NARTHEX (Gr. vapOr7E, the name of the plant

See also:

• GIANT (O.E. geant, through Fr. giant, O.Fr. gaiant, jaiant, jeant, med. pop. Lat. gagante—cf. Ital. gigante—by assimilation from gigantem, ace. of Lat. gigas, Gr. yiyas)

giant=

See also:

• FENNEL

fennel, in

See also:

• LAT

Lat. ferula)  , the name applied in architecture, probably from a supposed resemblance in shape to the reed-like plant, to the long arcaded porch forming the entrance into a Christian church, to which the catechumens and penitents were admitted . Some-times there was a second narthex or vestibule within the church, when the outer one was known as the exonarthex . In Byzantine churches this inner narthex formed part of the main structure of the church, being divided from it by a screen of columns . A narthex is found in some German churches, where, however, it had no ritual meaning but was introduced as a western transept to give more importance to the west end . One of the finest examples to be found in England is that of Ely cathedral, where its northern portion, however, was apparently never completed .