DICTIONARY OF
EPISCOPAL TERMINOLOGY

Narthex

an enclosed space at the entry end of the nave of a church; the entry porch or vestibule of All Saints' Chapel: "The ushers will line up in the Narthex."

Nave

the main part of a church; the place where the congregation sits. Derived from an old word for ship; in older churches the beams of the roof resembled the beams and timbers in the sides of a ship.

Ordination

a speical service for inducting a person into holy orders; the ritual that makes a person a priest or minister.

Otey Parish

originally St. Paul's On the Mountain; the Episcopal parish church of Sewanee; also know as Otey Memorial Parish in honor of Bishop Otey.

Owning Dioceses

the twenty-eight Episcopal dioceses in Provinces IV, V, and VII that own the University of the South; it is from these dioceses that the majority of University Trustees are elected.

Pace

a small aisle or passage way off the main nave aisle in a church; the nave seats in All Saints' are divided on each side by a pace.

Palm Sunday

the Sunday before Easter. In an Episcopal Church, members of the congregation carry real palms during the service; in some churches, the tradition is that palms from one year are saved, dried and later burned to make the ashes used at the next year's Ash Wednesday service.

Parish hall/house

a gathering place for a local congregation separate from the church building.

Parish

the group of people of a certain area who are organized into a local church; sometimes the word also refers to the geographic region around a church. In the South many of the present-day counties were once referred to as parishes [as is still the case in Louisiana]; mostly a reference to the local congregation.

Parson

now rare in Episcopal usage. Any priest or minister; often a reference to low-church or non-Episcopal clergy. Sometimes a term of affection for an older clergyman especially of rural background.

PB

Presiding Bishop, as in "the PB is coming to Sewanee"=the Presiding Bishop [of the Episcopal Church] will be on campus for a visit

Peace, The

also known as Passing the Peace; a ritual in the Episcopal Church in which members of the congregation, including the clergy, greet one another. The priest says, "The Peace of the Lord be always with you." The congregation responds, "And also with you." Immediately after these words people shake hands or speak or sometimes embrace in the church.

PECUSA

initials of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America

Pension Fund

the Church Pension Fund; the retirement program for clergy and other church workers of the Episcopal Church

Prayer Book

a short way of referring to the Book of Common Prayer, the worship book of the Episcopal Church containing services, psalms, prayers, etc.

Presiding Bishop

the elected episcopal head of the Episcopal Church in America [PECUSA]; the chief administrator and spiritual head of the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church does not refer to its head bishop as an archbishop.

Priest

a special term for the minister of a Roman Catholic or Episcopal or Orthodox church; originally the term mean someone who performed a sacrifice; later the term referred to those who said Mass; now often synonymous with minister although the older terminology is still familiar in some churches.

Procession

the line of choir, clergy, acolytes, crucifer, torchbearers and others walking into a church to begin a service.

Province

one of the major organizational divisions of the Episcopal Church; a group of dioceses usually under the parliamentary direction of a diocesan bishop who serves as president of the province. Tennesee is in Province IV of the Episcopal Church; the owning dioceses of the University are in Provinces IV, V, and VII.

Pulpit

a raised platform with railing used for the sermon or homily; generally located to one side [usually the right side facing the altar] of the front of the nave, not in the center as in most protestant churches.

Purple

this color [or some shade of violet] in vestments usually indicates that the wearer is a bishop.

Quiet Day

usually Ash Wednesday; a day of prayer and meditation often in conjunction with a retreat: The School of Theology is on Quiet Day at St. Mary's.

Reader

anyone who reads a lesson, psalm or prayer in a service. Lay persons may read any lesson but the Gospel reading is usually done by an ordained person.

Recession

a procession out of a church.

Rector

the priest or minister of a local church or parish; the head priest of a parish.

Rectory

the residence of a rector; the place where an Episcopal minister lives.

Red Book

see Church Annual.

Regent

a member of the Board of Regents of the University; there are eighteen Regents: three bishops, three presbyters, and six lay--twelve in all--elected directly by the Board of Trustees; there are also six other regents nominated by the Board of Regents and confirmed [not elected] by the Board of Trustees.

Requiem

a funeral service or memorial service. Sometimes the word is preceded by the word 'solemn': Solemn Requiem. Sometimes the word is preceded by 'high': High Requiem--which only indicates that portions of the service will be sung or chanted. A High Requiem Mass is a funeral service with communion and singing of parts of the service.

Reredos

[rear-re-doss] any decoration behind or above an altar; may be in the form of statues, screens, or tapestries.

Reverend Doctor

and ordained person [hence Reverend] who also holds some degree at the doctorate level [hence Doctor]--a way of referring to a priest who was also a professor or to a priest who held an honorary doctorate; a bishop who held a doctorate would be referred to as the Right Reverend Doctor.

Reverend Father

an affectionate, devotional or pietistic way of referring to a priest who accepted the term Father.

Reverend Mr./Mrs./Ms.

see Mr./Mrs./Ms.

Rite One

a portion of the Book of Common Prayer which contains worship services using the older language of the 1928 edition of the prayerbook; sometimes the phrase "Rite One" is used as a derogatory reference to older or more "conservative" Episcopalians: "He is a Rite One type."

Rite Two

a portion of the Book of Common Prayer containing worship services which use more modern language.

Sacristan

liturgical assistants who have charge of sacred vessels, vestments, etc.

Sacristy

the room near the altar where priests vest for the service; the room where the communion vessels and vestments are kept.

Sanctuary

the portion of a church at the head of the chancel around the altar; the space immediately around the altar. Sometimes used to refer to the whole interior of the church, but this is not the usual Episcopal usage.

School of Theology

the graduate division of the University of the South consisting of the Seminary [residential] and the Extension Program [non-residential].

