Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Church of the Immaculate Conception How the Catholic Church Works

This is my first visit to a Catholic church within our country, to be honest ... I had no idea that such beauty exists in my hometown ...)
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a neo-Gothic cathedral in Moscow, the largest Catholic cathedral in Russia, the cathedral church of the archdiocese of the Mother of God, headed by Archbishop Metropolitan Paolo Pezzi. One of the two active Catholic churches in Moscow, along with the church of St. Louis of France (in addition to two churches in Moscow, there is also a Catholic chapel of St. Olga).

In 1894, the council of the Roman Catholic Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Milyutinsky Lane turned to the Moscow governor with a request to allow the construction of a third Catholic church. The permission was obtained on the condition of building far from the city center and especially revered Orthodox churches, without towers and outdoor statues. The neo-Gothic project of F. O. Bogdanovich-Dvorzhetsky, designed for 5,000 worshipers, was approved, despite the failure to comply with the last condition.

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a neo-Gothic three-nave cruciform pseudo-basilica. According to various sources, it is believed that for the architect the Gothic cathedral in Westminster Abbey served as the prototype for the facade, and the dome of the cathedral in Milan served as the prototype for the dome. After the restoration, the cathedral has some differences from its original appearance before closing in 1938, as well as before 1938 it had differences from the 1895 project.

On the spire of the central turret there is a cross, on the spiers of the side turrets there are the coats of arms of Pope John Paul II and Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz. In the narthex (porch) of the cathedral there is a sculptural image of the Holy Cross with Christ Crucified. Above the bowls with consecrated water, at the entrance from the narthex to the nave, on the left, a brick from the Lateran Basilica is embedded in the wall, and on the right, a medal of the jubilee year 2000.

In the central nave there are two sectors of benches separated by an aisle. At the beginning of each side nave there are confessionals - confessionals. At the end of the left nave is the Chapel of the Divine Mercy, the tabernacle and the altar of the Holy Gifts. In the central nave there are two sectors of benches separated by a passage. At the beginning of each side nave there are confessionals - confessionals. At the end of the left nave is the chapel of the Divine Mercy, in which the tabernacle and the altar of the Holy Gifts are installed. Both side naves are separated from the main nave by colonnades, 2 semi-columns and 5 columns in each colonnade. The ceilings of the main and side aisles consist of cross vaults, which are formed by diagonal arches. The side longitudinal naves of the cathedral have five buttresses each. 10 main buttresses on which the main volume of the temple rests, according to the ancient canons of temple architecture, symbolize the 10 commandments.

Lancet window openings are decorated with stained-glass windows. Under the window openings, on the inner surfaces of the walls, there are 14 bas-reliefs - 14 "stays" of the Way of the Cross.

Behind the first lancet arch of the ceiling, between the first pair of semi-columns, above the narthex are the choirs. Since the time of the Counter-Reformation, that is, since the middle of the 16th century, the choirs have been located in the back of the nave, in the same way the choirs are located in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to the original design, the choirs were supposed to accommodate 50 singers, but in addition to the choir itself, an organ was installed in the choirs.

The transept gives the cathedral building the shape of a cross. This is the famous scheme in which the image of Christ on the cross is superimposed on the plan of a typical church. AT this case the head of Christ is the presbytery with the altar located in it, the torso and legs fill the nave, and the outstretched arms turn into a transept. Thus, we see the literal embodiment of the idea that the Church represents the Body of Christ. This layout is called cruciform.

Shall we go inside?)

Insanely beautiful stained glass windows in this temple...

Let's look up?

The cathedral's organ is one of the largest organs in Russia and allows stylistically flawless performances of organ music from various eras. 73 registers, 4 manuals, 5563 pipes.

In the presbytery of the cathedral is the most important element of the temple - the altar, lined with dark green marble - the place where the Eucharistic Sacrifice is offered. On the altar are placed particles of the relics of St. Andrew the Apostle, St. Zeno, the patron saint of Verona, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Gregory of Nazian, Sts. On the altar there is an image of the letters alpha and omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, a symbol of the beginning and end, going back to the text from the Revelation of John the Theologian “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord” (Rev. 1:8). To the right of the altar is the pulpit. The pulpit of the cathedral, as well as the main altar, is lined with dark green marble.

The presbytery of the cathedral is separated by carved wooden partitions from the chapel of the Divine Mercy with the altar of the Holy Gifts and from the vestibule of the sacristy. In the presbytery, on the wall of the apse - the Crucifixion. The height of the Crucifix in the cathedral is 9 meters, the figure of Christ on the cross is 3 meters. On both sides of the Crucifixion, 2 plaster figures are installed - the Mother of God and the Evangelist John. Both sculptures were made by the Moscow region sculptor Svyatoslav Fedorovich Zakhlebin.

Insanely high!!!

It looks a lot like a confessional

And as soon as it was possible to hide all this beauty in the middle of an ordinary sleeping area ...

Many thanks to one sooo kind, close and most best man) For the fact .... that he endured my eternal whims and took me almost at night to the other end of the city in order to photograph this temple with illumination)))

I visited there two days ago. I approached a woman who was selling books and photographs of the temple and asked if I needed to wear a headscarf. She, with a good-natured smile, answered that it was not necessary, told me about the concerts, about the temple and sent me to walk around the temple and take pictures.
A few days have passed, but I still can’t get over the strange feeling that I have been there, to which I have been going for a long time ..
I wanted to sit on a bench and sit, listening to the beautiful cello music and thinking about the eternal...
Even if you are convinced Christians, go there, well, at least for personal development...
It's beautiful, it's calm and peaceful...

Now, my mother clutches her head, for I began to think about Catholicism ....
No wonder everything connected with Italy is so close to me...
And for sure, I will return there again and again ... and next Friday we will go there to an organ music concert, I have never heard the sound of an organ live ...

