The sanctuary is ... The concept and essence of the term

Religious beliefs, existing at the moment in the world, are closely connected with each other. Of course, each of them provides its own model of understanding the world and the interpretation of certain phenomena. But practically in all religions there are regularities, for example: god, great teacher or prophet, temples, sanctuaries. As for the last element, the sanctuary, it is one of the key. Understanding this term will allow you to understand some facts and see a number of specific features that are found in virtually all the major religions of the world.

Of the entire array of similar elements, a sanctuary should be distinguished. However, not everyone understands the very essence of this term. His definition carries a lot of information, which will become a reliable support in the process of studying any religious topics.

Sanctuary. The essence of the term

If you ask an ordinary person on the street what a sanctuary is, he can not answer the question clearly. Yes, we all know, this term is somehow connected with God and the rest. But not everyone understands its true purpose. The sanctuary is a ritual place devoted to a deity in a particular religion. Such a place can bear a purely symbolic meaning or be a territory for performing rituals. Thus, the sanctuary is a kind of "intermediary" between a person and a deity.

As mentioned earlier, the sanctuary can be used to perform certain rituals, for example, offering gifts. Such actions are carried out to induce and receive divine protection.

The difference between the temple and the sanctuary

At all times there were some differences in the understanding of the sanctuary and the temple. The difference between these two religious buildings is as follows:

"The temple is always bigger than the sanctuary."

- The existence of the temple speaks of the existence of a large enough confession consisting of many people.

- The sanctuary can be located anywhere, even in the house. It provides an opportunity to "communicate" with God to a limited number of people.

- The temple is an architectural structure, and in the process of creating the sanctuary various materials and objects are used.

There is a theory that the sanctuary is a kind of temple formed by the evolution of some local belief in an entire religion. This assumption has many confirmations. For example, there were no Christian churches before this religion was not recognized by the world. Consequently, her followers built special places of worship for their ritual cults. Thus, the sanctuary is nothing more than a collective concept of any place for offering or communion with God.

Modern sanctuaries

If we consider the sanctuary as a generalized concept, then similar structures exist all over the world. In any religion there is a kind of this sacred place. Over time, the approach to the construction of such places has changed greatly, as people's views on religion as a whole have changed. If earlier the pagan sanctuary consisted of a stone, statues of a deity and other minor attributes, then modern buildings are beautifully decorated.

Examples of sanctuaries in other religions

In Japan, such places are located in picturesque parks or gardens. Most often they are called temples.

For the Muslim people, the Ka'aba is the main place of worship.

In Malta, archaeologists have discovered a sanctuary of metal, located under the ground.

Jews use synagogues. Such buildings are very similar to Christian churches, with the exception of some architectural features.

So, we have examined the main types and essence of the concept of "sanctuary". This structure is built not only for communication with higher forces, but also for the spiritual pacification of man. Such places serve for solitude with oneself and God.