What is an iconostasis in an Orthodox church? Other icons of the temple.

The temple is a house of prayer and a place for performing the sacraments. A home is a family hearth, but in the home of a believer there should be prayer, because the home of an Orthodox Christian is a small Church. We pray in front of icons, since this is a means of communication between a person and God or the saints, but we must remember that we pray to God, the saint who is depicted on the icon, but not the icon itself. There must be icons in the house. Previously, every family, in every house or apartment, had a shelf with family icons, and it was located in the most visible and bright place - the front (red, holy) corner, shrine, icon case or ark.

Where should the icons be? How to arrange them?

All houses before, like temples, were very strictly oriented to the cardinal directions. The goddess was installed in the far corner of the house, on the eastern side, between the side and front walls, and diagonally from the stove. The two walls that formed this corner had windows. That is why the red corner was the most sacred. The icons were placed in an icon case (an open cabinet or shelf with a lamp).

Nowadays, builders don’t think about the fact that someone will want to put a holy corner in an apartment, so it’s not always possible to follow all the rules. The modern church is not too demanding when it comes to installing a shrine. But we must try to follow at least the smallest number of rules when installing a home iconostasis.

Rules for the placement of icons in the iconostasis and the iconostasis itself in the house:

1) try to choose the eastern wall, but if that doesn’t work, then choose the most accessible place in the house, where no one will interfere with prayer;

2) in an Orthodox family there must be two icons - the Savior and the Mother of God;

3) the icon of the Savior should be central, the other icons should be smaller in size;

4) Locally revered icons should not be located above the icons of the Trinity, the Mother of God, and the Savior;

5) if you look at the iconostasis, then the icon of the Savior should be to the right of the viewer, and the Mother of God to the left;

6) to the left of the icon of the Savior there is an icon Mother of God with the Baby;

7) above the main icons you can place an icon of the Crucifixion or the Trinity;

8) icons of saints are not placed above the images of the Savior and the Mother of God;

9) most Orthodox families have icons of St. Nicholas and the Bishop of Myra in Lycia (Nicholas the Pleasant);

10) their Russian saints are very often in the family iconostasis, you can see icons of the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov;

11) the more common icons of martyrs are the icons of St. George the Victorious and the healer Panteleimon;

12) it is advisable to have in the house icons of those saints whose names the family members are named after;

13) to complete the iconostasis, it would be nice to have images of the holy Evangelists, St. John the Baptist, the archangels Gabriel and Michael and icons of the holidays;

14) the iconostasis must be crowned with a cross;

15) During prayer, a lamp is lit, during holidays and holidays you can leave it burning all day;

16) in the room in which the family has dinner, you must have an icon of the Savior to pray before and after dinner;

17) You should try to place icons away from the TV, tape recorder and other household appliances;

18) if a person works at home, then the icon can be placed next to the computer.

Remember that:

1) icon of John the Wonderworker of Sochava for prayer for assistance in trade and business);

2) the icon of John the Warrior will protect against theft;

3) The Burning Bush icon will protect you from fire;

4) the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is intended for a request for preservation on the road;

5) icon of Cyprian and Justinia - from envy and actions of competitors.

How can you decorate the iconostasis at home?

Flowers, calm landscapes. But not with posters, figurines, aggressive or simply secular paintings, etc.

Hello, dear readers. When you come to the temple, it is important to know the icons and their meaning in order to immediately approach the image you need.

How to pray in front of an icon

Many people think that it does not matter which icon to pray in front of, because prayer comes from a pure heart. But we offer a prayer not to the icon itself, but to the one whose image is conveyed on it, because all saints have their own strengths.

1. Stand in front of the shrine and cross yourself to attract God's blessing.
2. After you have asked for help, that is, prayed, kiss the image. By doing this you will express your respect to the Lord.
3. After finishing the prayer service, you must cross yourself three times.

Pray with bright thoughts, forgiving everyone who offended you.

