The temple as a building of worship occupies a special place in any culture. Usually, one way or another, all the main events of people's lives are associated with him - birth, funeral, wedding, baptism, etc. For Russian culture, temples are such iconic structures, we will analyze their history, significance and role for the country in this article.

The history of the temple as a structure

Ancient cultures and ancient times defined the temple as the home of their deity. Such structures were built on the principle of a human house. In it, the main place was occupied by one or another figure of a god, there was a separate place for gifts brought to this deity. The entrance to such a temple for a person was forbidden, it was possible to look at it from the outside and only occasionally look inside to see its divine statue.

On the contrary, in Christianity, the temple was not originally positioned as the House of God, but only as a place for the prayer of believers. This idea came from the Old Testament tradition of the “mobile” tabernacle, i.e. portable building, in which the Jews kept the most sacred - the Ark of the Covenant. In addition, the Christian God was conceived as an image above the world, standing outside its boundaries.

How could a house be built for such a God? If the whole world cannot contain Him, then how can a man-made house?

For the early Christians, God lived in the heart of man.
However, over time, Christianity also acquires "state" features, becoming. Then the question of determining the place for universal prayers is raised, i.e. question of building a temple.
For the first places of worship, Christians begin to use secular buildings - late antique basilicas. So in the 4th-5th centuries. AD the first Christian churches appear. It must be remembered that religious buildings were not erected for these purposes, but only adapted.

Description of the first Christian church

The ancient basilicas were quite spacious rooms, which, in fact, was required of them. These structures were rectangular structures with a high central nave (defined as two lights) and two lower lateral ones. In the basilica, respectively, the symbols of the Christian society are placed, consisting of:

catechumens
Faithful
Shepherds

By the same principle, the entire ensemble of the temple unfolds:

Yard (atrium)
Room at the entrance (narthex)
Main room (naos)
Holy place (altar, apse)

This arrangement symbolized the sacred movement of the believer towards God, going from the entrance (west) to the altar (east). This direction was preserved in other types of churches, especially Orthodox ones.
Thus, the first Christian churches revealed to believers not the "statics of veneration" of a pagan deity, but the "dynamics" of movement towards God, expressed in the plasticity of spatial forms.

We can summarize:

The temple in a religiously oriented culture (theocentric) becomes the central structure and the embodiment of its basic ideas of world outlook. In other words, the temple reproduces a certain of this culture.

For example, by the type of residential building and its internal surroundings, the interior, we can imagine a person living in it.

So the temple "personified" characteristic of Christian culture:

• theological (religious doctrines),
• cosmogonic (origin of the world) ideas.

The idea of ​​an Orthodox church and its history

However, it was precisely the “inconsistency” of such ideas of worldview in Christian culture with the appearance of the first basilicas that led, among other things, to the further development of the idea of ​​an Orthodox church. (). It must be said that this idea has been carefully developed since the 5th century and appears one of the first in the new church doctrines of Christianity.
This "inconsistency" had the following problem. According to the Lord, His throne is heaven, i.e. striving for God, believers turn their eyes upward. This means that the main direction of movement should not be horizontal (as in a basilica), but vertical! In the temples of that time, the roof was flat and seemed to block the sky itself from the gaze of the believer.
The question of a dome appears, which would symbolize the idea of ​​God's heavenly throne. The idea of ​​the dome was not completely new at that time; it had already been embodied in the ancient Pantheon of Rome.
In addition, the dualism of the Christian worldview could be visually resolved in this way, which divided time and space in the human mind into two main parts of the world:

Dolnaya (terrestrial)
mountainous (heavenly)

This division was originally hierarchical, i.e. expressed precisely along the vertical: the main thing is there, and not here - on the ground. That time and space transcends this age of man. This axiom expressed the main chronotope of the entire culture of Christianity in the Middle Ages.

Temple of Sophia of Constantinople

It found expression in the first fundamental religious building of that period - Sophia of Constantinople. It was still a basilica, but already of a domed type. The temple has a dome 36 meters in diameter, located at a height of 55 meters, which visibly expresses the idea of ​​heaven and the heavenly throne of God.

By the way, this temple remained unique in its typical design of a domed basilica; this was no longer built.

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,middle temple and vestibule

ALTAR

The altar is the most important part of the temple, it 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 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 the 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.
Even in the Byzantine Empire, church utensils for lighting churches were born, 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.

Where did the first Christians pray? What are the octogon, transept and nave? How is a tent temple arranged and why was this particular form so popular in Russia? Where is the highest place in the temple and what will the frescoes tell about? What items are on the altar? We share an excerpt from the book by Mikhail Braverman about the history and structure of the temple.

The first years after the Ascension of the Lord, Christians still visited the Jerusalem temple, but the sacrament of Communion, established by the Lord at the Last Supper, was performed in homes.

