Martyrium (architecture)

The Martyrion, even martyrdom (Greek, Latin, plural Martyria, dt agony, diploma) is a building or part of a building to a place that was or is to the life or the relic of a martyr in close relationship. These places can be graves, grave churches, crypts and mausoleums. They are mainly located in Palestine, Syria, Armenia, Asia Minor and other areas of the Christian West. Among the most famous Martyria include the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem, the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

Buildings

The term Martyrion be assigned no uniform building type, but can be found in early Christian architecture initially mainly detached or attached to basilicas central buildings, in the middle of the actual place of worship is prominent examples of this are the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem or the grave of the Apostle Phillip in Hierapolis (Asia Minor). In medieval churches, there is often a crypt under the choir, in the west wall of the choir stairs one or more vault -like niches are recessed, which were sealed with grids or still are. In the choir levels are frequently found slit- like openings through which one could see into these niches or can. These niches contained in the Middle Ages, the relics of the church, valuable items for the celebration of worship and also sculptures of saints. These niches or the entire crypt formed the Martyrion. It always burned candles, and the faithful could venerate the saints directly in the crypt. When the crypt was closed for safety reasons, the faithful could take up to the relics through the openings in the stairway contact.

Examples can be found in the French churches of Notre- Dame d' Orcival, St- Saturnin (Puy -de- Dôme), St- Austremoine d' Issoire and Notre -Dame- du- Port de Clermont -Ferrand.

Very rarely was the apse the Martyrion. In such cases it was in the wall of a " fenestella " a small opening through which the faithful the relics, which were exhibited in the apse, could be close. See Church of Civaux.

St- Austremoine d' Issoire, crypt, floor plan

Civaux, choir, former " fenestella "