The Architecture and Liturgy of the Bema in Fourth-To Sixth-Century Syrian Churches

includes index and biblioraphy

The aims of this study The origins of Christian architecture The limestone massif The bema churches Bemata and ambons The bema outside the Christian tradition Problems and methodologies Chapter One: THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS The location of the sites The origins of the bema: early synagogue architecture The distribution of bemata Introduction Martyria Castellana`s hypothesis Who built the bema churches? Architectural considerations Mosaic bemata: location and function The bema throne Archaeological patterns and conclusions Chapter Two: INTERPRETING THE WRITTEN SOURCES The meaning of the word bema Jews, Christians and Manichaeans: elements of a shared tradition Which texts are relevant? The sogitha on the Church of Edessa A metrical homily on Palm Sunday The reception of a bishop in the sixth century (the Ordo quo episcopus urbem inire debet) The Expositio officiorum ecclesiae Conclusion Chapter Three: THE SYRIAN LITURGY WITH REFERENCE TO THE BEMA Reconstructing the Syrian liturgy East and West The evolution of the liturgy The symbolism of the Syrian liturgy The place of the bema in the liturgy The Liturgy of the Hours The Pre-Anaphoral Liturgy Other liturgical rites that mention the bema The archaeological situation The archaeological literature The condition of the monuments Are there any patterns in the archaeological data? Can archaeology help us to understand the liturgy?