes of the previous periods remained, but now they were supplemented by a variety of narrative themes; they were used throughout the entire inner surface of the temple, without too much regard for dividing it into belts, each of which had a special function.

The apse almost invariably bore the image of the Mother of God on its vault. His connection with the liturgy, which was served under him, in the altar, was fully realized. Through Mary the Word became flesh and came into the world, and through the liturgy of the Church the incarnation and appearance of Christ are given. Below was an image of the communion of the apostles, the earliest example of which, from Kiev, dates back to the 11th century. In Hagia Sophia, Christ is depicted twice in this scene, each time on the other side of the throne under the canopy; on one side the apostles accept bread from him, on the other - a cup. This is one of the innovations in iconography, marking a departure from the strict rules of icon-veneration theology - after all, what is depicted here is not historical event; Christ administers the sacrament to the apostles as a bishop does to the people. However, this scene perfectly reflects the teaching stated in the commentaries that the liturgy celebrated on earth is a type of the Last Supper and heavenly worship, and the bishop is a symbol of Christ. In a word, the communion of the apostles unites historical, liturgical and spiritual reality in one image.

Even lower are figures of liturgists in the guise of bishops in liturgical vestments. The main places, naturally, are reserved for St. Basil the Great and St. John Chrysostom, and often St. Gregory the Great, to whom the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is attributed. They may be accompanied by deacons - say, Stephen or Lawrence. Sometimes they face the real throne; sometimes one of them is depicted in the center of the apse wall. Holding liturgical texts in their hands, the holy bishops of the past appear as if they were heavenly co-servants of those who stand at the earthly altar.

On the walls separating the altar from the nave, Old Testament prototypes of the Eucharist were often presented, like those we saw in the Church of St. Vitaly in Ravenna: the sacrifice of Abel, mentioned in the prayer of the proskomedia of the liturgy of St. Basil; Melchizedek bringing bread and wine; Abraham sacrificing Isaac; Abraham's hospitality. The last image has not only a Eucharistic, but also a Trinitarian meaning: a table around which three angels sit is often depicted as a throne, and on it stands a cup or dish with a lamb. Participation in the Eucharist introduces the worshiper into the center of the Trinity, the very nature of which is sacrificial love.

Liturgical themes emerge with particular clarity in the decor of the sacristy. On the semi-dome of the apse, St. was often depicted. John the Baptist in accordance with the interpretation of Nicholas of Andida: the rite of proskomedia symbolizes the Incarnation and prophetic predictions about it. The symbolism of passions was very peculiar. Sometimes Christ was depicted as a baby lying on a paten, whose ribs are pierced by a (liturgical) spear from the bishop: this is an illustration of Herman’s interpretation of the proskomedia in Anastasius’s version. Sometimes Christ is shown dead and prepared for burial. However, he could be depicted as a baby without any symbolism of passions: then the symbolism of Christmas came to the fore.

Christ Pantocrator still looked down from the central dome, except, of course, in the basilica churches, where he moved to the next most holy place - the half-dome of the apse. It has become a tradition to depict the Heavenly Liturgy along the lower edge of the dome or along the perimeter of the drum supporting it. Like the communion of the apostles, from which this scene may have originated, it also does not entirely correspond to the theology of icon veneration. It presents the Great Entrance, transformed into heavenly realities: angels-priests and angels-deacons with candles, ripids and sacred vessels march to the Holy Altar. The Great Entrance, like a shorthand symbol, could designate the entire liturgy, which clearly shows how prominent a place it occupied in the rite itself and in the system of Byzantine liturgical piety. Sometimes this procession moves from one throne - from the altar - to another. Sometimes Christ is depicted at the throne, waiting for the procession in episcopal robes. He may also be standing at the altar, seeing off the procession.

On the tops of the walls and temple vaults there was still a circle of great holidays - the main events in the life of Christ. Now other scenes have been added to them - not holidays in the strict sense of the word, but events celebrated on certain days of the church year, for example, Christ in the temple among the teachers or the unbelief of Thomas. In the symbolic interpretation of the liturgy, more and more details of the earthly life of Christ began to be noted, and the iconography began to reflect more and more events and scenes illustrating the same mystery of the Incarnation.

