Narthex or Vestibule - a true narthex
is either an outside, covered porch-like structure or an inside
area separated from the nave, but this word has come to mean
"entry" or "foyer." Originally, penitents and
Catechumens were confined to this area until their reconciliation
with or initiation into the Church. A westwork is the front
of a large cathedral that has a tall facade and, usually, towers
and an upper chamber.
Nave - referring to the "barque of Peter" and
"Noah's Ark," the word "nave" is derived from
the Latin word for ship, navis, and has come to mean the area
where the parishioners sit or stand (pews are a very late addition
to the nave area, and, even today, parishioners stand during the
liturgy in many Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches). In Gothic
architecture, the nave had an aisle (or two) on both sides.
Crossing - the place where the nave, chancel and
transept intersect. This area is often domed.
Transept - the transverse arm of a cruciform church is
called the transept. Because the liturgy is supposed to be
celebrated ad orientem (facing East), the left side of the
transept is called the North transept and the right side of the
transept is called the South transept. This is so even if the
actual orientation of the Church is other than with the Altar at
the East side. Some churches have transepts at the West end of the
church.
Sanctuary and Choir (Chancel) - the word
"chancel" comes from the word cancelli, meaning "lattice
work" once used to rail off the choir, where the
religious would sit on long benches to sing the responses at Mass
and chant the Divine Office, from the nave, where the people sit.
Medieval churches often had "rood screens"
("rood" means "cross") separating the
Sanctuary and choir from the body of the nave. The rood screen had
the rood -- the Crucifix -- often flanked by images of the Virgin
and St. John and by oil lamps. This screen totally separated the
sanctuary from the place the people sat so that the sanctuary was
truly treated as the Holy of Holies. (In Eastern Catholic churches
and in Orthodox churches, the sanctuary is separated from the
congregation by a lovely iconostasis -- a screen or wall with at
least two icons (some are covered with them). The iconostasis has
three doors: the Door of the Proskomide (preparation for Liturgy)
on the left; the Royal Door in the middle which leads directly to
the altar; and the Deacon's Door at the right (from the
parishioner's point of view).
The rise of Renaissance architecture saw the disappearance of
the choir area, the bringing forward of the sanctuary, and the
general disappearance of the rood screens. The sanctuary was,
instead, separated from the nave (as they should be today if there
is no rood screen or iconostasis) by altar rails at which
communicants must kneel to receive the Eucharist.
Aside from being the place of the Altar, the sanctuary is the
place where the Tabernacle, which holds the Blessed Sacrament, is
kept and over which there should always be burning a tabernacle
light. The other place where the Tabernacle might be kept is a
separate, conspicuous, well-adorned side chapel in churches in
which the Altar area is used for the solemn conduct of the Divine
Office or for Pontifical ceremonies. When we see the Tabernacle,
we genuflect. If the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, we kneel on
both knees.
Apse - as the term is commonly used in church
architecture, "apse" denotes the often domed,
semicircular or polygonal termination where the altar is located.
Altar - the High Altar "the main altar" is the
place where the Eucharistic Sacrifice is offered (in a single
church, there should be more than one Altar). While ancient
synagogue liturgy was oriented toward Jerusalem, Christian liturgy
is supposed to be celebrated with the priest and the congregation
facing East ("ad orientem"), the direction whence
Jesus, as symbolized by the rising Sun, will come again; the High
Altar , therefore, has traditionally been at the East side of the
church. In older churches, you might still see gorgeous altar
screens or "Altar pieces" behind the Altar. The more
fanciful, ornate ones are called "reredos" and can be
quite exquisite, full of sculpture and with different panels.
The High Altar should: be fixed, of natural stone, and contain
a relic of a Saint (martyrs are favored). The Altar is
venerated because it is the place of sacrifice, and because it is
the place of Sacrifice, the Tabernacle is usually kept on it.
Pulpit - the podium on the left side of the church as
you face the Altar "Gospel side", from where the Gospel
is read (and which is reserved for clergy). Not all churches have
both a lectern and a pulpit; some just have one single speaker's
podium called an ambo. Note that the Gospel side of the church is
also informally referred to as the "Mary side" of the
church because it is there a statue of her is often placed.
Lectern - the stand on the right side of the church as
you face the Altar "Epistle side" from where the
Epistles are read (and which can be used by lay-people). Not all
churches have both a lectern and a pulpit; some just have one
single speaker's podium called an ambo. Note that the Epistle side
of the church is also informally referred to as the "St.
Joseph side" of the church because it is there a statue of
him is often placed.
You can remember which side of the Church is which by taking
the vantage point of Christ on the Crucifix: His right is the
Gospel/Mary side of the Church; His left is the Epistle/Joseph
side of the Church. Mary and the Gospel are greater than Joseph
and the Epistle so are at Jesus' right. This will be so unless
there is a statue of, say, our Lord, in which case it will be
placed to the right of Jesus' vantage point from the Crucifix
while Mary is to the left.
Ambulatory - an ambulatory is basically a sort of
walkway which can be either inside or outside of a structure. In
Gothic architecture, ambulatories often had projecting chapels and
were especially common around the apse. If an ambulatory is
outdoors and is built such that one side is wall while the other
has columns or arches, especially opening onto a courtyard, it is
often called a cloister the area within a monastery to which
some religious are confined).
Sacristy or Vestry - the Sacristy is where sacred
vestments, liturgical vessels, etc., are stored. When the sacristy
is behind the chancel and has two entrances, the priests enter on
the Gospel side and exit through the Epistle side door.
In the sacristy you will find the sacrarium -- a special sink
with a pipe that bypasses the sewer, unlike an ordinary sink, but
instead goes straight into the earth. This sink is made thus to
preserve the dignity of sacred things which can no longer be used.
For ex., the sacred vessels are rinsed there so that no particle
of the consecrated Host or no drop of the Precious Blood will end
up in the sewer. The first rinse used to clean Altar linens, old
baptismal water, sacred oils, blessed ashes, etc., all these are
disposed of in the sacrarium, returning those substances to the
earth. |
