Rugby - The Ascension
Clifton Road Cemetery, a short distance to the east of Rugby's town centre, opened in 1863 and was like many other such Victorian suburban cemeteries in being provided with two chapels of rest, one for the preparation of Anglican burials, the other for the Noncomformists (Catholics were presumably meant to go elsewhere!). There are many such instances where the cemetery chapels are united by a gateway, steeple or other structural feature, but at Rugby they instead chose two very seperate buildings some distance apart, identical structures except for the much smaller spirelet on the Noncomformist chapel. I had noticed these miniature churches many times without visiting them, but my interest was kindled further in 1989, when I noticed one of them was being demolished.
The two chapels made nice landmarks, thus it was sad to see one of them go, especially as we had already lost the gorgeous Holy Trinity seven years earlier (Rugby has over the years had the misfortune of being governed by individuals rather over-fond of demolishing fine old buildings of all periods, old photos make for sober viewing). I'd never got a photo of this building but recall it was much the same as it's companion, excepting it's much smaller spire, a mere pinnacle supported on four columns as opposed to it's neighbour's eight.
There were rumours the other chapel had been slated to follow suit into oblivion, but happily it was reprieved, and though the council retain ownership of the building it has been leased to the Orthodox Church who have been holding weekly services ever since. The old Anglican chapel was rededicated as the Church of the Ascension, and it's interior has thus been transformed from a rather cold and empty Victorian Gothic chamber into a thriving focus for Orthodox worship, complete with screens and icons, and a deep sense of the spiritual.
There were rumours the other chapel had been slated to follow suit into oblivion, but happily it was reprieved, and though the council retain ownership of the building it has been leased to the Orthodox Church who have been holding weekly services ever since. The old Anglican chapel was rededicated as the Church of the Ascension, and it's interior has thus been transformed from a rather cold and empty Victorian Gothic chamber into a thriving focus for Orthodox worship, complete with screens and icons, and a deep sense of the spiritual.
The church is most closely associated with the Greek Orthodox tradition but is open to all of the Orthodox faith, whether they be Russian, Romanian, Serbian and of course Greek; officially it belongs to the English Orthodox Church, and thus it's adherents are largely those of Eastern European descent, but also those who have come from western churches in search of a more timeless form of worship closer to Christianity's eastern roots.
The interior of the building is divided into three parts, the east end is the most sacred space for clergy only, hidden behind the iconostasis, the great screen adorned with beautiful icons that serves as the focal point of the interior. Before the iconostasis is the central space of the nave, where worshippers stand throughout the service, above which a rich candleabrum is suspended. The final, western space is the narthex, the entrance hall which is separated from the more sacred space of the nave by another screen adorned with icons.
This subdivision of the interior makes an already small building seem even smaller, and yet the Orthodox community have nonetheless made the best of this limitation and created a wonderful house of prayer in an intimate space full of devotional imagery that invites the visitor to focus and think upon the stories and persons related by the artwork. The iconostasis is adorned with several works by noted icon painter Aidan hart, whilst the larger images on the narthex screen were the work of a former member of the congregation (it should be added that icon painting is considered a higher artform than painting alone, more of a ritual performed as the images are said to be transmitted through the artist, who thus works as a kind of medium with the Divine, thus icons are more correctly described as 'inscribed' rather than merely 'painted').
The interior of the building is divided into three parts, the east end is the most sacred space for clergy only, hidden behind the iconostasis, the great screen adorned with beautiful icons that serves as the focal point of the interior. Before the iconostasis is the central space of the nave, where worshippers stand throughout the service, above which a rich candleabrum is suspended. The final, western space is the narthex, the entrance hall which is separated from the more sacred space of the nave by another screen adorned with icons.
This subdivision of the interior makes an already small building seem even smaller, and yet the Orthodox community have nonetheless made the best of this limitation and created a wonderful house of prayer in an intimate space full of devotional imagery that invites the visitor to focus and think upon the stories and persons related by the artwork. The iconostasis is adorned with several works by noted icon painter Aidan hart, whilst the larger images on the narthex screen were the work of a former member of the congregation (it should be added that icon painting is considered a higher artform than painting alone, more of a ritual performed as the images are said to be transmitted through the artist, who thus works as a kind of medium with the Divine, thus icons are more correctly described as 'inscribed' rather than merely 'painted').
The Church of the Ascension is only usually open for Sunday services, but non regulars are welcome. I visited on Heritage Open Days in September and was shown around by members of the congregation who were charming and most hospitable, giving a most enlightening insight into the Orthodox Faith , rich with it's symbolism and ancient traditions. I have a real respect for this community and hope they will continue to worship here for many years to come.
Aidan McRae Thomson 2012
Aidan McRae Thomson 2012