Church Speak
12/06/05
One in a series. The Church building and its parts, or, how to confound your friends and fellow parishioners...
The word church comes from Greek word kurios, simply meaning "lord." Though kind'a '60s Jetsons looking, the church building at St. Martha's is a Gothic cruciform (cross) architectural layout divided into three main parts; the Narthex, Nave and Sanctuary.
As you enter the church building, you'll find yourself in the Narthex; the open area behind the pews. Narthex is Greek for "large fennel" (don't ask). A Narthex was added to churches to be a gathering place protected from the weather.
Beyond the Narthex, where the pews are, is the Nave, from the Latin navis, meaning "ship," directly referring to Noah's ark. In medieval England, that wonderfully derogatory term for commoners, "knaves," developed from where those "common" folk sat in church. Running down either side of the Nave is an aisle called the Ambulatory.
Beyond the Nave, where the Altar is, is the Sanctuary, from the Latin sanctus, meaning "holy."
The rows of pews just beyond the Sanctuary, is the Chancel; from the Latin cancelli, meaning "grating or lattice." Traditionally, the Chancel, with its heavy lattice work or screen to divide and conceal it from the Nave, was a private area for the Lords and Ladies separating them from the need to interact with the knaves. At St. Martha's, it's where the choir sits.
The arms of the wide perpendicular aisle between the Nave and Sanctuary are the Transepts. At the center of the Transepts is the Crossing. You'll notice that the main aisle, Altar and Transepts form a cross; that's important. The layout of the cross is the very basis of the church's design.
Where do you sit? You'll notice that the Nave is bisected by the main aisle. The left side (when facing the Altar) is the Gospel side as determined by the right hand of the priest as she delivers the Gospel. The right side when facing the Altar is the Epistle side, for that's the side that the Epistle (Lesson) is read from.
Aren't you glad that you can finally say "You can reach the Narthex from the Crossing by the Transept and the Ambulatory on the Epistle side of the Nave"?
The word church comes from Greek word kurios, simply meaning "lord." Though kind'a '60s Jetsons looking, the church building at St. Martha's is a Gothic cruciform (cross) architectural layout divided into three main parts; the Narthex, Nave and Sanctuary.
As you enter the church building, you'll find yourself in the Narthex; the open area behind the pews. Narthex is Greek for "large fennel" (don't ask). A Narthex was added to churches to be a gathering place protected from the weather.
Beyond the Narthex, where the pews are, is the Nave, from the Latin navis, meaning "ship," directly referring to Noah's ark. In medieval England, that wonderfully derogatory term for commoners, "knaves," developed from where those "common" folk sat in church. Running down either side of the Nave is an aisle called the Ambulatory.
Beyond the Nave, where the Altar is, is the Sanctuary, from the Latin sanctus, meaning "holy."
The rows of pews just beyond the Sanctuary, is the Chancel; from the Latin cancelli, meaning "grating or lattice." Traditionally, the Chancel, with its heavy lattice work or screen to divide and conceal it from the Nave, was a private area for the Lords and Ladies separating them from the need to interact with the knaves. At St. Martha's, it's where the choir sits.
The arms of the wide perpendicular aisle between the Nave and Sanctuary are the Transepts. At the center of the Transepts is the Crossing. You'll notice that the main aisle, Altar and Transepts form a cross; that's important. The layout of the cross is the very basis of the church's design.
Where do you sit? You'll notice that the Nave is bisected by the main aisle. The left side (when facing the Altar) is the Gospel side as determined by the right hand of the priest as she delivers the Gospel. The right side when facing the Altar is the Epistle side, for that's the side that the Epistle (Lesson) is read from.
Aren't you glad that you can finally say "You can reach the Narthex from the Crossing by the Transept and the Ambulatory on the Epistle side of the Nave"?