THE HOLY PICTURES — THE ICONOSTASIS
In every Church there are holy Pictures or Icons. Before these, the faithful manifest their feelings of love and veneration; pray before them, kiss them, burn before them candles and oil. The holy icons serve as a decoration for the temple and provide for us instruction by depicting the sacred history and the dogmatic.
The holy pictures are put in all parts of the temple, but there is also a special definite place for them.
The middle part of the temple is separated from the altar by a wooden or stone partition (wall) on which only icons are placed, and for that reason this wall is called iconostas [or the iconostasis]. In this partition three doors are made, the middle one (double) which is called the Royal or holy Gates, because through them enters, with the holy Gifts, the King of glory Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ. The Royal Gates are filled in with the icons of the Annunciation and of the four Evangelists. Over the Royal Gates, for the most part, is placed the picture of the Mystical Supper, at which the Lord has instituted the Sacrament of Communion. The two side doors of the Iconostasis are called respectively the northern and the southern door. On these are represented either one of the Archangels: Michael, Gabriel and others, or one of the prophets, or the Archdeacons: Stephen, Evpl [alt. Euplus or Eupl] and others. On the right hand side of the Royal Gates, in the Iconostasis, is placed the Icon - of our Lord Jesus Christ, while on the left that of the All-holy Mother of God. Next to the first of these icons is placed the picture of that sacred event or the icon of that Saint to whose memory the temple is dedicated. In large Iconostases the icons are placed one above the other in certain order: over the Local icons are fixed the pictures of the principal Feasts, above these–the pictures of Apostles and Prophets.
By the side of the choir-stalls (klirosses) stand the Banners (khorugvee) [alternatively transliterated as Khorugv (singular) or Horugv(i)]. The sacred pictures on these serve as ensigns and are placed in token of victory of the holy Church over all her both inner and outer enemies.
The above text was excerpted from The Most Useful Knowledge for the Orthodox Russian-American Young People, compiled by V. Rev. Peter G. Kohanik (Passaic, NJ: n.p., 1932–1934), using only minimal adjustments to the original text (such as correcting typographical errors and adding clarification in brackets of alternate transliterated spellings).