The first part from the entrance to the church is called. Orthodox church: external and internal arrangement - Altar
The temple is the center of our spiritual life. Here the grace of God is especially felt. Going to the temple, we must adjust ourselves accordingly and remind ourselves that we are entering a different world, different from the one in which we live every day. Here we stand before our Creator and Savior, here, together with angels and saints, we offer Him our prayers. Joint prayer in the temple has a great regenerating power. Perceived consciously, this grace-filled prayer purifies the conscience, pacifies the soul, strengthens faith, and warms the love of God in the heart.
Temple of God in its own way appearance different from other buildings. Very often it has the shape of a cross at its base, for by the Cross the Savior delivered us from the power of the devil. Often it is arranged in the form of a ship, symbolizing that the Church, like a ship, like Noah's Ark, leads us across the sea of life to a quiet harbor in the Kingdom of Heaven. Sometimes the base is a circle - a sign of eternity or an octagonal star, symbolizing that the Church, like guiding star shines in this world.
The building of the temple usually ends on top with a dome depicting the sky. The dome is crowned with a head on which a cross is placed - to the glory of the Head of the Church of 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 - three Persons of the Holy Trinity, five chapters - Jesus Christ and four evangelists, seven chapters - seven sacraments, seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and seven Ecumenical Councils, nine chapters - nine orders of angels, thirteen chapters - Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles, sometimes they build and large quantity chapters
Above the entrances to the temple, and sometimes next to the temple, a bell tower or belfry is built, that is, a tower on which bells hang, used to call the faithful to prayer and to announce the most important parts of the service performed in the temple.Despite the variety of forms and architectural styles used in the construction of temples, internal organization Orthodox churches always follow a certain canon that took shape in Byzantium around the beginning of the second millennium and has not undergone significant changes.
The traditional Orthodox church is divided into three parts: the altar, the middle part (the church itself) and the porch-narthex.
In ancient churches, the vestibule was a place where catechumens and penitents prayed during divine services - those who did not partake of the Eucharist. According to the Charter, it is supposed to perform some parts of the divine service in the narthex, in particular, the lithium at the all-night vigil. Requiem services (short funeral services) should also be performed in the porch, although in practice they are most often performed in one of the side aisles of the temple.
In many modern temples, the vestibule is either completely absent, or completely merges with the central part of the temple. This is due to the fact that the functional significance of the vestibule has long been lost. In the modern Church, catechumens and penitents do not exist as a separate category of believers, and therefore the need for a vestibule as a separate room has also disappeared.
The central part of the temple is a place where the laity are during worship. In ancient times, the liturgy of the catechumens was performed in the center of the temple; sermons were delivered there, the bishop read prayers over the catechumens and the faithful, as well as the sick and the possessed; there the deacon recited the litanies. In fact, it was the central part of the temple that was the place where most of the worship took place; only the actual Eucharist was celebrated in the altar. Subsequently, most church services were moved to the altar, but some parts of the service are still performed in the middle of the temple. at matins and all-night vigil on Sundays and holidays in the middle of the temple, a polyeleos is performed and the believers are anointed with holy oil. The gospel is also read by the deacon in the middle of the church. During the hierarchal service in the middle of the temple, the bishop is met and vested, as well as the entire initial part of the liturgy up to the small entrance.
In ancient temples, a pulpit (called the "pulpit") was located in the middle, from which the Holy Scriptures were read and sermons were delivered. Currently, such a pulpit is available only in cathedrals. The bishop stands on it in those cases when the service is performed in the middle of the temple. From the same pulpit, the deacon reads the Gospel during the liturgy.
As a rule, in the center of the temple on a lectern (stand) lies an icon of a temple saint or a saint or event celebrated on that day. There is a candlestick in front of the lectern (such candlesticks are also placed in front of other icons lying on lecterns or hanging on the walls). The use of candles in the church is one of the oldest customs that has come down to us from the early Christian era. In our time, it has not only a symbolic meaning, but also the meaning of a sacrifice to the temple. The candle that the believer puts in front of the icon in the church is not bought in a store and is not brought from home: it is purchased in the church itself, and the money spent goes to the church cash desk.
In the modern church, as a rule, electric lighting is used for worship, but some parts of the service are supposed to be performed in twilight or even complete darkness. Full illumination is turned on at the most solemn moments: during the polyeleos at the All-Night Vigil, at the Divine Liturgy. The light in the temple is completely extinguished during the reading of the Six Psalms at Matins; muted light is used during Lenten services.
The main lamp of the temple (chandelier) is called a chandelier. The chandelier in large churches is a chandelier of impressive size with many (from 20 to 100 or even more) candles or light bulbs. It is suspended on a long steel cable to the center of the dome. In other parts of the temple, smaller chandeliers may be hung.
In the monasteries of Holy Mount Athos, where electricity is not used during worship, the ancient customs of lighting candles and lamps at certain moments of the service are preserved. The lamps in front of the icons are lit at the beginning of the service by an ecclesiarch monk specially appointed for this purpose. Candles in front of the icons and candles that serve to illuminate the space of the temple are lit only at certain moments of worship. Under the dome of the temple there is a hoop-shaped chandelier: on the hoop there are candles that are lit at especially solemn moments of worship with the help of a special torch attached to the end of a long pole. In some cases, a chandelier with candles is swung from side to side, so that the glare from the candles moves around the temple: this movement, along with the ringing of bells and especially solemn melismatic singing, creates a festive mood.
