January 2021 Print

By Gabriel S. Sanchez, J.D.

Walk into any church that follows the Byzantine Rite and one is immediately struck by the high altar, shielded with iconographic depictions of Our Lord, His Mother, and numerous saints. This structure, known as an iconostasis or icon screen, comes in many forms, though its origins date back to what is known as the “Triumph of Orthodoxy,” that is, the defeat of the iconoclast heresy in the Christian East.

As the history and theology surrounding the condemnation of iconoclasm is already covered in several articles in this issue of The Angelus, this piece will focus more on the structure of the iconostasis itself; its architectural predecessors in Byzantine churches; and the spiritual and theological meaning that has developed around the iconostasis. As a point of clarification, this article will refer to the Byzantine Rite generally without pausing to make distinctions between those in communion with the Roman Catholic Church, namely Greek Catholics, and those that remain separated, that is, the Eastern Orthodox. Local churches on both sides of this tragic divide also maintain their own specific traditions when it comes to iconography and the general makeup of their respective iconostases. To chronicle all of these particularities would require far more space than is appropriate for a magazine article.

The Pre-History of the Iconostasis

Although exact dates are hard to pin down, there is evidence to suggest that Eastern churches began erecting templons to separate the nave from the altar area sometime in the 5th century. These structures would consist of several colonettes supporting an overarching beam, and eventually featured a large “door” or passage in front of the main altar and two smaller passages on the side. Unlike the contemporary iconostasis, templons did not originally obscure or block sight of the altar or the liturgical actions of the clergy serving before it. Over time, templons would become more ornate, with decorative stones and metals being applied to both the colonettes and beam. It would eventually become commonplace to put various inscriptions on these structures, along with Christian symbols and carvings.

As the first millennium drew to a close, the templon was the normative structure separating the altar from the nave. Eventually curtains were placed over the three templon doors which could be pulled back during various portions of the liturgy to allow processions around the altar area or to “seal off” certain liturgical actions such as the consecration of the Body and Blood of Christ. While curtains have mainly disappeared from Byzantine churches, they can still be found in some Armenian and Coptic churches. However, many Russian Orthodox iconostases still retain a central curtain that can be pulled across the central door.

Again, even though precise dates are sometimes difficult to pin down, templons were eventually adorned with icons in the 8th century. Sometimes icons were hung on the colonettes while at other times they were placed on the overarching templon beam. Over the following centuries, the classic templon model was replaced by the construction of wood-carved screens designed to fit a number of iconographic images. Curtains, for the most part, were displaced by wooden doors.

The Structure of the Iconostasis

As noted, iconostases come in various shapes and sizes, with local customs dictating the particulars. Moreover, the size and shape of the church building itself sometimes requires alterations, particularly for churches not designed originally for Byzantine-style worship. In its classic form, the iconostasis is placed at the edge of the sanctuary, which is elevated three or more steps above the nave. Typically, an ambon or rounded area sits in front of the iconostasis where the deacon can intone litanies and the priest can read specific prayers in front of the iconostasis during portions of Matins, Vespers, and the close of the Divine Liturgy.

The basic structure of the iconostasis mirrors that of the templon: a large opening in the middle with a door on each side, known variously as the Beautiful Gates, Holy Doors, or Royal Doors, and two smaller doors to the right and left known as the Deacons’ Doors. The overall length and height of the iconostasis depends in significant part on the size of the church building itself. Regardless, every iconostasis has what is known as the “Sovereign” tier with large icons of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary flanking the Beautiful Gates on the right and left (facing the nave), respectively. The Beautiful Gates themselves, which vary in height, often contain iconographic depictions of saints or events from Christ’s earthly life. Depending on the iconostasis’s length, two or more saints are depicted next to Christ and Mary. On the Deacons’ Doors, for instance, it is common to see depictions of St. Stephen, a deacon-martyr, or the archangels Michael and Gabriel. The church’s patron saint, too, is often depicted on the iconostasis. Ss. John the Baptist and Nicholas the Wonderworker are also routinely included on the “Sovereign” tier.

