How is an Orthodox church arranged inside? Andrei Szegeda: How the iconostasis is arranged in an Orthodox church Decent place for icons in the church

In an Orthodox church there is not a single thing or action that would not carry a semantic spiritual load. Including the iconostasis and the veil over the Royal Doors are full-fledged "participants" of worship.

What is the significance of these objects in the microcosm of an Orthodox church?

The architecture and interior decoration of an Orthodox church is, so to speak, heaven on earth. This is a model of the spiritual world - the Kingdom of Heaven - which the Lord revealed to us through the holy prophet Moses on Mount Sinai. Then God commanded to create the Old Testament tabernacle according to a clear pattern, given by Him to Moses down to the smallest detail. The New Testament Orthodox Church has the same structure as the Old Testament one, with the difference that our Lord Jesus Christ became man and accomplished the work of saving the human race. It was because of this grandiose event that changes occurred in the New Testament temple relative to the Old Testament.

But the three-part structure of the temple remained unchanged. Under the holy prophet Moses, these were: the court, the sanctuary, and the Holy of Holies. In the New Testament temple, this is the narthex, the middle part of the temple and the altar.

The vestibule and the middle part of the temple symbolize the Church on earth. All believing Orthodox Christians can be here. The middle part of the temple corresponds to the Old Testament sanctuary. Previously, no one could be in it, except for priests. But today, since the Lord cleansed us all with His pure blood and united us with the Sacrament of Baptism, then in the middle part of the temple - this New Testament sanctuary - all Orthodox Christians can stay.

The holy of holies of the Moses temple corresponds to the altar in the New Testament church. He is a symbol of the Kingdom of Heaven. No wonder it is built on an elevation relative to the middle part of the temple and the vestibule. The very word "altus" in Latin means "high". The center of the altar is the throne. This is the throne on which God himself sits invisibly in the temple. The main place of the Orthodox Church. Even a clergyman without special need (worship, trebe) and the necessary liturgical clothing (for example, a cassock) should not touch him - this is holy land, the place of the Lord.

Usually, a special wall, decorated with icons, is erected between the altar and the middle part of the temple. It's called the iconostasis. The word is Greek, compound, formed from the words "icon" and "stand". This partition was erected, as others incorrectly think, not so that it would not be visible what the priest was doing in the altar. Of course not. The iconostasis has a well-defined liturgical and spiritual load.

The practice of erecting iconostases is very ancient. According to church tradition, the first who commanded to close the altar with a curtain was St. Basil the Great in the second half of the 4th century. But the partitions between the altar and the middle part of the temple are known even earlier. For example, in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

The modern look of the iconostasis was practically formed in church art by the beginning of the 15th century.

So, what does the iconostasis mean in the spiritual and liturgical sense?

It symbolizes the world of saints and angels - the Kingdom of Heaven, still inaccessible to us. This is the place and state of mind to which we need to strive. The Kingdom of Heaven for us - living on earth - is still separated and inaccessible. But every Orthodox Christian is obliged to go to it and strive with the help of those saving means that the Church and Its Head, Christ, offer us.

The visual separation of the altar from the middle part of the church should motivate us to strive there - to the mountain, and this desire is the core of the life of every Orthodox Christian. We believe that one day the merciful Lord will open the doors to paradise for us and lead us into it, like a Father who loves His child...

On the other hand, the icons of the iconostasis tell us the story of the salvation of the human race by our Lord Jesus Christ. For example, the iconostasis can be single- or multi-tiered. In the first tier in the middle is the Royal Doors. It is also the place of God. Even a priest does not have the right to pass through them: only in vestments and at a strictly defined time of service. To the right and left are the so-called deacon's gates. Through them, clergymen and clergymen can enter the altar. They are called diaconal because through them the deacons leave the altar and come back during the pronunciation of special prayers (litanies) in front of the Royal Doors. To the right of the Royal Doors is placed the icon of the Savior, and to the left of the Most Holy Theotokos, on the deacon gates themselves, as a rule, the icons of the holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel are placed - these heavenly deacons of God, or the holy deacons of the First Martyr and Archdeacon Stephen and Martyr Lawrence. Less often - other icons. Behind the deacon's gate on the right is a temple icon.

If there is a second tier in the iconostasis, it is called the “deesis tier”. "Deisis" in Greek means "prayer, petition." We often have an incorrect form of translation into modern Russian of this word - “deesis”. In the center of the row is depicted Christ the Pantocrator (Almighty) on the throne, to the right of him (when viewed from the side of the temple, then to the left) - the Most Holy Theotokos in a prayer pose, and to the left (if from the temple - then to the right) - the holy Prophet Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John also with outstretched hands in prayer. Next are the icons of various saints, also in prayer poses, facing the Savior. Various saints of the Orthodox Church can be depicted, most often these are the 12 apostles.

Directly above the Royal Doors is the icon of the Last Supper - which became the first Liturgy performed by God himself. This is a symbol of the main ministry of the Church and the temple, including the service of the Holy Eucharist - the Body and Blood of Christ.

If there is a third tier in the iconostasis, then icons of the Twelve Feasts are placed on it. It is they who symbolize the salvation of fallen mankind by Christ. Less common (only in large cathedrals) are the fourth and fifth tiers. The fourth row depicts the holy prophets, the fifth - the forefathers (the holy forefathers Adam and Eve, the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, etc.). The icon of the Holy Trinity is placed in the center of the top row of the iconostasis, and it is crowned with the Holy Cross as the main instrument of our salvation.

The veil in the church is called the Greek word "katapetasma" (translated as "curtain"). It separates the Royal Doors from the side of the altar from the Holy Altar.

Everything in the temple: both the Royal Doors and the veil have a strictly defined meaning.

For example, the Royal Doors are, so to speak, the doors of Christ. Therefore, round icons of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos and the four holy evangelists are often placed on them - they preach the gospel of the God-man Christ. The opening of the Royal Doors at the divine service and the passage of the clergy through them is a symbol of the fact that the Lord is present in the temple and blesses those who pray.

