Orthodox church. Photo:www.spiritualfragranceinc.com
Temple forms. In ancient times, Orthodox houses of worship were different. They had different shapes. Ancient temples had a round and eight-pointed shape. Today, the most common are oblong and cruciform temples.
Temple domes. Every church must have at least one dome. There are churches with three, five, seven and thirteen domes. The dome symbolizes the burning flame of a candle, the flame of prayer and the Christian’s desire for God.
Church bells. An Orthodox house of prayer must have a bell. Church bells notify believers about the beginning of the service, about the most important moments of the church service, and so on.
Cross on the temple. There is a cross on the dome of every church. The cross comes in a quadrangular shape - this is a traditional cross with one vertical and one horizontal beam. The bottom of the vertical beam that intersects the horizontal beam is longer than the top.
External structure of the church. Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru
Hexagonal cross - it is similar to a quadrangular cross. But on the lower vertical part there is another inclined beam, its left end is raised, and its right end is lowered down. This inclined beam symbolizes the footrest on the Cross of the Lord. Eight-pointed cross - It looks like a hexagonal cross, but on the top vertical beam there is another small plaque placed at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. On the tablet, in three languages in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, are the following words: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” Also, we can see an eight-pointed cross with a crescent at the bottom of the vertical beam. According to the church interpretation, the crescent is an anchor, which in the era of early Christianity symbolized the spiritual salvation of man.
Porch. External porch. Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru
External porch.Above the entrance to God's house, as a rule, there is an icon or wall image of the patron whose name it bears. There is an external area in front of the entrance to each church. This platform is also called the outer vestibule. The entrance itself in front of the temple is called the porch.
Churchyard. Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Sochi. Photo:www.fotokto.ru
Churchyard. Each Orthodox house of worship has its own church yard. On its territory there may be a church cemetery where clergy, ktitors, famous believers who contributed to the life and affairs of the temple are buried. In addition, in the courtyard of the church there may be a library, Sunday school, outbuildings, etc.
Parts of an Orthodox church. Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru
Internal structure of the church
Each temple is divided into three parts: the vestibule, the middle part and the altar.
The porch of the temple. Photo:www.prihod.org.ua
Narthex: The first part of the temple is called the inner porch. In ancient times, in the first part of the church there were catechumens, that is, those people who were preparing to receive Holy Baptism and those Christians who committed great sins were excommunicated from prayer participation and receiving Holy Communion. The walls of the narthex are covered with church frescoes and icons.
The middle part of the temple (naos). Photo:www.hram-feodosy.kiev.ua
Middle part of the temple : The middle part of the church is intended for believers. It is also called naos or ship. Here they pray during the service, offer prayers to God, light candles, kiss icons, and so on.
Patronal and festive icons in the church. Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru
In the naos there are lecterns (stands for icons) with icons of the Son of God, the Virgin Mary, the Holy Trinity, saints, etc. Also, in the middle part of the temple there are two lecterns with a throne icon and a holiday icon or the so-called icon of the day.
Throne icon- this is an icon on which is written the image of a saint and the event of the holiday, whose name this Orthodox house of God bears. Icon of the day is an icon depicting a holiday or someone whose memory is celebrated on this day. Usually, the lectern with this image is located in the middle of the naos.
A panic attack.www.nesterov-cerkov.ru
And also, in the middle of the ceiling there is a large hanging candlestick with many candles. It is lit during important moments of the service. This candlestick is called a chandelier. In Bulgarian churches it is called by the Greek word polyeleos. Usually in churches in Bulgaria there are two chandeliers - a large one and a smaller one. For convenience, in modern Orthodox churches, candles are replaced with special electric bulbs. They have the shape of a burning candle flame or the shape of a church dome.
Eve. Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru
Eve. In an Orthodox prayer house there is a place where a lay person can light a candle and pray for their deceased loved ones. This place is called the eve. In Russian churches, the eve represents a small presentation with a cross depicting the crucified Jesus with many indentations for candles. In Bulgaria, the church eve rearranges a large vessel resembling a deep paten filled with fine sand.
