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tribune

tribune

7 9.9
A half-round area at the front of a church where the bishop sits
  • noun
  • /ˈtrɪbjun/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ábside
  • Behind the high altar, located in the large tribune, was a gilded grille that communicated with the nuns' choir beyond the tribune wall.
  • tribune wall

Examples

  • The bishop delivered his sermon from the tribune, which offered a panoramic view of the congregation.

  • During the service, the choir sang from the tribune, enhancing the acoustics of the church.

  • But not before the example of his resolution had converted the tribune Anastasius.

  • On the west wall of the tribune is a monumental figure of Saint Michael (Fig. 14), over five meters tall.

    Academic text (1991)
  • The artist painted a mural above the tribune to commemorate the church's history and its significance.

Synonyms

apse
vstribune
  • Specialized
2 9.4

A curved area at the end of a church that often holds the altar

is the same space but reserved for the bishop's throne
apsis
vstribune
  • Specialized
9.9

A curved, domed area usually at the east end of a church where the altar stands

is the same recess but meant for the bishop's throne not the altar

How Prelatical

tribune
  • Specialized
7 9.9

Surface Forms

tribune singular
tribunes plural

Etymology

Tribune for the church area comes from the Latin tribuna, a word for a 'raised platform' used by a leader and from tribu- meaning 'tribe' or 'group', like the English word tribe. That's why the church tribune is the high area where the bishop's throne stands above the people.