Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary The structure of the Catholic Church

catholic temple

The temple is the center of the whole life of the parish community and performs a variety of functions. Here believers realize their unity and jointly experience the feeling of meeting with God. But the main purpose of the temple is that it is the venue for the liturgy.

One of the differences between a Catholic church and an Orthodox one is that its main altar faces the West. Indeed, in the West, according to the teachings of the Catholic Church, is the capital of Universal Christianity, Rome, the seat of the Pope - the head of the entire Christian Church. In Catholic churches, unlike the Orthodox, there are no iconostases. Altars (there may be many of them) are allowed to be arranged at the western, southern and northern walls of the temple. The altar in a Catholic church corresponds to the Orthodox throne, but not to the altar: it is a table covered with a veil with liturgical books and utensils. The main ceremony takes place at the altar.

Catholic churches are most often built in the form of a basilica, as well as domed churches in the form of a Latin cross. The cross in the plan of the temple symbolizes the atoning sacrifice of Christ. The side aisles often serve as places for chapels with independent altars. When building an altar, the relics of a saint are always placed at the foundation of the foundation. The main temple image is placed above the altar. The altar is decorated with a tabernacle for consecrated guests (usually made in the form of a cabinet). On the altar, there is always a sculptural crucifix, a bowl for communion, a paten - a flat saucer for guests, and a corporal - a napkin on which the bowl and paten are placed in order to collect particles of bread from it after the consecration of the gifts. Sometimes a ciborium is also placed here - a bowl with a lid for storing hosts, and a monstrance - a vessel for carrying hosts during religious processions. As a rule, in large Catholic churches there is a pulpit on a dais from which a sermon is delivered. In Catholic churches, unlike Orthodox, parishioners are allowed to sit during worship. Its participants should get up only at certain moments - during the reading of the Gospel, the offering of the Holy Gifts, the blessing of the priest, etc.

Until the 5th-6th centuries. the priests did not have special liturgical vestments, they appeared later, although they date back to the clothes of ordinary Romans of that time. The vestments of the priests were supposed to remind of the virtues and duties of the priest. Before the celebration of Mass, the priest puts on over a cassock - a long robe with a standing collar, tightly buttoned from top to bottom - a white long tunic, often decorated with lace, the so-called alba (from lat. alba- white). A belt in the form of a rope or lace should be reminiscent of the ropes with which Jesus was bound at the time of his arrest. Stola - a ribbon worn around the neck - the main part of the liturgical vestments. Stola symbolizes the power of the priest. On top of all this, an ornate is put on (from lat. orno- I decorate), a sleeveless cape with a neckline - made of velvet or brocade. Ornat should remind the priest of the burden of the gospel teaching and symbolize it. For other services performed outside the temple (for example, for processions), a white shirt is worn to the knees - komzha, and a raincoat. It is called capa or pluvial, because it should protect from rain (from lat. pluvium- rain). The priest wears a square cap on his head - a biretta. The bishop's head is adorned with a miter. Since the time of Paul VI (1963–1978), who abandoned the tiara as too expensive for the head of the church of the poor, popes have also worn the mitre. The levels of the priesthood and church ranks differ in the color of the everyday clothes of the clergyman - the cassock. The priest wears a black cassock, the bishop a purple one. Cardinal purple - the red cassock of a cardinal - symbolizes that he is ready to defend the Holy See to the last drop of blood. The main color of papal clothes is white.

As a rule, Catholic churches are richly decorated with paintings and sculptures. On the walls, in the form of sculptural reliefs or picturesque paintings, the way of the cross of Jesus Christ to Golgotha ​​is depicted. These are 14 so-called "stations", that is, the stages of the way of the cross. Every Catholic church has special booths for confession. Their windows are usually covered with bars and curtains to ensure the anonymity of penance. At the entrance to the temple is placed a cup of holy water.

The Catholic Church, like the Orthodox Church, venerates icons (from the Greek. eikon image, picture). An icon is a sacred image revered by the Church, either flat or three-dimensional. In Catholic theology, the icon is interpreted primarily as evidence that God has taken on true human nature, expressed himself in the human person. Honoring the icon-painting image, the Church teaches, Christians worship the Antitype and Creator of all things. The icon has become one of the ways of fixing and transmitting the teachings of the Church. The cult of icons in Christianity was established only in the 8th century. as a result of the victory over the iconoclastic movements associated with Nestorianism and Monophysitism. At the VII Ecumenical (II Nicene) Council of 787, iconoclasm was solemnly condemned by the Western and Eastern churches. However, there are differences in the veneration of icons between them. The Eastern Church recognized the icon as "theology in images", and in the veneration of icons fought "not for beauty, but for truth." Close in spirit to Eastern worship of God is in Catholicism only the veneration of miraculous icons and statues. Catholic iconography is predominantly Italian. Starting from the XIII century. the development of religious art in the West is increasingly influenced by the individual style of artists. Giotto initiated this process. In the Renaissance, the canonical icon was replaced by religious painting with a new understanding of sacred images. According to the teaching of the Council of Trent on the icon, it, not containing the Divine power itself, sanctifies those who pray through the "imprint of the prototype", that is, by virtue of its relationship with the prototype. The Catholic Church, however, to this day has retained its attitude to the religious picture as a sacred image. In the Catholic tradition, it is accepted that sacred images should decorate churches and other places of Christian life, illustrate the history of salvation, encourage good deeds and promote the flourishing of Christian virtues. There is much in common in the external signs of veneration of sacred images among Catholics and Orthodox: these are kneeling, bowing, burning incense, lighting candles and lamps in front of the icons.

The II Vatican Council recognized that the sacred icon is one of the various forms of the presence of Christ among the faithful. However, the modern Code of Canon Law (canon 1188) recommends that clergy and believers observe the measure in icon veneration: “Icons must be placed in moderation and in the necessary order, so that they do not arouse a sense of surprise among believers and do not give them a reason to distort piety.”

Every Catholic church, starting from the time of the Ancient Church, seeks to acquire relics and relics (from lat. relics- remains, remains) of a local or especially revered saint, as well as objects related to the life of Christ, the Virgin and saints. In Catholic churches and monasteries, in special reliquaries, or reliquaries, relics are kept - the remains of Christ's clothes, pieces of the cross on which he was crucified, the nails with which he was nailed, etc., as well as parts of the vestments of the Virgin Mary, her hair , milk of the Virgin, etc. The Holy Relics of the Passion of the Lord are especially revered. From the Middle Ages to the present day, temples and monasteries with relics have attracted numerous pilgrims.

Lesson 2. Entrance to the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos (Lessons from the celebrated event: a) we must visit the temple of God more often; b) must firmly keep these vows, and c) parents must lead their children to church from their early years) I. Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, righteous Joachim

Lesson 3. Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos (What is needed for going to God's temple to be beneficial?) I. The righteous parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Joachim and Anna, vowed to consecrate their child to God for service in His temple, if God grants it to them. The Lord gave them

2. Roman Catholic ecumenism Although the Roman Catholic Church was at first opposed to the goals expressed in the program of the WCC, it then decided to cooperate extensively with this body. The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), which increasingly viewed the papacy as

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The Catholic Response: The Council of Trent on the Sacraments The Council of Trent was slow to express its attitude towards the Reformation views on the sacraments. The seventh session of the Council of Trent ended on March 3, 1547, with the issuance of the Decree on the Sacraments. In many ways it was temporary.