The beginning of the all-night vigil. After the ninth hour, the Royal Doors open, and the priest in silence performs incense, then he proclaims the doxology to the Holy Trinity and other statutory prayers before the altar, then through the Royal Doors he leaves the altar and censes the entire church, icons, and those who pray. All this symbolizes the beginning of the Sacred history, the creation of the world, humanity. The censing of the altar by the priest and those praying symbolizes that God was in paradise with people, and they directly visibly communicated with Him. After censing, the Royal Doors are closed. The fall into sin and the expulsion of people from paradise took place. The gates open again at Vespers, a small entrance is made with a censer - this is God's promise not to leave sinning people, but to send His Only Begotten Son to them for salvation.

The same is true of the Liturgy. The royal doors open in front of the small entrance - a symbol of Christ's entrance to preach, therefore, after this and a little later, the Apostle and the Gospel are read. The Great Entrance with the Chalice and the paten is the entrance of the Savior to the suffering on the cross.

Closing of the catapetasma before the exclamation “Let's go. Holy to the saints ”- a symbol of the death of Christ, the position of His body in the tomb and the closing of the tomb with a stone.

For example, many Lenten services are held not only with the Royal Doors closed, but also with the veil closed. This is a symbol of the fact that humanity has been expelled from paradise, that we must now weep and lament over our sins before the closed entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven.

The opening of both the veil and the Royal Doors during the Easter service is a symbol of the restoration of the lost communion with God, the victory of Christ over the devil, death and sin, and the opening of the path to the Kingdom of Heaven for each of us.

All this tells us that in Orthodox worship, as well as in the construction of a church, there is nothing superfluous, but everything is harmonious, harmonious and designed to lead an Orthodox Christian into the heavenly chambers.

Priest Andrei Chizhenko

When you enter any Orthodox church, you can immediately see the Holy of Holies in the foreground - the altar, which is an image of the Kingdom of Heaven. In the altar is its main shrine - a consecrated table, called the Throne, on which the priest performs his greatest sacrament, when bread is turned into Flesh and wine into the Blood of Christ.

What is an iconostasis?

The altar is separated from the rest of the church by an iconostasis. Dealing with the question of what an iconostasis is, it should be noted that it is a special separating partition, with icons with the faces of saints placed on it. The iconostasis, as it were, connects the heavenly world with the earthly world. If the altar is the heavenly world, then the iconostasis is the earthly world.

The Russian Orthodox iconostasis contains five high rows. The very first row is called the forefathers, it is the top one, it depicts the forefathers of the Holy Church from the first man Adam to the Old Testament prophet Moses. The image of the "Old Testament Trinity" is always set in the center of the row.

And the second row has the name prophetic, so the prophets are depicted here, who announced the Mother of God and the birth of Jesus Christ. In the center is the icon of the Sign.

The third row of the iconostasis is called Deesis and denotes the prayer of the entire Church to Christ. In the very center of it is placed the icon "The Savior in Strength", which depicts Christ, seated as a formidable Judge of the entire world he created. To the left of him is the Most Holy Theotokos, and to the right is John the Baptist.

In the fourth festive row, the events of the New Testament are told, originating from the birth of the Virgin Mary herself.

And the lowest, fifth, row of the iconostasis is called the “local row”, in the center of it are the Royal Doors, above which the icon of the Last Supper is necessarily placed, and on the gates themselves is the icon of the Annunciation (where he announces the good news to the Holy Virgin), and on both sides of the gate - and the Virgin.

You also need to pay attention to the fact that on both sides of the door there are single-leaf small doors, they are called deacon's. If the temple is small, then this door can be made only on one side.

Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir: photo and description

In general, the style, shape and height of the iconostasis depend on the study of the architecture and history of the temple in which it will be erected. And it should scale in accordance with the proportions of the temple itself, which were designed by architects in antiquity. The design of the iconostases and the composition of the icons in it have changed many times.

The Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir (the photo of which is presented above) has the first iconostasis with fragments that have survived to this day. It dates back to 1408, it is the work of Andrei Rublev and his contemporary monk. Once upon a time it consisted of four high tiers, among which it was made larger and moved out of the general plan, this showed its special role. The iconostasis in the temple did not cover the domed pillars, thanks to them it was divided into parts. Subsequently, the Vladimir iconostasis became a model for the iconostases of the Moscow Kremlin Assumption Cathedral (1481) and the Assumption Cathedral in the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery (1497).

Cathedral history

This cathedral was built during the reign of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky in the middle of the 12th century, and the most skilled craftsmen from all over the Russian land and the Romanesque West were invited to Vladimir to complete this work. It was built to store the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God - the patroness of Russia. It is assumed that it was written during the life of the Mother of God Herself by the Evangelist Luke. Then, in 450, she came to Constantinople and stayed there until the 12th century, and then was donated to Yuri Dolgoruky, the father of Andrei Bogolyubsky. Then she saved the Russian princely cities many times from devastation and wars.

Iconostasis

The question of what an iconostasis is can be continued with an interesting fact about the very first information about the separation of the altar from the rest of the space in the temple by a curtain or barrier, which dates back to the 4th century. Back then, in Byzantine churches, these altar barriers were quite low and were made of a parapet, a stone beam (templon) and columns. A cross was placed in the center, and on the sides of the altar were icons of Christ and the Mother of God. After a while, icons began to be placed on the templon, or relief images were carved on it instead. The cross was replaced with an icon of Christ, and then with Deisis (in other words, Deesis, prayer) - a composition of three icons: in the center - Christ the Almighty, and the Mother of God is turned to him with a prayer on the left side, and John the Baptist on the right. Sometimes festive icons or individual icons of saints were added on both sides of the Deisis.

Conclusion

The first ancient Russian temples completely repeated the Byzantine models. But this was not always possible, because most of the temples were wooden, and wall paintings were not made on them, but the number of icons increased in the iconostasis and the altar barrier grew.

