The Reverence Shown to the Altar Since Apostolic Times

Christianity Is a Religion of Sacrifice

That Christianity is a religion of Sacrifice is indisputable when considering the importance and constant presence of altars in all true Christian worship. Joseph de Maistre (18th-century philosopher) famously remarked, “Wherever an altar is found, there civilization exists.” And that is most true in the Catholic Religion, which offers the one, perfect Sacrifice to the one, true God.

This Sacrifice is attested to by all historical sources back to the very foundation of Christianity itself. Truly, the Christian religion is the only one that has sacrifice at its core for all time, as Father Michael Müller (†1899) asserts in The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass:

“On consulting the various monuments of antiquity, it will be found that throughout the Christian world, from the apostolic era up to the present moment, the same idea has prevailed, that the temples of the Christian faith [Catholic churches] were erected for no other purpose than to offer up therein the sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and that the table on which this offering was made became a true, a hallowed altar, while the spot on which it stood was regarded as a consecrated sanctuary, shut off from the footstep of even the holiest laymen – the Holy of Holies of the New Testament, sacred from the tread of any other than the priest of God and His ministers duly appointed.”

An Altar Exists Only for Sacrifice

The altar holds a place of central importance in worship, as it is both a symbol and a sacred space for offering sacrifice. Rooted in the Old Testament tradition of sacrifice to God, the altar in Catholic liturgy serves as the place where the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered. During the Mass, the altar becomes the focal point for the celebration of the Eucharist, where bread and wine are consecrated and transubstantiated into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

Moreover, the altar is a symbol of Christ Himself.  As such, it is treated with profound respect and reverence; altars are consecrated by bishops, include relics of saints in them, and are adorned with linens and candles during Mass to signify its sacred purpose. Perhaps the most touching sign of the altar’s dignity and representation of Christ is when the priest kisses the altar. This occurs several times during the traditional rite of the Mass but was sadly eliminated in the new rite. Nevertheless, the altar remains the spiritual heart of any Catholic parish, oratory, or shrine. It is truly there where the greatest act of worship in the world takes place.

Father Mueller explains the importance of the altar in the life of early Christians who, despite living in constant fear of death from Roman persecution, went to great lengths to assist at the Holy Sacrifice.

  • For the first three centuries the altar was generally in the form of a wooden structure because better material could not be procured. However, stone was preferred even since Old Testament times ( Genesis 28:22; 3 Kings 18:32).
  • It was customary to celebrate Mass in the Catacombs upon the tombs of the Apostles and martyrs, not only at Rome but throughout the early Church.
  • “The slab of marble which covered the sepulcher was made to serve as the altar-table, and the low-browed arched recess that spanned it, merely left sufficient space for the priest to perform the sacred Eucharistic mysteries. …
  • “For almost fourteen centuries it has been a universal custom to have that part of the altar on which the Eucharist is consecrated, of stone or marble.”

St. Gregory of Nyssa, born in c. 330 AD, likewise observes:

“This holy altar at which we assist is constructed of stone, which by nature is common and no different from other slabs of stone with which the walls of our houses are encrusted and our pavements adorned. But because it is consecrated and dedicated to the worship of God and has received a blessing, it is a holy table, an immaculate altar, which is no longer to be touched by all, but by priests only, and even by them with veneration.”

The Reverence Shown to the Altar from Time Immemorial

Altars are holy not only because on them the Holy Sacrifice is offered but also because they contain the relics[1] of saints in the altar stone. The Baltimore Catechism #3, Q. 937 teaches:

“The altar stone is that part of the altar upon which the priest rests the Chalice during Mass. This stone contains some holy relics sealed up in it by the bishop, and if the altar is of wood this stone is inserted just in front of the Tabernacle. The altar stone reminds us of the early history of the Church, when the martyrs’ tombs were used for altars by the persecuted Christians.”

We, too, should show the proper reverence to Our Lord in the Tabernacle and to the altar in our churches by either a single genuflection, double genuflection, or bow – as appropriate given the circumstances. The following circumstances all refer to whenever we are entering or leaving a pew, or passing in front of the altar:

  • Single genuflection under normal circumstances (that is, only the right knee touches the ground);
  • Double genuflection when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed on the altar (e.g., during Mass, from the Consecration until distribution of Holy Communion; in a chalice or ciborium on the altar; or in the Monstrance during Benediction or Holy Hour).
  • Bow profoundly to the altar when Our Lord is not present in the Holy Eucharist.

We should likewise work for the erection of beautiful altars worthy of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and not mere tables that are Protestant in design. Eliminating Communion in the Hand, restoring altar rails, eliminating versum populum (“facing the people”) table altars, and abolishing lay Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist are all needed for a restoration of the Catholic Faith in our parishes.


ENDNOTE:

[1] Relics are holy items that have an intimate connection to Christ or a saint. A piece of the True Cross is considered a relic. The bones, hair, clothes, and personal items of the saints are considered relics. When we venerate an authentic relic, we honor the saint who lived courageously in conformity with God’s Will. By extension we are giving God due worship by recognizing His work in the lives of the holy men and women.

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