crucifix) reaching up into the roof. Before all these pictures one sees a great number of lamps hanging.[1] If one goes through the Ikonostasis one comes to the sanctuary (ίερατεῖον); the laity are not allowed here. In the middle stands the altar, a solid square of stone, covered with a linen cloth down to the ground all round. Over the linen cloth is laid a handsomely embroidered silk or velvet covering. Some of the things used in the Holy Liturgy are placed on it, otherwise it stands bare and empty. There is never any sort of retable or reredos; the altar is never pushed up against a wall; there are no crowded candlesticks nor pots of flowers. Certainly the great bare altar, which so obviously has no other purpose than to be used for the holy Sacrifice, looks very dignified and stately. The rule is to have only one altar in each church; although some very large cathedrals have, as a matter of fact, side chapels with altars. The Orthodox also have a curious principle that the altar as well as the priest must be fasting from midnight, that is that no previous liturgy must have been celebrated on it that day. So there is practically never more than one Holy Liturgy each day in their churches. On the north side of the altar is a large credence table called the prothesis (πρόθεσις); on the south side is the Diakonikon, which corresponds to our sacristy, where the vestments and vessels are kept. But it is in no way separated off from the sanctuary. Around the central apse behind the altar are seats for the priests, with the bishop's throne (in every church) in the middle. When the bishop is not present the throne remains, of course, empty.[2]
- ↑ The appearance of a Greek or a Russian ikon is well known. To protect it it is covered with a shield of metal (silver or gilt) on which the outlines of the picture are stamped, but which is pierced to show the face and hands. So one sees what looks like a metal bas-relief with painted (usually almost black) face and hands. But the whole oil-painting (on wood, as a rule) is underneath, and it is possible to persuade the sacristan or priest to take off the shield and to show one the whole picture. Our Lady of Perpetual Succour is a well-known example of a purely Byzantine ikon among us. Unfortunately they are now beginning to paint imitations of Düsseldorf pictures.
- ↑ The principle of having the bishop's throne in every church of his diocese, which waits till he comes to fill it, is again one of the very beautiful and right practices which the comparative conservatism of the Orthodox
