Quoting Jesus by Theodore Galliakis

QUOTING JESUS

DIPLOMA DESIGN DISSERTATION

Supervisors: Dimitris Fragkos, Professor & Apostolos Kalfopoulos, Assistant Professor Studio “Ornament” 2017-2018 School of Architecture Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

This design project, my dissertation thesis, began as a search of a problem in the field of design and architecture and a goal of solving it, always from a designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s point of view and role.

Since my early childhood, growing up in a Christian family, I count numerous visits to many churches in my home city, as well as to chapels in the provinces of Crete. What always stroke me and still shocks me today, is the tremendous difference of the architectural design between a typical urban orthodox church and a chapel, and the vast antithesis of the quantity and quality of the ecclesiastical ornaments/objects one could find in each one of these. Something that once was conceived as art, is now the epitome of kitsch.

the greek church today

In the first place I located some of the most obvious examples of churches in the Greek territory, where my point was proved, and I made a long research which resulted in analyzing the - almost - 50 ornaments, one could find in the interior of an orthodox temple, on the grounds of their prices and way of making.

PANAGIA FANEROMENI ATHENS

APOSTLE VARNAVAS NICOSIA

1. artoforio material: silver weight: 5kg price: 13.320€

11. chandelier material: bronze weight: 300kg price: 12.300€

21. proskinitari material: aluminium weight: 60kg price: 825€

31. bishop’s throne material: aluminium weight: 100kg price: 2.550€

2. euolgy cross material: silver with zirgon rocks weight: 2kg price: 6.600€

12. altar material: bronze weight: 50kg price: 6.600€

22. analogio material: aluminium weight: 20kg price: 340€

32. mobile artoforio material: enamel weight: 1kg price: 300€

3. chalice material: silver weight: 4kg price: 10.000€

13. priest’s rod material: silver weight: 6kg price: 12.000€

23.pagkari material: wood weight: 80kg price: 990€

33. font material: chromium weight: 35kg price: 2.975€

4. gospel material: silver weight: 4kg price: 4.350€

14. eksapterigo material: enamel weight: 8kg price: 1.480€

24. small knife material: silver weight: 1kg price: 1.000€

34. altar candlestick material: silver weight: 1kg price: 1.000€

5. censer material: silver weight: 1kg price: 2.610€

15. sanctification cross material: silver weight: 82g price: 4.400€

25. priest’s hat material: golden thread weight: 3g price: 2.550€

35. candlestick material: silver weight: 3kg price: 2.275€

6. egkolpio material: silver weight: 1kg price: 1.750€

16. seat material: wood weight: 30kg price: 420€

26. priest’s clothes material: golden thread weight: 5kg price: 1.400€

36. altarpiece material: wood weight: 800kg price: 45.000€

7. dikerotrikero material: silver weight: 4kg price: 4.480€

17. offertory lamp material: vermeil weight: 2kg price: 363€

27. hernivoksesto material: enamel weight: 3kg price: 1.100€

37. altar tablecloth material: velvet weight: 5kg price: 1.500€

8. katsio material: silver weight: 3kg price: 3.250€

18. chalice cover material: cloth weight: 2kg price: 460€

28. candelabra material: bronze weight: 50kg price: 2.750€

38. epitrahilio material: golden thread weight: 2kg price: 330€

9. zeon material: silver weight: 1kg price: 1.380€

19. mirodohio material: enamel weight: 1kg price: 280€

29. gospel stand material: enamel weight: 15kg price: 500€

39. sprinkler material: silver weight: 1kg price: 717€

10. candlestick material: silver weight: 2kg price: 1.120€

20. box for used candles material: bronze weight: 12kg price: 660€

30. bell material: bronze weight: 100kg price: 2500€

40. epitaph material: wood weight: 70kg price: 1.650€

the greek chapels

On the next step, I visited my 5 favorite chapels in Rethymno in order to find what makes them being so unique in my mind and heart. After many photographs and discussions with the locals, I discovered that their originality and authenticity comes from the fact that both the structure and the objects found in them, are designed (in many cases undesigned and used as found in nature) and made by these very people. That is the reason also, why they are much less in number (10 in average in each chapel) and their materials cost almost 1/10 of the price of the same product in a typical church.

1. proskinitari material: wood 2. analogio (book stnad) material: wood 3. pagkari material: wood 4. candelabra material: wood 5. bell material: bronze 6. chandelier material: bronze 7. altarpiece material: wood 8.seat material: wood 9. altar material: concrete 10. pagkari tablecloth material: cloth 11. box for used candles material: paper 12. candlestick material: bronze

the church back in the day

After all this, I wanted to discover how were the first churches organized before the evolution that brought us to this type of orthodox church today. As it is known, the early Christian communities following the apostolic traditions, gathered in private homes and where the Eucharist took place and participated in meals in remembrance of Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sacrifice. After that, due to the rising number of people and the following of certain canonic rules, we see the construction of temples, the churches as we know them today. For the part of the ornaments and the procedures they followed, we know very little because of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;disciplina arcaniâ&#x20AC;?. As a result, the only source from which we can obtain information is the very first time the Eucharist took place and that is of course the last supper.