By the 14th century Other iconographic cycles were added to the decoration of temples. They were narrative in nature and were not directly related to the main outline of the life of Christ. They were located in different parts of the temple. In the side naves, chapels, porches or narthex the life of the Virgin Mary could be depicted. Her Assumption was usually placed on the west wall of the nave. This cycle partly corresponds to the feasts of the Mother of God and such paraliturgical practices as the akathist to the Mother of God.

Another cycle of a secondary nature, found in the side naves, aisles and narthex, and sometimes in the main nave, is the teaching and miracles of Christ. Nicholas Kavasila, in his interpretation of the Divine Liturgy, emphasizes that this is, first of all, a remembrance of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ, and not his miracles. Sometimes the passions themselves were depicted in detail, regardless of the fact that the festive cycle already contained the image of the Crucifixion.

To the images of saints that still adorned the lower parts of the nave walls in a hierarchical order, cycles were now added depicting the life of an individual saint - perhaps the one to whom a given church is dedicated, or the most revered in a given area, or even in the church in general.

Since the 14th century. the seven Ecumenical Councils began to be depicted in the vestibules, narthex or porch. All of them were already memorable events of the calendar, and the Seventh was celebrated on the first Sunday of Great Lent as the Triumph of Orthodoxy - the victory of the Church over all heresies. Their inclusion in the system of temple decoration reflected a dispute with the Church of the West over exactly how many cathedrals should be considered ecumenical, and their position near the entrance emphasized that the Church is the pillar and affirmation of the true faith in the incarnation of Christ, as evidenced by the entire temple.

And another image first appears in the 14th century. - The Last Judgment. This is also connected with the calendar: the penultimate Sunday before Lent is marked in it as Sunday about Last Judgment. In the liturgy, it is tied to the commemoration of the dead at the proskomedia, and also recalls the prayer “may I receive communion not for judgment or condemnation, but for the healing of soul and body.” The image of the Last Judgment was sometimes located in the narthex, sometimes on one of the walls of the chapel used for memorial or funeral services. In Voronet (Romania) it occupies the entire outer surface of the western wall of one of the five painted churches there.

A clearly expressed connection between the expanded iconographic scheme of the 14th century. With church calendar can be observed in the painting of the narthex - scenes of the main holidays of each month are often located along the entire surface of its walls in the appropriate order.

The iconography of the 14th century, which grew in volume, including elements of the classical Byzantine scheme of the middle period, also contained rich material of a narrative nature, less closely related to the original principles of icon painting. Scenes appeared in which historical elements are intertwined with non-historical ones, with invisible realities represented in symbolic images. This is, perhaps, quite natural in the age when Gregory Palamas defended the hesychasm of the Athonite monks and argued that during the liturgy one can see Christ with one’s own eyes through the eyes of faith:

This house of God is the true symbol of the Holy Sepulcher... After all, behind the veil is the room where the Body of Christ will be laid, as well as the holy throne. And therefore, the one who zealously approaches the divine mystery and the place where it is located, and persists in this to the end... will undoubtedly see the Lord with spiritual, or, more importantly, with bodily eyes. Whoever sees in faith the mystical meal and the bread of life that is offered in it, under the external forms he sees the divine Word itself, who became flesh for our sake and lives in us as in a temple.

Why do believers build temples? Why are they like this? a large number of scattered throughout the Orthodox Land? The answer is simple: everyone’s goal is the salvation of the soul, and achieving it is impossible without visiting church. She is a hospital where sinful falls occur, as well as her deification. The structure of the temple and its decoration allow the believer to plunge into the divine atmosphere and become closer to the Lord. Only a priest who is present in the temple can perform the rites of baptism, wedding, and absolution. Without services and prayers, a person cannot become a child of God.