See

generally Roman Catholic usage referring to the ecclesiastical residence of a bishop; occasionally used by Episcopalians

Seminarian

a student in a seminary; a student in residence in a school of theology.

Seminary

a residential academic program for the study of theology.

Senior Warden

the chairman of the vestry; the lay person who heads the governing board of the local church.

Sewanee Theological Review

the theological journal published by the School of Theology

Sexton

an older English title for the person in charge of the church building [or a special portion of it] and grounds; in America the Sexton is also commonly head of maintenance and custodial services and may perform additional duties such as ringing the church bell.

"Smells & Bells"

a way of describing a "high" church; a church that frequently uses incense, bells, candles, chimes, vestments all together in worship services.

SPCK

Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge; one of the oldest missionary organizations of the Anglican Church. SPCK specializes in publications and other media for promoting Christian knowledge. The North American office of SPCK is located in Hamilton Hall at the School of Theology.

St. Andrews-Sewanee School

an Episcopal middle and high school created in 1981 out of the merger of the old Sewanee Military Academy and St. Andrew's School.

St. Luke's Cross

the distinctive cross and circle given to graduates of the School of Theology. See Crossing.

St. Luke's Journal

the earlier name of the Sewanee Theological Review.

St. Luke's

St. Luke's Hall, the site of the School of Theology until the move to the old Academy site at Hamilton Hall. Sometimes the School of Theology is still referred to as "St. Luke's". St. Luke's Hall is now used as office, classroom, and dormitory space for the College.

St. Mary's Retreat & Conference Center

the former St. Mary's school property now operated as a place for meetings and retreats; located off the Sherwood Road about three miles from Sewanee; sometimes used by the University for faculty, staff, or Regent retreats: "The faculty-Regent study group is meeting at St. Mary's."

Stole

a long, narrow strip of cloth worn around the neck of the priest and allowed to hang down the front of the clerical vestments; some stoles are decorated with diocesan or school insignia near the lower ends.

Suffragan

see Bishop, Suffragan.

Surplice

a white over-garment worn over other vestments; somewhat longer and fuller than a cotta; always worn by the priest when celebrating the eucharist.

Torch [Torch Bearer]

a person who carries a candle in a religious procession; often the Crucifer is followed by two "Torches"--two persons each carrying a candle mounted on a short staff.

Trinity, The

a fundamental symbol of the Christian faith and a very important doctrine in catholic Christianity; the Trinity refers to the oneness and essential unity of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Trustee

a member of the Board of Trustees; a trustee may be elected from an owning diocese or from the Associated Alumni, the Faculty, or the Student Body; all bishops of owning dioceses are Trustees; all retired bishops become Honorary Trustees.

Twelve Days of Christmas

the time from December 25th to January 6th, that is from Christmas day to Epiphany. The time from the first Sunday in Advent until Christmas Eve is, properly, Advent; the time from December 25th to January 6th is the Christmas season or the "Twelve Days of Christmas."

Twenty-eight Book

a way of referring to the edition of the Book Of Common Prayer approved by the Episcopal Church in 1928; a version of the prayerbook which retained older forms of language; sometimes the phrase is shortened with reference to the persons who prefer this prayerbook and they are referred to a "twenty-eighters." This was the prayerbook in use in the Episcopal Church until 1981; it was used at the eight o'clock All Saints' service until the late 1980's.

University, Officers

the Chancellor is the ceremonial head of the University and presides over all public functions [convocations, commencement, etc.]; the Chancellor is also the President and Chair of the Board of Trustees. The Vice-Chancellor is the chief administrative officer who presides over all internal matters of the University; the Vice-Chancellor is the President of the University. The Chairman of the Board of Regents is the Chair of the elected Executive Committee [the Regents] of the Board of Trustees which supervised the administration of the University; the Chairman of the Board of Regents is always a Regent.

Venerable

see Archdeacon.

Verger

an older usage for someone who carries a mace or ceremonial staff in procession; vergers sometimes also had responsibility for the condition of the interior of a church.

Very Reverend, The

a form of address for clergy who hold the office of dean in a church or school: the dean of a cathedral would be referred to as "The Very Reverend John H. Martin, Dean of Trinity Cathedral". See also Dean.

Vestments

clothing worn by people who lead the services of a church; clothing worn by clergy. [The clothing worn by monks and nuns is usually called a 'habit'; the clothing worn by choir members is usually called a `robe'; the clothing worn by professors is usually called a `gown'.] Colors used in some vestments are changed during the year to indicate the seasons of the church year. Vestments are usually styled by cut and color to indicate whether a person is a deacon, presbyter, or bishop. Bishops' vestments for instance include a purple shirt.

Vestry

governing board of a local Episcopal church consisting of lay members, much like the board of deacons in a Baptist church; the group that usually makes basic decisions about church budget, building plans, etc. Usually headed by a Senior Warden assisted by a Junior Warden who often follows the Senior Warden in office.

Vicar

an older English term referring to a priest in charge of a vicarage--a small parish; usually such priests were substituting for the "official" or assigned priest; sometimes but not often used by American Episcopal clergy.

Votive candle

a devotional candle placed in a church or chapel; many votive candles are placed in All Saints' for the Festival of Lessons and Carols. Votive candles are often small, short candles in a special glass holder.

Wafer

the bread part of the Lord's Supper; often an unleavened, thin cracker; sometimes the wafer is imprinted with a cross; some wafers are large, being several inches in diameter.  Also the surname of a typically fine Trinity family.

Wine

the beverage portion of communion symbolizing the blood of Christ; equivalent to the grape juice used in some protestant churches. Communion wine is fermented grape juice and is therefore alcoholic.