Message about the Cathedral. What is the difference between a temple and a cathedral and a church, what is the meaning of these words

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In the Middle Ages, all Western Europe belonged to the Roman Catholic religion. Each congregation had its own church. These churches were grouped within areas called dioceses. Each diocese was under the jurisdiction of a bishop. The main church of the diocese had an episcopal throne - the pulpit. Translated from Latin, the name of such a church sounds like “cathedral church”.

Most cathedrals were built in the shape of a cross. The long part of the cross is the nave of the church, which serves to gather the worshipers. It is crossed, as it were, by the crossbar. At the "top" of the cross was an altar and a place for the choir. Domes in such churches were most often built over the intersection of two elongated spaces.

Cathedrals were built in almost all architectural styles. But most of the famous cathedrals were erected either in the Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic, or Renaissance styles. Most of the most famous cathedrals, such as Notre Dame de Paris, were built in…

There are churches: parish, cemetery, house, cross (church at the bishop's or patriarch's house) and cathedral. The cathedral got its name because the service in it can be performed by the clergy of several churches (cathedral service). Cathedrals in diocesan cities or the main church in large monasteries are usually called cathedrals.

Temple (from Old Russian “mansions”, “chramina”) - architectural structure(building) intended for worship and religious ceremonies. A Christian temple is also called a "church".

Cathedral is usually called main church city ​​or monastery. Although local tradition may not adhere to this rule too strictly. So, for example, in St. Petersburg there are three cathedrals: St. Isaac's, Kazansky and Smolny (not counting the cathedrals of city monasteries), and in the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra there are two cathedrals: Assumption and Trinity. The church where the chair of the ruling bishop (bishop) is located is called the cathedral. IN…

A cathedral is usually called a Christian temple, which has a special status. As an example, a cathedral is a church that has an episcopal chair and is the main one in the district. As a rule, a bishop serves in a cathedral or cathedral.

There is probably no such person who has not read, or at least not heard, about the most famous cathedral in France - the Cathedral Notre Dame of Paris Or Notre Dame de Paris. But this cathedral, which has a very interesting story, and is a prime example of a cathedral. But there are cathedrals not only in European countries. There are such cathedrals in Russia. There are not so many of them, but they are all widely known. This is the Vladimir Cathedral in Kiev, St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir ... So what is the difference between the cathedral and all other cathedrals?

The most important difference of a cathedral is that such a cathedral must have a pulpit. The pulpit (from the Latin word for "chair" or "throne") is the most honorable place in the temple, where there is a chair intended for the bishop. But sometimes this chair symbolizes not only a place of honor, but also a symbol of the power of the bishop. In our language, the name of the main cathedral of the diocese, the cathedral, came from the word "cathedral", but in the European language the word "cathedral" came from this word. That is, it turns out that every European cathedral is considered a cathedral.

The department has been around for a very long time. Back in the days of Christian catacombs and chapels, a special chair was always installed for the bishop during worship. In the future, the pulpit was located in the niche of the apse of the temple, that is, in a special semicircular recess of each Christian temple, and around the bishop there were chairs of other priests. This order was established by John the Theologian, who dreamed of just such an arrangement of the priests and the bishop during the service. But this word has another origin. The pulpit is the center of episcopal power. It is believed that bishops receive the chair from the apostles themselves.

However, today there is no single location of the pulpit in the temples. For example, in Russian cathedrals, the episcopal throne is located directly opposite the throne in a high place. In the Greek Church, the pulpit is located on the kliros, that is, in front of the iconostasis.

The status of "cathedral" is assigned once and for all. This rule applies not only in Russia, but also in all European countries. However, if the bishop decides that he needs another cathedral to hold the service, and this new cathedral is built, no one has the right to take away the title of the cathedral from the old building.

There is another feature of the cathedrals- they can be of any size, and the pulpit does not have to be permanently located in the cathedral building. It can be carried out only in those cases when the service will be conducted by the bishop. The rest of the time, such a portable pulpit can be in the most secluded place.

In addition to the actual cathedrals, there is also a so-cathedral.- a building in which there is a second pulpit, and a pro-cathedral - a building that temporarily performs the function of a cathedral.

