A
Advent
the time of preparation immediately before Christmas. The first day of Advent is the Sunday nearest to St Andrew's Day (30 November).
Aisle
the longitudinal space usually beside and parallel to the nave and/or choir.
Altar
a raised table - often constructed of stone - placed centrally in front of the congregation: used for the celebration of the Eucharist/Holy Communion.
Anglican
derived from the Latin Ecclesia Anglicana meaning the English Church.
The word is applied to the world wide communion of churches which are
derived from the Church of England, the Church in Wales, the Episcopal
Church of Scotland, and the Church of Ireland.
Archbishop
the chief bishop in an episcopal church who has authority over a province. An archbishop has precedence over other bishops and dioceses. He is a metropolitan bishop and his Cathedral is a metropolitan church, i.e. Canterbury and York in the Church of England.
Archdeacon
a bishop's administrative officer; also engaged in the practical, legal, and pastoral work in his part of the diocese.
Archdeaconry
part of a diocese, see archdeacon
B
Baptism
a sacrament whereby a person is admitted to the Christian Church.
Bishop
the senior order of ministry - Bishop, Priest, Deacon; the chief minister in the episcopally ordered church who is usually in charge of a diocese.
Bishopric
the area of responsibility of a Bishop.
Bishop's Throne
the seat in a Cathedral occupied by a bishop, from the Greek cathedra meaning seat.
Boss
the carved stone or wooden knob at the intersection of a groined roof.
Buttress
typically a short 'stub' wall supporting the main wall or tower; a
projection from a wall to create additional strength and support.
C
Canon
a member of clergy on the staff of a Cathedral or collegiate church, or a title of honour within a diocese.
Canons Residentiary
a small group of clergy who are concerned with the business and pastoral affairs of their Cathedral.
Cassock
a close fitting garment of full length fastening up to the neck, normally black and worn as outdoor dress by clergy and vergers.
Cathedral
the principal church of a diocese; the church which contains the Bishop's Throne.
Catholic
the word catholic means universal, and as applied to the church
refers to its worldwide extension, its unbroken tradition going back to
the Apostles, and its adherence to the wholeness of the Christian belief. In common usage the word is often used to refer to the Roman Church. However, Anglicans
and Orthodox also use it as a description of their churches. After 1054
the Western Church was called Catholic and the Eastern Church, Orthodox.
Celebrant
the priest who officiates at the Eucharist.
Chalice
a vessel used during the celebration of the Eucharist for the sacramental wine.
Chancel
(i) the eastern part of a church (often called the sanctuary); usually the area containing the choir and altar, from the Latin cancellus meaning lattice. (ii) a screen, or lattice work, by which a chancel was separated from the nave, mainly in medieval times.
Chancel Arch
an arch separating the nave from the Chancel.
Chancellor
one of the dignitaries in an old foundation Cathedral concerned with the Cathedral school and the library, every diocese also has a lay chancellor as its legal officer.
Chapel
(i) a place of Christian worship not being a parish church or Cathedral church. (ii) an area set aside (partly of a private character and partly public) for worship within a large church or Cathedral.
Chaplain
a priest or deacon, usually attached to an institution for pastoral ministry, also the post of an assistant to the bishop.
Chapter
(i) a corporate title for the Dean and Chapter of a Cathedral who are responsible for all aspects of the life of a Cathedral. (ii) a meeting of the Dean and Chapter under the chairmanship of its Dean. (iii) 'General' Chapter of a Cathedral includes its non-residentiary canons and honorary canons. (iv) the meeting of the clergy of an area of a diocese under the chairmanship of their Rural Dean.
Chapter House
the place set aside for business meetings; a place where a Chapter sometimes still meets for business.
Christian
the name given (by others) to the followers of Jesus Christ.
Christmas
the annual celebration of Christ's birth: the selection of 25 December
in the West was influenced by the Roman practice around the year 366AD.
Choir
the part of the church used for an organised body of singers, also applied to those who sing there, usually eastward of the nave. More recent spelling of the earlier word Quire, also see chancel.
Choir Aisle
passageway running parallel to the choir, see aisle.
Chorister
a member of the choir, specifically a choirboy.
Christendom
the view of a community of Christian
nations in Europe under the joint authority of the Pope and Emperor,
dominant in medieval western Europe; the parts of the world in which
Christianity is the most common religion.
Church
a building for public Christian worship; a corporate name applied to all Christians.
City
from the Latin civitas meaning citizen, a town or borough which is, or has been, an episcopal see.
This definition is not strictly adhered to and there are many
exceptions. Some cities are so called because of their
industrial/municipal importance.
