THE ORTHODOX HOUSE OF WORSHIP (Part II)

ONE OF THE PRAYERS OFFERED

O Lord, stretch forth Thy hand from Thy Holy Dwelling place
on high, and strengthen me for this, Thine appointed service,
that standing without condemnation before Thy Throne, I
may offer the bloodless sacrifice. For Thine is the power and
the glory unto ages of ages. Amen.

Then as he enters the Altar says, "I will enter Thy house, I
will worship toward Thy holy temple…"
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Second Prayer for the Faithful

Priest: Agan, we bow before Thee and pray to Thee, O Good and
Loving God. Hear our supplication CLEANSE OUR SOULS AND BODIES
FROM EVERY DEFILEMENT OF FLESH AND SPIRIT, AND GRANT THAT
WE MAY STAND BEFORE THINE HOLY ALTAR WITHOUT BLAME OR
CONDEMNATION. Grant also, O God, progress in life, faith, and spiritual
discernment to the faithful who pray with us, so that they may always
worship Thee with reverence and love, partake of Thine Holy Mysteries
without blame or condemnation, and become worthy of Thine heavenly
Kingdom.

"In the company of the Angelic powers, the priest approaches, standing
longer as on earth, but attending at the Heavenly Altar, before the Altar ofI
the Throne of God, and he contemplates the great, ineffable, and unsearchable
mystery of God" And further down, "Then the priest goes with confidence to
the Throne of the grace of God and, with a true heart and in certainty of faith,
speaks with God" (Saint Germanos).

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The Most Holy and sacred place in the church is THE SANCTUARY (Τό Ιερόν Βήμα). In the early (cncient) Church, the Sanctuary was separated from the rest of the church by a railing. And the Sanctuary always faced toward the East. The sun, which is the most beautiful icon of the Spiritual Sun, of Christ Who came to illuminate the world, rises in the East ("Glory to Thee Who has shown us the Light.") Later the Nave was separated from the Sanctuary by a partition called Iconostasion (Εικονοστάσιον) iconostasis or icon screen. The Iconostasion (a screen with icons) which reminds us of the Curtain that divided the Tabernacle of the Old Testament into two parts, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. We read in the Book of Exodus: "You shall then make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet fabric and woven linen…The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the Holy of Holies…" (26:31-33). In front of each holy icon on the Iconostasion an oil lamp is hung. The oil symbolizes the peace and the mercy of God. The oil lamps which light the holy icons denot, first our honor and respect to the Saints who become "the Light of the world" (Matthew 5:14), and second, our zeal for the splendor of the Church, and third, our fervent faith. The oil lamps with two lights symbolize the Two Natures of Christ, the Divine and the Human; those with three, the Holy Trinity, those with four, the Four Evangelists

The Iconostasion has three doors. The central one is the largest and the most beautiful, called ‘BEAUTIFUL GATE’) (‘Ωραία Πύλη’). This Gate is decorated with the holy icon of Jesus Christ, as High Priest, to remind us that He offered Himself as a Sacrifice for our salvation. Also, we are reminded of what Jesus said: "He who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out…Then Jesus said, to them again, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, I am DOOR OF THE SHEEP. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I AM THE DOOR. if anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture" (John 10: 1-9). In calling Himself "the door", Jesus is the True Shepherd, always guarding the entrance. No one can enter except by way of Him. Christ is also the King of All and the Head of the Church and for this reason this Gate is likewise, called the Royal Gate (Βασιλική Πύλη). This Gate is used only by the priests when they are officiating in the divine service. The other two doors, one on the right and one of the left of the Royal Gate are smaller and are used by the altar boys (acolytes) and priests. On those two doors there are holy icons of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, symbolizing the Good Spirits, who minister unto God in Heaven and who are guards of the Entrance to the Holy of Holies.