Section II. Catholic cult "The sanctifying task of the Church" A cult in any religion (from Latin cultus - veneration, worship) is a set of ritual actions by which the believer pays homage to supernatural reality. The Catholic cult is different

§105. Heretical and Catholic asceticism But we must now draw a distinction between two different types of asceticism in Christian antiquity: heretical and orthodox or Catholic. The first is based on pagan philosophy, the second on Christian

98. Orthodox and Catholic view of the Holy Trinity. On the philosophical meaning of the filioque Arianism as a current of Christian thought towards the 6th century. has lost its meaning. However, disagreements in understanding the Trinity in the Holy Trinity continued to excite theologians. Difference between

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MODERNISM CATHOLIC AND BIBLE STUDIES Under the Catholic. M. means movement within the Catholic. thoughts, which declared itself at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. and sought to harmonize the church. principles with the state of culture of their time (philosophy, natural science, historical science,

CHAPTER III. THE CATHOLIC DOGMA OF THE IMMACULATE BIRTH OF THE MOTHER OF GOD Faith in the personal sinlessness of the Mother of God in Orthodoxy is, so to speak, a fragrant incense, a prayer cloud thickening from the incense of Her pious veneration in the Church. If you ask yourself what exactly

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The main church of a city or monastery is usually called a cathedral (cathedral temple); a cathedral is usually called a temple where the chair of the ruling bishop (bishop) is located.

In addition to stationary, there are also mobile churches.

The device of the Orthodox Church

In the architecture of Orthodox churches, the number of domes (chapters) is sometimes assigned a symbolic meaning: one dome - the unity of God, three - in honor of the Holy Trinity, five - in honor of the Savior and 4 evangelists, seven - in honor of the seven sacraments, thirteen - the Savior and twelve apostles.

The device of the Catholic Church

Rice. one. The figure shows the interior layout of a Catholic church. In particular, aisle: Aisle- either a specially allocated part of the main building of the temple, or an extension (usually on the south or north side) to accommodate an additional altar with a throne for worship. Aisles are arranged, in particular, to install an additional altar (thrones) in the temple, so that more than one liturgy can be celebrated in one church on the same day, since it is customary in the Orthodox Church to celebrate no more than one liturgy in one day on one throne.

Let's take a closer look at the individual details of this layout.

Rice. 2. Altar apse in a Western European temple ( highlighted in color). Apse(from other Greek ἁψίς, genus case ἁψῖδος - vault), apse(lat. absis) - the ledge of a building, semicircular, faceted or rectangular in plan, covered with a semi-dome (conch) or a closed semi-arch. Apses first appeared in ancient Roman basilicas. In Christian churches apse usually represents an altar ledge, eastward . At the same time, the purpose of the apses can be different, utilitarian or decorative. So, the Cathedral of St. Peter the Metropolitan of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery is surrounded by apses from all sides. In Catholic churches, the apses could house chapels.

An Orthodox church usually has an odd number of apses - three or one. Constantinople temples of the 9th-11th centuries often had three apses, originally used as three independent altars. By the XIV century, three apses in three-apse temples are transformed from three altars into an altar in the middle apse, prosthesis(Russian " altar”) in the northern apse and a deacon (or sacristy) for storing liturgical vestments and liturgical books in the southern apse.

In Western European architecture, an apse can be called a part of the interior of a temple that is similar in shape, containing the altar part, although not being an external ledge..

Rice. 3. Crown of chapels (highlighted in color) - a series of chapels surrounding the apse, outgoing rays and separated from the choir by a detour. Appeared in connection with the increase in the number of altars, which was stimulated by the popularity of the cult of the relics stored in the church, the mass nature of pilgrimages and organized solemn services.

Rice. four. Deambulatory (highlighted in color) (from lat. deambulo from lat. de " per"and lat. ambulo" walk", lat. ambio- bypass, walk around something) - a semicircular bypass gallery around the altar of the temple, formed by the continuation of the side aisles; a typical element of Romanesque and Gothic temple architecture. Through this gallery, the flow of people, without leaving the temple, got to small apse-chapels in the eastern part of the temple - the semicircle of apsidioles in some cases framed the ambulatory crown (see the crown of chapels). Small altars were sometimes placed in the chapels, parishioners and pilgrims could view the relics located there and worship them. ... In addition to access to the chapels, the deambulatory allowed pilgrims to contemplate the shrines stored in the altar of the cathedral, and often representing the main goal of the pilgrimage. At the same time, the altar part was fenced off from the ambulatory, as a rule, not with a wall, but with a figured through lattice.

Rice. 5. choir (highlighted in color) (Greek χορός - chorus, group dance) - in early Christian churches, the space in front of the main altar, where the choir of singers was placed; later, in Western European countries, the entire eastern (altar) part of the church building, up to the apse, began to be called the choir. Thus the choir came to include the presbytery. See also - Choirs.

Rice. 6. Naos(from Greek ναός - temple, sanctuary) (highlighted in color) - the central part of the Christian temple, where during the service there are worshipers who came to the temple. From the east, the altar adjoins the naos - the most important room of the temple, where the throne is located and the liturgy is performed. The altar in Orthodox churches is separated from the naos by a curtain and an iconostasis. From the west, a narthex, in Greek, a narthex or pronaos, joins the naos. In some Russian churches, there is no vestibule and the front door of the temple leads directly to naos. On the opposite side of the naos adjoins an opisthod separated by a wall, a closed room for storing valuables.

Rice. 7. Narthex on the conditional diagram of a Western European temple ( highlighted in color). porch- an extension in front of the entrance to the temple (the same as the pronaʹos among the Greeks, the front entrance of the ancient temple). It can be arranged from the western, southern and northern sides of the temple. Usually separated from the temple by a wall with a doorway. The origin of the term is usually inferred from praetorium(Latin praetorium) - in ancient Rome, a platform for the praetor, a place for the commander's tent, later - the central square of the city, residence, country house. This is where the ancient word came from. pritoria and then vestibule. The porch is usually distinguished from narthex(from Greek Νάρθηξ - chest, box), the latter is located on the western side and is completely open from the inside into the main volume of the temple. This part of the temple corresponds to the courtyard of the Old Testament tabernacle, where, in addition to the Jews, pagans could also enter. Not only catechumens and penitents, known as hearers, but also Jews (at least from the 4th century), heretics, schismatics and pagans, could enter the porch of a Christian church to hear the word of God and teaching. In ancient times, it was arranged in the porch baptismal, that is, a baptismal font.

In ancient times, in Russian churches, there were often no vestibules at all. This is due to the fact that by the time Russia adopted Christianity, the church no longer strictly separated the catechumens, that is, those preparing to be baptized, and the penitents. By this time, people were already being baptized, as a rule, in infancy, and the baptism of adult foreigners was not so common as to make pretense for this. Those Christians who received church punishment for sinful behavior or misconduct - penance, stood for some part of the church service at the western wall of the temple or on the porch.

In the future, nevertheless, the mass construction of the narthexes resumed again. The proper name for this part of the temple is a meal, because earlier treats were arranged in it for the poor on holidays or days of commemoration of the dead. Now almost all Orthodox churches have vestibules.

Rice. ten. Plan of St. Peter's Basilica. Almost all the major architects of Italy took turns participating in the design and construction of the Cathedral of St. Peter. In 1506, the project of the architect Donato Bramante was approved, in accordance with which they began to erect a centric structure in the form of a Greek cross (with equal sides). After the death of Bramante, the construction was led by Raphael, who returned to the traditional form of the Latin cross (with an elongated fourth side), then Baldassare Peruzzi, who settled on a centric structure, and Antonio da Sangallo, who chose the basilic form. Finally, in 1546, Michelangelo was entrusted with the direction of the work. He returned to the idea of ​​a central dome structure, but his project included the creation of a multi-column entrance portico from the east side (in the oldest basilicas of Rome, as in ancient temples, the entrance was from the east, not the west side). Michelangelo made all the supporting structures more massive and singled out the main space. He erected the drum of the central dome, but the dome itself was completed after his death.(1564) by Giacomo della Porta, who gave it a more elongated outline. Of the four small domes envisaged by the Michelangelo project, the architect Vignola erected only two. To the greatest extent, architectural forms exactly as they were conceived by Michelangelo, preserved from the altar, western side. It is significant to note this moment (fact) - the altar part of St. Peter's Basilica is directed to the West?!

