Which term refers to the area around the altar in a church?

• A. Ark
• B. Avelim
• C. Chancel
• D. Daven

Answer: (C)

In church architecture, the area around the altar is called the chancel. This front section, often raised and separated from the main body of the church (the nave), is where the clergy and choir perform the liturgical rites and where the altar resides. The term focuses on the space immediately surrounding the altar and the sacred actions conducted there, differentiating it from the broader assembly area. A closely related term is sanctuary, which refers to the most sacred part of that area, but the formal name for the space around the altar is the chancel. The other options don’t describe this architectural space: an ark is a biblical chest and not a part of church architecture, daven means to pray, and avelim isn’t a standard term for church layout.