ecclesia

/ɪˈkliː.ʒə/
noun
  1. In ancient Athens, the main assembly of citizens that made political decisions.
    • The ecclesia decided to go to war after a passionate debate.
    • In ancient Greece, the ecclesia met on a hill called the Pnyx to vote on laws.
    • All male citizens could speak and vote in the ecclesia of Athens.
  2. A church or religious congregation, especially in historical or formal contexts.
    • The early Christian ecclesia gathered in homes to worship.
    • The bishop addressed the ecclesia about the importance of charity.
    • The term 'ecclesia' is used in some theological writings to refer to the whole community of believers.
What does "ecclesia" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean