From the porch to the altar. What is an iconostasis in an Orthodox church? What is the name of the gate in the very center of the iconostasis

In an Orthodox church, an iconostasis is an altar partition with several rows of icons that separates the altar from the rest of the church. According to the Orthodox calendar, the iconostasis consists of icons arranged in tiers. The number of tiers varies from three to five. A classic iconostasis is considered to be a five-tiered iconostasis, in which the plots of the icons and their order have a certain meaning.

The iconostasis can be read both from top to bottom and from bottom to top, but, as the clergy say, it is better to perceive it as a single image. “The iconostasis is perceived as a whole. It is very symbolic because it tells the whole story. The meaning of each row in the iconostasis is determined by the canon, and its content and content depends on the specific church. The entire content of the iconostasis serves as a reminder of the formation of the church, covering all times, and including all symbolic meanings individual icons, ”said AiF.ru Archpriest, rector of the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky at MGIMO Igor Fomin (father Igor).

Five rows of icons bear the following names: the top row is the forefathers, below it is the prophetic, festive, deesis and the lowest row is the local one, where they are royal doors, altar doors, temple and locally venerated icons. From the middle of the 16th century, as stated in the Orthodox Encyclopedia, the North and South Gates were obligatory, but, as a rule, they were arranged only in large churches.

The lowest row of icons in the iconostasis describes earthly life and the deeds of the saints, the earthly path of Christ, his sacrifice and Last Judgment, and at the top are the prophets and forefathers who meet the righteous.

What do the rows of the iconostasis symbolize?

local row

The lowest row in the iconostasis is local. Locally venerated icons are usually located here, the composition of which depends on the traditions of each temple. However, some of the icons of the local row are fixed by a common tradition and are found in any temple. In the center of the local rank are the Royal Doors, which symbolize the doors of paradise, a symbol of the entrance to the Kingdom of God. To the right of the Royal Doors is the icon of the Savior, to the left - the icon of the Mother of God, occasionally they are replaced with icons of the master's and the Mother of God holidays. To the right of the icon of the Savior is usually located temple icon, that is, the icon of that holiday or saint, in whose honor this temple is consecrated.

Above the Royal Doors is the icon of the Last Supper and the icons of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos and the four Evangelists.

Deesis (deisis)

The local number is followed by a deisis (translated from Greek - “prayer”, in Russian the word was fixed in the form “deesis”). Here in the center is the icon of the Savior. The Mother of God and John the Baptist are depicted to the right and left of Him. They are followed by archangels, saints, apostles, martyrs, reverends, that is, the entire host of saints, represented by all the ranks of holiness. The meaning of this series is the prayer of the Church for the world. All the saints on the icons of this row are turned three-quarters of a turn towards Christ and are shown praying to the Savior.

“In the temples there is no strict arrangement of the deesis. As a rule, it is located above the Royal Doors. The iconography of the deesis is diverse and differs in the composition of the saints and the number of figures. The minimum number of icons in the central row of the iconostasis is three - these are the Savior, the Mother of God and St. John the Baptist. In this row there can also be icons of saints, apostles, prophets, saints, saints, martyrs. In their order, they are located either on the right or on the left. So the deesis does not have a strict order. He can be both the second and the third,” Father Igor says.

Festive row

Festive describes the events of the earthly life of the Savior. In this row are icons of the twelfth holidays (12 main church holidays- Nativity of the Virgin, Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, Exaltation of the Cross, Nativity of Christ, Baptism (Theophany), Annunciation, Presentation of the Lord, Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, Ascension, Pentecost, Transfiguration of the Lord, Assumption of the Mother of God).

P prophetic series

The prophetic row of the iconostasis represents the Old Testament church from Moses to Christ. It consists of images of prophets with unfolded scrolls in their hands. Initially, images of David and Solomon were placed in the center of the row, later - the Mother of God with the Child.

Forefather row

The top row is called the forefather. This row is located above the prophetic and is a gallery of the Old Testament forefathers with the corresponding texts on the scrolls. In the center of this row is usually placed the image of the Holy Trinity in the form of three Angels - the appearance of God to Abraham as an Old Testament indication of the Trinity of God and a reminder of the Pre-Eternal Council of the Holy Trinity for the salvation of man and the world.

