Prie-dieu In that period in France, a small room or oratory was sometimes known by the same name. A similar form of chair in domestic furniture is called "prie-dieu" by analogy. Sometimes, a prie-dieu will consist only of the sloped shelf for books without the kneeler. Prie-dieu may be provided in church weddings for the bride and groom to kneel on during the service, or may be used by a cleric when he leads the worshippers in prayers such as litanies. In the Byzantine Rite, a prie-dieu is provided for the bishop when he kneels in the Holy Doors during the
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