Why do Christian churches in UK face east?

[chakka35]

That is, the nave and choir run west-east with the altar at the eastern end.
I gather that somewhere in a mosque is an indication of the exact direction of Mecca, which makes religious sense.

But going east from UK we come to Holland, Germany, Poland, the old Soviet countries and then the Pacific. What has this outlook got to do with Christianity?

[Ankou]

there are no significant sacred directions for architecture in christianity. its just happenstance, and perhaps, best views.

[chakka35]

jno - sorry but I don't understand that. Of course, east and due east are the same. East of Newcastle is the border of Germany and Denmark, then the vast swathes of the old USSR.

Holland is southeast of Newcastle.

[Old_Geezer]

As I recall, as a kid, the rector said it was traditional for the window behind the altar to face the rising sun. No reason to disbelieve him.

[chakka35]

bednobs, quite right. I was so concerned to show that east of UK had no geographical significance for Christianity that I didn't consider the more northern regions ( which, in fact, only strengthen my point though I don't use that as an excuse!). I partially corrected this with my post to jno re Newcastle. Going for a gin now; back later.

[rowanwitch]

maybe from alignment of pre christian pagan sites? only a lot of christian symbolism has its roots in the pagan tradition

[jno]

if east and due east were the same, there's be no need for 'due east'. The latter phrase exists because it's more precise. 'East' can simply mean 'further to the east', as seen on a map. Peterborough is east of Leicester, not west; but that doesn't mean you get there by going *due east* from Leicester. People in California still think Arizona is the Southwest, even though for them it's southeast. There's more to language than compass directions.

[jomifl]

Since the mercator projection for maps used in navigation hadn't been invented when a lot of churches were built nobody would have had a clue what direction mecca or jerusalem were, other than in the 'east'

[chakka35]

jno - you are right in what you say but it has no bearing on my question. Are you saying that the pious people who built magnificent churches and cathedrals said "Well, Jerusalem is east in the sense that it is halfway in that general direction so let's not point the church to the correct southeast, let's just point it due east anyway."? If so, surely someone would have said "On that basis let's point it due south."
At which some awkward bloke like me would have said "Er, what's wrong with pointing it, not east and not south, but southeast?"

Wonder all round and I am instantly made archbishop.

I think the morning light, nothing to do with Christianity, is the best answer so far. It would be interesting, though probably nitpicking, to find out on how many days the sun actually rises in the east at the time of morning service (as distinct from the Matins that monks and nuns observe in the middle of the night). Can't be many.

[DTCwordfan]

Because the Pedantics were out in force......

[DTCwordfan]

The early designs of Churches were based on Roman build.....typical of early Christians to incorporate others practice

The floor plan of very early southern Anglo-Saxon churches was based on the traditional Roman basilica, with an eastern apse, no transepts, western entrance, and aisles. Good examples survive at Brixworth (Northants), Wing (Bucks), and Worth (Sussex).

Then the tradition just continued on the guise of pointing towards The Holy Land - well sort of.

[jno]

chakka, yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Your average Saxon would not have known which exact direction his church should be oriented to point to Jerusalem (and note the word 'oriented'), but he would have known which way was east: it's where the sun comes up. So that would be his best guess.

Later churches tended to be built on the foundations of earlier ones, so St Paul's is probably pointing the same way as the first church on the site in 604.

None of this is invariable - there are churches that point in different directions. But I think that's the most common explanation. The symbolic associations of east and west, and the benefits of having rising and setting suns through your biggest windows, also play a part.

[chakka35]

jno - yes, I have half agreed with the point about the sunlight.

As for your first point, they also knew which way was south, so why not choose that half of the correct southeast direction? They may have known, vaguely, that the Jesus legend was based in a country further east from us, but they would also know (desert lands, Mediterranean sea and so on) that it was also further south from us.

I have still not heard of any connection with Christinity, so maybe there is none.

Anyway, I think we've bled this one dry, don't you?

[jno]

oh, I don't know, it's been a very interesting discussion. Consider religious painting some way into the Renaissance, in which saints would be showin wearing European clothes in Alpine scenery. I think you underestimate the general ignorance of society and the comparative lack of communication - mariners might have known which way to sail towards the Holy Land, but it doesn't follow that peasants, or bishops or architects, would ever have spoken to them about it. I imagine everyone would have heard of the Holy Land but quite possible that few knew of the Mediterranean.

Anyway, to answer your question, here's a quote I found: "Many sacred buildings, from Greek temples to megalithic passage-graves, face the rising sun as the source of new life and power. In most Christian churches a similar point is made. One enters from the west and progresses toward the altar at the east, moving from darkness to light and from death to life. Early English churches often deviate slightly from true East, a variance that can be traced to the position of the rising sun on the day of the saint to whom the church is dedicated. Sometimes accurate alignment is deliberately avoided, to create a special meaning. In some English cruciform churches, the chancel is skewed to represent the head of Christ falling sideways on the cross."

[Ankou]

as with the sagrada familia by gaudi, the famous nativity facade:

"The façade faces the rising sun to the northeast, a symbol for the birth of Christ."

[keyplus90]

There are three churches near my home on three corners of one single Junction. Two of them actually face each other.

But as you mentioned that not all but majority do face East. In that regard I believe that the reason is as Ankou and Geezer said. It is to do with Sunrise and Sunset behind stained glass. That gives an illusion of movement to images on the glass.

[jomifl]

The sun hardly ever rises in the east, in fact it almost never does (depending on how pedantic you are). In England it rises in th NE(approx.) at midsummer and SE(approx.) at midwinter. To be really pedantic, it never rises exactly in the east (but sometimes nearly does).