“When the evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve… While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body. Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it again with you in my Father’s kingdom.” As we notice from this extract, it becomes obvious that besides of the bread and the wine, the seat, the table and the cup are the three elements which until today are an essential part of the Eucharist. The seat which evolved into the bench for the people who were gathered in his name, the table which became the altar and symbolizes until today the very table of the last supper and the cup or the grail, which bears the blood and the body of Christ according to the Christian liturgical theory.

seat

altar According to the orthodox church the altar is a square built table on which the Holy Eucharist takes place and it is called like that because on it also takes place the sacrifice for the faithful, the living and the dead.

cup The cup is the object which, according to the Christian tradition, Jesus used at the Last Supper to serve wine in it. It is referred as â&#x20AC;&#x153;potirionâ&#x20AC;?, lit. cup in the Gospels. The celebration of the Eucharist, maintain the first basiv elements of the Last Supper, which are, along with the cup, the bread and the wine which become the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

quoting jesus

Bearing all these in mind, I wished to discover what Jesus himself thought of the church as a building, through the texts of his students. The result is impressive since the texts have no reference whatsoever to how a church should be built or even the necessity of having 4 walls. On the contrary, we read:

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.

Matthew 18:20

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? Corinthians 3:16

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Corinthians 12:27

Greet Priscila and Aquila ... Not only but all the churches of the gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house. Romans 16:3-16:5

church degree zero

All the information collected, determined the way this project continued as we notice that since the moment that the church followed typical rules and became a special structure, it began evolving according to these rules through the ages. This evolution is mirrored on both the architectural side as well as the ornamental one. This project sets a new point 0 in this history, providing at the same time a chance for the institution to be reborn. This comes in accordance with certain orthodox cycles which support that this change in design is more necessary than ever, in an attempt of the orthodox church to be more open to the world of today. This new beginning keeps in its centre the most important liturgy of the Christian churches, the Eucharist. This new design process will commence on the basis of the space and the ornaments. As we have already seen, the space can be more flexible than it is today. In an attempt to interpret the texts we read earlier, we can imagine the church - the worshipers in total â&#x20AC;&#x201C; gathering in every kind of closed or open space. On the contrary, the necessity of the most important objects for the Eucharist to take place is more than obvious. These are no others than the seat, the altar and the cup.

the seat

For the design of the seat, in the first phase, I sought a design incorporating a religious quality. In this logic, and after having tried different ways and connectors, I developed a simple snap mechanism, male and female, from one seat to the other, so that one end on the bench needs at least one more to be able to stand and become a seat. At the same time, it is possible to have more additions between the two edges, to host countless believers in one row. Wood was used as the construction material as an option that is worn down in time, with a start date (birth) and an end date (death). The construction is made of pinewood for the legs and back, and birch for the seat.

construction process

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the altar

The Orthodox Church places great importance on the altar, both on the symbolism and on the position it holds inside all Christian churches. Traditionally it symbolizes the tomb of Christ, the graves of the martyrs and the table of the Last Supper on which Christ created the mystery of the Eucharist. In order to create this monolithic result, I followed a specific process of construction. The expanded polystyrene I finally chose is a material that has a very interesting manufacturing process and is already applied to furniture. Expanded polystyrene is made of thousands of polystyrene granules and is usually used for thermal insulating purposes, but also for molds, furniture and packaging. After they are steamed, the granules grow and become pellets, which swell more to an extent that they reach 100 times their original volume. At the final stage, they become one body, as they stick together because of the steams. I chose a 80x80 cube that I initially crawled on its sides to give it a rough rugged surface. Then, in order for the fragile set of beads to form a body and the polysterine not to break, I had to find a material that would protect these particles. The epoxy resin I finally used is usually used in the construction of racing boats and cars, aircraft and submarines, as well as welding of surfaces such as cement and iron. The overlay with such a powerful material made the holy literally bulletproof, since the material not only keeps the particles / beads joined together but creates a hard surface, protecting the interior. In the end, I covered the surface of the table with epoxy black, which is ideal for sanitary use.

