The Temple
Byzantine architecture is a microcosm, thus the church building itself becomes a symbol of our world and teaches us salvation history. In the eastern Christian tradition, the church building is referred to as the temple, which in Ukrainian is Храм (pronounced khram). The church building has many symbolic meanings; perhaps the oldest and most prominent is the concept that the Church is the Ark of Salvation in which the world is saved from the flood of temptations. Because of this, most temples are rectangular in design.
Jesus Christ is our temple, the locus of our sacrifice of praise and atonement. Our church buildings are symbols of the Christ since they are the places where we gather to celebrate the holy mysteries and divine services. Our temples are architectural proclamations of the salvation and love of our Messiah, who is himself the prototype and referent of the Old Testament temple and the Mosaic tabernacle.
Architecturally and theologically, you will find many parallels between the church building and the Old Testment temple-tabernacle such as that in I Kings 6:1ff.
Byzantine architecture is a microcosm, thus the church building itself becomes a symbol of our world and teaches us salvation history. In the eastern Christian tradition, the church building is referred to as the temple, which in Ukrainian is Храм (pronounced khram). The church building has many symbolic meanings; perhaps the oldest and most prominent is the concept that the Church is the Ark of Salvation in which the world is saved from the flood of temptations. Because of this, most temples are rectangular in design.
Jesus Christ is our temple, the locus of our sacrifice of praise and atonement. Our church buildings are symbols of the Christ since they are the places where we gather to celebrate the holy mysteries and divine services. Our temples are architectural proclamations of the salvation and love of our Messiah, who is himself the prototype and referent of the Old Testament temple and the Mosaic tabernacle.
Architecturally and theologically, you will find many parallels between the church building and the Old Testment temple-tabernacle such as that in I Kings 6:1ff.