All the senses are engaged when you visit an Orthodox church or attend a liturgy. Orthodox churches include Greek,Serbian, Russian, American, Antiochian, Romanian, Albanian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Carpatho-Russian, Armenian, etc.

Some are simple; others grand. The iconography can range from Eastern to Western, Byzantine to African touches. This article shows interiors of small Orthodox churches and a cathedral.

Sight. The iconography of the church draws you into the visual details.

Sound. The hymns, the cantors, the choir, the communal signing engages you in the liturgy.

Smell. The incense, occasional florals, etc. are the aromas…

Touch. The feel of the velvet cloth you hold under your chin as you receive communion and the sign of the cross as you touch your forehead and chest are examples of touch. Also, the heat of the candle light from a  candle is a sense of touch in your worship time.

Taste. Communion and Antidoron bread are the tastes at Communion that symbolize Christ’s body and blood.The imagery is endless. I can see the same icons and images weekly for decades in my own church but interpret new details from them on different occasions. When I visit other churches, I am mesmerized with the details of different iconography there. Some styles are westernized, some are authentically Byzantine. No matter what the style, they all evoke the same feelings of worship when we’re in church.

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley; photos by Gina. (taken of churches in Tulsa, Kansas City and Dallas)

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