2. 7%«JVaoe.— This was the main body of the church, and called by difTerent names, derived from the uses to which it was applied. It was called the oratory of the people, because they there met for religious wor- ship, reading the Scriptures, prayer, and hearing the word. It was also called the place of assembly, and the quadrangle, from its quadrangular form, in con- trast with the elliptical form of the chancel. In a cen- tral position stood the amboj suggtshtm lectorum^ or reader's desk, elevated on a platform above the level of the surrounding seats. This was sometimes called the pulpit, and the tribunal of the church, In distinc- tion from the PfjfMy or tribunal of the choir. The choristers were provided with seats near this desk. The seats on either side, in front, were occupied by the faithfhl, or the comnranicants. The gospels and epis- tles were chanted frY)m before the altar. The sermon was also delivered by the preacher standing on the pUtform of the sanctuary, or on the steps leading to it. But when large churches were erected, it became diffi- cult for tlie preacher to make himself heard from this position. To remedy tlys inconvenience, a platform was erected for him in front of the bema, within the body of the nave. The rules of the primitive churches required the separation of the sexes, and this was gen- erally observed. The men occupied the left of the al- tar, on the south side of the churdi, and the women the right, on the north. They were separated by a veil, or lattice. In the Eastern churches the women occu- pied a gallery, while the men sat below. The catechu- mens occupied a part near to the believers, arranged in their several classes ; but they were required to with- draw at the summons of the deacons — Ite^ cateckumeni! In the rear of the catechumens sat the penitents, who had been allowed a place again within the church. The walls of the church were surrounded by ante- chambers and recesses for the accommodation of the assembly, for meditation, reading, and prayer. There were aisles surronndlng the nave which separated it
CHURCH EDHilCES
886
CHURCH EDIFICES
from the chamben. It waa aepmrated from the ehan* eel by a partition or lattice-work, with a curtain, and tne entrance to the choir waa by fdding-doort in thia partition. These doors were prorided with curtains, which, as well aa the larger curtain, called jcnrairc- raafia and KarawiTaiTfta fivarucov, were drawn aside daring the celebration of the Eocharist, and doriog the delivery of the sermon.
8. The Ncaihex, or ilfi<e-fcmp^.— This was the outer division within the walls. It was called irpdvaoci anU4empU; irpomtXa^porUoo; and vop^C, or ferula. The latter name is supposed to have been given it in consequence of its obbng shape, reaembling in this re- spect ay^rv/o, or rod. It was an oblong section of the building, extending quite across the front of the church.
It was entered by tiiree doors leading froi the ools porch. The great entrance waa at the west, oppctiu to the altar; it was called (after the oorrespoiidiagpsit of the temple) mpaia or jiamXuoh the hemOifid or rt§. algaU, ThevBsi»6t(/s,or]rp6wioc,inthe0tzictarsaaii^ was allotted to the csitechumens and p*mifa»»*«^ Hou etica and unbelievers were also allowed a pbee has, though tlus was forbidden by some Eastern synsds. The vp6xvKa^ orportieo, was chiefly used for the p» formance of funerals. But, in the larger daadw% meetings on ecole8||tfticalaffidrB were held in IL Ik primitive GhristiAns were aocnstomed to wash bofon entering a church, as a symbol of the parity ^*«>^'«"^ that holy place. In due time the vessel osed for thit purpose was introduced into the porch* The vmhI
XUtBJtTimC .
4 •
Plan of an ancient BuHloa, with its Exedns.
