February 17, Dear Reverend Fathers, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Glory to Jesus Christ!

Transcription

1 Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA Consistory Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry Natalie Kapeluck Nixon Director 1810 Sidney Street Pittsburgh, PA fax February 17, 2008 Dear Reverend Fathers, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Glory to Jesus Christ! The Great Lent Giveaway(GLG) is designed to give our youth the opportunity to do good works for others during Great Lent. In addition to doing good works, they learn more about their faith and devote additional time to learning, prayer and fasting during this season of preparation for Pascha. The GLG is a joint project with the Jr. Ukrainian Orthodox League. With the blessing of our Hierarchs, the GLG of 2008 will benefit the Interior Appointments Fund for the Chapel at All Saints Camp. The monies collected will be designated for six sets of altar boy robes. Monies collected above and beyond the needed amount will go into the general appointments fund. You will find in this packet a suggested program for conducting the GLG. If you used the program last year we have an updated activity for this year. We encourage you to construct a program using these materials, as well as your own ideas, to make the GLG more than just a fundraising effort. A program that is carried out throughout Great Lent will help the youth of your parish more fully understand the importance and beauty of mission work during fasting periods. This program may be used any time throughout the year, not just during Great Lent. Please modify it for your needs. In an effort to reduce consumption of resources and live a better caretakers of our Lord s creation, the program is available in one of two ways: 1. Downloadable on-line at - Offices of Ministry Office of Youth Ministry 2. Requesting a printed version from the Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry Please send us feed back concerning our new distribution method at uocyouth@aol.com or by phone at In Christ s Love, Natalie Kapeluck Nixon Director Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Proverbs

2 Patrick Scannell, President Clover Dr., Vestal, NY SPIRITUAL ADVISOR Rev. John Haluszczak 2828 Wohleber St. Pittsburgh, PA ADVISOR Melanie Nakonachny Ridgewood Dr. #507 Parma Hts., OH VICE PRESIDENT Nicholas Anderson 908 Stewart Rd Salem, OH RECORDING SECRETARY Emily Kominko 5320 Pine Ridge Oval Independence, OH CORRESPONDING SECRETARY Natasha Walewski 95 Delfred Dr. Carnegie, PA FINANCIAL SECRETARY David Koroczynsky 1803 Lynn Mar Ave. Youngstown, OH TREASURER Michael Nemeth 2103 Grace Lane Flourtown, PA Dear Reverend Fathers, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Glory to Jesus Christ! I am writing to you all concerning the annual Great Lent Giveaway. This project is designed to give the youth of our church an opportunity to do good works during this important time of year: Great Lent. Enclosed in this mailing is some information to help you prepare and accomplish your chapter s project. All of this years proceeds will be given to the All Saint s Camp Chapel to purchase altar boy robes. We strongly encourage your participation in this event and pray that it will be a successful one as well; full of prayer, fasting and preparation for Pascha. This year, as in the years before, the Office of Youth Ministry along with the Jr. UOL will head the Great Lent Giveaway. It is my pleasure to help you in any way I can. Thank you once again for your constant support and dedication to the youth of our church. Your collected funds may be sent to me up until the UOL Convention at: 95 Delfred Drive Carnegie, PA In Christ s Love, Natasha Walewski Jr. UOL Corresponding Secretary

3 GREAT LENT GIVEAWAY Chapel Challenge Consistory Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA Jr. Ukrainian Orthodox League of the USA 2008 Benefiting the Appointments Fund for the Chapel at All Saints Camp Objective: To instill in our youth the true meaning of Great Lent by: 1. Introducing the beauty and responsibility of mission work 2. Learning more about their faith 3. Discovering the beauty and theology of Orthodox Architecture 4. Witnessing to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ through glorifying His House with iconography GLG Project: Collecting funds for the Iconography Fund for the Chapel at All Saints Camp. About the Organization: All Saints Camp was purchased in 1977 by the Consistory of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA to provide a safe environment for the youth and faithful or our Holy Orthodox Church to gather together. The realization of the dreams and prayers of many to glorify God, by erecting a church on this property is finally being realized. Completion of the building will be in the spring/summer of 2008 with the installation of the first phase of iconography. The date for consecration of the chapel is June 22, For information about the consecration celebration contact Fr. Dn. Ihor and PM Ira Mahlay at imahlay@yahoo.com. Steps for initiating and sustaining the Great Lent Giveaway throughout Great Lent this program may be divided into several sessions or one retreat: 1. Gather the youth to discuss the Great Lent Giveaway. What is Great Lent, why do we fast, what is the purpose of Great Lent? What is the importance of mission work? What does performing mission work have to do with Lenten periods? There is information provided in this packet to help answer all of the above questions. Incorporate these ideas with the objective of the Great Lent Giveaway. At this gathering you will want to decide how you will raise the funds. Review the items provided concerning the Iconography Fund. 2. With the participants, devise a game plan as to how you will accomplish your goals. 3. Establish with the participants a weekly time to gather (once or more) and learn more about the Church Architecture, Icons, Church appointments, prayer and discuss progress with the collection. 4. Collect and forward the donations to the Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry or the National Jr. UOL (or your designated location). Great Lent Giveaway Jr. Ukrainian Orthodox League Office of Youth Ministry Natasha Walewski 1810 Sidney Street 95 Delfred Drive Pittsburgh, PA Carnegie, PA Wrap up the project and have a celebration event with the youth on St. Thomas Sunday you may continue sending in your collections until July 28, 2008.

