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, Slovakia ]] (illustrated) and Palatine Chapel In Aachen are two most famous Palatine Chapel s of Europe.]] tradition, the chapels were built underneath city gates, where most people could visit them. The most famous example is the Iberian Chapel .]] A chapel is a holy place or area of Worship , sometimes small and attached to a larger institution such as a large Church , a Synagogue , a College , a Hospital , a Palace , a Prison or a Cemetery , sometimes large and unattached to another building. Architecturally, a chapel may be a part of a large church set aside for some specific use or purpose: for instance, Gothic cathedrals typically have a "Lady Chapel" in the apse, dedicated to Mary; parish churches may have a "Blessed Sacrament Chapel" attached to the main church where the Eucharist is kept between services. In the Catholic Canon Law a chapel, technically called an "oratory," is a space dedicated to the celebration of services, particularly Mass, which is not a parish church. This may be a private chapel, for the use of one person or a select group (a bishop's private chapel, or the chapel of a convent, for instance); a semi-public oratory, which is partially available to the general public (a seminary chapel that welcomes visitors to services, for instance); or a public oratory (for instance, a hospital or university chapel). The word chapel is in particularly common usage in England, and even more so in Wales, for many non-Anglican Protestant church buildings; and in Scotland and Ireland many ordinary Catholic churches are known to locals as "the chapel". Chapels are generally non-denominational when part of a non-religious institution. HISTORY The earliest Christian places of worship are now often referred to as chapels, as they were not dedicated buildings but rather a dedicated Chamber within a building, such as a room in an individual's house. The word "chapel" is derived from a ''capella''). The beggar, the stories claim, was Christ in disguise, and Martin experienced a conversion of heart, becoming first a monk, then abbot, then bishop. This cape came into the possession of the Frankish kings, and they kept the relic with them as they did battle. The tent which kept the cape was called the ''capella'' and the priests who said daily Mass in the tent were known as the ''capellani''. From these words we get the names "chapel" and " Chaplain ". This appears as well in the Irish Language in the Middle Ages, as Welsh people came with the Norman and Old English invaders to the island of Ireland . While the traditional Irish word for church was ''éaglais'' (derived from ''ecclesia'') a new word, ''ceipéal'' (from ''cappella'') came into usage. In English history, "chapel" was formerly the required designation of the churches of Nonconformist faiths, which is to say, any Protestant churches outside of the Established Church Of England . It was a word particularly associated with religious practice in Wales . MODERN USAGE While the usage of the word "chapel" is not exclusively limited to Christian terminology, it is most often found in that context. Nonetheless, the word's meaning can vary by denomination, and non-denominational chapels (sometimes called "meditation rooms") can be found in many hospitals, airports, and even the United Nations headquarters. Common uses of the word chapel today include:
Another usage of the word "chapel", peculiar to some Protestants, is to an event rather than a place. For example, some institutions of learning hold worship services that are referred to simply as "chapel," as in, "I'm going to chapel tonight." NOTABLE CHAPELS .]] .]] SEE ALSO
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