Iconostasis in the temple. Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru
Iconostasis. The altar and the middle part of the church are separated by an iconostasis. The word “iconostasis” comes from the Greek language and is translated as “image stand,” which is usually a wooden partition with icons, beautiful carved ornaments, and on top, in the center of the iconostasis, there is a cross with a human skull. The cross on the iconostasis has a double meaning. It really represents the place of the Savior’s death and symbolizes heaven.
Northern and southern gates of the iconastasis.Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru
Sometimes the iconostasis can only represent a delivery with an icon. For the first nine centuries, the Holy of Holies in an Orthodox church was never covered, but there was only a low wooden partition with icons. The “raising” of the image stand began after the 10th century, and over the centuries it acquired its current form. This is how the medieval Greek church bishop, famous Orthodox liturgist and teacher of the Church St. Simeon of Thessalonica interprets the meaning of the iconostasis and its purpose: “From an anthropological point of view, the altar symbolizes the soul, naos - the body, and the iconostasis, in fact, separates two parts of the temple and makes one visible and another part invisible to the human eye.
Royal Doors.Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru
From a cosmological point of view, the iconostasis separates heaven and earth, since the temple symbolizes the world. In this sense, the iconostasis represents a partition between the visible and invisible world, and the saints on it are intermediaries to the invisible world, since they are the connecting link between the two worlds.”
The iconostasis has three entrances with doors. Through two small entrances, clergy and their assistants enter and exit during certain moments of the Liturgy, for example, during the Small and Great Entrance. And the central, larger entrance, between the altar and the middle part of the church is called the Royal Doors. In addition to the Royal Doors, the middle entrance on the iconostasis also has a fabric curtain. Usually it is red. The icons of the iconostasis are identical in all Orthodox churches. On the Royal Doors there is always an icon depicting a scene telling how an Angel informs the Virgin Mary that She has been chosen by God and that she will conceive a child from the Holy Spirit who will become the Savior of the world. On the right side of the iconostasis there are icons of the Son of God and St. John the Baptist, on the other side there is an icon of the Virgin Mary and Child and the image of the one whose name the church is named. For the remaining icons, there is no exact definition of what images will be there and what location they will occupy on the iconostasis.
Singer, choir (klyros).Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru
Kliros, klylos, tsevnitsa. In front of the iconostasis, on the left and right there are places where the church choir sings. These places are called choirs or singers. In Russian vernacular, singers are called krylos.
Banners. Usually in Bulgarian churches there are banners next to the choirs. These are special church banners with icons on long wooden poles. They are used during church processions. Banners began to be used in the Holy Orthodox Church from the 4th century and symbolize the victory of Christianity over paganism.
Banner. Photo:www.yapokrov.ru
Solea and pulpit. The space raised by one or more steps between the pendants and the altar is called the solea, and its central part in the center in front of the altar is called the pulpit. Here the priests offer prayers, deliver sermons, etc.
Solea. Pulpit. Church shop.
Photo:www.nesterov-cerkov.ru
In the Orthodox House of God there is a place for selling candles, Orthodox literature, icons, crosses, etc. Also here, notes on health and repose are given, and orders to serve any church service. It is located in the vestibule or middle part of the temple. This place is called the church shop.
The ending follows.
Master of Divinity
It is compared with other world masterpieces of architecture in terms of area and height, but in terms of grandeur and holiness, as well as the sophistication and luxury of its interior decoration, no monument of sculptural art can compare with it. Inside it looks like an elegant malachite box. An unprecedented number of types of stone were used during construction and in its decoration. Here you can find marble of various shades. It was mined throughout Russia and also purchased abroad. Tivdian pink, Siena yellow, red from France. White, dark red, and lemon were brought from Russian quarries.
