> > >I was always told the churches are oriented east-west so > the south wall should really be facing south...... does anyone know what's > going on here?<
Hello, Being in the US, I cannot explain the alignment of churches in the UK very well, and shall not try. It is obvious that the constraints of land parcels, access, drainage, and such are determining the orientation (pun intended) of churches in the US, as well. It is true, for the Orthodox tradition, at least, that to whatever extent possible, the altar (and the High Place) must be in the east. This stems from theological considerations such as the meaning of Orient (an epithet of Christ) as the Rising Son = Sun, the Judaic tradition of the East, and the ages-old practice of facing east for prayer. It is difficult to explain in a short paragraph, but be assured that there is ample reason for having the east wall east, the south, south, and so on. Of course, land was more open centuries ago, and it was easier to choose a spot for a building and to orient it correctly. I can recall churches in Greece that do not "face east," but don't recall any in Russia -- but my samples are small. Hope this may help. I'll explore it further privately with anyone interested. John (122W36, 45N21)
