The names of churches

Every church has a name.  It may be named after God, like Holy Trinity or Christ Church.  More commonly it is named after a patron saint, like St Mary the Virgin or named after more than one patron saint, such as St Peter and St Paul or All Saints.  The Feast of a church’s Saint or Saints is called the Patronal Festival.  Where the church is named after God, the corresponding Feast is called its Feast of Title.

SUMMARY

1. Most old parish churches are built on the site of an earlier one.  A church, since it is first and foremost God’s House, is built as beautifully as possible to his honour.  That is why many have towers or steeples.

2. Every church is named, either after God (e.g. Holy Trinity or Christ Church); or after one or more Patron Saints, such as St Mary the Virgin or St Peter and St Paul, to whose prayers the church and parish are specially entrusted.

Note

According to Common Worship, if the date of the church’s Dedication is not known it should be observed on the First Sunday in October or the Last Sunday after Trinity. (3)

References

1. Scroll down for a photograph of a preaching cross at Burton Parish Church:
http://www.saintsandstonesriverside.org.uk/stmarys.html

2. Wall, J.C. (1907) An old English parish, London: Talbot.

3. ©The Archbishops’ Council (2000) Common Worship.  Lectionary for Sundays, Principal Feasts and Holy Days, and Festivals.  Festivals.  Dedication Festival. Available from:
http://www.cofe.anglican.org/worship/liturgy/commonworship/texts/lect/festivals/dedication.html  (Accessed 24 August 2010) (Internet).