Love one another as I have loved you
“Make this the place where your glory dwells”
The lexical history of the word "Church" is intricate. The Greek term “Ecclesia” means ‘an assembly’ but is commonly translated as a small group of believers. The word refers to a gathering of people, not a building such as a temple, cathedral, or church. Indeed, it symbolizes members of a distinct spiritual assembly. In Ephesians 5:23f, the term ecclesia refers to the church, symbolic of a community united to Christ and receiving his love and devotion. St. Paul (1 Cor. 11: 17) defines Ecclesia as a congregation of believers worshipping in a specified location. The Apostles referred to their Christian assembly as a church to differentiate it from a Jewish gathering and based on the New Testament, the Syrians and Byzantines viewed the Church as a liturgical gathering.
Every church is devoted to the name of God alone. Although it is sometimes convenient to refer to the act of dedicating a church to a saint, the true intention is to honour God in remembrance of a martyr, apostle, or saint. St Augustine of Hippo once said, "We don't build churches for the saints, for they are not among us as gods, but rather as memorials for the spirits of the deceased, which continue to exist with God." The churches are named after saints, apostles, and martyrs for two primary reasons: either they demonstrated extraordinary manifestations of God's power during their ministry, which brought honour to God; or they were accepted into the church as martyrs on account of their testimony to Jesus Christ. The places of their demise acquired reverence, and individuals of the highest moral and religious standing invoked their names for intercession and recommended them as role models.
The consecration of a church structure is a multifaceted ritual rich with profound symbolism. The consecration service incorporates several biblical elements from the Old Testament, including the consecration of the Tabernacle (Exodus 11:1-11), Solomon's temple (I Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 7:Jn. 10:22), the Temple under Zerubbabel (Ezra 6:16-17), and the Temple's construction and altar reconstruction following Judas Maccabeus' expulsion of the Seleucids (1 Maccabeus 4; 2 Maccabeus 10).
Dedications of the Temple and Tabernacle in the Old Testament
The Pentateuch emphasizes tabernacle construction and dedication. Moses built the Tabernacle, a "ProtoTemple," based on a celestial model seen on Mount Sinai (Ex 25:9; cf. 25:40, 26:30, 27:8). In Exodus 29-30 and 40, the Lord tells Moses to anoint the Tabernacle, furniture, and altar of burnt sacrifice with oil. Exodus 40:34 tells how the consecratory anointing creates a divine epiphany: "The cloud covered the tent, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" (40:34), transforming the tabernacle into a unique dwelling of divine presence, a characteristic subsequently applied to the Temple in Jerusalem.
In 1 Kings 5-8 and 2 Chronicles 2-7, the construction and dedication of the First Temple in
Jerusalem by the third king of Israel, Solomon, are described in detail. Similar to the Tabernacle consecration in Exodus chapter 40 even after the Mosaic consecration rite, "a cloud appeared...[and] the house of the Lord was filled with the glory of the Lord" (8:11;2 Chronicles 7:2). The story of rebuilding the temple after Babylonian exile resembles Solomon's dedication of the I Temple (Ezra 6:16-19). During the Maccabean restoration of the Second Temple, the festival of “Renovation/Dedication (Hanukkah)” was introduced, which appears to be a juxtaposition to the earlier feast of tabernacles, as it shares the same name in 2 Maccabees (1:9).
The Syriac word used for dedication translates to "to renew" in English. Examples of such dedication include the sanctification of the Tabernacle and its furnishings (Exodus 40), the dedication of Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 8), the dedication of the Second Temple by Zerubbabel (Ezra 6), the rededication of the Second Temple by Judas Maccabeus, and the dedication of the temple of Herod the Great. It follows that Jewish tradition most likely gave rise to the Christian practice of consecrating or dedicating a new place of worship.
Church Consecration
The church building holds significant importance for Syrian Christians as it serves as the focal point for all religious practices, particularly the sacred observance of the holy Eucharist. inside the ecclesiastical structures of the Syrian Christian church, the presence and abiding nature of Christ are believed to be encapsulated inside the sacred sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
The act of consecrating a church is a religious practice carried out to sanctify the structure as a sacred space, designated as the abode of God. The Order of Consecration comprises three services, namely the consecration of the sanctuary, the consecration of the altar, and the consecration of the church building. church consecration ceremony has two parts: one without Myron and the other with it.
A ceremony called “Laying the foundation stone” is also held. The bishop must anoint the foundation stone with Myron. This is typically done before the first part of the consecration ritual. When all building works have been completed and before the consecration begins, the symbolic ceremony of the laying of the foundation stone is held. The Syrian Orthodox tradition employs many things at a foundation stone ceremony. The various objects used in religious ceremonies have symbolic significance, whereas the prayers conducted at the consecration of a church primarily centre around the concept of Christ as the solid and fundamental cornerstone (as exemplified in passages like 1 Corinthians 3:11 and Ephesians 2:20).
In the ceremony of the laying of the foundation stone, one big stone is usually cut in the form of a cross and twelve small stones, which stand for Jesus Christ and twelve of the Apostles are used. The rock has always symbolized Christ since the beginning of Christianity. The Tuesday evening prayer in Fenqitho reads: "Blessed is He who built the Holy Church on His palm and placed as her foundations." The nighttime prayer at church dedication reads: "Lord, grant Your Church peace and tranquillity, and establish her on Christ, the rock of truth." Christ is the basis of the Church and the rock of truth as the Son of God. The twelve stones from the foundation stone symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel, each led by a son of Jacob (Gen. 35:22; 49:28). When Elijah gathered Israel to choose the true God, he first restored the altar of God from twelve stones representing the twelve tribes (1 Kings 18:25). A tiny vessel is used and placed amid the foundation stone to represent the faithful being protected from Satan. The vessel contains a small golden cross symbolising purity, incense the devout, and Myron the Holy Spirit.