The iconostasis ends with a cross or an icon of the Crucifixion (also in the form of a cross). Sometimes icons of the Mother of God, John the Theologian, and sometimes even myrrh-bearing women are placed on the sides of the cross. The cross (Golgotha) above the prophetic row is a symbol of the redemption of mankind.

Many ancient cultures claimed that there were portals to other worlds and gates to star systems where "creators" lived. From the point of view of worldly wisdom, these traditions are just ordinary myths and legends. However, proponents of the unknown perked up when, in recently declassified FBI files, there were claims that our Earth was visited by creatures from other dimensions and planets. NASA has also announced that the "portals" are, in fact, apparently hidden in the Earth's magnetic field.

1. Gate of the Gods

Peru
In 1996, the site was discovered by José Luis Delgado Mamani while he was trying to explore the High Mark Mountain region in Peru. The "Gate of the Gods", according to the local tribes, was once "a gateway to the land of the gods". Mamani even claims that in a dream he saw a path leading to a doorway made of pink marble, and also that he saw a smaller door that was open, and in it was visible "a brilliant blue light emanating from what looked like shimmering tunnel.

The "Doors of the Gate of the Gods" are actually two "T" shaped doorways. The larger doorway is seven meters wide and seven meters high, while the smaller one is two meters high. Legends say that the big door was meant for the gods, and some heroic mortals who lived among the gods after that could pass through the smaller door. History says that when Spanish explorers arrived in Peru in the 16th century and began to plunder the riches of the Incas, a priest named Amaru Maru fled from his temple with a prized golden disk - the "Key of the Gods of seven rays".

Amaru Maru found this door and saw that it was guarded by shaman priests. The priest showed them the golden disc, and after the ritual, a smaller doorway was opened for him, revealing a tunnel that shone with blue light. Amaru Maru passed through the doorway, leaving the disk to the shamans, and disappeared from the Earth forever, leaving for the land of the gods. Interestingly, the researchers did find small circular cuts in the rock near the right pillar of the smaller doorway, where some kind of disk-shaped object was clearly inserted.

2. Abu Ghurab

Egypt
The temple of Abu Ghurab, which is located near the pyramids of Abusir, is considered one of the most ancient buildings on the planet. At the base of Abu Ghurab lies an ancient platform made of alabaster (Egyptian crystal), which allegedly "vibrates in unison with the vibration of the Earth." It can also "open up" to a person who is able to communicate with the higher sacred energies of the universe. In fact, if you believe the legends, then this is a stargate, and the sacred energies are "Neter" (gods).

Interestingly, the legends about their connections with the Earth and the ways of movement between the world of the gods and our world almost exactly coincide with the legends of the Cherokee - Native Americans. The Cherokee speak of "formless thinking beings" riding a "wave of sound" from their home in the Pleiades star system to Earth.

3An Ancient Stone Structure In Lake Michigan

USA
In 2007, while searching for the remains of sunken ships, scientists discovered a stone structure at a depth of 12 meters in Lake Michigan. The structure, estimated to be 9,000 years old, is essentially the Michigan equivalent of Stonehenge. The discovery was made by Northwestern Michigan University professor of underwater archeology Mark Holley and his colleague Brian Abbott.
Their particular attention was drawn to the image of a mastodon carved on one of the stones, which is believed to have died out 10,000 years ago.

Location this place currently kept secret due to an agreement with local Indian tribes who would like to keep the number of visitors to a minimum. While many mainstream scientists are skeptical about the structure's age, many believe it is the remains of a "stargate" or wormhole. In this place, there were mysterious disappearances of ships and people, and it even got the name "Michigan Triangle".

4. Stonehenge

England
One of the most famous stone structures on the planet is also one of the most controversial and discussed. Most historians claim that the famous Stonehenge was built about 5,000 years ago, partly from bluestones that were quarried from a mine 386 kilometers from the structure. However, geologist Brian John claims that there is no evidence for this claim, and there is no evidence that the alleged quarry where the stones were mined even existed.

It is said that when the first settlements arose in the area 5,000 years ago, Stonehenge was already in existence, fully built, and was an energy portal or stargate. At least one case in recent history may support this seemingly wild theory. In August 1971, a group of hippies disappeared at Stonehenge while trying to tap into the "vibration" of this ancient monument.