Jasper, Shokshin porphyry, Badakhshan lapis lazuli, and Ural malachite were also used in decoration. France, Italy, Afghanistan, Karelia - this is just an incomplete list of places from which gems were imported. Over 400 kg of gold and more than a thousand tons of bronze were spent on decorating the temple. Nowhere else in the world have temples been built using such a quantity of finishing stone. The cladding of the walls inside the temple amazes with skill and grace. Every detail is made with amazing precision.
Splendor of finishing
The interior decoration of St. Isaac's Cathedral is striking in its beauty, scope and unusualness. The basic idea of interior decoration has been preserved since the time of Peter the Great. In the first cathedral it was impossible to install a high altar with several tiers. And then the architects installed only the main icons of the bottom row in the iconostasis. And images of the twelve holidays were placed on the walls of the temple. This idea was followed during subsequent perestroikas. Although in a modern cathedral the height of the iconostasis made it possible to arrange many tiers, this was not done. Icons not included in the iconostasis are placed in niches in carved marble frames. Below them are panels made of burgundy marble, on which explanatory inscriptions are written in gilded letters.
Stained glass
Behind the Royal Doors of the main altar you can see a stained glass window depicting the Resurrection of Christ. Such images were not in the tradition of Orthodox churches. But the idea was supported by representatives of the Synod, who zealously monitored the progress of construction and compliance with all church canons. After Isaac, stained glass windows began to be placed in many churches. The creation of this masterpiece was led by the German artist Heinrich Maria von Hess. The area of the stained glass window is 28.5 square meters. It is one of the main monuments of stained glass art in Russia.
Canvases and mosaics
Twenty-two famous artists of that time were involved in the design of the interior decoration of the temple: Shebuev, Bryullov, Bruni, Basin, Plushar and many others. There is a museum in the temple where you can see a collection of religious and historical paintings from 1840-1850. It includes 103 wall paintings and 52 canvas paintings.
During the work, the designers understood that the canvases would be impossible to preserve in the damp St. Petersburg climate. Artists had to redo their masterpieces several times due to the instability of colors. Only four years before the end of construction, a stable dye composition was found that could withstand such conditions.
But already in 1851, work began on converting paintings into mosaic works. This painstaking work continued until 1917. Now the cathedral has 62 mosaic paintings, the total area of which exceeds 600 square meters. To give life and brightness to the works, over twelve thousand shades of smalt were used. The researchers calculated that it took about a year of hard work to complete 1 square meter of mosaic painting.
At an exhibition in London in 1862, mosaic works from Isaac were presented. They received the highest rating. The whole world has recognized that the production of smalt has been brought to perfection in Russia.
Dome
The main dome of the temple attracts the attention of the amazed public. Its vault is decorated with Bryullov’s painting “The Mother of God in Glory,” which depicts the Mother of God surrounded by John the Baptist, John the Theologian and the patron saints of the royal family. Unfortunately, the artist was unable to complete the work due to deteriorating health. The background and figures of the apostles based on his cardboards were completed by another painter, Basin.
The drum of the dome is decorated with figures of twelve angels, who look from above at the people who came to the temple. The crown of the composition is the silver-plated figure of a dove soaring at an 80-meter height. The one and a half meter bird is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.
Everything in this amazing temple delights and amazes. Everything is done with skill and grace. Despite the abundance of bright elements, there is nothing superfluous here. It is impossible to describe the magnificence of the temple in words - it needs to be seen.
Why do believers build temples? Why are there such a large number of them scattered throughout the Orthodox Land? The answer is simple: everyone’s goal is the salvation of the soul, and achieving it is impossible without visiting church. She is a hospital where sinful falls occur, as well as her deification. The structure of the temple and its decoration allow the believer to plunge into the divine atmosphere and become closer to the Lord. Only a priest who is present in the temple can perform the rites of baptism, wedding, and absolution. Without services and prayers, a person cannot become a child of God.
