DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9841#0054
36 SOMETIMES TEMPLES OPENED TO THE EAST. [CHAP.
Nevertheless it is undoubted that this ancient custom
was greatly changed, although the alteration introduced
was equally consistent with the principles of the sun-
worship in question. Hyginus mentions the revolution
introduced into sacred architecture by building temples,
the entrance into which was at their eastern extremity,s;
and it appears, from Lucian19 and other authors, that those
eastern doors were thrown open, so as to admit within the
sacred edifice the first beams of the rising' sun.
The custom of thus constructing temples with an
eastern aspect became very general; and, in later times,
the form was sometimes transferred from the heathen
to the Christian edifice. The temple of Apollo at
Delphi20 and the cathedral of St Peter at Rome were
thus equally turned towards the rising sun.
It is quite certain that the observance of the great
celestial luminary, adopted by the Christians, has at
times degenerated into something little better than the
Persian worship, of which Herodotus and other ancient
authors speak. I myself once met with an ignorant
Greek, who told me that the great difference between
Christianity and Mohammedanism consisted in this, that
the Christian worships the sun, and the Mohammedan
the moon21 : and we learn from the mouth of one of
18 Hyginus, de agror.limit, constit. p. 153. in the Rei Agrariae Auctores,
ed. Amst. 1674. "Antiqui architect! in occidentem templa spectare recte
scripserunt: postea placuit omnem religionem eo convertere, ex qua parte
coeli terra illuminatur."
ia Lucian, de domo, Tom. in. p. 193. Toy i]\iov vTrepKuxjfavTa eltdtis
irtrodexeirtiat. Kal -rod </>foxds E/nriirXarrdai icopov, avaireTTTapevttw twv
Qvptov, nad' o Kal to. iepd fiXeiroVTa hiroiovv ol iraXaioi. See also Por-
phyry and Dionysius Thrax, quoted by Lakemacher, Antiq. Graec.
Sacr. Part. i. c. vi. §. 4.
20 Leake, Travels in Northern Greece, Vol. n. p. 662.
21 'Eyni it/doskumJ tov tfkiov, /cat a Toup/cos to <peyya.pi. His explana-
tion of this strange view of the matter was that all churches have the altar at
the east end, and that every Christian turns to the rising sun, &c, while " the
Turk reckons by the moon," and on some of his festivals celebrates her rising
by the discharge of fire-arms, and exhibits the crescent on his standard: Kai
ertTL b TovpKot irposKvtiei to (peyydpi. Relanb, de Rel. Mahom. p. 163.
says: " Confirmat hanc opinionem, Lunae imaginem esse insigne Moham-
medanorum, quasi hoc ex antiquo Planetarum cultu apud ipsos remanserit."
Nevertheless it is undoubted that this ancient custom
was greatly changed, although the alteration introduced
was equally consistent with the principles of the sun-
worship in question. Hyginus mentions the revolution
introduced into sacred architecture by building temples,
the entrance into which was at their eastern extremity,s;
and it appears, from Lucian19 and other authors, that those
eastern doors were thrown open, so as to admit within the
sacred edifice the first beams of the rising' sun.
The custom of thus constructing temples with an
eastern aspect became very general; and, in later times,
the form was sometimes transferred from the heathen
to the Christian edifice. The temple of Apollo at
Delphi20 and the cathedral of St Peter at Rome were
thus equally turned towards the rising sun.
It is quite certain that the observance of the great
celestial luminary, adopted by the Christians, has at
times degenerated into something little better than the
Persian worship, of which Herodotus and other ancient
authors speak. I myself once met with an ignorant
Greek, who told me that the great difference between
Christianity and Mohammedanism consisted in this, that
the Christian worships the sun, and the Mohammedan
the moon21 : and we learn from the mouth of one of
18 Hyginus, de agror.limit, constit. p. 153. in the Rei Agrariae Auctores,
ed. Amst. 1674. "Antiqui architect! in occidentem templa spectare recte
scripserunt: postea placuit omnem religionem eo convertere, ex qua parte
coeli terra illuminatur."
ia Lucian, de domo, Tom. in. p. 193. Toy i]\iov vTrepKuxjfavTa eltdtis
irtrodexeirtiat. Kal -rod </>foxds E/nriirXarrdai icopov, avaireTTTapevttw twv
Qvptov, nad' o Kal to. iepd fiXeiroVTa hiroiovv ol iraXaioi. See also Por-
phyry and Dionysius Thrax, quoted by Lakemacher, Antiq. Graec.
Sacr. Part. i. c. vi. §. 4.
20 Leake, Travels in Northern Greece, Vol. n. p. 662.
21 'Eyni it/doskumJ tov tfkiov, /cat a Toup/cos to <peyya.pi. His explana-
tion of this strange view of the matter was that all churches have the altar at
the east end, and that every Christian turns to the rising sun, &c, while " the
Turk reckons by the moon," and on some of his festivals celebrates her rising
by the discharge of fire-arms, and exhibits the crescent on his standard: Kai
ertTL b TovpKot irposKvtiei to (peyydpi. Relanb, de Rel. Mahom. p. 163.
says: " Confirmat hanc opinionem, Lunae imaginem esse insigne Moham-
medanorum, quasi hoc ex antiquo Planetarum cultu apud ipsos remanserit."