Orthodox Glossary · Term

Altar

The sanctified table at the heart of every Orthodox temple, where the Eucharistic sacrifice is offered and the faithful encounter the heavenly throne of God made present on earth.

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Defined Term
A
Altar
LexiconOrthodox Christianity 101
§ 01 - How to Study This Term

From definition into prayer.

The Orthodox tradition does not separate vocabulary from worship. Pair this term with Scripture, the Liturgy, and the lived life of the Church.

  1. 01
    Look for the word in worship

    Listen for it inside the Divine Liturgy, the daily prayers, or the hymns of the feast it belongs to.

  2. 02
    Trace it through the Fathers

    The same word usually echoes across centuries - Athanasius, the Cappadocians, Maximus, Gregory Palamas.

  3. 03
    Pair it with a prayer

    Vocabulary becomes piety when it lives inside a single, repeated prayer of the Church.

Where the term lives
§ 02 - Related Terms

Words that travel together.

Entries from the lexicon that share the same corner of Orthodox worship and thought as Altar.

GlossaryBemaThe elevated area around the altar, including the Holy Table and sometimes the ambo, marking the sacred space where clergy serve and the heavenly liturgy is mirrored on earth.GlossaryAer CoversThe coordinated set of veils that cover the holy vessels on the altar, signifying reverence for the Eucharistic gifts and recalling how sacred realities are veiled in Scripture and worship until revealed in Christ.GlossaryIconostasisThe screen of icons separating the nave from the altar, not as a barrier but as a meeting point where heaven and earth converse in the liturgy.GlossaryOblation TableAlso called the prothesis, the side table where the bread and wine are prepared before being offered at the altar during the Proskomedia.GlossaryRipidia (Fans)Metal or wooden fans carried near the altar, often depicting seraphim, symbolizing the unseen presence of angels attending the Eucharistic mystery.GlossaryAltar TableAlso called the Holy Table, it contains relics of saints and holds the Gospel book, antimension, and holy vessels, anchoring every sacramental act of the parish.
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