Most, though not all, iconostases feature a second tier known as the “Deisis” tier with Christ enthroned in the center and the Blessed Virgin and St. John the Baptist on each side in a posture of supplication. Further icons of the Apostles, Church Fathers, and important local saints can be included as well. Beyond this, the inclusion of additional tiers continues as space allows. Some of the great Kyivan and Russian churches, for instance, feature up to five tiers, with some being allotted to depictions of the 12 Great Feasts of the Byzantine Church (for instance, Theophany, Annunciation, Nativity of the Mother of God, etc.) or the Old Testament Prophets and Patriarchs. While certain churches developed strict rubrics governing the design of iconostases and the placement of icons, variations arose over the centuries, and not always for the best.

The Theology of the Iconostasis

Over the centuries, various attempts have been made to develop a “theology of the iconostasis” or more properly a theological justification for its existence and form. During the period where templons were normative, the curtain across the central door was likened to the “veil of the temple” which separated most of the Temple of Jerusalem from the “holy of holies” where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. Only the Temple’s High Priest could enter this area, and then only once a year on Yom Kippur. Over time, Byzantine liturgical rubrics dictated that only consecrated persons, specifically bishops, priests, and deacons could enter through the central door of the templon to the altar, which today are the Beautiful Gates on the iconostasis.

While some see the Beautiful Gates as a barrier between the sacred and the profane, other theologians have challenged this view and instead maintain that the iconostasis, rather than serving as a barrier strictly speaking, unites the Christians in the nave with the new “holy of holies”: the heavenly altar where the Eucharist is celebrated. A similar line of thinking has developed around the icons themselves, which are commonly referred to as “windows into Heaven” by Eastern Christians. Further, icons serve as a point of mediation and instruction for the faithful who attend Byzantine churches, allowing them to prayerfully connect with the person of Jesus Christ, along with the personages and events of salvation history. Additionally, certain liturgical acts, such as the clergy processing in and out of the iconostasis doors, have taken on their own symbolic meaning, such as mirroring the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

Yet there still remains some controversy concerning the various traditions that rest beyond these theological explanations. Some critics opine that iconostases grew out of proportion to their original purpose over the centuries, eventually “locking out” the faithful from some of the most profound prayers of the Byzantine Divine Liturgy.

The Iconostasis Today

Without delving too deep into various controversies that have arisen among both Greek Catholics and Orthodox with respect to iconostases and iconography, it is true that Eastern Slavic iconography began to drift away from the historic iconographic forms of the Byzantine Middle Ages toward a more contemporary, Western style focused on “realism” in its depictions of Christ and His saints. Ukrainian Greek Catholics, heavily influenced by their Polish Latin neighbors, incorporated images and forms that had developed in the West. This “Westernization” or “Latinization” eventually became the subject of numerous uncharitable polemics. Ironically, the Ukrainian Catholics’ neighbors to the east, the Russian Orthodox, also adopted many of these Western forms up through the early 20th century.

Today, some Christian churches following the Byzantine Rite have, unfortunately, taken a hostile view toward the iconostasis, even going so far as to argue for their radical reduction or even elimination. In an effort to make the liturgy more “accessible” to the faithful, certain practices, such as keeping the Beautiful Gates closed for large segments of the Divine Liturgy, have either been reduced or eliminated altogether. And, for better or worse, few Byzantine churches acquired or built in modern times feature the extensive iconostases and iconography that was prevalent during the Middle Ages and early modern period.

Thankfully, the Byzantine churches, either Greek Catholic or Eastern Orthodox, have not been hit with the tidal wave of iconoclastic reform that has wiped out so many of the liturgical traditions and classic ecclesiastical structures of the Latin Church over the past 50 years. By God’s grace the “Triumph of Orthodoxy” that preserved iconography and gave birth to the iconostasis over 1,000 years ago lives on today.