Originally there was just one Bible stand in a church. This evolved to two, facing each other on the north and south walls of the choir. The lectern on the north wall was used for sermons by priests and bishops and the chanting of the gospel. The other was on two levels, one facing the altar where the subdeacon would read the epistle and the other looking toward the nave, for reading the lessons. Quite a few Catholic churches still contain a second lectern.
Some churches later added a third lectern in the choir, which was used purely for reading the text for the sermon. Many Bible stands were heavily carved and bejeweled, made from wood, marble or ivory and covered in silver and gold.
In the 13th century Bible stands were carved into shapes, such as the wings of eagles (the flying eagle was the symbol of John the Evangelist).These became more numerous in Europe and for the next three centuries different designs abounded, such as the copper column owned by the Carthusians at Dijon in France, topped by a phoenix and animals.
Stands for the missal (a book giving instructions for all the Catholic services), which replicated Bible stands, were introduced at the close of the 13th century. They differed from Bible stands, though, by being covered with richly decorated cloths. These days missal stands are used for several things, including the reading of lessons during the service, when the service is held in the choir.
When Henry VIII of England broke from the Catholic Church to start the Church of England, it began a long period of defacement for Catholic churches in England, as the religion was banned. Although decorated rood screens (the screen between the nave and the choir in the church) were destroyed and church paintings whitewashed as many Anglicans became more puritanical, the Bible stand was one item that wasn’t defaced or removed.