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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AMBO
Elevated pulpit with a flight of stairs on each side, from which the Epistles and Gospels were read and sermons preached in the early Church. Later two ambos were used, one for the Epistle reading, the other on the right side of the altar for the Gospel. Generally, now, one ambo or lectern suffices for the entire Liturgy of the Word.
In the Greek Church the ambo is a table in front of the iconostasis, or screen where baptisms, confirmations, and marriages are celebrated. In the russian Church the ambo is a flight of stairs in front of the iconostasis. (Etym. Greek ambo, an elevation.)
