What is more a temple or a cathedral. How a church differs from a temple, cathedral and chapel
10.05.2014
Few people know what is the difference between the meaning of the words "temple" and "church". And many did not even think about such a question.
The temple is a place that serves people who want to pray, perform the required rituals, atone for their sins, just be alone with their faith and find answers to exciting questions. There are several thrones at the altars.
An altar is an altar usually found at the highest point in a temple. His model of Orthodoxy is usually surrounded by iconostases in a circle. The throne is located on the altar; a cross is visible from above. Every day a person can perform a ceremony on the throne only once with a new priest. Therefore, the restoration of churches is a responsible and rather complicated matter.
The church also has an altar. What is the difference in this moment?
1. In the church there is an opportunity to hold several liturgies in one day.
2. But in the church - only one a day.
Initially, the church is a gathering place for people of only one faith. People here can be spiritually enriched, communicate with each other on religious topics, pray for the health of loved ones and for the repose of the departed, find close-minded friends. Priests read sermons, thereby teaching people how to adhere to this faith and how to live by its rule. The altar in the church is always in the east.
The difference of concepts according to other interpretations
The church is a place where people gather who live according to the same principles and traditions. This is not only an ordinary architectural building, but also a religious and public one.
The temple differs from the church and in appearance
The number of domes at the temple and church:
- In the first case, more than three domes (3, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13).
- In the second, there are less than three domes.
In terms of architectural construction, the temple is the Universe, which is oriented to all cardinal directions, and it also tells people about the history of the creation of the whole world. Temples are built in the most popular places for people. In almost every city, in the very center, there is a main temple.
Number of domes. Meaning
Of course, this number was invented for a reason. Each temple has its own history and its own explanation for the number of domes. You can learn about this story from the priests.
But the number of domes does not always tell us that this is a temple, or that we have a church in front of us.
The main difference between these buildings is their purpose and the number of altars inside.
Now we understand that the difference is not the appearance, the size of the building, or the richness of the architecture.
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Freedom of religion in Russia implies the right of everyone to practice whatever religion they want, or not at all. But in any case, knowledge of special terminology is useful for broadening the general horizons, and for in-depth study of the peculiarities of the native country. It is important to understand correctly what is the main significance of the church, it is not for nothing that at all times it has left an imprint on various areas of the state's activity - economy, politics and culture.
Both people who are beginning an Orthodox church life and church-going Christians should have a conscious understanding of those locations, where religious ceremonies are held, about the history of the emergence of their names and role in modern society. This knowledge is insignificant for the salvation of the soul and the acquisition of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it teaches us to interpret the concepts correctly and helps the expectations from participation in worship correspond to the impressions received.
You can often hear the question of how a temple differs from a church or cathedral. From an architectural point of view, the main challenge seems to be the same for everyone. It consists in providing an opportunity for believers to communicate with the Savior and spiritually close laymen. All this is the houses of God, where they bring sincere repentance, ask for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life, thank the Lord for everything and rejoice in his mercies. And what is the difference between a church and a temple, a cathedral and a chapel, will be discussed below.
What is a temple
This term refers to an architectural structure built for the glory of the Lord and used to perform religious rites and conducting services. What does the word "temple" mean? This is the Old Russian "mansion" or "khramina", which was used to refer to large living quarters.
It is believed that the first Orthodox church was the upper room of an ordinary house, in which the Last Supper took place on the eve of the day when Jesus Christ was betrayed by Judas and accepted the sufferings of the Cross. Here the Savior taught the closest disciples the commandments of love and humility, predicted the future of the Christian church and the whole world. Here the first Divine Liturgy or Eucharist took place - the Sacrament of the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.
This laid the foundations for an Orthodox church - a specially designated room for communion with the Lord through prayer meetings and the performance of religious Sacraments. The temple is a sacred place with an altar and an altar, in which the presence of God is most clearly felt. Those who come here can pray, repent of their sins, ask for intercession, communicate with like-minded believers.