At about 2 a.m., lightning began to strike over Stonehenge and a severe thunderstorm broke out. A police officer who was on duty near the site, as well as a local farmer, allegedly saw a "blue light" coming from the stones and heard screams. By the time the policeman had reached Stonehenge, all he had found were tents and a fire that had been extinguished in the rain.

5. Ancient Sumerian Stargate on the Euphrates River

Iraq
There is a famous Sumerian seal that shows the Sumerian god emerging from the portal of his world on Earth. God appears to be standing on a ladder that starts from the person looking at the seal. Strange shimmering water columns are visible on either side of the god. Other Sumerian artifacts that allegedly prove the existence of stargates are images of the god Ninurta.

In these images, Ninurta clearly shows a modern wristwatch on his hand, while he presses his finger on what looks like a button on the wall of the airlock in which he stands. Some scholars suggest that the stargate was located in the Euphrates River and was buried under the ruins of the Mesopotamian city of Eridu for thousands of years.

6. "Gate of the Sun"

Bolivia
According to many people, the "Gate of the Sun" in Bolivia is the portal to the land of the gods. The city of Tiahuanaco is considered one of the most important sites of ancient America, as legends say that the sun god Viracocha appeared in Tiahuanaco and chose this place to create the human race. The gate, carved from a single block of stone, is believed to be 14,000 years old. On the gateway are depicted " human beings in rectangular helmets.

This has led many researchers to claim that the gate is indeed connected to something astronomical. Although the gate is now upright, when it was discovered by European explorers in the mid-1800s, it was in a horizontal position.

7. Stargate Ranmasu Uyana

Sri Lanka
Hidden among the boulders and cave systems of Ranmasu Uyana Royal Park is a star chart or star chart carved into a massive stone wall. The symbols carved into the stone are said to be the code that opens the stargate, allowing whoever opens it to travel from our world to other areas of the universe. Directly opposite the star map are four stone seats or armchairs.

The stellar chart is called Sakwala Chakraya, which means "The Revolving Circle of the Universe". In many ancient Native American legends, stargates or portals were represented as revolving circles. Similar star charts have also been found at other ancient sites such as Abu Ghurab in Egypt and numerous other ancient sites in the South American Andes.

8. Abydos

Egypt
One of the oldest cities ancient egypt, Abydos is perhaps one of the most important and interesting sites in Egyptology. In particular, in the temple of Seti I, hieroglyphs were found with images of aircraft, such as helicopters, as well as something similar to flying saucers. An interesting story is the story of a woman named Dorothy Eady, who claimed to be the reincarnation of the Egyptian peasant girl Bentreshit, who was the secret mistress of Pharaoh Seti.

Living in the 20th century, Dorothy was able to transcribe many ancient Egyptian texts, and even knew where archaeologists needed to dig to find remains. ancient city. She seemed to know exactly where everything had once been, such as the location of secret chambers and ancient gardens, the remains of which had been buried underground for centuries. In 2003, US aerospace defense engineer Michael Schratt stated that Abydos was on a natural stargate.

9. Göbekli Tepe

Turkey
Considered the oldest stone temple in the world, Göbekli Tepe has several rings of huge "T" shaped stone pillars, each covered with carvings of animals such as lions and sheep. Two similar pillars are in the middle of these circles, representing something similar to arches. These arches are referred to in circles as the remnants of portals or stargates that ancient people living in the area once allegedly used as portals leading to "heavenly worlds".

The "T" pillars are very similar to the "Gate of the Gods" at High Mark in Peru. Interestingly, the Incas also told legends about communication through the gate in the form of the letter "T" with people from the Pleiades star system. The T-pillars at Göbekli Tepe are believed to be around 12,000 years old.

10. Sedona whirlwinds and the "Door of the Gods"

USA
Sedona, a small town in Arizona, was once called Nawanda by Indian tribes. This city was considered sacred. It is said that the desert red rocks that surround the small city can create whirlwinds that are capable of transporting people to another world or dimension. Native Americans believed that spirits lived in these rocks.

It is also believed that in the mountains of Arizona there is a "Door of the Gods" - a strange stone arched portal to another time and space. In the 1950s, it was found by local gold prospectors, after which, supposedly, some of them (those who tried to get through the door) disappeared. One of the gold diggers said that despite the rain in this area, he saw a bright blue sky behind the arch (moreover, this was the only difference, in all other respects the landscape coincided).