1. iVMffMMR, or MtHMnm lapiMMit, Um great poreh, or first cotrmce into the area beOora the ohnrob. S. The mbimm^ or area leading ftoa tbe fonk to the church. 8. Ce«fAar«w, or j>Aia<a ; the (buntatai of water In the middle of the square. 4. The portlooes, or oMstara ahoM the area, otfaanriH called the exterior aorlAMoftheehoreh, and place of moanMra. 6. The great fate into tiM ehoroh. S. Tha two ■nailer galas ob enek sUs of tfef ether. 7. The northern and southern gates. 6. The clolBters on the north and south sides of the ehuroh. 9. The hmer umtkm, where the calcds mens and hearer* stood. 10. The plaoe of the •wficfroti, behind the asiAe. II. The aaifts, or reading-desk. It. The aseent <m bott sUss ¥ tk asifo. 13. The inner portiooes. or ololstars ftn- men below. 14 The calMA«iiMM«, or Airvwovoppo' gAU«ries fbr woimb. above the porttoH men, upon pillars. 15. CanetlH Umatit, the rails of the.chancei. K. B«mm^ or ohanoel. IT. The altar, or eonunnnlnn-table. 18. The an^sd casf-
Korer the altar. 19. The binhop'ii thrrme. SO. The seits of prrsbjrtera, in a srmidrole about the altar, tl. JMmmmitmm i<ws, ttc bmcr vsrtfT Proih49i$, or pmrtorimwt. 13. Diaetmietm sMMivm, the great repository, or greeting-honse. 14. The baptistevr. U. The touL tS. fmttiftmt. dweUing-hooaas, libraries, sehool-rooms, etc S7. JTasir*, ooisr bnUdlnga. Anafi^aXm the ovMruMitboaidaffT allowed ftrretege, or sBMitwr
CHURCH EDIFICES
337
CHURCH EDIFICES
iras csUfld Kpfpni, ^u^if, ^op, KcikufiptioVf Xeotrrd- ptoVf caatharus.
y IL 7%e ovter BvOdinfft, or EbeeeirtB.— All the baUd- Ings attached to the church, such as courts, side-build- ings, wings, and other erections and places in the area connected with it, were called exedra. The endoeure around the church was known bj the names inpi^ Xof , trroaiy mpunSiov, TirpcurrStov, hrpdarvXoVy tun- bkui, peritttfUtu The open space between the extreme circumference and tl^ chnich is called by Ensebtus aWpov, impbiviunk, but is no other than the Latin atri- am, and is sjnonjmous with the word ctrea. In this space stood the energumens, and that class of penitents called irpo(icXaioyrcc, orjlentes. They were idso called X«/«z4ovrcc9 or x^^^H^^fuvoij firom the circumstance of their standing in the open air, exposed to all the changes of the weather. The most important of the exedre were the haptisleriet. In these places the can- didates were instructed and prepared for baptism, and there were separate apartments for men and women : here also councils and ecclesiastical meetings were held, and hence it may be inferred that they were of capacious dimensions. These baptisteries were not at- tached to all churches, but were generally erected ad- jacent to cathedral churches, denominated, on this ac- count, haptUmal and central churches. There were also several other smaller buildings, such as the dior- eomeum magiatm^ in which the sacred utensUs, and the ornaments and robes of the clergy, were kept. This was called cd/tJiXiapxccov, yal^o^vXaKioVy OKtvo^vXa- Kiov. Here tiie clergy were accustomed to retire for private exercises preparatory to the public services : hence it was called aeeretom, or aecretarium. It was also a general audience-room, and denominated iohtia- • tormm, receptorkan. Many are of the opinion that the building was used aA a furimm for the confinement of delinquent clergymen. There was another class of buildings called |)cu<opAor»a. This is a word borrowed from the Sep- toagint translation of Ezek. xl, 17, where it denotes the chambers in the outer courts of the Temple. Learned men are divided in opin- ion as to the uses of the pastophO' ria; some suppose them to have been watch-houses, others apart- ments for the accommodation of the clergy. Libraries were attacb- ed to many churches. In these collections were included not only the liturgical and other church* books, and the manuscript copies of the holy Scriptures, in the orig- inal languages and translations, but also homilies, catechesea, and other theological works. From the libraries of Jerusalem and Casa- lea, both Eusebius and Jerome chiefly derived the materials for their writings. Schools were, in later times, established in connec- tion with some churches. If no boilduig was provided for the pur- pose, the catechumens, or younger dergy,weTe taught in the baptist- ery or vestry. Other bnildings were oLcot /3a<riXnot, the habUa- twns of the hishop and ckrgy; \ot^