Chancel

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Image:Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church 2007.jpg

Chancel area of Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church, Baltimore, Maryland, USA, with raised level

A chancel is the space around the altar at the east end of a (usually Protestant^{[citation needed]}) church, often enclosed, for use by the clergy. It may terminate in an apse.

As well as the altar, the chancel usually houses the lectern, the pulpit, the credence table, and seats for officiating and assisting ministers. It may also include the choir.

The chancel is typically raised somewhat above the level of the nave, where the congregation gathers. It may be separated from the nave by a rood screen, a rail, or an open space. In some churches, the congregation may gather on three sides or in a semicircle around the chancel.

The word "chancel" derives from the French usage of chancel from a Late Latin word cancelli meaning "lattice".^[1] This refers to the rood screen.

In Roman Catholic and various Orthodox churches, this part of the temple is rather referred to as sanctuary.