Some believe that the characteristic difference between an Orthodox church and a Catholic or Protestant one is the absence of seats in it. In fact, all the ancient liturgical charters presuppose the presence of seats in the church, since during some parts of the service, according to the charter, it is supposed to sit. In particular, while sitting, they listened to psalms, readings from the Old Testament and from the Apostle, readings from the works of the Fathers of the Church, as well as some Christian hymns, for example, “sedals” (the very name of the hymn indicates that they listened to it while sitting). Standing was considered obligatory only in the most important points divine services, for example, when reading the Gospel, during the Eucharistic canon. The liturgical exclamations that have been preserved in modern worship - “Wisdom, forgive”, “Let us become good, let us become with fear” - were originally precisely an invitation to the deacon to stand up to perform certain prayers after sitting during previous prayers.
The absence of seats in the temple is a custom of the Russian Church, but is by no means typical of Greek churches, where, as a rule, benches are provided for everyone who participates in worship.
The walls of the central part of the temple are usually decorated with frescoes or mosaics. In the eastern part of the temple there is an iconostasis that separates the middle part of the temple from the altar. In front of the iconostasis is a solea - an elevation for the clergy. The central part of the salt, which is usually a semicircular protrusion, is called the pulpit. From here a sermon is delivered; some sacred rites are also performed here, for example, the small and great entrances to the liturgy; dismissal is pronounced from the pulpit - the final blessing at the end of each divine service.
In the center of the lower tier of the iconostasis there are doors, in the Russian tradition called the royal gates; in the Greek tradition they are called "holy doors". The origin of the name "royal doors" is not entirely clear. Some believe that this name reflects the symbolism of the great entrance, depicting the way of the cross of the Savior, the “King of kings” and “Lord of lords”, who “comes to be slaughtered and given as food to the faithful.” Others believe that the central gates of the altar were called "royal" because of the fact that kings and emperors entered the altar through them. Indeed, in Russian practice, during the coronation ceremony, emperors entered the altar through the royal doors: in the altar they took communion with the priests, taking the Body of Christ in their hands and partaking of the Blood of Christ from the chalice (empresses did the same). In Byzantium, the gates leading from the vestibule to the central part of the temple, or the doors through which the emperor entered the temple, were called “royal”.
There are two side doors on the north and south sides of the iconostasis. The liturgical procession always leaves the altar through the northern doors and returns through the royal gates. The deacon also enters the solea to pronounce the litany through the northern doors, and returns to the altar through the southern doors.
The altar is the most sacred place of the Orthodox church - the likeness of the Holy of Holies of the ancient Jerusalem temple. Often the altar is perceived as a kind of closed space "behind the scenes", where the clergy and acolytes can hide from the eyes of the faithful. Such a perception fundamentally contradicts the meaning of the altar as a place of the special presence of God. That glory of God lives in the altar, which once filled the Holy of Holies of the Jerusalem Temple. Everyone in the altar must keep reverent silence, interrupted only by the reading of prayers or the necessary remarks during the service. Conversations on extraneous topics in the altar are unacceptable.
In form, the throne is a cubic-shaped structure (table) made of stone or wood. In Greek temples, rectangular altars are common, shaped like an oblong table set parallel to the iconostasis; upper stone board the throne rests on four pillars-columns; the interior of the throne remains open to the eye. In Russian practice, the horizontal surface of the throne has, as a rule, a square shape and the throne is completely covered with indium - a vestment corresponding to it in shape. The traditional height of the throne is arshin and six inches (98 cm). In the middle, under the upper board of the throne, a column is placed, in which, during the consecration of the temple, the bishop puts a particle of the relics of a martyr or saint. This tradition goes back to the ancient Christian custom of celebrating liturgies on the tombs of martyrs.
The space behind the throne, in the eastern part of the altar, is called the high place: here is the throne of the bishop, on the sides of which there are benches for priests. The throne of the bishop, according to the charter, should be on a high place in any church, not only the cathedral. The presence of this throne testifies to the connection between the temple and the bishop: without the blessing of the latter, the priest does not have the right to perform divine services.
in the temple.On the left side of the throne, in the southern part of the altar, there is an altar, which in its appearance resembles a throne, but often smaller in size. The altar is intended for performing the preparatory part of the liturgy - the proskomidia. The Holy Gifts are placed on the altar at the end of the Liturgy, after
massacre of the laity. According to the tradition of the Russian Church, a seven-candlestick is placed in the altar on the eastern side of the throne - a lamp with seven lamps, resembling a Jewish menorah in appearance. There are no menorahs in the Greek Church. The seven-candlestick is not mentioned in the rite of consecrating the temple, and it was not the original accessory of the Christian temple, but appeared in Russia in the synodal era as a reminder of the lamp with seven lamps that stood in the Jerusalem temple (see: Exodus 25, 31-37). The menorah is the only object in the altar that does not perform direct liturgical functions.During non-liturgical times, as well as at some moments of worship, the central entrance to the altar (royal gates) is closed with a veil called catapetasma. In modern Russian practice, catapetasma is a rectangular canvas extending from the upper edge of the royal doors to the floor. Usually the veil is dark red or corresponds to the color of the holiday, a four- or eight-pointed cross is embroidered on it. In ancient times, richly embroidered catapetasmas were also used.