The form of the construction of the temple is deeply symbolic and can have one of the following types:
- The ship (basilica) is the most ancient configuration. Figuratively expresses the idea that faith is the ark of the salvation of mankind, sailing into eternity on the raging sea of life.
- The cross is the foundation of the Church, the memory of the crucifixion of Christ, an instrument and means of salvation for the human race.
- The circle is a symbol of eternity, speaks of the infinity and inviolability of the existence of Orthodoxy.
- The eight-pointed star is a shining guiding light of truth in the dark sky of ignorance and delusion. He reminds people of the Star of Bethlehem, which led the Magi to the birthplace of the baby Jesus.
Outside, the temple is crowned with domes with crosses and often has bell tower... The internal space of the room is divided into 3 components:
- the altar where the throne is located;
- the central part, which is the temple;
- vestibule, a special extension.
On the throne in the altar part, the sacrament of communion is performed - the Eucharist, a bloodless sacrifice. The porch is usually located at the entrance, and in the additional inner vestibule, in ancient times, meals were served. The large temple has many altars, for which side-altars are attached. As many liturgies can be performed daily as there are in the church side-altars, and all the Eucharist is brought by different priests.
Each temple is consecrated in someone's honor (Holy Trinity, Savior, Mother of God, holy great martyr or patron saint) and bears the appropriate name: Transfiguration, St. Michael's, etc. Often, side-altars are also dedicated to someone and receive his name, but the whole temple is named in honor of the one to whose glory the main throne is consecrated.
Church concept
The word "church", which in translation from Greek means " house of the Lord", Carries a great semantic load. In the Orthodox tradition, there are two concepts of what a church is:
- Religious building. This is a Christian temple and a cathedral too.
- A religious organization or community of people united by confession, in this case - by faith in Christ.
As a religious building, the church, in comparison with the temple, has a much smaller size and more modest interior decoration: up to 3 domes and 1 shepherd who conducts services. In its only chapel, one liturgy is celebrated per day, and the installation of a throne or pulpit for the primate is not provided at all.
As the main community of all believers, the Church of Christ includes:
- Heavenly Church Triumphant. These are the Mother of God, Angels, saints, the souls of the deceased righteous.
- The Earthly Militant Church. These are all Christians living in the world who fight for the salvation of the soul and the acquisition of the Holy Spirit.
One of the main Orthodox prayers " Symbol of faith”Calls the Church Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. This is a single divine-human gathering of all Christians, living and dead, who have been united by the Gospel Spirit, Sacraments and Grace. Jesus Christ, who established this Church more than 2 thousand years ago and became its leader, invisibly rules the flock, baptizes, confesses and communes the laity and the clergy.
In an architectural sense, the church has the same purpose and the same capabilities as the temple. But in the person of the Orthodox organization and the living community of believers, she plays an important role as a mentor and educator of her spiritual children. If we compare the statements: “Tomorrow at six o'clock in the evening in the church on the square there will be a festive service” and “The Orthodox Church strongly does not approve of same-sex marriages,” then in the first case it is easy to invent and substitute a “temple” instead of the word “church”, and in the second - no.
Features of the cathedral
The name "cathedral" comes from the Old Church Slavonic " meeting"," Congress "and received different semantic meanings in the Christian tradition:
- The Apostolic Council is a meeting in Jerusalem arranged by the apostles and elders in 49 to discuss the conditions necessary for the adoption of pagans to Christianity.
- Church Council - a meeting of representatives of the church to resolve issues of doctrine, discipline of religious and moral life, strategies for leadership of the Christian society.
- The main temple of the area: a monastery or the entire city, where bishops and several priests serve.
- The Cathedral of Saints is an important church holiday, jointly celebrating the exploits of saints who are united historically or geographically.
Usually, one main city or monastery church bears the name of the cathedral, but sometimes there are several of them, since different localities have their own traditions. The main difference between the cathedral and other buildings is its grandiose size. Divine services are held with the participation of at least three priests, and the festive rites are performed by the highest spiritual ranks: patriarchs and archbishops. For this purpose, the chair of the bishop (ruling bishop) is specially set up, and then the cathedral will be called the Cathedral.
