For my Orthodox Brothers and Sisters

[No Swansong]

A while back on the OO board someone had posted some pics of the icons in a truly remarkable Church I think it was in Greece. In my city the Greek Orthodox Cathedral has breathtaking Icons. I was wondering if any of you would be willing to share some pics from your churches?

John

[cobweb]

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/cobweb2/Apse.sized.jpg

Apse

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/cobweb2/pantocratorfishlensrgb.jpg

Interior of dome (not sure what that is called).

(Note: I didn't take these photos. I'm pretty sure that I snagged them from the local newspaper when they covered last year's Greek Festival.)

[Mary of Bethany]

The icon in the dome above is the traditional icon placed there - the Christ Pantocrator (Ruler of all).

I attend a small parish and we have just purchased land to build a traditional temple on, so right now we don't have a traditional-looking temple. But the Cathedral in Dallas has beautiful iconography that has just been completed in the last month (it has taken over 5-6 years to complete). Unfortunately they don't have any recent photos on the site. This one gives a good idea of it, though.

Mary

[cobweb]

The icon in the dome above is the traditional icon placed there - the Christ Pantocrator (Ruler of all).



I knew that was Christ Pantocrator. I meant that I didn't know if the interior of the dome had a special name. ;)

I appologize for the confusion. I am so tired right now that I'm not really coherent. I need less coffee and more sleep.

[Mary of Bethany]

:doh: Sorry 'bout that!

I hope you get some rest. :sleep:

Mary

[No Swansong]

Wow thanks I hope to see more.

[WarriorAngel]

The icon in the dome above is the traditional icon placed there - the Christ Pantocrator (Ruler of all).

I attend a small parish and we have just purchased land to build a traditional temple on, so right now we don't have a traditional-looking temple. But the Cathedral in Dallas has beautiful iconography that has just been completed in the last month (it has taken over 5-6 years to complete). Unfortunately they don't have any recent photos on the site. This one gives a good idea of it, though.

Mary
http://www1.christianforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=105368&d=1187109929

Nice. :wave:

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

The icon in the dome above is the traditional icon placed there - the Christ Pantocrator (Ruler of all).

I attend a small parish and we have just purchased land to build a traditional temple on, so right now we don't have a traditional-looking temple. But the Cathedral in Dallas has beautiful iconography that has just been completed in the last month (it has taken over 5-6 years to complete). Unfortunately they don't have any recent photos on the site. This one gives a good idea of it, though.

Mary
Mary, that's a fantastic church you've got there...

[Mary of Bethany]

Mary, that's a fantastic church you've got there...

Isn't it beautiful?

I'll never forget the first time I worshipped there, with the congregation standing, gathered around Vladyka Dmitri as he motioned for us to move closer in to listen to his sermon, with small children sitting or crawling around on the floor, I got a very strong feeling of being united with Christians through the ages - knowing that this is how *all* Christians used to worship! It was very powerful.

Mary

PS - It's not my parish, it's the Cathedral we're "under".

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

Isn't it beautiful?

I'll never forget the first time I worshipped there, with the congregation standing, gathered around Vladyka Dmitri as he motioned for us to move closer in to listen to his sermon, with small children sitting or crawling around on the floor, I got a very strong feeling of being united with Christians through the ages - knowing that this is how *all* Christians used to worship! It was very powerful.

Mary

PS - It's not my parish, it's the Cathedral we're "under".
I know the feeling.

I'm so happy to be in the Lutheran church were we have the children in the congregation instead of shoved away in some playground or Sunday school. We have Sunday schools, but the service is for the whole congregation (only one service, too).

[Sacrum Silentium]

http://h1.ripside.net/BlakeMichael/CF/01.jpg

http://h1.ripside.net/BlakeMichael/CF/2.jpg

http://h1.ripside.net/BlakeMichael/CF/3.jpg

http://h1.ripside.net/BlakeMichael/CF/4.jpg

http://h1.ripside.net/BlakeMichael/CF/5.jpg

Saint Mary's Orthodox Church, Bluefield WV

[No Swansong]

Isaac how beautiful thank you for sharing.

[No Swansong]

Can anyone tell me is it normal practice for congregants to come in right before communion and then leave?

I mean no disrespect but the dozen or so times I have visited the Greek Cathedral in my city this was the practice. Approximately 10 minutes before the congregation received communion there would be an influx of people easily quadrupling the size of the congregation. Then most of them left after receiving communion. At first I thought this might be education workers etc, but then I realized this number easily topped 200 people.

Any clue as to what was going on?

[EmperorConstantine]

My parish is a split parish. We have the historical old church in Wilkeson that was built at the turn of the 20th century. And we have the used church in Tacoma. We use Holy Trinity (Wilkeson) on Pentecost, some weddings and funerals. Other than that its all Tacoma.

Anywho; here is Holy Resurrection in Tacoma. Temporary building. Someday we will have a building with cupolas, but in the mean time this keeps us all humble.:)

http://www.oca.org/Images/Directory/photos/oca-we-puyhtm.jpg
Taken around Pascha a few years ago with all the doors open.



And here is Holy Trinity in Wilkeson:
http://www.orthodoxtacoma.com/pics/insideWilk.gif

Very small church. It gets packed very very quickly. St. Tikhon consecrated the altar in 1902(?) when he was bishop in San Francisco before the Bolshevik days.

[Mary of Bethany]

Can anyone tell me is it normal practice for congregants to come in right before communion and then leave?

I mean no disrespect but the dozen or so times I have visited the Greek Cathedral in my city this was the practice. Approximately 10 minutes before the congregation received communion there would be an influx of people easily quadrupling the size of the congregation. Then most of them left after receiving communion. At first I thought this might be education workers etc, but then I realized this number easily topped 200 people.

Any clue as to what was going on?

I can't speak for the Greek parishes, but in our OCA parish, I don't see much of that. Some families with small children (especially those that are going through a "hard to handle" phase) will sometimes come about halfway through the service. But generally, if you're going to receive communion, you're supposed to be there for the Gospel reading, which is fairly early on. In parishes like ours, where there are no pews, where people are not stationary, and parents with little ones have to come in and out - it's just not as noticeable when people come in late. Nobody really thinks any thing about it. It's weird - our Liturgy is so beautiful and so rich, but it's also relaxed, and there is a different feel of a kind of "freedom" in worshiping, that's different from my Anglican and Baptist experience.

I'll give you a quick example. On Good Friday, my son, who lives in another state, was beaten badly and spent the weekend in the ICU (he's completely fine, btw). Later that week, when I walked into the Vespers service, the service had already started, the choir was singing and Father was moving around the church, censing the icons. When I walked by, he stopped what he was doing and started asking me about my son. He asked several questions before he was satisfied that my son was going to be okay, and only then did he go on with his censing, and I went in to the nave. I was so amazed at that, but I think that shows the attitude I'm trying to describe.

Anyway, I got way off-topic. Sorry!


Mary

[No Swansong]

No reason to apologize Mary I think that is a wonderful story and shows that your priest shows compassion and recognizes need. It is a beautiful story. I will pray for your son and thank you for trying to explain.