Early Christian Architecture: Chapter I

• Chapter I covers Church Architecture, specifically Early Christian Architecture.

Historical Background

• Christian faith centers on the life and teachings of Jesus.
• Christianity evolved from Jewish tradition and was influenced by Roman cultural and political structures for centuries.
• Jesus founded the Christian faith, and the apostle Paul spread the message of Salvation to different countries. Paul's Second Missionary Journey included areas in Asia, Greece and current day Syria.
• Christianity experienced severe persecution, with Emperors Nero, Diocletian, and Decius persecuting Christians.
• Christians were a persecuted minority, forcing them to worship secretly in private houses, catacombs, and underground rooms.
• By the 3rd century, Rome had a population of 50,000 Christians, and the religion was tolerated but still illegal.
• Emperor Diocletian divided the Roman Empire into Eastern (Greek-speaking) and Western (Latin-speaking) halves in 285 AD; this division is known as the Tetrarchy.
• Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman Emperor, legalized Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire, leading to the construction of Christian structures.

Architectural Characters

• With Christianity widely accepted in Rome, architecture had to accommodate worship space needs, which included:
• A path for processional entry and exit of the clergy
• An altar area for the clergy to celebrate mass
• A space for the clergy's segregation from the congregation during procession and communion
• Burial space

Basilican Churches

• Early churches had a simple, functional design focused on Christian Worship.
• Church architecture developed on available Roman forms for new program requirements.
• Many Roman Temples were converted for the new faith, and new churches were built on the model of old Roman Basilicas.
• Early Christians needed places of worship that could be readily constructed with a low cost, suitable for use as a church with little modification, and built quickly.
• The basilica was preferred because of its emphasis on mass participation.
• Most early churches were rectangular halls with timber truss roofs, incorporating features such as:
• Narthex
• Atrium
• Fountain
• Clerestory
• Side aisles
• Nave
• Transept
• Gatehouse

Definitions for Parts of Basilican Churches

• Narthex: A vestibule between the main entrance and the nave of the church, typically at the western end, which is generally colonnaded or arcaded from the nave; it is a specific kind of vestibule that directly leads to the outside.
• Vestibule: A hall or lobby next to the outer door of the church, not necessarily at the front entrance; the narthex is a specific kind of vestibule.
• Aisle: A passage parallel to, and at the side of, the nave, choir, or transept.
• Nave: The central part of the building extends from the main entrance to the transepts or chancel with rectangular shape which holds the main body.
• Clerestory: An upper story of the nave with windows for illumination.
• Crossing: The intersection of the nave and the transepts in a cross-shaped (cruciform) church, forming the junction of the four arms of the cross.
• Bema: Raised platform which originally was used as a stage for clergy or as a podium for orators.
• Transepts: The part(s) of a cross-shaped (cruciform) church at right angles to the nave. Sometimes called colloquially as "the wings".
• Ambo: The stand used for readings, homilies, and Universal Prayer intentions in Roman Catholic Churches, not a pulpit or lectern.
• Altar: The sacred table in a Catholic church where the priest celebrates the Liturgy, set apart from the rest of the church.
• Sanctuary: The "holy place" containing the altar where the service is conducted, distinct from the nave and usually elevated.
• Ambulatory: An aisle behind the altar and sanctuary.
• Apse: A semicircular or polygonal-shaped area, usually at the eastern end of the nave, that may be arched or domed.
• Atrium: A large open space or courtyard in a church that connects the outside world to the church's interior, which was used for rituals.
• Fountain: A fountain or well in the center of the atrium used before entering churches

Examples of Basilican Churches

• Old St. Peter Basilica (Rome, 326-329 AD)
• Santa Maria Maggiore (Rome, 431-440 AD)
• Basilica of the Nativity (Bethlehem, 333 AD)
• Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem, 335 AD)
• San Lorenzo Basilica (Milan, 378 AD)

Baptisteries

• A baptistery is a separate building or dedicated area within the church for baptisms, often standalone or connected to churches.
• Early baptisteries were often built in an octagonal or circular shape symbolizing eternity and unity.
• The baptismal font was typically located in the baptistery's center, decorated with carvings or mosaics.
• Baptisteries often had symbolic architectural elements, such as water imagery, to emphasize baptism's significance.

Examples of Baptisteries

• Lateran Baptistery (Rome, 367 AD)
• Baptistery of San Giovanni: With a circumference of 107.24 metres, and walls measuring 2.63 metres thick at the base, and a height of 54.86 metres, it is the largest baptistery in Italy. The dome is clad with red tiles on the side facing the sea, and with lead sheets to the east.