In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building.
What are parts of a church called?
The nave is the main part of the church where the congregation (the people who come to worship) sit. The aisles are the sides of the church which may run along the side of the nave. The transept, if there is one, is an area which crosses the nave near the top of the church.
What are the four parts of the church?
The words one, holy, catholic and apostolic are often called the four marks of the Church.
What are the three parts of the church?
the Church Triumphant, which consists of those who have the beatific vision and are in Heaven. These divisions are known as the “three states of the Church,” especially within Catholic ecclesiology.
What are the two sides of the church called?
The Gospel side is the other side of the chancel, where the Gospel is read. Facing the altar from the nave, it is the left-hand side. In some places, especially if a comment is based on a romance language source, the Gospel side will be cited as the Evangelist side.
Is the altar at the front or back of the church?
The altar, centrally located in the sanctuary, is to be the focus of attention in the church. At the beginning of the Roman Rite of Mass, the priest first of all reverences the altar with a kiss and only after that goes to the chair at which he presides over the Introductory Rites and the Liturgy of the Word.
What is the difference between a narthex and vestibule?
A vestibule is a passage, hall, or room between the outer door and the interior of a building, whereas the narthex is a porch or lobby that connects the outside to the main worship area.
What is a narthex in a church?
narthex, long, narrow, enclosed porch, usually colonnaded or arcaded, crossing the entire width of a church at its entrance.
What is the basement of a church called?
A crypt (from Latin crypta “vault”) is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building.
What is the foyer of a church called?
The narthex is an architectural element typical of early Christian and Byzantine basilicas and churches consisting of the entrance or lobby area, located at the west end of the nave, opposite the church’s main altar.
Which end of a church is the altar?
Within church architecture, orientation is an arrangement by which the point of main interest in the interior is towards the east (Latin: oriens). The east end is where the altar is placed, often within an apse.
What is the difference between lectern and pulpit?
The words pulpit and lectern are sometimes used interchangeably, yet there are subtle differences between the two. Pulpits are a traditional raised platform used in religious services, whereas lecterns are generally a simple stand to hold books or speaker notes.
What is the top of church called?
A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape.
What is a vestry in a church?
Definition of vestry
1a : sacristy. b : a room used for church meetings and classes. 2a : the business meeting of an English parish. b : an elective body in an Episcopal parish composed of the rector and a group of elected parishioners administering the temporal affairs of the parish.
What part of church holds the altar?
In traditional cruciform churches the altar stands in the middle of the east wall, at the top of the cross shaped building. The east wall location was originally chosen as it is the most holy part of the church – this is because the sun rises in the east and it was seen as symbolic of the resurrection .
Why do priests kiss the altar?
In kissing the altar, the priest symbolizes the bond between Christ and his church; acknowledges the sacrifices of those martyrs (relics) who gave their life for the furtherance of the faith; and, when performed with the deacon, is an extension of peace to the community.
What is the area around the altar?
The crossword clue Area around the altar with 7 letters was last seen on the May 03, 2018. We think the likely answer to this clue is CHANCEL.
Why is it called a chancel?
The name derives from the Latin word for “lattice,” describing the screen that during some eras of church history divided the chancel from the nave and crossing. This lattice is now more commonly called a chancel screen, which during the Middle Ages largely replaced a chancel rail to set the area apart.
What is the entrance of a cathedral called?
Narthex: The entrance or lobby area, located at the west end of the nave. Nave: The primary area of public observance of the Mass. It is generally the largest space, and located between the narthex and sanctuary.
What is the meaning of a narthex?
Definition of narthex
1 : the portico of an ancient church. 2 : a vestibule leading to the nave of a church.
What is the difference between nave and sanctuary?
The Nave is a holy area and includes Sacred Objects which help the parishioners bring themselves to a holy state as they enter the Nave for celebration of the Mass. The Sanctuary is clearly distinguished from the rest of the church and is usually raised little above the level of the Nave.