4 PROGRAM IDEAS GREAT LENT GIVEAWAY 2008 CHAPEL CHALLANGE: Younger Children Ages 4 7 Total time needed for session 1 hour fifteen minutes or split into several sessions. Items Needed: Copies of the handouts one per child 11 x 17 Poster Board two per child Crayons, colored pencils, or markers Mod Podge or Elmers Craft Glue sticks or paint brushes to glue with Dry Erase Board or chalk board Icons of Christ, Theotokos and other Saints and Angels (these can be found of Icon Cards or cut out of catalogs. They should be no larger that 3 x 5. There needs to be enough for each child to make a complete iconostas. The icons for each child do not have to be exactly the same. However, they must have the correct icons to compete the project ie. One of Christ, One of the Theotokos, etc. Preparation Make copies of all needed handouts Draw the outline of an Iconostas on a poster board for each child Have paper Icons pre-cut for use during the lesson The Program Begin your session in prayer. Pass out the handouts about Church Architecture and Iconography for this age group you may choose to paraphrase the lesson or change it as you feel is appropriate for your audience. Many in this age group may not be strong readers. Begin to review the handouts discussing the information. You may want to conduct this section of the lesson in the church building, so that you may point out and discuss what is being learned Once you have reviewed the information, take the children outside. Tell them that they have ten minutes to decide what shape your parish was constructed in and determine how many domes you have. When the ten minutes are complete have them return to your meeting place. Have children give their guess. Give them the correct answer. Then help them draw the correct shape on their poster board. You may want to make several cut out forms that they can trace. Then give them the correct answer of domes. Have them write this down or help them to write it down. Now proceed with the handouts to discover the parts of the inside of the church. Help them to identify this on their diagrams. You may want to have these names pre-printed from the computer and then they could paste them in the correct location. Change gears at this point. Proceed back to the church to look at your iconostas. Review the icons and the placement of each one. Refer to the Youth Leader Guide for the correct layout of an iconostas. Discuss the icons in your parish. If your priest is able to be there for the lesson, ask him to discuss the iconography of your parish. Now show them the brochure from All Saints Camp that shows the new Chapel. Ask them to decide the shape of the chapel and to guess how many domes it will have. (It is built in the shape of a cross and will have three domes.)

5 At this point give children their second piece of poster board. Explain to them that they will be making their own Iconostas that they can take home to place in their prayer corner. It will be a special reminder to help devote more time to prayer during Great Lent and to pray for the completion of the chapel, the iconography and all those who work and donate for its completion. Before beginning say a prayer with the children that their work may be for God s Glory. Help the children choose their icons and begin gluing them into the proper places. When they are done they may add color to the lines you already had with gold, brown, or silver crayons or markers. As the children work, discuss how all that we do should Glorify God. His House is not only a place of worship but a place fit for Him to live. The Church should be as if we are in Heaven with our Father. Provide the children with the list of who to give up extra prayers for during Great Lent: o Metropolitan Constantine, Archbishop Antony o The All Saints Camp Committee o The Camp Manager Stephen Sheptak o The Chapel Builders and Planners o The Chapel Iconographer Michael Kapeluck o The People Donating to the completion of the Chapel At this point, discuss with the participants how they may be able to raise funds for the Chapel at All Saints Camp. Take their suggestions and tell them that you will let them know soon what the project will be. You may also want to ask the participants how they may help to Glorify God during Great Lent by taking care of their own parish. Take their ideas and discuss them with your Parish Priest and Church Council. Some ideas may include: The children helping to clean the church during Great Lent on a weekly basis or during Holy Week The children helping to adorn the church with flowers of Great Friday (if that is your custom) The children helping to change the clothes to white and return the Rushnyny in the church during the Great and Holy Saturday Liturgy. This is a beautiful service and a wonderful way for them to participate in Holy Week. They may help to prepare the outside grounds for Holy Week, clean, weed, and/or plant flowers. Complete the day with a prayer. You may have time for the participants to share a meal or play some games. If you hold the session on a Saturday, you may have it planned for all to attend Great Vespers together. If you choose to hold the session during the beginning of Great Lent, perhaps they could coincide with one of the many services. Once you have all of the suggestions from all age groups, determine the best way to raise the funds. Set a plan, schedule date, etc. and then provide all of the needed information to the participants and their parents for the fund raising. Page 2 GLG 2008 Younger Children Session