Orthodox church

Orthodox church- this is a place where they serve God, where there is an opportunity to unite with him through such sacraments as baptism and communion. Believers gather here to pray together, the power of which everyone knows.

The first Christians had an illegal status, so they did not have their own churches. For prayers, believers gathered in the houses of community leaders, synagogues, and sometimes in the catacombs of Syracuse, Rome, and Ephesus. This lasted for three centuries until Constantine the Great came to power. In 323 he became the full-fledged emperor of the Roman Empire. He made Christianity the state religion. Since then, the active construction of temples, and later monasteries, began. It was his mother, Queen Helen of Constantinople, who initiated the erection in Jerusalem.

Since then, the structure of the temple, its interior decoration, and architecture have undergone significant changes. In Rus', it became customary to build cross-domed churches; this type is still relevant today. An important detail of any temple are the domes, which are crowned with a cross. Already from afar you can see the house of God from them. If the domes are decorated with gilding, then they glow under the rays of the sun, symbolizing the fire burning in the hearts of believers.

Internal organization

The internal structure of the temple necessarily symbolizes closeness to God, is endowed with certain symbolism, decoration, and serves to satisfy the goals of Christian worship. As the Church teaches, our entire material world is nothing more than a reflection of the spiritual world, invisible to the eye. The temple is an image of the presence of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, respectively, the image of the King of Heaven. The structure of an Orthodox church, its architecture, and symbolism make it possible for believers to perceive the temple as the beginning of the Kingdom of Heaven, its image (invisible, distant, divine).

Like any building, a temple must carry the functions for which it is intended, satisfy needs and have the following premises:

• For clergy who conduct services.
• For all believers present in the church.
• For repentants and those preparing to be baptized.

Since ancient times, the temple has been divided into three main parts:

• Altar.
• The middle part of the temple.
• The narthex

• Iconostasis.
• Altar.
• Throne.
• Sacristy.
• Mountain place.
• Pulpit.
• Solea.
• Sexton.
• Choirs.
• The porch.
• Candle boxes.
• Bell tower.
• Porch.

Altar

When considering the structure of the temple, special attention should be paid to the most important part of the church, intended only for the clergy, as well as for those persons who serve them during services. The altar contains images of Paradise, the heavenly dwelling of the Lord. Denotes a mysterious side in the Universe, part of the sky. Otherwise, the altar is called “sky on Zele”. Everyone knows that after the Fall, the Lord closed the Gates to the Kingdom of Heaven for ordinary laymen; entry here is possible only. Having a special sacred meaning, the altar always inspires reverence in believers. If a believer helping in the service putting things in order or lighting candles, comes here, he must bow to the ground. Laymen are prohibited from entering the altar for the simple reason that this place must always be clean, holy, this is where the Holy Meal is located. Crowds and disorder, which mere mortals can tolerate due to their sinful nature, are not allowed in this place. This is the place where the priest concentrates his prayers.

Iconostasis

Christians experience a sense of reverence when entering an Orthodox church. Its structure and interior decoration, icons with the faces of Saints extol the souls of believers, create an atmosphere of peace, awe before our Lord.

Already in the ancient catacomb churches, the altar began to be fenced off from the rest. At that time, the solea already existed; the altar barriers were made in the form of lowered bars. Much later, an iconostasis appeared, which has royal and side gates. It serves as a dividing line that separates middle temple and the altar. The iconostasis is arranged as follows.

In the center are the royal doors - specially decorated doors with two leaves, located opposite the throne. Why are they called that? It is believed that Jesus Christ himself comes through them to give the sacrament to people. To the left and right of the north and south gates are installed, which serve for the entrance and exit of clergy at the statutory moments of worship. Each of the icons located on the iconostasis has its own special place and meaning and tells about an event from Scripture.