The Sanctuary is elevated from the Nave (main church) and even from the Solea in front of the Iconostasion. When the faithful approach to receive Holy Communion there is a gradual ascent leading to Christ. It is built on the Eastern side of the church. The Holy Sanctuary is for the clergy. The rounded areas of the altar, where we place the Crucified One today, was what was called the SYNTHRONON, in ancient times. What is meant by the word Synthronon? Seats were built into the semicircle at the back of the altar area, thrones which were meant for the priests. The bishop sat on the center one, which was somewhat distinguished from the rest of the thrones. The clergy alone should enter it, and even then only after preparing themselves spiritually. Entrance is not permitted to women, not even to men, except for Readers and custodians. The altar should always be immaculate and everything should be in place. The Altar Table is consecrated along with the rest of the church by the local Metropolitan. At the consecration of the Altar Table holy relics are placed in the crypt in the center of the Altar Table and covered by a formed-fit, white sheet known as katasarkion (Κατασάρκιον), which reminds us of the clean (new) linen cloth with which Saint Joseph of Arimathea wrapped the Body of Christ when it was unnailed from the Cross (Matthew 27:59).

At the center of the Holy Sanctuary is the Altar Table. It is the most Holy place in the church. It is Golgotha. On Golgotha Christ offered Himself up as a Sacrifice for the salvation of the world. And the Sacrifice is offered again on the Holy Altar Table, the Mystery of the Divine Eucharist. On the Altar are found the most sacred of things, the Holy Bible and the Holy Chalice. The two are the spiritual and immortal food of the Christian. The word of Christ is the spiritual bread with which the faithful are fed. Holy Communion is the bread that came down from heaven, it is the Body and Blood of Christ. Without the word of Christ and without the Holy Body and Precious Blood there is no spiritual life.

Sacred Articles

The sacred articles are called sacred because they are used for holy purposes. The holy articles are many. They are the censer, the myrrh holder, the paten (diskos), the star (asteriskos), the lance (lonche), the communion spoon (lavitha)the blessing cross, the chalice, the vessel containing the warm water (zeon), the Tabernacle (artophorion) in the shape of a Sepulchre, in which the Holy Body and Precious Blood of Christ are PRESERVED FOR THE SICK IN AN EMERGENCY. the baptismal font, Corporal Eliton (Ειλητόν), a silken cloth which is folded and is kept always under the Gospel. On the Corporal (Eliton) the burial of Christ is illustrated and it is blessed by a bishop at the consecration (dedication) of a church. When the Cherubic hymn begins, the Corporal (Eliton)is spread upon the center of the Atar Table because only upon it can the Holy Eucharist be performed.

Where there is no Altar Table, as it ships, in camps, and in churches not yet consecrated, the Antiminsion (Αντιμήνσιον) is used INSTEAD OF THE ELITON. Both of them appear the same; the difference is that the Antiminsion HAS A PARTICLE OF SOME HOLY RELIC SEWED IN ONE OF ITS EDGES and IT CAN REPLACE AN ALTER TABLE, The word Antiminsion is compounded from the Greek anti =instead of, and the Latin word MENSA = table, meaning, what is used instead of the table.

The Holy Offeetory (Prothesis) or Table of Preparation is at the left side of the Altar. on the right side is the Diaconicon. In the Offertory or Table of Preparation there is a small niche where the Holy Gifts are prepared for the Divine Eucharist. At the Diaconicon where holy articles of the church are kept. The Crucifix (ο Εσταυρωμένος) a large wooden Cross on which a life-size Body of Christ in a conspicuous position, behind the Altar Table, so that it ma attract the eyes and the hearts of all and remind us of the Bloody Sacrifice of Christ, which is renewed on the Altar Table in A BLOODLESS MANNER. On the Cross and above the head of Christ’s Body there is an inscription THE KING OF GLORY (Ο ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ ΤΗΣ ΔΟΞΗΣ) instead of the inscription Ι.Ν.Β.Ι, "Ιησούς ο Ναζωραίος, ο Βασιλεύς των Ιουδαίων") ‘JESUS NAZARENE, KING OF JEWS" (John 19:19) which was placed there to mock Jesus Christ. This Crucifix is brought out of the Sanctuary in an impressive procession and placed on the Solea during the divine Service of Holy and Great Thursday.

(To be continued)

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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George