Ogee-Arched Narthex Portal of Nativity of Virgin Cathedral

View from a narthex of the Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral on the beautiful ogee-arched doorway into the church. The portal with double ogee curves was cut out of the white limestone. The main cathedral of the Savvino-Storozhevsky monastery in Zvenigorod was built between 1404 and 1405. It is one of the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region.

The narthex is the connection between the Church and the outside world and for this reason catechumens (pre-baptized Orthodox) and non-Orthodox are to stand here (note: the tradition of allowing only confirmed Orthodox into the nave of the church has for the most part fallen into disuse).

Photo #102 taken on April 07, 2010