Rice. eleven. St. Peter's Basilica and Peter's Square in front of it. The total length of the basilica is 211.6 m. On the floor of the central nave there are marks showing the dimensions of other largest cathedrals in the world, which makes it possible to compare them with the Cathedral of St. Peter. In the center of the square is an ancient Egyptian obelisk brought to Rome by Emperor Caligula in the 1st century. According to legend, at the top of the obelisk, there was a sphere in which the ashes of Julius Caesar rested. By the way, the obelisk and the round square are a sundial. The Pope asked Michelangelo to drag and install the obelisk in front of the basilica, but he asked a sacramental question - what if it breaks? After that, the matter passed to the architect Domenico Fontana who installed the obelisk in 1586. And later he installed three more similar obelisks in different places of the city. The story tells that on the site of the current St. Peter's Cathedral there was a circus, in the arena of which at the time Nero martyred Christians. In the year 67, the Apostle Peter was brought here after the judgment seat.. Peter asked that his execution not be likened to that of Christ. Then he was crucified upside down. In 326, in memory of this, Emperor Constantine ordered the construction of a basilica in the name of St. Peter. When it fell into disrepair, Pope Nicholas V in 1452 began the construction of the cathedral.

Rice. 12. Dome, a masterpiece of architecture, has an inside height of 119 m and a diameter of 42 m. It rests on four powerful pillars ( domed square ). In the niche of one of them stands a five-meter statue of St. Longina the work of Bernini. The role of Bernini in the creation of the sculptural decoration of the cathedral is very great., he worked here intermittently for nearly fifty years, from 1620 to 1670. In the domed space above the main altar there is a masterpiece by Bernini - a huge, 29 m high canopy (civorium) on four twisted columns, on which statues of angels stand. Among the laurel branches on the upper parts of the columns, heraldic bees of the Barberini family are visible. The bronze for the ciborium was taken from the Pantheon, having dismantled, on the orders of Pope Urban VIII (Barberini), the structures that supported the roof of the portico. Through the canopy, you can see the pulpit of St. Peter. It includes the armchair of St. Peter, above which the symbol of the Holy Spirit hovers in radiance. To the right of the pulpit is the tombstone of Pope Urban VIII by Bernini, to the left is the tombstone of Paul III (XVI century) by Guglielmo della Porta, one of Michelangelo's students."

Rice. 13. " Plan of the three-aisled cathedral with painted middle cross (domed square ). Crossroads- in church architecture, the intersection of the main nave and the transept, forming a cross in plan. With the traditional orientation of the church, through the middle of the cross one can get into the western nave, into the southern and northern transepts and into the choir located in the eastern part of the temple. The crossroads is often crowned with a tower or dome, moreover, the towers are typical for Romanesque and Gothic churches, and domes - for Renaissance cathedrals. Because the middle cross open on all four sides, the load from the tower or dome falls on the corners, so the creation of a stable structure requires considerable skill from the architect and builders. In past centuries, the excessive ambitions of the creators often led to the collapse of such structures.

"Originally Bramante designed the plan of the temple(Saint Peter's Basilica) in the form of a Greek equal cross. After his death, under pressure from the prelates Raphael modified the plan of the basilica, transforming it into a Latin cross. In 1546, the work was assigned Michelangelo, he returned to Bramante's original ideas, slightly changing the proportions and height of the basilica. After the death of Michelangelo Pavel V instructed Maderno complete the cathedral returning to the plan in the form of a Latin cross».

Further in Figures 14 and 15 we will show the results of combining " plan plan "We will be served by the picture of the interior layout of the Catholic Church, which is shown in Figure 8.

Rice. fourteen. The figure shows the results of combining " plan » St. Peter's Basilica with the matrix of the Universe. Moreover, the basis for combining " plan red square place " domed square middle cross plan » St. Peter's Basilica. The details of the combination are clearly visible in the figure. However, the architects of St. Peter's Basilica moved away from " standard » plan of the temple in the form of a Latin cross. real picture alignment will be shown below in Figure 15.

Rice. fifteen. The figure shows the results of " real picture» combinations « plan » St. Peter's Basilica with the matrix of the Universe. Moreover, the basis for combining " plan »We will be served by the picture of the interior layout of the Catholic Church, which is shown in Figure 8. In the center, we have highlighted red square place " domed square ", which coincides with the position " middle cross » on the diagram located under « plan » St. Peter's Basilica is the lower red cross with a thicker line. On the image " Plan » of the basilica is moved up so that the top of the « plan » was combined with the 26th level of the Upper world of the matrix of the Universe. This is exactly the same position as the position in the Upper world of the matrix of the Universe of the picture of the interior layout of the Catholic church, which is shown above in Figure 14. With a red square with a thinner line thickness, we showed the position “ domed square » — « middle cross " on the " plan » St. Peter's Basilica. At the bottom of the picture is visible part of the interior layout of the Catholic Church. On the right is shown the position of two sacred Tetractys at the point of transition between the Upper and Lower worlds of the matrix of the Universe. The remaining details of the combination are clearly visible in the figure. From the analysis of the results of combination « plan » St. Peter's Basilica with the matrix of the Universe, it is obvious that the matrix of the Universe is, and was in the past, the sacred basis or "template" according to which the "plan" or the internal layout of the church of St. Peter's Basilica was created.

So our test was successful. Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican built according to pattern " or sacred basis– based on knowledge about the matrix of the Universe.

And so, when we already decided that we had successfully completed our research, we suddenly had the following idea. But what if " plan » St. Peter's Basilica and the plan of Peter's Square in front of it form a single « sacred symbol"?! Yes, " plan » St. Peter's Basilica after analyzing the results of our study became « sacred symbol”, reflecting the Divine realities in the Universe! Then we went in search unified plan of the basilica with the square. Alas, we are faced with real problems. We were only able to find the following " single plan" digestible graphic quality. It is shown below in figure 16.

Rice. 16. Picture " unified plan» St. Peter's Basilica and Peter's Square in front of it (1899 - 1900). From this figure, we took a fragment " unified plan with whom we continued our research.

Rice. 17. The figure shows which fragment unified plan» St. Peter's Basilica and Peter's Square in front of it. The red rectangle in the figure shows a fragment that we will use to match with the matrix of the Universe.

Rice. eighteen. The figure shows the result of combining the fragment " unified plan» St. Peter's Basilica and Peter's Square in front of it, which we combined with the matrix of the Universe. With red lines at the top of the figure, we have highlighted the details of the interior of the square in front of St. Peter's Basilica. These details " unified plan» within the error are well combined with the matrix of the Universe at the point of transition between the Upper and Lower worlds of the matrix of the Universe. No less surprising for us was the fact that the obelisk in the center of Peter's Square almost exactly coincided with the central position on the 13th level of the Lower World of the Universe matrix. You can see this obelisk in Figure 11. As a result, our assumption is that plan» St. Peter's Basilica and the plan of Peter's Square in front of it form a single « sacred symbol» successfully confirmed. It follows that The Vatican is familiar with the knowledge about the matrix of the Universe and keeps it.

sacred meaning the space of the Lower World in the area of ​​the 13th level of the Lower World of the matrix of the Universe is already known to us. According to the ideas of the priests of ancient Egypt in the area of ​​the 13th 16th level of the Lower World of the matrix of the Universe " located " space Goddess Maati – Goddesses of Truth and Righteousness. In this space it happened and is happening " weighing people's hearts » about the degree of burdening of «hearts» with sins. We talked about this in sufficient detail in our works. chapter « Author's articles" - and - . Below in figure 19 will be shown an Egyptian drawing with scales and the goddess of truth and truth − Maat.

Rice. 19. Ancient Egyptian scene drawing weighing the heart » « Ab Maat. Right god of wisdom That. At the bottom Ammit -« devourer » burdened with sins « hearts " of people. In the well-known Egyptian The myth of Osiris « council of the gods» in the retinue of Osiris ( Asar) was called - " pout – Paut". Their total number was - 42. « council of the gods"helped Osiris analyze and evaluate the deeds of a deceased person for a lifetime. The number 42 exactly corresponds to the sum of the "positions" of 13, 14 and 15 levels – 13+14+15 = 42 - The lower world of the matrix of the Universe. In the same area of ​​the matrix of the Universe was located " Hall Double » Maati (Goddess of Truth and Truth), where on the scales it was weighed " heart » – Ab - Ab – (Aspects the soul of the creature). Placed on one scale feather maati, and on the other scale was placed " heart » Ab. If a " heart » Ab turned out to be harder Feather Maati ", or most Maat with open hands on the scales, ( the creature sinned a lot), then this heart " ate " creature Ammit with the head and half of the body of a crocodile, and the back half of the body of a hippo.

