Interior decoration of an Orthodox chapel. Saint Isaac's Cathedral. Interior decoration. Salt in the temple

Despite the fact that all Orthodox churches differ in size, distinctive features, as well as the types of materials that were used for their construction - they all have the same internal structure.

Therefore, wherever an Orthodox church is located, it consists of the same functional parts. Each of the parts of the internal structure of the temple has its own specific, clearly thought out practical purpose. Also, all parts have their own names, taking their origins from the depths of centuries.

Moreover, along with functional purpose, each part in internal arrangement the temple carries an important symbolic meaning, which should be clear to every believer who comes to pray. In this article, we will look at the main parts of the internal structure of an Orthodox church, and also learn the meaning of some words from church terminology.

At the entrance to the Orthodox Church, we are met by porch Is it a porch or a small outdoor terrace covered with a roof. Above entrance doors there is always an icon depicting a saint, a certain event or holiday, in honor of which this temple was erected.

An interesting fact is that three doors lead to the temple. And this custom originates from the ancient times of early Christianity, when men and women could not yet enter the temple through the same door. This long tradition in the architectural temples has been preserved to this day.

Parts of the internal structure of the temple.

The internal structure of each Orthodox church is divided into three main parts, each of which carries its own specific functional and semantic load. Among them are the following:

• vestibule;
• the middle part is, in fact, the very premises of the temple, the significance of which is emphasized by the corresponding design;
• altar.

Let us consider in more detail what features are characterized by each of these structural parts and what functional purpose it performs. In the Christian religious tradition, little has changed since ancient times, and therefore we can safely say that Orthodox churches built several centuries ago had the same structure.

The role of the vestibule in the temple.

In ancient times in vestibule there could be those visitors who still had time to accept the Christian religion. They could simply come and look at the service, but they did not have access to the middle of the temple. This was a precautionary measure so that dark, unknown forces would not penetrate into the temple and it would not be defiled. But at the same time, it was necessary to attract people and instruct them on the path of the Christian faith.

It was in the narthex that was previously located font- a special vessel designed for the rite of baptism. And only after the rite of baptism was performed on him, the newly-made Christian could enter the temple in order to attend the service as a full parishioner. After that, he was given access to the middle part of the temple, where he could come up and bow to the icons, as well as listen to the sermon of the priest, an Orthodox priest.

Fonts were used for infant baptism small size, but for the baptism of adult parishioners, they subsequently began to make quite roomy fonts, which were skillfully decorated with religious mosaic images. And today the fonts in some churches have become real works of art.

Nowadays, the vestibule has largely lost its original purpose, and is an ordinary vestibule through which everyone can get into the middle part of the temple. IN holidays when there are a lot of visitors in the temple, those people who came later than others crowd in the porch, and therefore did not have time to go inside the temple.

Previously, an Orthodox church was conditionally divided into three parts by small wooden gratings- partitions, because it was believed that during worship and prayer, men and women could not be together.

Nowadays, the temple is a single, spacious room, the central place in which is occupied by iconostasis. It is an almost solid wall, decorated with many icons of Orthodox saints, which are placed in a clearly defined order.

Salt device.

In front of the iconostasis is salt, which is a part of the temple raised by one step, which is designed to enable believers to better see and hear the service.

The middle part of the salt comes forward and is called pulpit- an Orthodox priest delivers a sermon from him, and a deacon reads the Gospel. This protruding part plays the role of a kind of stage from which the parishioners can better see all the actions of the priest and hear his words.

Also on the salt there are fenced off places called "kliros" - it is there that the choir is located during worship. Kliros located on the right and left sides. This is done because some church hymns must be performed by two choirs at the same time.

Appointment of church lamps.

Also on the salt there is a large number of a wide variety of lamps, each of which has its own name and functional purpose. Ordinary candlesticks are placed on the floor, and chandelier hung from the ceiling.

At first glance, the chandelier in its design resembles a very beautiful one, having several tiers, on each of which lighted candles are burning. However, these days they are often replaced with electric light bulbs.

Before the icons are hung lampadas- small lamps filled with oil. When candles burn in them, their flame, oscillating from the slightest movement of air, creates in the temple an atmosphere of unreality and mystery of everything that happens. This feeling is greatly enhanced by the play of light and shadow on the many brilliant details of the iconostasis.

