Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1871-11-30
THE RUSSIAN CHURCH.
Desert Ut ion of the Interior of the Rns
sian Church in New York City-Il
GorScousncss md Novelty in Amer
From the New York Times.

From the New York Times.
Now that the plans for a church in
New York Of the established faith of
kussl; have arrived from st. Peters,
burg, it will doubtless be interesting to
know how Russian Church is con-
strurtH.l and particularly how the edi-
flee in prospect is to be built, on the lot
purchased some time ago OH Lexington
avcnne. The Greek or Russian Church
is officially known as the Orthodox
Eastern Church.
A Russian Orthodox Church is gen.
erally built in the form Of a cross or of
aship. The position of the cdifice is al
ways from west to cast. The inner
space Of the church is divided into
three principal parts. In the east is
the alter. An entrance to it is gener-
ally not accorded to persons not set
apart to any service in the church.
Tho second principal division is tine
church properly so called, in which the
faithful meet for worship. The third
division consists Of an ante-chambcr
and a porch, which latter is sometimes
called the outer, as the former is desig-
mated the inner ante chamber The
inner ante chamber was once set apart
foc the catechumens and certain peni-
tents. It is sometimes called the trap
czt (tablc or dining halD, because
here in the primitive age of the Church
the love feast of Agolos was held that
is, a meal consisting ofthe gifts brought
by the faithful. In the cutter hall for
merly stood the pcnitents of the lowest
grade, or those usually called Fycntcs
The first and foremost part of the altar
is the holy table, This is first covered
with a linnen called kotosurco. and
over this is a light covering called en-
dytion. On the upper surface of the
table, over the cnc1ytion, is placed the
iUtion, made of silk cloth, and in this
the Bishop places the cntrim1insion.
AS in the temple of the Old Testa-
ment, there We're in the Holy of Holes,
with the ark also, the golden keys, the
mamma, the rod of Aaron. and the role
Of the law, so there are in the Orthodox
Russian Church, also the tabernacle,
that is, vessel wherein are placed the
holy gifts for the sick, cross, as the
sign Of the eternal priest of our redemp-
tion, and !. book Of gospel, as the de-
pository of his holy law, all of which
arc placed on the holy table.
Behind the holy table toward the
east is erected the throne for the Bish-
op, on both sides of which are side
thrones called the scctiNo for the clcrics
serving with the Bishop BY this is
significd the heavenly seat of Jesus
Christ and His sovereignty in the
Church, and at the same time also the
participation Of His holy Apostles and
their successors. At the north side of
the altar is placed the crcdcncc table,
tor the due preparation on it of the
holy gifts for the celebration of the lit
urgy, which preparation is called the
proskomidie. The proskomidie is the
memorial of the birth and passion of
our Lord, and the crcdence table signi-
Ties the stable or the cave-thc birth
placc-an1 also the Go]gotha, or the
place OF the passion and death of our
Lord.
The altar is separated from the
church proper by Il wooden partition
called the lnconosta, on which are de.
picted the forms Of saints. Through
this partition there are three doors
A''>''i'So A1O1il oA1C ottiCCuttlJ W Gllt ulGdr.
The central one, the largest one and
most holy, is called the kingly, or the
holy door, i'll Specification that through
this one the holy or the Heavenly King
enters into the holy gifts. On the altar
side the holy doors are provided with q
movable curtain, the drawing or with
drawing Of which has reference to the
Important or moro important part of
the transaction OF the holy table.
Through the holy door only a Bishop,
priest or deacon may enter the holy
altar.
The holy doors arc ever olnamented
with the picture Of the ann,nciation,
slgnfying that through the incarnation
OF God, the Word, heaven was first
opened for the redemption of man; and
also with the picture Of the four evan
Gclists, because they, like Gabriel, the
archangel, were Instrumental in an
nonncing to the world the heavenly
message of salvation.
The Russian Chapel in this city is
established chiefly for the Imperial en-
bassy, and for the Russians Of the city
OF New York, but all persons may at
tend in SO far as space permits.