RELICS OR BODY PART OF DEAD BODY O F HUMAN BEING USED BY CATHOLICS ON THEIR ALTAS
The items used during the celebration of Mass
PREPARING THE CHURCH FOR MASS
For the celebration of Mass the Priest uses special vessels, which are called sacred vessels.
Sacred vessels are the receptacles and utensils used in liturgical celebrations to hold the consecrated Body and Blood of Christ. These are the chalice, paten, and ciborium. The sacred vessels are to be treated with special care and reverence.
Precious metal is the preferred and best material to use for these items. The artistic style and design of the vessels may reflect the local region; however they should be designed in a way to make it apparent that they are indeed sacred vessels for liturgical purposes, not something for everyday use.
It may be necessary to have microphones on the altar, so that the assembly can clearly hear what the Priest is saying. Candles are required for all liturgical celebrations and should be placed either on or around the altar to suit the design of the altar and sanctuary and not interfere with the assembly’s view of what is taking place. There is also to be a cross, with the figure of Christ crucified upon it, either on the altar or near it, where it is clearly visible to those assembled.
The following lists the elements required for the celebration of the Mass and outlines their purpose.
ALTAR
The altar is the table or structure on which the church’s sacred meal is celebrated.
This sacred meal makes present the sacrifice Jesus made for us by dying on the Cross and it is a thanksgiving meal where we give thanks to God for sending the person of Jesus to show us the ways to live in the presence of God’s love.
The altar is the table that the community gather around under the leadership of the Priest to remember God’s love for us and give thanks for the living memory of Jesus who show us the way to the Father in heaven.
ALTAR CLOTH
The earliest Christians lived in a region where fine linen, especially linen from Egypt, had been highly prized for centuries. It is no surprise, then, that primitive documents from the Mediterranean basin make note of the use of one fine linen cover over for the altar.
The current practice today echoes the earliest Christian practice with at least one white cloth covering the altar for the celebration of Mass. (General Instruction of the Roman Missal #117).
ALTAR CRUCIFIX
In ancient times, the processional Cross was the basic Christian symbol used at the altar. After leading the community into their gathering place, it was prominently positioned for the rest of the ritual action. It was later in history that the cross became a crucifix or the Body of Christ clearly visible and was placed on the altar so that as the Priest was saying Mass he could glance at it during the Eucharistic Prayer.
The current practice is to have a crucifix on or close to the altar. (General Instruction of the Roman Missal #117).
CANDLES
Candles are to be used at every liturgical celebration as a sign of reverence and festiveness.
Symbolically candles represent Christ as the light of the world which is most prominent at the Easter Vigil.
On or next to the altar are to be placed candlesticks with lighted candles: at least two in any celebration, or even four or six, especially for a Sunday Mass or a holy day of obligation. If a diocesan Bishop celebrates, seven candles should be used.
CORPORAL
The term corporal is a Latin word that means ‘body’. It is an additional smaller cloth that is placed at the centre front of the altar for the paten and chalice to be placed on. The chalice and paten will hold the Body and Blood of Christ once the words of consecration are prayed at the Eucharist.
PURIFICATOR
This cloth functions like a liturgical serviette. It is used to wipe the lip of the chalice after each person drinks from the chalice. There is always one purificator for each chalice used at a Eucharistic celebration. It is used again for the drying of the vessels when they are purified or cleaned at the end of Mass.
CHALICE
The word chalice comes from the Latin word ‘calix’, meaning cup. The chalice is also called a sacred vessel and is held in special honour [GIRM#327] by the worshiping community as it is the cup that holds the Blood of Christ when the wine is consecrated at Mass.
All chalices used at a Eucharistic Celebration are to be made of precious metals as a sign of the importance of these sacred vessels.
The relics
What is a Roman catholic Tabernacle?
What is inside the Roman catholic table is relics or the part of dead body whom the Papacycalled saints under the altar cloth
THE TABERNACLE IS A LITURGICAL FURNISHING USED TO HOUSE THE EUCHARIST OUTSIDE OF MASS. THIS PROVIDES A LOCATION WHERE THE EUCHARIST CAN BE KEPT FOR THE ADORATION OF THE FAITHFUL AND FOR LATER USE (E.G., DISTRIBUTION TO THE SICK).
