from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- n. A percussion instrument used chiefly in Eastern Orthodox monasteries to summon the brethren to prayer or to lead processions.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. In the Gr. Ch., a long bar or piece of wood or metal struck with a mallet, and used instead of a bell to summon worshipers to service.
At the west end of the courtyard, a semicircular base may mark the location of a semantron, a resonant plank struck to call the monks to prayer.
On the other hand, semantron, used to announce the beginning of service in Greek monasteries, was a flat plate of metal and its name (from semainein, "to make a signal") is obviously the counterpart of signum.
Just then, the semantron awoke the priest for the night services.
As he was sleeping one night, the semantron was sounded calling the monks to Sunday Matins, but Platon did not hear it.
At that moment, the semantron was struck for Matins, and the priest awoke and came to himself.