The Temple

Where Heaven and Earth are Joined

Whenever we have non-Orthodox visitors, I am touched by the look on their faces as they gaze for the first time at the sublime, otherworldly, beauty of the interior of our little temple. They are often speechless, just as one would be when seeing a sunset on a warm summer evening. This first glimpse leaves them in a state of silence, as they attempt to process something that seems foreign, yet so familiar. It is as though they have taken a peek into heaven itself, which is really what they are experiencing.

My own first encounter with Orthodoxy took place in the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin, “Joy of All Who Sorrow”, in San Francisco, back in my graduate school days. I remember being overwhelmed, even stunned, by what seemed like a vision of heaven. I came out of the cathedral feeling as though I had just walked into the Old Temple in the Holy City of Jerusalem, and had beheld the Ark itself. The iconostasis did not seem like a barrier between the nave and the altar, but like the veil of the Old Testament temple, shielding me from a holiness that would have been overwhelming, just as was the Ark of the Covenant to the Israelites. Yet this icon screen also seemed to beckon me into the presence of God, like a sign of welcome, affording me a glimpse of God’s Kingdom without laying me low to the ground.

This temple bespoke the truth of the Orthodox teaching that there is no separation between the Church Militant here on earth, and the Church Triumphant in heaven, for here was a place where heaven and earth came together. It was within this temple where the Divine Services gathered mortals, such as myself, and linked us in worship before the Throne of God, joining us to the Cloud of Witnesses, spoken of in the holy scriptures. This truth was exemplified by the icons and frescoes depicting the Cloud of Witnesses, the saints themselves. Their images surrounded me, reminding me that heaven awaits me, and that one day I too can stand before the Father of Lights.

The Orthodox depiction of the saints is a reminder that they stand before us as witnesses, by their lives, to the truth that eternal life is a reality, and that because of Christ’s redemptive act upon the cross, the saints are not dead, but alive, and together we all gaze upon the glory of Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven. The great grace that resides within these depicted saints allows them to embrace the whole world with their love, for they see how we languish in affliction, and they never cease to intercede for us before the Throne of God. They have become our friends in high places, as they await the end of time, when we, too, will stand with them before the Throne of Glory, worshiping the Undivided Trinity.

The saints depicted in the frescoes and icons, having won the good fight, encourage us by their example, and aid us by their prayers, that we, too, become victorious in our battle with the unclean spirits of darkness. Their lives give witness to the importance of living in repentance, and placing Jesus above all else, for it is in Jesus Christ that they have gained eternal life. It is in Jesus Christ that we, like the saints who have gone on before us, have the same promise of immortality. As our friends, they await the day when we will join them, offering their prayers for that end. In gratitude and love, we kiss their holy icons, knowing they are our true friends and family, and that we are united with them as one, in Christ Jesus Our Lord.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photos: I’ve been in Portland, Oregon, for the past few days at the side of my close friend and confessor, Hieromonk Andrew (Nicholas Letten). At ninety-six years of age, Father Andrew is exactly 20 years my senior, with his birthday on November 8th, and mine on November 9th. His friendship has meant a great deal to me, and I will sorely miss him when he reposes, which is likely very soon. The photo of the two of us together was taken just after I told him the saints in heaven will know he’s arrived when they hear his laugh (thus the laugh on his face). Everyone who has known Father Andrew knows that he is one of the most joyful people around, and his spontaneous laugh has brought joy to all of us who have known him. Yesterday my friend, Father Matthew Tate, rector of Annunciation Orthodox Church in Milwaukie, Oregon, where Father Andrew was attached, was there at his bedside, giving him Holy Communion, and saying the prayers for the end of life.