Symbolism in the Church

OBJECTIVE

Explain the Message behind Church Design and Architecture.

Explain the meaning and origin of Church Divisions, Furnishings, and Vessels.

INTRODUCTION - 5 Minutes

The word church comes from the Greek word "Ekklesia,"which means "the gathering of a congregation, in one place, for a certain purpose." This name was given particularly to the group of politicians who used to meet in order to discuss civil causes. The name was later adopted by believers in reference to:

the group of believers, which our Lord purchased with his own blood (Acts 20:28; Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:19) and gave Himself for (Eph. 5:25);
the Church as the building or gathering place (1 Cor. 11:18, Acts 11:26);
the holy orders of the clergy, or the Church as "shepherd" (Matt. 18:17; Rev. 1:4).

When we refer to the physical church, it is important to remember that its characteristics, as well as the vessels found inside all carry a deeper meaning. As the Liturgy is a way of connecting the physical with the spiritual, the physical items and characteristics found in the church building also connect the seen and unseen.

The interior of the Church Building is organized into three main sections: the Sanctuary, the Nave, and the Narthex. In this lesson we will discuss each section in depth.

The design of the church, its organization into sections, and the vessels and utensils of the church, are all rites of the church, which carry deep spiritual meanings. It is important for us to understand the meanings hidden within our rites in order to fully benefit from them.

Note to Servants: This lesson may be split into two if the servant wishes, for the sake of time.

CONTENT (KEY POINTS)

The Church Building

The Church building is consecrated through special rites and prayers and dedicated for worship, liturgical services, preaching and teaching. Such places were named churches by the apostles themselves. The Church is called "The House of God" and "The House of Angels," wherein the believers are guided by the Spirit of God. St. Irenaeus said, "Where the Church is, there is the Spirit of God, and where the Spirit of God is, there exists the Church and every grace."

Shape

The Church building should have one of three general shapes, revealing a substantial aspect of the nature, character, and message of the Church. These shapes are:

The Cross: signifies the mystical nature of the church as the Crucified Body of Christ
The Circle: signifies the eternal nature of the Church
The Ship (rectangular): signifies the salvation present within the Church, much like Noah's Ark. This is the most common Church design.

Orientation

The church building should be oriented with its Sanctuary facing East. There are many reasons for directing or prayers towards the east (even personal prayer at home). Some reasons and meditations of note are:

The Lord Christ is referred to in the Bible as the "East" and "Sun of Righteousness" (Mal. 4:2). By directing our prayers Eastward we signify that we are praying to Him.

A reminder of the Lost Paradise. When we pray towards the east, we seek the ancient homeland, paradise, that God had planted for us in the east of the Garden. This orientation refers to looking forward, towards eternal paradise.

The Lord's second coming is compared to lightning coming from the east and shining even to the west (Mt. 24:27). By directing our prayers Eastward we signify that we are awaiting His second Coming.

Saint Clement of Alexandria links the east with the spiritual day of rebirth. Every time we pray towards the east, we remember the beginning of our new life. As we pray in the first hour of the Agpeya, "preserve us and bring us to a good start" and "may the light of Your face shine upon us."

Saint Athanasius raised a point that Christ was facing the west while hanging on the Cross. Thus, looking towards the east in our prayers, we meet the Crucified Lord, face to face.

Architectural Features

The Church building has several architectural features which convey a spiritual meaning.

Domes

Some Churches have a dome called "cupola". This refers to Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, seated in the Heavens. For this reason, it is usually painted with icons of the Lord, or in a bright blue color, decorated with angels and stars. Some churches have three cupolas that represent the Holy Trinity. Other churches have five cupolas, a large central dome that represents the Lord, and four small ones around it to represent the four evangelists.

Pillars

Churches also utilize Pillars in their architecture, usually twelve. These twelve pillars symbolize the twelve disciples, whom Saint Paul referred to as "Pillars" (Gal. 2:9). Some Churches, however, are built on four pillars referring to the four Evangelists. The Pillars can also be seen as a reminder of Christ's promise to us that if we conquer, He will make us pillars in the eternal temple of His Father, so that we may remain there forever; and that He will write on us, His Father's name and the name of the city of His Father, the New Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12). It is for this reason that in the ancient churches, the columns are decorated with various crowns (you will rarely find two crowns alike) for this symbolizes to us those who will be crowned by the Lord, each receiving his own unique crown. It is only in the merit of Christ's blood that we are crowned.