There are words whose meaning is so ambiguous that you can’t immediately make out what it is about. And if you do not penetrate the essence, then you have to guess from the context. Take, for example, the word "cathedral". What is this, you immediately say? What does the person who says it mean? Agree, you need to listen to the proposal in order to understand the essence. After all, the term means many things. Let's see, the cathedral - what is it?

Looking through dictionaries

It is customary to start even the simplest theoretical research from primary sources. The meaning of words is contained in special books, let's turn to them. According to specialized literature, a cathedral is a building, a meeting of citizens, a meeting of responsible persons, held for a specific purpose. The term is usually associated with religious theme. For example, everyone knows Saint Isaac's Cathedral. This is the name of a large Orthodox church, in which the patriarch conducts services on holidays. However, in Rus', secular events were also called a cathedral. A.S. Pushkin has the following lines: “Smite the barbarians with bloody verses; Ignorance, resigned, lowers the cold gaze of Arrogant rhetoricians, an illiterate cathedral. This refers to an assembly that is far from solving religious matters. But the Dictionary of Church Terms explains the meaning of the word, from the point of view of Orthodoxy. In it, the cathedral is both a building and a meeting of representatives of Christian communities, and a holiday. Therefore, it is necessary to understand our term in more detail.

The lexical meaning of the word "cathedral"

Science tries to understand the concepts thoroughly so that there are no questions left. Under understand, according to textbooks, that image or phenomenon, which indicates a set of sounds. And here we all come to the same ambiguity. Indeed, by the word "cathedral" our interlocutor can understand both the noun (temple) and the phenomenon (meeting). That is, the same term refers to essentially different things. On the one hand, it denotes the building in which divine services are performed, on the other hand, it calls for thinking about the congress of authorized representatives. It is necessary to understand what exactly is meant by the context. For example, when you hear the phrase: “I visited during the tour Orthodox Cathedral”, represent the building. Everyone understands that we are talking about a large temple, decorated with icons and frescoes. Another thing, for example, This phrase is an anachronism. There are no such events at present.

What is a Zemsky Sobor

To understand the essence of this concept, it is necessary to turn to the meaning of power. The ruler must rely on some kind of force so that his orders are carried out. A tyrant has an army and a police force, a president has an electoral system, people and parliament. In Rus' in the 16th century, rulers preferred to consult with certain groups of the population when making important decisions that affect the entire population. The people were gathered at the place of residence by special orders. The Moscow rulers sent messengers to all parts of the country demanding to confer with representatives of the service and merchant class. That is, ordinary peasants were not listened to. Wealthy people who had influence in their quarter or workshop were invited to the Zemsky Sobor. Probably, in such a simple way, democracy was born. Zemsky Sobors operated for quite a long time, about one hundred and fifty years.

Church concepts

Believers also organized the work of a kind of advisory bodies. Councils among Christians are local, episcopal, ecumenical. They differ in the status of participants and the level of decisions made. So, both archbishops and ordinary believers came to visit. Discussed issues of religion and morality. And only church ministers take part in the work. The common people were not allowed to see him. Such meetings eventually replaced the local ones. That is, issues of religious life and morality began to be discussed without taking into account the opinions of the laity. great value Ecumenical Councils. This event is held infrequently. It is attended by representatives of all local churches, that is, territorial branches. These meetings discuss critical issues creeds and ecclesiastical organization. The last attempt was made in 2016. But most, including the Russian Orthodox, refused to participate.

Building

Most often, the meaning of the word "cathedral" is associated with the church. This is the designation of a building in which religious rites are performed by a patriarch or archbishop. The building has a special, more fundamental architecture, that is, it stands out from others. It is decorated in such a way that believers can immediately assess the status of the temple. Its dimensions must also be significant, since a large number of clergy take part in the service. It is customary to keep spiritual relics of great value in cathedrals. They attract believers who want to touch the relics or miraculous icons. The cathedral is also called the main church in a large Orthodox monastery. It also stands out from the rest in size and decoration. It is in this temple that holiday services supervised by the pastor.

