Which element separates the congregation from the altar in an Orthodox Church?

• A. Iconostasis
• B. Royal Doors
• C. Solea
• D. Trisagion

Answer: (B)

In Orthodox church architecture the boundary between the congregation and the sacred space of the altar is created by the iconostasis— a screen covered with icons that runs along the sanctuary and separates the nave from the sanctuary. The central doors within that screen, called the Royal Doors, are the passage through which clergy (and at times laity) move during the service; they are part of the iconostasis but not the separating barrier itself. The Solea is a raised platform in front of the iconostasis where liturgical actions occur, not what divides the people from the altar. And Trisagion is a liturgical hymn, not a structural element. So the element that separates the congregation from the altar is the iconostasis.