Here is the interior of a reconstructed village-style wooden church in Suzdal. The building itself is quite small--room enough for maybe 40 people if you packed them in tight. There are two rooms in this church: an  anteroom and the sanctuary, and these rooms are about the same size. The sanctuary features a wooden alter, and in keeping with the tradition of the Orthodox faith, only men are allowed behind the alter, and parishioners would only go behind the alter on special occasions. In many little villages, the church was the center not just of religious life but of all community life, and so the church doubled as a meeting space and a place for relaxation. So, the anteroom was often used for card games, parties, and other non-church events. Imagine a bacchanalian night of booze-fueled card games taking place in the room next to the sacred alter.