Saturday, April 26, 2014

So why is it called a chapel anyway?

Charlemagne had a nice chapel

In the latest of a continuing series of posts beating the topic of chapels to death, today we look at why these funny little churches are called chapels in the first place.  Since we like quizzes around here, we'll give you four choices.  If you pick the right one you will be eligible for an official Inigo Hicks refrigerator magnet, to be distributed by Inigo Hicks himself at the next Inigo Hicks Fan Club Convention.

Choice #1: Chapels are small structures around the main altar of cathedrals, which are usually in the main cities ("capitula") of a district.

Choice #2: Chapels are small structures along the sides of a cathedral where travellers could pray without having to remove their riding britches ("chaparrals").

Choice #3: Chapels are small structures for sheltering the cloak ("capella") of St. Martin of Tours, the soldier-saint, which in olden times the Kings of France would carry into battle.

Choice #4: Chapels are small structures around the sides of a cathedral where the cathedral chapter ("capitulum"), a college of clerics which advises the bishop, meets.

Good luck.  By the way, "Why is it called a chapel?", like "Name that Chapel", is a no holds barred game without rules.   Feel free to consult google, dusty tomes of religious knowledge, and local religious know it alls.

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