I hope that our walk with you did not bore anyone)
See you in the open spaces of my cozy diary!!!

To be continued....

The main church of a city or monastery is usually called a cathedral (cathedral temple); a cathedral is usually called a temple where the chair of the ruling bishop (bishop) is located.

In addition to stationary, there are also mobile churches.

The device of the Orthodox Church

In the architecture of Orthodox churches, the number of domes (chapters) is sometimes assigned symbolic meaning: one dome - the unity of God, three - in honor of the Holy Trinity, five - in honor of the Savior and 4 evangelists, seven - in honor of the seven sacraments, thirteen - the Savior and the twelve apostles.

The device of the Catholic Church

Rice. one. The figure shows the interior layout of a Catholic church. In particular, aisle: Aisle- either a specially allocated part of the main building of the temple, or an extension (usually from the south or northern sides s) to accommodate an additional altar with a throne for worship. Aisles are arranged, in particular, to install an additional throne (thrones) in the temple, so that more than one liturgy can be performed in one temple on the same day, since it is customary in the Orthodox Church to celebrate no more than one liturgy on one day on one throne.

Let's take a closer look at the individual details of this layout.

Rice. 2. Altar apse in a Western European temple ( highlighted in color). Apse(from other Greek ἁψίς, genus case ἁψῖδος - vault), apse(lat. absis) - the ledge of the building, semicircular, faceted or rectangular in plan, covered with a semi-dome (conch) or a closed semi-arch. Apses first appeared in ancient Roman basilicas. In Christian churches apse usually represents an altar ledge, eastward . At the same time, the purpose of the apses can be different, utilitarian or decorative. So, the Cathedral of St. Peter the Metropolitan of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery is surrounded by apses from all sides. In Catholic churches, the apses could house chapels.

An Orthodox church usually has an odd number of apses - three or one. Constantinople temples of the 9th-11th centuries often had three apses, originally used as three independent altars. To XIV century three apses in three-apse temples are transformed from three altars into an altar in the middle apse, prosthesis(Russian " altar”) in the northern apse and a deacon (or sacristy) for storing liturgical vestments and liturgical books in the southern apse.

In Western European architecture, an apse can be called a part of the interior of a temple that is similar in shape, containing the altar part, although not being an external ledge..

Rice. 3. Crown of chapels (highlighted in color) - a series of chapels surrounding the apse, outgoing rays and separated from the choir by a detour. Appeared in connection with an increase in the number of altars, which was stimulated by the popularity of the cult of relics stored in the church, the massive nature of pilgrimages and organized solemn services.

Rice. 4. Deambulatory (highlighted in color) (from lat. deambulo from lat. de " behind"and lat. ambulo" walk", lat. ambio- bypass, walk around something) - a semicircular bypass gallery around the altar of the temple, formed by the continuation of the side aisles; a typical element of Romanesque and Gothic temple architecture. Through this gallery, the flow of people, without leaving the temple, got to the small apse-chapels in the eastern part of the temple - the semicircle of the apsidioles in some cases framed the ambulatory crown (see the crown of the chapels). Small altars were sometimes placed in the chapels, parishioners and pilgrims could view the relics located there and worship them. ... In addition to access to the chapels, the deambulatory allowed pilgrims to contemplate the shrines stored in the altar of the cathedral, and often representing the main goal of the pilgrimage. At the same time, the altar part was fenced off from the ambulatory, as a rule, not with a wall, but with a figured through lattice.

Rice. 5. choir (highlighted in color) (Greek χορός - chorus, group dance) - in early Christian churches, the space in front of the main altar, where the choir of singers was placed; later, in Western European countries, the entire eastern (altar) part of the church building, up to the apse, began to be called the choir. Thus the choir came to include the presbytery. See also - Choirs.

Rice. 6. Naos(from Greek ναός - temple, sanctuary) (highlighted in color) - the central part of the Christian temple, where during the service there are worshipers who came to the temple. From the east, the altar adjoins the naos - the most important room of the temple, where the throne is located and the liturgy is performed. The altar in Orthodox churches is separated from the naos by a curtain and an iconostasis. From the west, a narthex, in Greek, a narthex or pronaos, joins the naos. In some Russian churches there is no vestibule and Entrance door temple leads directly to naos. On the opposite side of the naos adjoins an opisthod separated by a wall, a closed room for storing valuables.

Rice. 7. Narthex on the conditional diagram of a Western European temple ( highlighted in color). porch- an extension in front of the entrance to the temple (the same as the pronaʹos among the Greeks, the front entrance of the ancient temple). It can be arranged from the western, southern and northern sides of the temple. Usually separated from the temple by a wall with a doorway. The origin of the term is usually inferred from praetorium(lat. praetorium) - in ancient Rome, a platform for the praetor, a place for the commander's tent, later - the central square of the city, residence, Vacation home. This is where the ancient word came from. pritoria and then vestibule. The porch is usually distinguished from narthex(from Greek Νάρθηξ - chest, box), the latter is located on the western side and is completely open from the inside into the main volume of the temple. This part of the temple corresponds to the courtyard of the Old Testament tabernacle, where, in addition to the Jews, pagans could also enter. Not only catechumens and penitents, known as hearers, but also Jews (at least from the 4th century), heretics, schismatics and pagans, could enter the narthex of a Christian church to listen to the word of God and teaching. In ancient times, it was arranged in the porch baptismal, that is, a baptismal font.

