CHURCH in Rotundo, that whose plan is a perfect circle, in imitation of the Pantheon.
For the form of the ancient Greek churches, when they had all their parts, it was as follows: first was a porch, or portico, called the vaunt-nave, πρόνοος; this was adorned with columns on the outside, and on the inside surrounded with a wall; in the middle whereof was a door, through which they passed into a second portico. The first of these porticoes was destined for the energumēni, and penitents in the first stage of their repentance; the second was much longer, destined for penitents of the second class, and the catechumens, and hence called νέφος, ferula, because those placed in it began to be subject to the discipline of the church. These two porticoes took up about one third of the space of the church. From the second portico they passed into the nave, ναός, which took up near another third of the church. In the middle, or at one side of the nave, was the ambo, where the deacons and priests read the gospel and preached. The nave was destined for the reception of the people, who here assisted at prayers.
Near the entrance of this was the baptistery or font. Beyond the nave was the choir, χῶρος, set with seats, and round: the first seat on the right, next the sanctuary, being for the chantor, or choragus.
From the choir they ascended by steps to the sanctuary, which was entered at three doors. The sanctuary had three upsides in its length; a great one in the middle, under which was the altar, crowned with a baldachin, supported by four columns. Under each of the small upsides, was a kind of table or cupboard, in manner of a beaufet.
Though, of the Greek churches now remaining, few have all the parts above described, most of them having been reduced to ruins or converted into mosques.
High Church was a denomination originally given to those otherwise called Nonjurors, who refused to ac-
knowledge the title of William III. to the crown of Great Britain, under a notion that James II. though Churchmen excluded, was still their rightful sovereign. This appellation was given them, because they entertained high notions of the dignity and power of the church, and the extent of its prerogatives and jurisdiction. And those, on the contrary, were called low-church-men, who disapproved of the succession and obstinacy of the nonjurors, distinguishing themselves by their moderation towards dissenters, and were less ardent in extending the limits of church authority. The denomination of high-church-men is now more generally applied to all who form pompous and ambitious conceptions of the authority and jurisdiction of the church, and who would raise it to an absolute independence on all human power.