You Can't Sit with Us: Spatiality and Power in the Place of Worship

Contrastingly, while the exteriors of the varying Catholic edifices illustrate a development of power within the religion, the interior of each is relatively the same. While the interior of a local church may differ from that of a basilica, spatially they are one in the same in that they both function as an apparatus. The separation between the priest and his counterparts from the rest of the congregation is arguably the most identifiable characteristic. Whereas the priest or bishop, along with other leaders, for example the deacon, can be located at the front of the church closest to Jesus Christ, the rest of the congregation is required to fill the remainder of the pews, all of which extend to the back of the building. This distance not only creates, but solidifies each individual's place, or rather role, within the church. Thus, the pews act as a technology within the apparatus of the church in that they aid in establishing a differentiation of power - while some are made to feel big, others are forced to feel small.

The interior layout of any Catholic place of worship, church or basilica, mirrors the other. Entrances to the building are generally located at the back and/or sides of the building, never the front. At each entrance both members of the parish as well as visitors are immediately greeted with holy water, which is generally contained in small bowls, which are installed into the walls, or larger basins, both of which are elegant in appearance. Confession rooms, where patrons are expected to relinquish their agency, confess their sins and consequently do penance, are also located at the back of the building. In regards to giving up power, Tell explains, "Foucault's thought regarding confession consistently figured as an essential component in the exercise of modern power…" (95). That is to say that the new sense of power established by the church is not particularly forceful, but rather one in which agency is placed upon the parishioners. The confession room itself depicts this idea of "modern power" in that is composed of one room that is divided in half. A priest sits or kneels on one side of the dividing screen while the other individual confesses his/her sins, or rather any one of the Ten Commandments which she or he has broken. While the confessional could potentially function as an apparatus within itself, it is best categorized as a technology within the parish simply because the potential influence it may have upon patrons. As previously stated, the confessional's location at the back if the church ensures that it is at a great distance from the altar, where the holy gifts are held. Thus, this distancing of an unholy place from that of the holiest of areas functions as a heterotopia. Foucault's notion of heterotopias considers the rhetoric of space within a culture, or in this case, a space within a space (Saindon 24). Therefore, if we apply this idea to the confessional, it is somewhat paradoxical in that it not only functions as a place of spiritual healing within a place that advocates spiritual wellness, but also warrants a sense of necessary distance, making the back of the church less desirable than the rest of the area.

The advancement down the church's aisles toward both the altar and Jesus mirrors the iconic view noted from the back of any congregation. Upon looking, an individual will note the repetitive and structured formation of the pews aligned one right after the other, all of which lead eventually lead up to the altar. It is here where various holy gifts are guarded and later presented to the congregation, the most identifiable of gifts being the host and wine, which symbolize the body and bloody of Jesus Christ. These gifts are held in the tabernacle, an ornate box usually made of an elaborate and worthy sort of metal. Thus, these sacred technologies not only help establish the sanctified space and the area surrounding it but further suggest that the area should only be occupied by the priest and his counterparts who conduct the mass in a traditional fashion. Because it is understood that the priest, or Father, is the most knowledgeable in the faith and essentially married the church, he is considered the most spiritually competent. This acceptance of submission by parishioners thoroughly exemplifies Pirnajmuddin and Fatemeh's assertion regarding social differences established by an educational discourse (146). In their analysis of Shaw's Pygmalion, the two contend that an emphasis on educational discourse not only separates two social groups, but further provides one of the groups with greater social dominance. As it relates to the Catholic Church, this dominance is not only established between the priest and his parishioners, but isn't even questioned by the congregation. Thus, due to the congregations' lack of questions and submission, they are at the mercy of the head priest in accepting what he considers as truth.

The priest's power is also reflected through the use of another technology, the pulpit. While others may read from the Bible, it is the priest who presents his sermon every week in order to cultivate the spirituality of each audience member as a means of bettering their relationship with God. Leaders of the Church present their discourse from the pulpit, which resembles a large podium, generally located to the right of the altar. Though the pulpit in itself presents ideals of power in that it gives speaking rights and authority to the individual standing behind it and further gives recognition to those sitting closest to it. That is to say that not all seating in a place of worship is necessarily equal. As previously stated, the front of any parish is deemed the "holiest" part of the church, not only because of the presence of the tabernacle, the priest, or the large crucifix with Jesus Christ's body mounted upon it, but rather because of what they all signify: a type of grace which realistically no human is worthy of. Therefore, while the priest is clearly identified at the top of his congregational hierarchy, the spatial orientation of the patrons reflects not only a sense of social placement, but also, moral placement. Should they stay at the back of the church near the sinners occupying the confessional? Do they dare venture forward and stare the objectified version of the Almighty Father square in the face? Furthermore, if that is their decision, why? Are they just that brave, or is their conscience just that clear? Are they entitled, or ashamed? Moreover, who deserves to truly know the truth? Who deserves to get as close to that moral power as they possibly can?

The Journey