The decoration of the cathedral is much more pompous; there can be several altars, as in the temple. When the bishop's chair is transferred to another church, the name “cathedral” is not taken away from the temple, but remains for life. All major Russian cities have magnificent cathedrals carefully preserved. They fascinate the views of tourists who are keenly interested in such sights, and for believers they have long become a place of grace-filled communication with the Almighty.
Definition of a chapel
The chapel is also a room for reading prayers, which is very small in size. There are icons and candles here, but there is no altar and throne, so the celebration of the Liturgies is allowed only in special cases... Chapels are built in cities and villages, on roads and cemeteries, as a rule, in memory of an important moment in the life of believers, which was, for example, the appearance of a miraculous icon or a source.
Summing up the results of the study, we can single out the following main points that briefly summarize all of the above:
- A temple is always an architectural structure, while a church is both a structure, and a religious organization, and a community of followers of a particular cult of religion.
- The church is always unambiguously Christian, and the temple can belong to any denomination, be ancient Greek or Taoist.
- From an architectural point of view, they differ in the number of domes and their location on the map of the area. Temples usually have more than 3 domes and are erected in significant, central areas of the settlements. Churches - less than 3, and can be built on the outskirts.
- Size always matters. The majestic buildings with rich divine services, from which "take your breath away", are popularly called temples. A church, and sometimes a "small church," is a simpler, smaller structure that is designed for a branch. A very small building without an altar is called a chapel, and the main religious buildings are called Cathedrals.
- There may be several altars with thrones in a church, and therefore two or three liturgies are performed here every day. The church has one altar, so this service is performed only once a day.
- To designate any buildings where Orthodox services are held, one can unmistakably say both "temple" and "church". If you need to emphasize the architectural grandeur of a Christian building or talk about a religious building of the ancient Greeks, they say "temple".
Orthodox people are often asked what is the difference between a temple and a church, and is there any? People are interested in the life and charter of the Orthodox Church out of curiosity or trying to understand and comprehend the faith.
In any case, a Christian should know how to answer this question and explain in detail what is the difference between a temple and a cathedral, a chapel and a monastery. The knowledge of this difference will not save the soul, but determines the education of a person in the teaching in which he is.
Differences between a temple and a church
The Russian word "temple", which comes from the Old Russian "chorus" or "temples" - these words used to be called large living quarters. Today this concept has been transformed and already means an architectural building in which divine services and the Sacraments are held.
Prince Vladimir Church in Irkutsk
In its form, which has a certain meaning, it can be:
- by ship - as a symbol of the ark of salvation in the midst of a raging world;
- a cross - in honor of the object on which the death of Christ saved people;
- around - as a symbol of eternity;
- a star - as a symbol of truth.
According to its architecture, the temple has 3 domes and several altars, divided into limits. Usually the temple is named in honor of some saint or holiday.
The word "church" comes from the Greek language (translated as "House of the Lord") and means something much more than a building. Orthodox theology distinguishes 2 meanings of this word:
- a building for worship;
- community of believers in Christ unlimited in time or space.
The church as a building has the following differences from the temple:
But the second meaning, more global and spiritual - a community of people who believe in the Death and Resurrection of Christ and worship one Lord.
Read about Jesus Christ:
This value combines:
- the heavenly Church, which triumphs (the Mother of God, the angels, the host of the saints and the saved);
- the earthly Church that is at war (Christians).
The difference between a cathedral, a monastery and a chapel
There are also the concepts of "cathedral" and "chapel", many think that these are synonymous words, but this is not so.
Kazan Cathedral in Stavropol
A council in its exact meaning is an assembly, but in Orthodoxy it has as many as 4 definitions:
- the Apostolic Council - the first historical meeting of the apostles after the death of Christ in Jerusalem;
- Church Council - a meeting of the highest clergy to determine and control the Orthodox doctrine, tradition and statutes;
- the main temple - i.e. the main temple of the city, in which the chief bishop of the city serves;
- The Cathedral of Saints is a holiday.
The cathedral is decorated with many icons and decorative elements to make it stand out from the number of simple temples.