He got scared, got on his horse and returned home. Subsequently, he told all the treasure hunters that they should not pass through the arch in any case, even if they find it.

Lovers of history and antiquity will definitely like it.

gate

cf. pl. church gates, doors. Royal, holy gates, in churches, the doors of the altar, against the throne, in the middle. Gateway, love spell. Goalkeeper, gatekeeper m. gatekeeper, gatekeeper, gatekeeper, janitor, gatekeeper. Fuck that, old man. rotate, rotate, rotate, twirl. Turn around, turn around, turn around, turn around

be rotatable. Rotation cf. reversal, circulation. Rotational, circulating, revolving, serving to rotate. Rotator m. who turns, turns. Vratilo Wed church shaft, beam of a weaving mill.

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. D.N. Ushakov

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova.

gate

gate (obsolete). Same as gate (in 1 and 3 values). * The Royal Doors are the middle doors in the church iconostasis leading to the altar.

New explanatory and derivational dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova.

Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1998

Wikipedia

Gate (film, 1987)

"Gate" is a 1987 horror film.

gate

gate- ritual doors in the temple.

• Gate of the Sun - a stone arch belonging to the Tiwanaku culture
• The Ishtar Gate is the eighth gate of the inner city in Babylon. Built in 575 BC. e. by order of King Nebuchadnezzar II in the northern part of the city.
• Gate of Heavenly Peace - - the main entrance to the imperial palace, also known as the Forbidden City, in Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China
• Heaven's Gate is a new religious movement founded in the United States in 1975 by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles.
• Gateway Arch, also known as "Gateway to the West"- part of the Jeffersonian National Expansion Memorial, as well as a visiting card of St. Louis, Missouri, USA
• Gates - a village in Bulgaria, located in the Plovdiv region
• Darvaz - a gas crater in Turkmenistan Travelers call it "The door to the underworld", or "Hell Gate"
• The Wikkit Gateway is a fictional artifact from the humorous science fiction book Life, the Universe and Everything, the third book in the The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series of novels.

Literature:

• The Gate of the Silver Key is a 1933 fantasy story by H.P. Lovecraft.
• The Gates of His Mouth, His Teeth Shine - a collection of short stories and novellas by the American science fiction writer Roger Zelazny
• Death House Gate is a 2000 fantasy novel by Canadian author Stephen Erickson, the second book in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series.
• The Gate is a science fiction novel by American writer Frederick Paul

Movies:

• Hell's Gate is a 1953 Japanese film directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa.
• Heaven's Gate is a 1980 motion picture considered one of the biggest box office flops in Hollywood history.
• The Gate - 1987 horror film
• Gates of Hell is a 1989 low-budget Italian horror film directed by Umberto Lenzi.
• Gate 2: Intruders - Sequel to the 1987 film Gate, filmed in 1992
• Hell's Gate is a 2000 American-Irish low-budget horror film directed by Michael Draxman.
• The Gate is a 2009 American horror film directed by Joe Dante.
• Stargate - several military science fiction films. Stargate 1994; Stargate: The Ark of Truth 2008; Stargate: Continuum 2008

Series:

• Gates of Hell Part 1 is the twenty-first episode of the second season of the American television series "Supernatural" and the first part of the season finale
• Gates of Hell, Part 2 episode of the second season of the American television series "Supernatural"
• Gates is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from June 20 to September 19, 2010.
• Stargate - several military science fiction series. Stargate: SG-1 1997 - 2007; Stargate: Atlantis 2004 - 2009; Stargate: Universe 2009 - 2011.

Games:

• Baldur's Gate :

: * Baldur's Gate - a computer role-playing game developed by BioWare and released by Interplay in 1998, the first game in the Baldur's Gate series

: * Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast - an addition to the game Baldur's Gate, developed by BioWare and released by Interplay in 1999

: * Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn is a continuation of a computer role-playing game developed by BioWare and released by Interplay in 2000

: * Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal - an addon for Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, developed by BioWare and released for sale in June 2001

: * Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance - a video game from the Forgotten Realms series, released in 2001

: * Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II - continuation of the video game Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

Gate (architecture)

gate- ritual doors in the temple. There are four gates in an Orthodox church. Three are located in the altar part: the Royal Doors, located in the middle of the iconostasis - the Holy Gifts are carried out through them and only clergymen have the right to pass; north, leading to the altar; southern, leading to the deacon. The red gates are located in the western part of the temple and serve as solemn entrances and exits.