Towers

Another common feature in Church Architecture is the Tower or "Belfry". The church represents the Lord's ship, voyaging towards Heaven; similar to the ship's guard tower, the church has a belfry, where bells are usually hung. During the first three centuries of Christianity, the use of church bells would have been impossible due to persecution. Church bells were probably added to the belfry at a later time (probably in the 6th century), to call the believers for worship. The bells are rung during special times with different rhythms.

For the Eucharist and the offertory, to declare that Jesus Christ reigns over our souls.
On feasts, with a unique Festive Tone.
Upon the death of a church member, with mourning rhythms, as is done during Great Friday services. However, on the Lord's feasts, Sundays, and the fifty days after Easter, no mourning tone is tolled, since the Church is celebrating a joyous time.

The Iconostasis

The iconostasis is a rigid, artistically designed, screen made of wood or marble on which icons are displayed. Original designs of iconostasis were made very early in the Christian churches, and they were mentioned in the writings of the early Church fathers. The Church uses the iconostasis to confirm our relation with the angelic beings and saints. It also separates the Nave (main body of the Church) from the Sanctuary, serving as a sign of reverence towards the mystery of the altar.

The iconostasis usually has three doors: the royal door that opens to the main sanctuary, and two other doors for the north and southern sanctuaries. The Royal Door existed since the early generations of sanctuary screens. It is named "royal" because it is through this door that the priest selects the "Lamb Bread" which is changed into the Holy Body of the Lord. Only the clergy are allowed to enter through sanctuary doors, sometimes there are other side doors through which the deacons may enter for the processions of the feasts.

A key feature of coptic iconostasis are the ostrich eggs which are usually hung above the gates and between icons. Ostrich eggs generally held a symbolic meaning in the early church, as a hope of resurrection, or the risen spiritual life in Christ. There is a traditional belief that the ostrich, after laying her eggs, must keep looking at them, in order to speed up their hatching. So, when we go to church, we have to concentrate all our thought and attention to divine worship, leaving behind us all earthly worries.

In ancient Churches, there existed two small windows on each side of the sanctuary doors, at a level of one and half meter from the ground. They were originally used during the time of persecution, when two deacons watched the church for any attack, and notified the priest to hide the Sacrifice. Sometimes these windows were used for administering communion.

The Icons on the Iconostasis are hung in a specific order and not haphazardly. (See Grade 7 Week 2 for more information)

The Sanctuary

The Sanctuary is located in the far East of the church. It represents Heaven and is the place of God's Presence. It has many names, the "Holy of Holies", the "Great Dome", the "Temple of His Holiness", and the "Third Heaven"; many people also refer to it as the "Altar" since the altar is located inside it. The Sanctuary is held in great esteem within the Church; it is usually raised from the nave by steps, one must take off their shoes before entering it in accordance with (Ex. 3:5), no talking is allowed inside it, and only the clergy are allowed to commune inside it. The Sanctuary has several important features and elements within it such as the Altar and its Vessels, the Ciborium, the Niche, and the Tribune.

The Altar

The word altar is derived from the Latin word "Altare" which means "the place upon which the sacrifices are slain (same in Greek). In Coptic it is called Pima nerswosi or Trapeza and in Greek, τράπεζα (Trapeza), or "The Lord's Table" (1 Cor.10:21). It stands clear in the middle of the Sanctuary (cf. Rev. 9:13), and it may be made of wood, stone, marble, or precious metals. It's cubicle in shape, representing Christ's tomb, and is hollow, so that relics can be placed inside/under it. It should not have any engravings on it and should not have anything placed on it other than its Vessels. Any lamps should be free standing by its side, or hanging from the ceiling. Two such freestanding candle stands are usually placed, one on the right and one on the left of the altar, symbolizing the two angels by the Lord's tomb.

The Altar must be consecrated by Holy Chrism, this is generally done during the consecration of the Church. If the Altar is not consecrated, a Consecrated Altar board can be placed on it. Only one Liturgy can be prayed using the same Altar/Altar board in a single day. The altar board is generally made of wood, and rarely of marble, and bears the following carvings:

a cross or a number of crosses;
the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, Alpha and Omega (Α, Ω)
occasionally it also has a few selected psalms, such as (Psa. 87:1,2), and (Psa. 84:3).

The Altar Vessels

The Church utilizes several vessels during its Liturgical Services. These vessels, much like the Altar and Church, are consecrated by Holy Chrism oil, and are only used for church services.

