31. ORATORIES IN WHICH MASS IS NOT CELEBRATED
Oratories where Mass is not celebrated, generally built by the wayside, will be erected not in the fields, but along the public way, so that the travelers, piously impressed by the sight, will stop a bit to pray.
The site where they are to be built will be where the road is somewhat higher and rather far from where the vehicles pass, so that it will be better protected from mud and muddy water.
These oratories will be square, or round in shape, or some other form, whatever seems most suitable to the characteristics of the site, and well covered, so that the holy images will be protected from the rain.
Outside they will be plastered and inside whitewashed and decorated with a Crucifix or an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or some other saint, or again with a picture of a pious subject hung on the wall. They must not have altars.
On the front every oratory will have three small windows with solid grates, through which one can look inside to pray when kneeling. Two will be at the sides of the door, and the third in the door panel.
If the oratory is small, it can have only one, the window on the door. It will then have a door with valves and key.
Oratories that are so narrow that they cannot have even door panels which open in, will have no entrance at all, but will be closed by wooden railings in place of the door, while the rest of the building will be as prescribed.
If the sides are not closed by brick walls, there too they will be enclosed by wooden railings.
It will moreover not be inappropriate to enclose it all around with a fence to keep horses, beasts of burden and other animals away.
They [the oratories] will be kept free from brambles and thorns and other shrubs of the kind, that spring up by themselves, and trees, scrubs and bushes will be kept at a distance, so that the branches do not cover and damage the roof.
Since sacred representations which are as a rule painted on the outer wall of the oratory, and are thus exposed, can be soiled with mud or dust or be defiled in an even more indecent way, images painted on the exterior walls or set thereon in some other way must be up high, where they can be protected from all damage.
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