Holiday

Some days in Christianity are also called cathedrals. The word changes its meaning again. For example, Cathedral Holy Mother of God. This is the day after Christmas. During this period, churches hold special events dedicated to the Mother of God. After the Baptism of the Lord, the Cathedral of John the Baptist is celebrated. Believers come to churches and praise this Saint. As you can see, our term has many meanings. Therefore, it should be used correctly so that the listeners understand what is being said. Of course, many now have no idea about Zemsky Sobors, because such events have long sunk into oblivion. However, even without this, there are many interpretations of the term.

The Ecumenical Council, we repeat, is an event held to resolve fundamental religious issues relating to all believers, and St. Isaac's is a large temple. It should be noted that buildings with this name must be built in the traditional architectural style of the country and period. So, it bears the features of the Norman and gothic styles characteristic of the time when it was built. Architects of all countries tried to endow their creations with characteristics that correspond to the traditions of society in order to preserve its features for centuries.

There are churches: parish, cemetery, house, cross (church at the bishop's or patriarch's house) and cathedral. The cathedral got its name because the service in it can be performed by the clergy of several churches (cathedral service). Usually, cathedrals in diocesan cities or the main church in large monasteries are called cathedrals.

A temple (from the old Russian “mansions”, “chramina”) is an architectural structure (building) intended for worship and religious rites. A Christian temple is also called a "church".

The cathedral is usually called the main church of the city or monastery. Although local tradition may not adhere to this rule too strictly. So, for example, in St. Petersburg there are three cathedrals: St. Isaac's, Kazansky and Smolny (not counting the cathedrals of city monasteries), and in the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra there are two cathedrals: Assumption and Trinity. The church where the chair of the ruling bishop (bishop) is located is called the cathedral. IN Orthodox church be sure to allocate the altar part, where the Altar is located, and the meal - a room for worshipers.

In the altar of the temple, on the Throne, the sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated. In Orthodoxy, it is customary to call a chapel a small building (structure) intended for prayer. As a rule, chapels are erected in memory of events that are important for the heart of a believer. The difference between a chapel and a church is that the chapel does not have a Throne and the Liturgy is not celebrated there.

The word Cathedral comes from the Old Slavonic words: congress, assembly. This is usually the name of the main temple in the city or monastery. The cathedral is designed for the daily service of God by at least three priests. Divine services of higher clergy are also held here: the patriarch, the archbishop, the bishop. The significant size of the cathedral allows a large number of parishioners and clergy to gather in one place. Although the area of ​​the cathedral may not differ significantly from an ordinary parish church, it should be designed for the fact that mainly festive services will be performed by clergy from the staff of the temple.

Ideally, there should be 12 priests in addition to the rector - the image of Christ and the 12 Apostles. Cathedrals have their own gradation: monastic, cathedral. The church where the chair of the ruling bishop or bishop is located is called a cathedral. There are numerous clergy in cathedrals, in the main churches of the diocese, where there is a bishop's chair, which is a permanent elevation in the center of the church, where the bishop stands, conducting services.

The word Temple comes from the old Russian words: “mansions”, “chramina”. The temple is an architectural building or structure intended for the performance of worship and religious rites - the administration of a religious cult. A Christian temple is called a church. In an Orthodox church, an altar part, where the Throne is located, and a meal - a room for worshipers - are necessarily allocated. In the altar part of the temple, on the Throne, the sacrament of the Eucharist is performed - a bloodless sacrifice.

In parish churches, in city churches - on a mandatory basis, there is a remote pulpit - usually a wooden square platform just in case the bishop serves. But, in fairness, it is worth noting that often the cathedral of the 2nd diocesan city can be quite small in size, rarely visited by the bishop, which together does not make it necessary to constantly stay in the center of the temple of the department, and there are 2-3 priests at best.

Mainly in monastery where monks often have holy orders, especially those who hold key positions - dean, ecclesiarch, sacristan, and others, as a rule, there is always a cathedral church. Ekklesia is a common name for a popular assembly in Ancient Greece. This term is often found in the Greek Old Testament to refer to the gathering of the chosen people before God. Especially when it comes to the gathering at Mount Sinai, where Israel received the tablets of the law and was established by God as His holy people. Calling themselves "Ekklesia", the first community of believers in Christ recognizes itself as the heir to this assembly. In it, God "calls" his people from all over the world. The term "Kyriake", from which "Kirche", "Church" and Russian word Church.

