The practise of turning toward the east in prayer, a pagan custom adopted by the early Christians who attached to it a new significance, for the East was man's original home, in the East Christ lived on earth, and from the East He will come to judge mankind. Accordingly, they built their churches in "high and open places, facing the light," and buried their dead with feet toward the East. The Apostolic Constitutions directed that churches be erected with the head or apse towards the East, and the custom was universally observed from the 8th century onward, though under Constantine the opposite system was temporarily adopted, as in the basilicas of Saint Peter, Saint John Lateran, and San Lorenzo. Strict adherence to the custom was later made impracticable by the directions of city streets, although there is a Catholic church in Belfast, Ireland, twice as broad as it is long, to conform to the custom.
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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