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Exploring the interior of the Orthodox Church

Orthodox churches may differ in their exterior designs but the interiors are all very much the same. The structure and divisions of the interior, the furnishings, everything that is contained inside the church serves a specific purpose.

If we compare the Christian Church and particularly the Orthodox with the Jewish Temple of Solomon and with the temples of the ancient Greeks, we will see that they present certain similarities but also certain differences.

The Temple of Solomon consisted of three parts: the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant was found; the Nave, where worship was held; and the Vestibule.

An Orthodox Church is also made up of three parts: the Sanctuary, the Nave and the Narthex (Vestibule). But there are basic differences. The Holy of Holies of the Solomon Temple which corresponds to the Sanctuary of the Orthodox Church, was not used for daily worship. Only the high priest could enter and only once a year. The worship was held in the main part of the temple.

The typical ancient Greek temple consisted of three parts: the nave (naos) which housed the statue of the god, and two porches - one in front of the nave and one behind it. The altar on which the sacrifices were offered was outside the nave, in front of the front porch. Sacrifices and gatherings of worship were both held on or around the altar outside the nave. The nave, where the statue of the god or goddess stood, was considered the dwelling of the god and therefore a holy spot; gatherings were forbidden there. Only in special instances were certain persons allowed to enter. Such cases were the changing of the veil on the statue of the Goddess Athena in the Parthenon during the celebration of the feast called "Panathenaea."

In the beginning, the Orthodox Church, too, consisted of three parts. But this resemblance to the ancient Greek temple is merely coincidental. In the ancient Greek temples the two porches were of a decorative nature, but in the Orthodox Christian church all the parts have a functional nature. Each one serves a specific purpose.

The parts of the church were originally three: the Sanctuary, the Nave and the Narthex. Why three?

Some would say: "They symbolized the Holy Trinity." Such an answer is very interesting. No doubt, the Christians of the first centuries had a strong desire in their hearts to symbolize the Holy Trinity. But there was also another practical reason. What was that reason?

The people who participated in the public services of the church were separated into three distinctive groups: first, the clergy, who officiated at the services (bishops, priests, and deacons); second, the laymen, the Christian faithful who attended the services; and third, the catechumens, i.e. the people who wanted to become Christians, who were being taught the Christian faith but who had not yet been baptized.

This is the reason that the Christian church consisted of three parts. Each part was designated for one of the groups of participants in the Divine Liturgy and other church services: the Sanctuary for the clergy, the Nave for the Christian faithful, and the Narthex for the catechumens. In this way, each part of the church served a definite purpose, and the furnishings and decorations have been in accordance with the purpose each one served.