It is most certain (writes the learned Thiers) that in the three first
centuries there were churches, that is to say, places set apart for the
faithful to meet in prayer and assist at the holy sacrifice; but we have
no record respecting the internal arrangements of those places, which
often were mere rooms in private houses, hence it is impossible to say
whether any separation existed in them between the people and the clergy.
But from the time of Constantine's conversion, it is beyond doubt that
the choirs were divided off from the other portion of the church by
veils or screens. Eusebius describes the choir of the Church of the
Apostles, erected by Constantine at Constantinople, as enclosed by
screens, or trellis-work, marvellously wrought.—"Interiorem ædis partem
undique in ambitum circumductam, _reticulato opere_ ex ære et auro
affabre facto convestivit."
The same writer thus speaks of the choir of the Church of Tyre, built
and consecrated by the Bishop Paulinus:—"Porro sanctuario hoc modo
absoluto et perfecto, thronisque quibusdam in altissimo loco ad Præsidum
ecclesiæ honorem collocatis, et subselliis præterea undique ordine
dispositis, decore eximieque exornato, altarique undique tanquam Sancto
Sanctorum in medio sanctuarii sito, ista rursus, ut a plebe et
multitudine eo non posset accedi, cancellis ex ligno fabricatis
circumdedit, qui adeo artificiosa solertia ad summum elaborati sunt, ut
mirabile spectaculum intuentibus exhibeant."
The emperor Theodosius divides the church into three parts:—"Sacro
sanctum Altare _Cancellis Clausum_, quadratum Templi oratorium murorum
ambitu circumseptum, et locum residuum usque ad ecclesiæ fores
exteriores." And St. Paulinus, Bishop of Nola, describes three doors in
the screens of the Church of St. Felix.
Trinaque Cancellis currentibus ostia pandunt.
Among the decrees of the Second Council of Tours, in 557, it is ordered
that lay persons are not to enter the chancel which is divided off by
screens, except to receive the holy communion:—"Ut Laici secus altare,
quo sancta mysteria celebrantur, inter Clericos, tam ad vigilias, quam
ad Missas, stare penitus non præsumant; sed pars illa _quæ a Cancellis
versus Altare dividitur_, Choris tantum psallentium pateat Clericorum.
Ad orandum vero et communicandum laicis et feminis, sicut mos est,
pateant Sancta Sanctorum."
St. Germanus, patriarch of Constantinople, thus explains the intention
and meaning of the choir screens:—"Cancelli locum orationis designant,
quojusque extrinsecus populus accedit. Intrinsecus autem sunt Sancta
Sanctorum solis Sacerdotibus pervia. Sunt autem revera ad piam memoriam
_Cancelli ænei_,[5] nequis simpliciter et temere ingrediatur."
The space enclosed by these screens in those churches where the aisles
extended round the choir was entered by three double gates, those to the
west, at the lower end of the choir, were called "the holy doors," the
others were placed between the choir and the sanctuary, on the epistle
and gospel sides. But in smaller churches, where the chancel alone forms
the eastern extremity, there was only one pair of gates, or holy doors,
at the west, and this most ancient arrangement has continued down to the
present day, even in churches that have been fitted up with modern iron
railings.
From the authorities above quoted, which are some cited by Father
Thiers, in his treatise, Sur le Cloture des Chœurs, it will be seen that
open screens existed from the earliest erection of churches, and that
they were composed of wood or metal, most frequently brass. This style
of enclosure prevailed universally in all classes of churches till the
end of the twelfth century, when, in the cathedral and collegiate
churches, they were altered into solid walls, in the manner and for the
reasons before described in the introduction to this work.
In the "Constitutions" of the great St. Charles Borromeo, which were of
course subsequent to the Council of Trent, are the following interesting
decrees relative to the enclosure of altars:—