The answer to the question of what an iconostasis is must be supplemented by the fact that the high five-tiered iconostasis became widespread in Russia already in the middle of the 17th century, when the local row, feasts, deisis, prophetic and forefather rows appeared.

The emergence of the altar curtain is associated with the construction of the Old Testament tabernacle and the Jerusalem temple. Prepared by ortox.ru and architect Kesler M.Yu.

The emergence of the altar curtain is associated with the construction of the Old Testament tabernacle and the Jerusalem temple. Inside the tabernacle was divided into two parts by four pillars of shittim wood, overlaid with gold, set on bases of silver; a curtain hung on these pillars. Behind the veil, in the Holy of Holies, where only the high priest entered once a year, stood the ark with the tablets of the Covenant. The Jerusalem temple was also divided into two rooms by a partition of cedar wood: the outer - the Holy and the inner - the Holy of Holies. The door with doors made of olive wood, decorated with images of cherubs, palms, flowers, overlaid with gold, was the entrance to the Holy of Holies. In front of him, as in the tabernacle, was a veil of skillfully made multi-colored fabric.

In the days of the early Christians

In the catacomb churches, features of the ancient altar structure have been preserved, and in this respect they can serve as the primary type of Christian altar. In the tomb of St. Agnes, the altar occupied an entire room - a cubicle - and was separated from the other two by gratings, the line of which is indicated by semi-columns of tuff, carved at the entrance to the cubicle and serving as a support for the gratings and a boundary line between the place for the laity and the altar.

In the early Christian basilicas, the altar was separated from the middle part by a marble altar barrier in the form of four columns, on which the architrave rested; the barrier was called in Greek "templon" or "kosmitis". She not so much closed, but highlighted the altar, emphasizing its significance as a place for the Sacrament. The architrave was usually decorated with carvings depicting vines, peacocks and other symbolic images; a carved or sculpted cross was placed above the gate. Over time, icons of Christ, the Virgin, and saints began to be placed between the columns. Emperor Justinian (527-565) complicated the shape of the barrier by placing 12 columns according to the number of apostles in St. Sophia of Constantinople, and under Basil the Macedonian (867-886) an image of Christ appeared on the architrave. By the XII century. the templon in the form of a portico with large icons of the Savior, the Mother of God and the saint of this temple was already widespread. Sometimes a deisis (Christ, the Mother of God and John the Baptist) was placed above the Royal Doors. In some churches already in the XI century. a series of twelfth feasts appears. In the late Byzantine period, the barrier could reach two or three rows (deisis, apostles and prophets, holidays), but still the Greeks preferred single-tier templons. The altar barrier ran under the arch that separated the nave from the altar apse and usually extended further north and south, enclosing the altar and deacon. Over time, the appearance of an iconostasis with three gates made it possible in churches with one apse to place the altar directly in the altar, to the side of the throne.

In Russia

The barrier passed to Russia from Byzantium in the form of a two-tiered iconostasis. In pre-Mongol times, the altar part was separated from the middle part of the temple by a low wooden or marble barrier, decorated, in addition to the images of Christ, the Mother of God and various revered saints, with one or two rows of icons. The altar with its wall paintings remained open for viewing by those praying in the temple.

The first high iconostasis is considered to be the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, consisting of three tiers (in old Russian - ranks): local, deesis and holidays. According to the chronicle, it was created in 1405 by an artel led by Feofan the Greek, the elder Prokhor from Gorodets and the monk Andrey Rublev. The appearance of a high iconostasis is associated with the name of the latter: in 1408 he took part in the creation of the iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir, and in 1425-27. - Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

By the end of the XV century. a fourth tier appears - prophetic, and at the end of the 16th century. the fifth is the forefather. By the 17th century the type of five-tiered iconostasis is fixed everywhere, and it is considered to be classical. However, six- and seven-tiered iconostases are known. The composition of the iconostasis began to include passionate rows - the image of the passions of Christ. A tier of seraphim and cherubim appears above the top row. Great Moscow Cathedral 1666-1667 decided to complete the iconostasis with the Crucifixion.

The further evolution of the forms of the iconostasis is connected with the development of decor. At the end of the XVII-XVIII centuries. the baroque style comes to Russia with its magnificent and intricate decoration. The iconostases were covered with rich carvings, abundant gilding, had a bizarre configuration, included high relief and even sculpture. Icons become picturesque, the strictness and sequence of ranks is not respected. At the end of the XVIII century. baroque is replaced by classicism. The iconostasis is decorated with columns, porticos, entablature, relief and round sculpture are even more often included in the decor, the role of images is reduced to a minimum. From the middle of the XIX century. erected eclectic iconostases in the "Byzantine-Russian" style. At the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. there is a return to single-tier altar barriers - stone Byzantine or wooden Old Russian. Original iconostases were also created, for example, from porcelain or black bog oak.

The essence of the iconostasis: separating - bringing closer

In the high iconostasis of Russian churches, the symbolism of the altar barriers of early Christian and Byzantine churches is fully realized. Simeon of Thessalonica wrote: “Therefore, on top of the pillars, kosmitis means the union of love and unity in Christ ... Therefore, on top of the cosmite, in the middle between the holy icons, the Savior is depicted and on either side of Him is the Mother of God and the Baptist, Angels and apostles and other saints. This teaches us that Christ is in heaven with His saints and is with us now, and that He is yet to come.” The iconostasis separating the altar from the middle part of the temple expresses the idea of ​​the closest and inseparable connection that exists between the sensual and spiritual worlds through the prayerful help of the celestials depicted on the icons. With the advent of the iconostasis, the assembly of believers found itself literally face to face with the assembly of celestials, mysteriously present in the images of the iconostasis. As in the Eucharistic prayer at the liturgy, the deceased Old Testament forefathers, fathers, patriarchs, prophets, New Testament apostles, martyrs, confessors, and then all the living and those in the church believers are commemorated in faith, so the iconostasis is continued by the Christians gathered in the church.

