www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Church Furniture Question

Etnick,

I hope you don't mind, but I used a photo you posted in the photo section for this question.

If anyone can answer,

What is the name of the circled table?

[Linked Image]

and is it the same as the table used for morning/evening prayer in the Syriac Churches?

[Linked Image]

A tetrapod, which is quite common in Slavic churches. It is used to place icons on for veneration.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Father, bless.

Is the table not used in Russian or Greek parishes? And is there another name for it?

Dear Michael Thoma,

I have seen the tetrapod used in Slavic usage parishes mainly for the patronal or festal icons, so that the laity may venerate them upon entering the church. In some cases it is also used during marriages and baptisms for the items needed for those sacraments. Other than that it really does not get used liturgically. In the Greek usage, the tetrapod is not evident in the church at all, and for the above sacraments some sort of table is brought in for the sacrament but disappears immediately afterward.

I am unaware of it being called by any other name, but I am sure if it is someone will contribute it to this thread.

I hope this helps you.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Father,

I must add to that question.

I have seen a similar table when I attended a Byzantine wedding. I believe there was a bible on it, but it very well could have been an icon or several icons. The priest circled the table with the couple behind him in one part of the ceremony while praying and, I believe he had a censor, after they circled three times they were blessed and laurel crowns were placed on their heads.

This was maybe four years ago and I don't trust my memory to remember that it was a table like this. Would the table I described be a called tetrapod?

Terry

Terry,

I believe so.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

As has been said, the table in question is called a tetrapod. The name "tetrapod" is a Slavonic form of the Greek "tetrapodion", which means (and Greek speakers can correct me!) "a thing with four legs."

This table is, first and foremost, the table used for weddings, baptisms, the blessing of bread at Vespers, and other similar liturgical uses. In this way, it is a fairly universal piece of liturgical furniture around the Byzantine ecclesiastical world. When the tetrapod is limited to these above services, it doesn't get a lot of use, except in the busiest of parishes. With this in mind, it became customary in Carpatho-Rusyn and western Ukrainian churches to have the tetrapod multi-task as the stand for the central icon which is set out for veneration.

Dave

The trouble with keeping that table more-or-less permanently in front of the Royal Doors (as the Carpatho-Rusyns and some Ukrainians do) is that it inevitably becomes confused with the Holy Table - which drives me around the bend. Hence it is better to have a light-weight table for the wedding crowns and the Baptismal necessities (and the five loaves, etc. for the Litany at Vespers on Great Feasts) and otherwise keep it out of the way. The icons can go very nicely on analogia, with votive candle-stands behind them; nobody has ever mistaken an analogion for the Holy Table.

Fr. Serge

I am most familiar with the permanent Tetrapod Father Serge speaks of. (I just ended a sentence with a preposition). Some parishes have a tetrapod on wheels to move for certain situations.
I know a parish that places the tetrapod off against the side against the wall. The priest has the analogia, one in the centre for the festal icon, one for the icon of Christ, and one for the icon of Mary.
Father Serge, I have witnessed this mis-belief as well.

In Transcarpathia, The terapods are usually set to the left of center, so as to not be in the way. Analogia do not seem to be a part of the South-West Rus' (Ruthenian) recension.

Ung

There is nothing the matter with ending a sentence with a preposition, so long as it fits the syntax. When this non-existent rule was brought to the attention of Winston Churchill (I despise his politics, but I envy his command of the English language) he respond at once that "such a rule is an absurdity up with which I will not put!"

Fr. Serge

I like it!

For the poor confused Latin, can someone please explain the difference betwen a tetrapod and an analoy? I have a book printed by the Ukrainian Catholics that says they are the same thing.

An old version of the Guiness Book of World Records (pre-dumbed down version) had a listing for most prepositions at the end of a sentence. The setup is a mother who has just climbed the stairs to read her boy a bedtime story about Australia. The child, displeased with the subject matter, asks his mother, "Why did you bring that book that I didn't want to be read to out of about 'Down Under' up for?"

Well, they both have four feet each. However, other than that - the analogion has a smaller surface, and the surface is pitched - rather like an old-fashioned missal stand - with a "lip" on the side toward the worshipper, so the icon or book does not slip off the analogion. The analogion has no place to put a candle; at most, it might be possible to put an embroidered cloth around the top of the icon, or a flower or two.

The "tetrapod" is an actual table, with a flat surface.

Fr. Serge