Below in Figure 20, this pattern is compatible with " single plan» St. Peter's Basilica and Peter's Square in front of it.

Rice. twenty. The drawing is similar to drawing 18 and has been supplemented with an ancient Egyptian drawing of the scene " weighing the heart » « Ab" in " Hall of Maat ". On the left - the goddess of truth and truth - Maat, right god of wisdom That. Picture " Hall of Maat » « located » in the Lower World of the matrix of the Universe under the obelisk brought by Emperor Caligula from Egypt. The obelisk is located in the center of Peter's Square in front of St. Peter's Basilica. This secret of the ancient sages about the matrix of the Universe, along with the Vatican owned by italian sculptor Antonio Canova, which we discussed in our work chapter « Author's articles» — .

Thus, based on the results of our research in this work, we can draw the following conclusions:

1) the matrix of the Universe is a sacred basis interior design of Catholic cathedrals. In particular, the sacred basis or " template » according to which Italian sculptors and architects created the interior layout of St. Peter's Basilica and the layout of Peter's Square in front of the Basilica in the Vatican.

2) Vatican keeps the secret knowledge of the ancients about the matrix of the Universe as a sacred basis, according to which the Divine Universe and our Universe, in particular, were created. There is no heresy in this, since the Lord Jesus Christ Himself in the holy Gospel of John said ( In. 1.17): “17. for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ". Ancient knowledge is accepted, and " good news» The Savior is a natural continuation of the Divine providence for us people.

More detailed information about the matrix of the Universe can be obtained by reading the articles on the website in the section " Egyptology» - and forming in the plan

The other day I wanted to refresh my memory of the Christmas trip around Europe, with the help of my old notes and photographs, once again take a walk along the streets of Vilnius, Warsaw, Krakow, Lvov. We had the pleasure of seeing these cities at the most magical time of the year, under the New Year's snowfall and Christmas festivities. Now, on a fine autumn day, it seems so far away, but it’s only been a little more than six months, it’s a pity that a lot is forgotten, and after all, I visited such beautiful and historically rich cities, which is terribly sorry when emotions, impressions and acquired knowledge about these places are erased from memory.

The goal, the winter trip, was both leisure and educational. The plans included visiting the Old Towns, which, as you know, are the concentration of architectural monuments and cultural heritage. Having thus connected, a long-standing desire to clarify for oneself questions about the characteristic features and signs of various architectural styles, as well as to formulate the basic principles of medieval urban planning, with the opportunity to see it all with one's own eyes, we found information on objects, and set off to figure it out, as they say, on the spot.

My guide through Christmas Europe was ren_ar , it is his wonderful photographs that now help to remember the route and resurrect emotions from what he saw. And it all started in Vilnius...

Having passed through the gates into the old city, the first thing they noticed was the Church of St. Teresa, and they headed towards it.

Parish Roman Catholic Church, the first mention of which occurs in 1627. The temple is made in the early Baroque style, some of the details of the facade indicate this, for example, sculptures in the recesses of the walls, currencies (curls, spirals) in the corners of winding forms, pilasters (a vertical protrusion of the wall imitating a column), etc. Determining the style of the building was not an easy task, especially if you are looking at a building that has been formed over the centuries. It, as a rule, is multi-style, due to repeated restorations and rebuildings. When identifying a style, joy is added by the same techniques used in different architectural directions. For example, here, I would also note the presence of notes of classicism.

Analyzing the figurative perception of the church, and indeed of any religious building, I came to the conclusion that in order to get a more or less complete picture, it is necessary to be aware of the canonical structure of the church or church, to have an idea of ​​​​the artistic framing, and also to remember about its main function, worship .

As for the church of St. Teresa, here I will perhaps pay attention to the first point, the second can be assessed by looking at the photographs, and we will observe the ceremony in another church.

Arguments about proportions, proportions, metro-rhythmic patterns, etc. ... let's push it to the Masons. I want to dwell on the structure of the church itself. Catholic churches are most often built in the form of a basilica, or as domed churches in the form of a Latin cross at the base.

The church of St. Teresa, just looks like a basilica, and is a rectangular building consisting of three naves, these rooms can be separated from each other by columns or pillars. The cross, in terms of the temple, symbolizes the atoning sacrifice of Christ. The side aisles often serve as places for chapels with independent altars. When building an altar, the relics of a saint are always placed at the foundation of the foundation. In the Catholic church, the altar is turned to the west, it is there, according to the teachings of the Catholic Church, that the capital of Universal Christianity, Rome, is located.

And since I have so regulated the points on which I conduct the analysis, separately, as an exception, it is worth mentioning the subject that unites the rite of worship, the very structure of the temple and its decoration. It is, of course, an organ. Everyone knows that, firstly, it is used during Mass, secondly, a special place is allocated for it on the balcony opposite the altar, acoustically the building must also be properly designed so as not to drown out its majestic sounds, and thirdly, how done! The organ can definitely be called a pearl church.

The next thing that struck my imagination was the ensemble of Vilnius University. Now, when I turn off today in myself and try to get into yesterday, the image of this grandiose structure evokes in me associations with Castalia, the province about which Hermann Hesse wrote in his brilliant novel, where the highest virtues of man were reason and scientific knowledge.

An amazing feeling of spiritual inspiration and a thirst for knowledge is caused by a walk through the quiet and cozy courtyards of the university, which are empty due to the holidays. But this is nothing, the imagination gladly completes the picture with the presence here of flocks of puzzled students, sedate teachers in red robes, a sample of the sixteenth century, by the way, this time is considered the moment of the formation of the university.

Now this Castalia consists of 13 courtyards, the Church of St. John and the bell tower. The formation of the complex took place over the centuries, the academy bought more and more new buildings from the bishopric, which were given as apartments to professors and students of the university, and it all started from the Great Courtyard, where the church, the bell tower and the southern building are located.

The courtyard of the observatory adjoins the Great Courtyard, in ancient times medicinal plants were grown there, in one of the buildings there was a pharmacy, an archive of the educational commission (the governing body of the education system of the Commonwealth), and of course, the building of an astronomical observatory, on the frieze of which an inscription in Latin is engraved: " Courage gives the old sky a new light", with the signs of the zodiac.

Particular attention should be paid to the Church of St. John, it is he who causes me more interest compared to other places of worship, because the history of its formation is connected not only with religion, but also with the scientific, educational life of the city, and the state as a whole. In addition to traditional fires, ruins, and misuse, the church passed from one owner to another. Initially, it belonged to the government, which, apparently from a slight desire to carry out restoration after the fire of 1530, transferred the church to the possession of the Jesuits, and since the guys were businesslike, they carried out a major reconstruction and expansion of the temple, erected a bell tower, arranged chapels, crypts, utility rooms. There were meetings of kings, holidays of the monastic order, disputes and defense of scientific works, for all the years, in addition to frescoes, a huge layer of intelligence of many generations was layered on the walls of the temple, and this is undoubtedly felt. After the abolition of the Jesuit order in 1773, the church passed into the possession of the Vilna University. In 1826-1829 the last large-scale reconstruction and alteration of the church was carried out. Subsequently, it also moved from one academy to another, and during the Soviet period was used as a warehouse for the paper of a communist newspaper. Now it has been returned to the Catholic Church and is being used as a non-parochial church of the Vilnius deanery, run by the Jesuit fathers. I am glad that the tradition of solemn initiation into students and presentation of diplomas is preserved here.

