Why do cathedrals face west

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McCluskey 1 Email author 1. Personalised recommendations. Cite entry How to cite? The Apostolic Constitutions, a work of eastern Christianity written between and AD, gave it as a rule that churches should have the sanctuary with apse and sacristies at the east end, to enable Christians to pray eastward in church as in private or in small groups.

In the middle of the sanctuary was the altar, behind which was the bishop's throne, flanked by the seats of the presbyters, while the laity were on the opposite side. However, even in the East there were churches for example, in Tyre that had the entrance at the east end and the sanctuary at the west end.

During the readings all looked towards the readers, the bishop and presbyters looking westward, the people eastward. The Apostolic Constitutions, like the other documents that speak of the custom of praying towards the east, do not indicate on which side of the altar the bishop stood for "the sacrifice". The importance attached to orientation of churches declined after the 15th century. He stated that the altar can also be at the west end, where "in accordance with the rite of the Church it is customary for Mass to be celebrated at the main altar by a priest facing the people".

The Catholic Encyclopedia explains the Orientation of Churches as thus:. According to Tertullian the Christians of his time were, by some who concerned themselves with their form of worship, believed to votaries of the sun. This supposition, he adds, doubtless arose from the Christian practice of turning to the east when praying Apol. Speaking of churches the same writer tells us that the homes "of our dove", as he terms them, are always in "high and open places, facing the light" Adv.

The practice of praying while turned towards the rising sun is older than Christianity, but the Christians in adopting it were influenced by reasons peculiar to themselves.

The principal of these reasons, according to St. Gregory of Nyssa, was that the Orient contained man's original home, the earthly paradise. Thus from the earliest period the custom of locating the apse and altar in the eastern extremity of the church was the rule.

Yet the great Roman Basilicas of the Lateran, St. Peter's, St. Paul's originally , St. Lorenzo's, as well as the Basilica of the Resurrection in Jerusalem and the basilicas of Tyre and Antioch, reversed this rule by placing the apse in the western extremity.

The reasons for this mode of orientation can only be conjectured. Some writers explain it by the fact that in the fourth century the celebrant at Mass faced the people, and, therefore in a church with a western apse, looked towards the East when officiating at the altar. Others conjecture that the peculiar orientation of the basilicas mentioned, erected by Constantine the Great or under his influence, may have been a reminiscence of the former predilection of this emperor for sun-worship.

In the Orient the eastern apse was the rule, and thence it made its way to the West through the reconstructed Basilica of St.

Paul's, the Basilica of S. Pietro in Vincoli, and the celebrated basilica of Ravenna. From the eighth century the propriety of the eastern apse was universally admitted, though, of course strict adherence to this architectural canon, owing to the direction of city streets, was not always possible.

Luke Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,. The word dayspring is "sun-rising, or branch. See here. For thy name shall for ever be called by God Himself, the peace of righteousness and glory to him that worships God. Arise, Jerusalem, stand on high, and look towards the east, and behold thy sons from the rising of the sun, even to the west, by the Word of that Holy One, rejoicing in the very remembrance of God.

And since the dawn is an image of the day of birth, and from that point the light which has shone forth at first from the darkness increases, there has also dawned on those involved in darkness a day of the knowledge of truth. Whence also the most ancient temples looked towards the west, that people might be taught to turn to the east when facing the images.

The foolish practice of some who turn to the sun and bow to it is reprehensible. We are full of grief and vexation that this should happen, which is partly due to the fault of ignorance and partly to the spirit of heathenism: because although some of them do perhaps worship the Creator of that fair light rather than the Light itself, which is His creature, yet we must abstain even from the appearance of this observance: for if one who has abandoned the worship of gods, finds it in our own worship, will he not hark back again to this fragment of his old superstition, as if it were allowable, when he sees it to be common both to Christians and to infidels?

As well, scripture mentions Christ's Second Coming as arising from east to west. So, look to the east. The unwritten traditions which he mentions, are the signing those who hope in Christ with the Cross; praying toward the East, to denote, that we are in quest of Eden, that garden in the East from whence our first parents were ejected as he afterwards explains it ,. So, those are the reasons for facing east from scripture and tradition.

As Leo mentioned, just be careful not to give the impression of an ungodly practice. I believe that the tradition of Christians praying towards the east came from Solomon's dedication of the Temple in Numbers Chapter Numbers If thy people go out to war against their enemies by the way that thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name; 35 then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

That's a church tradition in my country; all of my churches face east. I asked why they always face east to the priest, he said that's just a tradition people do. That is why all the churches face east. I also learned that that is a way to pray. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams? Learn more. Why do many old churches face east?