THE CHURCH

THE CHURCH is the Temple of God, the House of God where the Holy Spirit lives and dwells in it since its consecration.  It is a Holy place that is why we have to be very respectful while we are in the House of God.  We should also be dressed appropriately. His precious Body and Blood are in the Tabernacle 24 hours a day 365 days a year.

This is the reason that we cross ourselves when we pass from an Orthodox Church.  This is also the place where people enroll in Christianity, through baptism and become a member of the Body of Christ.

This is the place where Christians come to save their souls and find refuge and comfort to their personal problems.

This is the factory of prayer and rescue of sins of every Christian soul.  That is why we have to be respectful and walk in it with great respect and fear of God.

The Church has Three Parts

Narthex (Narthica)

The first part is the Narthex (Narthica), which represents the outside world and where a few icons stand.  

The Pangari, the furniture from where we purchase the candles, is also located here.  

Always on the right of the Narthex stands the icon of the Virgin Mary and to the left the Patron Saint of the church.  Also on the right, is the stand holding the icon of the feast of the day, and on Sundays, the icon depicting the Gospel, which is put there during the matins service.

The Main Church

The second part is the Main Church, which represents the faithful Christians on this world who pray to God.  The Main Church is divided to 2 spaces.

The first space of the Main Church is where the seats are, where the faithful stand and follow the services and pray.

The second space is called the SOLEA.  It is the space where all the sacraments and processions take place.  In the Solea the throne of the Bishop is located to the right, on the left, the pulpit where the Gospel is read when there is a deacon or a Bishop in the Divine Liturgy, and the stand for the chanters.

The Altar (IERON VEEMA)

The Third part is the Altar (IERON VEEMA) representing the Heaven.  It is separated from the Solea with an icon screen, which is called ICONOSTASION.  The icon screen has 3 doors.   The Center door is called the Royal Door; only clergy can pass through the Royal Door; on the left and on the right are two doors depicting the icons of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel as guardians to the Gates of Heaven.  On the top of the Icon screen is the sign of the Cross. Under the Cross are the icons depicting the main events in the life of Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ.  On the top of the Royal Door is the icon of the Last Supper giving the message that this is the place where the Last Supper takes place every Divine Liturgy.  At the old churches under the icon of the Last Supper at the top arch of the Royal Door a sun shaped icon hangs.  In the center of this icon an eye is depicted.  It is the eye of God that sees everything on the world.   This comes from the beginning of the Old Testament, from the story of Cain and God in the book of Genesis.  Facing the Altar on the right of the Royal door, is the icon of Jesus Christ, He sat at the Right Hand of the Father, and next to Him is always the icon of Saint John the Baptist, who Baptized Him.  On the left side of the Royal Door is the icon of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus Christ and next to Her on Her right is the icon of the Saint or the event to which the Church is dedicated.

In the center of the Altar is the Altar table, which represents the tomb of a martyr.  A martyr is a person who died by shedding his /her blood for the Christian faith.  Relics of the martyrs are kept in a special compartment of this Altar table, which has on it the Gospel Book representing Christ.  The Tabernacle holding the Precious Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and candles are also on the Altar table.  Behind the Altar are the fans representing the great angels Cherubim and Heroubim who fly around the throne of God.  There is a big Crucifix just behind the altar table to remind us of the extreme sacrifice of the Son of God on Golgotha.  With His Holy and Precious Blood He washed the sins of the world, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

On the left side is the Oblation table (Proskomidi) representing the cave of Bethlehem and that is where the icon of the Nativity is placed.  In this place the priest prepares the communion; behind it is the place where he washes his hands before preparing the Holy Communion.  Therefore every part of the Church is considered Holy Ground.