Predatory the pulpit and Chaldean pedi the XV- XVI centuries in the Charter of the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral
The construction of Christian temple and its multi-faceted functions are predetermined by the order of liturgical Charter and a system of hieratically ordered and dependent spaces. The semicircle protruding in the centre of Solea is the ambo, where a priest preaches. Perhaps with the emergence of high iconostasis there was appeared a pre-altar pulpit which took on itself performance of a daily service. Duplicating the semi-circular central apse, this pulpit was a simple semicircular bench, where a deacon pronounced ektenia, a priest preached a sermon and after the service he also administered communion to the praying. A special place in the system of church service was taken by the service of the ﬁery furnace, which took place before Christmas on the Holy Fathers’ week. In 1533 a special pulpit was created on the order of Archbishop Makariy. It was a high, carved rotunda and it served as a burning Chaldean furnace, into which three royal youths were supposed to be thrown for disobeying the order of the Babylonian king.