At the Bulgarian Churche of St. Stephen of the Bulgars. It was erected in 1871 and is entirely constructed of cast iron. Fabricated in Vienna it was shipped down the Danube in sections. It is a curious experience to knock against what looks like a marble column and hear the sound of iron.

The picture shows the iconostasis (= in Eastern Christianity a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a church. The nave is the main body of the church where most of the worshippers stand; the sanctuary is the area around the altar, east of the nave, which during liturgical services is only entered by priests and deacons).

A full size iconostasis has three doors in it. The two single doors to the right and left are called ‘deacons' doors’ or ‘angel doors’ and they usually have on them icons of either sainted deacons (Saint Stephen, Saint Lawrence, etc.) or the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, who (according to tradition) guard the entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. These side doors will normally be used by the clergy when entering the sanctuary.
The central double doors are the ‘Holy Doors’ (also: ‘Royal Doors’, or: ‘Beautiful Gate’), which are considered to be most sacred, and may only be entered at certain sacred moments during the services, and only by ordained clergy (deacons, priests, bishops).

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.