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Receptorium

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

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Reception, Religious

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Receveur, Francois Joseph Xavier

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was the name of an ecclesiastical outer building, a kind of speaking-room, a parlor contiguous to the ancient churches; it is sometimes called salutatorium (q.v.). Mention of it occurs in Sidonius Apollinaris (1. v, epist. 17), Sulpitius Severus (Dial. ii, 1), the first Council of Macon (can. ii), Theodoretus, and many other authors. Theodoretus relates that Theodosius, when he came to request absolution from St. Ambrose, found the saint sitting in salutatorio. Scaliger is wrong in supposing this to be a room in the bishop's mansion; it adjoined the church, and was a part of the church building. In the receptorium the sacred utensils, the ornaments, and robes of the (medieval) clergy were deposited for safe-keeping. Here the clergy were accustomed to retire for private devotions, preparatory to their engaging in public exercises. It was also a general audience-room, where friends and acquaintances met to exchange their affectionate salutations and inquiries, and where the bishop or the priests received the people who came to ask their blessing or recommend themselves to their prayers, or to take their advice in matters of importance. Sulpitius Severus (Dial. ii, 1) shows us St. Martin sitting in a kind of sacristy, and his priests in another, receiving visitors and transacting business.