Orthodox church
An Orthodox church is a place where they serve God, where there is an opportunity to unite with him through sacraments such as baptism and communion. Believers gather here to pray together, the power of which everyone knows.
The first Christians had an illegal status, so they did not have their own churches. For prayers, believers gathered in the houses of community leaders, synagogues, and sometimes in the catacombs of Syracuse, Rome, and Ephesus. This lasted for three centuries until Constantine the Great came to power. In 323 he became the full-fledged 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 Helen of Constantinople, who initiated the erection in Jerusalem.
Since then, the structure of the temple, its interior decoration, and architecture have undergone significant changes. In Rus', it became customary to build cross-domed churches; this type is still relevant today. An important detail of any temple are the domes, which are crowned with a cross. Already from afar you can see the house of God from them. If the domes are decorated with gilding, then they glow under the rays of the sun, symbolizing the fire burning in the hearts of believers.
Internal organization
The internal structure of the temple necessarily symbolizes closeness to God, is endowed with certain symbolism, decoration, and serves to satisfy the goals of Christian worship. As the Church teaches, our entire material world is nothing more than 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 an Orthodox church, its architecture, and symbolism make it possible for believers to perceive the temple as the beginning of the Kingdom of Heaven, its image (invisible, distant, divine).
Like any building, a temple must carry the functions for which it is intended, satisfy needs and have the following premises:
- For clergy who conduct services.
- For all believers present in the church.
- For repentants and those preparing to be baptized.
Since ancient times, the temple has been divided into three main parts:
- Altar.
- The middle part of the temple.
- The narthex
- Iconostasis.
- Altar.
- Throne.
- Sacristy.
- Mountain place.
- Pulpit.
- Solea.
- Sexton.
- Choirs.
- The porch.
- Candle boxes.
- Bell tower.
- Porch.
Altar
When considering the structure of the temple, special attention should be paid to the most important part of the church, intended only for the clergy, as well as for those persons who serve them during services. The altar contains images of Paradise, the heavenly dwelling of the Lord. Denotes a mysterious side in the Universe, part of the sky. Otherwise, the altar is called “sky on Zele”. Everyone knows that after the Fall, the Lord closed the Gates to the Kingdom of Heaven for ordinary laymen; entry here is possible only. Having a special sacred meaning, the altar always inspires reverence in believers. If a believer, helping in the service, putting things in order or lighting candles, comes here, he must bow to the ground. Laymen are prohibited from entering the altar for the simple reason that this place must always be clean, holy, this is where the Holy Meal is located. Crowds and disorder, which mere mortals can tolerate due to their sinful nature, are not allowed in this place. This is the place where the priest concentrates his prayers.
Iconostasis
Christians experience a sense of reverence when entering an Orthodox church. Its structure and interior decoration, icons with the faces of Saints extol the souls of believers, create an atmosphere of peace, awe before our Lord.
Already in the ancient catacomb churches, the altar began to be fenced off from the rest. At that time, the solea already existed; the altar barriers were made in the form of lowered bars. Much later, an iconostasis appeared, which has royal and side gates. It serves as a dividing line that separates the middle temple and the altar. The iconostasis is arranged as follows.
In the center are the royal doors - specially decorated doors with two leaves, located opposite the throne. Why are they called that? It is believed that Jesus Christ himself comes through them to give the sacrament to people. To the left and right of the north and south gates are installed, which serve for the entrance and exit of clergy at the statutory moments of worship. Each of the icons located on the iconostasis has its own special place and meaning and tells about an event from Scripture.
