: _the atrium_, or quadrangular court
before the church; on three of its sides surrounded by _cloisters_; in
its centre, the marble _phiale_ or fountain, for the purification of the
gathering worshippers; the _narthex_, a pillared porch along the western
facade, where catechumens and penitents, unworthy to enter the
sanctuary itself, stood afar off; the interior area divided into _nave_
and _aisles_ by lines of columns; the semicircular _apse_ at the eastern
extremity of the nave for altar and clergy; and _galleries_ on the other
sides of the building to provide ample accommodation for large
assemblies of faithful people.

NOTE

Gyllius (_De Top. Constant._ l. iv. c. 9) describes the church as
follows: 'Quod (monasterium) nunc non extat; aedes extat, translata
in religionem Mametanam; in cujus vestibulo sunt quatuor columnae
cum trabeatione egregie elaborata; in interiore parte aedium
utrinque columnae sunt septem virides, nigris maculis velut fragmentis
alterius generis lapidum insertis distinctae, quarum perimeter est
sex pedum et sex digitorum. Denique earum ratio capitulorum,
epistyliorum opere Corinthio elaborata, eadem est quae columnarum
vestibuli. Supra illas sex existunt totidem columnae in parte aedis
superiore. In area aedis Studianae est cisterna, cujus lateritias
cameras sustinent viginti tres columnae excelsae Corinthiae.'

Gerlach (_Tagebuch_, p. 217; cf. pp. 359, 406) describes it under
the style of the church of S. Theodore, for he confounds the monastery
of Studius with that of the Peribleptos at Soulou Monastir: 'Das ist
eine sehr hohe und weite Kirche (wie die unsern); hat zwei
Reyhen Marmel-steiner Saeulen mit Corinthischen Knaeufen (capitellis),
auff einer jeden Seiten sieben; auff deren jeden wieder ein andere
Saeule stehet. Der Boden ist mit lauter buntem von Voegeln und anderen
Thieren gezierten Marmel auff das schoenste gepflaestert.' (This is a
very lofty and broad church (like our churches). It has two rows of
marble columns with Corinthian capitals, on either side seven; over
each of which stands again another column. The floor is paved in the
most beautiful fashion entirely with variegated marble, adorned with
figures of birds and other animals.)

Choiseul Gouffier (_Voyage pittoresque en Grece_, ii. p. 477), French
ambassador to the Sublime Porte (1779-92), speaks of the church in
the following terms: 'Dans l'interieur sont de