According to religious canons, an Orthodox church is the House of God.
In it, invisible to all, the Lord is present, surrounded by angels and saints.
In the Old Testament, people are given clear instructions from God what a place of worship should be like. Orthodox churches built according to the New Testament meet the requirements of the Old Testament.
According to the canons of the Old Testament, the architecture of the temple was divided into three parts: the holy of holies, the sanctuary and the courtyard. In an Orthodox church built according to the New Testament, the entire space is also divided into three zones, respectively: the altar, the middle part (the ship) and the vestibule. As in the Old Testament, the "holy of holies", and in the New Testament - the altar, denote the Kingdom of Heaven. Only a clergyman is allowed to enter this place, because according to the Teaching, the Kingdom of Heaven after the fall was closed to people. According to the laws of the Old Testament, a priest with sacrificial cleansing blood was allowed into this territory once a year. The high priest is considered a type of Jesus Christ on earth, and this action made people understand that the hour would come when Christ, who had gone through pain and incredible suffering on the Cross, would open the Kingdom of Heaven for man.
The veil torn in two, hiding the Holy of Holies, marks that Jesus Christ, having accepted martyrdom, opened the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven for all who accepted and believes in God.
The middle part of an Orthodox church, or a ship, corresponds to the Old Testament concept of a sanctuary. There is only one difference. If, according to the laws of the Old Testament, only a priest could enter this territory, all respectable Christians can stand in this place in an Orthodox church. This is due to the fact that now, the Kingdom of God is not closed to anyone. It is not allowed to visit the ship for people who have committed a serious sin or apostasy.
The premises of the courtyard in the Old Testament church correspond to the place referred to as the porch or refectory in the Orthodox church. Unlike the Altar, the vestibule is located in a room attached to the western side of the temple. This place was allowed to be visited by catechumens who were preparing to accept the rite of baptism. Sinners were sent here for correction. IN modern world, in this respect, the vestibule has lost its former meaning.
The construction of the Orthodox Church is carried out in compliance with strict rules. The altar of the temple is always turned towards the east, where the sun rises from. This signifies to all believers that Jesus Christ is the "East" from which the Divine Light rises and shines.
Mentioning the name of Jesus Christ in prayers, they say: “The sun of truth”, “from the height of the East”, “The East is above”, “The East is His name”.
Church architecture
Altar- (Latin altaria - high altar). A sacred place in the temple of prayer and bloodless sacrifice. Located in the eastern part Orthodox Church, separated from the rest of the room by an altar barrier, an iconostasis. It has a three-part division: in the center there is a throne, on the left, from the north - an altar, where wine and bread are prepared for communion, on the right, from the south - a deacon, where books, clothes and sacred vessels are stored.
Apse- a semicircular or polygonal ledge in the temple, where the altar is located.
arcature belt- a number of decorative wall decorations in the form of small arches.
Drum- the upper part of the temple, which has a cylindrical or polyhedral shape, on which a dome is erected.
Baroque- the style of architectural structures, popular at the turn of the XVII-XVIII centuries. It was distinguished by complex forms, picturesqueness and decorative splendor.
Barrel- one of the forms of coverage in the form of two rounded slopes, which at the top are reduced under the roof ridge.
octagon- a structure that has the shape of a regular octagon.
Chapter- the dome crowning the building of the temple.
Zakomara- made in the form of a vault, semicircular completions of the upper outer walls of the church.
Iconostasis- a barrier made of icons arranged in several tiers, which separates the altar from the main part of the temple.
Interior- the interior of the building.
Cornice- a ledge on the wall, located horizontally to the base of the building and designed to support the roof.
Kokoshnik- element decorative ornament roof, reminiscent of a traditional female headdress.
Column- an element of architecture, made in the form of a round pillar. Typical for buildings made in the style of classicism.
Composition- combining parts of the building into a single logical whole.
Skate- joint, on the border of the roof slopes.
Buttress- vertical protrusion bearing wall designed to give greater stability to the structure.
Cube- a concept that determines the internal volume of the temple.
plowshare- the name of a type of tile made of wood. It was used to cover domes, barrels and other tops of the temple.
shoulder blade- vertical ledge, flat shape, located in the wall of the building.
Bulb- church head, shaped like an onion head.
platband- an element of decoration used to frame a window opening.
Nave (ship) - inner part temple, located between the arcades.
Porch- a place made in the form of an open or closed ring in front of the entrance to the temple.
Sail- elements of the dome structure in the form of a spherical triangle, providing a transition from the square in terms of dome space to the circumference of the drum.
Pilaster- a vertical protrusion on the wall surface, flat in shape, performing constructive or decorative functions. Basement - part of the building corresponding to the lower floors.
