His Holiness Pope Shenouda III speaks about the holiness of the Church as the House of God and the Gate of Heaven, showing that everything in the Church — its structure, altar, icons, and rituals — expresses God’s presence and leads the believer to salvation and communion with the heavenly hosts.

The origin of the term “House of God”

He begins with Jacob’s vision in Genesis, where he saw a ladder reaching from heaven to earth with angels ascending and descending upon it, and said: “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God and this is the gate of heaven.” From then, sacred places became known as God’s dwelling.

The symbolism of Church architecture

The Church resembles heaven because God and His angels dwell within it. Its lights symbolize stars, and its domes represent the sky. The twelve columns of the Church symbolize the apostles, the pillars of faith.

The Church through history

Pope Shenouda points to four symbolic stages: Noah’s Ark (salvation), the Tabernacle (pilgrimage), Solomon’s Temple (divine glory), and finally the New Testament Church, where salvation from the flood of the world is found.

Symbolism of directions

He explains that the East symbolizes light and life, while the West symbolizes darkness and death. Baptism takes place in the West, and after baptism the believer turns East — toward Christ, the “Sun of Righteousness” — symbolizing the passage from death to life in Christ.

The Altar and its holiness

He teaches that the Altar’s existence is biblical, as mentioned in Isaiah 19:19 and Hebrews 13:10: “We have an altar.” The Altar is the place of the divine sacrifice (Eucharist) and the symbol of the Cross. Offerings are made only on a consecrated Altar or a board anointed with holy myrrh.

The Sanctuary and its direction

The Sanctuary represents the “Holy of Holies,” always facing East because Christ is the Light of the World. It houses the holy mysteries, the lampstand, the Altar, and icons representing the bosom of the Father.

Icons and liturgical images

He clarifies that the liturgical icon of John the Baptist is that of him baptizing Christ — not as a martyr or angel. The Virgin’s true liturgical image is that of her holding Christ, crowned as the Queen standing at His right hand, surrounded by angels and light, being the “Second Heaven.”

The symbols of the four Gospels

He explains the spiritual meaning of the four living creatures from Revelation: the Lion (Mark), the Man (Matthew), the Ox (Luke), and the Eagle (John), each representing a different revelation of Christ’s nature.

Spiritual conclusion

In Pope Shenouda’s vision, the Church is Heaven on Earth — the House of God, the House of Angels, and the Ark of Salvation. Every detail in it, from architecture to ritual, is divinely ordered to raise the soul to God’s presence and eternal life.

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