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Church Space
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| The Sanctuary |
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When the word "sanctuary" is used in most churches, people are generally
referring to the entire worship space including the nave and chancel. However, the word "sanctuary" has a much more narrow meaning. The sanctuary of the church is the space that contains the altar. The word is derived from the Latin word sanctum which means "holy."
The apse is semicircular space behind some altars where a bishop's chair
stands. Apse is now often simply a term used to describe the
space immediately behind the altar.
In the Lutheran tradition, the altar, found in the sanctuary, is more than a table. It is a monument to God. It is the place where the bread and wine are
consecrated. The altar in most Lutheran churches has a white cloth on the top of the altar. This cloth is called a fair linen. The fair linen will often have five crosses
stitched on the face of the cloth. These represent the five wounds of Christ. The fair linen is a symbol of the burial cloth of Christ. In addition to the fair linen, most Lutheran churches have colored cloth on the altar that change with the seasons of the church. These cloths are called paraments. The paraments signal the season of the church year.
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The colors of the church year are as follows: |
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Red: Represents blood and fire. The color is used on Pentecost Sunday, Reformation Sunday, and certain saint days. |
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Blue: Represents hope. The color is used during the Season of Advent. |
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Green: Represents growth. The color is used during the Season after Pentecost and Epiphany Season. |
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Purple: Represents confession of sins and is the color for royalty. The color is used during the Seasons of Advent and Lent. |
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White: Represents the light and purity of Christ. The color is used during the seasons of Christmas, Easter, and all major Christ days. |
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Altar with Fair Linen
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