The Christoffel functions lambda(n)(d mu) associated with a general nonnegative measure mu on R(d) are studied. The asymptotics of lambda(n)(d mu) are derived for mu supported on [-1,1](d). The estimates of lambda(n)(d mu) are used to study the summability of the multivariate orthogonal polynomials associated with mu. The pointwise convergence of the partial sums of the orthogonal expansion, and their (C, 1) and de la Vallee Poussin means are considered. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.