Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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CHANTRY

An endowment given to a priest requesting him to sing or say Masses for a person's soul. It may call for additional duties such as acting as chaplain or teaching gratuitously. The term was also used to designate a small chapel wherein the chantry priest said Mass. Chantries added to large churches often contained the tomb of the donor. (Etym. Latin cantare, to sing.)