Curb- element decorative design buildings in the form of bricks placed on edge at an angle to the surface of the facade of the building, resembling the shape of a saw.
Portal- the entrance to the building with elements of architectural content.
Portico- a gallery made using columns or pillars. Usually precedes the entrance to the building.
Throne- an element of the church altar, made in the form of a high table.
aisle- an extension to the main building of the church, having its own throne in the altar and dedicated to one of the saints or church holidays.
vestibule- part of the room with the functions of a hallway in front of the portal of the church.
Reconstruction- work related to the repair, reconstruction or restoration of the building.
Restoration- works aimed at restoring the original appearance of a building or object.
Rotunda- building of a round shape with a roof in the form of a dome.
Rustication- one of the elements of decorative treatment of the wall surface. special way applying plaster, to imitate large stone masonry
Code- the architectural design of the ceiling of the building in the form of a convex curvilinear surface.
Refectory- extension on the west side of the church. It was a place of sermons, public meetings. They were sent here as a punishment for sins, for their atonement.
Facade- a term used in architecture to refer to one side of a building.
Thursday- a building in the form of a rectangle with four corners.
marquee- a construction in the form of a pyramidal polyhedron, which served as a covering for churches and bell towers.
Fly- an element of decorative design, made in the form of a rectangular cavity in the wall.
Apple- an element on the dome, made in the form of a ball under the base of the cross.
Tier- division of the volume of the building in the horizontal plane, decreasing in height.
Altar - the most important part of the temple, inaccessible to the laity (Fig. 3.4). A place of sacred rites, the most important of which is the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
Already in Ancient Greece in places of public meetings there was a special elevation intended for the speeches of orators, philosophers. It was called " bima", and this word meant the same as the Latin alta ara- high place, elevation. The name assigned to the most important part of the temple shows that from the very first centuries of Christianity altar was built on a platform elevated in relation to other parts of the temple. Therefore, the altar, as a rule, is arranged on an elevation with one or more steps 0.12-0.15 m high each.
The altar in Orthodox churches, according to ancient tradition, is arranged on the eastern side and is an apse; it can be built in or attached to the middle part of the temple. In churches with a capacity of up to 300 people, as a rule, one altar is arranged. In temples of larger capacity, according to the design assignment, several altars can be arranged in the aisles. If several altars are arranged in the temple, each of them is consecrated in memory of a special event or saint. Then all the altars, except for the main one, are called aisles or aisles. . There are also two-storey temples, on each floor of which there can be several aisles.
Figure 3.4. Schematic of the altar
The dimensions of the altar and utility rooms with it, depending on the functional purpose of the temple and its capacity, are set by the design task. The depth of the altar in small, house churches and aisles should be at least 3.0 m, and in other churches not less than 4.0 m. With altars of churches with a capacity of more than 300 people, as a rule, utility rooms (off-marks and sacristies) are arranged with an area of 4 to 12 m2. IN sacristy in addition to liturgical clothes, liturgical books, incense, candles, wine and prosphora for the next service, and other items necessary for worship and various needs are kept. Due to the great variety and diversity of things stored in sacristy, it is rarely concentrated in one particular place. Sacred vestments are usually stored in special cupboards, books on shelves, and other items in drawers of tables and nightstands. Entrances to them are organized from the altar; the installation of doors is not required. In the altar, as a rule, window openings are arranged, and the central one, oriented to the east, is often replaced by an altarpiece illuminated by an artificial light source. When placing window openings in the upper part of the altar apse, the central window can be located above the altarpiece. Miscellaneous number of windows on the altar symbolizes the following:
Three windows (or two times three: top and bottom) - uncreated Trinity Light of the Divine.
Three top and two at the bottom - trinity light And two natures Lord Jesus Christ.
Four window - Four Gospels.
In the center of the altar there should be a square throne , where the Sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated . The throne is a wooden (sometimes marble or metal) table, approved on four "pillars" (i.e., legs, the height of which is 98 centimeters, and with a tabletop - 1 meter) , around which, as a rule, a circular detour should be left with a distance from the throne to the altarpiece (Mountain Place) of at least 0.9 m. It is located opposite royal doors(the gate located in the center of the iconostasis) at a distance of at least 1.3 m and is the holiest place of the temple, the place where Christ is really present in a special way in Holy Gifts. Close to the Throne, from its eastern side (the far side as viewed from the temple) is usually placed menorah, which is a lamp divided into seven branches, on which there are seven lamps lit during worship. These lamps symbolize the seven Churches that John the Theologian saw in Revelation, and the seven Sacraments of the Orthodox Church.
In the northeastern part of the altar, to the left of the Throne (when viewed from the temple), there is an altar near the wall . By external device altar almost in everything it is similar to the Throne (Fig. 3.5). First of all, it refers to the size altar, which are either the same as the size of the Throne or somewhat smaller. Height altar always equal to the height of the Throne. Name altar this place of the altar was received from the fact that the proskomidia, the first part of the Divine Liturgy, is performed on it, where bread in the form of prosphora and wine are prepared in a special way for the performance of the Sacrament of the Bloodless Sacrifice.
