Masons and architectural historians a question about colonial Virginia's Anglican churches.

[arcadian]

Or anybody who might know. The Church of England was the established church in the Virginia colony. There are still about 50 of these churches still standing all located in Tidewater, Virginia.

I've been studying these churches and going around taking photos of them. They are unique and the architecture is splendid. Anyway, I started noticing that the entrances to these churches are almost always located facing the west toward the setting sun. Upon further examination, via Google maps, the churches are almost perfectly aligned, east to west. Anybody know why this is? If you know or have any idea why the church entrances all face to the west, if you could provide a link citing the reason, that would be great.

There is a lot of masonic influences in the churches as they are almost exclusively composed of brick. There is also a lot masonic influences with the columns, archways and arcades that compose the churches.

My speculation, is that they were trying to convert "indians" and the symbolism is that the "savage tribes" were all to the west where as the part of the colony that had already been "civilised" was to the east. Or something else having to do with the conquered lands lay to the east and the savages lands lay to the west.

[Critters2]

1. It was common until fairly recent times, for Christians to

worship facing east, praying toward Jerusalem. It wasn't a rule, but a common practice nonetheless. If the altar and chancel are at the east end of a church building, the entrance is most likely going to be facing west.

Orthodox Christian churches are required to be built with this orientation.

http://www.britainexpress.com/History/english-parish-churches.htm

[NOW tense]

8. Megalithic cultures celebrated solstices

It is a leftover from humankind's first architecturally constructed spiritual centers.

[juno jones]

2. Much esoteric and religious western tradition places the altar in the east.

Probably ties in with the daily 'resurection' of the sun. Whether this was a conscious component of old Anglican churches, I have no idea.

[Critters2]

7. Yeah. Or maybe it was because Jesus lived. died, and was resurrected in Judea,

which is east of here.

Am I the only one here who's heard of Ockham's razor?

[juno jones]

9. Except the tradition of 'east'

goes back farther than the life and death of some guy in judea a mere 2000 years ago. Occam's razor actually would point to the rising sun, which existed before jesus and was used to site temples and places of worship long before he was born. Jesus's own cult was built atop solar gods such as Sol Invicta or Mithras. So a solar attribution is just as likely. Why'd they face 'em east? Because they always did. Especially with the descriptions of masonic influence on the mentioned churches.

[Critters2]

14. But the OP was about churches.

Churches worship Jesus. Period.

[dgibby]

3. Interesting.

My hometown is in the western part of Va., and the Anglican (Espicopal) church faces due west.

[dugaresa]

4. It could also be due to the weather

In Virginia it is hot.

And given that the sun rises over the east and sets in the west they may have wanted to insure that no direct light would filter in through the sides of the church (where the majority of the windows in churches are) so that it would reduce the radiant heat in the building.

Many southern homes were designed "eco-smart" given the times to deal with the heat and I would think that this might be the case with a church as well.

[hedgehog]

5. This actually goes back much farther:

Speaking of orientation, churches are nearly always oriented so that the main altar is at the east end of the church, facing Jerusalem, and, not coincidentally, the rising sun. Even if the altar end of the church is not literally in the east, it is called the "east end". In theory at least, the east end of an English parish church could face west!

http://www.britainexpress.com/History/english-parish-churches.htm


In the Catholic Church, this has become a minor matter of dispute because the altars were turned around after Vatican II. The priest faced the people with his back to the East. Some traditionalists present this as a reason for the priest to offer Mass with his back to the people.

[H2O Man]

11. Right.

And the "east-west" symbolism goes back a lot farther in human history. Burial practices are the prime example. It's interesting to note that this is found even among our cousins, the Neanderthal.

[hedgehog]

13. Hey, one of the distinctive aspects of the Catholic Church is a willingness

to use whatever symbols are handy to spread the message. We can be pretty non-verbal sometimes.

[wtbymark]

6. the arched ceilings (not in the main room) were of religious importance

forget why, but i studied a lot of church architecture in Europe. They face west so the sun rises over the alter, behind the preist and onto the parishoners.

[arcadian]

10. Thanks to all who have responded.

I guess it's not as nefarious as my speculation. Anybody who is interested in this topic can check out probably the best preserved of these churches, Christ Church on the Northern Neck. It supposedly has all sorts of hidden architecture.

http://www.christchurch1735.org/

[NOW tense]

12. It uses the same ratio as the pyramids in Egypt. n/t

[mdmc]

15. kick