bema

bema — noun

1. The raised area in the sanctuary of an Eastern Christian church — such as an Ort

1.名詞C2
釋義

The raised area in the sanctuary of an Eastern Christian church — such as an Orthodox or Byzantine Catholic church — where the altar stands and the clergy perform the liturgy; it is often set apart by a railing or icon screen.

例句

On Easter morning, Father Nikolaos stepped through the icon screen onto the bema for liturgy.

collocation: stepped onto the bema

A carved wooden railing separates the bema from the rest of the congregation.

collocation: separates the bema from

同義詞
  • sanctuary

    broader term used in many Christian traditions for the area around the altar

  • chancel

    the part of a Western church near the altar, reserved for clergy; less specific to Eastern rites

文法句型

the + bema

bema + singular verb

用法筆記

This sense is specific to Eastern Christian traditions (Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Byzantine Catholic churches). The bema is the area behind the iconostasis and should not be confused with the nave or the altar table itself.

常見錯誤

❌The priest stood on the bema in the Catholic church downtown.
✅The priest stood on the bema in the Orthodox cathedral across the river.
💡In Western (Roman Catholic) churches, the term for this area is usually 'sanctuary' or 'chancel', not 'bema'.

2. A raised platform in a Jewish synagogue, positioned in the centre or near the fr

2.名詞C2
釋義

A raised platform in a Jewish synagogue, positioned in the centre or near the front, from which the Torah scroll is read aloud during services and where the person leading the prayer stands.

例句

Noor walked up to the bema to read from the Torah at her bat mitzvah.

collocation: walked up to the bema

Rabbi Cohen stood on the bema and invited families to share their Rosh Hashanah wishes.

collocation: stood on the bema

同義詞
  • bimah

    alternative spelling derived directly from Hebrew; more common in modern Jewish contexts

  • almemar

    older term used in some traditional communities, from Arabic al-minbar 'pulpit'

文法句型

the + bema

bema + singular verb

用法筆記

Also spelled bimah (from Hebrew בִּימָה). This is the standard term across all Jewish denominations — Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform alike. In Sephardic and some Orthodox communities the bema is placed in the centre of the synagogue rather than at the front.

常見錯誤

❌The bimah is the cabinet where the Torah scrolls are stored.
✅The bimah is the platform where the Torah is read; the cabinet is called the ark (or aron kodesh).
💡Be careful not to confuse the bema / bimah (reading platform) with the ark (the closet that holds the scrolls when not in use).