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Christ the Savior Orthodox Church
The Clifton Chapel
60 Clifton Chapel Lane
Stafford, Virginia 

a photo essay by your instructor


The Clifton Chapel
The church building is pre-civil war

The building is quite old. Just a one room structure. Seems it maybe used to be a Methodist church. The simple wooden pews and floors gave off a scent of aged wood that, combined with the incense they burned, gave off a lovely smell that added to the atmosphere of the place. The people were not Russian but mostly Americans or varying ages (I'd estimate 30's and older). It impressed me that they were not all older folks. Many of them were converts from other Christian churches more commonly found in America. On the day of my visit, they were just moving into this small church building so a lot of what I saw was makeshift. In a matter of half an hour they had turned it into an Orthodox church by placing the portable icon scrolls and other Orthodox objects around the room. 

 
This is the Narthex - what you see when you walk in the doors

 
Here is the bema - the raised area from which the priest officiates


Here's a closer look at the altar area and the items on the altar table


And a close up of the two icons: Madonna and Child on the left, Christ the Savior on the right

What I loved most about my visit to this place was the acapella music (singing without instruments). It was much like chanting, actually. Very peaceful to listen to; quite meditative. In fact, I liked the atmosphere of this church so much that, if I were a Christian, I might very well choose the Orthodox church (though there are some others I'd consider as well).

Visit the church's Website to learn more about this hidden treasure in Stafford, VA

(original visit made February, 2005)

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Created by Laura Ellen Shulman 

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Last updated: January 20, 2013