Autel (altar)

Table or table-like construction used by the priest amongst others whilst celebrating mass.
An altar is normally to be found in the chœur (choir) or in a chapelle (chapel).
This very simple altar is to be found in the chapelle castrale (castle chapel) of the castle of Berzé-le-Châtel.

Chapelle castrale - Berzé-le-Châtel

Baptistère (baptistery)

A baptistery is an isolated part of a church containing the baptismal font.
It is obviously used for christenings.
A world famous baptistery can be found in Pisa (Italy), next to the church.
The first picture shows the baptistery Saint-Jean in Poitiers (Vienne 86), the second one the interior of the baptistery in Venasque (Vaucluse 84).

Baptistère Saint-Jean - Poitiers (86)

Baptistère - Venasque (84)

Châsse (chasse)

An often richly decorated box or casket containing a few or all mortal remains of a Saint.
If it just contains a few small remains (the heart, a nail) one uses the word reliquaire (reliquary).
In the casket the remains of Saint-Philibert in the abbatiale (abbey church) in Tournus.

Saint-Philibert - Tournus

Christ en gloire (Christ in Glory)

Depiction of Christ surrounded by a gloire (aureola).
These pictures seem to be engrafted onto the Christ Pantocrator in Byzantine iconography.
This fresque (fresco) is to be found in the Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption in Gourdon.
See also Christ en majesté (synonym), gloire, majesté and mandorle.

Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption - Gourdon

Christ en majesté (Christ in Majesty)

Depiction of Christ surrounded by a gloire (aureola).
These pictures seem to be engrafted onto the Christ Pantocrator in Byzantine iconography.
This fresque (fresco) is to be found in the Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption in Gourdon.
See also Christ en gloire (synonym), gloire, majesté and mandorle.

Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption in Gourdon

Christianisation (Christianization)

The often massive conversion to Christianity of pagan tribes.
Of major importance for the Christianisation of western Europe was the conversion of the Frankish king Clovis I (around the year 500).

The Christianisation of Poland (Matejko) - Wikipedia

Confession (relekwieënruimte ©)

The translation in the title is followed by this sign ©; this means that it has been "invented" by me.

Small space or crypte (crypt) where reliques (relics) of a saint or martyr are kept.

Gloire (Glory)

An aureole surrounding Christ's body.
In the picture a fresque (fresco) in the abside (apse) of the Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption in Gourdon.
See also Christ en gloire, Christ en majesté, majesté and mandorle.

Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption - Gourdon

Maître-autel (main altar)

The most important altar in a church.
The main altar is located in the chœur (choir) and is used by the priest for a variety of services (wedding, Eucharist, etc.).
The various chapelles (chapels) in a church have autels secondaires (secundary altars).
The picture shows the main altar in the Sacré-Cœur in Paray-le-Monial.

Sacré-Cœur - Paray-le-Monial

Majesté (Majesty)

A depiction of Christ, the Virgin Mary or a saint in which the artist has emphasized the holy and sacred character of the depicted.
In the picture a fresque (fresco) in the abside (apse) of the Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption in Gourdon.
See also Christ en gloire, Christ en majesté, gloire and mandorle.

Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption - Gourdon

Mandorle (mandorla)

An oval, almond shaped aureole surrounding the body of Christ.  
This ceiling painting can be found in the chœur (choir) of the Saint-Ferréol in Curgy.
See also Christ en gloire, Christ en majesté, gloire en majesté.

Saint-Ferréol - Curgy

Nimbe (nimbus, halo)

An aureole surrounding the face of a saint.
The picture shows a saint with halo on a fresque (fresco) in the Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption in Gourdon.

Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption - Gourdon

Orientation (orientation)

Orientation means that the axis of the church, from the western entrance to the eastern chœur (choir) is facing the astronomical east (towards the orient).
The abside (apse) is the extreme eastern part of the church.

Orientation - internet

Plan bénédictin (Benedictine plan)

Plan of a church whereby the church as well as the chapelles (chapels) which are accessible from the chœur (choir) and those accessible from the transept are orientated towards the east.
The plan of the Eglise de la Sainte-Trinité, Sainte-Croix et Notre-Dame in Anzy-le-Duc was found on the internet, from the "Description et photos d'églises romanes du Brionnais".

Plan bénédictin - internet

Reliquaire (reliquary)

An often richly decorated container holding the remains of a saint.
The whole or almost the whole corpse of a saint is normally stored in a châsse (chasse).
Small singular parts (heart, nails) are normally kept in a smaller container, the reliquaire.
The box in the picture contains the remains of Saint-Philibert (Saint-Philibert in Tournus).

Saint-Philibert - Tournus

Relique (relic)

Part of a body of a saint (a nail, the heart, a bone), or something that belonged to a saint (e.g. a shroud).
In the picture the remains (bones, pieces of flesh) of various Saints (amongst others Saint-Martin) in the Saint-Martin in Cressy-sur-Somme.

Relique - Cressy-sur-Somme

Rotonde (rotunda)

A circular space in the heart of a church, meant to facilitate processions of big groups of pilgrims.
The picture shows the interior of the Chiesa di Santo Stefano Rotondo in Rome; the plan of Viollet le Duc (Wikipedia) underneath shows the rotunda in the crypte (crypt) of the Saint-Bénigne in Dijon.

Chiesa di Santo Stefano Rotondo - Rome

Rotonde - Wikipedia

Sanctuaire (sanctuary)

Sacré-Cœur - Paray-le-Monial

Séraphin (seraph)

Hybrid beings (human or animal) provided with three pairs of wings, guarding God's throne.
They are the top rank of angels in the celestial hierarchy.
The picture (Wikipedia) is to be found in the famous book of hours "Petites heures de Jean de Berry": the Lord flanked by two seraphim.

Séraphin - Wikipedia

Tétramorphe (tetramorph)

Symbolic, allegoric representation of the four evangelists.
Matthew is depicted as an angel, John as an eagle, Luke as an ox or a calf and Mark as a lion.
The tetramorph is also referred to as "les quatre vivants" (the four living creatures).
The ceiling of the chœur (choir) of the Saint-Ferréol in Curgy shows the tetramorph: left top Matthew, right top John, right bottom Luke and left bottom Marc.

Saint-Ferréol - Curgy