The Chalice: is bell shaped with a long stem resting on a circular stag. It holds the Blood of Christ. Early Chalices were made of wood. glass, pottery, or brass. Starting in the third century AD, Chalices became more ornate and were made using precious metals. The Lord Himself used a chalice (Matthew 24:26,27).
The Spoon: made from the same material as the Chalice. It is used in the Coptic and Greek Churches to commune the precious blood of Christ in the Divine Liturgy. It is said that its use began in the sixth century.
The Paten: It is a small round tray without a stand and it has no engraving. It is made of metal, stainless steel, silver or gold.
The Star: consists of two silver (or metal) arched bands crossed over each other, in the shape of a cross, and held together with a screw. It is usually surmounted by a small cross. It is said that St. John Chrysostom had introduced this vessel as a reminder of the tomb and of the star that appeared to the wise men.
The Cruets: They are the two vessels for holding the wine and water for the eucharist. There are other cruets used in the Coptic Church, such as those for the holy Chrism (myron), oil of joy, and the apocalypse oil (used on last Friday of the Great Fast),
The Ark: a small, wooden, cubicle box beautifully carved, inlaid with ivory, and decorated with icons. It is placed at the center of the Altar and serves as a stand for the Chalice. Its name in Coptic means the seat or the throne, because it represents the presence of the crucified Lord. It is also called the ark because we are saved by the blood of the New Testament, like Noah who was saved through the ark; or because it resembles the ark of the covenant.
The Gospel: A copy of the gospels, covered with silver or gold, and decorated on one side with the icon of the resurrection or the crucifixion, and on the other side, with the icon of the patron saint of the church, or of the holy Virgin Mary carrying the child Jesus. Originally, it was the seasonal katameros, from which the daily readings were read.
The Cross: a hand cross used in all the priestly ministering, in crossing the oblation, the incense, in consecrating the baptismal water, in blessing the bridal couple, in giving peace to God's people, and in asking for the absolution of sins.

The Ciborium or Canopy

The main Altar should be surrounded by a wooden or stone (marble) canopy that rests upon four pillars. This structure is called the "ciborium" a word taken from the Greek word "kiborion" (κιβώριον), which is, originally, the hollow seed case of the Egyptian water lily. This word can also be used to refer to the similar canopy suspended over the bishop's throne, or to the small container used for delivering Communion to the sick (el-zakhirah). It usually has an icon of Christ surrounded by angels on the interior of the dome, icons of the four evangelists above the pillars, with a cross on top.

The Niche (Bosom of the Father)

The niche is the apse at the eastern wall of the sanctuary that surrounds the Tribune. It is often occupied with the icon of the Lord Jesus Christ, coming on a cloud, carried by the cherubim and the seraphim, the four living creatures, with the twenty four presbyters offering incense. The Lord appears to be holding the Book of Life in one hand, for He is the Almighty One. In the other hand He holds the pastoral rod or a globe, for He is the Shepherd and the Redeemer Who liberates humanity from the captivity of sin. In this way, the niche represents the bosom of God, for the Lord longs for His Church and she awaits His coming. In front of this icon, a "perpetual lamp" should be permanently lit. This lamp represents the star that appeared to the wise men and guided them to where the Lord was born. Directly above the icon, in most cases, there is a small window through which the sunbeam enters at sunrise.

The Tribune

The tribune is a set of seven semicircular marble steps located in Niche. These steps represent the Orders of the Priesthood, and on top of them was placed the Bishop's seat, the "synthronos" (σύνθρονος). It was from there that the sermon was given, signifying that the clergy have no superiority over the congregation but are simply servants of the altar. Due to the expansion of the sizes of the church buildings, the bishop's seat, the "cathedra" (καθέδρα), was moved to the chancel (i.e. the seat of St. John Chrysostom), to enable the congregation to hear him with greater ease.

The Nave

The Nave is the second division of the Church and it is separated from the Sanctuary by the Iconostasis. The Nave is normally divided into two parts, or choruses: the chancel, or the chorus of deacons; and the main nave, or the chorus of believers.

The Chancel

The chancel is situated on the east of the nave directly in front of the iconostasis. It is usually elevated above the rest of the church by one to three steps, and separated by a small screen or fence. It contains seats for the deacons, two lecterns (Pulpit/Mangalia), and two candle-stands/lamps on either side of each lectern.

The Lectern (or Pulpit) is a movable wooden book stand on which the Coptic and Arabic/English books or readings (lectionaries) are placed. It is artistically designed, and often inlaid with ivory.

