The Sanctuary of the Church
In previous issues, we spoke about the building of the church and its construction upon the names of the angels and the saints.
Today we continue our discussion about the building of the church, and about the sanctuary and the altar…
In every church there is a sanctuary on the eastern side, which represents the Holy of Holies in the Old Testament. It is the holiest place in the church.
No one enters it wearing shoes, and women do not enter it.
Originally, entry into it was restricted to the priests and the servants of the altar. Therefore, in ancient times, those who partook of the Holy Communion used to partake outside the church, through an open window in the curtain of the sanctuary, as is evident in ancient churches.
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Not entering it with shoes is out of reverence for its holiness and obedience to the Lord’s words to Moses: “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5).
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There are many spiritual contemplations concerning the direction of the sanctuary toward the East…
or the direction of the entire church toward the East.
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From the East the sun rises, and the Lord has been called the Sun of Righteousness. From the East comes light, and the Lord said that He is “the Light of the world,” and it was said that He is a Light “which no man can approach,” and it was said of the Lord Christ that He is “Light of Light.”
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Also because the star that announced Christ appeared in the East, and the Second Coming of Christ will be from the East. Paradise was in the East, in Eden.
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And from the lands of the East came all the prophets and the holy apostles.
Thus, the East has always symbolized righteousness and life, just as the West symbolizes death.
The ancient Egyptians used to call the dead “Westerners.”
It is not strange, therefore, that worshippers turn toward the East, toward the sanctuary and the altar, because we continually look toward the Sacrifice in which is our salvation.
In the Old Testament, they used to pray facing Jerusalem, as Daniel the prophet did (Daniel 6:10).
An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III – Al-Keraza Magazine – Seventh Year (Issue Six), February 6, 1976.
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