The basis of the original Christian worship is both the Old Testament liturgical tradition and the Last Supper. And the formation of the Christian temple was influenced both by the Jerusalem temple and the Zion chamber, in which the Lord established the Sacrament of Communion. (Zion is the name of one of the hills of Jerusalem.)

The creation of the Jerusalem temple was preceded by a tabernacle - a tent, which, by God's command, was built by Moses on the way from the land of slavery to the Promised Land.

The tabernacle was divided into three parts. The most important, separated by a curtain, was called the Holy of Holies, for the Ark of the Covenant was kept there - a chest lined with gold. The sculptures of winged cherubim (Angelic Forces) installed on its lid seemed to guard the shrines placed inside: a golden vessel with manna (God fed the people in the desert with it, and it was also a prototype of the Eucharist), the rod of the priest Aaron - the brother of Moses, as well as the tablets - plates with ten commandments of the Old Testament.

And now the temple has a three-part structure: a vestibule, the actual temple and an altar, symbolizing the spiritual Heaven (the word "altar" is translated as "exalted altar"). The altar is usually oriented to the east, because the sun rises there, and the Church calls the Lord "the Sun of righteousness." A building dedicated to God and not having an altar is called a chapel (from the office of the clock).

In the first three centuries, the Church suffered the most severe persecution. At this time, worship services were often held secretly and even underground, in catacombs - underground burial galleries, in crypts (caches), sometimes the lower one, located under the main church, is called so, in more spacious chapels (from the Latin "to contain").

After the end of the era of persecution, the rapid growth of temple construction begins. Emperor Constantine the Great gives the Church public buildings - basilicas (royal houses). The basilica is a rectangular building with an odd (1, 3, 5) number of naves (from the Latin "ship") - elongated interior spaces bounded by rows of columns. One of the oldest Christian basilicas was consecrated in 339 on the site of the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem.

Other churches erected on behalf of St. Constantine Equal-to-the-Apostles in the Holy Land and associated with the earthly life of Christ the Savior were rotundas (from the Latin “round”), for example, over the Holy Sepulcher, or octahedrons - octogons. “Octo” means “eight”, in church symbolism this is the number of eternity, and therefore often the font in which they receive Baptism - they are born for eternity - is octagonal.

Gradually the temple acquires vestibule("pre-church") and transept- transverse nave in front of the chancel. Two cruciformly connected basilicas led to the appearance of a cross (in terms of) temple, then supplemented by a dome, which symbolizes the spiritual firmament.

The cross-domed church, which was formed in the 5th-8th centuries in Byzantium, became one of the most common architectural types of Christian churches.

The mass construction of churches in Ancient Russia began immediately after her Baptism in 988. The subsequent XI century (during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise) was marked by the creation of St. Sophia Cathedrals in Kiev, Novgorod and Polotsk. Sophia (from Greek - "wisdom") - one of the names of the Lord Jesus Christ. Sophia was named the main temple of the Byzantine Empire. In the Russian land, the Sophia churches were dedicated to the Mother of God, from Whom God's Wisdom was incarnated. In Kiev, the patronal (main) holiday was the Nativity of the Virgin, and in Polotsk and Novgorod - Her Assumption. Each temple has its own dedication, for example: the Trinity Cathedral, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The temple can bear the name of a holiday, or one of the icons of the Theotokos, or saints. A temple can have several altars and, accordingly, several patronal feasts.

Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod. 11th century

Gradually, a special character of Russian temple architecture developed. The churches of Veliky Novgorod, Pskov, the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality and Moscow are distinguished by their own style. An arched-stepped completion of the temple walls and a special “onion” dome mounted on a drum appeared.

If the Byzantine dome symbolizes Heaven descending to earth, then the Russian symbolizes the burning of a candle. Subsequently, the helmet of a Russian warrior acquired this form. The temple represents the Divine order - the cosmos. But the world was created for man, and therefore the temple has human features: the dome is the head, the drum on which it is installed is the neck, the vaults are the shoulders. The entire temple, ending with an onion dome with a cross, signifies victory in spiritual warfare - the battle against sin.

The number of domes installed on the temple also has symbolism. One denotes faith in the One (One) God, two symbolize two natures, Divine and human, in Jesus Christ, three - the mystery of the Holy Trinity, five - Christ and the evangelists, seven - a sacred number denoting fullness (seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are listed by the prophet Isaiah , the seven main church sacraments connect us with God, the history of the Church knows the seven Ecumenical Councils), nine is the number of angelic ranks, thirteen domes symbolize the Lord and the twelve apostles. In Russia, since the 17th century, multi-domed churches were built, where twenty-four domes denoted the unity of the Old and New Testaments: the twelve judges (leaders) of Israel and the twelve apostles, and thirty-three - the years of the earthly life of Christ.

