Iconostasis

An icon-bearing screen that separates the sanctuary from the nave in Eastern Orthodox churches. Its doors and arrangement of icons structure the church’s liturgy and imagery.

Eastern Orthodox Church: A Christian communion rooted in the eastern Roman Empire, organized through autocephalous churches and shared liturgical traditions. The iconostasis is a defining fixture of many Eastern Orthodox church interiors.
Deacon's Doors: The side doors in an iconostasis, commonly used by deacons and other clergy. They allow liturgical movement between the sanctuary and nave without using the central doors.
Early Christian sanctuary barriers: Architectural partitions that marked off the altar area in early Christian churches. They provide the broader architectural background for the iconostasis.
Dormition Cathedral, Moscow: A major Russian Orthodox cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin, rebuilt in the late fifteenth century. Its iconostasis exemplifies the monumental screens of medieval Russian churches.
Sanctuary: The sacred area around the altar, reserved for clergy during Christian worship. The screen marks the sanctuary’s boundary within the church.
Iconostasis tiers: Horizontal registers of icons arranged on an iconostasis, with their number and contents varying by church. The tiers organize images into a visual sequence across the screen.
Byzantine architecture: The architectural tradition of the Byzantine Empire and its cultural successors. Byzantine church design shaped the iconostasis’s early forms.
Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius: A major Russian Orthodox monastery near Moscow, home to important works by Andrei Rublev. Its church interiors connect Russian icon painting with the iconostasis tradition.
Nave: The central area of a church building, where the congregation gathers for worship. The iconostasis separates this congregational space from the sanctuary.
Divine Liturgy: The principal Eucharistic worship service of Eastern Orthodox churches. The doors and sanctuary openings are used at distinct moments in the service.

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