The Orthodox church and its arrangement
God Himself, already in the Old Testament, gave people instructions through the prophet Moses as to what the temple for worship should be like; the New Testament Orthodox church is like the Old Testament temple.
The Old Testament temple (whose prototype was the movable tent, the tabernacle) had three parts: the Holy of Holies, the Holy Place and the court. The Christian church is like it: the altar (sanctuary), the nave and the narthex (stoa).
Just as the Holy of Holies in the old temple, so in the new temple the altar is an image of the Kingdom.
In the Old Testament it was forbidden to enter the Holy of Holies. Only the high priest had the right to do so, once a year. As is known, after the Fall the gate of the Kingdom was shut before man. And the high priest, as a prototype of Christ, by this action announced to the people that when the times had passed, Christ, by His crucifixion and at the price of His blood, would bring man back into the Kingdom. That is why, at Christ's crucifixion, the veil was torn in two: then the gate of the Kingdom was opened to every believer.
In the Orthodox church the Holy Place corresponds to the nave. Only the ministers had the right to enter the Holy Place of the Old Testament temple. But in the new Church every Christian prays, for the Kingdom is open to all.
The court of the old temple, where the people prayed, corresponds to the narthex of the new church; this place is meant for catechumens, penitents and those barred from Communion.
The altar of an Orthodox church is built on the east side, where the sun rises. The Lord Jesus Christ is our East, from which the divine light shines. In the church's prayers we call Christ “the Sun of Righteousness” (or: “the East is His name”).
Every church serves God and is built in the name of some holy event or saint, for example: the Trinity, the Transfiguration, the Ascension, the Annunciation, the Archangel Michael, St Nicholas and so on. When a church has several altars, each of them is dedicated to some event or saint. All the altars except the main one are called side chapels.
The Lord's church does not look like other buildings. Most often a church has the shape of a cross, which reminds us that by His suffering on the Cross the Lord Jesus Christ saved us from the dominion of the devil. Often a church has the shape of a ship, which means that the church, like Noah's ark, carries us across the ocean of life to the quiet haven of the Kingdom. Sometimes a church is round, which is taken as a symbol of the eternity of Christ's Church. A church may be built octagonal, in the shape of a star, as a sign that the Church is a guiding light in this world.
Usually a church is crowned with a dome, which is a symbol of heaven; on the dome a cross is raised to the glory of the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ. Often a church has several domes (many domes are characteristic mainly of Russian Orthodox church architecture, and are hardly ever found in Georgia, apart from exceptions). Two domes point to the two natures of Christ (divine and human); 3 domes to the three Persons of the Holy Trinity; 5 are the symbol of Jesus Christ and the 4 Evangelists; 7 domes of the 7 mysteries and the 7 Ecumenical Councils; 9 domes of the 9 ranks of angels; 13 of Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles. Sometimes churches with still more domes are found.
At the entrance to the church, and sometimes above it, a belfry is raised for the bells, whose ringing calls the faithful to prayer and to the service, or which are rung at the most important moments of the service. The ringing of a single bell is called “mtsukhri” (it is the sign that the service is beginning). By ringing all the bells at once, the common Christian joy connected with some feast is expressed, while ringing during mourning has its own order. The bell reminds us of the higher, heavenly world.
The most important part of the church is the altar (sanctuary). The sacred rites are performed in it. Here too is the holiest place in the church — the holy table, on which the mystery of Holy Communion is performed. The sanctuary is raised, so that everyone may see the action taking place in it. This also indicates that what happens in the sanctuary stands, by its spiritual significance, above everything of this world.
The holy table is the name given to the consecrated four-sided table (of stone or wood) placed in the middle of the sanctuary and vested in two layers — a white linen cloth and a costly fabric (mostly brocade). On the holy table the Lord Himself is mysteriously and invisibly present, as King and Master of the church. Only clergy may touch or kiss it.
On the holy table lie: the antimension, the Gospel, the cross, and the large and small tabernacles.
The antimension is a silk cloth consecrated by a bishop, on which the laying of Christ in the tomb is depicted, and into the other side of which relics of some saint are sewn, since in the first centuries the Liturgy was celebrated on the tombs of saints. It is not permitted to celebrate the Divine Liturgy without an antimension.
To protect it, the antimension is wrapped in another silk cloth, called the iliton. It reminds us of the Lord's tunic.
The large tabernacle of the Holy Trinity Patriarchal Cathedral in Tbilisi
On the antimension itself lies a sponge for gathering the particles onto the diskos.
The Gospel is the word of God, the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Cross of God is the sword with which the Lord defeated the devil and death.
The large tabernacle is the name for the casket in which the Holy Gifts are kept for the Communion of the sick. The large tabernacle is usually shaped like a small church.
The small tabernacle (pyx) is the name for a little casket in which the Holy Gifts are carried to the homes of the sick for Communion.
On the holy table stands the seven-branched candlestick with 7 lamps, behind which a cross is raised. The place on the east side of the holy table, by the sanctuary wall, is called the high place.
