The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Lewiston is the center of the local Greek community. Known to members and many non-members alike for its annual Greek Festival, the church has a vibrant community of long-time devotees and new converts.

One of those devotees is George Simones, a fourth-generation member of the church who was born, baptized and raised in the community; his great-grandfather was a chanter in the church, just as Simones is today. Additionally, he assists Father Jon Emanuelson, the priest, as the pastoral assistant.

“This is home. I don’t know how else to describe it, this is home,” he said. “Every family is our family. It’s a beautiful big family, that’s the best way to describe it.”

Holy Trinity is a special place for its community members. Many celebrate significant life events within its walls and mark the passage of time by annual traditions and celebrations. Every action and feature of the church holds significance to its community, and within the Orthodox faith.

Church member Jaye Mendros Goulet remembers attending Greek school at the church every day after school when she was a child. Here, she learned Greek and studied Orthodox Christianity.

The traditions and beliefs of the Orthodox religion are “the biggest part of my life,” she said. “It seems like everything has a meaning, a meaning that has deep roots.”

Goulet said the timeless, enduring teachings and traditions of the church are very important to her, citing the Bible’s Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”

The Greek community in Lewiston-Auburn has a 100-year-plus history, first establishing a small church on Lincoln Street in downtown Lewiston in 1910, eventually serving more than 3,000 Greeks. While those numbers diminished with the closing of local mills in the 1950s, the still active and devoted congregation built a new church in 1977 at 155 Hogan Road.

The church is full of images and symbols integral to traditions and liturgy in the Orthodox faith. They provide inspiration during services, and, especially before public schooling was widely available, serve to educate members of the church. Traditionally, such religious iconography depicts figures and scenes from the Gospel, which details the life, teachings and resurrection of Christ.

“Iconography became not only a means of beautifying the church, but it was a means of educating the people about the faith and about the great figures of the faith, and the spiritual disposition we should have in regard to our Christian belief,” Emanuelson said.

Unlike conventional, secular artwork, icons are not “made.” Instead, Emanuelson explained that Orthodox Christians say icons are “written” because they tell a story. Iconographers receive guidance from God to write these icons.

Icons are found on every wall and on most features of Holy Trinity Church — in the entrance, nave and sanctuary. Icons are also depicted in the stained-glass windows. Many Greek Orthodox churches even put icons on the ceiling.

Statues, however, are not common in Greek Orthodox churches; the iconography is primarily two-dimensional, sometimes with relief.

The most prominent icons in Holy Trinity are found on the iconostasis, which separates the sanctuary and altar from the main part of the church. Thirteen icons at the top of the screen tell the story of Jesus, from his birth to resurrection. Prominent religious figures are displayed between the three doors of the iconostasis.

Icons are also displayed on pedestals at the entrance and the front of the nave. Orthodox Christians embrace and kiss these icons in reverence.

Emanuelson explained that the image of saints and other holy figures are cherished in the same way as family members who have passed away.

“The saints are the family of the faithful. . . . They’re our loved ones, our loved ones in the faith,” he said.

Below are descriptions of some of the most significant elements and icons in Lewiston’s Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

THE ICONOSTASIS OR ICON SCREEN

The iconostasis, also known as the icon screen, is one of the most prominent elements of all Greek Orthodox churches. It separates the sanctuary and altar from the main area of the church. While its appearance may vary from church to church, the iconostasis typically displays prominent icons and includes three entrances — the Beautiful Gates in the center and two Deacon Doors on either side.

The icons featured on the iconostasis in the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church were written in the 1910s by an iconographer in Greece and then brought to the U.S. and installed in the original church on Lincoln Street. To the right of the Beautiful Gate is Jesus, St. John the Baptist and the archangel Gabriel; on the left is the Virgin Mary, Holy Trinity and the archangel Michael. The life and resurrection of Christ is told in 13 panels at the top of the screen, featuring the Mystical Supper directly above the Beautiful Gate.

According to Emanuelson, these icons were written primarily in the Western style, with noticeable Byzantine influence. “There were different schools of iconography and the very prevalent type of iconography in the 20th century was Western and Byzantine styles,” Emanuelson said. This is very reflective of that.” In the Byzantine style, hands and eyes are customarily larger and particularly expressive.

