Lectern

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Lectern in Seattle First Methodist Church.

A wrought-iron lectern in the Abbey of Sant'Antimo, Italy.

Marble lectern in the Baptistry at Pisa, Italy.

Eagle-shaped lectern set up in the quire of Peterborough Cathedral, England.

Marble Lectern in St. John's Church Jhelum Pakistan in memory of 35 British soldiers

A lectern (from the Latin lectus, past participle of legere, "to read") is a reading desk with a slanted top, usually placed on a stand or affixed to a some other form of support, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a Scripture reading, lecture, or sermon. To facilitate eye-contact and improve posture when facing an audience, lecterns may have adjustable height and slant.

1 Use within an academic context
2 Use within a religious context
3 Nota Bene
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Use within an academic context

A lectern in a US District Courthouse, similar to those found in academic lecture theatres.

Lecterns used in academia - generally in seminar rooms and Lecture theatres - may have certain features common lecterns lack, based on the technological sophistication of the venue. These features usually include a microphone stand, audio-visual controls, sometimes even an integrated computer and recording system. Lecterns of this sort are generally attached or integrated into a large desk, as the amount of support material tends to be larger in academic contexts than in straightforward public talks.

[edit] Use within a religious context

In a church, the lectern is usually the stand on which the Bible rests and from which the "lessons" (reading from Scripture) are read during the service. The lessons may be read or chanted by a priest, deacon, minister, or layman, depending upon the liturgical traditions of the community. The lectern is normally set in front of the pews, so that the reader or speaker faces the congregation.

Lecterns are often made of wood, and sometimes from brass in the shape of an eagle. The latter symbolizes the word of God being spread world wide. They may be either fixed in place or portable. A lectern differs from a pulpit, the latter being used for sermons. Churches that have both a lectern and a pulpit will often have to them on opposite sides of the sanctuary, the lectern to the north and the pulpit to the south. Sometimes, the lectern will be placed in the center of the quire or the nave. The lectern will often be smaller than the pulpit, and both may be adorned with antipendia in the color of the liturgical season.

[edit] Nota Bene

A common error among speakers is the mistake of referring to the lectern as a "podium". The podium is in fact the raised platform upon which both the speaker and the lectern are standing.