In ancient times, in Russian churches, there were often no vestibules at all. This is due to the fact that by the time Russia adopted Christianity, the church no longer strictly separated the catechumens, that is, those preparing to be baptized, and the penitents. By this time, people were already being baptized, as a rule, in infancy, and the baptism of adult foreigners was not so common as to make pretense for this. Those Christians who received church punishment for sinful behavior or misconduct - penance, stood for some part of the church service at the western wall of the temple or on the porch.

In the future, nevertheless, the mass construction of the narthexes resumed again. The proper name for this part of the temple is a meal, because earlier treats were arranged in it for the poor on holidays or days of commemoration of the dead. Now almost all Orthodox churches have vestibules.

Rice. ten. Plan of St. Peter's Basilica. Almost all the major architects of Italy took turns participating in the design and construction of the Cathedral of St. Peter. In 1506, the project of the architect Donato Bramante was approved, in accordance with which they began to erect a centric structure in the form of a Greek cross (with equal sides). After the death of Bramante, the construction was led by Raphael, who returned to the traditional form of the Latin cross (with an elongated fourth side), then Baldassare Peruzzi, who settled on a centric structure, and Antonio da Sangallo, who chose the basilic form. Finally, in 1546, Michelangelo was entrusted with the direction of the work. He returned to the idea of ​​a central domed structure, but his project included the creation of a multi-column entrance portico from the east side (in the ancient basilicas of Rome, as in ancient temples, the entrance was from the east, not the west side). Michelangelo made all the supporting structures more massive and singled out the main space. He erected the drum of the central dome, but the dome itself was completed after his death.(1564) by Giacomo della Porta, who gave it a more elongated outline. Of the four small domes envisaged by the Michelangelo project, the architect Vignola erected only two. To the greatest extent, architectural forms exactly as they were conceived by Michelangelo, preserved from the altar, western side. It is significant to note this moment (fact) - the altar part of St. Peter's Basilica is directed to the West?!

Rice. eleven. St. Peter's Basilica and Peter's Square in front of it. The total length of the basilica is 211.6 m. On the floor of the central nave there are marks showing the dimensions of other largest cathedrals in the world, which allows them to be compared with the Cathedral of St.. Peter. In the center of the square is an ancient Egyptian obelisk brought to Rome by Emperor Caligula in the 1st century. According to legend, at the top of the obelisk, there was a sphere in which the ashes of Julius Caesar rested. By the way, the obelisk and the round square are a sundial. The pope asked Michelangelo to drag and install the obelisk in front of the basilica, but he asked a sacramental question - what if it breaks? After that, the matter passed to the architect Domenico Fontana who installed the obelisk in 1586. And later he installed three more similar obelisks in different places of the city. The story tells that on the site of the current St. Peter's Cathedral there was a circus, in the arena of which at the time Nero martyred Christians. In the year 67, the Apostle Peter was brought here after the judgment seat.. Peter asked that his execution not be likened to that of Christ. Then he was crucified upside down. In 326, in memory of this, Emperor Constantine ordered the construction of a basilica in the name of St. Peter. When it fell into disrepair, Pope Nicholas V in 1452 began the construction of the cathedral.

Rice. 12. Dome, a masterpiece of architecture, has an inside height of 119 m and a diameter of 42 m. It rests on four powerful pillars ( domed square ). In the niche of one of them stands a five-meter statue of St. Longina the work of Bernini. The role of Bernini in the creation of the sculptural decoration of the cathedral is very great., he worked here intermittently for nearly fifty years, from 1620 to 1670. In the domed space above the main altar there is a masterpiece by Bernini - a huge, 29 m high canopy (civorium) on four twisted columns, on which statues of angels stand. Among the laurel branches on the upper parts of the columns, heraldic bees of the Barberini family are visible. The bronze for the ciborium was taken from the Pantheon, having dismantled, on the orders of Pope Urban VIII (Barberini), the structures that supported the roof of the portico. Through the canopy, you can see the pulpit of St. Peter. It includes the armchair of St. Peter, above which the symbol of the Holy Spirit hovers in radiance. To the right of the pulpit is the tombstone of Pope Urban VIII by Bernini, to the left is the tombstone of Paul III (XVI century) by Guglielmo della Porta, one of Michelangelo's students."

Rice. thirteen. " Plan of the three-aisled cathedral with painted middle cross (domed square ). Crossroads- in church architecture, the intersection of the main nave and the transept, forming a cross in plan. With the traditional orientation of the church, through the middle of the cross one can get into the western nave, into the southern and northern transepts and into the choir located in the eastern part of the temple. The crossroads is often crowned with a tower or a dome, moreover, the towers are typical for Romanesque and Gothic churches, and domes - for Renaissance cathedrals. Insofar as middle cross open on all four sides, the load from the tower or dome falls on the corners, so the creation stable construction requires considerable skill from the architect and builders. In past centuries, the excessive ambitions of the creators often led to the collapse of such structures.

"Originally Bramante designed the plan of the temple(Saint Peter's Basilica) in the form of a Greek equal cross. After his death, under pressure from the prelates Raphael modified the plan of the basilica, transforming it into a Latin cross. In 1546, the work was assigned Michelangelo, he returned to Bramante's original ideas, slightly changing the proportions and height of the basilica. After the death of Michelangelo Pavel V instructed Maderno complete the cathedral returning to the plan in the form of a Latin cross».

Further in Figures 14 and 15 we will show the results of combining " plan plan "We will be served by the picture of the interior layout of the Catholic Church, which is shown in Figure 8.

Rice. fourteen. The figure shows the results of combining " plan » St. Peter's Basilica with the matrix of the Universe. Moreover, the basis for combining " plan red square place " domed square middle cross plan » St. Peter's Basilica. The details of the combination are clearly visible in the figure. However, the architects of St. Peter's Basilica moved away from " standard » plan of the temple in the form of a Latin cross. real picture alignment will be shown below in Figure 15.

