Talk:Ambon (liturgy)

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I'm trying to make sense of the division line between sanctuary and nave. There's some discussion of this in terms of the whole Pussy Riot controversy. Were they dancing in the nave or the sanctuary? Wikipedia does not seem to be entirely internally consistent on this TMLutas (talk)

The eastern orthodox church architectural nomenclature is quite confusing, this is because the architecture has changed over the centuries, and there is an attempt to shoehorn old terms onto new architectural arrangements. From the photos I've seen of the incident, it occurred in the nave, right before the sanctuary. The division line is the iconostasion itself. There is an attempt to call the slight protruding stylobate of the sanctuary that is past the iconostasion as the "solea" (walkway), but that protrusion is just an accommodation to secure in place the iconostasion and is not required. And, even if we admit to call the stylobate a solea, it would not be part of the area restricted for the clergy. The protruding center step (the bema = raised step) from the sanctuary is not delimited by the iconostasion, so that would be considered part of the sanctuary. (By way of illustration, if the whole iconostasion were removed, then the entire elevated area (including the now sanctuary flooring edge of what was the stylobate) would be part of the sanctuary. I would note that the nave itself is properly restricted only to the faithful, but this is nearly universally unenforced, which is why this incident could occur. Tachypaidia (talk) 19:45, 10 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

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See the picture of the "ancient ambon outside Hagia Sophia": with a surrounding bannister, it resembles a pulpit, not just a plain step between royal doors and holy table. This is not mentioned anywhere in the article. Arminden (talk) 09:23, 22 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]

This needs to be addressed. The ambon is defined here as the platform in which the readings are read, this platform in front of the sanctuary exists in western Christianity, but the readings are read from the Altar traditionally and in Protestantism and in the Catholic Mass of Paul VI the readings are read from the pulpit or lectern.

I am unsure where to go with this. In western Christinaity the ambo is just where the readings are read from without mention of the exact location. Pulpits and lecterns can be considered ambos. Usually there is still a step at the front of the sanctuary but most people would not identify it with an ambo. The Catholic Church does not specifically define the ambo as a having a sides or a reading ledge, but simply as the place the readings are read. A universal definition is needed and changes need to happen on the pulpit article as well to reflect this understanding.

I would think the definition should say something like "elevated, protruding platfom in which readings are read" and then subsequently qualify how steps, lecterns and pulpits can at times qualify as an ambo depending on use within their respective congregations. Magjozs (talk) 13:42, 4 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]