“The restriction of the altar is necessary so that it does not turn out to be nothing for us,” writes priest Pavel Florensky (1882-1943). Heaven from earth, higher from the bottom, the altar from the temple can only be separated by visible witnesses of the invisible world, living symbols of the union of both, otherwise - saints. The iconostasis is the boundary between the visible and the invisible world, and this altar barrier is realized, made accessible to the consciousness by the rallied next to the saints, a cloud of witnesses surrounding the Throne of God ... The iconostasis is the appearance of saints and angels ... the appearance of heavenly witnesses and, above all, the Mother of God and Christ Himself in the flesh, witnesses proclaiming what is beyond the flesh.” The iconostasis does not close the altar from the believers in the temple, but reveals to them the spiritual essence of what is contained and performed in the altar. This essence consists in the deification to which the members of the earthly Church are called and strive, and which the members of the Heavenly Church, manifested in the iconostasis, have already achieved. The images of the iconostasis show that result of drawing closer to God and being in unity with Him, to which all the sacraments of the Church of Christ are directed, including those that are performed inside the altar.

Revealing the Divine Economy

The iconostasis as a whole gradually reveals the paths of Divine Revelation and the realization of salvation - from its forewarning in the ancestors of Christ according to the flesh and its foreshadowing by the prophets. Each of the rows represents a certain period of Sacred history, correlated with the eternal - its central image - the pinnacle of forewarning and prophecy. Through visible images, the iconostasis leads to the festive row - the fulfillment of what has been prepared and further to the row where everything is directed towards Christ. In one plane, easily observed from various points and covered by a single gaze, the iconostasis reveals both the history of man, the image of the Triune God, and the path of God in history. According to Fr. Pavel Florensky: “From top to bottom go the paths of Divine Revelation and the realization of salvation ... In response to Divine Revelation, from below upwards go the paths of human ascent: through the acceptance of the gospel gospel (the evangelists on the Royal Doors), the combination of human will with the will of God (the image of the Annunciation here and is an image of the combination of these two wills), through prayer and, finally, through communion with the Sacrament of the Eucharist, a person realizes his ascent to what the deesis rite depicts, to the unity of the Church. “The material iconostasis does not replace the iconostasis of living witnesses and is not placed instead of them, but only as an indication of them in order to focus those praying on them ... Figuratively speaking, a temple without a material iconostasis is separated from the altar by a blank wall, while the iconostasis breaks windows in it , and then through their glasses we ... can see what is happening behind them - living witnesses of God. Destroying icons means walling up the windows.”

Thus, the iconostasis does not completely cover the altar: on the contrary, from a spiritual point of view, it reveals to believers the greatest truths of God's economy about salvation. The living, mysterious communion of the saints of God, in whom the image of God has already been restored, with the people standing in the temple, in whom this image has yet to be restored, creates the totality of the Churches of heaven and earth.

Consistency is the key to symbolism

In the iconostasis, the themes of the icons are strictly consistent, both in general and in their individual parts. In its classical form, the iconostasis consists of five rows of icons topped with a Cross. The five-tiered iconostasis must be viewed from top to bottom. First, it shows mankind's expectation of the Savior promised by God, then the appearance of Christ into the world and the redemption He has accomplished.

The iconostasis is crowned by the Cross of Christ. Thus, the whole history is perceived as an ascent to Golgotha, where the salvation of mankind took place. The crucifix at the end of the iconostasis emphasizes that Christ is the Redeemer and the Sacrifice, thanks to which salvation is realized.

The two upper rows - the forefathers and the prophets - show the preparation of the New Testament Church in the ancestors of Christ according to the flesh and its foreshadowing in the prophets. Each of these ranks represents a certain period of Sacred history, and each corresponds to its central image - the pinnacle of advance preparations and prophecies.

The upper forefathers row, or rank, shows us the original Old Testament Church from Adam to Moses - the period before the law, in the person of the Old Testament forefathers with the corresponding texts on the unfolded scrolls. The forefathers are depicted here, closest to the time of paradise life: Adam (sometimes Eve), Abel, Noah, Shem, Melchizedek, Abraham, etc. In the middle of this tier is placed the image of the Holy Trinity - the appearance to Abraham at the oak of Mamre, as the first testament of God with man and the first revelation of the Triune God, or the image of the "Fatherland", showing all three hypostases (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) through the symbols available in Christianity.

Below is a row of prophets, representing the Old Testament Church from Moses to Christ, the under-law period. Here are depicted leaders, high priests, judges, kings, prophets - also with unrolled scrolls, on which texts from their prophecies about the Savior coming into the world are written, in their hands. The icon of the Incarnation in the middle of the prophetic row indicates a direct connection between the Old and New Testaments. At the same time, the “Sign” icon with the image of Christ in a medallion against the background of the womb of the Virgin, sometimes the Mother of God on the throne with the Infant Jesus on her knees, became a common option. On both sides of it are usually David, Solomon, Daniel, Isaiah, Aaron, Gideon, Ezekiel, Jonah, Moses.

The next tier of the iconostasis is festive; it represents the period of the New Testament, expressing the fulfillment of what is foretold in the upper rows. Here are depicted those events of the New Testament, which, making up the annual liturgical circle, are especially solemnly celebrated by the Church as a kind of main stages of God's providential action in the world, the gradual realization of salvation. Usually the "holidays" were arranged in the following order from left to right: "Nativity of the Virgin", "Entrance into the Temple", "Annunciation", "Nativity of Christ", "Meeting", "Baptism", "Transfiguration", "Entry into Jerusalem", " Ascension”, “Trinity”, “Assumption of the Mother of God”, “Exaltation of the Cross”. In addition to these twelve holidays, and sometimes instead of them, this series included icons on other sacred subjects: "Pentecost", "Protection", "Descent into Hell", etc.

