What is the Meaning & Definition of Basilica
The term basilica is derived from the latin and began to popularize it with the Romans, who, in turn, adopted from the Greek (Greek basilica was the rectangular room in which the throne of Kings was located). With the adoption of Christianity to Roman civilization, the term basilica ceased to be used in civilian and acquired its current meaning as building religious (Roman basilicas were intended for commercial activity or as a Hall of Justice).
Input, the use of the word basilica presents a difficulty, because there is not a definition of exact and precise on this type of religious buildings intended for worship. In this way, it is easy to establish some confusion between this term and others similar, for example, Cathedral, Church, Sanctuary or Hermitage. All of them serve a same function and are not mutually exclusive, as its name depends on official consideration to be determined by religious authority (in the case of the Catholic Church, would be the Holy See).
-The floor of the basilica has a shape of parallelogram, presenting a porch at one end and one apse at the other.
-It has a central corridor that is accompanied by columns on both sides, being the roof of the nave of a larger dimension than the adjacent ships.
-The denomination of a church as a basilica depends on the historical and spiritual value given to a church and as a general in most cases criterion each basilica has a holy door, which is only used on special occasions.
-According to the tradition of the Holy See, when a church received the title of basilica there must be some signs or logos that are visible in the temple and proving this distinction (there are three logos: an umbrella of colors known as umbrella basilica, an image of the employer or tintinnabulum, and the coat of arms).
-In the terminology of the Catholic Church a distinction on these buildings: the major basilicas, which are four and are located in the city of Rome (that of San Pedro, San Juan de Laterano, Santa María la Mayor and Sao Paulo) and, on the other hand, the rest of them (also known as minor basilicas).
-All the basilicas are often one-dimensional symbolic and historical (is what happens with the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem, built in the century of our era lV in the place in which it is considered that Jesus Christ was born).
Input, the use of the word basilica presents a difficulty, because there is not a definition of exact and precise on this type of religious buildings intended for worship. In this way, it is easy to establish some confusion between this term and others similar, for example, Cathedral, Church, Sanctuary or Hermitage. All of them serve a same function and are not mutually exclusive, as its name depends on official consideration to be determined by religious authority (in the case of the Catholic Church, would be the Holy See).
General characteristics of the basilicas
From an architectural, religious and historical point of view the basilica has a number of features:-The floor of the basilica has a shape of parallelogram, presenting a porch at one end and one apse at the other.
-It has a central corridor that is accompanied by columns on both sides, being the roof of the nave of a larger dimension than the adjacent ships.
-The denomination of a church as a basilica depends on the historical and spiritual value given to a church and as a general in most cases criterion each basilica has a holy door, which is only used on special occasions.
-According to the tradition of the Holy See, when a church received the title of basilica there must be some signs or logos that are visible in the temple and proving this distinction (there are three logos: an umbrella of colors known as umbrella basilica, an image of the employer or tintinnabulum, and the coat of arms).
-In the terminology of the Catholic Church a distinction on these buildings: the major basilicas, which are four and are located in the city of Rome (that of San Pedro, San Juan de Laterano, Santa María la Mayor and Sao Paulo) and, on the other hand, the rest of them (also known as minor basilicas).
-All the basilicas are often one-dimensional symbolic and historical (is what happens with the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem, built in the century of our era lV in the place in which it is considered that Jesus Christ was born).