The main facade of the church faces the Great University Yard. The external appearance acquired its modern Baroque features during the restoration by the architect Johann Glaubitz, after a fire in 1737. The interior decoration also underwent many reconstructions, but despite this, the solemn Gothic with touches of the Baroque altar part was preserved.

The altar complex is an ensemble of ten altars at different levels, in different planes. The main altar is built between two massive columns, next to which are sculptures of John Chrysostom, Pope Gregory the Great, St. Anselm and St. Augustine.

As a rule, the interior decoration of the churches is decorated with picturesque and sculptural images. On the walls in the form of reliefs, paintings or frescoes depict Jesus' way of the cross to Golgotha. These are 14 stages of the way of the cross. Here the frescoes were painted over during the reconstruction in 1820.

One of the distinguishing features of Gothic cathedrals are stained glass windows. In the Church of St. John, they were created in 1898 and practically destroyed in 1948. They were restored already in the 60s. As a rule, religious and domestic scenes are depicted on stained glass windows. Due to them, the intensity of light in the room is constantly changing, playing with the imagination. It is the stained glass windows that create a special emotional atmosphere in the temple, a fantastic feeling of belonging to the unearthly.

Also in every Catholic church there are special booths for confession. Their windows are usually covered with bars and curtains to ensure the anonymity of penance. The artistic embodiment of the confessional can put them on a par with works of art.

And the picture, albeit a somewhat amateurish analysis of the artistic framing of the church, would not be complete if I did not mention the organ, the choral preludes of which can bring anyone closer to God.

It was time to attend Catholic Mass. Moreover, we, already running through the evening streets of old Vilnius, quite by chance went into the Church of the Holy Spirit, where at the entrance such a wonderful fresco is depicted, its cheerful inhabitant, as if inviting you to attend the evening service:
- O! They were just waiting for you, they couldn’t start in any way, come in, come in ...

The Catholic Mass corresponds to the Divine Liturgy of the Orthodox Church. The whole action begins with the exit of the priest, to the sounds of introit (entrance chant). Forms of Catholic worship have been formed over many centuries, under the influence of various factors. The formation of theological Catholic dogma survived the struggle with heresies, for every self-respecting heretic was sure of the truth of the formulations of his worship. As a result of attempts to unify worship, Catholics came to a more stable composition of the mass than the Orthodox liturgy. The mass takes place in front of the altar, its first part is called the liturgy of the word, it is an analogue of the ancient liturgy of the catechumens, that is, members of the community who have not yet been baptized. During the liturgy, the Holy Scriptures are read and a sermon is delivered. Before the liturgy of the word, a rite of repentance is performed. On Sundays and holidays, "Gloria" is sung or two doxologies are pronounced, the big "Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace to all people of good will" and the small "Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit", the Symbol of Faith is read and sung. The second part of the mass is the liturgy of the faithful, which consists of the Eucharistic canon, communion and the final rites. Communion is the main part of the Mass, it is at this moment, according to the teachings of the Church, that the transubstantiation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ takes place. If we continue to talk about the external manifestations of worship among Catholics, then it is worth noting that they conduct worship in Latin, or in the national language, in compliance with all canonical requirements. The Catholic Mass is characterized by kneeling and raising hands and eyes to heaven, Catholics are also baptized with five fingers, first on the left and then on the right shoulder, since in Catholicism the five fingers are performed in the name of the five plagues of Christ.

During the entire period of the trip, we managed to visit a lot of both morning and evening masses. And what is surprising is that we have never seen the church empty at that time. The Catholic Mass can rightfully be considered not only a ritual action, but also a mystical one. You experience such an amazing feeling of spiritualization and unity with completely unfamiliar people, which never happens to me in MUP Orthodox churches, and, in fact, there is no desire to have something in common with our church.

In contact with

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the cathedral church of the archdiocese of the Mother of God, headed by Archbishop Metropolitan Paolo Pezzi. One of the two active Catholic churches in Moscow, along with the church of St. Louis of France (in addition to two churches in Moscow, there is also a Catholic chapel of St. Olga).

At the cathedral there is a library and a church shop, the editorial office of the Russian Catholic magazine "Catholic Bulletin - Light of the Gospel", the office of the regional branch of "Caritas" and the "Art of Goodness" charity foundation.

Since 2009, within the walls of the cathedral, an educational course on Western European Sacred Music has been held, giving Russian musicians knowledge and skills in the field of Gregorian chant and organ improvisation.

Story

In 1894, the council of the Roman Catholic Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Milyutinsky Lane turned to the Moscow governor with a request to allow the construction of a third Catholic church in view of the growth of the Catholic community in Moscow. The permission was obtained on the condition of building far from the city center and especially revered Orthodox churches, without towers and outdoor statues. The neo-Gothic project of F. O. Bogdanovich-Dvorzhetsky, designed for 5,000 worshipers, was approved, despite the failure to comply with the last condition.

The building site was purchased on Malaya Gruzinskaya Street, since a large number of Catholics of Polish nationality lived in this area, who worked on the Moscow-Smolensk railway. The main volume of the temple was built in 1901-1911. The money for the construction was collected by the Polish community, whose number in Moscow at the end of the 19th century reached 30 thousand people, and Catholics of other nationalities throughout Russia. The fence of the cathedral was built in 1911 according to the project of the architect L. F. Dauksh.

The Neo-Gothic temple, which received the name of the branch church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was consecrated on December 21, 1911.

The construction of the temple cost 300,000 rubles in gold, additional amounts were collected in 1911-1917 for decoration and the purchase of church supplies. Finishing work inside the temple continued until 1917.

In 1919, the branch church was turned into a full-fledged parish. The 34-year-old priest Fr. Michal Czakul (1885-1937).

In 1938, the temple was closed, the church property was looted, and a hostel was organized inside. During the war, the building was bombed and several towers and spiers were destroyed. In 1956, the Research Institute "Mosspetspromproekt" was located in the temple. The building was replanned, which completely changed the interior of the church, in particular, the main volume of the internal space was divided into 4 floors. In 1976, a project was developed for the restoration of the building, where it was supposed to house an organ music hall, but this project was never implemented.

In 1989, the Dom Polsky cultural association, which unites Moscow Poles, raised the question of the need to return the church building to its natural owner, the Catholic Church. In January 1990, a Polish Catholic parish of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary was formed by a group of Moscow Catholics. December 8, 1990, on the occasion of the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fr. Tadeusz Pikus (now a bishop), with the permission of the authorities, for the first time after a 60-year break, celebrated mass on the steps of the cathedral. Several hundred people attended this first service. Regular services near the temple began to be held on June 7, 1991.

In 1996, after a long scandalous eviction of the Research Institute "Mosspetspromproekt", the temple was transferred to the Catholic Church. For several years, large-scale restoration and restoration work was carried out in the temple, and on December 12, 1999, the Secretary of State of the Vatican, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, solemnly consecrated the restored Cathedral.

In March 2002, the Moscow Cathedral took part in a joint prayer of the Rosary with Pope John Paul II and the Catholics of several European cities, organized through a teleconference.

On December 12, 2009, the tenth anniversary of its re-consecration was solemnly celebrated in the cathedral, and on September 24, 2011, the centenary of the cathedral was celebrated.

Architecture

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a neo-Gothic three-nave cruciform pseudo-basilica. According to various testimonies, it is believed that the Gothic cathedral in Westminster Abbey served as the prototype of the facade for the architect, and the dome of the cathedral in Milan served as the prototype of the dome. After the restoration, the cathedral has some differences from its original appearance before closing in 1938, as well as before 1938 it had differences from the 1895 project.

On the spire of the central turret there is a cross, on the spiers of the side turrets there are the coats of arms of Pope John Paul II and Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz. In the narthex (porch) of the cathedral there is a sculptural image of the Holy Cross with Christ Crucified. Above the bowls with consecrated water, at the entrance from the narthex to the nave, on the left, a brick from the Lateran Basilica is embedded in the wall, and on the right, a medal of the jubilee year 2000.