Icons and frescoes

Considering the structure and decoration of an Orthodox church, it should be noted that icons and frescoes are a very important accessory. They depict the Savior, the Mother of God, angels, saints from biblical scenes. Icons in colors convey to us what is described in words in the Holy Scriptures. Thanks to them, a prayerful mood is created in the temple. When praying, you need to remember that prayer is raised not to the picture, but to the image depicted on it. On the icons, the images are depicted in the form in which they condescended to people, as the chosen ones saw them. Thus, the Trinity is depicted as the righteous Abraham saw it. Jesus is depicted in the human form in which he lived among us. The Holy Spirit is usually depicted in the form of a dove, as it appeared during the baptism of Christ in the Jordan River, or in the form of fire, which the apostles saw on the day of Pentecost.

A newly painted icon must be consecrated in the temple and sprinkled with holy water. Then she becomes sacred and has the ability to act with the Grace of the Holy Spirit.

A halo around the head means that the face depicted on the icon has the grace of God and is holy.

Middle part of the temple

The internal structure of an Orthodox church necessarily contains a middle part, sometimes called a nave. In this part of the temple there is a pulpit, solea, iconostasis and choir.

It is this part that is actually called the temple. Since ancient times, this part has been called the refectory, because the Eucharist is eaten here. The middle temple symbolizes earthly existence, the sensual human world, but justified, burned and already sanctified. If the altar symbolizes the Upper Heaven, then the middle temple is a particle of the renewed human world. These two parts must interact, under the guidance of Heaven, the disturbed order will be restored on Earth.

Narthex

The vestibule, which is part of the design of a Christian church, is its vestibule. At the origins of faith, those who repented or those who were preparing for Holy Baptism stopped there. In the narthex there is most often a church box for selling prosphoras, candles, icons, crosses, and for registering weddings and baptisms. Those who have received penance from the confessor, and all people who, for some reason, consider themselves currently unworthy to enter the temple can stand in the vestibule.

External device

The architecture of Orthodox churches is always recognizable, and although its types are different, external device The temple has its main parts.

Abse - a projection for the altar, attached to the temple, usually has a semicircular shape.

The drum is the upper part, which ends with a cross.

Light drum - a drum with cut openings.

The head is the dome crowning the temple with a drum and a cross.

Zakomara - Russian architecture. Semicircular completion of part of the wall.

The onion is the head of the onion-shaped church.

A porch is a porch raised above ground level (closed or open type).

A pilaster is a flat decorative projection on the surface of a wall.

Portal - entrance.

The refectory is an extension to the west of the building and serves as a place for preaching and meetings.

A tent has several sides and covers towers, a temple or a bell tower. Common in 17th century architecture.

Pediment - completes the facade of the building.

The apple is a domed ball on which a cross is mounted.

Tier - decreasing in height of the volume of the entire building.

Types of temples

Orthodox churches have different shape, They may be:

• In the shape of a cross (symbol of the crucifixion).
• In the shape of a circle (the personification of eternity).
• In the shape of a quadrangle (Earth sign).
• In the shape of an octagon (the guiding star of Bethlehem).

Each church is dedicated to some holy, important Christian event. The day of their memory becomes the patronal temple holiday. If there are several chapels with an altar, then each is called separately. A chapel is a small structure that resembles a temple, but does not have an altar.

At the time, the structure of the Christian church of Byzantium had a cross-dome type. It united all the traditions of eastern temple architecture. Rus' adopted from Byzantium not only Orthodoxy, but also examples of architecture. While preserving traditions, Russian churches have a lot of originality and originality.

Construction of a Buddhist temple

Many believers are interested in how Buddha temples are arranged. Let's give brief information. Everything is also installed according to strict rules. All Buddhists revere the “Three Treasures” and it is in the temple that they seek refuge for themselves - with the Buddha, his teachings and the community. The right place is where all the “Three Treasures” are collected; they must be reliably protected from any influence, from outsiders. The temple is a closed area, protected from all sides. Powerful gates are the main requirement in the construction of a temple. Buddhists do not distinguish between a monastery and a temple - for them it is the same concept.

Every Buddhist temple has an image of Buddha, whether embroidered, painted or sculpture. This image should be placed in the “golden hall”, facing east. The main figure is enormous; all the others depict scenes from the life of the saint. The temple also has other images - these are all creatures revered by Buddhists. The altar in the temple is decorated with figures of famous monks; they are located just below the Buddha.

