Narthex

November 2003

It seems very strange to be referring to the north porch [the one currently being refurbished not the original porch designed by the architect and now boarded up] by a word that hardly anyone, least of all visitors or those we want to attract into our church, by a name they probably haven’t heard of.

We can surely take a leaf out of Sir Ernest Gowers’ ‘Complete Plain Words’ and use a word which is welcoming and clearly states its function - where we go in! The word ‘porch’ seems to fill this role quite adequately whilst the word ‘Narthex’ is either meaningless to the majority or likely to mean something less than welcoming to those few who have researched further.

John Hawkins has done such research and the results are very interesting. For instance far from being a point of entry and a wel- coming room into the body of the main part of the church building, a narthex was a room in early Christian churches which contained and restricted the movement of those deemed unworthy to enter the main body of the church and join the congregation.

In those early days the narthex could contain catechumens, energumens (demoniacs and others possessed of abnormal mental and physical states or afflicted with un- clean spirits), penitents, Jews, heathens, heretics, schismatics, corpses during funeral rites and, oh yes, women!

Besides John’s research, I found on a quick trawl through the net that there are many references to narthex, and the closing comments of the one from the Catholic Dictionary seems to summarise my feelings very well....

From the Catholic Encyclopedia

With the full development of Gothic it [Narthex] disappeared, its place being taken by the three great western porches or doorways. Properly speaking, the name should have ceased with the function and the so-called narthex of medieval churches and abbeys should justly be called a porch. For the same reason there is no excuse for the recent revival of the word as a designation either of an exterior porch, or an interior vestibule.

Perhaps it could also be explained some- time why we are not using either temporarily during building work, or permanently, the very fine north porch designed by the original architect Fellowes Prynne and which contains some important memorials no longer seen by the congregation.

Peter Green

Further research into the word Narthex

A vestibule or portico stretching across the western end of some early Christian churches or basilicas, divided from the nave by a wall, screen or railing, and set apart for the use of women, catechumens, penitents or other persons. (Oxford English Dictionary. 1989.)

In a Byzantine church, the antechamber to the nave, from which it is separated by columns, rails or a wall. Catechumens, can- didates for baptism, and penitents occupied the narthex. It is to be distinguished from the ‘exonarthex’, or porch, opening on to the street.

(Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 1997.)

The interior narthex, ante-temple within the church (the only part properly so called), was the first section or division of the fab- ric, after entering into the church, and was peculiarly allotted to the women, and used for the offices of rogations, supplications, and night watches. Here likewise they placed the corpses whilst the funeral rites were being performed.

This lower part of the church was the place of the Energumens [demoniacs and others possessed of abnormal mental and physical states, especially insanity] and the Audi- entes [those belonging to the first state of the catechumenate]; and hither Jews, hea- thens, heretics, and schismatics were some- times allowed to come, in hopes of their conversion by hearing the Scriptures read and sermons preached.

This part of the church was called Narthex, because being long, but narrow, and run- ning across the front of the church, it was supposed to resemble a ferula, that is, a rod or staff; for any oblong figure was by the

Greeks called narqhx, Narthex.

(Hook’s Church Dictionary. 1896.)

In early churches, a vestibule which ex- tended transversely across the western end of the building, separated from the nave by a screen or wall. In the Middle Ages it was often set aside for the exclusive use of women and penitents.

(A Companion to the English Parish Church. 1996.)

Long, narrow, enclosed porch, usually col- onnaded or arcaded, crossing the entire width of a church at its entrance. The Narthex is usually separated from the nave by columns or a pierced wall, and in Byzan- tine churches the space is divided into two parts.

(Encyclopedia Britannica. 1997.)

A Narthex is fully conterminous with the western wall of its church; It is long, nar- row and straight. It is for the use of women, penitents, catechumens, Jews, heretics, and the insane.

Having been brought out of retirement, this word might just be seen as a somewhat pretentious, and ultimately mystifying, at- tempt to describe the porch as something rather grand.

(J.M.Hawkins. 2003.)