The Ceremony of Laying of the Foundation Stone
The bishop blesses the large and small stones, placing a cross with Myron on the twelve little stones in the name of the Holy Trinity. Small stones marked with Myron are put in the small vessel along with incense and covered with another piece. The stones are placed in a wooden box, and the celebrant raises it to each corner of the sanctuary, blessing it with the sign of the Cross. Next, the wooden box is put beneath the altar in the name of the church's patron saint. The concluding prayer, Nicene Creed, and petition to the Virgin Mary and saints follow.
The first Section of the Rite of Consecration of a Church consists of prayers and then the sealing with the sign of the cross comes to mean the equivalent of completion or perfection. The church is praying to God to anoint and seal the house of the Lord with Myron. St. Ephrem says “The hidden seal of the Spirit is imprinted by oil on the bodies of those who are anointed in baptism: thus they are marked in the baptismal mystery…”. In Exodus 31:1-6, the Lord told Moses that Bezalel, Aholiab, and other people would be working on the Tabernacle. This part is the fulfilment of those words. Here, the focus is on God's free will and God's honouring of the people who will be in charge of building the Tabernacle. Through this prayer, the celebrant is asking God to “sanctify, establish, confirm, warn and protect, by your high and powerful hand this holy and priestly house, which is for you and the utterance of praise to you.”
The second section of the church consecration mainly focuses on the anointing with Myron. The bishop draws a cross and says, “It [altar] is signed, anointed, sanctified, immersed, and sealed, this table of eternity, on which divine offerings and sacramental sacrifices may be offered in the name of the Father”. Drawing the cross on the altar symbolizes God's establishment of the Church through sending His Son to redeem and the Holy Spirit to sustain the world. This is why the church is adorned with three crosses in honour of the Holy Trinity.
Consecration of the Sanctuary with Myron
The bishop approaches the eastern wall, behind the altar, holds the Myron container in his left hand, wets his right thumb with it, and prays, "Christ, our God, by the prayers of your holy apostles and your Mother of God, Mary, and Mor..., the saint, in whose name this house is built, bless and sanctify this altar, and us, blessed with the Father and Holy Spirit.” He then draws three crosses with Myron (one in the middle, then left and right) on the wall, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The individual repeats the prayer indicated above when drawing each cross. Upon finishing the cross drawing on the eastern wall, the clergy sign and pray at the western wall of the sanctuary. Next, they draw the cross with Myron on the sanctuary's northern and southern walls. The northern wall represents the Tabernacle's showbread, while the southern wall, with the lamp, represents the Menorah or candlestick.
Consecration of the Altar with Myron
The Syriac term for altar, Madbeḥo” , references the sacred area where the altar stands. Hence, Madbeḥo is the Holy of the Holies where the Lord's sacrifice is offered. Celebrants head to the new altar after consecrating and anointing the sanctuary walls with Myron. When Myron is applied to the altar, it symbolizes Christ, the anointed one. God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and made Him the high priest to sacrifice His life for the salvation of all on the altar of His flesh.
Sign of the Cross with Myron
The bishop uses his right thumb to create one cross in a pattern, and the symbol drawn on the altar is likewise drawn on the tablito, which is also consecrated at this time. Following that, the principal celebrant swings the censer toward the altar, tablito, and faithful. This pattern is repeated three times, each time drawing one cross. The three crosses represent the three persons of the Trinity and this is the most important time in the church's consecration.
The reason for anointing Myron is that when Jacob built the altar with stones, he poured oil upon it and prayed and he requested God to make it His dwelling place (Gen. 35:7f).
Decorating the Altar with Garments
The altar is covered with clothes that were made just for it. All new things that will be used on the altar are blessed and made holy by the bishop. Putting clothes on the altar, he says, "for the glory, honour, splendour, and praise of the Holy Trinity, who are all one soul; and for the peace and growth of the holy Church of God." The colourful cloth on the altar represents the swaddling clothes that Christ was wrapped in after he was born, and the white cloth represents the sheet that was wound around his body after he was crucified.
The Consecration of the Church Building
After putting clothes on the altar, the chief celebrant and the clergy go to the hayklo with the gospel book, candles, censor, marwahto, and the case of Myron to anoint the church building. The prayer he says during the anointing is “Christ our God, by the prayers of your holy apostles, your mother and saint [Mor]…… in whose name this house is built and established, bless and sanctify this church and us because you are glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit.”
After completing the consecration ceremony, the bishop begins preparation for the Holy Eucharist on the new altar. In Syriac tradition, the consecration of a sanctuary is significant. The foundation stone is juxtaposed with the altar stone that Jacob himself erected at Bethel. It is in alignment with Christ, who is symbolized as the cornerstone, in conjunction with the twelve stones that symbolize the twelve disciples. Prayers and hymns are sung in the opening moments of the ceremonies. The church is subsequently anointed with Myron, and it becomes an indispensable component of the Christian life since it represents the bride and Christ is the betrothed.
“Behold! The Church is the Divine Paradise, and the Holy Altar is that Tree full of Life”.- Jacob of Serug
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