Visit to a Buddhist temple

Those who want to visit a Buddhist temple must adhere to certain requirements. Legs and shoulders must be covered with opaque clothing. Like other religions, Buddhism believes that lack of proper dress is disrespect for faith.

Buddhists consider the feet to be the dirtiest part of the body because they come into contact with the ground. Therefore, when entering the temple, you must take off your shoes. It is believed that this will make your feet cleaner.

It is imperative to know the rule by which believers sit. The feet should under no circumstances point towards the Buddha or any saint, so Buddhists prefer to remain neutral - sit in the lotus position. You can simply bend your legs under yourself.

Orthodox church. Photo:www.spiritualfragranceinc.com

Temple forms. In ancient times, Orthodox houses of worship were different. They had different shapes. Ancient temples had a round and eight-pointed shape. Today, the most common are oblong and cruciform temples.

Temple domes. Every church must have at least one dome. There are churches with three, five, seven and thirteen domes. The dome symbolizes the burning flame of a candle, the flame of prayer and the Christian’s desire for God.

Church bells. An Orthodox house of prayer must have a bell. Church bells notify believers about the beginning of the service, about the most important moments of the church service, and so on.

Cross on the temple. There is a cross on the dome of every church. The cross comes in a quadrangular shape - this is a traditional cross with one vertical and one horizontal beam. The bottom of the vertical beam that intersects the horizontal beam is longer than the top.

External structure of the church. Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru

Hexagonal cross - it is similar to a quadrangular cross. But on the lower vertical part there is another inclined beam, its left end is raised, and its right end is lowered down. This inclined beam symbolizes the footrest on the Cross of the Lord. Eight-pointed cross - It looks like a hexagonal cross, but on the top vertical beam there is another small plaque placed at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. On the tablet, in three languages ​​in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, are the following words: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” Also, we can see an eight-pointed cross with a crescent at the bottom of the vertical beam. According to the church interpretation, the crescent is an anchor, which in the era of early Christianity symbolized the spiritual salvation of man.

Porch. External porch. Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru

External porch.Above the entrance to God's house As a rule, there is an icon or wall image of the patron whose name it bears. There is an external area in front of the entrance to each church. This platform is also called the outer vestibule. The entrance itself in front of the temple is called the porch.

Churchyard. Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Sochi. Photo:www.fotokto.ru

Churchyard. Each Orthodox house of worship has its own church yard. On its territory there may be a church cemetery where clergy, ktitors, famous believers who contributed to the life and affairs of the temple are buried. In addition, in the courtyard of the church there may be a library, Sunday school, outbuildings, etc.

Parts of an Orthodox church. Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru

Internal structure of the church

Each temple is divided into three parts: the vestibule, the middle part and the altar.

The porch of the temple. Photo:www.prihod.org.ua

Narthex: The first part of the temple is called the inner porch. In ancient times, in the first part of the church there were catechumens, that is, those people who were preparing to receive Holy Baptism and those Christians who committed great sins were excommunicated from prayer participation and receiving Holy Communion. The walls of the narthex are covered with church frescoes and icons.

The middle part of the temple (naos). Photo:www.hram-feodosy.kiev.ua

Middle part of the temple : The middle part of the church is intended for believers. It is also called naos or ship. Here they pray during the service, offer prayers to God, light candles, kiss icons, and so on.

Patronal and festive icons in the church. Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru

In the naos there are lecterns (stands for icons) with icons of the Son of God, the Virgin Mary, the Holy Trinity, saints, etc. Also, in the middle part of the temple there are two lecterns with a throne icon and a holiday icon or the so-called icon of the day.

Throne icon- this is an icon on which is written the image of a saint and the event of the holiday, whose name this Orthodox house of God bears. Icon of the day is an icon depicting a holiday or someone whose memory is celebrated on this day. Usually, the lectern with this image is located in the middle of the naos.