From the point of view of the Christian religion, fire expresses the fiery love of believers for God and specifically for the saint in whose face the candle is placed. That is why it is customary to place candles in front of the image of the saint to whom believers turn with a request for help or assistance in solving life issues.

During the service, the priest uses another lamp, which he carries in his hands and overshadows the faithful with it. It consists of two crossed candles and is called dikirium. When the service is conducted by a priest of a higher rank - a bishop or patriarch, then a lamp with three candles is used - it is called trikirium.

An important part of worship is the rite of using the censer. Since ancient times, special aromatic substances have been burned in the censer. This custom has been preserved to this day in the Orthodox church tradition.

IN censer, which is a small vessel with slots designed for the passage of air, smoldering coals and pieces of aromatic resin are inserted - incense, which has long been used in Orthodox services. During the service, the priest swings the censer and fumigates the believers, icons and holy gifts with fragrant smoke of incense. Rising clouds of fragrant smoke are a symbol of the holy spirit.

The device of the iconostasis.

The iconostasis is a wall that separates the main building of the temple from the altar. This is one of the most beautiful parts in the interior decoration of an Orthodox church, because the entire wall of the iconostasis is decorated with icons of numerous Christian saints. Each depicts a specific saint or great martyr, and they are all placed in a strict order.

There are three doors in the iconostasis. Two of them are small, and they are on the right and on the left side. And in the center is the main door - the so-called Royal Doors.

The name of this door means that God himself (in the Christian religious tradition he is also called the King) invisibly enters this door during the service. Therefore, the Royal Doors are usually closed. Only priests have the right to pass through them.

Components of the altar.

However, the most important part of every Orthodox church is altar. This is a closed, the last part of the internal structure of the temple, to which access of believers is prohibited. Therefore, only clergy have the right to enter there, who perform certain ritual actions there to conduct a church service in accordance with all the canons of the Christian religion.

The central place in the altar is occupied by the throne, which in fact is an ordinary table. He is covered antimension- a silk scarf, on which the image of the scene of the position of Jesus Christ in the tomb is embroidered by hand. An inscription is also made on the antimension about the date of consecration of this temple. The antimension consecrated by the patriarch is sent to the temple, and only from that time can one perform the rite of worship with it.

The antimension is covered with clothes - at first thin, which is called srachica, and on top of it is another one - indium. India in its own way appearance reminiscent of a tablecloth of expensive brocade, which descends to the floor.

There is a cross on the altar, a Gospel in a richly decorated binding, and a tabernacle - this is a special vessel that is designed to store the consecrated prosphora.

On the left side of the throne, another table is installed, which is called the altar. Sacred vessels are kept on it - chalice and paten. The preparation of holy gifts for worship is also performed on the altar.

Why do believers build temples? Why are such a large number of them scattered throughout the Orthodox Earth? The answer is simple: the goal of everyone is the salvation of the soul, and achieving it is impossible without visiting the church. She is a clinic where she comes from sinful falls, as well as her deification. The device of the temple, its decoration allow the believer to plunge into the divine atmosphere, to become closer to the Lord. Only a priest who is present in the temple can conduct the ceremony of baptism, wedding, forgive sins. Without services, 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 with the help of such sacraments as baptism, communion. Believers gather here to make a joint prayer, the power of which everyone knows.

The first Christians had an illegal position, so they did not have their own temples. For prayers, believers gathered in the houses of the leaders of the communities, synagogues, and it happened that in the catacombs of Syracuse, Rome, Ephesus. This lasted for three centuries, until Constantine the Great came to power. In 323, he became full 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 - Empress Helen of Constantinople - who was the initiator of the erection in Jerusalem.

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

Internal organization

The internal structure of the temple necessarily symbolizes closeness to God, is endowed with certain symbols, decoration, and serves to satisfy the goals of Christian worship. As the Church teaches, our entire material world is nothing but 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, of the image of the King of Heaven. The device of an Orthodox church, its architecture, symbolism enable believers to perceive the church as the beginning of the Kingdom of Heaven, its image (invisible, distant, divine).

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

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

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

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

• Iconostasis.
• Altar.
• Throne.
• Sacristy.
• Mountain place.
• pulpit.
• Solea.
• Ponomark.
• Kliros.
• Papers.
• Candle boxes.
• Bell tower.
• Porch.

