Year: 1871

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| Gorgeousness and Novelty in Amer
! lea.


From the New York Times.


Now that the plans for church il


New York of the established faith O.
Russia have arrived from St. Peters


burg, it will doubtless be interesting tc
know how a Russian Church is con.
structed, and particularly how the edi-
fee in prospect is to be built, on the LOT
purchased some time ago on Lexington
avenue The Greek or Russian Church
is officially known as the Orthodox
Eastern Church


A Russian Orthodox Church is gen.
orally built in the form of a cross or of
aship. The position Of the edifcei is al
ways from west to east. 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
The second principal division is the
church properly so called, in which the
faithful meet for worship. The third
division consists of an ante-chamber
and porch, which latter is sometimes
called the outer, as the former is desig-
mated the inner ante chamber. The
inner e-chamber was once set apart
for the catechumens and certain peni-
tents. 1t IS sometimes called the trap
ezo Gable or dining halD, because
here in the primitive age of the Church
the love feast of Agapo was held, that
is, meal consisting ofthe gifts brought
by the faithful. In the outer hall for
merly stood the penitents of the lowest
grade, or those usually called Fge2ates.
The first and foremost part of the altar
IS the holy table, This is first covered
with linnen called kdtosorca, and
over this is a light covering called en-
dytiop On the upper surface of the
table, over the c1adytion, is placed the
6Jition, made of silk cloth, and in this
the Bishop places the oaatrineiaas5on.


AS in the temple of the Old Testa-
ment, there were 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 arein the Orthodox
Russian Church, also the tabernacle,
that is, q vessel wherein are placed the
holy gifts for the sick, cross, as the
sign of the eternal priest of our redemp-
ton, and book of gospel, as the de-
pository of his holy law, all of which
are 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 seC1i1io for the clerics
serving with the Bishop. By this is
signified 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 credoz5co tct0J6,
for 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 credence table signi-
ties the stable or the cave-the birth
place-and also the Golgotha, or the
place of the passion and death of our
Lord.


The altar is separated from the
church proper by a wooden partition
called the inconosta, on which are de-
picted the forms of saints. Through
this partition there are three doors
leading from the sanctuary to the altar.
The central one, the largest one and
most holy, is called the kingly, OF the
holy door, in Specification that through
this one the holy OF the Heavenly King
enters into the holy gifts. Onthe altar
side the holy doors are provided with a
movable curtain, the drawing or with
drawing of which has reference to the
important or more important part of
the transaction of the holy table,
Through the holy door only Bishop,
priest or deacon may enter the holy
altar


The holy doors are ever o1namented
with the picture of the annunciation,
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
gelists, because they, like Gabriel, the
archangel, were instrumental in an
nouncing to the world the heavenly
of salvation.


The Russian Chapel in this city is
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.