www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Icons & Iconography Before the Iconostasis

Glory to Jesus Christ!
Glory to Him Forever!

Dear Friends,

Thanks, for the info. Protestants like to ask the the following question, "Why does the Eastern Church seperate their altar area from the sanctuary, when the seperation in the old Jewish temple was destroyed at the death of Christ. Why put it back up?" How should I answer this? Thanks.

A sinner,

Adam

I think the tearing of the curtains when Jesus died had a lot to do with the covenant. That the Old Covenant is ripped down and joined with the New Covenant. The tearing down of the Temple and rebuilt it in Three Days...that's His way of putting out of the old and putting in with the new...fulfilling the Old Covenant with the New.

I don't know if I'm making any sense. But I had a sense of that is what it's about.

SPDundas
Deaf Byzantine who may be clueless as well.

Adam, as regards the churches of the Byzantine traditon, both Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Rite Catholic, the iconostasis should not be seen as a wall of separation but as a bridge from earth to Heaven. Its function is to join both together, IOW; it does not separate or divide: it unites. This is a simplistic answer, but one which your Protestant friends may understand.

OrthodoxEast

Michael,

Slava Isusu Christu! Slava Na Viki!

I never made it to Ravenna. I too have heard the Byzantine influence is intense in that part of Italy.

Yes, the flood of folks into the narthex after Divine Liturgy is something else. One almost needs Moses to part the Red Sea to pass to the other side.

We look forward to liturgy all week. For a few hours each Sunday, we are privileged to pass into heaven in our church. How blessed we are. I can't wait for the joy of Pascha!

John

See drawing of Byzantine chancel screen (click on link).

http://www.byzantines.net/epiphany/iconostasis.htm

Any comments?

In Christ Jesus Our Lord,

Paul

An excellent link - just a pity that the cathedral in Atlanta looks like a crematorium. The marble paved area before the ikonostas really does create an aesthetic and mental barrier between the altar and the people in a way that ikonostas doesn't.

Spasi Khristos -
Mark, monk and sinner.

Brethren,

My understanding has been that the iconostasis primarily came into use following the legalization of Christainity. With hordes of people flooding the churches and crowding the altar, the celebrants found it to be necessary in order to maintain good order.

In Christ,
Andrew.