The word "church" comes from the Greek word and in translation means the house of the Lord, God's house. Churches have at least an altar part oriented to the east and an adjoining room for worshipers - a meal. There are churches with a complex of interconnected spaces: the Chapel and the Aisle, the Crypt and the Refectory. Lutheran churches are called Kirks or Kirchs, Polish catholic churches- churches.

According to another version, the status of the church is determined by the chapel - a dome with a cross. The temple has three or five, seven or 11, 12, or even 13 domes, respectively, aisles. There is usually one priest in the church and he can serve only one liturgy. Even a second priest in the same chapel cannot serve the next liturgy on the same day. In churches where there are several chapels, you can serve as many liturgies per day as there are chapels, but by different priests. In addition, a cathedral can be called a church in which there are shrines. This, according to some judgments, is considered the main difference between a temple and a church and a cathedral.

In Orthodoxy, a chapel is a relatively small building, building or structure, attributed to or subordinate to any city or country church and intended for prayers. The chapel may be dedicated to any saint; Christian holiday; a memorable event that is important for the heart of a believer. The chapel does not provide for an altar, but services may be held in or near it, but relatively infrequently. In the chapel there are no side chapels, the Throne, the Liturgy is not served.

Let's summarize. The main difference between a cathedral and a church and a temple is a special status once assigned to a church building due to some special situation, usually this is the main temple of a settlement or monastery. The status of the Council is not subject to revision. It makes no difference that when the bishop's chair is moved to another temple, he is given the title of Cathedral. Divine services are performed by a council (gathering) of the clergy, the staff consists of several priests.
The main difference between a temple and a church is the presence of an altar or altar in the temple.

In Christianity, a bloodless sacrifice, the Eucharist, was performed on the altar. The significance of the architecture of temples is wider than religious ideas and ritual functions. The decorative decoration and architecture of the temple reveals the idea of ​​the universe, is a place of solemn ceremonies and public gatherings. Temple buildings are usually located in the iconic and key points of the city - they give a difference to the architectural appearance and contribute to the strengthening of beliefs.

Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko

Orthodoxy has always been famous for its magnificent churches. Since ancient times, the Slavs tried to build beautiful churches with golden domes and special painting of icons, which was often based on mosaics. It is enough to look at the temples of the Kiev-Pechersk and Pochaev Lavra. But temples with the status Cathedral. Not every temple received this status.

In ancient times and today, the status of a cathedral is received by those temples where the bishop's chair is located and hierarchal worship is constantly performed in them. Also, a temple can become a cathedral, which is located in a big city (without an episcopal chair), in a monastery. Such a main temple of a certain city or monastery will be called a cathedral. If there is a bishop's chair, then the prefix cathedral is added to the word cathedral. The most famous cathedrals of Ukraine are: the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Yalta, the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Kiev, the Holy Assumption Cathedral of the Pochaev Lavra.

The status of a cathedral is given with the blessing of the reigning bishop once and for all time.

How is a cathedral chosen?

The question arises: "By what criteria is it determined that a temple can become a cathedral?" There are several criteria. First, as already mentioned above, a temple becomes a cathedral, where there is an episcopal chair. Secondly, Sunday services, especially festive services, are performed by a council of priests, who, as a rule, are no less than twelve.

This symbolic number means the twelve apostles. Since the bishop is the image of Christ, then he, like Christ, must be surrounded by twelve apostles. By the way, in some cathedrals the bishop's pulpit stands, permanently, in the middle part of the church. The cathedra is a special construction, which is an elevation in the form of a square, on which the bishop is located during certain moments of worship. Basically, such an episcopal chair is portable. It is placed in the temple only for the time of the bishop's service. At the end of the service, she climbs up and stands somewhere in the direction of the temple, so as not to interfere with people. It should be noted that in Lately there are episcopal chairs in small churches, where only two or three priests serve. Apparently, this is due to the fact that at present there is a tendency to increase the number of the episcopate of the Church.

The Cathedral always gathers many parishioners and pilgrims for prayer. No wonder. When a temple feast is celebrated, not only the priests of the diocese, but also many bishops from other departments come to the cathedral