The meaning of the icons

This is one of the most powerful icons. The Most Holy Theotokos had to endure many torments, which are symbolized by seven arrows. When a person feels bad, he goes precisely to this image. “Seven Shot” will help in protecting housing, will protect from troubles, envious, evil people, from curses, damage, the evil eye of the person who wears her icon on his chest.

If you need to reconcile the warring parties, bring peace and tranquility to your home, then you need to kneel before this relic and prayerfully ask for help. They take it with them when they go on important matters.

At home, she is placed opposite the front door, higher than half the wall, so that she can “see” the eyes of the person entering. Before installing the relic, it is necessary to read a prayer service. You may notice: a person with unkind thoughts will stop crossing the threshold of your home.

The Most Holy Theotokos will become a protector from criminals, thieves and any unkind people. Those living in this house can be sure that their family is reliably protected.

Place it on your desktop, it will protect you from quarrels with your boss and work colleagues. If a person’s soul is embittered, then he can approach the face, the Most Holy Theotokos will help him return to good thoughts again.

2. “INEXHAUSTABLE CHALICE”

Icon of the Mother of God. The Mother of God consoles, prays for everyone who has stumbled, calls to touch the inexhaustible spring of spiritual joy. The purpose of this holy power is difficult to overestimate.

The inexhaustible cup will help everyone who turns to it with faith. She proclaims that heavenly help and mercy are destined for all who ask. It will help heal from drunkenness, drug addiction, for those who are passionate gambling.

The image of the Mother of God should be installed at the head of the bed of a patient with alcoholism or drug addiction and prayed every day.

There are many known cases of healing from drunkenness and other addictions. There is evidence that the relic helped solve housing issues and facilitate the conclusion of transactions for the purchase and sale of apartments and houses.

Parents sending their children away adult life, are obliged to ask for help by saying prayers in front of the shrine every day.

3. Icon of the Mother of God “HEALER”

It will help heal a person not only from physical illnesses, but also mental ones. The relic can be recognized by the image of the Mother of God standing at the bedside of a sick person.

4. “UNEXPECTED JOY”

Our whole life consists of small joys that we often do not notice in pursuit of an ephemeral dream, forgetting about our loved ones, about words of gratitude. Therefore, many dreams, becoming obsessive, do not allow you to enjoy the new day, and therefore are not heard.

What to pray for from the face of Unexpected Joy

Prayer at the shrine grants:

• Gain spiritual power;
• Get what you always dreamed of, but no longer believed in getting it. This could be someone's forgiveness, repentance;
• Grants healing of ailments, especially with hearing loss and ear diseases;
• Our Lady will help find and return missing people;
• It will help a pregnant woman to bear and give birth to a healthy child;
• For parents whose children have taken the wrong path, the Mother of God will give them the opportunity to bring them to their senses;
• Resolves conflicts, helps to come to a happy solution;
• People pray at the relic for the preservation of marriage, love and harmony.

5. “THREE-HANDED”

The miraculous image of the Mother of God grants healing from hand diseases. Prayer services protect against fire, various diseases, sadness and grief.

6. “QUICK TO HEAR”

The painting of the image dates back to the 10th century. If you need quick, emergency help, they kneel before the shrine. They also ask:

• about healing mental illnesses;
• about healing from cancer, paralysis, blindness;
• prayerfully ask for the birth of healthy children;
• They pray for the release of those who are languishing in captivity.

7. “SERAPHIM OF SAROV”

Saint, especially revered in Russia. A prayer service to Seraphim of Sarov helps to heal from pain in the joints, arms, legs, and spine.

Patron of Moscow. Those whose work involves weapons and risking their lives, as well as athletes and entrepreneurs who start their own businesses pray to him.

9. NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER

Protector from want and poverty. If his face is in your home, then he makes sure that the family has prosperity and protects from want. He is worshiped by all travelers, pilots, drivers, sailors and everyone who reveres this saint.

In Rus', a particularly revered image Holy Mother of God. Before this holy power, the coronation of kings and the election of high priests took place.