Gate (village)

to the village, from the top of the rock Belintash Not far from the village there is a famous rock - Belintash with the remains of the Thracian sanctuary.

Gate (TV series)

"Gate"- American television series, a mystical drama with a crime story, broadcast on ABC from June 20 to September 19, 2010. In Russia, the series was broadcast on Channel One.

Gate (novel)

"Gate"- science fiction novel by American writer Frederick Pohl, published in 1977 and received all three major American genre awards - Nebula (1977), Hugo (1978) and Locus (1978). The novel opens the Heechee cycle.

Gate (film, 2009)

"Gate" is a 2009 American horror film directed by Joe Dante. Remake of the 1987 film of the same name.

Examples of the use of the word gate in the literature.

Only such an organization of the Discipline of the Spirit, when spiritual-psychic, moral and mental purity is manifested in the aspiration for the Unity of the Creation in the Highest with the Creator by Love and Impersonal Joy, is the Condition of the Great Revelation of the Golden gate The Temple of the Beauty of the Higher Existence, which open before the Man of Accomplishments, and the Light of the radiant Soma Raj Outflow of Amrita Svarati fills the whole of Human Nature.

Gates to Antimir and astronomical prices, there was a rumor that there would soon be another and possibly the last demonstration by Le Monte and Scott.

And then the choir sang, and Vladyka with the priests and deacons came out of the royal gate in a light miter studded with stones, in brocade, woven with silver and gold vestments, he stood in front of the iconostasis, sternly knitting his eyebrows and firmly setting a high archpastoral staff on the floor.

They were afraid to tempt the power-hungry rulers, who could intercept the Belovodsk envoys, and the excessively zealous priesthood, capable of clipping the wings of those who seek gate?

When the duke told her to lie down so as to enjoy his favorite way with her, the slave felt de Blangy's great hammer, ready to penetrate through tightly closed black gate.

And for sure, because before settling in Gateway Shadows, Blackburn took his beloved to Mexico.

Already by your behavior gate Cathedral you trampled on the most important principles and customs of the Brotherhood - you neglected religion, you looked down on your brother, you irritably rejected the occasion and call for self-deepening and concentration.

The girl is in the most miserable form, she, most likely, really suffers, sweat pours from her, she growls, writhes, wriggles and spews some unrelated cries - either a temple, or gate, open, create an abyss of power, ascend the Great Pyramid, Brambilla swirls around the stage, juggles the gong and loudly calls Isis, I look at all this, and suddenly the maiden, on the transition from gurgling to roaring, gives out six seals, one hundred and twenty years of waiting and thirty-six unknowns.

And now the brocaded, gilded, restrainedly humming reverent crowd, accompanied by a melodious multiple chime, was slowly being drawn into the central gate Hall of Complementary Merging, and next to Bogdan was only his wonderful partner with a romantically bandaged hand, vigorous, fresh and full of strength.

Brahma Svayambhuva, self-existing, whose eternal thought lives in a golden egg, in the name of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, the holy trinity, manifested in Viraja, the eternal son, may I die far from mine, in the most terrible torment, may none of my relatives will not agree to perform on my grave the funeral ceremonies that open gate Svargi, may my body be thrown to be devoured by unclean animals, may my soul be reborn in the body of yellow-footed hawks and stinking jackals in a thousand thousand generations of people, if I break the oath to serve you all and be faithful to the last breath.

Only the Empress burst out laughing deafeningly, and the dragon heads around gate trumpeted victoriously, announcing the arrival of their mistress.

He wants to see the city of Moscow and enter into it and visit it, but he will give you peace and his love, and you will give him gate city ​​open!

The eyes, like the mouth, are gate from inside to outside and back.

He co gates the heavenly citadel is coming, The despicable crawling out of the mud and scrawny, 390 Our new Lord.

The latter sets off and reaches gate Gehenna, discovers that they are closed and guarded.