Clerestory
the uppermost storey of a church above the nave aisle roof, the area is pierced by a series of window openings to allow daylight to enter the main body of the building.
Clergy
a general term for a body or group of ordained people.
Cloister
covered arcaded walkway around an enclosed area which is usually lawned and called the Garth.
Close
the precinct of a Cathedral; an area of buildings which are usually occupied by the clergy who are engaged in the administration of the Cathedral.
Confirmation
a sacrament usually carried out in adolescence following an infant Baptism; a course of instruction in the Christian
faith precedes confirmation which is the rite whereby the Grace of the
Holy Spirit is conveyed following the renewal of baptismal vows.
Consistory Court
a court (often a building) where bishops or their representatives administer church law.
Cope
a semicircular vestment (cape) worn over the alb or surplice.
Crossing
area where the north-south transept crosses the main east-west axis of a cruciform, or cross-shaped, church.
Curate
an assistant minister in a parish, either a priest or a deacon, occasionally the minister of a parish.
D
Deacon
from the Greek diakonos meaning servant, used to refer to the lowest Order in the Christian ministry, below the priest and bishop. The term is for both men and women who may undertake the tasks assigned to priests except presiding at Holy Communion and hearing confessions.
Dean
the head of the chapter in a collegiate or Cathedral church; a Cathedral dean is also the senior priest of the diocese.
Deanery
(i) the official residence of a dean. (ii) the term used for a group of parishes.
Diocese
the area or district under the pastoral and administrative care of a bishop.
E
Easter
the oldest feast of the Christian church celebrating the resurrection of Christ; Easter Day falls on or between 21 March, and 25 April.
Ecclesiastical
pertaining to matters concerning the institutional aspects of the church.
Effigy
a representation of a person or head of a person, often a sculptured figure.
Episcopal
pertaining to a bishop: episcopacy - the government of churches by bishops.
Eucharist
(as for Holy Communion) an act of thanksgiving, the central act of Christian worship - the sacrament of the Mass, or the Lord's Supper.
Evangelism
proclaiming the Christian gospel; an activity designed to spread Christianity.
Evensong
an evening service, often with hymns and a sermon.
F
Font
a container for water (usually a stone basin) in a church and used for the sacrament of baptism.
Foundation
pertaining to the establishment of Cathedrals: about half of the medieval Cathedrals were monastic, and half were secular. There are nine Old Foundation secular Cathedrals
in England, including Lichfield. With the dissolution of the
monasteries during the Reformation the monks in monastic Cathedrals
were replaced by secular clergy and were given a new constitution by Henry VIII. Those Cathedrals are known as Cathedrals of the New Foundation, but Cathedrals which had always had secular clergy retained their old constitutions with deans and canons, and are known as Cathedrals of the Old Foundation.
Friends
an association of people who work together for the benefit of a church or Cathedrals.
G
Gallery
floor area above a church aisle looking down on to the nave; sometimes a balcony containing seats.
Gospel
the Good News of Christ proclaimed by the church: the writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John which are part of the New Testament of the Christian Bible.
Gothic
style of architecture with pointed arches and clustered columns, late 12th to mid 16th centuries.
Grisaille
window glass of greyish tone.
Groin
the angle formed by an intersection of vaults, the principle ribs
formed at the intersection of the ceiling surfaces of a cross vault.
H
Halo
a bright light, usually circular and positioned above or behind a saint's head.
High Altar
the chief altar in a Cathedral or church.
Holy
refers to the majesty and purity of God; persons and things may be called holy in so far as they participate in the holiness.
Holy Communion
the central act of Christian worship: thanksgiving; the receiving of the consecrated bread and wine as in Eucharist.
I, J, K, L
Lady Chapel
a chapel dedicated in honour of the Virgin Mary: usually at the east end of a church behind the high altar and often a major architectural unit.
Lectern
a reading desk usually supported on a column from which the lessons are read.
Library
a room for the keeping of books and manuscripts, many of which are old, beautiful and rare examples.
M
Magnificat
the Virgin Mary's song of praise to the Lord.
Mass
a title of the Eucharist used by the Roman Catholic Church and the High Church of the Church of England.
Mattins
morning prayers; the morning office, sometimes extended to a full service with hymns and a sermon.
Maundy
the ceremony of washing the feet of the poor, from the Latin mandatum novum meaning new commandment, on the Thursday before Easter (Maundy Thursday).
Maundy, Royal
the symbolic distribution of money by the reigning monarch on the Thursday before Easter (Maundy Thursday).
Mercia
the Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the Midlands (England).