The Ambon

The Ambon is an elevated platform where the bishop or priest stands, when preaching to the people. Its name comes from the greek word, ἄμβων, meaning "step or elevation". It usually rests on twelve columns, which symbolize the twelve disciples. It can be made of marble, stone or wood, and is decorated with icons of saints. It symbolizes many events in the Bible, including: the stone of the Lord's tomb, on which the angel sat and preached to the women, the mountain on which Moses received the Law, the mountain on which Jesus spoke to the people, and the mountain on which Christ, "the Word of God" was transfigured in front of the Disciples. Note: Lecterns are not a replacement for Ambons but are in fact much older.

The Main Nave

The term "nave" is derived from the Latin, navies, meaning "ship." The sanctuary and the nave are correlated; the former sanctifies the latter, and the latter completes the former. The sanctuary represents God's presence, and the nave declares the people's meeting with God. For this reason, the sanctuary is called "the soul of the church," while the nave is called, "the body of the church." The nave is normally divided into two parts by a colonnade; the southern aisle is reserved for the nuns, virgins, widows, and women, and the northern aisle is reserved for men.

The Laver

The laver is a marble or stone rectangular basin, two feet wide by four feet long, located in the western end of the nave, laid in the floor and covered with boards when not in use. It is used in the service of "the Blessings of the Water" (the Lakkan), on the Feast of the Martyrdom of St. Peter and St. Paul (the Feast of the Apostles), the Feast of Theophany or Epiphany, and Covenant Thursday.

The Narthex

The narthex is the western area near the entrance of the church, where the catechumens and the repentant attend a special part of the liturgy called "The Liturgy of the Catechumens," or "The Liturgy of the Word." Catechumens are those preparing for baptism, and the repentant or the penitent are Christians who have committed certain sins, and whose spiritual fathers forbade them to receive the holy communion for a period of time.

The Baptistry

With great spiritual wisdom, the Didascalia (35) identified that the baptistery should be built in the north western side of the Church, i.e., at the left hand side of the entrance. It is placed near the entrance because no one can enter the Church and partake of the Mysteries without being baptized. Also because our Lord commenced His public ministry by the baptism, we consider that the first step to enter among the believers is through the baptistery.

Usually, the baptistery has two doors. One on the west side, through which the candidates enter, leaving the world of darkness; and the other, on the east side, through which they pass to the luminous world. In ancient times, on the eve of the Feast of Resurrection, thousands of candidates used to enter from the western door of the baptistery, on the left side of the church to the eastern side, proceeding to the nave in their white garments, because they have risen with the Risen Christ.

Baptism started in the apostolic age, in the rivers, seas or springs of water. This was due to the large numbers of new Christians; and the majority being adults, no baptistery could accommodate them all. Baptisteries were discovered in the catacombs in Rome; so we can conclude that the early Christians used to assign a special room for Baptisteries within the Church

Early baptisteries were, in general, no more than a single room. Others, however, had a second room where the neophytes received the chrism by the bishop, and it was called "Chrismarion." The most commonly used shape for the baptisteries, until the fourth century, was quadrilateral. This form resembled the shape of the tombs, for baptism shares death, burial and resurrection with Christ. By the beginning of the fifth century, other shapes were used:

The hexagonal shape which referred to the 6th day of the week, i.e. Friday, on which Christ was crucified (Col. 2:12) and (Rom. 6:4).
The octagonal shape which symbolized the day of the resurrection of Christ.
The circular shape that was meant to remind us that baptism is the rebirth (John 3:31) as from the church's womb.
The cruciform which was directly related to the manner of Christ's death, and baptism is a cross.

There may be a dome above the baptistery to express the Church's belief that baptism is the beginning of heavenly life.

In the majority of the Coptic churches, there is, fixed in the apse of the baptistery, an icon showing the baptism of Christ by St. John the Baptist, in the Jordan River. This assures that our baptism is an extension of Christ's baptism. St. Clement of Alexandria said that the believer is bound indissolubly with Christ in baptism.

DISCUSSION/ACTIVITY

Servants may use a poster or model of the church to demonstrate the various parts and features discussed.

APPLICATION (Action)

Although the Church is not simply a building, but the body of Christ, it is important for the Church to have a consecrated building to use for service. The church uses its building's shape, orientation, and architectural features, to convey to us important messages concerning our relationship with God and the Heavenly Hosts.

SERVANT RESOURCES

CCE130 Liturgical Studies
The Church House of God by Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty