Thursday 7 February 2013

NARTHEX

In early Christian architecture the Narthex was a portion of the church at the west end, separated from the nave by a low wall or screen and reserved for the catechumens, energumens, and penitents who were not admitted amongst the congregation. The narthex was of two kinds, exterior and interior: the former consisted of an open atrium arcade continued across the front of the church; in the latter, the aisle and gallery were returned across the nave. The outer narthex was sometimes used as a hall of judgment and for other secular purposes, and, after the sixth century, as a place of burial, while the inner narthex sometimes called the matroneum, was used, probably for certain persons of rank or distinction, rather than as a women's gallery.

Picture taken from : http://blog.beliefnet.com/stuffchristianculturelikes/2010/04/149-calling-the-lobby-the-narthex.html


Acknowledgement: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10704b.htm

CLERESTORY

Clerestory is  term now restricted to the windows in an aisled nave, or to the range of wall in which the high windows are set but was formerly applied to any window or traceried opening in a church, e.g. in an aisle, tower, cloister, or screen, but . Sometimes these windows are very small, being mere quatrefoils or spherical triangles. However, is larger churches they are important features both of beauty and utility. The clerestory is especially used in churches where the division into nave and side aisles permits the introduction of light into the body of the church from above the aisle roofs.

CARLISLE CATHEDRAL
Picture taken from: www.varsitythreadsusa.com 


Acknowledgement: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04049a.htm

TRANSEPT

The Transept is a  rectangular space inserted between the apse and nave in the early Christian basilica. It sprang from the need of procuring sufficient space for the increased number of clergy and for the proper celebration of the service. The bay at which the transept intersects the main body of the church is called the crossing. The transept itself is sometimes simply called the cross.The length of the rectangle either equals the entire breadth of the nave, , or it exceeds this breadth more or less, so that the transept extends beyond the walls of the nave. The transept generally terminates towards the north and south in a straight line.

Picture taken from: http://www.pitt.edu/~medart/menuglossary/transept.htm


Acknowledgement: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15018a.htm
                              http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/602515/transept

Wednesday 6 February 2013

PULPIT

A Pulpit is an elevated and enclosed platform from which the sermon is delivered during the church service. Pulpits have been executed in every style and from every building material that was in vogue at the time of their execution, from elaborately carved stone to intricate forms in wrought iron. In the 9th century two desks called ambos were provided in Christian churches—one for reading from the Gospels, the other for reading from the Epistles of the New Testament. The former, which became increasingly ornate, was the forerunner of the pulpit.

SANTA ANNA CHURCH PULPIT
Picture taken from : http://tripwow.tripadvisor.com/slideshow-photo/santa-ana-church-pulpit-by-travelpod-member-bakasyonista-oranjestad-aruba.html?sid=13259582&fid=tp-3


Acknowledgement: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/483218/pulpit

PEW

The Pew was originally a raised and enclosed place in a church designed for an ecclesiastical dignitary or officer; and was later extended to include special seating in the body of the church for distinguished laity and, finally, to include all church seating. It consists of a long, backed oak or pine bench with a hinged or fixed kneeling board. The upright ends were squared off or terminated in a finial or other carved ornament.

Picture taken from : www.dumaspews.com


Acknowledgement: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/454697/pew

NAVE

The Nave is the central and principal part of a Christian church, extending from the entrance (the narthex) to the transepts (transverse aisle crossing the nave in front of the sanctuary in a cruciform church) or, in the absence of transepts, to the chancel (area around the altar). The nave is that part of a church set apart for the laity, as distinguished from the chancel, choir, and presbytery, which are reserved for the choir and clergy. The separation of the two areas may be effected by screens or parapets, called cancelli. The term nave derives from the Latin navis, meaning “ship,” and it has been suggested that it may have been chosen to designate the main body of the building because the ship had been adopted as a symbol of the church.

Picture taken from : http://www.pitt.edu/~medart/menuglossary/nave.htm


Acknowledgement: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/406945/nave

CHAPEL

The Chapel is a small, intimate place of worship. The name was originally applied to the shrine in which the kings of France preserved the cape (late Latin cappella, diminutive of cappa) of St. Martin. Any sanctuary that houses the relics was called a chapel and the priest cappellanus, or chaplain. There are various type of chapels such as Chapel withing churches, Bishop's Chapels, Chantry Chapel, Papal Chapel, Royal Chapel, etc.

ST. PAUL'S CHAPEL, NEW YORK
Picture taken from : http://www.pitt.edu/~medart/menuglossary/nave.htm


Acknowledgement: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/106077/chapel
                              http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03574b.htm