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Galilee (Roman province comprehending)

a Roman province, comprehending all the N. of Palestine W. of the Jordan. As the term Asia began with a small patch of territory in Asia Minor, but gradually had its meaning extended till it took in all the Asiatic continent, so the word Galilee was first applied to a fragment of the tribe of Naphtali, constituting its N. portion (Joshua xx: 7; II Kings xv: 29). It was mostly inhabited by Gentiles (Isaiah ix: 1; I Maccab. v: 20-23). In the New Testament times the word had the more extended meaning, and we learn from Josephus that there were an Upper and Lower Galilee. In architecture, a porch or chapel at the entrance of a church.

In the galilee were formerly deposited corpses previous to interment, and religious processions were formed. The name is derived from the expression in the Bible, "Galilee of the Gentiles."