Kneeler the prie-dieu prayer desk. Kneelers in churches are a modern development. Kneeling was not part of the Mass in early christianity, and has been part of the Catholic Mass only since the 16th century. Kneeler A kneeler is a cushion (also called a tuffet or hassock) or a piece of furniture used for resting in a kneeling position. In many churches, pews are equipped with kneelers in front of the seating bench so members of the congregation can kneel on them instead of the floor. In a few other situations, such as confessionals and areas in front of an altar,
Bench (law) Bench (law) Bench in legal contexts means simply the location in a courtroom where a judge sits. The historical roots of that meaning come from judges formerly having sat on long seats or benches (freestanding or against a wall) when presiding over a court. The bench is usually an elevated desk area that allows a judge to view the entire courtroom. The word also has a broader meaning in the law – the term "bench" is a metonym used to describe members of the judiciary collectively, or the judges of a particular court, such as the Queen's Bench or the