construction process

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EPOXY RESIN

EPOXY BLACK

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the cup The chalice or simply the cup, in the tradition that Christ himself began with his students, symbolizes the sacrifice and works in remembrance of it. During the liturgy, the moment the believer is given the bread with the wine, is the climax of the Eucharist, the absolute moment when the believer receives the body and blood of Christ. In this context, both in Christian life and in action, the object itself comes to incorporate this role, thus taking the most central and particular form of all. One could say that it is the very reason why the faithful have gathered in that specific place. That is why I wanted the glass to deliver even more messages and images from both the sacrifice and the resurrection. The cup, in addition to its purpose as a functional object, becomes the reference point of the place. In that way, a volume of white marble with red ribbons comes to be sculptured in order to create this form with the many surfaces on its outside, angles and nicks, while its interior that receives the wine and the bread is formed by a smooth surface, to facilitate the reception of these elements. The cup starts on its base with a triangle (which fits perfectly into the upper surface of the altar), and comes to meet the formations like flames at the finish of the glass. The choice of this marble (crystalline red onyx of China) was made for three main reasons. On the one hand, it is a natural material that lives forever without altering its shape, while at the same time allowing the light to pass. On the other hand, the production of each glass creates unique pieces due to the red marble formations and finally, these formations are perfectly bound to the natural deterioration of the color of the marble, when it comes in contact with the red wine, thus taking a reddish color. As far as its use is concerned, the glass for the first time comes in direct contact with the believer. The movement changes and with his two hands, the priest places the glass, on the hands of the believer, who in return brings it on his/her lips while making the decision which part should he/her drink from and how much.

SECTIONS

TOP VIEW

SIDE VIEWS

AXONOMETRICS

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BOTTOM VIEW

appendix

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:20

image from the presentation day

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It symbolizes: to 8mm in diameter. This size depends on the amount of swelling that occurs during but also on thethe initial volume of the beads before swelling. Before The table on whichproduction, Jesus Christ passed Eucharist to his students during theswelling last supper. it, they have less than 0.3mm diameter. The beads first pass through steam to give rise Jesus Christâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tomb.to up to 100 times their original volume and then pass into giant basins. The beads are 98% air. Then, to form in a cubic volume, another process needs to be completed. The Holy Martyrsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tombs. expanded beads are forced under high pressure into aluminum molds to obtain the desired shape and size, and then steam passes through the molds to cover their surface. The combination of water vapor and pressure makes the beads swell even more and unite naturally. The mold is then opened and a cube of expanded polystyrene is produced.

epoxy resin

Epoxy resin is used in the manufacture of racing boats and cars, aircraft and submarines, for laminating wooden boats with cloth fabrics, for motorcycle accessories construction and for welding of surfaces such as cement and iron. The result is an almost bulletproof coating that protects perfectly.

expanded polystyrene Expanded polystyrene is commonly used as packaging material. Vibration absorption, its insulating properties and its minimal weight make this material perfect for the protection of brittle objects. Polystyrene consists of thousands of polystyrene grains, 2mm to 8mm in diameter. This size depends on the amount of swelling that occurs during production, but also on the initial volume of the beads before swelling. Before swelling it, they have less than 0.3mm diameter. The beads first pass through steam to give rise to up to 100 times their original volume and then pass into giant basins. The beads are 98% air. Then, to form in a cubic volume, another process needs to be completed. The expanded beads are forced under high pressure into aluminum molds to obtain the desired shape and size, and then steam passes through the molds to cover their surface. The combination of water vapor and pressure makes the beads swell even more and unite naturally. The mold is then opened and a cube of expanded polystyrene is produced.

epoxy resinimage from the presentation day

The cup is the object which, according to the Christian tradition, Jesus used at the Last Supper to serve wine in it. It is referred as “potirion”, lit. cup in the Gospels. The celebration of the Eucharist, maintain the first basiv elements of the Last Supper, which are, along with the cup, the bread and the wine which become the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

God’s appearances B Thessalonians 1: 7-9: “And thou hast rejoiced with us in the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with angels of his power in fire, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who honestly chastise everlasting destruction, from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. “

Hebrews 12: 29, “and for our God our God consumeth”

Psalm 29: 7: “The voice of the Lord divides the flame of fire”

Psalm 28/9: “Voice of the Lord shutting fire”

A Corinthians 15: 41: “Another glory of the sun and other moon glory and other glory of stars. Star star star differs in glory “

Zacharias 13/9: “And I will pass the third by fire. And I will purify them as the silver is cleansed, and I will test them, as the golden is tested ... “

B Thessalonians 1: 7-9: “And thou hast rejoiced with us in the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with angels of his power in fire, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who honestly chastise everlasting destruction, from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. “

Exodus 24: 15 where he says that Moses ascended to the mount, and Nefeli covered the mountain, and the Yahweh’s Glory sat on Mount Sinai, and Nefeli slept for six days, but in paragraph 17 he said that the view of the Glory of God was in the eyes of the Israelites “as a fiery fire,” on the top of the mountain. Moses does not experience Nefeli as a “burning fire,” and the Israelites see it as a “fire-destroying”. Because the spiritual state of Moses differed from the spiritual situation of the other Israelites. Here we have an image and that of the situation we call it “Paradise or Hell”, ie, “Kingdom of God” and “Extreme Darkness,” where, depending on the spiritual state of man, God’s Grace acts and acts, that is, His Love , which will radiate to all but differently will experience God’s Love people according to the purity of their eyes.

image from the presentation day