Early Christian Architecture

General Influences, Architectural Character, Parts of a Basilican Church, Examples; Baptisteries, Tombs, Basilican Churches. based from handout produced by Ar. Vicente Sanchez in preparation for S.Y. 2023-24. University of Santo Tomas College of Architecture.

Judaea

An eastern province of the Roman Empire where Christianity is born

St Peter, St Paul and other missionaries

who carried Christianity to Rome

Roman Art

Early Christian Architecture was influenced by existing __________

Basilican Churches

 the ruins of Roman buildings often provided the quarry to build ___

small

Modification of styles depended on climatic conditions where hotter climates necessitated _____ windows

Byzantium

Constantine changed the capital of the Empire from Rome to ________.

Constantine

who was a lifelong pagan who was baptized against his will on his deathbed, is generally understood as the first Christian emperor of the Roman world.

Basilica

The _______  is a part of an ancient Roman forum on which Early Christian church designs were based.

Early Christian Basilica

was a place for Christian worship and erected over the burial place of a saint.

clerestory

The high nave wall is called the ________ and pierced with windows to admit light. Windows and arcades are spanned by semi-circular arches. 

rubble; concrete; plaster; brick; stone

Walls: Walls are _____ or ________ faced with _____, _____ or _____. 

king and queen post trusses

Roof: The structure system of church timber roofs employed the simple _____________________.

Columns; Capitals

Columns: ________ and _________ from Old Roman Buildings were used in this Architectural Style.

Basilican

Columns: _________ churches are impressive and dignified by the long perspective of columns.

Purely for decoration

Colorful mosaic gave richness to the interior. They were used ______________ rather than as a pictorial explanation

Atrium

Parts: open forecourt surrounded by arcades

Narthex

Parts: located between the atrium and the church, was used by penitents.

Nave

Parts: seating area for the worshippers.

Aisles

Parts: located on both sides of the nave.

Cancelli or Chancel

Parts: low screen wall enclosing the choir.

Ambo or Pulpit

Parts: place where the priest reads the gospel and delivers the homily.

Transept

Parts: side projections of the church.

Bema

Parts: raised platform on the altar

Altar

Parts: place where the priest officiates the mass.

Baldachino

Parts: erected on columns over the altar.

Apse

Parts: is a circular termination of the church.

Arch of Triumph

Parts: located above the altar and before the apse, glorifying the Kingdom of God in a beautiful mosaic.

Rome

Constantine changed the capital of the Empire from ____ to Byzantium.

semi-circular arches

The high nave walls, the clerestory are pierced with windows to admit light. Windows and arcades are spanned by __________________. 

Baptistries

These are separate buildings from the church used only for the sacrament of baptism during Easter, Pentecost, & Epiphany.

Easter; Pentecost; Epiphany

the sacrament of baptism is during ______, _________, & ________.

Monumental Tombs

Christian’s objection to cremation led to the building of _______________, which expressed faith in immortality and memorial to the dead.

Catacombs

are networks of subterranean chambers for burial purposes of the early Christians

Catacumbas

The word catacomb was probably derived from the Latin ad ___________, meaning “at the hollows”

Loculi

The Christians were not allowed to bury their dead within the city walls, so they buried them in underground cemeteries. These tombs have recesses for corpses called ______. While the pagans cremated their dead, Christians were forbidden to practice their religion.

Aedicule

a small shrine intended to frame, shelter and honor a holy object.

Pope Marcellinus and Pope Marcellus I

Who are the two popes buried in the Queen of the Catacombs, Catacombs of Priscilla.

Circus of Nero

The site where martyrdom of Christians took place, including St Peter.

St Helen

Constantine’s Mother

Peter of Illyria

Who founded Sta. Sabina, Rome

Santa Sabina

The mother church of the order of preachers (Dominican Order)

 Pope Simplicius

who built Santo Stefano Rotondo

Golgotha and Calvary

Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem was built by Constantine on a site that encompasses both _________ and ________.

Santa Sabina

The mother church of the order of preachers (Dominican Order)

Santo Stefano houses

a series of 33 frescoes depicting gruesome and graphic persecution and martyrdom of Christians.

St. Paul

The basilican church; St. Paolo Fuori Le Mura, Rome was built over the grave of who?

St. Lawrence

The basilican church; St. Lorenzo Fuori Le Mura, Rome was built over the grave of who?

Sta. Maria Assunta

The basilican church; Torcello Cathedral, Venice was dedicated to who?

at the hallows

meaning of the latin word Catacumbas