Many people have come across the term "throne". It is most commonly associated with roy alty and various kingdoms. However, this is not only a richly decorated chair of the monarch. The term refers to both the Orthodox Church and the Vatican city-state. About the fact that this is a throne, about its meanings in detail in the article.
Word in dictionary
Before you start studying this term, you need to refer to the explanatory dictionary, which says the following about it.
- The throne of the monarch.
- Special table in the church. Also known as the "holy table". It is located in the center of the altar, for the celebration of the sacrament of communion (Eucharist) on it.
- "The Holy See" is a generic name for the Pope and the Vatican.
As you can see, the word under study has different interpretations. Many people know what the throne is in secular life. Therefore, it will be more interesting to consider in more detail his church understanding.
History
As statedearlier, in the church, the altar was a special table for the celebration of the Eucharist. In ancient times, such tables were portable and small in size. They were made of stone or wood. Since the 4th century, when their location in the temple was finally predetermined, they became more massive and were created exclusively from stone.
They began to be installed in front of the altar in the apse on four legs. Later, instead of four, they began to have one or the legs were completely absent, and they were replaced with a special stone base. From the 10th century, thrones began to be installed already inside the altar apse, shifting them from the center inward.
In the Middle Ages
From the 15th to the 16th century, the throne is a stone monolith or it is made of wood. From above it was covered with a lid and clothed with a cloth. The vestment was a special cover made of expensive fabric (brocade). It could also look like a case made of silver or gold, with patterns, decorated with precious stones.
Even in the period of the early Church, there was a tradition of placing holy relics under the " altars". And from the 8th century, after the 7th Ecumenical Council, the finding of relics became mandatory in order for the temple itself to be consecrated. Shrines with the remains of saints were placed in the base of the altar or in a special hole under it.
Symbol
Also located in the temple, the throne is a symbol of the mysterious presence of Christ. Therefore, standing in front of him or touching him is strictly prohibited. They are only allowed to do thisclergy.
The throne has several symbolic meanings, namely, its four sides are:
- Seasons.
- The cardinal directions.
- Periods of the day.
- Tetramorph (four-faced winged creature from the visions of the prophet Ezekiel).
- The Four Gospels.
- The Holy Sepulcher.
A ciborium (a special canopy), which is a symbol of the sky, can be installed above the throne. It itself is installed on the ground on which Jesus was crucified, and in the center of the ciborium is placed the figure of a dove, which is a symbol of the descent of the Holy Spirit. This is another important symbol.
Holy See
This is the collective official name of the main administrative body of the Vatican (Roman Curia), as well as the name of the Pope himself. It is sovereign and has its own territory - the Vatican, which is a city-state.
That is, the term "Holy See" can be understood as the Vatican itself, and the Pope. This is an ambiguous term that is both specific and generalized. It all depends on the context in which it is used.
As a city-state, it has had its independence from Italy for more than 14 centuries. It was established by Pope Gregory the Great in 601, moreover, this independence is the oldest in the world.
The Holy See is an elective theocratic monarchy headed by the Pope. The latter is elected by the College of Cardinals(conclave) for life. This is where the expression "accession to the throne" came from. It means to become a monarch. In this case, lead the Vatican.
The Pope is the supreme ruler of the Catholic Church throughout the world, the chief hierarch and sovereign of the Vatican. These functions are inseparable. The government of the Holy See is a special administration in the Vatican (Roman Curia), which is divided into two departments - general and foreign affairs. They, in turn, are segmented into congregations and commissions.
Now, faced in life with the studied term, we can confidently judge what it means in a given situation.
