Rounding out the pack of our series on the true names for things we endearingly call “the cup,” “the bowl,” “the pointy hat the Bishop wears,” etc., we’re going to talk about some of the bigger objects we see in Church. Now, learning my lesson from the last “YNECMBMN” (abbreviation for the post title—clever, I know), I’m going to pull a “Harry Potter” and break this last post up into two smaller posts (for monotony’s sake). So off we go, starting with the single most important object in the Church:
Altar – from the Latin altare, meaning “fitting for burnt offerings” – now I know what some of you are thinking: Isn’t the tabernacle (see below if you weren’t thinking this and have no idea what a tabernacle is) the most important thing in the Church, since it’s where we keep the Body of Christ? Well, in a word, no. See, the purpose of the Mass is to remember and, in a very deep, theological way, relive the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, where he gave up his body and blood for our sins (more on that concept later). The altar in today’s Church is reminiscent of the altar of sacrifice used by the Jewish people in the Old Testament when they sacrificed a precious possession (usually a prized lamb or similar animal) as a thanksgiving to God and/or in atonement for sins. This is why we refer to Christ as “The Lamb of God.” Jesus was the best God had to offer, and so he was “like a lamb led to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7). Jesus, in a very real way, is sacrificed again, body, blood, soul, and divinity, at every Mass through the Eucharistic Prayer and the act of transubstantiation (first mention of this concept in this blog, but FAR from the last). So the reason we go to the Church building is to take part in the Sacrifice of the Mass; therefore, the Altar, not the tabernacle, is the focal point of the church. When you pass in front of the altar, it is customary to bow as a sign of respect in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice. (Please don’t misunderstand: bowing to the altar is not “worshipping” the altar in any way. We ONLY worship God in the Catholic Church. We simply show respect for Christ’s sacrifice signified by the altar.)
Tabernacle – from the Latin taberna, meaning “hut or cottage” – the (usually gold) receptacle for keeping the consecrated Body of Christ remaining after all the faithful gathered at Mass, who are spiritually disposed to, have received the Eucharist. The tabernacle started to come into wide use in the late 1200s, when the Synods of Cologne & Munster dictated that the Eucharist be kept in a secure, locked cabinet, though they didn’t strictly dictate where it should be kept. Over time, the tabernacle was given more of a position of importance, and in modern churches, it is usually kept somewhere in the Sanctuary behind the altar, although some churches keep the tabernacle on a side altar in the church, or even in side chapels which are not part of the main worshipping area of the church. So long as respect is shown to the Eucharist contained within, the placement is not of the utmost importance. We show respect to the Eucharist held in the tabernacle by genuflecting (compound word from the Latin genu, meaning “knee” and flectere, meaning “to bend”). Genuflecting is when you go down on one knee (generally the right knee) as a way of showing deep respect, mainly to the Eucharist. See, we Catholics believe that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. We also use plenty of titles for Jesus, one being the “King of Kings.” Now, if you remember your King Arthur legends, when a knight would enter the court of the king, he would go down to one knee as a sign of respect for the king. Well, our genuflecting is reminiscent of that same medieval sentiment. If King Arthur merited genuflecting from HIS people, how much more does Jesus fully present in the Eucharist deserve at least this small sign of respect? So when you walk into a Catholic Church, the first thing you should do is locate the tabernacle and genuflect to the Eucharist held within, then when you’re making your way to your pew, before you enter it, you should bow to the altar.
Sanctuary Candle – simple enough, right? The Sanctuary Candle is simply a candle in the Sanctuary……..ok, you should know by now there’s bound to be more to it than that. The Sanctuary Candle is a candle that is posted in the Sanctuary near the tabernacle. Although not specifically prescribed by Church law, the Sanctuary Candle is usually poured into or surrounded by red glass. This is simply to distinguish it from the other candles used in the church. It is kept lit whenever the Eucharist is present in the tabernacle as a reminder that God is present. The flame of the Sanctuary Candle should never go out so long as this is the case, and the next candle should be lit from the previous candle’s flame. This is keeping with Jewish custom (remember, Christians have deep roots in Judaism—Jesus, after all, was Jewish) which dictated that an “eternal flame” would be kept burning in the temple to signify the presence of God. This is basically the same sentiment present in the Sanctuary Candle.
So that was only 3 objects, but I think it’s best not to be overloaded. We’ll pick up here tomorrow night and conclude our “what’s everything called” series. After that, we start with the parts of the Mass. That’ll keep us busy for a few days. ‘Til then….
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