The Secrelariunz, or Diaconicum, was a building in which all the property belonging to the church, such as vestments, vessels, offerings, &c., were deposited when not in use, and whence they were carried into the church when required. it was called diaconicum from the fact of the deacons having charge of all matters contained therein.
Another outbuilding was the Library, as we learn from Eusebius, who tells us that he was greatly indebted to that founded by Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem, in procuring materials for the compilation of his history; and Julius Africanus is said to have founded another at Ousarea. The largest library was probably that belonging to the church of Sta Sophia, Constantinople, which is said to have contained one hundred thousand books, and was burned down by the firing of the city in a proper tumult. That Schools were attached to the church, we may know from what says of Julian, "that, in his youth, he frequented the church, where, in those days, the schools were kept." Amongst the exhcdra are likewise reckoned the mita torium, gazophylacium and pastophoria but of these we know little or nothing.
As regards the decoration of the interior of the church, we may gather, that the walls were sometimes coated with marble, and most frequently adorned with inscriptions of passages of Scripture, or other religions writings appro priately disposed. Thus S. Ambrose speaks of the text, "There is a difference between a wife and a virgin," &e., being written on the walls near the virgins' seats ; Paulinus mentions several passages applied to the same purpose, as do also Sidonius and Apollinaris. The roofs were enriched with mosaic, or what is called lacunary or panel-work, and in this case gilding and colour were employed ; in the church of Sta Sophia is an instance of the former practice, and in that of Constantine at Jerusalem, an example of the latter, where the roof was panelled, and covered with gold. S. Jerome likewise speaks of lacunary golden roofs, walls adorned with marble, pillars with capitals of shining gold, gates inlaid with ivory and silver, and altars set with precious stones and gold. Such was the arrangement and decoration of an early Chris tian church.
We have already considered the question relative to the conversion of heathen temples to the purposes of Christian worship ; but there is yet another building in use amongst the pagans, which lays claim to the same honour, and with some greater show of probability, it is the basilica. The Roman
basilica was the hall of public justice, the court in which, during the early history of that nation, the kings sat to hear and decide the causes of their subjects ; it was, in filet, at that period a royal palace situate in the Forum, whence the name. The word, however. is Greek, and was first applied to the portico in the Athenian Cerandeus immediately beneath the Pnyx ; the custom, as well as the building, was borrowed by the Romans. Such edifices varied in form in dilferent instances, but not to any very great extent, the same disposition seems to have been universally observed and was as follows :— The plan was an oblong, terminated at one, or sometimes both ends, with a semi-eircle ; the semi-circle was occasionally omitted, and sometimes there were two or three of different dimensions, internally the breadth was divided into three— rarely into live—by two or four rows of columns running down the length of the church ; at the extreme end was the semi-circular apse, in the midst of which was the seat of the praetor, whence he administered justice ; this was the tri bunal. On either side of the praetor, but lower down, were the benches for his assessors, the contumviri, and other officers, and all these were separated from the other part of the building by an enclosure of lattice-work, to which was given the name of caneelli. Outside of this screen was a place allotted to the notaries and advocates, the remainder of the building being occupied by the people.
We have here a three-aisled structure, the divisions being formed by two central rows of columns and two outer walls, the columns frequently supporting agallery in the outer divi sions. The central portion was generally lighted from win dows or openings in a wall raised above the columns, thus forming a sort of clere-story. This roof' was invariably of wood, and did not always cover the whole building. For a further description see BASILICA.