An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Kanzel

by Friedrich Kluge

Kanzel, f., ‘pulpit,’ from MidHG. kanzel, OHG. cancella, chanzella, f., lit. ‘the place set apart for the priests,’ then ‘pulpit’; from the equiv. MidLat. cancellus, cancelli, ‘grating,’ cancelli altaris, ‘the grating enclosing the altar, the part separated, rom the nave of the church by a grating’; in MidLat. generally ‘any part surrounded by a parapet, especially an oriental flat roof.’ “Qui vero Epistolas missas recitare volebant populo in regione Palæstinæ antiquitus, ascendebant super tectum et de cancellis recitabant et inde inolevit usus ut qui litteras principibus missas habent exponere Cancellarii usitato nomine dicantur” (du Cange). Hence Kanzler. From the same source, MidLat. cancellus, is derived E. chancel, taken from OFr., the meaning of which forms the starting-point for the development of the signification of the HG. word.