Prayer services will help to pacify people at war with each other, soften evil hearts, and heal those who are possessed by a demon from bodily and mental weakness.

People have always resorted to the help of the icon of the Holy Mother of God. In what cases can it help:

• She protects the house from fires.
• Doctors, military men, firefighters, and pilots ask her for help.
• Wonderful fire helps to cleanse oneself of committed sins and mental illnesses.

12. IVERSIAN ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

The Virgin Mary grants:

• Healing the sick,
• Restocking,
• Getting rid of enemy attacks.

13. UNFADING COLOR

She is the personification of purity and innocence, therefore, she stands up for the protection of young girls, helping them maintain their innocence and chastity.

Prayers at the image of the Unfading Flower help you marry the person whom fate itself sent. Married women can ask for a safe family life.

The miraculous face protects and helps women maintain purity, self-control, and good character. If you ask the Virgin Mary for support with faith, she will definitely fulfill your request. Our Lady will definitely help girls find a worthy life partner.

When a woman faces severe life trials or experiences mental shock, she must kneel before the image of the Most Pure One, then life will definitely improve.

15. KAZAN ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

Intercessor. She helps everyone who is in trouble or has difficulties at work, as well as in their personal life.

The guidebook will help you make the right decision and protect you from mistakes. When blessing young people before marriage, they also turn to Our Lady of Kazan. The life of the newlyweds will be very happy if the wedding takes place on the day of the celebration of the Holy Image.

Spouses can always turn to this image for help. Saint Mary will help anyone who turns to her with any pure request. If the request is negative, it will not be heard.

How to ask for help

If you pray at home, then you need to pray in the morning:

1. Before prayer, wash your face and cross your hands;
2. Leave all annoying thoughts;
3. Light the candles, kneel down, read the prayer service;
4. Say your request in your own words, coming from your heart.

16. OSTROBRAMSKAYA ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

A rare but extremely powerful image that protects the home from evil spirits, the family from outside interference, helps spouses find happiness and love, and everyone else get rid of despondency and depression.

Place it at the entrance, then it will protect your home from all evil spirits and from unfriendly guests. Many people confirm that after private prayer in front of this Holy Face, problems were solved by themselves.

17. Icon “UNBREAKABLE WALL”

Named in honor of its resilience, not being damaged, no matter what disasters, elements and wars the image of the Mother of God, located in the Kiev monastery, survived.

A miracle beyond the control of human reason makes this icon a protector in all troubles, illnesses and misfortunes. The icon will ward off troubles and fires, will not allow dashing people into the house, and will help strengthen family happiness.

Pray at the icon when leaving home, as well as in solitude. The best place in the house for your Protectress, the wall opposite the front door or above it.

18. MOURNING

The icon of the Mother of God helps people:

• Grants necessary benefits to those who need them;
• Brings comfort in sorrow, helps in difficult times life situations;
• Heals physical and mental illnesses;
• Protects merchants on long journeys.

Pray to the face, and help will come to you in work, business and family life.

19. JOY OF ALL JOYS

The miraculous icon will help if you pray without fuss and anger in your heart:

• About the return of lost items;
• To save yourself from slander and slander;
• On release from prison;
• On the successful completion of legal proceedings;
• About help during a trip to a foreign country;
• About those who serve in “hot spots”.

20. TRINITY

A prayerful appeal to the Holy Trinity will help you cope with any trials and find the right path. Before the shrine, you need to read prayers in order to cleanse yourself of those sins that torment you and do not allow you to live in peace. It is believed that the prayer said at the Holy Trinity icon is a direct conversation with God.

Dear friends, now you know in what needs you need to turn to which saint in order to get rid of the most severe troubles and experiences. Don't forget to thank God for every moment of your life, and then you will be happy and successful.

Temple God's 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.

