Temple, Temple

A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word template, a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out on the ground by the augur. Though a templum , technically speaking, is not a house of the gods but a diagram by the Romans to link the geometries reflected in the sky towards Earth. It was also indicative of a dwelling place of a god or gods. This tradition dates back to prehistoric times. For the ancient Egyptians, the word pr could refer not only to a house, but also to a sacred structure since it was believed that the gods resided in houses. Monroe, Edgar, Temples of Egypt, http://touregypt.net/featurestories/temples.htm , website accessed August 30, 2006.

At the center of the structure was the Holy of Holies where only the high priest could enter. The Temple Mount is now the site of the Islamic shrine, the Dome of the Rock (c. 690).

The building which housed the cult statue in its naos was originally a rather simple structure, but by the middle of the 6th century BCE had become increasingly elaborate. Greek temple architecture had a profound influence on ancient architectural traditions.

Roman temples usually faced east or toward the rising sun, but the specifics of the orientation are often not known today; there are also notable exceptions, such as the Pantheon which faces north. In ancient Rome, only the native deities of Roman mythology had a templullm ; any equivalent structure for a foreign deity was called a fanum.

Some date as far back as the Bronze Age and later the Indus Valley Civilization. In the present day magnificent Hindu temples have been built in various countries of the world including India, Great Britain, the United States, Australia, South Africa and Canada.

Its most essential element is the presence of the Guru. The temples have entrance from all sides, signifying that they are open to all without any distinction whatsoever.

Usually they are built from Marble stone. Some famous Jain temples are located in Palitana, Shankeshwar, Shikharji, Vataman, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad.Usually Jain temples have many marble pillars which are carved beautifully with Demi god posture. The main vestibule usually contains the statues of 3 of the thirthankars: Parshwanath, Rishabdev and Mahavir. The Jain Dilwara temples at Mount Abu are considered the most beautiful Jain pilgrimage sites in the world.

The use of the word temple comes from the need to distinguish a building of the church vs.

The schisms stemming from a succession crisis have led to differing views about the role and use of temples between various groups with competing succession claims.

The temples are built and kept under strict sacredness and are not to be defiled.

An example is the Independence Temple at Independence, Missouri that was built by the Community of Christ by then church prophet-president Wallace B. Smith. The Community of Christ also currently owns the original Kirtland Temple, which it operates as a historic site.

Freemasons meet as a Lodge. Lodges meet in a Masonic Temple, Masonic Center or a Masonic Hall, such as Freemasons' Hall, London. Some confusion exists as Masons usually refer to a Lodge meeting as being in Lodge.

Source: Wikipedia > Temple