Page 22 - Transylvania : The Wooden Church Reghin 1725

A PLACE WHERE SKY

MEETS EARTH

Orthodox Church represents a visible and During the holy liturgy, the Son of God is perceived to
The unitary image of the Universe, a holistic ascend into a fatidic state on an altar above the heavens
construct of the perceptible and intangible world that where He becomes a symbol of sacrifice to whom believers
encompasses God, the Kingdom of God, and Heavenly pay homage. The altar, therefore, represents a simulacrum
Jerusalem. As such, the Church delineates a universality of beatific Mount Zion and the cosmic center for the holy-
that some people believe guides the historical course communion table, a symbol of Jesus Christ the Saviour. It
of the world. The discernible aspects of the Church is from here, in front of the splendid doors of the altar, that
as a building per se, are designed to correlate with the the priest gives the Eucharist, the consecrated elements of
practice of the holy sacraments. As one passes through the bread and wine, to thirsty and hungry spiritual believers.
entrance and proceeds in the direction of the altar, the holy Those who have received the honorific Eucharist become
experiential religious practices, in conjunction with the hallowed “bearers of Jesus Christ.” In the intimacy of
physical structure and contents, brings one ever nearer to the anterior of the altar and the communion table, those
the Seven Sacraments, the most important and grandiose who have been especially chosen and spiritually prepared,
characteristics of the Church. receive the Priesthood Sacrament according to their rank of
bishop, priest, or deacon.
The fabric of the Church is divided into three main parts:
the vestibule, the space in the forefront of the temple; the Orthodox religion influences the architectural design of
nave or middle part; and the altar or sanctuary, the holiest the Church as well as the decorative painting and sculpture
place in the Church. Each part of the structure and every of the building. It is also the fountainhead of the sacred art of
object within the building signifies special meaning and harmonizing everything with the liturgical mystery and the
purpose. Passage through the renowned doors transports sacramental service, creating an atmosphere of restfulness,
one to a state of spiritual ascendancy on the road that an ambiance that is visualized in the religious paintings
every Christian follows in pursuit of a higher metaphysical of the Church and felt in the continuous presence of the
life. Traversing the vestibule connotates preparedness for holy persons who painted the artworks. The architecture of
entry into the designated middle section of the Church, the Orthodox Church is different from that of the Western
the nave, and being accepted as a denominated member Church as it results from a different kind of spirituality.
of the Church since it is in the vestibule that the first two Lucian Blaga speaks of the essence of the bipolar
sacraments, christening and the rite of confirmation, take spiritualities, East and West, when he emphasizes the fact
place. For baptized members, the sacraments of confession, that the Byzantine church uses the inner architecture of the
extreme unction, and marriage take place in the nave of the church to suggest a ‘meeting’ of man ‘in the midst’ of God.
church. In this sense everything leads towards the altar, the This is not something, he says, that is emphasized in the
honorific place where the temple’s holiness is concentrated structure of Gothic and Roman Churches. The Byzantine
and where “God is keeping his eyes open night and day.” Church’s interior reflects the universe; it is a liturgically
organized cosmos where “Every soul praises the Lord.”
(111 Kings 8, 29.)
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