The most important part of the temple is the altar. The word “altar” itself means “exalted altar.” He usually settles on a hill. Here the clergy perform services and the main shrine is located - the throne. at 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 clergy can touch it.
The place behind the throne at the very eastern wall of the altar is called the mountain (elevated) 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 an altar. where gifts for the Sacrament of Communion are prepared.
The altar is separated from the middle church by a special partition, which is lined with icons and is called an iconostasis. It has three gates. The middle ones, the largest, are called the royal doors. because through them the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the King of Glory, invisibly passes in the chalice with the Holy Gifts. No one is allowed to pass through these doors except clergy. The side doors - north and south - are also called deacon doors: most often deacons pass through them.
To the right of the royal doors is an icon of the Savior, to the left - the Mother of God, then - 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 was consecrated.
Icons are also placed along the walls of the temple in frames - icon cases, and lie on lecterns - special tables with an inclined lid.
The elevation in front of the iconostasis is called the solea, the middle of which - a semicircular protrusion in front of the royal doors - is called the pulpit. Here the deacon pronounces litanies and reads the Gospel, and the priest preaches from here. On the pulpit, Holy Communion is also given to believers.
Along the edges of the solea, near the walls, choirs are arranged for readers and choirs. Near the choirs, banners or icons on silk cloth are placed, hung on gilded poles and looking like banners. As church banners, they are carried out by believers during religious processions. In cathedrals, as well as for the bishop's service, there is also a bishop's pulpit in the middle of the church, on which the bishops vest and stand at the beginning of the liturgy, during prayers and during some other church services.
The temple also has a kanunnik, or kanun. with an image of a crucifix and rows of candlesticks. Before him, funeral services are served - requiem services.
In front of the festive lecterns and revered icons there are candlesticks on which believers place candles. Hanging from the ceiling are chandeliers with many candles, now electric, lit during solemn moments of the service.

The porch - the outer part of the porch - the porch of the temple

The narthex is the western part of the temple. On one side of the porch there is a porch, on the other there is a passage to the middle part of the temple. In the narthex, according to the rules, some services are performed - betrothals, lithiums, the rite of announcement, etc.

The chapel is an additional altar with a throne. Side chapels are arranged so that on one day (for example, on major holidays or Sundays) several liturgies can be performed in one church (according to the number of side chapels), because in the Orthodox Church it is customary to perform no more than one liturgy per day on one altar (just as a priest cannot perform more than one liturgy per day).

The choir is a place in the temple intended for the choir. The choirs are located at both ends of the sole.

The iconostasis is a partition separating the altar and the middle part of the temple. Consists of icons arranged in tiers. The number of tiers ranges from three to five. In the middle of the lower tier are the royal gates, to the right of the gates are the icon of Jesus Christ and the icon of the saint or holiday to which the temple is dedicated, to the left of the gates are the icons of the Mother of God and any other. Behind the icons of the bottom row, on both sides (in small churches and chapels there is only one) there are deacon doors. The icon of the Last Supper is placed above the royal doors. The second tier from the bottom contains icons of the twelve holidays. The third tier contains icons of the Deisis order. The fourth is an icon of the Mother of God with the Child Christ and icons of the coming prophets. The upper, fifth tier is an icon of the Trinity and icons of the coming Old Testament righteous men and forefathers (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc.). The iconostasis ends with a crucifix

Altar - (lat. high altar) - the eastern, main part of the temple, in which the throne is located. Initially, the altar was the name given to the throne itself, later. when the eastern part of the temple began to stand apart and be separated by an iconostasis, the name altar spread to the entire part of the temple separated by the iconostasis. The altar contains the altar, the altar, and the episcopal or priestly pulpit. The space behind the throne is called the high place. The chancel usually contains the sacristy. According to ancient tradition, only men are allowed to be present at the altar.
The curtain or katapetasma (Greek curtain) is a curtain located behind the royal gates from the side of the altar. Opens with or without the royal doors in places of worship specified by the charter

Ambon (Greek: to rise) is a part of the solea, protruding in a semicircle into the center of the temple opposite the royal doors. Serves for delivering sermons, litanies, reading the Gospel, etc. The bishop's pulpit is the quadrangular elevation in the center of the church, on which the bishop's pulpit is placed during services.

