In Roman architecture the principal entrance hall or reception room of a residence; in church architecture an open court, consisting of a large quadrangle, with colonnaded walks on four sides, forming a cloister between the porch and the body of the church, and containing a fountain for washing the hands. Here the first class of penitents congregated to solicit prayers, and here, too, Christians were buried. The covered portion near the church was the narthex, which exists only occasionally now and has been reduced to a narrow inner entrance.
This dictionary contains not only definitions and explanations of every subject in Religion, Scripture, tradition, doctrine, morals, sacraments, rites, customs, devotions and symbolism, but also accounts of the Church in every continent, country, diocese; missions, notable Catholic centers, cities, and places with religious names; religious orders, church societies, sects and false religions. It has brief articles also on historical events and personages, on the Old Testament and New, and on popes, prelates, priests, men and women of distinction, showing what the Church has done for civilization and correcting many errors which have hitherto passed for history.Wikipedia
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