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 Alongside the
Main Business:
The place of the Chapel
Timothy J. Ledbetter, DMin, BCC
A chapel has always served along
side a main business or activity of life, usually as a set-apart
place of private rather than public worship. Most frequently,
that “business” has been the church sanctuary’s
sacred space and public ministry. However, over the centuries
chapels have also been built alongside private homes, on military
basis and outposts, on college campuses, in cemeteries, in or
near hospitals and hospices, at gateways, on ships, in airports,
truck stops and other way-stations, in places for incarcerated
persons, and even race tracks and sports arenas.
The notion of a chapel comes
from ancient traditions, perhaps as far back as the traveling
tabernacle. This was the portable symbol of God’s presence
with God’s nomadic people who were far from the temple and
its central place of worship. The word, chapel, derives from
Middle English, chapele, from French, chapelle, which is from
Latin, capella.
The primary impetus for chapels
began in the 4th century with the ministries and miracles attributed
to St. Martin, Bishop of Tours, France. The story is told of
young Martin’s encounter with a freezing beggar who was
being cruelly ignored at the city gate. Move by compassion, Martin
divided his overcoat in two with his military sword, gave half
to the man and kept half for himself - what was now a make-shift
cape, or capella. The next night in a dream, Martin was impressed
that the beggar was Christ Jesus in disguise, thus imitating
the Good Samaritan and fulfilling Jesus’ declaration that
when one blesses the least of humanity, one blesses the Christ.
Word of this charitable act spread
until “St. Martin’s Cape” or its representative
became a sacred relic preserved by the priests serving Frankish
kings. During a war, the traveling tents where the priest-military
chaplains, or capellani, said Mass sheltered the relic and became
known as capella.
While many early chapels were
memorials to martyrs, St. Martin’s chapel (early 5th century)
uniquely commemorated one who was not a martyr, but was honored
and later venerated for his acts of grace and miracles. Over
the years, both Roman Catholics and Protestants have built chapels
for numerous motivations and purposes, sometimes conflicting
violently over their presence or usage. St. Martin is revered
by countless houses of worship, monasticism, and hospitality.
St. Martins’ Day is traditionally on November 11th.
As a result, any private place
of worship and meditation inspired by St. Martin’s cape
of compassion can be known as a chapel. Chapels are nonsectarian
in as much as St. Martin cared for the beggar as a person in
need, rather than as a religious subject. Thus, chapels are open
to persons of all faith traditions and no faith tradition. Those
clergy and lay persons who minister in that same spirit of compassion
alongside the human activities of daily living can be referred
to as chaplains. Their work is known as pastoral care, offered
to all persons of all faith traditions or no faith tradition
who have spiritual, emotional or tangible needs.
Chapels are built alongside or
within hospitals and hospices in the same spirit of compassion
and service to human suffering that St.. Martin demonstrated
and for which he was made a patron saint of the church and of
chaplains. Chapels do not represent the institution’s main
activity, but they signify and provide a vital and valuable spiritual
resource in helping sick, injure and neglected people recover
from, adapt to, and find meaningful their physical affliction.
Tri-Cities Chaplaincy has three
primary ministries of pastoral counseling, hospice care, and
pastoral care. They continue St. Martin’s legacy of caring
for, ministering to and accompanying persons who journey through
personal crises, physical crises, or the process of dying. Anchoring
the center of the Chaplaincy building alongside its business,
is the Chapel. All wayfarers, sojourners and pilgrims - including
you - are welcome to stop by this Chapel, or any other, to worship
or meditate before continuing on your way.
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