Solea is the raised part of the floor in front of the iconostasis. The prominent part of the solea opposite the royal gates is called the pulpit. At the ends of the solea there are choirs. On the side of the middle part of the temple, the soleia is usually fenced with a low lattice.

The Royal Doors (the main gate of the iconostasis) are double doors opposite the throne. Designed exclusively for the entrance of clergy during worship. Usually, icons of the Annunciation and the four evangelists are placed on the royal doors. The Royal Doors lead to the altar part of the temple and symbolize the gates of Paradise.

Deacon's Gate - the gate located to the right and left of the Royal Gate (south and north, respectively)

Deacon's candle During the censing of the church on statutory occasions, the deacon precedes the priest performing the censing with a special deacon's candle, which marks the light of the apostolic sermon preceding the acceptance of faith in Christ among the peoples, that is, as if preceding Christ coming to people.

The altar is a table located in the middle of the altar, consecrated by the bishop for performing the liturgy on it. It is a place of the mysterious presence of Jesus Christ. Only clergy are allowed to ascend to the throne. It is made of wood or stone about a meter high, dressed in two clothes - a lower white one, called srachitsa, entwined with a rope: and an upper colored one, called inditium. On the throne are placed an antimension, a Gospel, a cross, a tabernacle and a lamp. In cathedrals and large churches, a ciborium is installed above the altar.

The altar is the table on which proskomedia is performed - the sacrifice of the Eucharist is prepared: bread and wine. Located at the northern wall in the altar to the left of the high place

The mountain place (gorney - glorified high) is a place in the altar between the throne and the eastern wall. The pulpits for bishops and priests are placed on a high place

Kanun (distorted Greek set) - a candlestick in the form of a table with many cells for candles and a small crucifix. It is installed in the temple at the place where funeral services are performed. Requiem (Greek: all-night vigil) is a service at which the dead are commemorated. Funeral services are performed at the request of believers (see requirements) and on days established by the entire church - on Radonitsa and parental Saturdays. The rite of requiem consists of a blessing, the beginning of the usual, Ps. 90, the great litany, troparions and canon for the departed, the prayer "Our Father", troparions, litanies, priestly prayer and dismissal. When performing a memorial service for the deceased, a kolivo is placed on the eve.

Lampada (Greek lamp) - an oil lamp lit in front of icons, on the throne and the seven-branched candlestick

The sacristy is a separate room in the temple or a place in the altar (usually to the right of the high place) where vestments and sacred vessels are kept.

Based on materials from sites

http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Life/life2190.htm (Sretensky Monastery)

http://www.pravoslavie.ru/put/shagi/pervieshagi02.htm (Sretensky Monastery)

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. His main shrine is located in the altar - a consecrated table called the Throne, on which the priest performs his greatest sacrament, when the transformation of bread into Flesh and wine into the Blood of Christ occurs.

What is an iconostasis?

The altar is separated from the rest of the temple by an iconostasis. When 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 seems to connect 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 topmost, 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 installed in the center of the row.

And the second row is called prophetic, so the prophets who announced the Mother of God and the birth of Jesus Christ are depicted here. In the center is the “Sign” icon.

The third row of the iconostasis is called Deesis and signifies the prayer of the entire Church to Christ. In the very center of it is the icon “Savior in Power,” which depicts Christ seated as the formidable Judge of the entire world he created. To his left is the Most Holy Theotokos, and to his right is John the Baptist.

The fourth festive series tells the events of the New Testament, beginning with the Nativity of the Mother of God Herself.

And the lowest, fifth, row of the iconostasis is called the “local row”, in the center of it there are the Royal Doors, above which the “Last Supper” icon is necessarily placed, and on the gates themselves there is the “Annunciation” icon (where the good news is communicated to the Holy Virgin), and on both sides of the gate - and the Virgin Mary.