In addition, he:
- large sizes;
- worship services daily;
- 3 or more priests serve;
- serving the higher clergy;
- there is a throne for the primate.
About famous temples and monasteries:
- Rylsky St. Nicholas Monastery in the Kursk Region
The concept of a chapel means a small structure that serves only for performing prayers and reading akathists in it. Often they are erected in honor of some event, and in ancient times monasteries and temples grew from chapels. There is no altar in it and no liturgy is served.
Chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Rybinsk
The monastery has 2 meanings.
Hello Irina!
The word "temple" is of Old Russian origin and means "mansions", "khramina". In different religions the temple is called differently: in Christianity it is a cathedral, a church, a church, a church; in Judaism - a synagogue; in Islam - a mosque, etc. The building of the temple is polysemantic. In Christianity and Buddhism, for example, the temple is an oriented towards ...
What is the difference: church, temple? The difference between a cathedral and a temple.
The word Sobor comes from the Old Church Slavonic words: congress, meeting. This is usually the name of the main temple in a city or monastery. The cathedral is designed for daily services to God of at least three priests. The services of the highest clergymen are also held here: the patriarch, archbishop, bishop. The significant size of the cathedral allows a large number of parishioners and clergy to gather in one place. Although the area of the cathedral may not differ significantly from an ordinary parish church, it should be calculated so that mainly the festive services will be performed by the clergy from the staff of the temple. Ideally, there should be 12 priests in addition to the abbot - the image of Christ and 12 Apostles.
Cathedrals have their own gradation: monastery, cathedral. The church where the chair of the ruling bishop or bishop is located is called the cathedral. In cathedrals it happens ...
Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko answers:
Hello Irina!
Temple (from Old Russian "mansion", "khramina") - an architectural structure (building), intended for the performance of divine services and religious rites.
The Christian temple is also called the "church". The very word "church" comes from the Greek. Κυριακη (οικια) - (house) of the Lord.
The main church of a city or monastery is usually called a cathedral. Local tradition may not adhere too strictly to this rule, though. So, for example, in St. Petersburg there are three cathedrals: St. Isaac's, Kazan and Smolny (not counting the cathedrals of city monasteries), and in the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra there are two cathedrals: the Assumption and Trinity.
The church where the chair of the ruling bishop (bishop) is located is called the cathedral.
In an Orthodox church, the altar part, where the throne is located, and the meal - a room for worshipers, must be distinguished. In the altar of the temple, on the Throne, it is performed ...
Church of St. John the Evangelist in Kaneo - a typical cross-domed Orthodox church of the Middle Byzantine period
A temple in Orthodoxy is an Orthodox liturgical religious structure with an altar, throne, and dome.
1 History 2 Symbols and structure 3 Stages of development of architectural forms 3.1 Russia 3.2 Bulgaria 4 See also 5 Notes 6 Literature 7 ReferencesEarly Christian architecture, which marked the beginning and formation of architectural forms, which subsequently found a diverse embodiment throughout Europe and the Christian East, was also the last period of ancient architecture, with its characteristic traditions of fine art and the organization of the internal space of the temple. There are two stages in the development of early Christian architecture:
From the emergence to the conferring of official status to Christianity by the Emperor Constantine; from Constantine the Great to the fall of the Western part of the Roman ...
For a believer, visiting a temple is akin to a holiday. He feels the serenity of the soul, the vigor of the body and endless happiness from the possibility of touching something higher. He seeks love, protection and blessings for good endeavors. People pray for healing, for the strengthening of faith and guidance on the true path, for heartfelt joy, for the gift of piety and mercy. However, few of them wondered if there was a difference between the words “temple” and “church”. And if so, what is it.
Although, on the one hand, the temple and the church are synonymous, it is not always possible to replace these words with each other.
The word "temple" is of Old Russian origin and means "mansions", "khramina". In different religions the temple is called differently: in Christianity it is a cathedral, a church, a church, a church; in Judaism - a synagogue; in Islam - a mosque, etc. The building of the temple is polysemantic. In Christianity and Buddhism, for example, the temple is an oriented ...
