/ˈtʃæn.səl/
(教堂)圣坛区;唱诗班席位所在的内堂:通常位于中殿(nave)与祭坛(altar)之间或靠近祭坛处,常与会众区分开(有栏杆、台阶或屏风等)。
The visitors were asked not to step into the chancel.
游客被要求不要踏入圣坛区。
Light from the stained-glass windows fell across the chancel, where the choir waited in silence before the service began.
彩绘玻璃的光洒在圣坛区上,礼拜开始前,唱诗班在那儿静静等候。
“chancel”源自古法语 chancel,进一步来自拉丁语 cancellus/cancelli(“格栅、栏杆”之意),最初指用栅栏围出的区域;后来在教堂建筑语境中,专指靠近祭坛、与会众区隔的内堂空间。