IT ALSO HELPS PREVENT THE PROFANATION OF THE EUCHARIST. THUS THE LAW REQUIRES, “THE TABERNACLE IN WHICH THE EUCHARIST IS REGULARLY RESERVED IS TO BE IMMOVABLE, MADE OF SOLID OR OPAQUE MATERIAL, AND LOCKED SO THAT THE DANGER OF PROFANATION MAY BE ENTIRELY AVOIDED
THE WORD TABERNACLE MEANS “DWELLING PLACE.” ANY PLACE SOMEONE DWELLS IS A TABERNACLE. THE TERM IS ALSO SOMETIMES USED FOR A TEMPORARY DWELLING PLACE.
THE TABERNACLE IN CHURCH IS SO NAMED BECAUSE IT IS A PLACE WHERE CHRIST DWELLS IN THE EUCHARIST.
Contents
A tabernacle is a fixed, locked box in which, in some Christian churches, the Eucharist is “reserved” (stored). … Within Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and in some congregations of Anglicanism and Lutheranism, a tabernacle is a box-like vessel for the exclusive reservation of the consecrated Eucharist.
What is inside the Tabernacle?
The more detailed description of a tabernacle, located in Exodus chapters 25–27 and Exodus chapters 35–40, refers to an inner shrine (the holiest place) housing the ark and an outer chamber (holy place), with a six-branch seven-lamp menorah (lampstand), table for showbread, and altar of incense.
What is the host kept in at a Catholic church?
Blessed Sacrament is a devotional term used in the Roman Catholic Church to refer to the Eucharistic species (the Body and Blood of Christ). Consecrated hosts are kept in a tabernacle after Mass so that the Blessed Sacrament can be brought to the sick and dying outside the time of Mass.
What are Catholic wafers made of?
The hostia or sacramental bread, known as prosphorá or a πρόσφορον (prósphoron, “offering”) may be made out of only four ingredients: fine (white) wheat flour, pure water, yeast, and salt. Sometimes holy water will be either sprinkled into the dough or on the kneading trough at the beginning of the process.
IT IS INTERESTING: Why do we have to dress up for church?
What is the difference between Church and Tabernacle?
As nouns, the difference between church and tabernacle
is that church is (countable) a Christian house of worship; a building where religious services take place while tabernacle is any temporary dwelling, a hut, tent, booth.
Why is the Tabernacle important in a church?
A tabernacle serves as a secure place in which to store the Blessed Sacrament for carrying to the sick who cannot participate in Mass, or as a focus for the prayers of those who visit the church. … Before Vatican II, Mass was often celebrated directly in front of the tabernacle.
What is the most holy place in the tabernacle?
The Holy of Holies, the most sacred site in Judaism, is the inner sanctuary within the Tabernacle and Temple in Jerusalem when Solomon’s Temple and the Second Temple were standing.
What are the 4 mortal sins?
They join the long-standing evils of lust, gluttony, avarice, sloth, anger, envy, and pride as mortal sins – the gravest kind, which threaten the soul with eternal damnation unless absolved before death through confession or penitence.
Can I take communion at a Catholic church?
The Catholic Church does not practice or recognize open communion. In general, it permits access to its Eucharistic communion only to baptized Catholics.
What goes on a Catholic altar?
Obligatory. In the Roman rite, the celebration of the Eucharist in a sacred place such as a church is to take place on an altar; however, outside a sacred place, it may take place on a suitable table, always with the use of a cloth, a corporal, cross, and candles.
IT IS INTERESTING: What did the cross symbolize before Christianity?
Is it a sin to eat communion wafers?
For Roman Catholics, until it is consecrated during Mass, it is just bread and is fine to eat. … Since they are essentially God at this point, it would be sacrilegious to eat them as a snack. If you were to receive Communion twice in a day, it is okay, as long as it is in the context of Mass or Communion service.
What is holy water made of?
There are actually several different types of holy water in Roman Catholicism — some, for instance, contain only consecrated salt, while others contain anointing oil, wine, and even ashes. Each blend, so to speak, has a slightly different use.
What wine is used in Catholic Mass?
Composition. The majority of liturgical churches, such as the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church, require that sacramental wine should be pure grape wine.
What religion is the Tabernacle?
Tabernacle, Hebrew Mishkan, (“dwelling”), in Jewish history, the portable sanctuary constructed by Moses as a place of worship for the Hebrew tribes during the period of wandering that preceded their arrival in the Promised Land.
Why Mary is called the First Tabernacle?
