Chapel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Chapel (disambiguation).
A chapel is a church or area of worship, sometimes small and attached to a larger institution such as a large church, a college, a hospital, a palace, a prison or a cemetery, sometimes large and unattached to another building
Architecturally, a chapel may be a part of a large church set aside for some specific use or purpose: for instance, Gothic cathedrals typically have a "Lady Chapel" in the apse, dedicated to Mary; parish churches may have a "Blessed Sacrament Chapel" attached to the main church where the Eucharist is kept between services.
In the Catholic Canon Law a chapel, technically called an "oratory," is a space dedicated to the celebration of services, particularly Mass, which is not a parish church. This may be a private chapel, for the use of one person or a select group (a bishop's private chapel, or the chapel of a convent, for instance); a semi-public oratory, which is partially available to the general public (a seminary chapel that welcomes visitors to services, for instance); or a public oratory (for instance, a hospital or university chapel).
The word chapel is in particularly common usage in England, and even more so in Wales, for many non-Anglican Protestant church buildings; and in Scotland and Ireland many ordinary Catholic churches are known to locals as "the chapel".
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[edit] History
Image:Chapelle Palatine.jpg The earliest Christian places of worship are now often referred to as chapels, as they were not dedicated buildings but rather a dedicated chamber within a building, such as a room in an individual's house.
The word "chapel" is derived from a relic of Saint Martin of Tours: traditional stories about Martin relate that while he was still a soldier, he cut his military cloak in half to give part to a beggar in need. The other half he wore over his shoulders as a "small cape" (Latin capella). The beggar, the stories claim, was Christ in disguise, and Martin experienced a conversion of heart, becoming first a monk, then abbot, then bishop. This cape came into the possession of the Frankish kings, and they kept the relic with them as they did battle. The tent which kept the cape was called the capella and the priests who said daily Mass in the tent were known as the capellani. From these words we get the names "chapel" and "chaplain".
This appears as well in the Irish language in the Middle Ages, as Welsh people came with the Norman and Old English invaders to the island of Ireland. While the traditional Irish word for church was éaglais (derived from ecclesia) a new word, ceipéal (from cappella) came into usage.
In English history, "chapel" was formerly the required designation of the churches of nonconformist faiths, which is to say, any Protestant churches outside of the established Church of England. It was a word particularly associated with religious practice in Wales.
[edit] Modern Usage
While the usage of the word "chapel" is not exclusively limited to Christian terminology, it is most often found in that context. Nonetheless, the word's meaning can vary by denomination, and non-denominational chapels (sometimes called "meditation rooms") can be found in many hospitals, airports, and even the United Nations headquarters.
Common uses of the word chapel today include:
- Side Chapels - a chapel within a cathedral or larger church.
- Lady Chapels - these are really a form of side chapel, but have been included separately as they are extremely prevalent in the Catholic church. They are dedicated to the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- Ambassador's Chapels - originally created to allow ambassadors from Catholic countries to worship whilst on duty in Protestant countries.
- Bishop's Chapels - in Catholic Canon Law, Bishops have the right to have a chapel in their own home, even when travelling (such personal chapels are granted only as a favor to other priests)
- Chapels of Ease - constructed in large parishes to allow parishoners easy access to a church or chapel.
- Summer chapels - A small church in a resort area that functions only during the summer when vacationers are present.
- Wayside chapels - Small chapels in the countryside
Another usage of the word "chapel," peculiar to some Protestants, is to an event rather than a place. For example, some institutions of learning hold worship services that are referred to simply as "chapel," as in, "I'm going to chapel tonight."
[edit] Notable chapels
[edit] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, chapels are local church buildings (alternately referred to as "meetinghouses"). [citation needed] Most LDS chapels since the 1970's have been built on standard plans for reasons of economy and tend to resemble one another. [citation needed] A typical chapel will include rooms set aside for Sacrament Meetings (the "chapel" proper), Sunday School classes, and Priesthood and Relief Society meetings, as well as offices for local clerical leadership, a baptismal font, and often a kitchen and a recreational area. [citation needed] Individual church design is altered according to congregational need, but these meetinghouses will still display far greater architectural commonalities than those within most other Christian denominations.[citation needed]
Chapels should not be confused with temples, which are used for different functions within the Church. Chapels host regular worship services and other functions for the congregation and guests during the week, whereas temples are used for limited, specific ceremonies that are attended only by faithful Church members.[edit] Related links
[edit] References
da:Kapel de:Kapelle (Kirchenbau) es:Capilla eo:Kapelo fr:Chapelle it:Cappella lb:Kapell lt:Koplyčia li:Kapel nl:Kapel (gebouw) ja:チャペル no:Kapell nrm:Capelle pl:Kaplica pt:Capela ru:Часовня sk:Kaplnka fi:Kappeli sv:Kapell (byggnad) tr:Şapel