Rice. fifteen. The figure shows the results of " real picture» combinations « plan » St. Peter's Basilica with the matrix of the Universe. Moreover, the basis for combining " plan »We will be served by the picture of the interior layout of the Catholic Church, which is shown in Figure 8. In the center, we have highlighted red square place " domed square ", which coincides with the position " middle cross » on the diagram located under « plan » St. Peter's Basilica is the lower red cross with a thicker line. On the image " Plan » of the basilica is moved up so that the top of the « plan » was combined with the 26th level of the Upper world of the matrix of the Universe. This is exactly the same position as the position in the Upper world of the matrix of the Universe of the picture of the interior layout of the Catholic church, which is shown above in Figure 14. With a red square with a thinner line thickness, we showed the position “ domed square » — « middle cross " on the " plan » St. Peter's Basilica. At the bottom of the picture is visible part of the interior layout of the Catholic Church. On the right is shown the position of two sacred Tetractys at the point of transition between the Upper and Lower worlds of the matrix of the Universe. The remaining details of the combination are clearly visible in the figure. From the analysis of the results of combination « plan » St. Peter's Basilica with the matrix of the Universe, it is obvious that the matrix of the Universe is, and was in the past, the sacred basis or "template" according to which the "plan" or the internal layout of the church of St. Peter's Basilica was created.

So our test was successful. Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican built according to pattern " or sacred basis– based on knowledge about the matrix of the Universe.

And so, when we already decided that we had successfully completed our research, we suddenly had the following idea. But what if " plan » St. Peter's Basilica and the plan of Peter's Square in front of it form a single « sacred symbol"?! Yes, " plan » St. Peter's Basilica after analyzing the results of our study became « sacred symbol”, reflecting the Divine realities in the Universe! Then we went in search unified plan of the basilica with the square. Alas, we are faced with real problems. We were only able to find the following " single plan" digestible graphic quality. It is shown below in figure 16.

Rice. sixteen. Picture " unified plan» St. Peter's Basilica and Peter's Square in front of it (1899 - 1900). From this figure, we took a fragment " unified plan with whom we continued our research.

Rice. 17. The figure shows which fragment unified plan» St. Peter's Basilica and Peter's Square in front of it. The red rectangle in the figure shows a fragment that we will use to match with the matrix of the Universe.

Rice. eighteen. The figure shows the result of combining the fragment " unified plan» St. Peter's Basilica and Peter's Square in front of it, which we combined with the matrix of the Universe. With red lines at the top of the figure, we have highlighted the details of the interior of the square in front of St. Peter's Basilica. These details " unified plan» within the error are well combined with the matrix of the Universe at the point of transition between the Upper and Lower worlds of the matrix of the Universe. No less surprising for us was the fact that the obelisk in the center of Peter's Square almost exactly coincided with the central position on the 13th level of the Lower World of the matrix of the Universe. You can see this obelisk in Figure 11. As a result, our assumption is that plan» St. Peter's Basilica and the plan of Peter's Square in front of it form a single « sacred symbol» successfully confirmed. It follows that The Vatican is familiar with the knowledge about the matrix of the Universe and keeps it.

sacred meaning the space of the Lower World in the area of ​​the 13th level of the Lower World of the matrix of the Universe is already known to us. According to the ideas of the priests of ancient Egypt in the area of ​​the 13th 16th level of the Lower World of the matrix of the Universe " located " space Goddess Maati – Goddesses of Truth and Righteousness. In this space it happened and is happening " weighing people's hearts » about the degree of burdening of «hearts» with sins. We talked about this in sufficient detail in our works. chapter « Author's articles" - and - . Below in Figure 19, an Egyptian drawing with scales and the goddess of truth and truth will be shown − Maat.

Rice. nineteen. Ancient Egyptian scene drawing weighing the heart » « Ab Maat. Right god of wisdom That. Down below Ammit -« eater » burdened with sins « hearts " of people. In the well-known Egyptian The myth of Osiris « council of the gods» in the retinue of Osiris ( Asar) was called - " pout – Paut". Their total number was - 42. « council of the gods"helped Osiris analyze and evaluate the deeds of a deceased person for a lifetime. The number 42 exactly corresponds to the sum of the "positions" of 13, 14 and 15 levels – 13+14+15 = 42 - The lower world of the matrix of the Universe. In the same area of ​​the matrix of the Universe was located " Hall Double » Maati (Goddess of Truth and Truth), where on the scales it was weighed " a heart » – Ab - Ab – (aspects of the soul of the creature). Placed on one scale feather maati, and on the other scale was placed " a heart » Ab. If a " a heart » Ab turned out to be harder Feather Maati ", or most Maat with open hands on the scales, ( the creature sinned a lot), then this heart " ate " creature Ammit with the head and half of the body of a crocodile, and the back half of the body of a hippo.

Below in Figure 20, this pattern is compatible with " single plan» St. Peter's Basilica and Peter's Square in front of it.

Rice. 20. The drawing is similar to drawing 18 and has been supplemented with an ancient Egyptian drawing of the scene " weighing the heart » « Ab" in " Hall of Maat ". On the left - the goddess of truth and truth - Maat, right god of wisdom That. Picture " Hall of Maat » « located » in the Lower World of the matrix of the Universe under the obelisk brought by Emperor Caligula from Egypt. The obelisk is located in the center of Peter's Square in front of St. Peter's Basilica. This secret of the ancient sages about the matrix of the Universe, along with the Vatican owned by italian sculptor Antonio Canova, which we discussed in our work chapter « Author's articles» — .

Thus, based on the results of our research in this work, we can draw the following conclusions:

1) the matrix of the Universe is a sacred basis interior design of Catholic cathedrals. In particular, the sacred basis or " pattern » according to which Italian sculptors and architects created the interior layout of St. Peter's Basilica and the layout of Peter's Square in front of the Basilica in the Vatican.