Figure 3.5. Victim
Gornee
(glory, elevated) place is a place near the central part of the eastern wall of the altar, located directly opposite the Throne, where a chair (throne) for the bishop is built on a certain elevation, symbolizing Heavenly Throne, on which the Lord is invisibly present, and on its sides, but below, benches or seats for priests are arranged. In ancient times it was called throne».
Behind the Hearth Place in the altars of cathedrals, circular detours can be arranged (Fig. 3.6). 
Entrances to the altar must be organized from the middle part of the temple through the doors and the Royal Doors in the iconostasis, and thresholds are not allowed. The device for entering the altar directly from the outside in some cases is convenient and functional, but undesirable from the point of view of the symbolism of the altar as an image of Paradise, where only the “faithful” standing in the middle part of the temple can enter.
Figure 3.6. mountain place
Iconostasis - a special partition, with icons standing on it, separating the altar from the middle part of the temple. Already in the catacomb temples of ancient Rome, there were gratings that separated the space of the altar from the middle part of the temple. Appeared in their place in the process of development of Orthodox church building iconostasis is an improvement and deepening of this tradition.
1. Local row
2. Festive row
3. Deesis row
4. Prophetic series
5. Ancestor row
6. Top (Cross or Golgotha)
7. Icon "The Last Supper"
8. Icon of the Savior
9. Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos
10. Local Icon
11. Icon "Savior in Power" or "Savior on the Throne"
12. Royal Doors
13. Deacon's (northern) gates
14. Deacon's (southern) gates
The bottom row of the iconostasis has three gates (or doors), which have their own names and functions.
Figure 3.5. Scheme of filling a five-tier iconostasis
royal doors- double-wing, the largest gates - are located in the middle of the iconostasis and are called so, because through them the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, King of Glory passes invisibly in the Holy Gifts. Through royal doors no one except the clergy, and then only at certain moments of worship, is not allowed to pass. Behind royal doors, inside the altar, hanging veil(catapetasma), which is pulled back and pulled back at the moments determined by the Rule and marks in general the veil of mystery that covers the shrines of God. On royal doors icons are depicted Annunciation Holy Mother of God and the four Apostles who wrote the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke And John. Above them is the image of the Last Supper. , which also indicates that the same thing happens in the altar behind the Royal Doors that happened in the Zion room. To the right of the Royal Doors is always placed the icon of the Savior , and to the left of Royal Doors - icon of the Mother of God.
Deacon's (side) gates located:
1. To the right of the icon of the Savior - south door, which depicts either archangel Michael , or Archdeacon Stefan, or the high priest Aaron.
2. To the left of the icon of the Mother of God - north door, which depicts either the Archangel Gabriel , either Deacon Philip (Archdeacon Lawrence), or Prophet Moses.
The side doors are called deacon's because deacons most often pass through them. To the right of the southern door are placed icons of particularly revered saints. First to the right of image Savior , between it and the image on the south door there should always be a temple icon, i.e., an iconic feast or saint , in whose honor consecrated temple.
The entire set of icons of the first tier makes up the so-called local row, which is called so because it contains a local icon. , that is, an icon of a holiday or a saint in whose honor the temple was built.
Figure 3.8. An example of a classical iconostasis
Iconostases are usually arranged in several tiers, i.e. rows, each of which is formed from icons of a certain content:
1. Icons of the most important Twelfth Feasts are placed in the second tier , depicting those sacred events that served to save people (holiday series).
2. Third (deesis) a number of icons have as their center the image of Christ the Almighty , seated on the throne. On the right hand of Him is depicted the Blessed Virgin Mary, praying to 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 . These three icons are called deisis - prayer (colloquial deesis) On either side of the deisis – icons of the apostles .
3. In the center of the fourth (prophetic) row of the iconostasis depicts the Mother of God with the Divine Infant . On both sides of Her are depicted the Old Testament prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, David, Solomon and others) who foreshadowed Her and the Redeemer born from Her.
4. In the center of the fifth (ancestral) row of the iconostasis, where this row is, the image of the Lord of hosts, God the Father is often placed , on one side of which are placed the images of the forefathers (Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, Noah), and on the other - the saints (i.e. saints who during the years of their earthly ministry had episcopal rank).
5. On the topmost tier is always built pommel: or Calvary(The Cross with the Crucifixion as the pinnacle of Divine love for the fallen world), or simply the Cross .
This is a traditional iconostasis device. But there are often others, where, for example, the festive row may be higher than the deisis, or it may not be at all.
In addition to the iconostasis, icons are placed along the walls of the temple, in large icon cases, i.e. in special large frames, and are also located on lecterns, i.e. on special high narrow tables with an inclined surface.
Middle part of the temple,
as its name implies, it is located between the altar and the vestibule. Since the altar is not completely limited by the iconostasis, some of it is “carried out” outside the altar partition. This part is a platform elevated in relation to the level of the rest of the temple and is called salt(Greek elevation in the middle of the temple). a width, as a rule, not less than 1.2 m, raised by one or more steps in relation to the floor level of the middle part of the temple. The floor level of the salt must match the floor level of the altar. In such a device salts has an amazing meaning. The altar does not actually end with the iconostasis, but comes out from under it to the people: for those who pray, during the service, the same thing happens that happens in the altar. In temples with a capacity of more than 300 people, the salt usually has a decorative lattice fence with opening parts opposite doorways iconostasis. The width of each leaf must be at least 0.8 m. 