The next row of the iconostasis is called deisis (“deisis” means “prayer”). Its main theme is the prayer of the Church for peace. It shows the moment of the Second Coming of Christ and the Last Judgment. Here Christ acts as the Judge of the world, before Whom the Mother of God, the symbol of the New Testament Church, and John the Baptist, the symbol of the Old Testament Church intercede for the sins of men. Angels, apostles, saints, martyrs take part in the act of prayer. Christ is depicted sitting on a throne - the so-called "Savior in strength." Through the "transparent" throne, spheres of radiance of heavenly glory are visible. Against the background are depicted the "Powers of Heaven" - Cherubim and Seraphim. This rank is the central and most important part of the iconostasis.

The lower tier of the iconostasis is local. In the center of it are the Royal Doors. To the left of the gate is placed the icon of the Mother of God with the Child, to the right - the image of the Savior. To the right of the icon of Christ is a “temple image”, showing in honor of which holiday or saint the church was consecrated. To the left of the icon of the Mother of God is the icon by which you can determine which saint is most revered in this temple.

gate of heaven

Archangels or holy deacons are depicted on the northern and southern gates of the altar - co-servers during the performance of the Sacrament. On the southern door, the Archangel is sometimes replaced by a prudent robber, which emphasizes the understanding of these doors as the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven, the symbol of which is the altar.

On the middle doors - the Royal Doors - the Annunciation is usually depicted and below - the four evangelists. Sometimes icons of Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostom are placed here with the Gospel in their hands or with an unfolded scroll with a liturgical text. Symbolically, the Royal Doors represent the entrance to the Kingdom of God. The Annunciation here is the beginning that opens the entrance to this Kingdom for man; it is the personification of the message proclaimed by the evangelists, and here their gospel refers directly to the person who comes to the church for communion with this Kingdom. Here, on the salt, on the verge between the altar and the middle part of the church, the communion of the faithful is performed. Therefore, an image of the Eucharist is placed above the gate. During worship in the iconostasis, the Royal Doors open, giving the faithful the opportunity to contemplate the shrine of the altar - the throne and everything that happens in the altar.

Creating an iconostasis - practice

In modern practice, iconostases are most often made of wood or natural stone (marble, sandstone). In some cases, faience or forged metal is used.

In wooden table iconostases, continuous rows of icons are installed between horizontal wooden bars - tables. The front surface of the bars can be painted with floral ornaments or decorated with wooden carvings. A more complex type is a carved iconostasis with a system of horizontal and vertical divisions, richly decorated with wooden carvings, basma, etc.

Usually carvers use common tree species: pine, linden, oak, but sometimes pear, walnut and ebony are used. Today, carvers most often use blind or through high relief carving, which is particularly decorative. Wooden carving can be tinted or gessoed and covered with gilding, silver and colored varnishes. The lower parts of the local row are sometimes covered with embroidered fabrics. When designing a wooden carved iconostasis, one should not get too carried away with carved surfaces, remembering that the iconostasis is intended primarily for installing icons in front of which people pray. The decor of the intermediate surfaces should only indicate the splendor of the heavenly abodes where the saints reside. In other words, the iconostasis should not be turned into a “carving”, where the icons are lost behind the abundance of gilded carvings.

Iconostases made of natural stone can be single-tiered or multi-tiered. The front surfaces, facing towards the middle part of the temple, are richly covered with carvings. In this case, different types of natural stone can be used, providing a rich color scheme.

Design work on the iconostasis of the newly designed temple should be carried out simultaneously with the architectural design of the temple itself. It begins with defining the style of the iconostasis, which correlates with the architecture of the temple being designed. During the reconstruction, archival drawings and photographs of the iconostasis of the old temple are collected. The design process determines the location of the iconostasis, its dimensions and configuration in length and height, including the number of rows. In small churches with a shallow depth, it is advisable to arrange a low iconostasis in order to visually increase the depth of the temple by viewing the conch of the apse above the iconostasis.

The frame of the wooden iconostasis is made of pine timber, which can be reinforced with metal elements with a significant opening separating the altar from the temple itself. First, a block of the Royal Doors is installed, which includes the gates themselves, pillars, canopy and crown. Next, the body of the iconostasis is made and mounted. The final stage of work consists of installing icons. The back side of the iconostasis can be covered with plywood or cloth.

Mikhail Yurievich Kesler, architect.

"Icon painter" No. 21, 2009

Architect M.Yu. Kesler

The article is intended to help a person who has visited an Orthodox Church for the first time.

So we entered the temple. In no way should one be embarrassed by one's incompetence and possibly misunderstandings. You have to learn to feel with your heart, not with your mind. Ignorance of the rites and the language of worship in no way detracts from our participation in it (although, of course, they make it difficult - but this is just a fixable matter). There is a saying in the Church: "You do not understand (what is happening in your soul during worship) - but the demons understand everything (and run)." The impact of conciliar prayer, the grace of the Sacraments and shrines on the depths of our soul is incomparably more important than rational awareness - and more effective on the path of spiritual growth.

Arriving at the temple, first of all, you should find out about the order of services in this parish: when are liturgies served, when are vespers and matins (all-night vigil), when you can order private services (requisitions) - prayers, memorial services. However, you can go to the Church and pray at any time - if it is open. It is customary to put candles - as a symbolic sacrifice to God and an image of our prayer - although this is not at all necessary. Candles are usually purchased in the so-called "candle box" (tray with church goods) and placed on candlesticks. Candles are placed in front of the images (icons) of the Savior, Mother of God, saints. At the same time - once again we remind! - it should always be remembered that the object of prayer and worship is not the substance of the icon, but imprinted on it image(our soul ascending to prototype) .

In the very center of the temple is always located temple icon- an image of the Savior, a saint or a church event to which this church is dedicated (the icon of St. Nicholas, if the Church is St. Nicholas; the icon of the feast of the Nativity of the Lord, if it is a Church of the Nativity, etc.). In front and to the right of the temple icon is always the icon of the Savior, in front and to the left - the Virgin. The rest of the icons, as a rule, are located on the walls and along the walls. Icons lie on special tables. The funeral commemoration is usually performed in the part of the temple where the crucifixion; candles in this case, it is customary to put on a special candlestick, which is called eve. The eastern part of the temple, in which the clergy perform the main part of the service (and, first of all, by the descent of the Holy Spirit, the transubstantiation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ), is called altar. The central part of the temple, where the worshipers are located, is separated from the altar by a special barrier called iconostasis. The iconostasis is the image of the Kingdom of Heaven, the visible embodiment of the Church as "Heaven on Earth".