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7 Great Lent Giveaway 2008 Chapel Challenge Older Children Ages 8 12 Total time needed for session 2 hours or split into several sessions. Items Needed: Copies of the handouts one per child 11 x 17 Poster Board two per child 2-4 Large White Poster Board Crayons, colored pencils, or markers Mod Podge or Elmers Craft Glue sticks or paint brushes to glue with Dry Erase Board or chalk board Icons of Christ, Theotokos and other Saints and Angels (these can be found of Icon Cards or cut out of catalogs. They should be no larger that 3 x 5. There needs to be enough for each child to make a complete iconostas. The icons for each child do not have to be exactly the same. However, they must have the correct icons to compete the project ie. One of Christ, One of the Theotokos, etc. Preparation Make copies of all needed handouts Draw the outline of an Iconostas on a poster board for each child Copy the Vocabulary Word Sheet for at least 2 Teams and up to 4. Cut out the words. Have scotch tape ready for each team. On each of the large poster boards, create an outline of your church from an areal view. We will provide an example. Have paper Icons pre-cut for use during the lesson The Program Begin with the prayer to the Holy Spirit, O Heavenly King. Take the vocabulary words: Nave, Vestibule/Narthax, Sanctuary, Iconostas, Altar, and Tetropod provided with this lesson copy one set per team, cut them out. Break the children into groups of six, if possible. Explain to them that they will have one minute to put the correct definition on the correct section of the church outline. Have them line up one behind the other facing the wall. They may run up, one at a time and place only one definition to a location on the outline. They must then run back and tag the next person. They then go to the end of the line. They continue with this until all definitions have been placed. When they are finished they must sit. The first team to complete the exercise correctly wins. If they do not get all of the answers correct, they may continue with the game changing their answers, until they are correct. You may tell them that they have four answers correct, but do not tell them which ones. When they are done, review the vocabulary words and answer any questions. Pass out the handouts about Church Architecture and Iconography. Begin to review the handouts discussing the information. Begin to review the handouts discussing the information. You may want to conduct this section of the lesson in the church building, so that you may point out and discuss what is being learned.

8 Once you have reviewed the information, take the children outside. Tell them that they have ten minutes to decide what shape your parish was constructed in and determine how many domes you have. When the ten minutes are complete have them return to your meeting place. Have each child give their guess. Give them the correct answer. Then help them draw the correct shape on their poster board. You may want to make several cut out forms that they can trace. Then give them the correct answer of domes. Have them write this down or help them to write it down. Now proceed with the handouts to discover the parts of the inside of the church. Help them to identify this on their diagrams. You may want to have these names pre-printed from the computer and then they could paste them in the correct location. Change gears at this point. Proceed back to the church to look at your iconostas. Review the icons and the placement of each one. Refer to the Youth Leader Guide for the correct layout of an iconostas. Discuss the icons in your parish, they may not follow exactly the model for an iconostas. If your priest is able to be there for the lesson, ask him to discuss the iconography of your parish. Now show them the brochure from All Saints Camp that shows the new Chapel. Ask them to decide the shape of the chapel and to guess how many domes it will have. (It is built in the shape of a cross and will have three domes.) At this point give children their second piece of poster board. Explain to them that they will be making their own Iconostas that they can take home to place in their prayer corner. It will be a special reminder to help devote more time to prayer during Great Lent and to pray for the completion of the chapel, the iconography and all those who work and donate for its completion. Before beginning say a prayer with the children that their work may be for God s Glory. Help the children choose their icons and begin gluing them into the proper places. When they are done they may add color to the lines you already had with gold, brown, or silver crayons or markers. As the children work, discuss how all that we do should Glorify God. His House is not only a place of worship but a place fit for Him to live. The Church should be as if we are in Heaven with our Father. Ask the children whom they may give extra prayers for during Great Lent. Provide the children with this list of special people to pray for during Great Lent: o Metropolitan Constantine, Archbishop Antony o The All Saints Camp Committee o The All Saints Camp Manager Stephen Sheptak o The Chapel Builders and Planners o The Chapel Iconographer Michael Kapeluck o The People Fundraising and Donating for the completion of the Chapel At this point, discuss with the participants how they may be able to raise funds for the Chapel at All Saints Camp. Take their suggestions and tell them that you will let them know soon what the project will be. Page 2 GLG 2008 Older Children Session

9 You may also want to ask the participants how they may help to Glorify God during Great Lent by taking care of their own parish. Take their ideas and discuss them with your Parish Priest and Church Council. Some ideas may include: The children helping to clean the church during Great Lent on a weekly basis or during Holy Week The children helping to adorn the church with flowers of Great Friday (if that is your custom) The children helping to change the clothes to white and return the Rushnyny in the church during the Great and Holy Saturday Liturgy. This is a beautiful service and a wonderful way for them to participate in Holy Week. They may help to prepare the outside grounds for Holy Week, clean, weed, and/or plant flowers. Complete the day with a prayer. You may have time for the participants to share a meal or play some games. If you hold the session on a Saturday, you may have it planned for all to attend Great Vespers together. If you choose to hold the session during the beginning of Great Lent, perhaps they could coincide with one the many services. Once you have all of the suggestions from all age groups, determine the best way to raise the funds. Set a plan, schedule date, etc. and then provide all of the need information to the participants and their parents for the fund raising. VOCABULARY Nave the main body of the Church Building. Vestibule/Narthax the first part of the church building, immediately after the entrance. Sanctuary usually the most eastern part of the church building, behind the iconostas. Iconostas the partition which separate the sanctuary from the have. Altar the holy table that symbolizes the Holy Throne of God, Mt. Golgotha where Christ was crucified and the Tomb of the Savior. Tetropod - icon stand/table. Page 3 GLG 2008 Older Children Session