Altar

Considering the device of the temple, special attention should be paid to the most main part church, intended only for clergy, as well as for those persons who serve them during worship. 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 "heaven on Zele". Everyone knows that after the fall the Lord closed the Gates to the Kingdom of Heaven for ordinary laity, entry here is possible only. Having a special sacred meaning, the altar always inspires awe in believers. If a believer helping in the service, putting things in order or lighting candles, comes here, he must make a prostration. Laymen are forbidden to enter the altar for the simple reason that this place must always be clean, holy, it is here that the Holy Meal is located. Crowds and excesses are not allowed in this place, which, due to their sinful nature, mere mortals can allow. The place is for the concentration of prayer by the priest.

Iconostasis

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

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

In the center are the royal gates - specially decorated doors with two wings, located opposite the throne. Why are they called that? It is believed that Jesus Christ himself comes through them to give communion to people. To the left and to the right of the north and south gates are installed, which serve for the entrance and exit of the clergy at the statutory moments of worship. Each of the icons located on the iconostasis has its own special place and meaning, tells about some 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 by words in Holy Scripture. Thanks to them, a prayerful mood is created in the temple. When praying, you need to remember that the prayer does not ascend 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 the people, as the chosen ones saw them. Thus, the Trinity is depicted in the form as righteous Abraham saw it. Jesus is depicted in the human form in which he lived among us. It is customary to depict the Holy Spirit 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 is necessarily consecrated in the temple, sprinkled with holy water. Then it 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, is holy.

Middle part of the temple

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

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 consecrated. 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.

vestibule

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

External device

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

Apse - a ledge for the altar, attached to the temple, usually has a semicircular shape.

Drum - the upper part, which ends with a cross.

Light drum - a drum with slotted openings.

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

Zakomara - Russian architecture. Semi-circular completion of a part of the wall.

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

The porch is a porch elevated above ground level (closed or open type).

Pilaster - a flat decorative protrusion on the surface of the wall.

Portal - entrance.

Refectory - an extension from the west of the building, serves as a place for sermons and meetings.

Tent - has several faces, covers towers, a temple or a bell tower. Common in 17th century architecture.

Pediment - completes the facade of the building.

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

Tier - a decrease in height of the volume of the entire building.

Types of temples

Orthodox churches have a different shape, they can be:

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

Each church is dedicated to some holy, important Christian event. The day of their memory becomes a patronal temple holiday. If there are several aisles 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 device of the Christian temple of Byzantium had a cross-domed type. It combined 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.

Buddhist temple arrangement

Many believers are interested in how the temples of the Buddha 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 - from the Buddha, his teachings and from the community. The right place is where all the "Three Treasures" are collected, they must be reliably protected from any influence, from strangers. The temple is a closed territory, protected from all sides. Powerful gates are the main requirement in the construction of the temple. Buddhists do not distinguish between a monastery and a temple - for them it is one and the same concept.

Every Buddhist temple has an image of the Buddha, whether it is embroidered, painted or sculptured. This image should be placed in the "golden hall", facing east. The main figure is huge, all the rest depict scenes from the life of the saint. The temple 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.

Visiting a Buddhist temple

Those who want to visit a Buddhist temple must adhere to certain requirements. Legs, shoulders must be covered with opaque clothing. Like other religions, Buddhism believes that not keeping up appearances in clothes is a disrespect for the faith.

Buddhist feet are considered the dirtiest part of the body because they are in contact with the ground. Therefore, when entering the temple, you must take off your shoes. It is believed that this way the legs become cleaner.

Be sure to know the rule by which believers sit down. In no case should the legs point towards the Buddha or any saint, so Buddhists prefer to remain neutral - to sit in the lotus position. You can simply bend your legs under you.

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 of Orthodox holidays and fasts, etc.

The first part of the Directory - "Orthodox Church" - tells about the external and internal structure of the temple and 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.

Many Orthodox churches amaze with the beauty and elegance of decoration, architectural splendor. But in addition to the aesthetic load, the entire construction and design of the temple has a symbolic meaning. You cannot take any building and organize a church in it. Consider the principles by which the device and interior decoration of an Orthodox church is organized and what meaning the design elements carry.

Architectural features of temple buildings

A temple is a consecrated building in which Divine services are served, and believers have the opportunity to take part in the Sacraments. Traditionally, the main entrance to the temple is located in the west - where the sun sets, and the main liturgical part - the altar - is always laid to the east, where the sun rises.