Everyone decides for himself to believe in God or not, to go to church or not, but knowing the differences in the world of religion is useful for everyone, because, as before, today religion occupies a large place not only in our country, but throughout the entire globe. ...
The temple (from the old Russian "mansion", "khramina") is an architectural structure intended for divine services and the performance of religious rites. The history of the appearance of an Orthodox church dates back to the event when the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples took place in an ordinary residential building, but in a special upper room. Here Christ washed the feet of his disciples and performed the first divine liturgy - the sacrament of transforming bread and wine into his body and blood and talked about the mysteries of the church and the kingdom of heaven. This is how the foundations of the Christian church were laid - a special room for holding prayer meetings, communion with God and performing the sacraments.
What is the Church? The Church does not differ from the Temple ...
If we say "go to church" or "go to temple", then nothing. This is the name of the same thing - the building where the divine services are held. However, the word "church" has a much deeper and broader meaning.
How is a temple different from a church if it is “about buildings”?
So, if we mean exactly the architectural structure where the services are held, then they do not differ in anything: a temple is a church, and a church is a temple. Is that the word "church" is a little more "everyday" definition.
Although sometimes the temple can be so old or among the people (city or village) there is such a reverent attitude towards it that it is impossible to call it a “church”. Even if it is quite small - like this one in Moscow, near the Rizhskaya metro station.
The Church of the Martyr Tryphon in Naprudny (metro Rizhskaya, Trifonovskaya St.) is one of the oldest churches in Moscow. XV century.
However, people who are more immersed in church life prefer to always separate these two concepts for themselves.
The temple is about architecture. And the Church is about the Church as a whole, as about the universal union of believers and saints at all times.
What is the Church?
Initially, the word "Church" meant everything that includes Christianity on earth and in Heaven. This is the unification in eternity of all the saints and ascetics who have ever lived, their prayers, all divine services and religious sacraments - their unification in Christ. They also say: "The Church is the body of Christ."
Icon of All Saints who have pleased God from time immemorial (part of it). In a sense, this is the image of the whole Church.
In addition, under the Church is simply called the association of believers. And it doesn't matter how many people are included in this association - a million or a thousand. As an example, the Russian Orthodox Church, which is part of the Orthodox Church in general. Or some other Churches - whether they are true believers or not. Roughly speaking, having invented your personal teaching and having only one follower, you too can call it all a church.
By the expression “I go to the Orthodox Church,” we say that we are Orthodox, not. Perhaps the phrase "go to church" and not "go to church" comes from this too - the expression seemed to "shrink".
Church of Mikhail Tverskoy and Anna Kashinskaya in Konakovo, Tver region. An example of how a building that was not a temple before was converted into a temple.
What is the difference between a cathedral and a temple?
And this is already a question of size. There is no clear definition here, but in essence a cathedral is a large temple. As a rule, it is so large that it contains not one, but several altars, and it can accommodate many more parishioners than an ordinary village or city church.
Therefore, the cathedral means and the so-called large churches, which on major holidays unite believers who are on "ordinary days" parishioners of other churches.
For example, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior is fully a cathedral, although “officially” it is customary to call it a temple.
Or in monasteries, the cathedral can be a central large temple, where all monks gather for services on Sundays, while on weekdays services can be held in another or several other monastic temples - smaller ones at the same time.
Smolny Cathedral in the name of the Resurrection of Christ in St. Petersburg.
The most famous cathedrals in Moscow, photo
1. Cathedral of Christ the Savior, metro station "Kropotkinskaya ". In general, one of the largest, most spacious and tallest Orthodox churches in the world.
2. St. Basil's Cathedral, Red Square. One of the tourist symbols of the city. Inside there are 11 altars (usually five are considered a lot).
3. Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. It was built at the end of the 15th century and until the revolution was the main, "cathedral", cathedral of the country (In Soviet times, it was the Yelokhovsky Cathedral, and now it is the Cathedral of Christ the Savior).
4. Epiphany Cathedral in Yelokhov, metro "Baumanskaya ". XVII century. From 1917 to 1991 - the main temple of the country.
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