Icons and frescoes
Considering the structure and decoration of an Orthodox church, it should be noted that icons and frescoes are a very important accessory. They depict the Savior, the Mother of God, angels, saints from biblical scenes. Icons in colors convey to us what is described in words in the Holy Scriptures. Thanks to them, a prayerful mood is created in the temple. When praying, you need to remember that prayer is raised not to the picture, but to the image depicted on it. On the icons, the images are depicted in the form in which they condescended to people, as the chosen ones saw them. Thus, the Trinity is depicted as the righteous Abraham saw it. Jesus is depicted in the human form in which he lived among us. The Holy Spirit is usually depicted in the form of a dove, as it 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.
A newly painted icon must be consecrated in the temple and sprinkled with holy water. Then she becomes sacred and has the ability to act with the Grace of the Holy Spirit.
A halo around the head means that the face depicted on the icon has the grace of God and is holy.
Middle part of the temple
The internal structure of an Orthodox church necessarily contains a middle part, sometimes called a nave. In this part of the temple there is a pulpit, solea, iconostasis and choir.
It is this part that is actually called the temple. Since ancient times, this part has been called the refectory, because the Eucharist is eaten here. The middle temple symbolizes earthly existence, the sensual human world, but justified, burned and already sanctified. If the altar symbolizes the Upper Heaven, then the middle temple is a particle of the renewed human world. These two parts must interact; under the guidance of Heaven, the disturbed order will be restored on Earth.
Narthex
The vestibule, which is part of the design of a Christian church, is its vestibule. At the origins of faith, those who repented or those who were preparing for Holy Baptism stopped there. In the narthex there is most often a church box for selling prosphoras, candles, icons, crosses, and for registering weddings and baptisms. Those who have received penance from the confessor, and all people who, for some reason, consider themselves currently unworthy to enter the temple can stand in the vestibule.
External device
The architecture of Orthodox churches is always recognizable, and although its types are different, the external structure of the temple has its own main parts.
Abse - a projection 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.
A porch is a porch raised above ground level (closed or open type).
A pilaster is a flat decorative projection on the surface of a wall.
Portal - entrance.
The refectory is an extension to the west of the building and serves as a place for preaching and meetings.
A tent has several sides and covers towers, a temple or a bell tower. Common in 17th century architecture.
Pediment - completes the facade of the building.
The apple is a domed ball on which a cross is mounted.
Tier - decreasing in height of the volume of the entire building.
Types of temples
Orthodox churches have different shapes, they can be:
- In the shape of a cross (symbol of the crucifixion).
- In the shape of a circle (the personification of eternity).
- In the shape of a quadrangle (Earth sign).
- In the shape of an octagon (the guiding star of Bethlehem).
Each church is dedicated to some holy, important Christian event. The day of their memory becomes the patronal temple holiday. If there are several chapels with an altar, then each is called separately. A chapel is a small structure that resembles a temple, but does not have an altar.
At the time, the structure of the Christian church of Byzantium had a cross-dome type. It united all the traditions of eastern temple architecture. Rus' adopted from Byzantium not only Orthodoxy, but also examples of architecture. While preserving traditions, Russian churches have a lot of originality and originality.
Construction of a Buddhist temple
Many believers are interested in how Buddha temples are arranged. Let's give some brief information. Everything is also installed according to strict rules. All Buddhists revere the “Three Treasures” and it is in the temple that they seek refuge for themselves - with 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 area, protected from all sides. Powerful gates are the main requirement in the construction of a temple. Buddhists do not distinguish between a monastery and a temple - for them it is the same concept.
Every Buddhist temple has an image of Buddha, whether embroidered, painted or sculpture. This image should be placed in the “golden hall”, facing east. The main figure is enormous; all the others depict scenes from the life of the saint. The temple also 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 adhere to certain requirements. Legs and shoulders must be covered with opaque clothing. Like other religions, Buddhism believes that lack of proper dress is disrespect for faith.
Buddhists consider the feet to be the dirtiest part of the body because they come into contact with the ground. Therefore, when entering the temple, you must take off your shoes. It is believed that this will make your feet cleaner.
It is imperative to know the rule by which believers sit. The feet should under no circumstances point towards the Buddha or any saint, so Buddhists prefer to remain neutral - sit in the lotus position. You can simply bend your legs under yourself.