A panic attack.www.nesterov-cerkov.ru

And also, in the middle of the ceiling there is a large hanging candlestick with many candles. It is lit during important moments of the service. This candlestick is called a chandelier. In Bulgarian churches it is called by the Greek word polyeleos. Usually in churches in Bulgaria there are two chandeliers - a large one and a smaller one. For convenience, in modern Orthodox churches, candles are replaced with special electric bulbs. They have the shape of a burning candle flame or the shape of a church dome.

Eve. Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru

Eve. In an Orthodox prayer house there is a place where a lay person can light a candle and pray for their deceased loved ones. This place is called the eve. In Russian churches, the eve represents a small presentation with a cross depicting the crucified Jesus with many indentations for candles. In Bulgaria, the church eve rearranges a large vessel resembling a deep paten filled with fine sand.

Iconostasis in the temple. Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru

Iconostasis. The altar and the middle part of the church are separated by an iconostasis. The word “iconostasis” comes from Greek language and is translated as “image stand,” which is usually a wooden partition with icons, beautiful carved ornaments, and on top, in the center of the iconostasis, there is a cross with a human skull. The cross on the iconostasis has a double meaning. It really represents the place of the Savior’s death and symbolizes heaven.

Northern and southern gates of the iconastasis.Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru

Sometimes the iconostasis can only represent a delivery with an icon. For the first nine centuries, the Holy of Holies in an Orthodox church was never covered, but there was only a low wooden partition with icons. The “raising” of the image stand began after the 10th century, and over the centuries it acquired its current form. This is how the medieval Greek church bishop, famous Orthodox liturgist and teacher of the Church St. Simeon of Thessalonica interprets the meaning of the iconostasis and its purpose: “From an anthropological point of view, the altar symbolizes the soul, naos - the body, and the iconostasis, in fact, separates two parts of the temple and makes one visible and another part invisible to the human eye.

Royal Doors.Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru

From a cosmological point of view, the iconostasis separates heaven and earth, since the temple symbolizes the world. In this sense, the iconostasis represents a partition between the visible and invisible world, and the saints on it are intermediaries to the invisible world, since they are the connecting link between the two worlds.”

The iconostasis has three entrances with doors. Through two small entrances, clergy and their assistants enter and exit during certain moments of the Liturgy, for example, during the Small and Great Entrance. And the central, larger entrance, between the altar and the middle part of the church is called the Royal Doors. In addition to the Royal Doors, the middle entrance on the iconostasis also has a fabric curtain. Usually it is red. The icons of the iconostasis are identical in all Orthodox churches. On the Royal Doors there is always an icon depicting a scene telling how an Angel informs the Virgin Mary that She has been chosen by God and that she will conceive a child from the Holy Spirit who will become the Savior of the world. On right side The iconostasis contains icons of the Son of God and St. John the Baptist; on the other side there is an icon of the Virgin Mary and Child and the image of the one whose name the church is named. For the remaining icons, there is no exact definition of what images will be there and what location they will occupy on the iconostasis.

Singer, choir (klyros).Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru

Kliros, klylos, tsevnitsa. In front of the iconostasis, on the left and right there are places where the church choir sings. These places are called choirs or singers. In Russian vernacular, singers are called krylos.

Banners. Usually in Bulgarian churches there are banners next to the choirs. These are special church banners with icons on long wooden poles. They are used during church processions. Banners began to be used in the Holy Orthodox Church from the 4th century and symbolize the victory of Christianity over paganism.

Banner. Photo:www.yapokrov.ru

Solea and pulpit. The space raised by one or more steps between the pendants and the altar is called the solea, and its central part in the center in front of the altar is called the pulpit. Here the priests offer cries of prayer, deliver sermons, etc.

Solea. Pulpit. Church shop.

Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru

In the Orthodox House of God there is a place for the sale of candles, Orthodox literature, icons, crosses, etc. Also here, notes on health and repose are submitted, order to serve any church demand. It is located in the vestibule or middle part of the temple. This place is called the church shop.

The ending follows.

Master of Divinity