During the service, it is advisable not to move aimlessly around the temple, so as not to embarrass the worshipers; all the more, you should not talk, except for emergency, especially loudly. For prayerful commemoration, it is customary to submit “commemoration notes” or “commemoration books”, which list the names (without patronymics and surnames) of our loved ones whom we would like to entrust to the conciliar prayer of the Church. Separately, notes “ON HEALTH” (at prayer services) and “ON DEATH” (at memorial services) are submitted. Both of these commemorations are performed at the liturgy, and this commemoration in the Mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ is the most gracious and, therefore, effective. Serve memorial notes (it’s good to write them in advance, but if you don’t know how to do this, they will help you in the Church) should be taken to the “candle box”, while taking one or more prosphora (small specially baked bread; they can be of different sizes, which not significant). Notes and prosphora are left at the candlestick (serving the "candle box") and then taken to the altar by the attendant. There, during the service, small particles are taken out of them, which then, with the words: “Wash, Lord, the sins of those who are remembered here (here) by Thy Honorable Blood, by the prayers of Thy saints,” are immersed in the Blood of Christ. From this moment on, the prosphora themselves are consecrated by the grace of God and become a shrine. After the end of the service, they, like the notes (which can be used at subsequent services), are taken out of the altar and sorted out by the parishioners. It is good to carefully crush the prosphora at home into particles, dry it and consume a little in the morning on an empty stomach, drinking holy water.

And a few more tips. The first - again and again we repeat - do not be afraid of anything and do not be embarrassed. Your ignorance of church rites is not an obstacle in your relationship with God. He Himself sees why and how you came to Him, and undoubtedly accepts your artless prayer. Even if at first you do something “not as it should be”, if you are reprimanded or even scolded, do not be embarrassed, know that this is allowed by the Lord to test your faith and humility: whether you came to God or came to show yourself. From this follows the second: have patience, do not rush the events of spiritual life on the principle of "all or nothing"; everything will come, but only in time… “by your patience save your souls,” said the Lord (Luke 21:19). Third, have confidence in God, in the holy fathers, in the 2,000-year experience of the Church of Christ, which is saving and has already saved millions of souls. Without trust, there is no faith. Do not be tempted by the incomprehensible, unconvincing and, perhaps, even unpleasant - do not judge immediately, entrust the entire judgment to God, but open your heart to what is already close to you, and accept this gift of God into yourself. For the rest, tell yourself: “If I don’t understand this now, then I don’t need it yet.”

And once again I ask: do not let the temptation into yourself - it can be, and most likely, there is a network placed on your soul by the evil one. So, for example, many "novices" are tempted by the incomprehensibility of the Church Slavonic language for them. But why, then, after living several years of church life, the same people, as a rule, become staunch defenders of the preservation of this liturgical language? Yes, because with time something is revealed that is not visible at first sight - the wonderful beauty and spiritual richness of this pure spirit-bearing language created by the Holy Fathers. It is unlikely that there will be a normal person who will stand up for replacing the language of poetry with the language of the office (because it is supposedly more accurate), or the language of the office with the language of the bazaar (because it is “more popular”). Also, the idea of ​​a complete replacement of the holy language of worship with everyday colloquial is perceived by most members of our Church as an unjustified simplification. . And the fact that while you do not understand everything from church prayers - do not grieve; as we have already said, the soul is able to "absorb" the grace of worship and prayer without the full participation of the mind in this (which is why, by the way, it is so important for believing parents to read prayers aloud in front of their babies and bring them to Church for services). And the time will come, you will show patience and perseverance on the path to God - and everything will fall into place, and the wisdom of Orthodox worship will shine with infinite depth and beauty.

And finally, the fourth piece of advice, essentially following from the above: be persistent in achieving your goal on the path to God. Do not give up after the first disappointments and failures. The healing and salvation of the soul is more painstaking work than the healing of the body, and one should not expect only delights and successes on this path. Even “falling a hundred times a day, get up a hundred times,” our saints teach, and it is through these falls that the path to victory leads. “The Kingdom of Heaven is taken by force, and those who use force rapture it” (Matt. 11:12) - this is the affirming word of the Savior Himself, and only with an understanding of this can one begin spiritual work.

All of the above does not negate the need to study. For these purposes, there are many manuals, such as: "First steps in an Orthodox church", an explanation of the liturgy and the all-night vigil, etc.; currently they are quite affordable. At the same time, of course, an indispensable school of Christian life is direct participation in divine services and lively fellowship in the Church. When we begin to understand what is happening at the service at every particular moment, we will feel the incomparable joy of common prayer, the joy of communion with God. Everything is mastered gradually and in due time - there is no need to be afraid of anything, to be embarrassed by your ignorance, everything will fall into place when it should: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all this will be added to you” (Matt. 6, 33).

From U.S:

You can learn not only on your own, but also in courses.

Seesection for beginner christians where you will find answers to many questions.

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Construction of an Orthodox church (II). Iconostasis

Iconostasis is one of the most important and obligatory elements of an Orthodox church. The iconostasis is a partition separating the altar from the middle part of the temple, called the nave, and certainly lined with icons. Actually, the last characteristic gave the name "iconostasis", meaning "standing of images, or icons" (from the Greek eikonostasis: icon - image, image + stasis - standing place).