Temple of God in its own way appearance different from other buildings. Very often the temple of God has the shape of a cross at its base, for by the Cross the Savior delivered us from the power of the devil. Often it is arranged in the form of a ship, symbolizing that the Church, like a ship, like Noah's Ark, leads us across the sea of ​​life to a quiet harbor in the Kingdom of Heaven. Sometimes the base is a circle - a sign of eternity or an octagonal star, symbolizing that the Church, like a guiding star, shines in this world.

The building of the temple usually ends on top with a dome depicting the sky. The dome is crowned with a head on which a cross is placed - to the glory of the Head of the Church of Jesus Christ. Often, not one, but several chapters are placed on the temple: two chapters mean two natures (Divine and human) in Jesus Christ, three chapters - three Persons of the Holy Trinity, five chapters - Jesus Christ and four evangelists, seven chapters - seven sacraments and seven Ecumenical Councils, nine heads - nine ranks of angels, thirteen heads - Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles, sometimes they build more heads.

Above the entrances to the temple, and sometimes next to the temple, a bell tower or belfry is built, that is, a tower on which bells hang, used to call the faithful to prayer and to announce the most important parts of the service performed in the temple.

Orthodox church by internal device is divided into three parts: the altar, the middle temple and the vestibule. The altar symbolizes the Kingdom of Heaven. In the middle part are all the believers. In the porch in the first centuries of Christianity there were catechumens who were just preparing for the sacrament of Baptism. Nowadays, those who have seriously sinned are sometimes sent to the porch to be corrected. Also in the vestibule you can buy candles, submit notes for commemoration, order a prayer service and memorial service, etc. An elevated platform called the porch is arranged in front of the entrance to the vestibule.

Christian churches are built with an altar to the east - in the direction where the sun rises: the Lord Jesus Christ, from Whom an invisible Divine light shone to us, we call the "Sun of Truth", which came "from the height of the East."

Each temple is dedicated to God, bearing a name in memory of one or another sacred event or saint of God. If there are several altars in it, then each of them is consecrated in memory of a special holiday or saint. Then all the altars, except for the main one, are called aisles.

The most important part of the temple is the altar. The very word "altar" means "exalted altar." He usually settles on a hill. Here the clergy perform divine services and the main shrine is located - the throne, on which the Lord Himself is mysteriously present and the sacrament of Communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord is performed. The throne is a specially consecrated table, dressed in two clothes: the lower one is made of white linen and the upper one is made of expensive colored fabric. There are sacred objects on the throne; only clergymen can touch it.

The place behind the altar at the easternmost wall of the altar is called the high (high) place, it is usually made elevated.

To the left of the throne, in the northern part of the altar, there is another small table, also decorated on all sides with clothes. This is the altar on which gifts are prepared for the sacrament of Communion.

The altar is separated from the middle temple by a special partition lined with icons and called the iconostasis. It has three gates. The middle, largest, are called the Royal Doors, because through them the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the King of Glory, invisibly passes in a bowl with the Holy Gifts. No one is allowed to pass through these doors, except for the clergy. The side doors - north and south - are also called deacon's: most often deacons pass through them.

To the right of the royal doors is placed the icon of the Savior, to the left - Mother of God, further - the images of especially revered saints, and to the right of the Savior is usually a temple icon: it depicts a holiday or a saint in whose honor the temple is consecrated.

Icons are also placed on the walls of the temple in frames - icon cases, lie on lecterns - special tables with an inclined lid.

The elevation in front of the iconostasis is called the salt, the middle of which - a semicircular ledge in front of the royal gates - is called the pulpit. Here the deacon pronounces litanies and reads the Gospel, from here the priest preaches. On the pulpit, the faithful are also given Holy Communion.

Along the edges of the salt, near the walls, choirs are arranged for readers and choirs. Next to the choirs are placed banners, or icons on silk, hung on gilded poles and looking like banners. Like church banners, they are carried by believers at religious processions. AT cathedrals, and also for the bishop's service in the middle of the church there is also a bishop's pulpit, on which the bishops vest and stand at the beginning of the liturgy, during prayers and at some other church services.

When you enter any Orthodox church, in the foreground you can immediately see the holy of holies - 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 his left is Holy Mother of God, and on the right - 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 from 1408, this 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 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 Rus'. 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 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.