www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization Church Architecture

"Now if we can only decide between Pskov and Novogorod styles. Any suggests.
Father Vladimir"


I didn't know we had any "Russian" Byzantine Catholic Churches in Ohio. How about Carpathian or Ukrainian styles that Greek Catholics used?

Joe

I prefer our churches that resemble a "U-Stor-It" facility with aluminum siding, and a tiny gold onion dome on top.


:rolleyes:

Dear Friends,

What I find interesting is the difference in approach between Ukrainian WWII immigrants and others in terms of preference for church building.

One of our oldest parishes is a "converted" Presbyerian Church (no pun actually intended).

Inside, the Church of St Nicholas reflects the true glories of the Byzantine-Slavonic tradition.

But outside - Eh!

Of course, it would have been next to impossible to add cupolas etc. Much later, the "Kozak Baroque" style church of the Holy Protection was built and truly does reflect an "Old Country" feel.

I believe this question was asked before, but what exactly is the precise symbolism of the cupola?

Is it traditional for Byzantine Ruthenian and Ukrainian churches to have the three bar Cross on the cupola?

God bless,

Alex

Hey I got an idea!

Why don't we buy an old oil container used by an Oil Refinery and put some TV screens (Flat Screens) all around.

Then we will put some chairs around the circle.

On top we will put a Star of the American Road (Texaco). We hang Florasent lights with modern design. Then we will carpet (light blue) small area and place a thin wooden table (we will use for the altar). The inside and outside can be painted yellow for harmony (sort of a New Age kinda thing). We will not allow any Icons or religious items in the Building (don't want to distract the people from the TV screens).

We can make it a new Catholic Church. Wow, it would be so beautiful!

I tell you that kinda church will really pack them in. People will want to drive for miles to go to our Church. Once inside they will really get a spiritual experence as they watch the TV screens. Before the liturgy we can place Ads from local businesses to raise money for new Churches that we are going to buy from old Oil Refineries. I can see it now Walmart TV ads for Holy Water containers. Ok time for the Liturgy!

This is the kind of Church we should be building!

Let's get started!

Oh Wait! The Church is already stole my idea! Darn it!

Oh I hope they keep building these Churches even after our Bishop resigned. Maybe the new Bishop will want to build more Churches like this. Maybe we can Re-Model the Vatican like this and Re-Model some of those old wooden Slavic Churches in the Carpathanians. You know we need to keep up with modern times.

Just a thought!

Dear +Ray,

Oh, I see you were just kidding . . . Whew!

You gave me a real scare there for a moment!

It was kind of like how I felt when I saw "Independence Day" and at first thought it was a documentary . . .

Alex

I am working on a theory of how and why some members of the Catholic Church are doing this. Once I work it out in my head I will start a new thread...

Dear +Ray,

Why? I'll tell you why ...

God made man in His own Image and Likeness.

And now man is returning the favour . . .

Alex

Alex,

So, what you are saying is God Wants Oil Tanks as Churches?

Dear +Ray,

No, God doesn't.

He has them though, "tanks" to some men's ill-advised schemes .

Alex

I think that the way we design and "appoint" our churches inside is done for us, and God, but what they look like on the outside may be the only message we can transmit to those people who will never meet any of us nor come inside.

Do our church exteriors show Him in whom we believe? Do they reflect His glory and love?

What does our now-de rigeur nondescript, aluminum-siding warehouse church design say to those outside who may never see the inside of our church or meet us? We might as well be worshipping in a Protestant meeting hall.

Dear RichC,

Extremely well put!

What you said should be the defining paradigm for Church structure!

Ukrainians are great, aren't they?

Alex

RichC,

AMEN!

Dear +Ray,

And when you think about it, it was because of the grandeur of the Church buildings and their richly appointed interiors that led St Volodymyr of Kyiv to accept Christianity from Byzantium.

"We didn't know whether we were in Heaven or on Earth," his advisors told him when they got home.

Alex