The iconostasis was not the invention of any responsible person or creative figure, nor was it the result of the willful effort of a ruler or church pastor. The iconostasis has become the bearer of the religious experience of many generations of different peoples, their search for the optimal arrangement of a cult building to realize the main goal of religion - to restore communication with the Creator, interrupted by the fall of the first people, to restore communion with God. And therefore, not a single definition of the iconostasis, including the one proposed by us, can include the fullness of the meaning and functions of the iconostasis. They are inseparable from the history of the Orthodox church, dating back to the events of the Old Testament, church practice (worship, the sacraments of the church), from church art (the meaning and purpose of the icon, its iconography and other features).

The iconostasis was based on three ideas, who were born at different times of human religious history, the interaction of which gave us what we see today in Orthodox churches and call the iconostasis.

Feofan Grek, Andrei Rublev, Prokhor from Gorodets and others
Iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. XV-XVII centuries

Row chart:

A. Local row;

B. Pyadnichny row;

B. Deesis rite. Around 1405;

G. Festive row. Around 1405;

D. Prophetic series;

E. Forefather row

Icon layout: 1. Sabaoth; 2. Our Lady on the throne; 3. Annunciation; 4. Christmas; 5. Candlemas; 6. Midlife; 7. Baptism; 8. Transfiguration; 9. Resurrection of Lazarus; 10. Entrance to Jerusalem; 11. The Last Supper; 12. Crucifixion; 13. Position in the coffin; 14. Descent into hell; 15. Ascension; 16. Descent of the Holy Spirit; 17. Dormition; 18. Basil the Great; 19. Apostle Peter; 20. Archangel Michael; 21. Mother of God; 22. Christ Almighty;. 23. John the Baptist;. 24. Archangel Gabriel; 25. Apostle Paul; 26. John Chrysostom; 27. Nikola, with marks of miracles; 28. Our Lady of Tikhvin, with hallmarks of miracles; 29. Archangel Uriel.

north altar door; 30. Savior with the coming Mother of God and John the Baptist, with the saints in the fields; 31. Frame from the icon "Our Lady of the Don" with the image of righteous wives; 32. pass on the throne; 33. Annunciation of the Mother of God, with the hallmarks of the Akathist. Temple icon; 34. John the Baptist, the Apostle Peter and Alexei Man of God; 35. Archangel Raphael.

South chancel door; 36. Savior with crouching saints Sergius of Radonezh and Varlaam Khutynsky, with hallmarks of parables; 37. "Four-part" icon. 38–39. Ancestral row of icons; 40–41. Prophetic row of icons; 42–43. A number of minae tablets; 44. Nikola Mozhaisky; 45. Saved the belt; 46. ​​Resurrection of Lazarus.

First, the oldest of the fundamental ideas of the iconostasis is associated with the idea of ​​a sacred place, isolated from the usual vain world and accessible only to the initiated. Such premises existed in sacred buildings even in the pre-Christian period in all cultures, among different peoples.

New Testament Temple preserves the traditions of building the Old Testament tabernacle of meeting and revelation, transforming it in the light of the completed redemption of mankind by the Savior of the world and the opening of the Kingdom of Heaven. The image of the tabernacle, received at Sinai by the prophet Moses, was the embodiment of the idea of ​​separating a sacred place for the presence of God and human communication with him. Tabernacle(disassembled portable temple) had three main parts: 1) Holy of Holies; 2) Sanctuary; 3) court of the tabernacle. The most sacred part of the tabernacle - Holy of Holies- symbolized the Heavenly Kingdom of God, therefore, no one entered the Holy of Holies of the Old Testament temple, except high priest who was only allowed to enter once a year. Here was kept Ark of the Covenant. The Holy of Holies was closed with a “blind” veil, separating the Kingdom of God from the rest of the world, even from the Sanctuary, in which fragrant resin, incense, was burned every morning and evening on the altar of incense to God. The image and structure of the tabernacle were transferred to a stationary Old Testament temple built in Jerusalem by the son of King David Solomon.

Four-row iconostasis of the Transfiguration Church of the Kizhi Pogost. Reconstruction

In an Orthodox church Holy of Holies corresponds altar. Before the coming of Christ and the redemption of human sins, no one could enter the Kingdom of Heaven, even the righteous, and therefore the Holy of Holies was closed. With Christianity, a new idea enters the world, the idea of ​​the New Testament - redemption and the opening of the Kingdom of Heaven to all people through the atoning sacrifice of Christ. So this idea enters into the traditional cult construction of the Old Testament - the openness of the Kingdom of Heaven, which begins already here, on earth, within us.

One of the most important religious and philosophical thoughts is now available to everyone in the image: the Kingdom of God exists, but it was closed in the Old Testament, representing the greatest mystery of God - the mystery of the divine word and sacrificial love, creating and preserving the world. Only the prophets spoke about it.

According to the Holy Scriptures, during the atonement, after the words of the Savior, who gave up the spirit: “It is finished,” the sun darkened, an earthquake occurred, and the veil in the Jerusalem temple was torn in two. The kingdom of heaven opened, through the sacrificial love of the Savior entered the world. And a person, through faith in Christ, opens the Holy of Holies - his heart - first of all for himself and for the world. In a Christian, as in a temple, there is the Kingdom of Heaven, God dwells, communicates with man and through man with the world. Comparing the purpose of the parts of the Old Testament and New Testament churches, we see how the words of the Gospel were symbolically embodied: "The Kingdom of Heaven has come near."

Three-row iconostasis

Double row iconostasis

New idea the openness of the former sacral being was to be reflected in the dispensation of the temple, in the relationship between the altar and the nave (of the former Holy of Holies and the Sanctuary). Interaction begins two ideas - openness and secrecy.

The task for the Christian world is not an easy one. The mystery of Divine Creation and salvation has been revealed and at the same time remains a mystery. It opens up for believers in Christ in their religious experience, gradually, through the sacraments of the church, the realization of sins, repentance, testing their love for God and people, and this opening is limitless and uneven for people, the knowledge of God is infinite and depends on the person himself and the providence of God. . And can the sacrament of the Eucharist — the mystery of God's sacrifice, constantly offered for the world — be performed in front of all people, among whom there may be unbelievers, and only those who are just beginning their journey in Christ? But the main thing - where is the measure that can be applied to people who come to the temple? Who can be present, offering prayer with reverent awe, and who can interfere, distract the priest from the most important of all human affairs - prayers, the celebration of the sacrament of the Church?