What are the parts of an altar?
Day of the Dead: 5 Essential Elements of the Altar
- White Tablecloth and Salt. Most altars have a simple white table cloth, often one that has been passed through generations, covering the different levels.
- Cempasuchil Flowers.
- Copal Incense and a Cross.
- Food and Drink.
- Portrait.
What is a prayer room called?
A multifaith space or multifaith prayer room is a quiet location set aside in a busy public place (hospital, university, airport, etc.) where people of differing religious beliefs, or none at all, are able to spend time in contemplation or prayer.
What is the canopy over an altar called?
baldachin, also spelled baldachino, or baldaquin, also called ciborium, in architecture, the canopy over an altar or tomb, supported on columns, especially when freestanding and disconnected from any enclosing wall.
Why do Catholic churches face east?
There are scriptural roots to this orientation. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:27). We believe, therefore, that at the Second Coming, Christ will come from the east.
Why do churches have Spires?
spire, in architecture, steeply pointed pyramidal or conical termination to a tower. In its mature Gothic development, the spire was an elongated, slender form that was a spectacular visual culmination of the building as well as a symbol of the heavenly aspirations of pious medieval men.
What is a raised pulpit called?
ambo, in the Christian liturgy, a raised stand formerly used for reading the Gospel or the Epistle, first used in early basilicas. Originally, the ambo took the form of a portable lectern.
What is a podium actually called?
If you’re frowning deeply as you read this you likely know the object as a “lectern” (a word from Latin legere, meaning “to read”). And it is indeed a lectern. But lecterns are also sometimes referred to as podiums (or podia, if you want to use a plural that nods to the word’s Latin history), at least in North America.
Who is the leader of the church?
The man with the highest authority in this church is the Pope, followed by Arch Bishops and Bishops. The hierarchy with this leadership model is clearly defined. The best example of this method is the Catholic church.
What is the church called to do?
Whether by Zoom, Facebook Live, Youtube or any other means, the church promotes prayer, teaches prayer, and practices prayer, and we always remember what it says in Philippians 4: 6-7: ” Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
What is the role of the vestry?
The Vestry’s primary role is to protect the stated vision of the parish. Each member of the Vestry should be able to articulate and safeguard the primary visionary direction of the congregation.
Why is a vestry called a vestry?
Vestries were so called after the room in the church where business was conducted under the chairmanship of the vicar. Traditionally their main concerns were church affairs and charitable bequests. From the early 17th century vestry meetings usually took place once a year.
What is a ciborium used for?
ciborium, plural Ciboria, or Ciboriums, in religious art, any receptacle designed to hold the consecrated Eucharistic bread of the Christian church.
Do Catholic churches have a vestry?
And while robes might be stored in a vestry, most other holy objects are kept in the sacristy. Orthodox and Catholic churches are most likely to have a sacristy. The word literally means “repository for sacred things,” from the Latin root sacer, “sacred.”
What are the three parts of the church?
the Church Triumphant, which consists of those who have the beatific vision and are in Heaven. These divisions are known as the “three states of the Church,” especially within Catholic ecclesiology.
What are the two sides of the church called?
The Gospel side is the other side of the chancel, where the Gospel is read. Facing the altar from the nave, it is the left-hand side. In some places, especially if a comment is based on a romance language source, the Gospel side will be cited as the Evangelist side.
What is the table on the altar called?
The Lord’s Table therefore plays a very important role in the celebration of Holy Communion, which is also known as the Eucharist or the Mass. The Lord’s Table (also known as the Altar or Communion Table) usually occupies a prominent place within a church, often being placed at the eastern end of the building.
Why do priest wash their hands during Mass?
A priest washes his hands as a sign of his spiritual cleansing and preparation to wash away his impurities before handling the consecrated Eucharist which is holy and sa- cred. It is meant as an act of humility and respect which should be given to God.