Galilee Porch
/ˌɡælɪˈliː ˈpɔːrtʃ/noun
A porch or vestibule at the entrance of some medieval churches, especially one associated with penitents or people not yet admitted fully into the church.
Did you know?At Durham Cathedral, the Galilee Chapel is traditionally associated with penitents and was positioned at the western end, symbolically outside the church’s main sacred space.
Etymological Timeline
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
הַגָּלִיל (ha-Galil)
“The district or circuit; the geographic region later known as Galilee.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Γαλιλαία (Galilaia)
“Galilee, the northern region of ancient Palestine.”
Late Latin
Latin
Galilaea
“Galilee, especially in Christian biblical and liturgical usage.”
Classical Latin
Latin
porticus
“A covered colonnade, porch, or entrance passage.”
Old French
Old French
porche
“A porch or covered entrance, derived from Latin porticus.”
Medieval English
Middle English
galilee porch
“A church porch or vestibule, often linked with penitents, processions, or those awaiting admission.”
Modern English
English
Galilee porch
“A surviving architectural term for a medieval church entrance or vestibule.”