What rites are performed in the sanctuary?

Laymen were sometimes forbidden by the church from entering the sanctuary at all. This was perhaps necessary to stamp out the pagan custom of taking an oath while touching the altar, which was referred to by St. John Chrysostom .¹²⁰⁸ At other times, the Church was content to forbid only pagans from entering the sanctuary and touching the altar, as mentioned by St. Gregory of Nyssa .¹²⁰⁹

We step into the sanctuary bare-footed, in response to the divine commandment to Moses “Take off your shoes … for the place whereon you stand is holy ground” (Ex. 3:5). Taking off the shoes indicates the feeling of unworthiness to be present in such a holy place in which the fearful sacrifice is offered, the sacrifice which the angels long to see. Moreover, according to Origen , in the past shoes were made of the leather of dead animals. Subsequently, in observing this commandment of God, we put aside our dead earthly attachments in order to cling to the eternal heavens. The skin of dead animals was also used to make timbrels which signify pride.

The Church ordered that no talking should be allowed in the sanctuary, except for extremely urgent matters.