Prince Vladimir Church in Irkutsk

You can distinguish a Christian church from any other buildings by the characteristic dome (head) with a cross. This is a symbol of the death on the cross of the Savior, who voluntarily ascended the Cross for our redemption. It is no coincidence that the number of heads on each church, namely:

• one dome marks the commandment of the unity of God (I am the Lord your God, and you will have no other gods but Me);
• three domes are erected in honor of the Holy Trinity;
• five domes symbolize Jesus Christ and His four evangelists;
• seven chapters remind believers of the seven main Sacraments of the Holy Church, as well as of the seven ecumenical councils;
• sometimes there are buildings with thirteen heads, which symbolize the Lord and 12 apostles.

Important! Any temple is dedicated, first of all, to our Lord Jesus Christ, but at the same time it can be consecrated in honor of any saint or holiday (for example, the Nativity Church, St. Nicholas, Pokrovsky, etc.).

About Orthodox churches:

When laying the construction of the temple, one of the following figures can be laid in the foundation:

• the cross (marks the Lord's instrument of death and the symbol of our salvation);
• rectangle (associated with Noah's ark, as a ship of salvation);
• circle (means the absence of the beginning and end of the Church, which is eternal);
• a star with 8 ends (in remembrance of the Bethlehem star, which indicated the birth of Christ).

Top view of the Church of Elijah the Prophet in Yaroslavl

Symbolically, the building itself corresponds to the ark of the salvation of all mankind. And just as Noah many centuries ago saved his family and all living things on his ark during the Great Flood, so today people go to churches to save their souls.

The main liturgical part of the church, where the altar is located, looks to the east, since the goal of human life is to go from darkness to light, which means from west to east. In addition, in the Bible we see texts in which Christ himself is called the East and the Light of Truth coming from the East. Therefore, it is customary to serve the Liturgy in the altar towards the rising sun.

The interior of the temple

Entering any church, you can see the division into three main zones:

1. vestibule;
2. main or middle part;
3. altar.

The vestibule is the very first part of the building behind the front doors. In ancient times, it was customary that it was in the narthex that sinners and catechumens stood and prayed before repentance - people who were just preparing to accept Baptism and become full members of the Church. There are no such rules in modern churches, and candle stalls are most often located in the porches, where you can buy candles, church literature and submit notes for commemoration.

The vestibule is a small space between the door and the temple.

In the middle part are all those praying during the service. This part of the church is sometimes also called the nave (ship), which again refers us to the image of Noah's ark of salvation. The main elements of the middle part are solea, pulpit, iconostasis and kliros. Let's consider in more detail what it is.

Solea

This is a small step, located in front of the iconostasis. Its purpose is to elevate the priest and all participants in worship so that they can be seen and heard better. In ancient times, when the temples were small and dark, and even crowded with people, it was almost impossible to see and hear the priest behind the crowd. Therefore, they came up with such an elevation.

pulpit

In modern churches, this is part of the salt, most often oval in shape, which is located in the middle of the iconostasis right in front of the Royal Doors. On this oval ledge, sermons are delivered by the priest, petitions are read out by the deacon, and the Gospel is read. In the middle and on the side of the pulpit there are steps for climbing to the iconostasis.

The gospel is read from the pulpit and sermons are delivered

Choir

The place where the choir and readers are located. In large churches, most often there are several kliros - upper and lower. The lower kliros are, as a rule, at the end of the salt. On big holidays, several choirs can sing in one temple at once, which are located on different kliros. During regular services, one choir sings from one kliros.

Iconostasis

The most conspicuous part of the interior decoration of the temple. This is a kind of wall with icons that separates the altar from the main part. Initially, iconostases were low, or their function was performed by curtains or small bars. Over time, icons began to be hung on them, and the height of the barriers grew. In modern churches, iconostases can reach the ceiling, and the icons on it are arranged in a special order.

The main and largest gate leading to the altar is called the Royal Doors. They depict the Annunciation Holy Mother of God and icons of all four evangelists. On the right side of the Royal Doors, an icon of Christ is hung, and behind it is the image of the main holiday, in honor of which the temple or this limit was consecrated. On the left side - the icon of the Virgin and one of the most revered saints. It is customary to depict the Archangels on the additional doors to the altar.