The interior of the Assumption Cathedral is a complex artistic synthesis of architecture, monumental painting, icons, and objects of applied art. The architecture and murals of the temple create an image of space, where the vaults symbolize the sky carried by the pillars of the cathedral. The interior space has no choirs and, most importantly, amazes with its bright spaciousness, which is completely revealed to us at first sight. A huge ceremonial hall. Massive round pillars supporting the domes do not create the impression of heaviness. Contemporaries figuratively compared them to “tree trunks” and noted with admiration that the cathedral was built in a “ward manner.” This was the task of the architect Fiorovanti: the Assumption Cathedral was intended for the crowning of Moscow sovereigns and for other ceremonial services. The walls of the temple have preserved fragments of paintings made in the 15th century. The cathedral houses icons created in the 12th century.
It is known that the famous icon painter Dionysius took part in the painting of the cathedral. From this ancient painting, only a few compositions have survived in the altar part of the cathedral and the figures of the monks decorating the stone altar barrier in front of the iconostasis. A stone barrier about 3.5 m high separated the eastern part of the temple - the altar. At a height of 2.5 m from the floor, Dionysius and his assistants painted on the barrier half-length images of twenty-three “venerables” - the most active figures of the church in the first centuries of its existence. The walls and vaults of the altar and chapels behind the barrier were also painted. Some fragments of this original painting have survived to this day. In the chapels adjacent to the altar on the south side. Dmitrovsky and Pokhvalsky, compositions possibly executed by Dionysius himself have been preserved - “The Nativity of John the Baptist” (see appendix I), “Praise of the Mother of God” (see appendix K) and “Adoration of the Magi” (see appendix L). Painted in delicate and soft colors - lilac-pink, blue, yellowish, with light highlights lightly applied - the composition "Adoration of the Magi" is distinguished by its poetry. To the north of the altar, in the Peter and Paul chapel and in the altar, the paintings “Apostle Peter Heal the Sick,” “Seven Sleeping Youths of Ephesus” (see Appendix M), “Three Youths in the Fiery Furnace” (see Appendix H) and “ Forty Martyrs of Sebaste" (see Appendix P).
The existing painting appeared in the cathedral in 1642-1643. Many (more than 150) icon painters from different cities were involved in the work on the new mural. The work was supervised by royal isographers Ivan Paisein, Sidor Pospeev and others. On the vaults of the Assumption Cathedral there are compositions on the themes of the twelve holidays. The upper parts of the northern and southern walls also illustrate gospel stories - parables. The third tier begins the story of the earthly life of the Mother of God. In the second tier there are compositions on the theme of the Akathist to the Blessed Virgin Mary - solemn chants dedicated to the Mother of God, and in the lowest tier - images of the seven ecumenical councils, at which the dogma of the Orthodox Church was developed. According to tradition, a grandiose scene of the Last Judgment is placed on the western wall.
At the southern wall of the cathedral near the iconostasis there is a carved wooden structure - the so-called Monomakh throne (see Appendix P), or the royal place of prayer. It was made in 1551 for the first Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible, shortly after his coronation. The throne that has survived to this day is made of walnut and linden wood; above it there is a slotted canopy (tent), supported by four skillfully carved pillars, it was overshadowed by a double-headed eagle. The tent is supported by four carved pillars, and instead of a foot, it has four lions, also carved from wood. The royal place had curtains that were drawn when the king changed his clothes in the cathedral. The frieze connecting the canopy is covered on all four sides with inscriptions extracted from the Holy Scriptures. At the entrance to the royal place, on the eastern side, folding doors were made. On each door, two inscriptions are carved in circles, containing a story about the war of Vladimir Monomakh with the Greeks. The pillars of the throne are placed on three panels, on each of which four bas-reliefs are carved, for a total of 12 bas-reliefs that illustrate the plots of the famous monument of ancient Russian literature “Tales of the Princes of Vladimir”.