To the left of the holy table, on the north side, stands a small table, likewise fully vested. It is called the table of preparation (prothesis). On it the Holy Gifts are prepared for the mystery of Communion.
On the table of preparation are the sacred vessels:
The chalice and diskos, the asterisk, the spear and the spoon
1. The chalice: before the Liturgy begins, wine and water are poured into it, which during the Liturgy are changed into the Blood of Christ.
2. The diskos: a small round plate on a stand. On it is placed the bread, which during the Divine Liturgy is changed into the Body of Christ.
3. The asterisk (star): it consists of two small metal arcs that can be set in the form of a cross. It is placed on the diskos so that the cover does not touch the Holy Gifts. It represents the star that shone at the Nativity of Christ.
4. The spear: a knife shaped like a spear, for cutting out the Lamb and the prosphora. It represents the spear with which the side of the crucified Saviour was pierced.
5. The spoon: for giving Communion to the faithful.
6. The sponge: for wiping the vessels.
The cloths with which the diskos and chalice are covered are called the small veils. The large veil (aer), which covers both together, represents the ethereal space from which shone the star that told the Magi of Christ's Nativity.
In general all three veils recall the swaddling bands in which the infant Saviour was wrapped, and also the shroud in which the Saviour was wound.
No one may touch these holy objects except the bishop, priests and deacons.
On the table of preparation there is also the ladle, from which wine mixed with water is poured into the chalice during the proskomedia, and with which the faithful are given the drink after Communion.
In the sanctuary there is also the censer, with which incense is offered. Censing was established by God already in the Old Testament temple. The censing of the holy table and the icons expresses reverence and honour towards them. The censing of the worshippers expresses the desire that their fervent and sincere prayer may rise to heaven as lightly as the smoke of the censer, and that the grace of God may envelop the faithful like the smoke of the censer. During the censing, worshippers should bow their heads.
In the sanctuary there also stand the dikirion (two-branched candlestick) and the trikirion (three-branched candlestick), with which the bishop blesses the people, and the ripidion (liturgical fan).
The dikirion is a candlestick with two branches — a symbol of the two natures of Christ, divine and human.
The trikirion is a candlestick with three branches, which expresses our faith in the Holy Trinity.
The ripidion consists of round metal plates fixed on a staff, with images of cherubim. The deacons hold them at the consecration of the Gifts (the Holy Mysteries). In ancient times it was made of peacock feathers, to protect the holy Gifts from insects. Now it has only a symbolic meaning and expresses the participation of the heavenly powers in the mystery of Holy Communion.
To the right of the sanctuary is the store for church vestments and vessels (the sacristy). This is the room where everything needed for the services is kept.
The sanctuary is separated from the nave by a wall on which icons are painted, called the iconostasis.
The iconostasis has three doors; through them the King of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, passes invisibly. Entering the Royal Doors is forbidden to all but the clergy. Behind the Royal Doors, in the sanctuary, hangs a curtain, which is opened or closed before the service. On the Royal Doors are depicted the Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God and the icons of the 4 Evangelists, or apostles: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. To the right of the Royal Doors is placed the icon of the Saviour, and to the left that of the Mother of God.
Beside the icon of the Saviour is the south door, and beside the icon of the Mother of God the north door. On them are depicted the archangels Michael and Gabriel, or the first deacons, Stephen and Philip, sometimes the high priest Aaron and the prophet Moses. These doors are called the deacons' doors, and it is mainly the deacons who pass through them.
Beside the deacons' doors are placed icons of especially venerated saints. To the right of the Saviour there is always the church's own icon, depicting the feast or saint after whom the church is named.
Above the iconostasis a cross is raised with the image of the suffering Jesus Christ (the Crucifixion).
Candle stand
If the iconostasis has several tiers, the icons of the twelve great feasts are usually placed in the second tier, the apostles in the third, the prophets in the fourth, and at the top a cross is depicted (a many-tiered iconostasis is found mainly in the Russian Orthodox Church; in the Georgian it is hardly ever found, except in churches built in the period of Russian influence).
Besides the iconostasis, icons are usually placed on the walls of the church and also on analogia. Analogia are tall, narrow stands with a sloping top.
The raised place directly in front of the Royal Doors is called the ambo. From the ambo the deacon says the litanies and the Gospel is read. From the ambo the faithful are also given Communion,
The continuation of the ambo along the walls to right and left is called the kliros; it is meant for the readers and singers. By the kliros stand the banners, that is, icons painted on metal or cloth and fixed to a long pole like a flag.
In the church there is a low table on which a crucifix and a candle stand are placed. At it panikhidas are served, that is, services for the repose of the souls of the departed.
In front of the icons and analogia stand candle stands, on which the faithful place candles.
In the middle of the church, from the ceiling, hangs the polykandelon (panikadilo), that is, a large chandelier with many branches. The polykandelon is lit at the festive moments of the service.
