Interior of an Eastern Church

Inside an Eastern Church Building

“We knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth.”

In 987 Prince Vladimir of Kyivan Rus sent emissaries . . .

Bishop John Elya standing beyond the Royal Doors and before the Holy Table

… throughout the world to learn of how each nation worshiped God and to explore the rituals of each religion. So the legend goes, after they had visited Constantinople they were in awe at the majesty of the patriarchs’ church, amazed at the piety of the worshipers, and stunned by beauty of God’s house. They reported to Prince Vladimir that . . .

“the Greeks led us to the edifices where they worship their God, and we knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth. For on earth there is no such splendour or such beauty, and we are at a loss how to describe it.

Nave of St. Joseph in Lawrence, Mass.

Raised platform of the sanctuary at St. Basil the Great in Lincoln, RI

We know only that God dwells there among men, and their service is fairer than the ceremonies of other nations. For we cannot forget that beauty. Every man, after tasting something sweet, is afterward unwilling to accept that which is bitter, and therefore we cannot dwell longer here.”

Melkite Churches of America are exceedingly humble compared to the magnificence of the 10th Century Church of Constantinople, but the interior of a Melkite Church does try to reflect the glory that must exist in heaven. Typically the interior of an Eastern church is divided into three sections: the narthex, the nave, and the sanctuary. The narthex is the area of the church that is entered from the outside. It was in this “lobby” that new members of the church were given the religious instruction which lead them to Baptism. For this reason most Baptisms in the Eastern rites begin in the narthex.

Iconostatis of St. George Melkite – Milwaukee

Through the Royal Doors to the Holy Table

The nave is the portion of the church where parishioners sit for services (or more traditionally stand).The sanctuary is the most important part of the church. Representing Heaven, the Sanctuary is usually raised slightly above the floor level of the nave (which represents the earth). An icon screen – called the iconostatis – divides the nave from the sanctuary. Beyond this wall of icons is the Holy Table or altar.

The iconostasis consists of one or more rows of icons. In the center of the icon wall are the Royal Doors. Only members of the clergy pass through these doors to enter the sanctuary. To the right of the Royal Doors is the icon of Christ the Teacher and to the left is the icon of the Theotokos or Mother of God. Next to these icons – further out from the Royal Doors are the two smaller doorways and the Deacon Doors. These doors usually depict Saint Andrew and Saint Philip.

Icon of the Theotokos on stand before the Iconostatis of Annunciation Cathedral

At the extreme ends of the iconostatis there is usually an icon for the patron of the local church and another of either St. Nicholas or St. John the Baptist. Typically a second row of icons will represent feasts and Holy Days of the church calendar. A third row will have a single icon of the Last Supper and often there will be a top row depicting either the crucifixion or an image representing the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Table is most often square and covered with three layers of cloth: a sheet representing the burial cloth of our Lord, a linen depiction of the entombment of Christ, and an brightly colored upper altar cloth representing the glory of the risen Lord. On the center of the Holy Table is the tabernacle which is in the shape of a church building or a tomb. A seven branched candle-stick is also usually placed on the Holy Table.

“The setting of the Sun”

The Nave in the light of evening Vespers

Interior of an Eastern Church

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