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12 Great Lent Giveaway 2008 Chapel Challenge Teenagers Total time for the session: 2.5 hours or split into several sessions Items Needed: Copies of the handouts one per participant 11 x 17 Poster Board two per participant Crayons, colored pencils, or markers Mod Podge or Elmers Craft Glue sticks or paint brushes to glue with Dry Erase Board or chalk board Icons of Christ, Theotokos and other Saints and Angels (these can be found of Icon Cards or cut out of catalogs. They should be no larger than 3 x 5. There needs to be enough for each child to make a complete iconostas. The icons for each child do not have to be exactly the same. However, they must have the correct icons to compete the project ie. One of Christ, One of the Theotokos, etc. Items to build a prayer corner ( if you choose to do this project). Copies of Icon Corner How To Preparation Make copies of all needed handouts Draw the outline of an Iconostas on a poster board for each participant or with this group allow them to draw their own Have paper Icons pre-cut for use during the lesson The Program Begin with the prayer to the Holy Spirit, O Heavenly King. Break up those present into two groups. They will play the following game. This game is played a bit like Family Feud. Players come up to the Leader one at a time. Have an item placed on the table in-between the players. The item should be easy enough to grab or pick up quickly. The Leader begins to ask the question. The first person to pick up the item answers first. If they answer correctly they gain a point. If they do not answer correctly the other team gets the opportunity to hear the question again and give an answer. If they do not answer correctly then no points are awarded. Continue with each member coming up to the podium. Only spend approximately 10 minutes on this game. When they are done, review any vocabulary words and answer any questions that may have arisen from the game. Pass out the handouts about Church Architecture and Iconography. Begin to review the handouts discussing the information. You may want to conduct this section of the lesson in the church building, so that you may point out and discuss what is being learned. Once you have reviewed the information, take the participants outside. Tell them that they have ten minutes to decide what shape your parish was constructed in and determine how many domes you have. When the ten minutes are complete have them return to your meeting place. Have each participant give their guess. Give them the correct answer. Then help them draw the correct shape on their poster board. You may want to make several cut out forms that they can trace. Then give them the correct answer of domes. Have them write this down or help them to

13 write it down. Now proceed with the handouts to discover the parts of the inside of the church. Help them to identify this on their diagrams. You may want to have these names pre-printed from the computer and then they could paste them in the correct location. Change gears at this point. Proceed back to the church to look at your iconostas. Review the icons and the placement of each one. Refer to the Youth Leader Guide for the correct layout of an iconostas. Discuss the icons in your parish, they may not follow exactly the model for an iconostas. If your priest is able to be there for the lesson, ask him to discuss the iconography of your parish. Now show them the brochure from All Saints Camp that shows the new Chapel. Ask them to decide the shape of the chapel and to guess how many domes it will have. (It is built in the shape of a cross and will have three domes.) At this point give the participants their second piece of poster board. Explain to them that they will be making their own Iconostas that they can take home to place in their prayer corner. It will be a special reminder to help devote more time to prayer during Great Lent and to pray for the completion of the chapel, the iconography and all those who work and donate for its completion. Before beginning say a prayer with the participants that their work may be for God s Glory. Help them choose their icons and begin gluing them into the proper places. When they are done they may add color to the lines you already had with gold, brown, or silver crayons or markers. As the participants work, discuss how all that we do should Glorify God. His House is not only a place of worship but a place fit for Him to live. The Church should be as if we are in Heaven with our Father. Ask the participants, whom they may want to offer extra prayers for during Great Lent. Provide the participants with this list of special people to pray for during Great Lent: o Metropolitan Constantine, Archbishop Antony o The All Saints Camp Committee o The Camp Manager Stephen Sheptak o The Chapel Builders and Planners o The Chapel Iconographer Michael Kapeluck o The People Fundraising and Donating for the completion of the Chapel At this point, discuss with the participants how they may be able to raise funds for the Chapel at All Saints Camp. Take their suggestions and tell them that you will let them know soon what the project will be. You may also want to ask the participants how they may help to Glorify God during Great Lent by taking care of their own parish. Take their ideas and discuss them with your Parish Priest and Church Council. Some ideas may include: The children helping to clean the church during Great Lent on a weekly basis or during Holy Week The children helping to adorn the church with flowers of Great Friday (if that is your custom) Page 2 GLG 2008 Teenager Session