In the central nave there are two sectors of benches separated by an aisle. At the beginning of each side nave there are confessionals - confessionals. At the end of the left nave is the chapel of the Divine Mercy, in which the tabernacle and the altar of the Holy Gifts are installed. Both side naves are separated from the main nave by colonnades, 2 semi-columns and 5 columns in each colonnade. The ceilings of the main and side aisles consist of cross vaults, which are formed by diagonal arches. The side longitudinal naves of the cathedral have five buttresses each. 10 main buttresses on which the main volume of the temple rests, according to the ancient canons of temple architecture, symbolize the 10 commandments.

Lancet window openings are decorated with stained-glass windows. Under the window openings, on the inner surfaces of the walls, there are 14 bas-reliefs - 14 “stays” of the Way of the Cross.

Behind the first lancet arch of the ceiling, between the first pair of semi-columns, above the narthex are the choirs. Since the time of the Counter-Reformation, that is, since the middle of the 16th century, the choirs have been located in the back of the nave, in the same way the choirs are located in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to the original project, the choirs were supposed to accommodate 50 singers, but in addition to the choir itself, an organ was installed in the choirs.

The transept gives the cathedral building the shape of a cross. This is a diagram in which the image of Christ on the cross is superimposed on the plan of a typical church. In this case, the head of Christ is the presbytery with the altar located in it, the torso and legs fill the nave, and the outstretched arms turn into a transept. Thus, we see the literal embodiment of the idea that the Church represents the Body of Christ. This layout is called cruciform.

Altar

In the presbytery of the cathedral is the most important element of the temple - the altar, lined with dark green marble - the place where the Eucharistic Sacrifice is offered. Particles of the relics of St. Andrew the Apostle, St. Zeno, the patron saint of Verona, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Gregory of Nazian, Sts. On the altar there is an image of the letters alpha and omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, a symbol of the beginning and end, going back to the text from the Revelation of John the Theologian “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord” (Rev. 1:8). To the right of the altar is the pulpit. The pulpit of the cathedral, as well as the main altar, is lined with dark green marble.

In the back of the presbytery there is another elevation of three steps, adjacent to the wall of the apse of the temple. This part is called the ambulatory. Here is the episcopal chair and places for the clergy.

The presbytery of the cathedral is separated by carved wooden partitions from the chapel of Divine Mercy with the altar of the Holy Gifts and from the vestibule of the sacristy. In the presbytery, on the wall of the apse - the Crucifixion. The height of the Crucifix in the cathedral is 9 meters, the figure of Christ on the cross - 3 meters. On both sides of the Crucifixion, 2 plaster figures are installed - the Mother of God and the Evangelist John. Both sculptures were made by the Moscow Region sculptor S. F. Zakhlebin.

On the left side of the façade, right behind the lancet arcade, there are five bells made at the famous Polish factory of the Felchinskis in Przemysl and donated by Bishop Viktor Skvorets of Tarnow. The largest of the bells weighs 900 kg and is called the Mother of God of Fatima. The rest, in descending order, are called: "John Paul II", "Saint Thaddeus" (in honor of the heavenly patron Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz), "Jubilee-2000" and "Saint Victor" (in honor of the heavenly patron Bishop Skvorets). The bells are set in motion with the help of special electronic automation.

Until the closing of the cathedral in 1938

Before the closure of the cathedral in 1938, the altar of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Moscow was a three-spired Gothic structure with an Altar, which rose almost to the ceiling of the apse, which housed the tabernacle with the Holy Gifts. There were palm trees in the presbytery, and the presbytery itself was separated from the nave by a special fence - a balustrade.

In the side aisles of the cathedral there were also benches, since the side aisles, at first, served as separate prayer rooms for men and women - the left aisle was intended for women, the right one for men.

While people were celebrating: the remains of the New Year, Tolkien's birthday, Christmas according to the Julian calendar - I wrote and wrote an article. About the structure of the Catholic Church. Once, digging through tourist sites, I came across a description of cute Segovia, the author of the review said that it was enough to see the cathedral there from the outside - there is nothing inside. I'm afraid, I indulged in fantasies for about five minutes about what was in the head of this author and why it happened. What we see, we need to look in order to see, we need to understand and be ready to discover something new. It doesn't matter to people who are ready to do this whether they are believers or not and what denomination this article is addressed to.

Actually, before you is a draft of the article - without pictures and not fully edited. But I wanted to show off and get feedback from you, friends, some comments and questions. The fully finished article will appear on my (jointly with Una Voce) fresh site for pilgrims and travelers. By the way, the site will contain materials not only authored by me and friends and relatives of the rabbit, but by anyone, if only on the topic. So - welcome to cooperation!

catholic temple

Each structure, created by human hands, has its own purpose, its own functions. It is strange and no one needs a residential building in which it is impossible to live, a concert hall in which concerts cannot be held. Perhaps, over time, the building will cease to be used for its intended purpose, but its very design will tell us why it was built after all. The entire architecture of the building indicates its purpose, its details are designed to direct the attention and thought of the visitor to certain things. Not a single detail in the building is random, everything is subject to a single plan and purpose.

All of the above applies to Catholic churches. You can often hear or ask yourself questions about the distinctive elements of traditional Catholic architecture and church decoration. Why is an altar barrier needed? Why statues? Why - kneeling benches? Why - bells and belfries? And what does it all mean? By answering these questions, we will get a better idea not only about the structure of the temple, but also about the symbols and rituals of Catholicism, and most importantly, about the inner essence of the Catholic faith.

Despite the difference in architectural styles, the temples basically have something in common, because the purpose of these buildings has not changed for two thousand years. So, why were temples built and built? First of all - for the performance of divine services, liturgical services. Not a single Catholic church is built in such a way that services cannot be held in it. All other functions of the temple are important, but secondary to the main one and subordinate to it. Therefore, the most important place of the temple is the altar on which masses are celebrated. The whole architecture of the temple is always, with extremely rare exceptions, arranged in such a way as to highlight, emphasize the importance of the altar, and, accordingly, the action performed on it. We will talk more about the altar a little later.

Another important function of temples is to be a “sermon in stone” about the deeds of Christ and His Church, to be a visible embodiment of the Christian faith. This is what the decoration of the temple, its statues, murals and stained glass windows serve. The aspiration to God of the whole Church, the local community and each individual person is expressed, first of all, in the vertical character of the temple structure. This means that vertical elements prevail over horizontal ones. The building as a whole or its elements at least visually appear higher than longer. If the temple cannot be made too tall, architectural elements are added to make it visually tall.

Since the best craftsmen often worked on the temple and its parts, it is also of considerable artistic value. As we have said, the temple teaches and evangelizes. This is achieved not only due to its form and purpose, but also through works of fine art. Church art tells biblical stories, speaks of Christ, the saints and the Church itself. It is an integral component of the Catholic cult, since the Christian faith is based on the Incarnation of the Word: the Word (God) became flesh - He took on a bodily human nature.

The House of God is directly connected with the Heavenly Jerusalem, with the communion of saints and angels. Here, beauty creates conditions that lift the soul of a person from the mundane and transient, in order to bring it into harmony with the heavenly and eternal. The architect Adams Cram, perhaps the greatest church builder of the late nineteenth century, wrote that "art has been, and always will be, the greatest spiritual impression that the Church can possess." For this reason, he adds, art is the greatest expression of religious truth.
Religious visual art affects - or should affect - all parts of the church building, both outside and inside. Sacred art takes many forms. In Western church architecture, these are, first of all, statues, reliefs, paintings, frescoes, mosaics, icons and stained glass windows. Without going into lengthy considerations, we can say that the Church has a huge treasure trove of sacred art and a wonderful tradition that she can follow.

Successful works of ecclesiastical art emphasize architecture and liturgy and draw our minds to God with their beauty and meaning. Sacred art does not consist in itself, its goal is not within itself, but outside. It serves something else, and its beauty glorifies Heaven, and not itself. Religious art should be understood in terms of its main task, and not just as a collection of artistic techniques.