2) Vatican keeps the secret knowledge of the ancients about the matrix of the Universe as a sacred basis, according to which the Divine Universe and our Universe, in particular, were created. There is no heresy in this, since the Lord Jesus Christ Himself in the holy Gospel of John said ( In. 1.17): “17. for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ". Ancient knowledge is accepted, and " good news» The Savior is a natural continuation of the Divine providence for us people.

More detailed information about the matrix of the Universe can be obtained by reading the articles on the website in the section " Egyptology» - and forming in the plan

The other day I wanted to refresh my memory of the Christmas trip around Europe, with the help of my old notes and photographs, once again take a walk along the streets of Vilnius, Warsaw, Krakow, Lvov. We had the pleasure of seeing these cities at the most magical time of the year, under the New Year's snowfall and Christmas festivities. Now, on a fine autumn day, it seems so far away, but only a little more than six months have passed, it’s a pity that a lot is forgotten, and I’ve been to such beautiful and historically rich cities, which is terribly sorry when emotions, impressions and acquired knowledge about these places are erased from memory.

The goal, the winter trip, was both leisure and educational. The plans included visiting the Old Towns, which, as you know, are the concentration of architectural monuments and cultural heritage. Thus linking the long-standing desire to clarify questions about salient features and signs of various architectural styles, as well as to formulate the basic principles of medieval urban planning, with the opportunity to see it all with my own eyes, found information on objects, and went to sort it out, as they say, on the spot.

My guide through Christmas Europe was ren_ar , it is his wonderful photographs that now help to remember the route and resurrect emotions from what he saw. And it all started in Vilnius...

Having passed through the gates into the old city, the first thing they noticed was the Church of St. Teresa, and they headed towards it.

Parish Roman Catholic Church, the first mention of which occurs in 1627. The temple is made in the early Baroque style, some of the details of the facade indicate this, for example, sculptures in the recesses of the walls, currencies (curls, spirals) in the corners of winding forms, pilasters (a vertical projection of the wall imitating a column), etc. Determining the style of the building was not an easy task, especially if you are looking at a building that has been formed over the centuries. It, as a rule, is multi-style, due to repeated restorations and rebuildings. When identifying a style, joy is added by the same techniques used in different architectural directions. For example, here, I would also note the presence of notes of classicism.

Analyzing the figurative perception of the church, and indeed of any religious building, I came to the conclusion that in order to get a more or less complete picture, it is necessary to be aware of the canonical structure of the church or church, to have an idea about the artistic framing, and also to remember its main function, worship .

As for the church of St. Teresa, here I will perhaps pay attention to the first point, the second can be assessed by looking at the photographs, and we will observe the ceremony in another church.

Arguments about proportions, proportions, metro-rhythmic patterns, etc. ... let's push it to the Masons. I want to dwell on the structure of the church itself. Catholic churches are most often built in the form of a basilica, or as domed churches in the form of a Latin cross at the base.

The church of St. Teresa, just looks like a basilica, and is a rectangular building consisting of three naves, these rooms can be separated from each other by columns or pillars. The cross, in terms of the temple, symbolizes the atoning sacrifice of Christ. The side aisles often serve as places for chapels with independent altars. When building an altar, the relics of a saint are always placed at the foundation of the foundation. In the Catholic church, the altar is turned to the west, it is there, according to the teachings of the Catholic Church, that the capital of Universal Christianity, Rome, is located.

And since I have so regulated the points on which I conduct the analysis, separately, as an exception, it is worth mentioning the subject that unites the rite of worship, the very structure of the temple and its decoration. It is, of course, an organ. Everyone knows that, firstly, it is used during Mass, secondly, a special place is allocated for it on the balcony opposite the altar, acoustically the building must also be properly designed so as not to drown out its majestic sounds, and thirdly, how done! The organ can definitely be called a pearl church.

The next thing that struck my imagination was the ensemble of Vilnius University. Now, when I turn off today in myself and try to get into yesterday, the image of this grandiose structure evokes in me associations with Castalia, the province about which Hermann Hesse wrote in his brilliant novel, where the highest virtues of man were reason and scientific knowledge.

An amazing feeling of spiritual inspiration and a thirst for knowledge is caused by a walk through the quiet and cozy courtyards of the university, which are empty due to the holidays. But this is nothing, the imagination gladly completes the picture with the presence here of flocks of puzzled students, sedate teachers in red robes, a sample of the sixteenth century, by the way, this time is considered the moment of the formation of the university.

Now this Castalia consists of 13 courtyards, the Church of St. John and the bell tower. The formation of the complex took place over the centuries, the academy bought more and more new buildings from the bishopric, which were given as apartments to professors and students of the university, and it all started from the Great Courtyard, where the church, the bell tower and the southern building are located.

The courtyard of the observatory adjoins the Great Court, in ancient times medicinal plants were grown there, in one of the buildings there was a pharmacy, the archive of the educational commission (the governing body of the education system of the Commonwealth), and of course, the building of the astronomical observatory, on the frieze of which the inscription in Latin is engraved: " Courage gives the old sky a new light", with the signs of the zodiac.