14 The children helping to change the clothes to white and return the Rushnyny in the church during the Great and Holy Saturday Liturgy. This is a beautiful service and a wonderful way for them to participate in Holy Week. They may help to prepare the outside grounds for Holy Week, clean, weed, and/or plant flowers. At this point you may choose to conduct the Icon Corner Project. You may also arrange to continue this session on another day during Great Lent to work on this project. Take some time to discuss with the participants the importance of daily prayer in their lives. Explain the concept of a prayer corner. Each person should have a quiet place in their home where they may go to contemplate and offer up their prayers to God. A prayer corner should contain at least one icon, a prayer book and a candle. This may vary for each person. Tell the participants that today they are going to build a shelf for them to put in their rooms to create their own prayer corner. Follow the directions provided in this packet. While they are working on the prayer corners, you may do one of two options. Ask the participants not to talk. Have them work in silence. This is an exercise to aid them in finding the quiet needed for prayer. Help them along by suggesting that they take this time to concentrate on the Jesus Prayer, Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, Have Mercy on Me a sinner or to offer up their work to God and pray as they feel the urge. The second option is to continue your discussion on prayer and provide them this opportunity to ask questions about prayer and prayer life. Complete the day with a prayer. You may have time for the participants to share a meal or play some games. If you hold the session on a Saturday, you may have it planned for all to attend Great Vespers together. If you choose to hold the session during the beginning of Great Lent, perhaps they could coincide with one the many services. Once you have all of the suggestions from all age groups, determine the best way to raise the funds. Set a plan, schedule date, etc. and then provide all of the need information to the participants and their parents for the fund raising. Page 3 GLG 2008 Teenager Session

15 The questions below are provided for you to use during the Teenage Session of the GLG. They are from Challenge Questions on Orthodoxy A to Z for Students Volume 1 (pages 60, 62, 66, 67, 75, 76) by Dr. Gayle E. Woloschak. Copyright permission was Light and Life Publishing. This book can be purchased through the Consistory bookstore by calling or through Light and Life Publishing at 1. The parts of church building are? a. sanctuary, nave, vestibule (Correct Answer) b. altar, nave, entrance c. front, middle, back d. iconostasis, narthex, altar 2. Icons of which saints usually appear on the royal doors? A. St. Stephen and Archangel Michael B. Sts. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (Correct Answer) C. Sts. Peter and Paul D. Theotokos and Jesus Christ 3. The portion of the church building that separates the altar from the people is called: a. Iconostasis (Correct Answer) b. Table of Oblation c. The Side Altar d. Diskos 4. The structure on the altar that is shaped like a small church is called? a. Trikirion b. Tabernacle (Correct Answer) c. Antimins d. Cross 5. The royal doors are so named because a. The tsar used to walk through them. b. In olden times, the tsar purchased the royal doors for the Church. c. Christ our King is brought through the doors in the form of the Eucharist. (Correct Answer) d. An Icon of Christ the King is on the door. 6. When you face the iconostas, the icon immediately to the right of the royal doors is: a. Christ (Correct Answer) b. Theotokos c. St. John the Baptist d. St. Stephen the Protomartyr 7. The deacon doors usually have icons of which saints? a. The Apostles b. Christ and the Theotokos c. Deacons Stephen and Philip d. Archangel Michael and Deacon Stephen (Correct Answer) 8. The banners in the Church remind us of which of the following? a. The banners carried by the warriors of Christ s kingdom called forth to fight the enemies of truth and love (Correct Answer) b. The flags of all Orthodox countries c. The Church organizations such as the Sisterhood and the Brotherhood d. None of the Above 9. Bells in the Church are used to a. Call the faithful to divine services b. Express the triumph of the Church c. Announce the important acts of the service to those Christians not present at it d. All of the Above (Correct Answer) Page 4 GLG 2008 Teenager Session

16 10. An Orthodox Church can take which of the following shapes? a. Ship b. Cross c. Circle d. All of the Above (Correct Answer) 11. The onion domes on churches are called cupolas? They symbolized which of the following: a. That Christians should detach themselves from the worldly things and aspire toward heaven (Correct Answer) b. The onions are a common vegetable used in fast day meals in Ukraine and other Orthodox countries c. That larger surface areas is available for iconography d. None of the above. 12. Thirteen cupolas or onion domes on a church symbolizes a. The 13 ecumenical councils b. Christ and the 12 apostles (Correct Answer) c. Nine ranks of angels and the four evangelists d. None of the above. 13. Why is incense burned in the Orthodox Church? a. As an offering to God b. To remind us that our prayers should rise to heaven as the smoke of incense c. To enhance all of our senses (especially smell) during the Liturgical services d. All of the above (Correct Answer) 14. In prayer, which of the following do we do? a. Communicate with God b. Praise God c. Ask things of God d. All of the above (Correct Answer) 15. Which of the following statements best describes the frequency with which Orthodox Christians should pray? a. We should pray before Liturgy on Sunday mornings and after receiving Holy Communion. b. We should pray each morning upon waking up, at meals, and each night before going to sleep. c. We should pray when we are depressed and in trouble. d. We should pray without ceasing. (Correct Answer) Page 5 GLG 2008 Teenager Session

17 Great Lent Giveaway Chapel Challenge Additional Resources: Worship in the Orthodox Church by Xenophon Diamond. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Department of Religious Education. Challenge Questions on Orthodoxy A to Z for Students by Dr. Gayle Woloschak. Light and Life Publishing. More Challenge Questions on Orthodoxy A to Z for Students Volume 2 by Dr. Gayle Woloschak. Light and Life Publishing. Let s Take a Walk Through the Orthodox Church by Fr. Anthony M. Coniaris. Light and Life Publishing. Build Your Own Church. Orthodox Christian Education Center. Build Your Own Iconostas. Orthodox Christian Education Center. The Orthodox Faith Volume II Worship by Father Thomas Hopko. Orthodox Church in America. Page 1 GLG 2008 Reference Material

