Cross-domed temple. Features of origin

In this article we will talk about where the Orthodox architecture of the temples takes their roots, what it symbolizes and according to what principles it is built, and also about the importance given to different kinds of temples.

It's no secret that Christianity in Russia is not a native religion. Orthodoxy came to us from distant Byzantium. Yes, and the principles of building churches relied on the temples of Byzantium. But although originally Russian architects and tried to copy the architecture of churches, over time, the construction of churches has acquired a unique handwriting and its own sacred meaning.

We can say that from Byzantium to Russia came the technology of how to build a cross-domed church. It has its own distinctive features, since it must have a dome, which is located on four pillars, symbolizing the four directions of the world and the four evangelists. After the four major ones, twelve or more pillars cross, the intersections of which form the signs of the cross and divide the temple into zones, each of which has its own name and purpose.

According to the studies of historians and religious scholars, the cross-domed church takes its architectural origin from the Roman catacombs.

In the catacombs in place of the dome, there was always a source of natural light, it symbolized the light of God or Jesus Christ. Of course, the ground cross-domed church looks incomparably more majestic than the catacombs. But still some of the architectural similarities persisted.

The development of construction technology in Russia initially differs from the Byzantine one. After all, the main building material was a tree, from which churches with domes in the form of tents were often built, because it is difficult to make a traditional dome from wood. Even with time began to appear stone churches with domes in the form of tents. True, in the seventeenth century the construction of such temples was banned.

However, in Russia, and later in Russia, in spite of the wooden construction, not only one cross-domed church, which was completely in accordance with the Byzantine, was built. Basically, these are white-stone single-domed and five-domed churches.

To date, the architecture of Orthodox churches has moved far ahead, if viewed from the original Byzantine. But still there are many features and principles of building temples.

One of the distinctive principles was the greater number of domes. And if one-and five-domed temples were originally built, now they are much larger. The churches with one dome are dedicated to the unity of God and his creations.

The two-domed ones speak about the double creation of God, people and angels, and also about the double nature of Jesus Christ (god and man).

Three-dome are used as a symbol of the trinity.

Four domed churches symbolize the four evangelists and the side of the world.

The five-footed talk about the exaltation of Jesus Christ.

Semikupolny is the evidence of the seven sacraments and the seven virtues.

The temple with nine domes testifies to nine angelic ranks.

The temple with thirteen domes is a symbol of Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles.

Twenty-five domes of the temple speak of the prophecy of John the Theologian.

And the thirty-three domes testify to the full years of Jesus' life.

There is no other number of domes. But it is important to note that each element of the temple carries in itself some sacred meaning. From the time of Byzantium architecture has taken a long way forward. However, all Orthodox churches are still built according to the cross-domed principle.