The Altar
Walk into any Catholic church and you’ll notice that the
focal point of the church is the altar. The altar is a large
table, usually made of wood or stone or a combination
thereof, where the sacrifice of the Mass is offered. In the old covenant,
animals were sacrificed on an altar. But in the New Covenant,
In the early days of the Christian Church, altars were built over
the final resting places of martyrs and saints. The Church wanted
to keep a connection with those who had gone before in faith.
Even today you’ll still find many churches built over the tombs of
martyrs and saints, including perhaps the most famous of all, St.
Peter’s in Rome.
But the connection with heroes of the faith and the altar
continues. In the Latin rite, every fixed altar very well may contain
a relic. A relic is something physically connected with the martyr
or saint – often a bone or bone fragment or personal object. The
relic is contained within or under that altar, which is dedicated by
a bishop.
19
the sacrifice of Christ is made present at every Mass on the altar.
As the Church grew and spread, this practice became all but impossible.
The altar is more than just a table. It is the table of the Lord!
For further study:
CCC 1182 • GIRM 302 • Canon 1237
Notes