The Last Supper is depicted above the Royal Doors, icons of the great twelve feasts are on a par with it. Depending on the height of the iconostasis, there may be more rows of icons depicting the Mother of God, saints, places from the Gospel .. It was they who stood on Calvary during the execution of the Lord on the cross. The same arrangement can be seen on the large crucifix, which is located on the side of the iconostasis.

The main idea of ​​the design of the iconostasis is to represent the Church in all its fullness, with the Lord at the head, with saints and heavenly powers. A person who prays at the iconostasis, as it were, faces everything that is the essence of Christianity from the time of the Lord's earthly life to this day.

About prayer in the temple:

Altar

Finally, the holy of holies of any church, without which the service of the Liturgy is impossible. A church can be consecrated even in a simple building without domes, but it is impossible to imagine any church without an altar. Anyone cannot enter the altar, this is allowed only for clergy, deacons, sextons and individual males with the blessing of the rector of the temple. Women are strictly forbidden to enter the altar at all.

The main part of the altar is the Holy See, which symbolizes the Throne of the Lord God himself. In the physical sense, this is a large heavy table, maybe made of wood or stone. Square shape says that food from this table (namely the word of God) is served to people all over the Earth, to all four cardinal points. For the consecration of the temple, it is obligatory to lay the holy relics under the Altar.

Important! As in Christianity there is nothing accidental and unimportant, so the decoration of the house of God has a deep symbolic meaning in every detail.

It may seem superfluous to new beginning Christians, such care about details, however, if you delve deeper into the essence of worship, it becomes clear that every thing in the temple has a use. Such an order sets an example for every person: we must live in such a way that both external and internal dispensation lead us to God.

Video about the internal structure of the temple

The interior of the Assumption Cathedral is a complex artistic synthesis of architecture, monumental painting, icons, and applied arts. The architecture and murals of the temple create an image of the cosmos, where the vaults symbolize the sky carried by the pillars of the cathedral. The interior space is without choirs and, most importantly, it amazes with its bright expanse, which is fully revealed to us at first sight. Huge banquet hall. Massive round pillars supporting the domes do not give the impression of heaviness. Contemporaries figuratively compared them with "tree trunks" and noted with admiration that the cathedral was built in a "palatial way". This was the task of the architect Fiorovanti: the Assumption Cathedral was intended for the wedding of Moscow sovereigns to the kingdom and for other solemn services. The walls of the temple have preserved fragments of paintings made in the 15th century. The cathedral houses icons created in the 12th century.

It is known that the famous icon painter Dionysius took part in the painting of the cathedral. From this ancient painting, only a few compositions in the altar part of the cathedral and the figures of the saints decorating the stone altar barrier in front of the iconostasis have survived. A stone barrier about 3.5 m high separated the eastern part of the temple - the altar. At a height of 2.5 m from the floor, Dionysius and his assistants painted half-length images of twenty-three "venerables" on the barrier - the most active figures in the church in the first centuries of its existence. The walls and vaults of the altar and aisles behind the barrier were also painted. Separate fragments of this original painting have survived to this day. In the aisles adjacent to the altar on the south side. Dmitrovsky and Pokhvalsky, preserved compositions, possibly made by Dionysius himself, - "The Nativity of John the Baptist" (see Appendix I), "Praise of the Mother of God" (see Appendix K) and "Adoration of the Magi" (see Appendix L). Written in gentle and soft colors - lilac-pink, blue, yellowish, with light highlights lightly superimposed - the composition "Adoration of the Magi" is distinguished by poetry. To the north of the altar, in the Peter and Paul chapel and in the altar, the paintings "The Apostle Peter heal the sick", "Seven Sleeping Youths of Ephesus" (see Appendix M), "Three Youths in the Fiery Cave" (see Appendix H) and " Forty Martyrs of Sebaste" (see appendix P).

The existing painting appeared in the cathedral in 1642-1643. Many (more than 150) icon painters from different cities were involved in the work on the new wall painting. The tsarist painters Ivan Paisein, Sidor Pospeev and others supervised the work. Compositions on the themes of the Twelfth Feasts are placed on the vaults of the Assumption Cathedral. In the upper part of the northern and southern walls, gospel stories - parables are also illustrated. In the third tier, the story of the earthly life of the Virgin begins. In the second tier there are compositions on the theme of the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos - solemn hymns dedicated to the Mother of God, and in the lowest tier - images of the seven ecumenical councils, which worked out the dogma of the Orthodox Church. Traditionally, a grandiose scene of the Last Judgment is placed on the western wall.

