The Piazza, Narthex, and Parlor (7/9)
This is the seventh of a nine-part series explaining various aspects of the floor plan of a church. Holy Mother Church has deliberately filled her buildings with great symbolism; this series will introduce some of the many facets involved in designing and building this home for the Immaculata.
NB: These images and renderings are still approximations of the final design. They are meant to give general knowledge and perspective rather than a precise and final version of what will be built.
“The Piazza, Narthex, and Parlor”
By Fr. John Carlisle
Anyone visiting St. Mary’s is typically struck by the following: the frequency of weddings, funerals, and baptisms, the shuffle-style rotation of Sunday Masses, and the consequent absence of after-Mass socializing, so typical of other parishes, and of course, the acute lack of space. It is perhaps easily overlooked that this latter issue of space is not confined to inside the chapel and the parking lot; just ask any family who would bid a final, private farewell to a loved one before their funeral after the casket passes the night in the chapel, but has no suitable location for this. Ask any bridal party who has to assemble in the narrow vestibule as wedding guests squeeze by them into the chapel; ask the large family and relatives who would attend a baptism and face the same constrictions. The current issue of space transcends the actual limits of the chapel’s interior.
The new Immaculata will substantially address these problems by the following features: the piazza, the narthex, and the parlor.
The Piazza
Through the course of centuries, the front entrance of great churches would typically be preceded by a large open area, and commonly, a “piazza,” an Italian word which can be defined as “an open square especially in an Italian town.” Anyone who has visited Rome, for example, cannot help but recall the various and prominent piazzas outside the great basilicas, which form a sort of “town square” in front of the main entrance of the church. Smaller towns and villages in historically Catholic areas likewise feature a village green or plaza-style town square that fronts the main church and around which the town has developed.
The Immaculata will be set behind such a space. This open area before the majestic façade with its flanking bell towers will not only ensure the tranquility and lack of motor traffic in the area leading to the doors, but will also be a natural gathering place for the faithful as they congregate for and emerge from Mass, as well as give the Immaculata an atmosphere of centrality analogous to that of the great churches of Christendom. It will also provide the ideal location for outdoor liturgical ceremonies such as the distribution of Palms and the blessing of the Paschal Fire.
The Narthex
“Narthex” is the traditional name for the portico, or vestibule of a church. Vastly larger than that of the current Assumption chapel, the Immaculata narthex will be far more amenable to the sizable groups that attend ceremonies such as baptisms. It will also generally allow for significantly less congestion and greater flow for the large numbers who will enter and exit the nave.
The Parlor
Annexed to the narthex, the parlor will provide a private location for events like weddings and funerals, where, for example, the bridal party can congregate, or the grieving family can spend the final moments before the funeral with the remains of the loved one.
Conclusion
While the altar, sanctuary, and nave of the Immaculata deservedly stand out in size, beauty, and accommodation of the particular circumstances of St. Mary’s, the preliminary areas through which one will pass to enter the Temple of God are likewise an enormous improvement to the current situation. They have been thoughtfully designed to best meet liturgical and logistical requirements.