In principle, all Orthodox churches face east, and if not references are made within the building as though it did. The church is laid out in three parts: The Narthex, the Nave and the Sanctuary. The Narthex (or Porch) is the room immediately on entering the Church (sometimes preceded by a vestibule). It serves as a transitional room from the outside to the rest of the Church. Usually, the Narthex includes Icons of Christ and the Patron of the church where candles may be lit. Lighting candles is a visible physical action to enhance the spiritual action of offering up prayers. Orthodox worship involves the whole person: spirit, mind, and body, recognising that God became man because we are physical creatures and require a total (including physical) salvation. Thus, it involves not only the mind and heart, but also the ears (hymns, the bells of the censor), the eyes (Icons, processions), the nose (the smell of the candles, incense, and rose water, etc.), and touch (making the sign of the cross, and other gestures).

The Nave is the place where the people gather. It is richly decorated by Icons and candles to give a sense of being in God’s presence. In some churches there are no pews (or benches). These churches have “Stadia,” or stands where the elderly or infirm can lean back supported by their arms while others stand throughout the service. (In ancient days, when the people would sit they sat on the floor.) Other churches have pews arranged with side and central isles. This allows for processions. Whether or not the church has pews there is a spirit of alertness throughout the services. Even in sitting, people sit ‘at attention’ with both feet firmly on the floor and legs uncrossed, the same formal way one would sit in the presence of a King. In both cases, there is an open space near the front (where the Iconistasion is located) called the “Solea”. The Solea is often just slightly raised above the main floor level. This is like a ‘stage’ where chanters chant, the Deacon offers his Litanies, and other liturgical actions take place.

Separating the Nave from the Sanctuary (or Altar) is the Iconistasion (screen of Icons), symbolising the presence of God, the Virgin, Saints and Angels during the worship. Three doors or entrances punctuate the Iconistasion. In the middle is the “Royal Doors” or “Beautiful Gate”. When open, this entrance allows the faithful to see the Holy Table, upon which the Holy Gifts of bread and wine are offered to God. To the left and right of the Royal Door are the Archangel Doors (so called because they feature Icons of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel). In keeping with the understanding that the church faces East, these doors are often referred to as the “North” and “South” Doors. The Archangel Doors are used by deacons, acolytes (“altar servers”) and attendants, while the Royal Door is reserved for Bishops and priests, and on specific occasions by the deacons.

The Icons on the Iconistasion are arranged in a particular pattern. On the immediate north of the Royal Door is the Icon of the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos (Birthgiver of God) shown holding the child Jesus. On the south the Icon of Jesus enthroned as King of Heaven presents the Christ holding the Book of Judgement and offering the sign of the cross in blessing. The symbolism of the two Icons flanking the Royal Door is the “three comings of Jesus” -- as the Child of Mary, as the Triumphant King at the end of the Age and the Loving God Who feeds His people (from the Holy Table) with His Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist.

The Icon immediately next to the Icon of Jesus is John the Baptist. This reminds the worshiper that the King who will come at the End of Days is the same Christ proclaimed by the prophet and Forerunner. The Icon immediately next to the Icon of the Theotokos is the Patron Saint (or Event) after which the parish community is named. The relationship between the Patron and Icon of the Theotokos reminds the worshipper that the merits of the Saints derives from their devotion to and imitation of the Christ, not from any inherent holiness of their own. Other Icons are included as space allows, usually chosen to represent saints whose deeds are significant to the parish community.

The Sanctuary is the room beyond the Iconistasion that, echoing the Holy of Holies in the Temple of Solomon, is the place where God dwells in the Reserved Sacrament. Only clergy and attendants enter the Sanctuary. Within the Sanctuary are the Holy Table, the Censor and stand, and the Prothesis Table (Table of "Oblation" or Preparation). The Prothesis is a smaller table usually located on the Northeast side of the Sanctuary and used for the preparation of the bread and wine for the Liturgy.

The Gospel Book, Antimension, blessing cross and Tabernacle (to store the Reserved Sacrament) are placed upon the Holy Table, located in the centre of the Sanctuary. The priest and deacon stand on the ‘west’ side of the Holy Table, thus facing the same direction as the people. (The celebrant of the Liturgy does not ‘stand in the place’ of Christ, rather he leads the people in the spiritual sacrifice of the Lord’s Table.)

The Antimension is a cloth designed with an image of the burial of Christ. Originally it was used in Churches whose Holy Table did not store Holy Relics. Thus it was considered a 'portable altar'. As the Antimension includes the signature of the Bishop, it also serves as a kind of symbol of credentials for the liturgical life of the church. If for reasons of canonical order or in the event of a relocation the Antimension is removed, the building may no longer function as an Orthodox Church for the purpose of worship.

The ‘east’ side of the Holy Table is called the “High Place”, and in some churches will include a raised area with a throne for the Bishop (who is the true minister and Pastor of the parish Church community) and additional chairs for other assisting members. This area is called the “Synthronon” (or High Place). The clergy stand at the Holy Table to offer up prayers and spiritual sacrifices on behalf of the people of God. The censor is used to symbolically represent the prayers of the faithful ascending up to God and ‘psychologically’ presents the aroma of worship. Also stored in the Sanctuary are the Processional Cross, Lanterns and Seraphim Fans (representing the angelic host accompanying and protecting the worshipping faithful).

In addition to the areas noted above, a church might have rooms at either side of the Sanctuary to store books and vessels for liturgical use (in the west often called a “Sacristy”) and/or to store the vestments of the clergy and attendants (a “Vestry”). Near the Narthex, some churches may also have vestibules, or cloak rooms.

As the Sanctuary is the place wherein special Liturgical actions are performed (prayers and blessings), it is reserved only for those authorised and/or ordained to perform or assist in those functions. The work of the clergy and their attendants is to stand at the Holy Table and offer up special prayers. The work of the people is to pray and worship God, and this is done in the Nave. In some services, the clergy never enter the Sanctuary at all but join the people in the Nave for prayer. Thus, it is not a question of the Sanctuary being “off-limits” but of the worship space of the church being arranged for specific purposes and each area being used by those assigned to perform those functions.

An Orthodox Church, laid out in this precise arrangement, is designed to promote and enhance prayer and allow the worshipper to leave behind the outside world, mystically step into God’s ‘space’ and become aware of God’s close loving presence in our lives. The use of this ‘worship space’ for other purposes is foreign to the tradition of Orthodoxy, and thus even national flags and other thing that do not have a direct function in worship are prohibited.

Illustrations of the "Table of Oblation," "Altar" and "Corporal" on this page from Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic Church by Isabel Florence Hapgood, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, Englewood, New Jersey, 1983