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Web Site Home - Theology Home - Hierarchy Home - Locations Home - Education Home - Stewardship Home - Links Home - Vendors Home - Alphabetical Index Home - Thesaurus Home - Sitemap Home - Arabic fonts Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information CenterIkonostasis or Ikon screen or Screen with IkonPrint information only (Do not print the Table of Contents)
An Ikonostasis is also called an "Ikon screen" or "Screen with Ikons". An Ikonostasis contains ikons. Yet, through Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ's coming, men are not separated from Holy God Himself as they were before; through Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ we are mystically united to Him. This new relationship is shown by placing icons of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ and the main figures of our salvation-history (The Theotokos, the Holy Apostles and Holy Prophets) not only as a sign of our separation from Holy God, but also as a reminder that it is here that the Kingdom of Heaven meets the earth at the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. Ikonostasis contains:Usually, an Ikonostasis has the Royal Door in the center, four ikons at eye level on the wall, an ikon on each of the two Deacon Doors, and a number of ikons above eye level on the wall.
From the people's left side to the people's right side, usually, an Ikonostasis has four ikons at eye level on the wall:
Why Do We Have Curtains on the Doors of the Ikonostasis?The curtains on the doors of the ikonostasis serve many functions. First of all, like the ikonostasis itself, the curtains remind us that the altar area is the Holy Place, the sanctuary, the Haikal-it is a place set apart for the celebration of the Divine Services, the sanctification of the holy gifts of bread and wine. It is like the Throne Room of God in Heaven (described in the Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament and the Book of Revelation in the New Testament) and like the Sanctuary of the Temple in Jerusalem, because God is present in the Gospel Book on the Holy Table and in the Holy Eucharist. No one enters the altar except to serve the Lord in the preparation or celebration of the Divine Services. Second, the curtains on the Deacon Doors (the side doors) keep the altar servers from being distracted by looking out at the congregation and keep the congregation from being disturbed by the actions of the servers. Third, the curtains remind us that in this life Heaven is not wholly open to us. The curtain of the Holy Doors is open during the Liturgy because in the Liturgy we enter into the eternal worship of Heaven, and the curtains of the Deacon Doors are opened when actions take place that show God coming to His people-the processions with the Holy Gospel and with the Holy Gifts. At all other times, the curtains are closed, just as Heaven is not directly open to us in this life, and because we never enter the Holy Place casually, only to serve the Lord. The Pictures on the sides of the Royal Door
HistoryIkonostasis began as simple ikon stands. Two pieces of wood were placed in front of the santuary. The ikons were placed between the two pieces of wood. As Ikonostasis developed, they became more architecturally complex structures. As Ikonostasis moved into richer areas, they contained more expensive items. More InformationHis Excellency, Bishop Nicholas Samra's PapersHymnography and iconography in the Melkite Church An introduction Please click on the title of the paper. The above article is taken from a conference paper presented by His Excellency, His Excellency, Bishop Nicholas Samra, Titular Bishop Gerasa and Auxiliary Bishop Newton, USA. The American usage and spelling have been maintained. Iconography in the Eastern Church Saint Ann Melkite Catholic Church, West Patterson, NJ Other PapersThe Face of God By Fr. Joseph Hallit Melkite Greek Catholic Church Eparchy of Newton General InformationResource Center Click on Icons Sts. Peter and Paul Melkite Catholic Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada ExamplesAnnunciation (Al Bisharah) Cathedral, Roslindale, MA. Please click on photos, then click on Cathedral From inside Holy Cross Melkite-Greek Catholic Parish, Placentia, CA . Please click on Pictorial, then click on A view of our iconostasis. Holy Transfiguration Melkite Greek-Catholic Church, McLean, VA St. Anne Melkite Greek Catholic Church, West Paterson, NJ St. George Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Sacramento CA St. George Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Milwaukee, WI St. Joseph Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Scranton, Pennsylvania The Pictures on the sides of the Royal Door
Web Site Home - Theology Home - Hierarchy Home - Locations Home - Education Home - Stewardship Home - Links Home - Vendors Home - Alphabetical Index Home - Thesaurus Home - Sitemap Home - Arabic fonts Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center Martha Liles Web URL address: Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center or https://www.mliles.com/melkite/ E-mail: mliles@mliles.com or mliles@mliles.com Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is
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dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles), Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck), and Donna (Donna Bertha Liles Campbell). Bucky fell asleep in
the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000, Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001, and Donna fell asleep in the Lord on March 9, 2020. This site copyright©2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019,2020 Martha Liles. All rights reserved.
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