You also need to pay attention to the fact that on both sides there are small single-leaf doors, they are called deacon doors. If the temple is small, then this door can only be made 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 must be scaled in accordance with the proportions of the temple itself, which were designed by architects in ancient times. The design of the iconostasis and the composition of the icons in it 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 back to 1408, this is the work of Andrei Rublev and his contemporary monk. Once upon a time, it consisted of high four 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 dome pillars; thanks to them, it was divided into parts. Subsequently, the Vladimir iconostasis became the model for the iconostases of the Moscow Kremlin Assumption Cathedral (1481) and the Assumption Cathedral in the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery (1497).

History of the cathedral

This cathedral was built under the reign of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky in the middle of the 12th century, and the most skilled craftsmen from all over the Russian and 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 given as a gift to Yuri Dolgoruky, the father of Andrei Bogolyubsky. Then she saved Russian princely cities from devastation and war many times.

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 very 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 there were icons of Christ and the Mother of God. After a while, icons began to be placed on the templon, or relief images were cut out on it instead. The cross was replaced with an icon of Christ, and then with the Deisis (in another word, Deesis, prayer) - a composition of three icons: in the center is Christ the Pantocrator, and the Mother of God is addressed to him with prayer on the left side, and John the Baptist on the right. Sometimes holiday icons or individual icons of saints were added on both sides of the Deisis.

Conclusion

The first ancient Russian churches completely copied Byzantine models. But this was not always possible, because the churches were mostly wooden, and there was no wall painting on them, but the number of icons in the iconostasis increased and the altar barrier grew larger.

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, holidays, deisis, prophetic and forefathers rows appeared.

The iconostasis received its main development precisely in the Russian Orthodox Church and this was due to the peculiarities of national temple construction. The temples of the Eastern (and for us, rather southern) patriarchates were mainly built of stone. Their interior decoration from the floor to the domes was painted with frescoes depicting the Lord, the Virgin Mary, saints and various theological and historical subjects.

In Russian churches the situation was different. Stone cathedrals were, so to speak, “piece goods” for cities or large monasteries. Most churches were built of wood and, accordingly, were not painted inside. Therefore, in such churches, instead of frescoes, new icons began to be added to the altar barrier, and from this it grew up several rows.

How the iconostasis appeared

In the Jerusalem Temple, the Holy of Holies was separated from the sanctuary by a huge curtain, which was torn in two after the Savior’s death on the cross, as a symbol of the end of the Old Testament and the entry of humanity into the New.

In the first three centuries of its existence, the New Testament Church was in a persecuted position and was forced to hide in the catacombs. The sacrament of the Eucharist was performed directly on the tombs of the martyrs in cubiculums (rooms) hastily adapted for the temple, where only their own people gathered. Under such conditions, there was neither the possibility nor any particular need to fence off the throne from those present.

The first mention of temples specially built for worship and of altar barriers or parapets separating the most sacred part of the temple from its main space dates back to the 4th century.

After the legalization of Christianity by the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine the Great, a huge number of new believers came to the Church, whose level of churching was relatively low. Therefore, the throne and the altar needed to be protected from possible disrespect.

The first altar barriers looked either like a low fence, or like a row of columns, which were often topped with a transverse beam - an “architrave”. They were low and did not completely cover the painting of the altar apses, and also gave worshipers the opportunity to observe what was happening in the altar. A cross was usually placed on top of the architrave.

Bishop Eusebius Pamphilus mentions such barriers in his “Ecclesiastical History,” who, for example, reported the following about the Church of the Holy Sepulcher: “The semicircle of the apse was surrounded by as many columns as there were apostles.”

Quite soon, the cross on the architrave was replaced by a row of icons, and images of the Savior (to the right of those praying) and the Mother of God (to the left) began to be placed on the supporting columns on the sides of the royal doors, and after some time they began to supplement this row with icons of other saints and angels. Thus, the first one- and two-tier iconostases, common in the Eastern Churches, appeared.