At the southern wall of the cathedral, near the iconostasis, there is a carved wooden structure - the so-called Monomakh's Throne (see Appendix P), or the royal prayer place. It was made in 1551 for the first Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible shortly after his coronation. The throne that has survived to this day is made of walnut and linden wood; above it is a slotted canopy (tent), supported by four skillfully carved pillars, it was overshadowed by a double-headed eagle. The tent is supported by four carved posts, and instead of a foot, it has four lions, also carved from wood. The royal place had curtains that were drawn when the king changed his clothes in the cathedral. The frieze connecting the canopy is covered on all four sides with inscriptions extracted from the Holy Scriptures. At the entrance to the royal place, on the east side, folding doors were made. On each door, two inscriptions are carved in circles, containing a story about the war of Vladimir Monomakh with the Greeks. The columns of the throne are placed on three panels, on each of which four bas-reliefs are carved, totaling 12 bas-reliefs that illustrate the plots of the famous monument. ancient Russian literature"Tales of the Princes of Vladimir".

Near the northeast pillar stands another wooden carved prayer place (see appendix C). It appeared in the Assumption Cathedral in the 17th century. It was transferred from the house church of the queens for the first wife of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov - Maria Ilyinichna from the Miloslavsky family. Until that moment, the queens did not attend services in the Assumption Cathedral. According to Russian tradition, women in the temple prayed for left hand, men - on the right. The heart-shaped kokoshniks crowning the building contain scenes of the Nativity of the Mother of God, Christ and John the Baptist. They served as a kind of prayer for the continuation of the royal family. At the southeastern pillar is a stone patriarchal, and until the 17th century, metropolitan place (see Appendix T). Here sat the head of the Russian Church. Obviously, the metropolitan prayer place itself was erected simultaneously with the construction of the cathedral.

In 1624, an openwork copper tent was erected in the southwestern corner of the Assumption Cathedral, cast by Russian craftsman Dmitry Sverchkov (see Appendix U). The tent was intended to store the shroud (an embroidered cover with the image of the Position of Christ in the tomb, used in the Divine service of Holy Week). A precious relic was also kept here - a piece of the Robe (clothes) of Christ, which was presented to the Russian Tsar by the Iranian Shah Abbas. In 1913, a shrine was placed in the tent (see Appendix A) with the relics of Patriarch Hermogenes, canonized in the same year, who became famous for his irreconcilable attitude towards the Polish interventionists who seized the Kremlin in early XVII century, and received martyrdom from them.

The cathedral served as the tomb of Russian primates. There are 19 tombs in the cathedral. From the end of the 16th century, brick tombstones with white stone epitaphs began to be installed over the tombs (see Appendix A), and at the beginning of the 20th century, the tombstones were enclosed in metal covers. The burial places of the holy priests are highlighted by high tents - canopies. The burials themselves are under the floor of the cathedral. Behind the iconostasis in the Peter and Paul aisle is the tomb of Metropolitan Peter. In the 15th century, the relics of the metropolitan were in a golden shrine, which disappeared during the Polish-Swedish intervention of the 17th century. new cancer made of silver, but it was stolen from early XIX century by Napoleon's soldiers. At present, the relics of Saint Metropolitan Peter rest in a silver shrine under a bronze canopy, made in 1819. Cancer of St. Jonah, the first Russian metropolitan appointed by the cathedral of Russian bishops, stands in the northwestern corner of the church. It was created in 1585 by order of the son of Ivan the Terrible, Tsar Fedor. The copper canopy over it was cast in 1803. In the south-east corner of the cathedral there is a reliquary of St. Metropolitan Philip (Kolychev) made of cypress. Metropolitan Philip, who denounced Tsar Ivan the Terrible for his atrocities, was strangled by order of the Tsar in the Tver Monastery. His relics were brought and identically placed in the Assumption Cathedral under Patriarch Nikon in the 17th century. Also in the cathedral is the tomb of Patriarch Hermogenes, the great Russian patriot who died in 1612 during the Polish intervention.

Enormous attention should be paid to the iconostasis. It consists of five tiers containing sixty-nine icons painted by sixteen icon painters. Including in the cathedral there are magnificent icons of the XII-XVII centuries. I will elaborate on this in the next chapter.