Particular attention should be paid to the Church of St. John, it is he who causes me more interest compared to other places of worship, because the history of its formation is connected not only with religion, but also with the scientific, educational life of the city, and the state as a whole. In addition to traditional fires, ruins, and misuse, the church passed from one owner to another. Initially, it belonged to the government, which, apparently from a slight desire to carry out restoration after the fire of 1530, transferred the church to the possession of the Jesuits, and since the guys were businesslike, they carried out a major reconstruction and expansion of the temple, erected a bell tower, arranged chapels, crypts, utility rooms. Meetings of kings, holidays of the monastic order, disputes and defense of scientific works were held here, for all the years, in addition to frescoes, a huge layer of intelligence of many generations was layered on the walls of the temple, and this is undoubtedly felt. After the abolition of the Jesuit order in 1773, the church passed into the possession of the Vilna University. In 1826-1829 the last large-scale reconstruction and alteration of the church was carried out. Subsequently, it also moved from one academy to another, and during the Soviet period was used as a warehouse for the paper of a communist newspaper. Now it has been returned to the Catholic Church and is being used as a non-parochial church of the Vilnius deanery, run by the Jesuit fathers. I am glad that the tradition of solemn initiation into students and presentation of diplomas is preserved here.

The main facade of the church faces the Great University Yard. The external appearance acquired its modern Baroque features during the restoration by the architect Johann Glaubitz, after a fire in 1737. The interior decoration also underwent many reconstructions, but despite this, the solemn Gothic with touches of Baroque in the altar part was preserved.

The altar complex is an ensemble of ten altars at different levels, in different planes. The main altar is built between two massive columns, next to which are sculptures of John Chrysostom, Pope Gregory the Great, St. Anselm and St. Augustine.

As a rule, the interior decoration of the churches is decorated with picturesque and sculptural images. On the walls in the form of reliefs, paintings or frescoes depict Jesus' way of the cross to Golgotha. These are 14 stages of the way of the cross. Here the frescoes were painted over during the reconstruction in 1820.

One of distinguishing features Gothic cathedrals are stained glass windows. In the Church of St. John, they were created in 1898 and practically destroyed in 1948. They were restored already in the 60s. As a rule, religious and domestic scenes are depicted on stained glass windows. Due to them, the intensity of light in the room is constantly changing, playing with the imagination. It is the stained glass windows that create a special emotional atmosphere in the temple, a fantastic feeling of belonging to the unearthly.

Also in every Catholic church there are special booths for confession. Their windows are usually covered with bars and curtains to ensure the anonymity of penance. The artistic embodiment of the confessional can put them on a par with works of art.

And the picture, albeit a somewhat amateurish analysis of the artistic framing of the church, would not be complete if I did not mention the organ, the choral preludes of which can bring anyone closer to God.

It was time to attend Catholic Mass. Moreover, we, already running through the evening streets of old Vilnius, quite by chance went into the Church of the Holy Spirit, where at the entrance such a wonderful fresco is depicted, its cheerful inhabitant, as if inviting you to attend the evening service:
- O! They were just waiting for you, they couldn’t start in any way, come in, come in ...

The Catholic Mass corresponds to the Divine Liturgy Orthodox Church. The whole action begins with the exit of the priest, to the sounds of introit (entrance chant). Forms of Catholic worship have been formed over many centuries, under the influence of various factors. The formation of theological Catholic dogma survived the struggle with heresies, for every self-respecting heretic was sure of the truth of the formulations of his worship. As a result of attempts to unify worship, Catholics came to a more stable composition of the mass than the Orthodox liturgy. The mass takes place in front of the altar, its first part is called the liturgy of the word, it is an analogue of the ancient liturgy of the catechumens, that is, members of the community who have not yet been baptized. During the liturgy, the Holy Scriptures are read and a sermon is delivered. Before the liturgy of the word, a rite of repentance is performed. On Sundays and holidays, "Gloria" is sung or two doxologies are pronounced, the big "Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace to all people of good will" and the small "Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit", the Creed is read and sung. The second part of the mass is the liturgy of the faithful, which consists of the Eucharistic canon, communion and the final rites. Communion is the main part of the Mass, it is at this moment, according to the teachings of the Church, that the transubstantiation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ takes place. If we continue to talk about the external manifestations of worship among Catholics, then it is worth noting that they conduct worship in Latin, or in the national language, in compliance with all canonical requirements. The Catholic Mass is characterized by kneeling and raising hands and eyes to heaven, Catholics are also baptized with five fingers, first on the left and then on the right shoulder, since in Catholicism the five fingers are performed in the name of the five plagues of Christ.

During the entire period of the trip, we managed to visit a lot of both morning and evening masses. And what is surprising is that we have never seen the church empty at that time. The Catholic Mass can rightfully be considered not only a ritual action, but also a mystical one. You experience such an amazing feeling of spiritualization and unity with completely unfamiliar people, which never happens to me in MUP Orthodox churches, and, in fact, there is no desire to have something in common with our church.

As already mentioned, Christianity has never been a single trend. From the first centuries of its development, various directions coexisted in it. The largest variety of Christianity is Catholicism. Today, more than 1 billion people are adherents of Catholicism. Catholicism is widespread mainly in Western, Southeastern and Central Europe. In addition, it covers the majority of the population with its influence. Latin America and a third of the population of Africa. Catholicism is quite widespread in the United States.

And although Catholicism professes, along with Orthodoxy, the basic Christian provisions of dogma and worship, at the same time it introduces its own changes into them. So, the basis of the doctrine of Catholicism is the common Christian Creed, which includes 12 dogmas and seven sacraments, which were discussed in the paragraph on Orthodoxy. However, this creed in Catholicism has its differences.

In particular, Orthodoxy makes decisions only in the first seven Ecumenical Councils. Catholicism, continuing to develop its dogmatics at subsequent councils, accepts as Holy Tradition the decrees 21 cathedrals, as well as official documents of the head of the Catholic Church - the Pope. So, already in 589, at the Toledo Cathedral, the Catholic Church makes an addition to the Creed in the form dogma about "filioque"(literally "and from the son"). This dogma gives its own original interpretation of the relationship between the persons of the Divine Trinity. According to the Niceno-Tsargradsky Creed, the Holy Spirit comes from God the Father. The Catholic doctrine of the filioque asserts that the Holy Spirit also proceeds from God the Son.