Metropolitan
the Mother Church: the Cathedral of an archbishop (or metropolitan bishop) is known as the Metropolitan Church.
Misericord
a carved bracket under a hinged seat in the choir stalls giving support or 'mercy' to the clergy during the long services at which they were required to stand.
N
Nave
the western part of a church where the congregation sit.
New Foundation
- Cathedrals of new dioceses set up by King Henry VIII on the basis of dissolved monastic houses; the Cathedrals which were given a new constitution by King Henry VIII (see foundation).
Nunc dimittis
the song of Simeon used at Evensong (Luke 2 vv. 29ff).
O
Office
the community prayers and readings at set hours of the day (originally a monastic term).
Old Foundation
the pre-Reformation Cathedrals (see foundation).
Ordained (Minister)
a member of one of the three Orders of clergy: Bishop, Priest, and Deacon.
Ordination
the conveying of spiritual authority by a bishop. The laying on of hands by a bishop to make a deacon, ordain a priest, and consecrate a bishop (at least three bishops are required to ordain a priest as a bishop).
P, Q
Pax
the Latin word for 'peace'.
Prebend
a Cathedral benefice; the share of revenues from it - it no longer applies.
Prebendal Stall
a seat, usually in the back row of the choir stalls, where a prebendary sits.
Prebendary
a canon: the holder of a prebend; the holder of a disendowed prebendal stall.
Presbyter
another name for a priest.
Presbytery
(i) the sanctuary, or eastern part of the chancel beyond the choir. (ii) in the Roman Catholic Church it is the residence of the priest.
Precentor
a priest responsible for the choral services.
Priest
an ordained member of the clergy empowered to celebrate the Eucharist and to pronounce the absolution of sins (second in line of ordained seniority: bishop, priest, deacon).
Priest Vicar
a priest was acts as cantor, normally with a Cathedral choir.
Primate
the title given to the archbishop of a province.
Province
a group of dioceses under the care of an archbishop.
England is divided into two Provinces: the Province of Canterbury is
the Southern Province; the Province of York is the Northern Province.
Pulpit
a raised structure, usually enclosed, from which the sermon is preached.
Pyx
a vessel used to contain the consecrated bread of the sacrament.
R
Rector
a title given to an incumbent of certain parishes, originally those which retained their titles.
Rectory
the residence of a rector.
Reredos
an ornamental screen of stone or wood behind and above the altar.
Retrochoir
the part of a Cathedral church which lies behind the high altar, see also Lady Chapel.
Reverend, The
a title of honour for an ordained person.
S
Sacrament
a religious ceremony or act of the Christian Church regarded as an
outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace applied to the
seven rites of baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, penance, extreme unction, ordination, and matrimony.
Sacrist
an official in charge of the sacred vessels and vestments.
Sanctuary
area in which the high altar stands. In medieval times the right of safe conduct granted to those the fled pursuit and could grasp the church door knocker.
Sedilla
a set of seats (usually three) for the clergy by the south wall of the chancel.
See
properly the official 'seat', or 'throne' of the bishop in his Cathedral, (extended to refer to the town or area in which a bishop exercises authority).
Sermon
an address proclaiming the gospel.
Song School
a room used for the teaching and practice of vocal music.
Spire
a tall pyramid or cone-like structure built on a tower.
Surplice
a loose wide-sleeved garment worn by the clergy and assisting laymen.
T
Te Deum laudamus
We praise thee, O God: the Latin translation of the hymn of praise and thanksgiving.
Transept
transverse arm of a cruciform, or cross-shaped, church, usually of north/south axis, crossing the east/west axis of the navechancel and Triforium.
Triforium
arcaded passage above the aisle opening on to the body of the church; the middle stage between the nave arcade and clerestory.
Triptych
three hinged and painted panels usually depicting a religious scene, sometimes used as an altar piece.
Tympanum
a panel of stone, often carved with relief sculpture, filling an arch above the lintel of an opening.
U, V
Verger (Virger)
a lay official who carries a symbol of office before church
dignitaries; also one who is responsible for cleanliness and good order
in the church.
Vestibule
the enclosed, or partially enclosed, space in front of the main entrance.
Vestment
a robe work by the clergy during services.
Vestry
a room for the housing of church records and vestments where the clergy and choir change and prepare for services.
Vicar
a priest caring for a parish.
Vicarage
the house or residence of a vicar.
Vicars Choral
men whose duty it is to sing the services in Cathedral of the old foundations, they are called lay clerks in Cathedrals of the new foundation.
Virge
a wand or rod of office.
W, X, Y, Z
West Front
most often the main entrance to a Cathedral or church.
