El término basílica proviene del latín basilica que a su vez deriva del griego βασιλική (fonéticamente, basiliké) que significa 'regia o real' (fem.), y viene a ser una elipsis de la expresión completa βασιλική οἰκία (basiliké oikía) que quiere decir «casa real». Una basílica era un suntuoso edificio público que en Grecia y Roma solía destinarse al tribunal, y que en las ciudades romanas ocupaba un lugar preferente en el foro. Más adelante, los cristianos aprovecharon la forma basilical y, en muchos casos, los propios edificios romanos para utilizarlos como recinto religioso oficial para la celebración de la liturgia. Después de que el Imperio romano se volviese oficialmente cristiano, el término se usó también para referirse a iglesias, generalmente grandes o importantes, a las que se habían otorgado ritos especiales y privilegios en materia de culto. En este sentido se utiliza hoy la denominación, tanto desde el punto de vista arquitectónico, como religioso.

Leer el artículo completo en Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA

The Latin word basilica (derived from Greek βασιλικὴ στοά, lit. "royal stoa", serving as the tribunal chamber of a king) has three distinct applications in modern English. The word was originally used to describe an ancient Roman public building where courts were held, as well as serving other official and public functions. To a large extent these were the town halls of ancient Roman life. The basilica was centrally located in every Roman town, usually adjacent to the main forum. These buildings, an example of which is the Basilica Ulpia, were rectangular, and often had a central nave and aisles, usually with a slightly raised platform and an apse at each of the two ends, adorned with a statue perhaps of the emperor, while the entrances were from the long sides. By extension the name was applied to Christian churches which adopted the same basic plan and it continues to be used as an architectural term to describe such buildings, which form the majority of church buildings in Western Christianity, though the basilican building plan became less dominant in new buildings from the later 20th century. Later, the term came to refer specifically to a large and important Roman Catholic church that has been given special ceremonial rights by the Pope. Roman Catholic basilicas are Catholic pilgrimage sites, receiving tens of millions of visitors per year. In December 2009 the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe set a new record with 6.1 million pilgrims during Friday and Saturday for the anniversary of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Leer el artículo completo en Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA