History of Church Pews

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This is a rather specific and somewhat odd question, but would anyone be able to explain why in many 19th century churches the pews are elevated (usually on a wooden platform) about 1-2 inches above the aisles? http://static1.squarespace.com/stat...85551589/2-Old+St+Marys+Facing+Altar-Edit.jpg"/>

Hopefully you can see what I am talking about in this picture of Old St. Mary’s Church here in Cincinnati. Any (name removed by moderator)ut is appreciated.

Pax.
 
catho_o_dox said:
This is a rather specific and somewhat odd question, but would anyone be able to explain why in many 19th century churches the pews are elevated (usually on a wooden platform) about 1-2 inches above the aisles?
Hopefully you can see what I am talking about in this picture of Old St. Mary’s Church here in Cincinnati. Any (name removed by moderator)ut is appreciated.

Pax.
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The Shrine of Saint Joseph in St. Louis has pews up on a platform, like the church in your photo. It was explained in the documentary that back in the 1860’s when the pews were installed the heating was not very good and it was warmer to sit up on a platform.

There is an AMAZING, beautiful 6 part documentary on the Shrine of Saint Joseph in Saint Louis that tells of the history, architecture, miracles, dedicated people…and murder. And shows breath taking photos of the restored Church and some interesting stories too. You may need to keep some tissue handy when watching.youtube.com/watch?v=YdIQf4GEZIc
 
JimG said:
For most of Church history, there were no pews.
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I found Fr. Rutler’s article irritating at best and near-offensive at worst. He came perilously close to branding pews as pagan. I have seen Fr. Rutler speak on TV and to my way of thinking he has a very, uh, precious sense of liturgical aesthetics drawn from his (very) High Anglican background. And while damning pews (“lounging” was one term he used) as inconsistent with worship, he said not a word about kneeling, surely a precious Catholic tradition that is most consistent with worship and which is at least facilitated by the current usage of pews. With lifespans twice what they were when the dreaded pews were introduced, it would seem that a far greater aged population with infirmities of one type of another is less important to him than his aesthetic attachment to an open vista of an empty floor.
 
I generally appreciate Rutler’s expounding on various issues or subjects. I know from pictures that the big churches in Rome don’t have permanent pews.

My pet peeve is against people talking in church, of which I know Rutler does not approve. I wonder if the “not talking” is a rule in canon law or some other official teaching of the Church.

Let’s not forget that the early Church met in homes, where there may have been limited seating available. I have seen pews in photos of modern synagogues, but I don’t know if they call them pews.

to be nostalgic for not having pews, one has to also recall that pews are expensive to manufacture, and were probably not higher priority than taking care of widows and orphans, as scripture directs.
 
Can I just say that that is a right gorgeous church in the OP’s photo? I wish we had more churches like that in my diocese.
 
Does anyone know the answer to the OP’s question, why the pews are on a raised platform and not directly on the floor?
 
TimothyH said:
Does anyone know the answer to the OP’s question, why the pews are on a raised platform and not directly on the floor?
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I gave an answer in post #2 : Back when some of these old churches were built the heating was not very good and it was warmer to sit up on a platform.
 
zab said:
I gave an answer in post #2 : Back when some of these old churches were built the heating was not very good and it was warmer to sit up on a platform.
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Kind of the opposite I’ve seen in many churches today where the aisles are raised up and carpeted and the pews are slightly lower and on concrete/hard floor base.
 
It makes sense that it is for warmth since the old churches around here don’t have raised pews since it is not that cold in the winter. A church that I saw in Germany that was built recently had the pews raised. That church is very beautiful, they should build more churches like that.
 
Padres1969 said:
Kind of the opposite I’ve seen in many churches today where the aisles are raised up and carpeted and the pews are slightly lower and on concrete/hard floor base.
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Guess it depends on where you live. A cooler floor would be nice in places that do not get such cold winters.
 
I’m thinking now (versus earlier in the day) that the floor was elevated for practical reasons related to construction. It may have been difficult to attach the pews directly to a concrete floor, or whatever sub-base they were using. They may have not had concrete anchors like are available today.

In my parish’s 1950 era church, an additional architectural feat was accomplished. The church was built on a level ground, but you have to climb 7 steps at the main entrance, versus one step at the side entrances. The floor slopes upward towards the rear of the church, so that people sitting in the back pews have a little more advantage to see the action up in the sanctuary.

No one has ever referred to this as an optical illusion.But, after more than 50 years of attending Mass in this church, it is obvious to me that the stained glass windows are lower, with respect to the floor, at the back of the church, than they are at the front pews – yet the windows are all level with each other. There is no outward evidence that the floor of the church is so sloped downward.

As I usually sit in the front pews, my attention has not been distracted to this downward slope. I’m going to have to take a closer look the next time I go there.
 
zab said:
I gave an answer in post #2 : Back when some of these old churches were built the heating was not very good and it was warmer to sit up on a platform.
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Thanks. I didn’t see your post.

Gotta believe that there is more to it than that tho. Not trying to challenge, just wondering if there is more too it, that’s all.
 
TimothyH said:
Thanks. I didn’t see your post.

Gotta believe that there is more to it than that tho. Not trying to challenge, just wondering if there is more too it, that’s all.
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Did you watch the documentary from the link that I posted , where I got the answer from? It is fascinating.
 
sirach2v4 said:
I’m thinking now (versus earlier in the day) that the floor was elevated for practical reasons related to construction. It may have been difficult to attach the pews directly to a concrete floor, or whatever sub-base they were using. They may have not had concrete anchors like are available today.

In my parish’s 1950 era church, an additional architectural feat was accomplished. The church was built on a level ground, but you have to climb 7 steps at the main entrance, versus one step at the side entrances. The floor slopes upward towards the rear of the church, so that people sitting in the back pews have a little more advantage to see the action up in the sanctuary.

No one has ever referred to this as an optical illusion.But, after more than 50 years of attending Mass in this church, it is obvious to me that the stained glass windows are lower, with respect to the floor, at the back of the church, than they are at the front pews – yet the windows are all level with each other. There is no outward evidence that the floor of the church is so sloped downward.

As I usually sit in the front pews, my attention has not been distracted to this downward slope. I’m going to have to take a closer look the next time I go there.
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Is your church located in a forest in Santa Cruz, CA?
 
I’ve been to the “Mystery Spot” in the eastern part of the UP of Michigan. I’ve been to a place like that.

Except that the place is a church, I’d like to take a bowling ball there and see what happens when I set it on the floor.
 
That is a Good question, but all I know is, that it is the way the church,s did that. May be it was for people to sit more comfortable during Mass.
 
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