Liturgy and Space
In considering the relationship of
architecture and liturgical practice, we may begin by pondering the definition
of liturgy, and the role of art in worship. The word ÒliturgyÓ comes from the
Greek ÒleitourgeoÓ which is compounded from ÒlaosÓ (people), and ÒergonÓ
(work). Literally, it means Òwork
of the peopleÓ. Thus it may be
said that in its primary sense liturgical practice is work as an effort of the
people of God to commune with Him. Worship is the most important activity of
Christians and therefore should be the focus of our creative endeavors,
whichever form those take.
Viewed from this perspective,
ecclesiastical art has the potential to become the highest expression of human
creativity. If the liturgy, the Eucharistic assembly, is the supreme activity
of Christian life, then every aspect of it – movement, hymnody, music,
art, and space – assumes transcendental character, assisting man in the
ultimate experience of communion with the divine.
"Church entrusts art with a mediating role, analogous, we
might say, to the role of the priest or, perhaps better, to that of Jacob's
ladder descending and ascending. Art is meant to bring the divine to the human
world, to the level of the senses, then, from the spiritual insight gained
through the senses and the stirring of the emotions, to raise the human world
to God, to his inexpressible kingdom of mystery, beauty, and life. [É]The fine
arts are rightly classed among the noblest activities of man's genius; this is
especially true of religious art and of its highest manifestation, sacred art.
Of their nature, the arts are directed toward expressing in some way the
infinite beauty of God in works made by human hands. Their dedication to the increase of God's praise and of His
glory is more complete, the more exclusively they are devoted to turning men's
minds devoutly towards God." [1]
If
we therefore study ecclesiastical architecture as the organization of physical
space which supports the very essence of the liturgical process, that of
transformation of the mundane into the sacred, then we may begin to understand
how the most successful church buildings appear to transcend limitations of
material reality. As Christos Yannaras writes in his book The Freedom of
Morality, Òthe
worship of the Church is art: it is the work of a communal use of material reality, building
and shaping the earthÕs material so as to render it capable of serving life,
that existential fullness of life which is communion and relationship.Ó[2]
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Church architecture should be primarily considered in the
context of art of shaping space around ritual, as it is first and foremost
the liturgical rites of the church that determine the shape and organization
of the church building. In the words of Pope John Paul II, Òthe temple is an
architecturally defined space where God proper meets Man proper.Ó |
Cathedral of the Dormition, Moscow
Kremlin, Russia |
An interesting fact to consider is that in the English language
the words ÒtempleÓ and ÒcontemplationÓ derive from the same Latin root ÒtemplumÓ.
The temple can be understood as the space for contemplating the divine. As St.
Symeon of Thessalonica wrote, ÒSplendor of the temple signifies the beauty of
paradise, therefore the Divine temple pictures paradise or better to say
presents the paradise heavenly gifts... In the beginning of prayers we stand
outside of the temple as if outside paradise or heaven itself. And when the
songs are finished and the gates open we enter the Divine temple like paradise
or heaven. It means that heavenly dwellings are open to us and we got access to
the Holy of Holies, we ascend to the light and approach the throne of the
Lord...Ó[3]
During the liturgical service, clergy and faithful
concelebrate the Eucharist. Therefore the space itself should complement the
act of celebration of the gathered community. All parts of this space, all
material objects and all physical activities are organized to the common
purpose. Here we may regard the ancient Russian concept of ÒsobornostÕÓ –
communal consciousness in church art and architecture. The principle of ÒsobornostÕÓ
defines church building and art as an expression of communal consciousness of
the Orthodox Church. The church building is a synthetic one, because it
fulfills the function of synthesizing art, ritual and music. In a way it may be
regarded as an attempt on the part of the people to define our physical
environment so that it may assist us in touching the mystery of the communion with
our Creator.
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In ancient Russian architectural practice the ultimate
goal of ecclesiastical planning was described through the concept of Òstroinoe
mestoÓ – Òa place congenial to building [É] whereby a building place
was chosen in relation to the whole worldÓ[4]. The word itself is related to ÒstroitÓ
(to build) and ÒstroinyÓ (graceful) and shows an understanding of a building
as a graceful and harmonious whole, a building as part of the created world. |
ÓA building as part of the created worldÓ –
Church of the Intercession on river Nerl, Russia |
Given this, we may consider the church building as a
theological statement. We will then see that in its spatial structure, its iconographic
scheme and the organization of its furnishings, the church is a theological
cosmogram. Its interior is designed to convey the unity of the universe in God.
Therefore, if the building acts as a microcosm, then its parts do not act
independently of each other, but rather convey the harmony, unity and sanctity
of GodÕs world.
