In Italy, as in many other parts of the world, churches are traditionally built with their main altar facing East. In Rome, San Pietro, San Giovanni in Laterano, and Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri all face East. In Florence, the beautiful San Lorenzo, with its breathtaking façade designed by Brunelleschi, also looks toward the rising sun. In Venice, the exotic Basilica di San Marco, the symbol itself of the city, faces the Orient, too.
The practice, which dates back to early Christianity, used to be very common. Back then, churches were designed to face the rising sun, as a way to symbolically link it with the resurrection of Christ. According to Christian tradition, Jesus was resurrected on the third day after his crucifixion, and his resurrection occurred early in the morning: by building churches facing East, the rising sun would shine on the altar, representing the triumph of light over darkness and the victory of Christ over death.
But the association between places of worship and the Orient is a deep-rooted cultural phenomenon in other spiritual systems, too; indeed, it has a rich and diverse history, with connections to various religious traditions and practices. For example, in the Hindu tradition, the sunrise is considered a sacred time of the day, and the place where it happens, the East, is associated with new beginnings and with the renewal of life. Similarly, in many Native American cultures, the East is associated with new beginnings and the birth of the day, and it is not unusual to see sacred structures such as tipis, sweat lodges, and kivas oriented towards the East. In Islam, the orientation of mosques towards the Kaaba in Mecca, located to the East of the holy city, is an essential component of worship: Muslims all over the world face the direction of the Kaaba during prayer, a symbol of the unity of their community and of its connection to the holy center of Islam. Similarly, it is common in Judaism to face the East while praying, as the Temple of Jerusalem, in the Old Testament, was said to be oriented in that direction. This practice has continued through the ages and is still observed by many Jewish communities today, a sign of the continuity and connection between the Jewish people and their ancient religious roots.
But orienting churches towards the rising sun also had more prosaic and practical reasons. In the early Christian era, before the widespread use of artificial lighting, churches were designed to take advantage of natural light. By facing east, the rising sun would provide natural light that would illuminate the altar, making it the focal point of the church. The use of natural light in churches was also a way to create a sense of awe and reverence among the congregation. The dramatic effect of light flooding into the space created a spiritual atmosphere, adding to the sense of reverence and sanctity that — and is — central to Christian worship.
As the use of artificial lighting became more widespread, these practical reasons became less important. However, the tradition endured, and many churches built today still face the East as a way to honor this ancient practice, and reconnect with the rich history and traditions of the Christian faith.
Symbolism, light, a bit of theatricality, even. But also traveling.
Yes, because there was another very functional reason to build churches facing east, and it all had to do with holy trips and pilgrims. During the early Christian era and well into the Middle Ages, pilgrimages were an important aspect of religious practice. Christians would travel long distances to see important religious sites such as Jerusalem or Rome, where they could visit the tombs of martyrs and other holy figures. These journeys were often undertaken on foot and could take weeks or even months to complete.
As you can imagine, finding their way in new and unfamiliar places wasn’t easy for pilgrims, in fact, it could become pretty challenging. But by building churches facing east, architects could take advantage of the position of the sun to help travelers orient themselves and find their way to the church itself, or wherever they needed to go. Let us see why: in the morning, the sun rises in the East and moves across the sky towards the West and, as it does so, the shadows cast by the building change, providing a visual cue that can help travelers navigate and orient themselves. Simple, right? Yes, and very useful, especially in areas where landmarks were scarce and the terrain was unfamiliar.
Over time, with pilgrimages becoming more common, the practice of orienting churches towards the East became deeply ingrained in Christian architecture. Today, even in places where the original practical reasons may no longer apply, the eastward orientation of churches remains an important and enduring aspect of religious tradition and symbolism.
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