Question about the meaning of a phrase

Question

I'm looking at the introductory page of a German Catholic baptismal record. I have transcribed and translated the page.

Nomina Baptizatorum in Ecclesia Parochiali S. Nickolai Episappi in oppido Iburg ab Anno 1685 die undecimo Mensis February quo coepit administrare curam Parochialeni -- Adm. R. P. Rupertus Krevet, qui obyt Anno 1688 22nd die Mensis July Sepult in choro ecclasia Parochialis

Names of the Baptized in the Parochial Church of S. Nickolai Episappi in the town of Iburg from the year 1685 on the eleventh of the month of February when he began to administer the care of the parishioners -- Adm. R. P. Rupertus Krevet, who died in 1688 on the 22nd day of July, was buried in the choir of the parish church 

You can check my work here: https://data.matricula-online.eu/en/deutschland/osnabrueck/bad-iburg-st-clemens/0026/?pg=1

My question is, what does "buried in the choir" mean? Were the priests actually buried where the choir stood? Or did Google mistranslate the word choro? 

Answer 1

There is this explanation 

https://lancasteronline.com/opinion/old-burial-customs-determine-how-couples-are-positioned/article_838b62a8-bcf5-5a53-9b01-5c3cbae5336c.html

But it could literally mean to be buried in the choir area, though this was typically reserved for the well heeled, notable types. 

Comments

So the graves were literally underneath the feet of the choir? That's rather creepy. Wouldn't the priest of the parish be considered a notable?

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Paul, you need to watch some Time Team archaeology videos.  You'd then have known priests could be, and frequently were, buried "in the choir", or near the altar, or even beneath the altar.
I remember one dig where the bones they found in that location did not match to any notable, nor to any priest, but to the relative of a notable priest.  I have learned more than I am ever likely to need to use from watching that, and other similar programs.

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Yes, just as Melanie explained. When I toured England many years ago we visited a lot of churches. It was not unusual to find engravings on the floor where someone had been placed, very creepy indeed. That was before I took up genealogy, now if I find myself in a graveyard I am fascinated by the headstones, wondering about them, their lives and who is buried near them.

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Melanie, I'll have to look that up. I'm a sucker for archeology.

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If I can find one of those particular episodes, I'll link it.

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Richard III was buried in the choir of Greyfriars, Leicester.

Answer 2

"A choir, also sometimes called quire, [1] is the area of a church or cathedral that provides seating for the clergy and church choir. It is in the western part of the chancel, between the nave and the sanctuary, which houses the altar and Church tabernacle."

I don't find it any more creepy to have the dead inside the church than outside.  Westminster Abbey is a prime example of many famous people buried inside the church.  30 Kings & Queens, Sir Isaac Newton, wasn't Stephen Hawking just added?  In fact, it's probably more secure- protection from grave-robbers...