18 Chapel Challenge Participant Worksheets Sections of this worksheet are reprinted with permission from David Elferling. You may download the lesson, Lessons on Church Architecture and an Introduction to the Divine Liturgy in its entirety or other lessons by Mr. Elferling at Editing and additional sections written by Natalie Kapeluck Nixon for the Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry UOC of the USA. Today we are going to learn about the architecture and iconography of Orthodox Christian churches. Just like most things concerning the Orthodox church, the church building itself, how it is built, set up and what is put inside all has meaning. This is important to the life of the church because it helps us to at all times focus on God and His kingdom. Orthodox churches may be built in three main forms: A cross An ark or long rectangle A circle Each one of these represents a special purpose. A church built in the shape of a cross seems to explain itself. It only makes sense to dedicate the church to God in such an obvious symbol of the faith. The shape of an ark or long rectangle represent the time of Noah. Noah s ark was a safe haven in a time of much despair and destruction. It was God s chosen way to protect his people. A church constructed in the shape of an ark is a safe haven for its parishioners to travel in this world to God s promise of salvation. The shape of a circle represents the never ending eternity of God. The second most recognizable thing about an Orthodox Church from the outside, is its domes or copulas. These are set on top of the church and are considered the crown of the church building. You can not just make a random choice of how many domes should be placed on top of the church. The main dome always represents Jesus Christ. There are only a few choices and we have listed a few: One Dome to represent Jesus Christ Three Domes to represent the Holy Trinity Five Domes to represent Christ and the Four Evangelists Ten Domes to represent Christ and the nine ranks of angles Thirteen Domes to represent Christ and the 12 apostles The last feature we will talk about concerning the outside of a church is the stairs. You may often wonder why there are so many steps to walk up to enter your parish. The steps are to make feel as if you are going up to be with God in His house. The Inside of the Church It is believed that the interior of the Orthodox church is the like the universe the ceiling represents the heavens and the main dome contains an icon of Christ the Pantocrator. This reminds that Christ is the allpowerful presence in the world. You will also notice that a main chandelier will hang near the center of the church near the icon, it represents all of the heavens. What is real? Music? Cars? Money? How are they real now? How will they be real in 1 year, 5 years, 20 years, and in 50 years? What about in 500 years? What place do each of those things have in your life? Compare this to the Church. How are these things different than the Church? What exactly is the Church? Is it a building? A group of people? Someplace a Priest works? A place to hold weddings? It s all

19 those things and a lot more! But how does it relate to their lives? What is it that the Church does for people that all those things listed above do not? The Church is many different things, but we want to look closer at the messages which the building and the things in it hold for us. Is there a message to the way that a Church is built? Always when in the Temple, the message being given is that God is with us. With us how? What do you think about the following? "We are the temple of the living God." (II Corinthians 6:16) This is what the construction of an Orthodox Church tries to communicate. Every part of what we see, what we do and what happens is part of the temple of the living God. The Church building helps us to know that God is always with us and that Jesus is the head of the Church. How does the form of a building give you that kind of message? The interior of the Church has three basic parts: 1. Narthex/Vestibule: Represents life on earth, or this world. In ancient times this is where people joining the Church were educated. 2. Nave: Comes in two shapes, basilica or a cross. This is where people gather to be united with God as a Church. 3. Sanctuary: This is the holiest part of the Church and where the Priests perform the Liturgies. The Narthex/Vestibule The Narthex in ancient times was a large, spacious place, where the Catechumens received instruction while preparing for Baptism, and also where those who were excluded from Holy Communion stood. So, the Narthex of the Church represents this world in which mankind is called to repentance. Things in the narthex: Candle stand Icon of Church patron Saint Not only does the vestibule serve as a "buffer" of sorts between "the world" and "the Kingdom" as represented by the church building proper, but it also for rites which are conducted in this part of the church, such as the exorcisms which precede the sacrament of Baptism, the prayers of churching after birth, etc. On designated occasions certain Vesper prayers and rites are also celebrated here. First Things First For most Orthodox parishioners narthex is the entry to worship. This isn t by accident. Far from simply being nice looking entry way, the narthex has deeper significance for us. The narthex is like a porch or entryway that one comes to before going into a house. If the nave is where the faithful gather to worship, and represents part of God s kingdom. While in the narthex however, we are still considered in this world. The first prayer we offer up when going to Church is in the narthex. You may have several icons in your narthex/vestibule. We kiss God s Saints in reverence and prayerfully light a candle. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven (Matthew 5:16). We should see the symbolism of being in this world, praying, and then entering into God s Kingdom. In most Orthodox Churches, we enter from the West end of the building. The Sanctuary where the altar is, and where a portion of the Eucharist and thereby God s presence, are on the East end of the building. This is to remind us that as the Sun rises in the East giving light, so we enter from the darkness of the West and seek the light of God. What other things have you ever noticed or thought about when entering the narthex? Now that we know a little more about its symbolic message and how we use the narthex today, let s look at how is was used in the past. Page 2 GLG 2008 Participant Worksheet