Inside the body of a church building, there exists a dynamic
relationship between the narthex, nave and sanctuary. The nave is potentially the sanctuary, the sanctuary is the
nave in action. St. Symeon writes
that "the fact that the Church has two parts, sanctuary and nave,
represents Christ, who is both God and man, the other invisible, the other
visible. Similarly it represents
man who is both soul and body. [É]The scheme of the divine temple also teaches
regarding earth, heaven and the heaven above the heaven; the prenave teaches of
the earth, the nave teaches of heaven, and the things of the heaven above
heaven are taught by the most holy bema (altar)..."[5] And in the words of St. Maximus the
Confessor, Òthe nave is the sanctuary in potency by being consecrated by the
relationship of the sacrament toward its end, and in turn the sanctuary is the
nave in act by possessing the principle of its own sacrament, which remains one
and the same in its two parts.Ó[6]
If we now consider dynamic organization of the church
building, we shall see that it follows the axes of theologically significant
directions. In
the horizontal plane, our movement during the liturgy proceeds from the outside
through the narthex, the world, into the nave, the body of the church, and
towards the altar, where the focal points of the worship – the veneration
of the icons and the Eucharistic communion – are taking place. The
building should then be organized in such a way that there is a natural ÒdrawÓ
toward the heart of the mysteries, the focus of attention and desire.
While we may say that the horizontal axis is directing the
movement of the body, there is also a vertical axis which commands the movement
of the spirit. The beauty and otherworldliness of Heaven is beckoning to the
worshipper and filling him with longing and joy.
If we regard the different elements that are combined in the
attempt to create the dynamic character of the experience of the building, we
shall see that none are as important as light. Ironically, this is one element
of the building that ideally is not created by man, and its successful implementation in the
architecture may be regarded as the supreme accomplishment of manÕs collaboration
with nature. The relationship of the created ÒnaturalÓ light to the uncreated
Light of God, as well as its natural beauty and warmth, are nowhere as keenly
experienced as in the church. One is only to think of the giant dome of Hagia
Sophia in Constantinople which appears to float on the ring of small windows;
the Cross of the Church of the Light in Tokyo; the glorious glow of the mosaics
in the dome of the Florentine Baptistery and the light well on its top; the
mosaics of St. Sophia in Kiev and the frescoes of the Cathedral of Dormition in
Moscow that seem to float over the darkness of the lower church; and of every
church building where the spirit is awed and soars at the same time as one
moves through the space. It is the reminder of Òthe lightÓ that Òshines in the
darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. Ò[7]
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Yet another important part of experience of church
architecture is not in what the building is filled with, but what is not there – the empty space pregnant
with presence of the divine. In
every great church building there is emptiness - not of the sort of hollow,
lonely nothingness, but rather Òsilence, clarity, and transparency. Emptiness may
resound without sound, may be filled by its potential to be filled, and make
open what is completeÉÓ[8] |
ÉÓsilence, clarity and transparencyÓ – Tadao
Ando, Church of the Light, Japan |
This kind of emptiness conveys readiness, expectation and, again,
desire to be filled with the sublime presence. The building does not have to be
enormous for that, but it does need to be generous, and refrain from the
temptation of becoming overdecorated and overcrowded.
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When one enters a great church, oneÕs experience of the
space is inevitably a transcendent one, humbling even the faithless people.
One stands in awe of GodÕs glory ever-present among men, and worshipped in
His house. The Russian emissaries to Constantinople who had stood in the nave
of Hagia Sophia reported to Prince Vladimir upon their return: Òwe knew not
whether we were in heaven or on earth. For on earth there is no such splendor
or such beauty, and we are at a loss how to describe it. We only know that
God dwells there among men.Ó[9] |
Mystery and awe – the 13th century
mosaics in the dome of the Florence Baptistery |
ÒTruly the church is Heaven upon
earth; for where the throne of God is, where the awful sacraments are celebrated,
where the angels serve together with men, ceaselessly glorifying the Almighty,
there is truly Heaven. And so let us enter into the house of God with the fear
of God, with a pure heart, laying aside all vices and every worldly care, and
let us stand in it with
faith and reverence, with understanding attention, with love and peace
in our hearts, so that we may come away renewed, as though made Heavenly; so
that we may live in the holiness natural to Heaven, not bound by worldly
desires and pleasures.Ó[10]
ÒAfter these things I looked, and
behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was
like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, ÔCome up here, and I will show you
things which must take place after this.Õ Immediately I was in the Spirit; and
behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there
was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow
around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four
thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white
robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne
proceeded lightenings, thunderings, and voices.
Seven lamps of fire were burning
before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. Before the throne there
was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around
the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The
first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf,
the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature
was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were
full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: ÔHoly,
holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!Õ Whenever the
living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne,
who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who
sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their
crowns before the throne, saying: ÔYou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and
honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and
were created.ÕÓ[11]