General Description
The Empyrean Temple is a space that was created by a group of excavators that came from almost every religion known to man. These holy people hoped to create a space in which all religions can come together and worship at a single place in order that mankind may understand and appreciate each other better. Created in 2009, it incorporated many elements of the past as well as the present in order that no man is left without.
Architectural Design
The Empyrean Temple was created by many great artists around the world, with one goal in mind; that’s to create a place where all religions can gather to worship. Each artist brought to this great temple their own creativities, but always remembered their ultimate goal. The outside walls of Empyrean Temple were designed by artists from Egypt and the Middle East. The walls have sharp edges like the Great Pyramid of Egypt and an octagonal shape like the Dome of Rock of Middle East. There are many windows build into the wall where lights from the East and West could shine through. The roof of Empyrean Temple was designed by artists from China. They incorporated the idea from the Altar and Temple of Heaven. The roof resembles a mountain top, which represents the stairway to heaven. Carvers from China wanted to build the walls out of stones so they could put their talent to work. They carved many statues and symbols of different religions into the walls. Plus, there are many sculptures and statues placed outside of the temple as well. The colors of Empyrean are from nature, everything has a natural look to it. Nothing from The Empyrean is painted or artificial. The artists leave everything as they found it in nature, which make this temple the only one of its kind. The temple is truly a work of art.
Harmony and Nature
The Empyrean Temple was designed to mirror aspects of nature in the environment around it. The octagonal base is topped by a roof that mimics mountains on the horizon. The structure itself is located between four mountains and is equidistant from all of them. The location was chosen because these mountains were naturally formed perfectly at north, south, east, and west. This allows worshippers to easily identify constellations in the night sky as well a face perfectly any direction they choose while they pray or meditate. The Empyrean Temple has large stained glass windows on its east and west sides so that sunlight can shine through them throughout the day. The windows on the east side, where the sun rises, show scenes of birth and joy while the windows on the west side, where the sun sets, depict death and sadness. These serve to remind worshippers of the cycle of life, that all human beings are on the journey together and experience the same joys, trials, and tribulations. There is a circular hole in the roof just above an altar. Worshippers are able to use the altar to give thanks for their lives and loved ones while bathed in the light of the sun or moon. Underneath The Empyrean Temple is a series of tunnels that worshippers use for celebration. The tunnels have meeting areas where sacred holidays can be commemorated. Also, the elderly can choose to live in the tunnels where they can be surrounded by the life and sanctity contained within the walls. The walls of the tunnels are carved with constellations that appear in the sky on nights of holy holidays.
Symbolism and Sacred Objects
Many symbolisms stem from the Empyrean Temple. The location of the Temple in a perfectly aligned spot symbolizes the perfection of the Realm of Religion as well as a unity with all the peoples of the earth, which is what the temple was built for. The walls depict symbols of different religions, especially in the walls of the various tunnels where worshippers come for celebration. Each religion could come into their tunnel where scenes and symbols from their own religion are depicted on the appropriate walls and they could feel the life and sanctity of the space. The windows depict life and death, joy and sadness, and are symbols of the cycle of life. Statues and sacred relics of different religions were placed inside the appropriate space and outside the buildings. Statues of saints, angels, animals, people, the sun, the moon, the gods and goddesses, and so much more can all be seen around the outside of the Temple in order that those who come to worship can know that their own religion is welcome.
How it is used by worshipers
The Empyrean Temple was used by worshipers as a place for sacrifice and prayer. The ceiling of the temple housed many windows which was great for explorers to feel like they were beneath the heavens. This space was isolated by the trees and mountains alike which gave each individual privacy to pray and give their thanks. Because this location was used for all religions and all people each person would bring their own ritual to this space. The reason for the tunnels was again to offer privacy and covering for people bringing their sacrifices. Whether it was prayer to many gods or just one, nobody was turned away because of separate beliefs. The outside of the temple consisted of reds, browns, and yellows because the architects of this area did not want to bring in any outside influences such as foreign paints to crowd the space. Each person that comes can feel the magnitude of the nature surrounding them.
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