[NYer]

Catholic churches, (with a few very rare exceptions) maintained this pattern.

Recall that following the Ascension of our Lord, the Apostles set out to bring the good news to the world. Initially, they began with the Jews. Entire communities converted and their synagogues became the first churches. To this day, there are still Churches that retain the bema.

BEMA (BAY ma) (Syriac): Following Jewish Temple roots, some *Syriac church buildings - found from Antiochto Mesopotamia - contain a special place or area at which the Scriptures were read. This U-shaped structure was located often in the midst of the congregation, in front of the curtain of the sanctuary area of the church. This area was called the bema, and many Antiochene and Syriac texts attest that the *Service of the Word was conducted here.

[Salvation]

I don’t care for the round churches for two reasons.

First — the tabernacle isn’t usually within sight.

Secondly — when trying to meditate on the Real Presence at the altar, my eyes tend to take in the other side of the room and its people. Distraction, personified.

[Chickensoup]

http://www.amazon.com/Ugly-As-Sin-Churches-Forthright/dp/1928832369

Interesting book on the subject

[Verginius Rufus]

My guess would be that the Syriac word bema is a loanword from Greek (where it can mean tribunal or speaker's platform).

There are some very old round churches in Europe, including San Vitale in Ravenna (6th century), Charlemagne's chapel in Aachen (c. 796), and St. Donatus Church in Zadar, Croatia (8th/9th century).

The Pantheon in Rome was converted into a church after the triumph of Christianity, but of course was originally built in honor of the pagan gods (the present structure dates from the time of the emperor Hadrian).

[Verginius Rufus]

My guess would be that the Syriac word bema is a loanword from Greek (where it can mean tribunal or speaker's platform).

There are some very old round churches in Europe, including San Vitale in Ravenna (6th century), Charlemagne's chapel in Aachen (c. 796), and St. Donatus Church in Zadar, Croatia (8th/9th century).

The Pantheon in Rome was converted into a church after the triumph of Christianity, but of course was originally built in honor of the pagan gods (the present structure dates from the time of the emperor Hadrian).

[bboop]

I hate them because ‘there is no there there’ and they are built with that in mind. When I walk into a round church, I immediately assume: there are leftie nuns in street clothes; there are no confessionals; the priest is a Social Justice guy; they’ll do bubble-gum jingles instead of liturgy. I am always right. Oh, and there won’t be a crucifix anywhere to be seen - maybe up in the choir loft, left in dust. There might be a Gumby-Jesus floating in mosaics above the altar. No adoration mentioned in the bulletin. etc.