Figure 3.9. Middle part of the temple, interior
Opposite the Royal Doors, the salt, as a rule, has a protrusion (pulpit) of a polyhedral or semicircular shape with a radius of the upper step of 0.5 - 1.0 m. pulpit the priest pronounces the most significant words during the service, as well as the sermon. Symbolic meanings pulpit the following: the mountain from which Christ preached. On the sides of the salt, as a rule, kliros are arranged to accommodate church choirs. Their width is taken depending on the capacity of the temple, but must be at least 2.0 m. The choirs, as a rule, are separated from the middle part of the temple by icon cases for icons facing the middle part of the temple. If it is impossible to place church choirs on the salt or on the mezzanine, fenced platforms can be arranged for them in the middle part of the temple, as a rule, if there are central pillars, on their eastern side.
Near kliros gonfalons are placed – icons painted on cloth and attached, like altarpieces of the Cross and the Mother of God, to long shafts. Some churches have choirs - a balcony or loggia, usually on the western side, less often on the south or north side. In the central part of the temple, at the top of the dome, a large lamp with many lamps (in the form of candles, or in other form) is suspended on massive chains. be decorated with "tablets" - icon-painting images. In the domes of the side aisles, similar smaller lamps, called polycandyles, are hung. Polikandila have from seven (symbolize the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit) to twelve (symbolize the 12 apostles) lamps, chandelier - more than twelve.
In the middle part of the temple it is considered obligatory to have the image of Golgotha , which is a large wooden Cross with the Savior crucified on it. Usually it is made life-size, that is, the height of a person, and eight-pointed. The lower end of the Cross is fixed on a stand in the form of a rock slide, on which the skull and bones of the progenitor Adam are depicted. On the right side of the Crucified is the image of the Mother of God, fixing Her eyes on Christ, on the left side - the image of John the Theologian or the image of Mary Magdalene . crucifixion during the days of Great Lent, it moves to the middle of the temple.
Behind the cloudy place in the western wall of the temple, double doors are arranged , or red gate , leading from the middle part of the temple to the narthex. They are the main entrance to the church. In addition to the western, red gates, the temple may have more two entrances to the north And southern walls, but this is not always the case.
porch - the third entrance of the temple . The vestibules can serve as an entrance vestibule. In I, II, III climatic regions and IIId climatic subregion, a vestibule should be provided at the main entrance. With additional entrances serving as evacuation entrances, vestibules may not be provided. The width of the vestibules must exceed the width of the doorway by at least 0.15 m on each side, and the depth of the vestibules must exceed the width of the door leaf by at least 0.2 m.
The device of thresholds with a height of more than 2 cm in the doorways of the vestibules is not allowed for unhindered entry and exit, especially during the procession.
The width of the openings for the main entrances to the temple should be determined depending on its capacity in order to ensure the unhindered exit of people from the temple during the procession. It is recommended to take the clear width of the doorway at least 1.2 m, the width of the free passage of internal doors - at least 1.0 m.
External staircases must have a minimum width of 2.2 m, and platforms with a height of more than 0.45 m from the ground level, located at the entrances to temples, must have fences with a height of at least 0.9 m.
Also, the vestibule can be developed with the addition of a refectory, which provides additional accommodation for parishioners. One or more aisles of the temple can adjoin the refectory part. vestibule s the width is usually narrower than the western wall of the temple, often built into the bell tower, if it adjoins the temple closely. Sometimes width vestibule the same as the width of the western wall.
In the vestibules, candle kiosks should be provided, as far as possible isolated from the prayer rooms of the temple (the refectory and the temple itself), places for custom-made services (for example, prayer services, memorial services), as well as utility rooms: staff rooms, cleaning equipment rooms, storerooms, parishioners' outerwear wardrobes and others in accordance with the design assignment.
If there is a dressing room for outerwear, the number of hooks is determined by the design assignment, but must be at least 10% of the temple's capacity. 
Figure 3.10. Plan of the parish church
1 - porch with wardrobe; 2 - stairs to the bell tower; 3 - guard's quarters; 4 - Utility room; 5 - a vestibule with a "church box"; 6 - icon shop; 7 - pantry; 8 - baptismal; 9 - dressing room; 10 - staff quarters; 11 - confessional (required); 12 - refectory part; 13 - the middle part of the temple; 14 - altar; 15 - fake; 16 - sacristy; 17 - salt with pulpit; 18 - choir; 19 - aisle; 20 - aisle altar; 21 - a fencing with a sacristy; 22 - salt with pulpit
A bell tower or belfry can be built above the narthex.
The entrance to the vestibule is provided from an open or covered area - a porch, rising above ground level by at least 0.45 m.
On the porch there should be a place for covers of coffins and wreaths.
The "Reference book of an Orthodox person" contains the most complete information of a reference nature on the most important topics for every Christian: the organization of the temple, Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition, Divine Services and the Sacraments of the Orthodox Church, the annual circle Orthodox holidays and posts, etc.