Orthodox teaching proclaims that the human soul, depending on earthly existence, goes to heaven or hell. In addition to this Catholic Church formulated dogma of purgatory- an intermediate place between hell and heaven. According to Catholic doctrine purgatory - the place of residence of the souls of sinners, unburdened by mortal sins. The fire of purgatory removes sins before paradise. Adopted by the Council of Florence in 1439, the dogma of purgatory was finally confirmed in 1568 by the Council of Trent.

In Catholicism, the original doctrine of the stock of good deeds is widespread, which was proclaimed by Pope Clement I (1349) and confirmed by the Council of Trent and Vatican I (1870). According to this doctrine, the church manages the stock of "super-duty deeds" accumulated by the church through the activities of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and the saints of the Roman Catholic Church. Thus, the fate of the soul in purgatory can be facilitated and its stay there shortened due to "good deeds" (prayers, worship, donations to the church, etc.), which are performed by relatives and friends in memory of the deceased. The Church, being the mystical body of Jesus Christ and His vicar on Earth, manages this reserve. The doctrine of the stock of good deeds was the basis for the practice of selling indulgences that was widespread in the Middle Ages and lasted until the 19th century. Indulgence is a letter of absolution. It is noteworthy that such a letter could be bought for money. Thus, every sin, with the exception of the mortal, had its monetary equivalent. Since only priests have the right to distribute the stock of "super-duty deeds", their privileged position among the faithful is conditioned to that extent.

Catholicism distinguishes among other Christian denominations cult of the Virgin, Mother Of Jesus Christ Virgin Mary. In 1854, Pope Pius I proclaimed the dogma of her immaculate conception.“All believers,” wrote the Pope, “should deeply and constantly believe and confess that the Blessed Virgin from the first minute of her conception was protected from original sin thanks to the special mercy of the almighty God, shown for the sake of the merit of Jesus the Savior of the human race.” In addition to this, in 1950 Pope Pius XII established the dogma of the bodily ascension of the Mother of God, which declared that Holy Mother of God after death, she ascended to heaven in the unity of body and soul. In accordance with this dogma, a special holiday was established in Catholicism in 1954.

The characteristic of Catholicism is also the doctrine of the supremacy of the Pope over all Christians. The head of the Catholic Church, the Pope of Rome, is proclaimed the vicar of Christ on earth, the successor of the Apostle Peter. Developing these claims, at the 1st Vatican Council (1870) was adopted dogma of the infallibility of the pope. According to this dogma, God himself speaks through the mouth of the Pope in official speeches on matters of faith and morality.

In Catholicism, since the 11th century, there has been celibacy- obligatory celibacy of the clergy. In other words, all priests belong to one of the monastic orders (Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans, Capuchins, Benedictines).

In the cult activity of Catholicism, originality is also manifested. So, the sacrament of chrismation in Catholicism is called confirmation, committed over children and adolescents aged 7-12 years. The process of worship is also different. In a catholic church believers sit during worship, with the musical accompaniment of an organ or harmonium, and get up only when certain prayers are sung.

catholic bible

The Roman Catholic Church has traditionally used a Latin translation of the Bible. The early church in Rome used several Latin translations from the Septuagint and the Greek New Testament. In 382, ​​Pope Damasus commissioned Jerome, a prominent philologist and scholar, to make a new translation of the Bible. Jerome revised existing Latin versions based on the Greek original and edited the Old Testament based on Hebrew manuscripts. The translation was completed ca. 404. Subsequently, he supplanted other Latin translations, and he began to be called "common"(Vulgata version). The first printed book (famous Gutenberg Bible, 1456) was the publication of the Vulgate.

The Catholic Bible contains 73 books: 46 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament. Since the Old Testament here derives from the Septuagint and not from the Hebrew Bible approved by the Sanhedrin of Jamnia, there are seven books not included in the Jewish canon, as well as additions to the Books of Esther and Daniel. In addition, the Septuagint follows the order of the books in the Catholic Bible.

The main canonical edition of the Vulgate was published in 1592 by order of Pope Clement VIII and was called the Clement edition (editio Clementina). It repeats the text of Jerome (404), with the exception of the Psalter, which is presented in Jerome's revision before it was revised to take into account the Hebrew originals. In 1979, the church approved a new edition of the Vulgate (Vulgata Nova), which takes into account the latest achievements of biblical studies.

The first translations of the Catholic Bible into English language made directly from the Vulgate. The most famous and widely used translation was Douai-Rheims Bible (Douay-Rheims Version, 1582–1610). However, in 1943, Pope Pius XII issued a strict order to biblical scholars in their translation activities to rely henceforth only on ancient Aramaic and Hebrew manuscripts. This resulted in new translations of the Bible.

The position of the Roman Catholic Church on the authority of the Bible was formulated at the Council of Trent (1545-1563). In contrast to the Protestant reformers, who saw in the Bible the only foundation of their faith, the fourth session of the council (1546) decreed that Tradition is a part of revelation, not written in Holy Scripture, but transmitted in the teaching of the church - has equal authority with the Bible. Catholics were not allowed to read the Bible in translations that were not approved by the church and without comments consistent with church Tradition. For some time, reading Bible translations required the permission of the pope or the Inquisition. At the end of the XVIII century. this restriction was lifted, and since 1900 the reading of the Bible by the laity was even officially encouraged by church authorities. At the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), the relationship between Scripture and Tradition was discussed: should they be considered as independent "sources of Revelation" (a more conservative point of view) or as sources that complement each other, "like two electric arcs in one searchlight" .

catholic temple

Catholic churches are usually built on a base that has the shape of a cross. This form is intended to remind of the atoning sacrifice of Christ. Sometimes temples are built in the form of a ship, as if delivering people to the quiet harbor of the Kingdom of Heaven. Other symbols are also used in church architecture, including a circle - a symbol of God's eternity - and a star (most often an octagon) - a heavenly body that shows a person the path to perfection.