The evolution of the iconostasis to its current form spanned hundreds of years. In the early days of the church, Christians were persecuted, and therefore often prayed in secret, worshiping in the presence of icons in their homes, Emanuelson explained. The Edict of Milan, written in 313, allowed Christians to practice openly in the Roman Empire.

Churches were built for community worship, and a rail was erected to separate the altar from churchgoers. Icons were placed on the rail and eventually affixed to it as it grew higher, achieving its contemporary form in the 11th century. In many churches, including Holy Trinity, the iconostasis spans from floor to ceiling, completely separating the sanctuary from the nave.

THE BISHOP’S THRONE

While not often used, the bishop’s throne is where the bishop sits during liturgy when he visits the church. According to Simones, the bishop normally visits Holy Trinity every year-and-a-half or so. Although it often serves little practical purpose, the bishop’s throne is liturgically significant; it is the first place the priest spreads incense during regular services. The throne always includes an icon of Christ, the high priest, as a constant reminder that all priests serve at the discretion of the bishop, Emanuelson said.

The bishop’s throne at Holy Trinity is made of wood with a canopy, painted white with gold accent. It was donated to the church in the 1960s or 1970s in memory of Simones’ great-grandfather.

DOUBLE-HEADED EAGLE

The double-headed eagle is an ancient symbol believed to have first been used as a royal insignia by the Hittites, located in modern-day Turkey, during the second millennium before the birth of Christ. Since then, the motif has been used by various people and empires as a royal, state or family emblem to symbolize power, force, courage, leadership and wisdom.

It was adopted as the official state symbol of the Byzantine Empire (395-1452 CE) in the late 13th century. The double-headed eagle represents the partnership between the state and the Orthodox Church, symbolizing the harmonious relationship between the two institutions. Although the Byzantine Empire fell centuries ago, the double-headed eagle remains an important motif in the Orthodox faith and is found on the flag of the church.

In Holy Trinity Church, a double-headed eagle is carved into the soft maple pulpit, the stand where the priest delivers sermons.

EPITAPHIOS AND KOUVOUKLION

The epitaphios is a large, often richly adorned, embroidered cloth that depicts the body of Christ laid out for burial. Holy Trinity’s epitaphios also includes Jesus’ mother, Mary, cradling his lifeless form, surrounded by other figures, as described in the Gospel. The four evangelists — Matthew, Mark, Luke and John — are shown at the corners of the cloth.

The kouvouklion is made of soft maple and hand carved in Greece. It represents the bier that was used to carry Christ from the site of his crucifixion to the tomb.

Every year on Holy Friday, the church holds a special evening liturgy. Although the service technically occurs on Holy Friday, Emanuelson said it is really a part of Holy Saturday, which begins at sunset. The epitaphios is removed from its case in the sanctuary, laid out on the kouvouklion decorated with fresh flowers, and taken out in procession around the church. According to Emanuelson, this represents Jesus’ descent to Hades to free the souls of old. Parishioners joyfully mourn the death of Christ in anticipation of his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

ALTAR AND TABERNACLE

The altar plays a central role in the Christian faith. According to Emanuelson, the altar represents both the table of the Mystical Supper, where Jesus ate his final meal, and his tomb.

The altar in the current Holy Trinity Church was brought from the original Greek Orthodox church on Lincoln Street. In 2010, the parish’s 100-year anniversary, the bishop sanctified the church by sealing relics from the saints into the altar. The Greek letters alpha and omega are visible on the front of the altar, symbolizing Jesus as both the beginning and the end.

All year long, the tabernacle, a holy container, rests at the center of the altar. On the morning of Holy Thursday each year, the priest consecrates bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ and stores it in a container in the tabernacle. This is called the reserved sacrament, which is brought to commune the sick and the home-bound.

In Greek Orthodox churches, the sanctuary, also known as the altar room, is a sacred place where only a select few may enter, including priests, deacons, bishops and other servants of God. The sanctuary is a sanctified place where visitors must be of the particular mindset of love and obedience for God, Emanuelson said.

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