A lecture on "Orthodox Architecture" was held at the district library as part of the "World of Art" project for students of Secondary School No. 1. The event was dedicated to the Day of Orthodox Books.
The library houses the third department of Orthodox literature in the Vitebsk region and has also opened a book exhibition "Orthodox Book – a Path to Spirituality". This exhibition consists of three sections: the first contains Orthodox books, the second, "Basics of Orthodoxy," offers literature for schoolchildren seeking to study and understand religion.
The "Sacred Sites of Orthodoxy" section features books about saints and the journal "Orthodox Monasteries. A Journey to Holy Places."
Children were told about the structure of churches, their symbolism, and the meaning of various elements.
A church is the centre of spiritual life. Each church has its own specific name, depending on the sacred event or person in whose memory it is consecrated. An Orthodox church differs in its external appearance from other buildings. At its base, it is constructed in the form of a cross, a circle, or an octagon. Often, a church is shaped like an elongated ship. This signifies that the church, like Noah's Ark, leads people through the sea of life to a safe harbour – the Kingdom of Heaven.
The building of a church is usually topped with a dome, representing the heavens. The number of domes on a church is always symbolic: one dome symbolises the one God, two – the two natures of God-man Jesus Christ, and two realms of creation (angelic and human). Three domes represent the Holy Trinity, four – the four Gospels, and the four cardinal directions. Five domes are erected in honour of Jesus Christ and the four evangelists. Seven domes symbolise the seven sacraments of the church, nine – the number of angelic choirs, thirteen – Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles, and thirty-three – the number of years of Christ's earthly life.
Colour is also important in the symbolism of a church. Gold is a symbol of heavenly glory. Golden domes are found on main churches and churches dedicated to Christ and the major feasts. Blue domes with stars crown churches in honour of the Mother of God, and green domes – the Holy Trinity, as green is the colour of the Holy Spirit. The colour of monasticism is black, which is why monasteries have domes of this colour. The unusual shape and bright colours speak of the beauty of the Heavenly Jerusalem.
The rector of the Transfiguration of the Lord Church, Archpriest Sergiy Leshkevich, spoke to the schoolchildren about icons, their significance, and how they are painted, and also presented the library with thirteen books.