Why do believers build temples? Why are there so many of them scattered throughout the Orthodox Earth? The answer is simple: everyone’s goal is to save the soul, and achieving it is impossible without attending church. She is a hospital where healing of the soul from sinful falls takes place, as well as its deification. The structure of the temple, its decoration allows the believer to plunge into the divine atmosphere, to become closer to the Lord. Only a priest who is present in the church can conduct a ceremony of baptism, weddings, and absolution. Without services, prayers, a person cannot become a child of God.
Orthodox church
The Orthodox Church is a place where they serve God, where there is an opportunity to unite with him through 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 homes of community leaders, 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 the 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 - Queen Elena of Constantinople - who initiated the erection of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.
Since then, the structure of the temple, its interior, architecture underwent significant changes. In Russia, it was decided to build cross-domed churches, this type is still relevant. An important detail of any temple are the domes, which are crowned with a cross. Already from far away you can notice the house of God. If the domes are decorated with gilding, then under the rays of the sun they burn, symbolizing the fire burning in believing hearts.
Internal organization
The internal structure of the temple necessarily symbolizes proximity to God, endowed with certain symbols, decoration, serves to meet 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, the image of the king of heaven. The structure of the 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 within itself the functions for which it is intended, satisfy the needs and have the following premises:
- For clergy who conduct services.
- For all believers present in the church.
- For those who repent and those who are preparing to be baptized.
From ancient times the temple is divided into three main parts:
- Altar.
- The middle part of the temple.
- The narthex.
Further, the temple is divided into the following parts:
- Iconostasis.
- Altar.
- Throne.
- Sacristy.
- High place.
- Pulpit.
- Soleil.
- Ponomarka.
- Choirs.
- The porch.
- Candle boxes.
- Bell tower.
- Porch.
Altar
When considering the structure of the temple, special attention should be paid to the altar. This is the most important part of the church, intended only for clergy, as well as for those who serve them during divine services. The altar contains the images of Paradise, the heavenly dwelling of the Lord. Designates the mysterious side in the universe, part of the sky. Otherwise, the altar is called "heaven in Zele." Everyone knows that the Lord closed the Gate to the Kingdom of Heaven after the Fall for ordinary laity, entry here is possible only to the anointed of God. Of particular sacred significance, the altar always inspires reverence for believers. If a believer who helps in the service, restores order or lights candles, comes here, he must bow down. The laity are forbidden to enter the altar for the simple reason that this place should always be clean, holy, this is where the Holy Meal is located. No crowding and atrocities are allowed in this place, which by their sinful nature ordinary mortals can admit. The place is for the concentration of prayer by the priest.
Iconostasis
Christians experience a sense of awe when they enter an Orthodox church. Its structure and interior decoration, icons with the faces of the Saints exalt the souls of believers, create an atmosphere of peace, awe of our Lord.
Already in the ancient catacomb temples, the altar began to be fenced off from the rest. Then salt already existed, altar barriers were made in the form of lowered lattices. Much later, the iconostasis appeared, which has royal and side gates. It serves as a dividing line that divides the middle temple and the altar. The iconostasis is arranged as follows.
The royal gates are located in the center - specially decorated doors with two wings are located opposite the throne. Why are they called that? It is believed that through them Jesus Christ himself emanates to teach the sacrament to people. To the left and to the right of the royal gates , the northern and southern gates are installed, which serve to enter and exit clergy at statutory moments of worship. Each of the icons located on the iconostasis has its own special place and meaning, tells about an event from the Scriptures.
Icons and murals
Considering the structure and decoration of the Orthodox church, it should be noted that icons and murals are a very important accessory. They depict the Savior, the Virgin, angels, saints from biblical stories. The icons in colors convey to us what is described by the words in the Holy Scriptures. Thanks to them, a prayer mood is created in the temple. When praying, one must remember that 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 were condescending to people, as their chosen ones saw. Thus, the Trinity is depicted in the form as righteous Abraham saw it. Jesus is depicted in that human form in which he lived among us. It is customary to depict the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, as he 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.
