Why do Catholic altars face east?

This is no coincidence. Though it has not been possible on every occasion, many Catholic churches have been built to face the east. There are scriptural roots to this orientation. If we are conscious of the reason our church faces the east, the physical reminder helps us to orient our hearts and minds toward God.

What religions pray facing east?

Byzantine Orthodox Christians, as well as members of the Church of the East, also face east when praying. Members of the Pentecostal Apostolic Faith Mission continue to pray facing east, believing that it “is the direction from which Jesus Christ will come when he returns”.

Do all Anglican churches face east?

For those who do not have the time to immerse themselves… the answer is yes, churches do face east , but not perfectly and the discrepancy varies with location. It is quite possible that all but the earliest extant churches were aligned and built with the help of a compass.

What is the front of a cathedral called?

When you walk through the main front door of the cathedral, generally called the West Door, you enter into the narthex. The narthex is a congregating space, often separated from the main worship area by another set of doors. The narthex has changed quite a bit over the years.

What is the significance of the direction east in the Bible?

In the Bible the East’s symbolism emerges for the first time in Genesis. The Garden of Eden was placed in the East and its entrance faced east. After sinning, Adam and Eve left the garden and went east. This eastward movement continued with Cain and culminated in the movement of the human race toward the east.

Why did they change the direction of prayer?

Islamic tradition says that these verses were revealed during a prayer congregation; Muhammad and his followers immediately changed their direction from Jerusalem to Mecca in the middle of the prayer ritual. The location of this event became the Masjid al-Qiblatayn (“The Mosque of the Two Qiblas”).

Why do church entrance face West?

3. The narthex or porch: this is the doorway and porch area leading into a church, it is usually at the west end of the church. Not only is this simply an entrance into the church, it also symbolic as a place of transition where you would cross from the outside world and into a spiritual place.

Which direction do churches face the world and why?

The orientation of Christian churches reflects the historically documented concepts that one should turn eastward to pray and the architectural and liturgical principle that temples and churches should be constructed facing east (often specified as equinoctial east).