eikonostasis

The eikonostasis, commonly called an iconostasis, is a screen or wall of icons that separates the nave from the sanctuary in most Eastern Orthodox and some Eastern Catholic churches. It serves as a visual and liturgical boundary, with a central pair of doors known as the Royal or Holy Doors that the clergy open during specific moments of the service. The iconostasis supports a composite program of sacred images arranged in tiers, often including representations of Christ, the Theotokos (Virgin Mary), saints, prophets, and feast scenes.

Origin and development: The iconostasis developed in the Byzantine world, with its form becoming standard in late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Earliest attempts at a screen exist in earlier church spaces, but by the 9th–11th centuries the iconostasis was a defining feature of Eastern church architecture and liturgy, later spreading to related traditions in Eastern Europe and the Eastern Catholic churches.

Structure and contents: A typical iconostasis is a freestanding or wall-attached screen constructed of wood, marble, or metal and adorned with painted icons. Icons are arranged in tiers, commonly including a lower row of saints and biblical figures, a middle row featuring major feasts or central icons, and a top row often reserved for the Deesis iconographic composition. Behind the screen, the prothesis and diakonikon (side compartments) hold liturgical books, bread and wine, and other equipment used in the service.

Function and significance: The iconostasis enacts a theological and liturgical program by delineating the sacred space while making its imagery accessible to worshippers through veneration. It governs movement during the service, with the Royal Doors opening for processions, readings, and the Eucharist, and closing to mark moments of reverence and reflection.

Variations: Iconostases vary in number of tiers, size, and ornamentation, reflecting regional artistic styles (Greek, Russian, Balkan, and other traditions) while preserving a common symbolic purpose.