All other functions of the temple are secondary to these two main ones. And, although at different times additional functions were imposed on the temples - for example, as a place of pilgrimage, or due to the construction of an organ, which introduced certain changes into the architecture of the temple - the main plan of the building remains unchanged. In order to understand a temple, one must keep in mind its primary purpose all the time.

Let's go to the temple and look around it. For a complete impression, it is better to approach the temple on foot, walk at least half a block, so that the temple opens in the city landscape. Usually there is a square in front of the entrance to the temple - it is intended not only to highlight the temple as an architectural structure, but also for the gathering of the people. On the square in front of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome, numerous believers gather to listen to the Pope and receive his blessing. Many squares were designed by famous architects and are worth seeing. Bishops' palaces, town halls, public and administrative buildings are often placed on the squares. The square is the link between the city and the temple, and the inspection of the temple should be started from it.

We would also advise you to stop for a minute, concentrate, remove all unnecessary thoughts in order to properly perceive what you see before entering the temple or starting taking pictures. It would be good for believing people to read a prayer, and for non-believers - to be silent for a minute and tune in.

Approaching the temple (on foot or by car), even before our eyes see the whole building or at least its pediment, we most likely see the bell tower. This is one of the main vertical elements that draws our attention to the church both visually (it can be seen from afar) and the ringing of bells, which serve both to mark the time and to call for prayer or worship.

The appearance of church bells dates back to at least the 8th century, when they were mentioned in the writings of Pope Stephen III. Their ringing not only called the laity to church for Mass (this function is still preserved - or, at least, should be preserved), but also, in monasteries, raised the monks to read the night prayer - matins. By the Middle Ages, every church was equipped with at least one bell, and the bell tower became an important feature of church architecture.

In southern Europe, especially in Italy, bell towers were often erected separately from the church itself (the famous leaning tower in Pisa, built in the 12th century, is a striking example). In the north, as well as - subsequently - in North America, they more often became an integral part of the church building. In many temples, you can enter the bell tower, but not while the bells are sounding, of course.

The bell tower is one of the types of church towers that give the temple building a unique look. Church towers (in the modern sense of the word) first appeared at the beginning of the Middle Ages, erected in abbeys and cathedrals built in the Romanesque style. Over the years, they have taken on numerous varieties and types, rising high into the skies and becoming visible from great distances. According to religious theory, the highest point of a church building symbolizes God in Heaven, and the word "tower" is sometimes used as a symbolic designation of the Lord God himself. Church towers are such a characteristic element of the temple that we can safely attribute all buildings with towers to religious buildings, even if they have already changed their purpose, such as the National Palace in Marfa (Portugal).

Since the towers are not an obligatory element of worship, but are expensive, their construction was often delayed. As a result, many towers were never completed, and others, although topped with spiers, look completely different than they were intended, and this is noticeable. The construction of the tower cost the community or the lord a pretty penny, so the presence of the tower speaks of the important place that the church occupied in the eyes of society. By the appearance of the towers, one can determine the hierarchy of churches, more important churches have taller and more complex towers. There is no clear rule about the location of the towers, because they can be anywhere - in front of the back of the temple, on the side or in the middle, above the crossroads.

Another prominent element of the church is the dome or spire topped with a cross. The dome - round or, more rarely, oval - became popular in the West during the Renaissance. It has a great influence on both the external and internal appearance of the temple. In the interior, it contributes to the feeling of verticality and transcendence (symbolizing the kingdom of heaven) both by its height and by the way the rays of light enter the room through the windows in it. Outside, the dome and spire visually allow the building to be identified as a church, highlighting it from the urban or rural landscape. In old European cities, if you have the time and desire, you can get to know the local churches well, finding them only by the crosses on the spiers and bell towers.

Other architectural elements can also be seen outside the temple. Pilasters are vertical protrusions of walls resembling columns. They serve to thicken the walls so that they can withstand the weight of the vault. Usually they "support" the ceiling beams, emphasizing the logical relationship of different parts of the building. Pinnacles at the top add strength by creating additional downward force.

When we get closer, we see the facade, that is, the front wall of the building. As the face creates the image of a person, so the facade creates the image of a building. Often it is he who is remembered the most. It is not uncommon for the façade to include a bell tower or other towers, statues or simpler sculptures, windows, and finally the main entrance door. In the conditions of urban development, when other buildings can hang over the church, the facade takes on an additional task - the temple is already determined by it. In large cathedrals, there are several facades that have their own names. For example, the three facades of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona (Spain) are called the Nativity, Passion and Glory facade, symbolizing, respectively, the three most important events in the life of Christ and the entire Christian world and properly designed.

The facade and steps leading to the entrance are the second, after the square, the point of transition from the profane (the outside world) to the sacred (the interior of the church). Often it is the façade that has the most opportunity for evangelization, teaching and catechesis, as it includes works of art called the "servant of religion". The church façade is like the text on the cover of a book: its appearance briefly tells what we will find inside. The main façade, often located, is associated with the triumphant entrance to the Heavenly City. The architects concentrated rich figure decorations and inscriptions at the entrance.

Usually Catholic churches face the main entrance to the west, and the altar to the east. However, there are exceptions due to non-liturgical reasons. Such a reason may be the need to fit the church into urban development. For example, the famous St. Peter's Basilica in Rome faces the west with the altar, because it stands on a hill to the west of the city, and the correct orientation of the building would be inconvenient for those entering.

One of the parts of the church facade, best known to the general public, is the rosette - a large round window, usually located above the main entrance. Stripes of stained glass, radiating from the center, resemble the petals of a blossoming rose. There are other types of round windows that adorn the facades of Western churches, but they all owe their origin to the round opening found in classical buildings of ancient Rome, such as the Pantheon - it was called the oculus ("eye").

The facade, of course, would not make sense if it did not have doors leading inside the church. These doors - or, as they are sometimes called, portals - are of great importance, since they are literally the Gates of Heaven (Porta Coeli), the gates of the House of God (Domus Dei). The main entrance to the church, symbolizing Christ, Who said "I am the door", means not only the entrance to the building, but also the entry into the Christian community and everything connected with it.

Already in the 11th century, the decoration of portals (niches in which door leaves are located) with statues and reliefs became an important feature of church architecture. Scenes from the Old Testament and from the life of Christ are usually depicted above the entrance to the church in triangles called tympanums. Portals should inspire and call at the same time. They draw hearts to God and bodies to the church. Medieval portals adorned with images of heaven and earth are best known, but any church door is a potential symbol of man's aspiration to Heaven.

The temple doors themselves may also be decorated with various scenes and symbolic figures.

The third and final transitional point on the way from the outside world to the interior of the church is the narthex, or vestibule. It serves two main purposes. Firstly, the narthex is used as a vestibule - here you can shake off the snow from your boots, take off your hat or fold your umbrella. Secondly, processions gather in the narthex. Therefore, it is also called "Galilee", since the procession from the narthex to the altar symbolizes the path of Christ from Galilee to Jerusalem, where He was expected to be crucified.

The interior of the temple is traditionally divided into three semantic parts. The aforementioned narthex symbolizes the transition from the secular world to the Divine world, the nave means the New Garden of the reborn earth, and the altar and the space around it are the threshold of Heaven.

There is a famous and very valuable scheme in which the image of Christ is superimposed on the plan of a typical basilica church. The head of Christ is the presbytery, the outstretched arms turn into transepts, and the torso and legs fill the nave. Thus, we see the literal embodiment of the idea of ​​a church representing the Body of Christ. It is no coincidence that the outlines of this plan resemble a crucifix. This layout is called cruciform, reminiscent of the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross.

The term basilica means literally "royal house" - a very appropriate name for the house of God, since we understand Jesus as Christ Almighty, King of kings. Much of the church architecture of the last 1700 years was based on the layout of the basilica. The church, built according to this model, fits into a rectangle with an aspect ratio of two to one. Along its entire length, two rows of columns usually stretch, separating the side aisles from the central nave. There are temples, even ancient ones, of a different layout - for example, round, or complex in shape, like the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

In the strict sense of the word, a basilica is a temple with an odd number of naves (passages to the altar), this is an architectural basilica. In the Catholic Church, the basilica is also called the special status of the temple, assigned to it by the Pope.

