Have you ever walked into an Orthodox church and looked all around? It is a very special place — it is God's house. Let us take a little walk through it together, and see all the wonderful things inside.
When we first come in, we step through the doors into the entrance. We call this part the narthex. Long ago, this is where people who were getting ready to be baptized would stand. Today, it is the place where we leave the busy world behind. We make the sign of the Cross, and we get our hearts ready to meet God.
As we step inside, the very first thing we often do is light a candle. We take a thin beeswax candle, light its little flame, and place it in the sand before a holy icon. The warm flame is like a little prayer that keeps shining even after we walk away. When you light a candle, you can say, "Lord, remember the people I love."
Now we walk into the big, open middle part of the church. This is called the nave. This is where all the people stand together to pray.
Look up — isn't it beautiful? The walls and the ceiling are covered with icons, which are holy pictures of the Lord Jesus, His Mother, the angels, and the saints. The icons are like windows into heaven. They remind us that when we pray, we are never alone. All of heaven is praying right there with us! High above, you might see a big icon of Christ looking down with love.
In an Orthodox church, we usually stand to pray, and we sing almost everything. There are no instruments — just voices, lifted up to God like the singing of the angels.
At the front of the church stands a beautiful wall covered with icons. It is called the iconostasis. In the very middle are special doors called the Royal Doors.
Behind the iconostasis is the most holy place of all. It is called the altar, or the sanctuary. In the center stands the holy Table. This is where the priest stands to offer the prayers, and where the bread and wine become the holy Body and Blood of Christ at the Divine Liturgy. It is so holy that we treat it with great love and care.
The priest leads us in prayer. He wears beautiful robes called vestments, and he swings a golden censer that fills the air with sweet-smelling incense. The rising smoke is like our prayers floating up to God. Sometimes the whole church fills with that lovely smell, and it helps us remember that we are in a holy place.
So you see, everything in God's house has a meaning. The candles are our prayers. The icons are our windows to heaven. The singing is the song of the angels. And the whole church is filled with the love of God.
The next time you come to church, walk in slowly. Light a candle. Look at the icons. Breathe in the sweet incense. And remember that you are standing in a very special place — the house of God, where heaven and earth come together, and where God is waiting to meet you with open arms.
An Orthodox church building is often called a "temple." Every part of it — the narthex, the nave, the iconostasis, and the altar — helps us to pray and lifts our hearts up to God.