At the northeastern pillar there is another wooden carved prayer place (see Appendix C). It appeared in the Assumption Cathedral in the 17th century. It was moved from the house church of the queens for the first wife of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov - Maria Ilyinichna from the Miloslavsky family. Until this moment, the queens did not attend services in the Assumption Cathedral. According to Russian tradition, women in the temple prayed on the left hand, men on the right. The heart-shaped kokoshniks crowning the structure contain scenes of the Nativity of the Mother of God, Christ and John the Baptist. They served as a kind of prayer for the continuation of the royal family. At the southeastern pillar there is a stone patriarchal, and until the 17th century, metropolitan seat (see Appendix T). The head of the Russian Church sat here. Obviously, the metropolitan place of prayer itself was erected simultaneously with the construction of the cathedral.
In 1624, an openwork copper tent, cast by the Russian master Dmitry Sverchkov, was installed in the southwestern corner of the Assumption Cathedral (see Appendix U). The tent was intended to store the shroud (a sewn cover depicting the Entombment of Christ into the tomb, used in the service of Holy Week). A precious relic was also kept here - a piece of the Robe (clothing) of Christ, which was presented to the Russian Tsar by the Iranian Shah Abbas. In 1913, a shrine was placed in the tent (see Appendix A) with the relics of Patriarch Hermogenes, canonized in the same year, who became famous for his irreconcilable attitude towards the Polish interventionists who captured the Kremlin at the beginning of the 17th century, and suffered martyrdom from them.
The cathedral served as the tomb of Russian high priests. There are 19 tombs in the cathedral. From the end of the 16th century, brick tombstones with white stone epitaphs began to be installed over the tombs (see Appendix A), and at the beginning of the 20th century, the tombstones were enclosed in metal covers. The burial places of holy priests are highlighted by high tents - vestibules. The burials themselves are located under the floor of the cathedral. Behind the iconostasis in the Peter and Paul chapel is the tomb of Metropolitan Peter. In the 15th century, the metropolitan’s relics were kept in a golden shrine, which disappeared during the Polish-Swedish intervention of the 17th century. The new shrine was made of silver, but it was also stolen at the beginning of the 19th century by Napoleon's soldiers. Currently, the relics of St. Metropolitan Peter rest in a silver shrine under a bronze canopy, made in 1819. Cancer St. Jonah, the first Russian metropolitan appointed by a council of Russian bishops, stands in the northwestern corner of the temple. It was created in 1585 by order of the son of Ivan the Terrible, Tsar Fedor. The copper canopy above it was cast in 1803. In the south-eastern corner of the cathedral there is a shrine made of cypress of St. Metropolitan Philip (Kolychev). Metropolitan Philip, who denounced Tsar Ivan the Terrible for his atrocities, was strangled by order of the Tsar in the Tver Monastery. His relics were brought and also placed in the Assumption Cathedral under Patriarch Nikon in the 17th century. Also in the cathedral is the tomb of Patriarch Hermogenes, the great Russian patriot who died in 1612 during the Polish intervention.
Enormous attention should be paid to the iconostasis. It consists of five tiers, which house sixty-nine icons painted by sixteen icon painters. The cathedral also contains magnificent icons from the 12th-17th centuries. I will explain this in more detail in the next chapter.
Altar (translated from Latin - sublime) - altar - the most important part of the temple. The altar is located in a semicircular room on the eastern side of the temple
Ambon (Greek - elevation) is a special structure in a Christian church, intended for reading the Holy Scriptures, singing or proclaiming some liturgical texts, and delivering sermons.
Pillars are the internal supports of the temple vault.
The nave is a part of the temple, stretching from west to east and bounded on one or both sides by pillars.
Iconostasis is a wall with icons that separates the altar from the rest of the temple.