If the layout of the church is fan-shaped, or represents geometric figures inscribed into each other, then this church was almost certainly built in the 20th century.

After passing through the narthex, we find ourselves in the main building of the church, which is called the nave - from the Latin navis, "ship" (hence - "navigation"). Usually the nave is the largest part of the church, the place where, between the entrance and the altar, there are pews for parishioners participating in worship. The long roof beams of the nave are often compared to the hull of a ship. And the church itself has long been compared to an ark that allows the wanderer to safely reach the goal of his journey - the Kingdom of Heaven. The nave serves as a protection from worldly sin and at the same time the road leading to Heaven.

The nave is almost always divided into two or four sectors of pews by a central aisle leading to the presbytery and altar. In large churches, additional passages limit it from the sides. Naves can have different heights and are separated from each other by rows of columns. The galleries on top can have different purposes - to be choirs for singers or, as in the church of Sant'Agnese Fuori le Mura (Rome), to serve as a place for women who, at the time of the construction of the church, prayed separately from men. The gallery in Exeter Cathedral (England) was intended for musicians and singers and is decorated with images of angels playing musical instruments.

In high churches, the nave, also high, can consist of several elements, as if from several floors. For example, spans from groups of columns go from below, a gallery is located above, and stained glass windows are even higher. Tall buildings provide an additional opportunity to "sermon in stone" and emphasize the desire of the believer to ascend upward, to the Lord.

The transverse naves, crossing at right angles the main nave of the cruciform temple, are called transepts. The transepts are often decorated with stone carvings and stained glass. In Gothic cathedrals, the transepts are wide, not inferior in width to the main nave. Often the main entrance to the temple (or the one that tourists and pilgrims are allowed into) in old Gothic temples is located not in the central nave, but in the transept.

In the nave, as well as on the facade, you can often see vertical elements - columns and pillars. Supporting the roof, the pillars at the same time symbolize those supporting the Church - saints or virtues. The capitals - the upper parts of the columns - are decorated with scrolls, leaves and flowers. Sometimes the lower part of the column - the base - is depicted in the form of some kind of animal. Pillars, unlike columns, do not have capitals and bases, although there are exceptions. Bundles of pillars, a characteristic element of Gothic architecture, are very reminiscent of an unusually shaped column. Pillars and columns serve not only as supports for the roof, they also visually delimit the space of the temple. With their help, the visual verticality necessary for the church is given to the interior.

In the naves of churches there are many interior elements. Some of them are obligatory, others may be present in some temples and absent in others. However, all these elements are necessary and important, often they represent a single artistic and semantic composition.

At the entrance to the nave (a sacred place), bowls with holy water are usually visible. Here believers are blessed with it, reminding themselves of their baptism and sins. Overshadowing yourself before entering the church with the sign of the cross, after moistening your fingers with holy water, is an ancient way to cleanse yourself when entering the house of God.

St. Charles Borromeo, who played a large role in shaping the architecture of the Catholic Counter-Reformation, specifies the following rules regarding the shape and size of the bowl for holy water, as well as the material from which it should be made. He writes that it "should be made of marble or solid stone, without pores or cracks. It should rest on a beautifully folded support and be located not outside the church, but inside it, and, if possible, to the right of the person entering." In some churches, mollusk shells are used as bowls - giant tridactna. In modern temples, small containers are often placed in ancient bowls with holy water, in which holy water is located. The meaning of this is purely utilitarian, there is no deep symbolism in this action. Holy water bowls are a must in every temple.

Another element of the church building, which is directly related to the nave, is the baptistery - a place specially designed for baptism. Early baptistries were erected as separate buildings, but later they began to be made in the form of rooms attached directly to the nave. In the old churches, the baptistery bowl is large, designed for immersion of an adult, later the font became much smaller, now it is intended for babies. Usually they have an octagonal shape, indicating the resurrection of Christ on the "eighth day" (Sunday follows Saturday - the seventh day of the biblical week). Thus, the number eight represents a new dawn for the Christian soul. In some centuries it was customary to place the baptismal font directly in the nave. Then she herself acquired the outlines of an octagon.

Religious fine art, associated with the font and the baptistery, is most often based on the story of the baptism of Christ by St. John the Baptist. Another popular image is the dove, representing the Holy Spirit, since baptism is the sending of the Holy Spirit onto the soul of the person being baptized.

Perhaps most often the nave is not complete without benches for sitting, equipped with smaller benches - for kneeling. Benches are usually made of wood and are equipped with a back, and benches are often upholstered with soft cushions. Images can be placed on the side of the benches or on their backs.

Traditionally, the pews are arranged in the same general direction, that is, one after the other, facing the presbytery. In some large churches, where many pilgrims come, pews are made removable or absent altogether. For example, in the Basilica of St. Peter, instead of them, chairs are placed, or the parishioners generally stand. However, this is by no means the norm of Catholic custom, but rather an exception, the reason for which is the need to provide enough space for a huge gathering of people who often attend Masses and other ceremonies.

The pews contribute to making the nave look like a church; they are part of the Catholic heritage and have been known in the West since at least the 13th century, however, then they did not have backs. By the end of the 16th century, most of the Catholic churches under construction had wooden benches with high backs and stools for kneeling. But even before the pews came into use, the faithful spent a significant part of the Mass on their knees and standing, and the pews were set up only for important persons - the kings or lords of the area. In museums with collections of medieval art, you can see these luxurious benches with carved wooden canopies. The beautiful mosaic floor of many old churches is explained precisely by the fact that pews were rarely set up and not for everyone.

As a matter of fact, kneeling has always been a distinctive posture of a participant in Catholic worship - firstly, as a sign of veneration of Christ, and secondly, as a posture expressing humility. We must not forget that the Catholic cult includes both worship before Christ and humility before God. The bench is designed to make both as comfortable as possible. In this capacity, it has become an integral part of the interior of Catholic churches.

Another important part of the nave is the choir. They are intended for those parishioners who are specially trained to lead liturgical singing. For acoustic reasons, the choir stalls are usually located on one of the axes of the building.

In many old churches, the choirs are located in the front of the nave, near the altar, but this was only introduced into the habit in those days when all the singers were clerics. As far as is known, the first city church in which the choirs were organized in this way was the church of St. Clement in Rome, whose enclosed choir (called the schola cantorum) was placed in the nave in the 12th century. But in monastic churches, this custom existed almost six hundred years before, since singing had long been an important part of monastic prayer. Many communities have sung the liturgy for centuries and continue this custom to this day.

Nowadays, since the time of the Counter-Reformation (that is, since the 16th century), the choirs are more often located in the back of the nave, in the gallery. The parishioners sing much better when skillful singers and an organ guide them from behind and from above. The location of the choirs and organ on a raised platform is dictated by acoustical reasons and is intended to enhance the music.

Since singing is perceived primarily by ear, it is not necessary for the members of the choir to be visible to the rest of the congregation. After all, they participate in the Mass as worshipers, and not as artists. Therefore, it is not necessary for us to look at them, but for them - since they are also believers - it is very useful for them to look during the service in the same direction as everyone else - in the direction of the altar of Sacrifice.

For the convenience of the singers, there are chairs for them in the choirs, often they go in rows opposite each other. These chairs can also be works of art, as in the cathedral in Toledo (Spain). Their beauty testifies to the importance attached to music and singing in worship. Most of these seats are reclining.

An lectern - a stand for large liturgical books, is also installed in the choirs. The clergyman standing behind the lectern, who leads the service of the hours, singsongly reads the beginning of the solemn psalm, which is picked up by the choristers.

Around the choirs, one can sometimes see a high fence, patterned or solid, separating the choirs, as well as the altar part from the main nave. On the fence of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, all the main scenes from the life of Jesus are depicted, from birth to Ascension to Heaven.