The temples were brick, white stone, and also wooden. The most common building material in Russia was wood. This led to the emergence of a new type of temple - a tented one.

The creation of a wooden dome was technically difficult, therefore, from the 16th century, the tent construction became widespread. Then hipped temples were also built of stone and brick. The most famous example is St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow.

The Byzantine heritage, the nature of Russian holiness, the nature of Russia - all this was reflected in the formation of the original style of Russian temple architecture.

Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye, 1532
The first stone tent temple

Another feature was the openness of Russian culture. It is surprising that typically Russian examples of architecture - the Assumption and Archangel Cathedrals in the Kremlin - were created in the 15th-16th centuries by Italian architects Aristotle Fioravanti and Aleviz Fryazin. At the same time, the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg, in the spirit of European architecture, was built by the Russian architect Andrey Voronikhin, the son of a serf.

Fashion for the architectural style: baroque, rococo, classicism, empire - was reflected in temple construction. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the appeal to Byzantine and Old Russian samples, combined with elements of Art Nouveau, led to the emergence of the Neo-Russian and Russian-Byzantine style.

At the beginning of the 20th century, after the October Revolution, the Church in Russia entered a period of persecution. Much of the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Church - the heritage of all mankind - was destroyed. During the years of Soviet power, churches were blown up, destroyed, vegetable stores and factories were set up in masterpieces of world architecture, and concentration camps and prisons were set up in monasteries.

After the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia, with the fall of the communist regime, the revival of church life began.

What is inside the temple?

Solea raises the altar above the rest of the temple space. The central part of the salt is called the pulpit (elevation), a prayer is raised from the pulpit, the Gospel is read, a sermon is delivered.

If the altar is the main place of the temple, then the most important place in the altar is the throne. Liturgy is performed on it, and at different moments of the service, it designates the Zion Upper Room, Golgotha ​​- the mountain on which the Cross was erected, the Tomb of Christ and the Mount of Olives, from where the Lord ascended.

Relies on the throne antimension. wrapped in iliton(translated as “wrapper”) the antimension is unfolded at the liturgy and folded at the end of it. From above, the altar Gospel relies on the antimension.

Also on the throne may be tabernacle. It contains spare Holy Gifts - consecrated bread and wine, with which the priest communes those who cannot, for example, due to illness, come to the temple (the priest carries the Holy Gifts in a monstrance). An altar cross is placed on the throne, which the priest holds in his hands on leave- the last prayer blessing of the liturgy. On the throne or behind it is installed menorah. John the Evangelist in Revelation wrote about seven lamps who are before the throne of God. Behind the throne is altar cross. All these sacred objects can also be works of decorative art. The space between the throne and the eastern wall of the altar is called mountainous place.

The temple may also contain banners- church banners with icons.

The casket in which the remains of the saint - the relics are stored, is called cancer. The relics of the saints are the subject of special reverence, because the body of a person can be the temple of God, and the temple is holy. Inside the temple is Calvary- a cross (sometimes with the upcoming John the Theologian and the Virgin) and tetrapod, a table for candles, in front of which they bring a prayer for the dead.

Candlesticks, lamps, lamps not only illuminate the temple space, but also symbolize the light of Divine love. The central candlestick is called chandelier, or horos (from the Greek "circle").

In hierarchal worship, they use trikirium and dikyrium- candlesticks with three and two candles. Trikiriy shows the number of the Trinity God, and dikiriy - two natures, Divine and human, in the Lord Jesus Christ. On the dikiriya, between the candles, a cross is depicted - a sign of the Sacrifice of Christ the Savior.

Entering the temple, the walls of which are decorated with murals, we find ourselves in the center of all the events of sacred history, as frescoes and mosaics tell. Above in the dome is depicted the Lord or His Blessed Mother. Four sails (the so-called spherical triangles that support the dome) are decorated with images of the evangelists or their symbols - an eagle, a calf, a lion, a man. The eagle is the height of theology, the calf is a symbol of the Sacrifice of Christ, the Lion means the royal dignity of the Lord, who became a man. At the top of the walls are gospel scenes, and below are images of saints who seem to be standing with us in worship.

From the book of Mikhail Braverman .

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 instrument of death of the Lord 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 of the Most Holy Theotokos and the 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. 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 can not enter the altar, this is allowed only for clergy, deacons, sexton 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. The square shape indicates 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 for new beginning Christians to be so careful about the details, however, if you delve deeper into the essence of worship, it becomes clear that there is a use for every thing in the temple. 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

Last time we talked about what temples are and about their external architectural features. Today let's talk about how the temple works inside.

Here we have stepped over the threshold of the temple, and now let's figure out what the parts of the temple are called.

