A small cabinet or cupboard built into the wall of a church, historically used to store the sacrament, vestments, candles, or other sacred items.
From Old French armoire (cupboard), derived from Latin armarium (closet for storing weapons or provisions). The word specialized in ecclesiastical contexts during medieval times.
Aumbries were often locked and sometimes decorated with intricate carvings—they're basically medieval security systems, reflecting how important and valuable the items stored inside were to the church.
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