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The Orthodox House of Worship

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The Orthodox House of Worship The visitor to an Orthodox Church is usually impressed by the unique features and the external differences between this place of worship and those of the various traditions of Western Christianity. The outside is white, not very ornate, there is no spire, we have a stained-glass window; the architecture is compatible with the surrounding area. Orthodox churches tend to take the architecture of the area it is in. It is situated facing east, which is order; to the west is chaos. The rich color, distinctive iconography and beauty of the interior of an Orthodox Church generally are in sharp contrast to the simplicity that one finds in many Roman Catholic and Protestant churches. When one enters the interior of the Orthodox Church it is like stepping into a whole new world of color and light. The art and design of the church not only create a distinctive atmosphere of worship, but they also reflect and embody many of the fundamental insights of Orthodoxy. Beauty and Symbols The Orthodox Church believes that God is the Creator of heaven and earth. The Creator is present through His creative energies of His handiwork. This means that the material world, being valuable and good, is an important means through which God expresses Himself. The Orthodox Church affirms this conviction through her extensive use of material creation not only for the embellishment of her places of worship but also in her sacramental mysteries and services. For example, when the bread and wine - "the first fruits of creation" - are offered in the Eucharist, they are also a symbolic offering of all creation to God its Creator. Since there is no hesitation in using the gifts of creation, the interior of an Orthodox church is frequently very beautiful. Designed to create an atmosphere which is special, the building is filled with a feeling of joy and an appreciation of God's bounty. Orthodoxy recognizes that beauty is an important dimension of human life. Through iconography and church appointments, the beauty of creation becomes a very important means of praising God. The divine gifts of the material world are shaped and fashioned by human hands into an expression of beauty that glorifies the Creator. As the pious woman poured her most precious oil on the feet of Our Lord, Orthodoxy seeks always to offer to God what is best and most beautiful. An Old Russian story tells us that Prince Vladimir of Kiev could not decide which faith to adopt for himself and his people until his envoys reported back to him from Constantinople as to the services that they had attended there, at the church of Agia Sophia (Holy Wisdom). They told the Prince that during the services they could not tell whether they were in heaven or on earth, because they had never seen such splendor or such beauty. It was indescribable; all they could say was, “We know only that God dwells there among humans.” Sacred Space The interior church is most importantly both the background and the setting for Orthodox worship. The art and architecture are designed to contribute to the total experience of worship, that involves one's intellect, feelings, and senses. The Eucharist and the other sacramental mysteries take place in God's midst, and they bear witness to His presence and actions. Therefore, in the Orthodox tradition there is a very strong feeling that the church is the House of God and the place where His glory dwells. For this reason, all Orthodox churches are blessed, consecrated and set aside as sacred space. The whole church bears witness to God's indwelling among His people. As one old admonition says: 1 "Let the Christian consider well when he enters the church that he is entering another heaven. That same majesty of God that is in heaven is also in his church, and on this account the Christian must enter with reverence and awe." Ideally, an Orthodox church is relatively small in order to emphasize and enhance the sense of community in worship. The church is generally constructed in the form of a cross and is divided into three areas: the narthex, the nave, and the sanctuary. Nothing about the architecture of an Orthodox house of worship is accidental. Everything is intended to remind us that God is ever present in our lives, and that our ultimate destination is the Kingdom of Heaven. We have a simple exterior but an elaborate interior. The interior of an Orthodox Church is designed to speak to the worshipper, to establish the mood for worship, to elevate one’s mind to the God we come to praise and worship. As is typical for an Orthodox church, the church building is divided into three sections: the Narthex, the Nave, and the Sanctuary. The Narthex – Purification The narthex is the entrance area. Centuries ago this area was the place where catechumens (un-baptized or un-chrismated learners) and penitents remained during parts of the services. Today, the beginning of the Baptismal service and in some parishes, the Marriage service, begins in the narthex and proceeds into the nave. This procession symbolically represents a gradual movement into the Kingdom of God. The Narthex represents this world in which we are called to repentance. It is a place of transition, in which we shed our worldly concerns, and prepare to participate in the worship services. Before participating in worship services, we take time in the Narthex to light candles (to remind us that we are to reflect the light of Christ into the world), reverence icons, and offer prayers for both the living and the dead, ourselves included. We venerate the icons, we kiss the icons on the side or on the hands or feet, not the face. We venerate the icons because we love the people depicted just as we love our family and friends. When we greet our loved ones and friends we give them a kiss. Christ is the first icon on the right, the Mother of God is on the left and the Patron Saint of the Church, St George the Trophy Bearer is to the left of the Mother of God. In the middle is the icon of the saint of the day or of the feast day of the day. Our Narthex is small but it is usually much larger to accommodate teaching catechumens and for those who are repentant and cannot join the services. In ancient times, the Narthex would be filled with catechumens (candidates for baptism), who were not allowed full access to the services before their baptism, and penitents, who were not allowed back into the full communion with the rest of the Parish while they did their penance. Often, the poor would be present asking for alms. During the years of Turkish occupation in Greece and the years of Communist rule throughout Eastern Europe, the Narthex was used for Christian children to gather at night to learn of their faith from the priest and, in some cases, to read and write in their native tongues, which had been forbidden. 2 The poor, who in ancient times would gather to ask for alms, no longer gather in the Narthex, but they are still in need. So we collect donations that we use for some of our numerous outreach ministries, as well as the operations of the Parish. When we enter the Church, to our right is the Candle Stand, where you may make an offering, purchase various types of candles to light, or speak to a Parish Council member. Why do we light candles? Jesus said, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8: 12) For us, Jesus Christ is the light that shines in the midst of this world of darkness. Every candle that we light presents us with the opportunity for a time of prayer in which we reflect upon the salvation that the Lord has worked for us. It also gives us a time to recommit, so that as children of God, we "let our light so shine before [all humans], that they may see [our] good works and give glory to [our] Father who is in Heaven." (Matthew 5:16) Nave - Illumination When we enter into the main church, we are transported to another reality, the Kingdom of God. We enter a different world where there is no time because God is before all time. We enter a different world for the entire body: • Eyes – beauty of the icons and the church • Nose – incense, sweet smelling fragrance • Ears – chanting by the priest and the chantors The Nave is the largest section of the house of worship. It is filled with pews where the laity gather for worship services. The term “Nave” is believed to have derived from the Latin word “navis,” for ship. The Bishop's Throne Just a bit in front of the Chanter's stand, a throne is set aside for use whenever a Bishop or other hierarch visits the Parish, as a sign of his pastoral leadership and authority. Often, the icon of Christ the High Priest is positioned on the back of the throne, as the bishop is understood to be His representative on earth. 100 AD St Ireineas placed the Bishop’s throne in the Church. At one point in our history, the bishop's throne was set in the center of the Nave, amidst the people, as he was considered to be the “captain” of the ship. From here the bishop would instruct the faithful and guide them toward their eternal port, the Kingdom of Heaven.
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