This paper attempts to revisit symbolism in Coptic Orthodox Architectural design, and categorizes it in accordance to the nature of the different symbols, thus enhancing the understanding of this heritage to prepare researchers and practitioners for analysis of symbols in ancient church buildings. Throughout history, religious architecture has always been rich in its symbolic aspects. Religion forms an integral part of one's cultural identity. Only by then, future architects would be able to create new architecture, yet still an offspring of their heritage, thus emphasizing the identity of the realm. Doing so enables one to stand on solid grounds of understanding the cultural identity of a nation. Therefore, not only should the apocryphal basis of this feast be respected, but the feast itself should be recognized as having a very important theological message.In the discipline of architectural history and theory, it is of crucial importance to analyze buildings and building styles that came from the past, thus attempting to interpret the meanings projected by the architecture of these heritage buildings. Hence, in the homilies and hymnography of this feast the theological message of this event becomes not just a way to understand Mary by reference to Old Testament images, but it becomes a way to understand the mysteries of the Incarnation and salvation. The narrative’s movement to become a separate great feast was far from straightforward, though its development out of an already well developed theological and eschatological setting influenced how this narrative was exegeted thereafter. The literary origins of this narrative and the authority this narrative had in early Christianity shows that narratives such as this one could morph in meaning and function from one text to another quite freely, while still retaining its basic literary authority. to the official celebration of this event as a great feast in the Byzantine church. This paper traces the history of the narrative of Mary going to the temple at the age of three from the Prot.
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March 2023
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