Right at the entrance, at the door, is vestibule(pretend in Slavic and means "Door"). This is usually located candle box, where we can take candles, write notes about health and repose, order a prayer service or memorial service. In some temples, the vestibule is fenced off from the middle part of the temple.

Moving on, we will be in Withmiddle part of the temple, it is also called "ship". This part means the earth, all earthly space. Here we stand at the service, pray in front of the icons, here, in a specially designated place, confession is held.

In the middle part of the temple, in the center on lectern(table with beveled lid) is located icon of the day, it can be an image of a saint whose memory day is celebrated on this day, or an icon of a holiday. Upon entering the temple, the parishioners usually first of all go to venerate this icon, put a candle near it.

Between the middle part of the temple and its main part - the altar - is iconostasis. The icons on it, as it were, connect our world with the heavenly world.

Iconostasis, translated from Greek, means "icon stand". In ancient times, there were no iconostases, the altar was not separated from the space of the temple, only sometimes a low lattice was installed there to prevent the crowd. Subsequently, especially revered icons were fixed on the lattice, facing the worshipers. This testified to the fact that the saints also participate in our prayer. Subsequently, the number of icons in the iconostasis began to multiply. In Russia, iconostases appear in 5 or more rows of icons upwards. The traditional Russian iconostasis has 4 or 5 rows.

First row- icons called "local", these are the main icons of the iconostasis: images Savior and Mother of God, they are always located on the sides of the central entrance to the altar (royal doors). There is also an icon depicting the saint (or event) in whose honor the temple was consecrated, as well as icons of especially revered saints.

Second row iconostasis: Deesis rank, that is, the saints standing before Christ in reverent prayer.

Third row: (usually) festive, these are the most important holidays of the Orthodox Church.

Fourth row: Biblical prophets with scrolls in which their prophecies are written.

Fifth row: Old Testament forefathers, among whom, Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses other.

The iconostasis usually ends with an icon crucifixion or Cross of the Savior.

The traditional Russian iconostasis strikes with its power and spiritual content. He says that we are not alone in our paths of spiritual life. We have a host of helpers who pray with us and help us achieve salvation.

But the temple can have an iconostasis with fewer rows. Actually, only icons are mandatory. Savior and Mother of God(from the first row), and the rest of the icons are set if possible.

The iconostasis is located on a certain elevation, on saltier, the center of which forms a semicircular protrusion in front of the Royal Doors, which is called pulpit. This place marks the mountain from which the Lord Jesus Christ Himself preached. And today, from the pulpit, the clergy turn to the people with a sermon, here they pronounce litanies and read the Gospel. On the ambo, it is taught to believers and Holy Communion.

Now it is necessary to say about the main part of the temple - about the altar. Word "altar" translated from Latin as "high altar". The altar is located on the eastern side of the temple, since the Savior in the Holy Scriptures is called Sun of truth(Mal. IV, 2) and East(Zech. III, 8), in church hymns He is called "East of Easts"(the luminary of the feast of the Nativity of Christ).

The chronicle descriptions say that during the construction of the temple, the place of the altar was first planned, and the longitudinal axis of the temple was drawn, oriented to the first ray of the rising sun. Thus, the altar should be oriented towards the sunrise, so that people, standing opposite the iconostasis, would face the east. This is how temples are built today.

The main entrance to the altar in the center is called royal doors because through them the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the King of Glory, invisibly passes in a bowl with the Holy Gifts. To the left and right of the Royal Doors there are so-called deacon's door(otherwise - the northern and southern doors of the iconostasis), deacons most often pass through them.

At special moments of worship, the clergy enter and exit through the Royal Doors. In other cases, entry and exit to the altar occurs only through the deacon's gates. Outside of worship and without full vestments, only a bishop (bishop and above) has the right to enter and exit through the Royal Doors.

Inside the altar behind the Royal Doors is a special veil(in Greek catapetasma), opened at the established moments of worship. It symbolizes the Stone rolled away by the Angel from the Holy Sepulcher, thereby introducing all the people standing in the temple to what is happening in the altar.

Behind the Royal Doors in the altar, on the table, which is called throne, the sacrament takes place Eucharist.

Here, to the left of the throne, stands altar- a small table on which they cook Gifts for the sacrament of Communion.

Behind the throne in the eastern part of the altar is mountain place(“mountainous” in Slavic means “exalted”). On the High Place is usually located armchair for the bishop.

This is how the temple is arranged inside. It should also be said that the painting and decoration of temples can be different. Usually in murals there are plots Old and New Testaments.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the temple is a shrine, and one must behave piously and humbly in the temple. It would be nice to buy candles and submit notes before the start of the service, so as not to talk and, if possible, not to walk during the service. Let us remember that we are here as in God's House.