Based on materials from Vl. Solovyov’s book “The Golden Book of Russian Culture”:
According to its internal structure, any Orthodox church consists of three main parts: the altar, the middle part of the temple and the vestibule.
The altar (1) (translated from Latin as altar) is located in the eastern (main) part of the temple and symbolizes the realm of God’s existence. The altar is separated from the rest of the interior by a high iconostasis (2). In the altar there is the holy altar (the table on which the Gospel and the cross lie) - the place of the invisible presence of God. It is next to the holy throne that the most important church services are held. The presence or absence of an altar distinguishes a church from a chapel. The latter has an iconostasis, but no altar.
The middle (central) part of the temple makes up its main volume. Here, during the service, parishioners gather for prayer. This part of the temple symbolizes the heavenly region, the angelic world, the refuge of the righteous.
The narthex (pre-temple) is an extension on the western, less often on the northern or southern side of the temple. The vestibule is separated from the rest of the temple by a blank wall. The porch symbolizes the area of earthly existence. Otherwise, it is called a refectory, since on church holidays feasts are held here. During the service, persons intending to accept the faith of Christ, as well as people of other faiths, are allowed into the vestibule - “for listening and teaching.” The outer part of the vestibule - the porch of the temple (3) - is called the porch. Since ancient times, the poor and wretched have gathered on the porch and asked for alms. On the porch above the entrance to the temple there is an icon with the face of that saint or with the image of that sacred event to which the temple is dedicated.
Solea (4) – the elevated part of the floor in front of the iconostasis.
Ambon (5) is the central part of the sole, protruding in a semicircle into the center of the temple and located opposite the Royal Gate. The pulpit is used for delivering sermons and reading the Gospel.
Choir (6) is a place in the temple, located at both ends of the solea and intended for the clergy (singers).
Sails (7) are elements of the dome structure in the form of spherical triangles. With the help of sails, a transition is ensured from the circumference of the dome or its base - the drum - to the rectangular space under the dome. They also take over the distribution of the load of the dome on the sub-dome pillars. In addition to sail vaults, vaults with load-bearing stripping are known - a recess in the vault (above a door or window opening) in the form of a spherical triangle with an apex below the top point of the vault and stepped vaults.
Throne(18)
High place and throne for hierarchs (19)
Altar (20)
Royal Doors (21)
Deacon's Gate (22)
Exterior decoration of the temple:
Apses (8) (translated from Greek as vault, arch) are semicircular protruding parts of the building that have their own ceiling.
Drum (9) – a cylindrical or multifaceted upper part of a building, crowned with a dome.
Valance (10) is a decoration under the roof eaves in the form of decorative wooden boards with blind or through carvings, as well as metal (made of milled iron) strips with a slotted pattern.
The dome (11) is a vault with a hemispherical, and then (from the 16th century) onion-shaped surface. One dome is a symbol of the unity of God, three symbolize the Holy Trinity, five symbolize Jesus Christ and the four evangelists, seven symbolize the seven church sacraments.
The cross (12) is the main symbol of Christianity, associated with the crucifixion (redemptive sacrifice) of Christ.
Zakomars (13) are semicircular or keel-shaped ends of the upper part of the wall, covering the spans of the vault.
Arcatura (14) - a series of small false arches on the facade or a belt that covers the walls along the perimeter.
Pilasters are decorative elements that divide the façade and are flat vertical projections on the surface of the wall.
Blades (15), or lysen, are a type of pilasters, used in Russian medieval architecture as the main means of rhythmically dividing walls. The presence of blades is typical for temples of the pre-Mongol period.
The spindle (16) is part of the wall between two shoulder blades, the semicircular end of which turns into a zakomara.
Plinth (17) - the lower part of the outer wall of the building, lying on the foundation, usually thickened and protruding outward in relation to the upper part (church plinths can be either simple in the form of a slope - at the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, or developed, profiled - at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin in Bogolyubovo).