Even the child in the womb of Elizabeth could not contain his joy, and leaped, danced, rejoiced at the approach of Jesus. … The primordial tabernacle, the first vessel for Jesus Christ, was the Blessed Virgin Mary. And she was the perfect example of devotion to Jesus, of reverence for His Holy Presence.
What happened to the Tabernacle?
The tabernacle was destroyed by the Philistines in 1050 B.C., Stripling told Fox News, around the same time that they briefly captured the Ark of the Covenant from the Israelites in a battle nearby. … “Later, the tabernacle was set up in other places, but we assume that it was rebuilt, reconstructed
Relics in the Altar
ABOMINATIONS T O THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
THE PART OF A DEAD BODY THAT THE ANTICHRISTS USE BEFORE THE CAN OFFER THEIR MASS. AND wEAR THEM FOR PROTECTION
The Roman catholic table which they call altar must contain relics (known as any part of a dead person) before they can offer mass. Also, the hexagon tabernacle made of bronze is placed on the very spot where the relics are on the table. Without these relics, no Pope, Cardinal, or Priest will offer mass. Inside the tabernacle are the wafers,
Author: Father Edward McNamara
Relics in the Altar
Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University.
Q: I would like to know the present teaching of the Church, with documentary evidence, on fixing relics of the saints at the altar of Holy Mass. — K.S., Nagapattinam, India
A: The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, No. 302, contains the following statement: “The practice of placing relics of Saints, even those not Martyrs, under the altar to be dedicated is fittingly retained. Care should be taken, however, to ensure the authenticity of such relics.”
This statement summarizes the more detailed treatment of this question found in other documents such as the Roman Pontifical, Dedication of a Church and an Altar, and in the Ceremonial of Bishops.
No. 866 of this latter book indicates the basic norms for relics:
“The tradition in the Roman liturgy of placing relics of martyrs or other saints beneath the altar should be preserved, if possible. But the following should be noted:
“a. such relics should be of a size sufficient for them to be recognized as parts of human bodies; hence excessively small relics of one or more saints must not be placed beneath the altar;
“b. the greatest care must be taken to determine whether the relics in question are authentic; it is better for an altar to be dedicated without relics than to have relics of doubtful authenticity placed beneath it;
“c. a reliquary must not be placed upon the altar or set into the table of the altar; it must be placed beneath the table of the altar, as the design of the altar permits.”
Other numbers such as 876-877 describe some details as to the vesture and form of the entrance processions and the contents of the copy of the record of the dedication to be placed in the reliquary.
Later, in No. 900, the Ceremonial describes the rite of depositing of the relics:
“If relics of the martyrs or other saints are to be placed beneath the altar, the bishop approaches the altar. A deacon or presbyter brings the relics to the bishop, who places them in a suitably prepared aperture. Meanwhile, Psalm 15 (14), with the antiphon ‘Saints of God’ or ‘The bodies of the saints,’ or some other suitable song is sung.
“During the singing, a stonemason closes the aperture, and the bishop returns to the chair (cathedra).” ZE05050323
* * *
Follow-up: Relics in the Altar [05-17-2005]
Related to the question on relics upon the altar (May 3) a Pennsylvanian reader asks: “The document on Popular Piety states that the relics of the saints (I assume the blessed, too) are not to be exposed on the mensus of the altar. Does this mean that during Mass on the feast day one may not have the relic on the altar at all or is this more specific?”
The question refers to No. 244 of the Directory for Popular Piety.
It states: “The Church blesses sacred images because of their cultic significance. This is especially true of the images of the Saints which are destined for public veneration, when she prays that, guided by a particular Saint, ‘we may progress in following the footsteps of Christ, so that the perfect man may be formed in us to the full measure of Christ.’ The Church has published norms for the exposition of sacred images in churches and other sacred places which are to be diligently observed. No statue or image is to be exposed on the table of an altar. Neither are the relics of the Saints to be exposed on the table of an altar. It is for the local ordinary to ensure that inappropriate images or those leading to error or superstition, are not exposed for the veneration of the faithful.”
This norm is taken from No. 10 of the introduction to the Roman Pontifical’s “Order of Dedication of a Church and an Altar.”
Although the document specifically refers to a long-term or permanent exposition I believe that its sense and its spirit would also exclude the exposition of a relic during a feast-day Mass. This would also be in conformity with the general norm that only that which is necessary for the Eucharistic celebration should be placed upon the altar during Mass.
This does not mean that the relic could not be exposed in some way during the celebration of a feast. For example, it could be placed on a column close to the ambo or some other prominent place.