The first part of the Handbook is Orthodox church”- tells about the external and internal structure of the temple and about everything that belongs to the temple building. The book contains many illustrations and a detailed index.
Censor Archimandrite Luke (Pinaev)
From the publisher
The encyclopedic reference book "The New Tablet", compiled in the 19th century by the Archbishop of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas Veniamin, withstood, despite the materialism and skepticism inherent in the era, 17 editions. The reason for such an incredible popularity of the collection was the fact that it contained a huge reference material about temple buildings, their external and internal structure, utensils, sacred objects and images, the ranks of public and private services performed in the Orthodox Church.
Unfortunately, the archaism of the language of the "New Table", the oversaturation of the collection with an explanation of the symbolic meanings of the objects described, makes this unique book very difficult for the perception of a modern Christian. And the need for the information that she gave is even higher at the moment than in the century before last. Therefore, our Publishing House is making an attempt to continue the tradition started by the New Tablet.
In "Handbook of the Orthodox Man" " we have collected the most complete reference information on the above topics, adapting it for the understanding of modern Christians. We have prepared the first part of the book - "The Orthodox Church" - which is distinguished by the completeness of the reference material given in it. It contains information about the external and internal structure of Orthodox churches and everything that is their integral part. Another feature of the book is the abundance of illustrations that clearly represent those sacred objects, the description of which is given in it.
The internal structure of the reference book is characterized by the fact that the beginning of an article devoted to a particular sacred subject is highlighted in bold, which makes it easy to find it in the text.
At the same time, the text is not divided into separate parts, but constitutes an indivisible whole, united within large sections by the internal logic of the narrative.
The book also contains a detailed subject index, allowing the reader to easily find the term of interest to them.
To compile the first part, several sources were used, but the "Desk Book of the Clergyman" was taken as the basis, the accuracy of the descriptions of which is beyond doubt. Experience shows that even parishioners of Orthodox churches who have been churched for a long time have a distorted idea about some sacred objects or do not have it at all. The book aims to fill these gaps. In addition, it can become a reference for those who have just come to an Orthodox church and do not know anything about it.
The Publishing House plans to work on the following parts of the guide:
1 . Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition.
2 . Iconography (without special and applied information).
3 . Worship of the Orthodox Church.
4 . Sacraments of the Orthodox Church.
5 . Annual cycle of holidays and Orthodox fasts.
6 . General information on dogmatic and moral theology and other topics.
The purpose of the collection is to collect in it reference material about the Orthodox Church of a public nature. The book will help believers make up for the lack of knowledge about the most important components of the life of an Orthodox person that exists now.
,middle temple And vestibule
ALTAR
The altar is the most main part temple, means the kingdom of heaven. Christian churches are built with the altar to the east - in the direction where the sun rises. If there are several altars in the temple, then each of them is consecrated in memory of a special event or saint. All altars in this case, except for the main one, are called aisles.
The device of the Orthodox Church
The altar is higher than other parts of the temple. The very word "altar" means an elevated altar.
Divine service is performed in the altar and there is the most holy place in the whole temple - the holy throne, which is made either in the form of stone monoliths about a meter high, or from wood, in the form of a frame with a lid on top. The throne is dressed in two clothes: the lower one is linen, called katasarkiy or srachica (symbolically represents the burial shrouds of Jesus Christ - the shroud), entwined with a rope (rope), and the upper one is made of brocade, called inditia (indition), symbolizing the solemn attire of Jesus Christ as King of glory.
THRONE
The Sacrament of Holy Communion is celebrated on the throne. It is believed that Christ is invisibly present on the throne, and therefore only clergy can touch it. Always rely on the throne antimension, altar gospel, altarpiece cross , tabernacle
, monstranceAndlampada
. Particles of holy relics are placed on the altar in a special reliquary.
In cathedrals and large churches, a canopy in the form of a dome with a cross (civorium) is installed above the throne, which symbolizes heaven, and the throne itself is the land on which Jesus Christ suffered. In the center of the ciborium, above the throne, a dove figurine is placed, which symbolizes the descent of the Holy Spirit.
The place behind the throne near the eastern wall is considered the holiest place even on the altar, it is specially made a little elevated and is called “ mountain place". It traditionally has a large menorah and a large altar cross.
ALTAR
At the northern wall of the altar, behind the iconostasis, there is a special table - altar
. The height of the altar is always equal to the height of the throne. On the altar, there is a ceremony of solemn preparation of bread and wine for Communion or proskomidia, the first part of the Divine Liturgy, where the bread in the form of prosphora and wine offered for the sacred service are prepared in a special way for the subsequent sacrament of the Bloodless Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ. On the altar is chalice
(the holy cup into which wine and water is poured, a symbol of the blood of Jesus Christ); paten
(a dish on a stand for sacramental bread, a symbol of the body of Jesus Christ); asterisk
(two arcs connected crosswise, installed on the diskos so that the cover does not touch the prosphora particles; the star is a symbol of the star of Bethlehem); copy
(a sharp stick for removing particles from prosphora, a symbol of the spear that pierced Christ on the cross); liar
- a spoon for communion of believers; sponge for wiping vessels. The prepared communion bread is covered with a veil. Small covers of a cruciform shape are called patrons
, and the largest air
. In parish churches that do not have a special vessel storage, sacred liturgical vessels are constantly on the altar, which are covered with shrouds during off-duty hours. On altar necessarily there is a lamp, a Cross with a Crucifixion.
