Orthodox Church - History, Symbolism, Style

Many people who come to an Orthodox church do not always understand what is in its various parts, nor do they understand the purpose of certain liturgical items. By reading this book, you will be able to navigate freely in the church space, understand its purpose and the symbolism of its individual parts. From this book, you will learn:
• Is the altar of the church always oriented to the east,
• What is the "burning Gehenna",
• Why is the Last Judgment depicted on the western wall of the church,
• How to find the church icon,
• Why an iconostasis and wall paintings are needed in the church interior and how to "read" the information contained in their structure,
• What is a narthex, choir, and analogion,
• Why is entry to the altar forbidden to everyone except clergy,
• What does an antimins look like.
Additionally, the book contains information about what the Tabernacle represented; what Solomon's Temple might have looked like; how the Roman basilica influenced the development of the Christian church; why early Christians held services in the underground Roman catacombs; what the difference is between "Peter's" and "Elizabethan Baroque"; how the Russian style of the 19th century differs from the Neo-Russian style of the modern era, and much more.