Of course, only the living God has such a measure. And to establish such a measure according to human consent means to go back, from grace, to the law, and even established by people, to interfere with the liberation of one's heart for God's guidance.

In the most ancient Byzantine temples, the altar was not separated.

An excerpt from a text written in the 4th century allows us to feel how Christians experienced and perceived the Eucharist in those days: “Fear and trembling seize the priest at this terrible hour for him and for the laity. In his extraordinary quality and in his office, terrifying even to the seraphim, stands the son of the dust of the earth as a redeemer, seized with great fear. The Terrible King, mystically sacrificed and buried, and frightened spectators, trembling with fear of the Lord. The altar meant the Divine Throne, causing sacred shudder, and the Eucharist was held as a "terrifying sacrament."

And over time began to be used veil (katapetasma), which was pulled during the sacrament. Quite early, judging by the description of the church writer of the 4th century. Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea, the so-called block- a low partition with doors in the middle. Images of such barriers are often found in ancient church paintings, especially in compositions of the Eucharist. Later, icons began to be placed on this low barrier, usually two, to the right and left of the Royal Doors.

The interior of the temple of the monastery in Chora is the best preserved Byzantine church in Istanbul (former Constantinople)

This is how the third idea of ​​the iconostasis is turned on - icons as windows to the spiritual world. Being in the nave of the temple, believers are not just fenced off from the altar, but stand in front of the history of the salvation of mankind and the spiritual world, which every person can look into and enter thanks to the many windows, the role of which is played by icons, images of the iconostasis. Thus, a balance was found between the need to preserve the spirit of reverence during the celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist and the possibility of the presence and participation in it of each believer, and at the same time only God knows the measure of the worthiness of their participation.

In this particular form, the iconostasis must have passed from Byzantium to Russia and existed until the 15th century, when icon painting reaches a special flowering and churches begin to fill with many icons, repeating almost the entire wall painting of the temple. The icons on the altar barrier are already placed in several rows, close to each other, and the barrier itself is pushed forward, closing the eastern pillars, the altar and the deacon, or sacristy, the repository of sacred vessels, liturgical vestments, books, wine, prosphora and other items necessary for worship and fulfillment of treb.

In the XV-XVI centuries. the Russian type of iconostasis is being formed - high iconostasis. The Russian iconostasis has the most complex structure and, unlike the Greek one, is characterized by strict horizontal and vertical construction. The iconostasis, according to the accepted Greek-Byzantine tradition, has three doors. The middle doors are called the Royal Doors, because only through them does the priest bring out the chalice (chalice) with the Holy Gifts (under the guise of bread and wine - the Body and Blood of Christ), that is, the Lord himself, the King of Glory, passes through these gates. The Annunciation and the four evangelists are depicted on the Royal Doors.

Other gates northern and southern, bear images of archangels or holy deacons (sometimes saints) and are called diaconal because deacons usually pass through them. Priests pass through these gates several times during worship, but the bishop never, since, symbolizing Christ the Savior, he passes through the Royal Doors.

As a sign that after the redemptive sacrifice of Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven was opened for people in the New Testament temple, the altar is opened at all the most important moments of worship. But only those who perform divine service or serve during it, only in church vestments and only during the service, can enter the altar.

The icons on the iconostasis are arranged in a certain order, in tiers (or ranks, or rows).

The classic Russian high iconostasis looks like this. On right from the royal doors located icon of the Savior, a on the left - the Mother of God with the baby. Next to the icon of Christ is placed temple icon(it depicts a saint or sacred event to which the temple is dedicated). This local tier.

Above the local row is located deesis (deesis)(from the Greek d'esis - prayer) a row symbolizing the prayer of the entire Heavenly Church to Christ. The central icon of this row is "Savior in the Force"- depicts the Savior as the Judge of the whole world (in royal or bishop's vestments on the heavenly throne). left and right- images of those coming before the Lord in prayer Mother of God and John the Baptist. These images symbolize perfect prayer, since in the Most Holy Theotokos and John the Forerunner, the highest holiness is revealed, which is possible for the human race. On either side from the central images of the Savior, the Mother of God and John the Baptist are icons of praying apostles and other saints, so this layer is sometimes called apostolic.

Third rank is called "festive", because here, in strict accordance with the plot and compositional canons, the main Orthodox holidays are depicted.

Next, the fourth rank is prophetic. It contains icons of the Old Testament righteous - prophets through whom the revelation of the incarnation of the Savior and the Mother of God was received. The icon of the Mother of God "The Sign", symbolizing the incarnation of Christ, is located in the center of this row.

The fifth tier of the iconostasis is the forefathers- contains images forefathers - the Old Testament patriarchs and the icon of the Holy Trinity in the center.

Directly above the Royal Doors located icon "The Last Supper".

In the center above the upper rank is the Cross (Golgotha)- a symbol of the redemption of mankind and the victory of divine love over death.

Iconostasis of St. Isaac's Cathedral
19th century Saint Petersburg

In ancient Russia, this type of iconostasis was the most common, although the number of tiers could decrease. up to one row, with the obligatory image of the Last Supper over the Royal Doors. Under the icons of the lower row, almost above the very floor, in ancient times even images of pagan philosophers and sibyls were placed, since they, although they did not know the true God, sought to know him.

Iconostasis, like the whole altar, is located on elevated place, which protrudes into the middle part of the temple and is called salt.

The established rules and established traditions in the construction of Orthodox churches are strictly observed, however, within certain limits, differences (not fundamental) are allowed, due to the characteristics of a particular church, therefore each Orthodox church is unique in its own way both externally and internally.

Orthodox church may have additional altars, forming aisles of the temple, respectively each altar has its own iconostasis.

Latin temples are also richly decorated.
The picture shows the famous golden altar of the Cathedral in Seville, Spain.