Development of the iconostasis in Russia

The classic multi-tiered iconostasis first appeared and became widespread precisely in the Russian Orthodox Church, so that it was associated with the architectural features of Russian churches, which were already mentioned above.

The first churches built in Rus' copied Byzantine models. Their iconostases had 2-3 tiers.

It is not known exactly when exactly they began to grow, but documentary evidence of the appearance of the first four-tiered iconostasis dates back to the beginning of the 15th century. It was installed in Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir, whichpainted by Reverends Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny. By the end of the century, such iconostases had spread everywhere.

In the second half of the 16th century, the fifth row appeared in the iconostasis for the first time. In the 17th century, a similar arrangement became classic for most Russian churches, and in some of them you can find iconostases in six or even seven rows. Further, the “number of storeys” of the iconostasis stops growing.

The sixth and seventh tiers were usually dedicated to the Passion of Christ and, accordingly, to the passion of the apostles (their martyrdom). These stories came to Russia from Ukraine, where they were quite popular.

Classic five-tier iconostasis

The five-tier iconostasis is a classic today. Its lowest tier is called “local”. To the right and left of the royal doors there are always icons of the Savior and the Virgin Mary, respectively. On the royal doors themselves there are images of the four evangelists and the plot of the Annunciation.

To the right of the icon of the Savior is usually placed the image of the saint or holiday to which the temple you are in is dedicated, and to the left of the image of the Mother of God is an icon of one of the saints most revered in this area.

Next come the southern (on the right hand of those praying) and northern (on the left) doors. They are usually painted with icons of the archangels Michael and Gabriel or the archdeacons Stephen and Lawrence (although other options are possible), and the rest of the local row is filled with several images of saints, also most revered in the region.

The second tier is called “festive”. Here the center of the composition is the icon of the “Last Supper” above the royal doors, to the left and right of which you can see scenes of the 12 most significant evangelical events from the point of view of the Church: the Ascension, the Presentation, the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Her Presentation into the Temple, the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, the Entry of the Lord to Jerusalem, Transfiguration, etc.

The third tier is called “deisis” - from the Greek. "prayer". The central image of this series is the Lord Almighty, depicted in all his power and glory. He sits in golden robes on the royal throne against the background of a red diamond (the invisible world), a green oval (the spiritual world) and a red square with elongated edges (the earthly world), which together symbolize the entirety of the universe.

The figures of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John (right), the Most Holy Theotokos (left) and other saints are facing the Savior in positions of prayer. The figures of the saints are depicted half-turned towards the worshipers in order to show that during the service the saints stand with us before God, they are before him as prayer partners in our needs, for which we ask them.

The fourth row depicts the Old Testament prophets, and the fifth row depicts the forefathers who lived at the dawn of humanity. In the center of the “prophetic” row is placed the icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign”, and in the center of the “forefathers” - the icon of the Holy Trinity.

Iconostases in modern churches

The construction of the iconostasis, like other aspects of internal church life, is regulated by certain traditions. But this does not mean that all iconostases are exactly the same. When forming the iconostasis, they try to take into account the general architectural appearance of a particular temple.

If the temple premises were converted from some other structure and its ceiling is low and flat, then the iconostasis may well be made two-tiered or even single-tiered. If you want to show the faithful the beautiful painting of the altar apses, choose an iconostasis in the Byzantine style up to three rows in height. In other cases, they try to install a classic five-tier one.

The position and filling of the rows are also not strictly regulated. The “deisis” series may come after “local” and precede the “holiday” series. The central icon in the “festive” tier may not be the “Last Supper,” but the icon of the “Resurrection of Christ.” Instead of a festive row, in some churches you can see icons of the Passion of Christ.

Also, above the royal doors, a carved figure of a dove is often placed in rays of radiance, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, and the upper tier of the iconostasis is crowned with a cross or an image of the crucifixion.

Andrey Szegeda