Transforming Space, (Per)forming Community: Church Consecration in Carolingian Europe
Dana M. Polanichka
Scholarly work on the Carolingian ecclesia, especially in relation to church consecration liturgies, has focused largely ecclesia's spiritual and communal meanings rather than its architectural one. This article turns attention physical building order understand how dedication ritual transformed structure into a sacred space. A close reading of early medieval ordines reveals their principal emphasis architecture, while further analysis liturgical texts demonstrates prominence given spatial allowed for creation universal community faithful (that is, ecclesia) within church's walls. Lay presence is then considered determine nature laity's role rite. Ultimately, reexamining interplay between space community, highlights importance placing at center future considerations polity.
Viator