20 Early in the Church the narthex was usually large. This is because that is where catechumens who wanted to become part of the Church were taught. They were not allowed in the nave during most of the Divine Liturgy. This took up to three years! Only the baptized faithful were allowed into the nave during Liturgy. The narthex could also be an area of punishment. When the Priest decided that someone s sins were serious enough to keep them from receiving Communion, they could only enter the narthex. From here they would plead for the prayers of the faithful as they entered the Church. This shows us that men can remove themselves from God by their sins and become unworthy to stand with God s faithful in worship of Him. How is this like what we know about judgment day? There was also a Baptismal Font (tub) large enough for an adult to be fully submerged as part of their Baptism into the Church. In the early Church narthex was also used for a meal at the end of Liturgy. In some monasteries the narthex still serves as a dining room to this day. In Eastern Churches, the narthex is also where funeral services are held for the dead. Sounds like a lot busier place than we give it credit doesn t it? The Nave As we enter into the Nave, we transition from this world to God s. What do you think the difference is between this world and God s Kingdom? If we enter into the Kingdom of God, we should expect to see those whom God decided are ok to be there! That means Christ and His Saints, and we will see symbols of these around us in the form of icons. An icon is not something we worship, but rather view as windows into heaven. By that we mean that we see lessons or things that God wishes us to see. Icon means image. In Orthodox teaching, we are all images or icons of Christ. The next thing we do is to enter into the Nave, which is the most beautiful and impressive part of the Church. This is because of our Orthodox belief of the Nave as representing the kingdom of God. In the Book of Revelation this is Saint John s vision of God on His throne in heaven being hymned unceasingly by angels, the "living creatures", and the "twenty four elders". In addition to the elders is an assembly of God s Saints, which we represent in the Nave. Beneath Christ in the Dome are icons of His four evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John who occupy special places. To find out more about all the things they did and why we call them evangelists, read the books of Acts. The Mother of God, or Theotokos as the Platytera is on the wall in front of the Altar. The inscription above Her head literally reads Mother of God, She Who is Wider Than the Heavens. This icon is very important to us, saying Look, the Great God has become small, coming to you as a child At Her sides are the Archangels Gabriel (left) and Michael (right). Yet, He is not a child at all and notice how the Theotokos seems to be presenting Him to us rather than really holding Him. In many icons, the Theotokos will have Her hands pointing in an outward gesture. About the Sanctuary Up to this point, we have explored the parts of the Church where lay people worship God, the narthex and the nave. Now we will move into the most sacred part of the Church, the Sanctuary (Agion Vema). In Greek it is called the Agion Vema, which is literally holy raised floor. The Sanctuary is raised since it is the most holy part of the interior of the Church. Since it s the most holy part, entrance into it is only for those who have some part in the divine services of the Church. Another name for it in Greek is Agia Agion or Holy of Holies. We say this because it is where the most holy of sacraments is celebrated, the Holy Eucharist. In fact, there is always a small portion of the Eucharist in the Sanctuary, so we can say that Christ is actually in the Sanctuary. It s not just another area of the Church for us, and should always be looked upon reverently (as should all parts of God s house.) What s in there? The most important things in the sanctuary are the Altar Table, the Table of Oblations, the Vestry, the Holy Cross and the icons of Cherubs. Page 3 GLG 2008 Participant Worksheet

21 The Altar Table Of all the things in the sanctuary, it is really the Altar Table that is the center of the Church. All things in the Church point to it because of what it represents and is kept on and inside of it. To the Orthodox it is symbolic of the presence of the heavenly throne and table of the Kingdom of God; the table of Christ the Word, the Lamb and the King of the ever-lasting life of God's glorified dominion over all of creation. It is the table of God s Kingdom (Luke 28:30) The Altar is always simply constructed, normally of stone or wood and covered with colorful material to portray its heavenly nature. It will sit on top of either a column, symbolizing our Savior and the founder of the Church, or four small columns that symbolize the four Evangelists who wrote the Gospels. Why are the four Gospels so important to us? Table of Oblations or Offerings (Proskomide) To the left of the Altar is the Table of Oblations. This is where the Priest before the Divine Liturgy prepares the bread and wine. They will be carried to the Altar during the Great Entrance. The preparation takes place at an early morning service called the Orthros or Matins. In many Churches, this area will be set into the wall to signify that Christ was born in a cave, and will also be decorated with an icon of the Nativity. Looking at Icons and the Iconostas With all the use we make of icons, we really need to understand some things better about them. Icons aren t just art and decoration, they are used in many different ways: Enhance the beauty of the Church to impress holiness To instruct us in the Orthodox Christian faith To remind us of our faith To show us examples of holy life To urge us to live in these examples To help us change us For worship of God and to glorify His holy Saints Basically we believe icons to be windows into heaven by showing us many worthy things. In other ways we can think of them as pictures of family. Jesus told us that we are all sons of God through our Baptism in Christ. That makes the Saints part of our family and we all keep pictures of family, right? Things to Notice - Faces Have you ever noticed that all the holy people in icons are always looking at you? That s not by chance. You will rarely if ever see less than three quarters of their face. In Scripture we read many accounts of holy people s facing glowing, so the reason is Biblical. Similarities When you look at icons you will usually be able to tell who people are. This is because after centuries of practice, painters of icons have developed certain ways of painting. The forms you see are not an accident, though you ll notice that it looks very different than most art you see. After over 1,400 years the artists have developed prefect ways of expressing an icon s holy message. Colors Icons are never brightly colored, you might even say they are reserved (though not dull). The choice of colors reflects inner-control, just as we need to follow Christ. Although the prospect of salvation through Christ is the most joyous thing anyone might think about, the self-control needed to get there is best expressed in the way these colors are selected. Page 4 GLG 2008 Participant Worksheet