Again, the painted icon is surely sanctified in the temple, sprinkled with holy water. Then she becomes sacred and has the ability to act with the Grace of the Holy Spirit.
The nimbus around the head indicates that the face depicted on the icon has the grace of God, is holy.
The middle part of the temple
The internal structure of the Orthodox church necessarily contains the middle part, sometimes it is called the nave. In this part of the temple are pulpit, salt, iconostasis and choirs.
This part is actually called the temple. From ancient times this part has been called the refectory, because the Eucharist is tasted here. The middle temple symbolizes earthly being, a sensible human world, but justified, burnt and already sanctified. If the altar symbolizes the Upper Sky, then the middle temple is a particle of the renewed human world. These two parts must interact, under the guidance of Heaven, a disturbed order will be restored on Earth.
Narthex
The narthex, which is part of the structure of the Christian temple, is its vestibule. At the source of faith, repentant persons or those who were preparing for Holy Baptism stopped there. In the narthex, most often they have a church box for selling prosphora, candles, icons, crosses, for registering weddings and baptisms. In the narthex there can be those who received a penance from the confessor, and indeed all people who for some reason consider themselves unworthy to enter the temple.
External device
The architecture of Orthodox churches is always recognizable, and although its types are different, the external structure of the temple has its main parts.
- Absida - a ledge for the altar, attached to the temple, usually has a semicircular shape.
- The drum is the upper part, which ends with a cross.
- Light drum - a drum with cut openings.
- The head is the dome crowning the temple with a drum and a cross.
- Zakomara - Russian architecture. Semicircular completion of part of the wall
- The onion is the head of the onion-shaped church.
- The porch - a porch elevated above ground level (closed or open type).
- Pilaster - a flat decorative ledge on the wall surface.
- The portal is the entrance.
- Refectory - an extension from the west of the building, serves as a place for preaching and gathering.
- Tent - has several faces, covers towers, a temple or a bell tower. Distributed in the architecture of the XVII century.
- Fronton - completes the facade of the building.
- An apple is a domed ball on which a cross is mounted.
- Tier - decrease in height of the volume of the entire building.
Types of Temples
Orthodox churches have a different form, they can be:
- In the shape of a cross (symbol of the crucifixion).
- In the form of a circle (personification of eternity).
- In the shape of a quadrangle (Earth sign).
- In the shape of an octagon (guiding star of Bethlehem).
Each church is dedicated to some holy, important Christian event. The day of their memory becomes a patronal temple feast. If there are several aisles with an altar, then each is called separately. The chapel is a small structure that resembles a temple but does not have an altar.
At the time of the Baptism of Russia, the structure of the Christian church of Byzantium had a cross-dome type. It united all the traditions of oriental temple architecture. Russia adopted from Byzantium not only Orthodoxy, but also examples of architecture. Keeping traditions, at the same time, Russian churches have a lot of originality and originality.
The device of a Buddhist temple
Many believers are interested in how Buddha temples are arranged. We give a brief information. Buddhist temples also establish everything according to strict rules. All Buddhists revere the Three Treasures, and it is in the temple that they seek refuge for themselves - at the Buddha, his teachings and the community. The right place is where all the Three Treasures are collected, they must be reliably protected from any influence, from outsiders. 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 or a temple - for them it is one and the same concept.
Each Buddhist temple has a Buddha image, it doesn’t matter, it is embroidered, painted or is it a sculpture. This image should be placed in the "golden hall", face to the east. The main figure is huge, all the rest depict scenes from the life of a 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.
Visit to a Buddhist temple
Those who want to visit a Buddhist temple must definitely adhere to some requirements. Legs, shoulders must be covered by opaque clothing. Like other religions, Buddhism believes that non-observance of clothing decency is disrespect for faith.
Buddhist feet are considered the dirtiest part of the body because they touch the ground. Therefore, at the entrance to the temple, you must definitely remove your shoes. It is believed that this way the legs become cleaner.
Be sure to know the rule by which believers sit. In no case should the legs point towards the Buddha or any saint, therefore Buddhists prefer to maintain neutrality - to sit in the lotus position. You can just bend your legs under you.