At the southern wall of the altar is arranged sacristy - room for storing rice, i.e. liturgical clothes, as well as church vessels and liturgical books.
ROYAL DOORS
In ancient Christian churches, the altar was always separated from the rest of the temple by a special partition. Behind the altar partition is stored censer
, dikyrium
(double candlestick), trikirium
(three-candlestick) and ripids
(metal circles-fans on the handles, with which the deacons blow over the gifts during their consecration).
After the great schism of the Christian Church (1054), the altar partition was preserved only in the Orthodox Church. Over time, the partition turned into an iconostasis, and its middle, largest doors became the Royal Doors, because through them Jesus Christ Himself, the King of Glory, invisibly enters in the Holy Gifts. Only clergymen can pass through the Royal Doors, and only during worship. Outside of worship and without vestments, enter through royal doors only the bishop has the right to enter the altar and leave the altar.
Inside the altar behind the Royal Doors hangs a special veil - catapetasma, which in the course of the Divine service is opened in whole or in part at the moments of the divine service established by the charter.
Like the vestments of the clergy catapetasma different colors depending on the day of the year and holiday.
On the Royal Doors are depicted the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. Above the royal doors is placed the icon of the Last Supper.
To the right of the Royal Doors is an icon Savior, left - icon Mother of God. To the right of the icon of the Savior is located south door, and to the left of the icon of the Mother of God - north door. On these side doors are depicted Archangels Michael And Gabriel, or the first deacons Stephen and Philip, or the high priest Aaron and the prophet Moses. I call the north and south side doors deacon's gates, since deacons most often pass through them.
Next are icons of especially revered saints. The first icon to the right of the icon of the Savior (not counting the south door) is called temple icon, i.e. it depicts a holiday or a saint in whose honor the temple is consecrated.
If the iconostasis consists of several tiers, then icons are usually located in the second tier. twelfth holidays, in third icons of the apostles, in the fourth - icons prophets, at the very top - a cross is always placed with the image of the crucified Lord Jesus Christ on it.
MIDDLE TEMPLE
Icons are also placed on the walls of the temple in large icon cases, i.e. in special large frames, as well as on lecterns, those. on special high narrow tables with an inclined lid.
Before the icons and lecterns stand candlesticks on which believers place candles.
The elevation in front of the iconostasis, on which the altar and the iconostasis are built, protrudes forward into the middle part of the temple and is called saline.
The semicircular ledge in front of the Royal Doors in the middle of the salt is called pulpit, i.e. climb. On the ambo, the deacon pronounces litanies and reads the Gospel, from here the priest preaches and Holy Communion is administered.
Along the edges of the salt, near the walls of the temple, they arrange kliros for reciters and singers.
The kliros have banners.
The low table, on which stands the image of the crucifixion and rows of candlesticks, is called eve or eve. Before the eve, memorial services are served - requiems.
LIGHTS
A special place among church utensils is occupied by lamps.
Also in Byzantine Empire church utensils were born to illuminate churches, which are still being made today: lampadas, khoros, chandeliers, church candlesticks and church chandeliers.
The most ancient lamps are lampadas (or lompads), the dim light of which illuminated the ancient cave temples of the early Christians.
The lampada is a portable lamp (candlestick), which, during the small and large exits to the liturgy, is carried in front of the priest and deacon. Such an icon lamp is given by a special lamp-maker (Greek primikirius) to the bishop at his entrance to the temple.
Even the ancient Greeks hung lampadas from wooden or metal hoops to illuminate temples, or hung them on chains stretched through the temple. The development of this method of suspension with a lamp led to the appearance of hanging lamps of more complex shapes: horos, chandeliers and church chandeliers.
Earlier than the chandelier, church lamps are khoros, which occupy an intermediate step in the evolution of church lamps between the lampada and the chandelier.
Horos has the form of a horizontally located metal or wooden wheel, suspended on chains from the ceiling of the temple. Lampadas or candles were attached around the entire circumference of the wheel. Sometimes a hemispherical bowl was installed in the center of the wheel, in which a lamp was also placed.
Later khoros evolved into bulky chandeliers, which over time were transformed into more elegant chandeliers. However, the chandelier is practically a chandelier, which, like a horos, consists of numerous tiers of concentric rings. In the center of the chandelier is a characteristic spherical "apple" made of gilded bronze.
Another type of lamps that are used in temples is multi-candle floor candlestick, which often contains many tiers or levels. A standing or skinny candle is also used as a lamp.
One of the main candlesticks installed in the altar is the menorah, which symbolizes the Seven Sacraments of the Church and the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit granted to believers in the name of the feat of Christ, who atoned for their sins at the cost of his life.
This is how it came to us device And decoration Orthodox church.
See also " Types of temple utensils", "
church vestments", "Types of church vestments.