22 Halo s Around the head of Christ, the Theotokos, Angels and Saints there is always a circular halo. The halo is meant to show holiness and draws attention to their face, the most expressive part of the icon. The halo wasn t just made up, it comes to us from Scripture and recorded instances of holy people actually shining light from their faces. So there are a couple of symbolic things represented in the halo; crowns of holiness and actual light, which has come from holy people. (See Revelation 4:4, Exodus 34:28, 29, 30). One important thing to note is the difference in Christ s halo. It will always contain a cross, though with three arms since His head is where the fourth would be. The letters from left to right say He Who is which appears in Exodus 3:14 when Moses asks God what His name is and He replies "I AM WHO I AM." Clothing/Garments The clothing isn t just an artist s representation of what they think people wore, its much more organized than that. One thing to notice is that the body is rarely shown naked. The exceptions are generally Icons of Christ s Baptism and Crucifixion; since in one he would likely have disrobed and in the other we know the Romans took His clothing. The Folds The first thing to look at is how the folds in the clothing are depicted. Definitely not lifelike or natural. This is done to remove us from the natural, material world to a spiritual place. Remember that this is what icons are designed to do, they re not simply art. The Colors The colors in the clothing aren t ones you d normally see, but are meant to be mystical, suggesting a higher place. They are always quiet colors of inner-control, never loud. There are must often subtle shades of blue, red, green and white. Gold is often used for Christ s clothing in specific icons. White has a special value, as it is used to show the purity or divine glory of holy people. This is Biblically shown in the passages about Christ s transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-2), His resurrection (Matthew 28:3), and clothing of the martyrs in Revelation 6:9,11. For many of those in icons, the colors their clothing is always the same; Christ having blue outside and red inside, Theotokos red on the outside and blue inside and John the Baptist green. The Body If you ve ever thought that the eyes on most icons aren t quite lifelike, you are correct. It s not too hard to figure out why. For this reason the eyes are given a lot of attention in most icons as the one part of the body that can best express the inner man. The nose will be thin and the lips small. These both tell us that the holy person has refined senses and that they do not dominate them. The hands are also very expressive, often pointing to parts of the icons to emphasize them or to show the person in prayer. Legs are most often long and slender, especially when showing us Saints who follow an ascetic life. We won t usually see their legs or much of the body in most icons. When we do see the body, it will not be large or detailed. The emphasis will be on expressing the holiness or soul of the person. Backgrounds The backgrounds, like most parts of an icon, serve to point to what s really important in an icon; a holy person (or people). The objects in an icon will be drawn very simply and without splashy colors. They always serve to point to the holy person or persons. The lone exception is when a drape is present. It can be seen winding around parts of a building or in other places. This often symbolizes the presence of Grace. Why would we not use bright or loud colors? What ways do the colors show our Orthodox faith? Page 5 GLG 2008 Participant Worksheet

23 The Iconostas According to author Constantine Cavarnos, the use of an Iconostas can be traced all the way back to the Old Testament, when it was a curtain used to separate the holy place from the holy of holies. In the Orthodox Church, these take the form of a low wall or screen that separates the nave from the sanctuary. Panels on the Iconostas In many Parishes, there are two rows of icons in the iconostas. The top row consists of the 12 Apostles. On the lower level are larger, important icons. Your parish may have additional rows consisting of the 12 Feast Days, prophets, martyrs, or the angelic hosts. Primary Panels Though there isn t an official Church Canon, or rule, about the exact placement of the icons in the Church, the two most official icons on the lower row are called the Sovereign. These are the two on either side of the Royal door. To the right is an icon of Christ, to the other side the Theotokos. Next to Christ is the icon of the patron saint or feast of your parish. To the other side of the Theotokos is usually an icon with a wonderworking saint like St. Nicholas. Why would we say that two of the icons are higher in importance? Why would we call them Sovereigns? The two Sovereign icons are given the most emphasis since they are central to the iconostas. There are two additional doors in the iconostasis. On the north (to the right) is the Archangel Michael, to the south (left) is Gabriel. Your doors or Deacon Doors may also have icons of St. Stephen the Proto-martyr and other deacon saints. Walls of the Nave The walls of your nave may have various types of icons on them. Usually, icons will rise in rows up the walls. There are different ways in which they may be arranged. How is your church arranged? You may show the Saints, prophets, martyrs, special people of the Old Testament, special stories in the Old Testament, or icons depicting the life of Christ. The list may go on and on. Page 6 GLG 2008 Participant Worksheet

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25 Iconostas Drawing by Fr. John Matusiak Page 2 GLG 2008 Reference Material