The general arrangement of Catholic churches differs from Orthodox ones in that their main part faces the West. In home prayer, Catholics also usually turn towards the West, which symbolizes the recognition of Rome, located in the western part of Europe, as the capital of all Christianity, and the bishop of this city, the pope, as the head of the entire Christian church.

According to tradition, in a Catholic church, the altar and the sacrament of the sacrament of priests taking place there is open to all those present. The predominant cult element in the Catholic church are the sculptural images of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, and saints. However, in all Catholic churches on the walls you can see fourteen icons depicting various stages of the "Way of the Cross of the Lord."

It is allowed to install several holy thrones in the Catholic Church, in three sides of the temple - at the western, southern and northern its walls.

Thrones here are more than in Orthodox churches open to the eyes of those present, since they do not have iconostases.

There are also no special altars for the preparation of the Holy Gifts in Catholic churches, as in Orthodox altars.

Icons in Catholic churches are revered, as in Orthodox ones, but the nature of Western, mainly Italian, painting differs from Byzantine. In Western icon painting, the external form is more elegant, but due to this, a purely Christian idea is less strictly maintained. The unearthly world of the saints is depicted in it more like the earthly world with all its unrest and suffering.

Catholic rites and holidays

Catholics mostly honor the same Christ and Mother of God holidays as the Orthodox ones, but they celebrate them not according to the Julian, but according to the Gregorian calendar (new style), so the time of celebration is different.

Regarding religious fasts, we note that the Roman Catholic Church has long since departed from the original severity of their holding. During Lent, Catholics are allowed to eat fish, milk, eggs, and butter. In addition, entire groups of people are exempted from the post on various grounds.

The number of strict fasts in Catholicism tended to decrease, strict fasting is now observed at the beginning of Great Lent, on the Friday before Easter and on Christmas Eve. The requirements for abstinence from meat food are limited. It remains practically only in relation to Friday. Provided that the believer reads five prayers appointed by the priest, he gets the right not to fast these days. The requirements for the behavior of believers during fasts have also changed noticeably. It is not forbidden to visit theaters and other places of entertainment, holding feasts on occasion of birthdays, etc.

Advent (Christmas Lent) begins on the first Sunday after Saint Andrew's Day. November 30th.

Christmas is the most solemn holiday. It is celebrated with three services: at midnight, at dawn and afternoon, which symbolizes the birth of Christ in the bosom of the Father, in the womb of the Mother of God and in the soul of the believer. On this day, a manger with a figurine of the baby Christ is put up in temples for worship. Christmas is celebrated December 25.

At Christmas dinner, they traditionally eat a consecrated goose, flour and sweet dishes with the obligatory addition of honey and almonds, which, according to the beliefs of the "main Catholics" - Italians, contribute to the well-being of the family, as well as improving soil fertility and increasing livestock.

In many Catholic countries, geese, turkeys, jellied pig, baked pig's head, capon, black pudding, etc. are traditional for Christmas.

Epiphany is called the Feast of the Three Kings by Catholics. in memory of the appearance of Jesus Christ to the pagans and the worship of three kings. On this day, prayers of thanksgiving are performed in the temples: Jesus Christ is sacrificed as a king - gold, as God - a censer, as a man - myrrh, fragrant oil.

Catholics have several specific holidays: the feast of the Heart of Jesus - a symbol of hope for salvation, the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary (December 8).

One of the main feasts of the Mother of God - the Ascension of the Mother of God - is celebrated August 15(for the Orthodox - the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary).

Feast of the Remembrance of the Dead (November 2) erected in memory of those who have passed away. Prayer for them, according to Catholic teaching, reduces the length of stay and suffering of souls in purgatory.

The sacrament of the Eucharist (communion) is called the feast of the Body of the Lord by the Catholic Church. It is celebrated on the first Thursday after Trinity.

In Catholicism, along with Christian rites, many customs associated with the ancient cult of fertility have been preserved, the obligatory feature of which is food. Ritual food accompanies family and calendar holidays. This includes eating the first fruits of the new harvest - first fruits, and memorial meals, and plentiful refreshments during special transitional periods of the year - on New Year's Eve, for example, as symbols of future abundance in the future.

Christmas is preceded by a long fast that ends on Christmas Eve. For example, in Italy, according to tradition, dinner on this day is lenten. On Christmas Eve, there should be seven dishes on the Catholic table: lentils, white beans, chickpeas, beans with honey, cabbage, rice boiled in almond milk, and pasta with sardines in a walnut sauce. The custom has been preserved on Christmas Eve to serve eels for dinner or dishes of cod, oysters and other seafood.

There are many features in the New Year's holiday that make it related to Christmas. Hostesses treat guests with pizza, dry dates and baked beans. For example, from ancient times in Italy to New Year they eat dried grapes in bunches, confectionery with honey and nuts, lentil soup, hard-boiled eggs. At the same time, Catholic Poles must have 12 dishes on the New Year's table, and meat is excluded. Of course, fried carp or jellied carp, mushroom soup (borscht), beaten, barley porridge with prunes, dumplings with butter and poppy seeds. For dessert, chocolate cake.

Ritual meals accompany other Catholic holidays associated with the annual cycle of agricultural work, and, of course, a very special time in this respect is spring. It is no coincidence that pagan carnivals, similar to the Russian Maslenitsa, are timed to coincide with this period.