Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 5.djvu/139

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OF THE MONASTERY OF ST. GALL.
97


There was a second altar to the east of the high altar, and this was dedicated to St. Paul. The sides of the presbytery and the apse were lined with benches[1]. On the steps of the presbytery, to the north and south, are placed altars of St. Benedict and St.Columbanus, each altar having a small enclosure or rail like those of the side aisles[2]. To the west of the steps the choir of the singers, "chorus psallentium," is enclosed by screens that occupy the space of the crossing. This choir has lateral doors, which open into the long passages or gangways that lead, as already described, along the inner sides of the aisles, and terminate in the doors leading to the crypt. Possibly this arrangement was made to facilitate processions, which would thus pass completely round the church, visiting in turn all the altars of the side aisles and circumscribing the confcssionary. It is besides probable that some altars were placed in the crypt which do not appear in the plan.

The choir has also a door in the western screen, and four seats or desks, "formulæ," which are placed so that the singers would turn either to the east or to the west, but it does not appear which.

Westward of the choir another set of screens extends from pillar to pillar, so as to enclose a space which has two doors to the west[3]. In the western part of this enclosure, and in the central line of the nave, is placed the pulpit, "ambo" of a circular form; and against the eastern or choir screen, on each side of the choir door, is an amalogium, or reading desk. These are inscribed "analoqia ad legendum."

At the west end of the church there is an altar to St. Peter, in the middle of the apse, and a seat runs round the concavity[4]. But neither in this apse or in the eastern one is the usual pa- triarchal throne indicated. The platform of this apse is raised

    ment offices and for the preservation of the convent library. A complete list of the abbots to A.D. 1530, by J. Vadianus, is given in G. p. L50.

  1. ↑ The altar of St. Paul is distinguished by the following line — "Hic Pauli dignos muani relehramiis honores."
  2. ↑ Charlemagne obtained from Pope Adrian two teachers of the Gregorian chant, one of whom, named Romanus, was detained at St. Gall on his road to Metz by sickness, and remained there teaching the monks. At Rome it seems that they had a certain desk fixed in the church, upon which the genuine antiphonarium was deposited for the inspection of all persons. Accordingly a similar desk or "cantarium," as it was called, was set up in the church of St. Gall, under the direction of Romanus, about the altar of the Apostles, and upon this was deposited the authentic copy of the antiphonarium which he had brought with him from Rome. — Ekke- hardi minimi de Vit. B. Notkeri, cap. ix. G. 359.
  3. ↑ This enclosed space has the inscription "Hic evangeliacæ recitatur lectio pacis" in the midst between the analogia and the ambo.
  4. ↑ This altar has the line "Hic Petrus ecclesiæ pastor sortiur honorem," and the apse is inscribed "exedra."
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