Altars in the home?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kaia
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
K

Kaia

Guest
Do you think it’s acceptable to have personal religious altars in the home? Just a special place to pray, burn candles, do devotions, meditate, etc?

Last night I “Christianized” my old altar, and although I really like it, I’m not sure whether this is something that would be frowned upon by the Church, especially given my pagan background. Any thoughts?
 
Hi Kaia,

If this “altar” is an expression of your Cathollic faith, there is nothing wrong with it. More power to you.

Verbum
 
There is nothing wrong with what you did, in fact it’s a wonderful practice. We have something similar in our house.

Your terminology is a bit wrong though. An Altar is the table where Mass is said on.

What you have is a home Shrine
 
Thanks for the correction. I am a complete newbie to Catholicism (I haven’t even gone to Mass yet) so I’m obviously still learning. Pagans do call them altars, so I guess it’s just difference in terminology.
 
Welcome home on your wonderful Journey to the One True Church that Christ established with St. Peter…I am a convert to Catholicism and I have found the truth and fullness of life in The Catholic Church. God Bless
40.png
Kaia:
Thanks for the correction. I am a complete newbie to Catholicism (I haven’t even gone to Mass yet) so I’m obviously still learning. Pagans do call them altars, so I guess it’s just difference in terminology.
Click to expand...
 
There is nothing wrong with a home altar. I don’t currently have an altar in my house but grew up with one in my parents house. I will probably set one up in my house soon.
 
As a teenager I can remember going into a very wonderful catholic woman’s home and seeing a long table with candles and I think her rosary. I can’t remember the other items on the table. I was intrigued and still am. Because I am from a Protestant background, I really don’t understand. How do you set up a shrine and what does it include?
 
I use a nice size table/footlocker and I cover it with nice linens…the color of the linen depends on the liturgical season…for instance, right now it is Easter Season, so my linens are white. I have a pretty large BVM relic statue, a St. Benedict Standing Crucifix, a St. Michael The Archangel Statue, a St. Jude Statue, and 5 Saint Votive Candles…I also keep my Rosaries and Chaplets up there.
40.png
deb1:
As a teenager I can remember going into a very wonderful catholic woman’s home and seeing a long table with candles and I think her rosary. I can’t remember the other items on the table. I was intrigued and still am. Because I am from a Protestant background, I really don’t understand. How do you set up a shrine and what does it include?
Click to expand...
 
40.png
Kaia:
Do you think it’s acceptable to have personal religious altars in the home? Just a special place to pray, burn candles, do devotions, meditate, etc?

Last night I “Christianized” my old altar, and although I really like it, I’m not sure whether this is something that would be frowned upon by the Church, especially given my pagan background. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
I think it’s just wonderful that you have decided to “Christianize” your old pagan altar! To me, it symbolizes your old life passing to your new Holy life!
Please, if you can spare it, I have a Great Niece that I am praying for. Her mother is my Goddaughter and after marrying a pagan, is now lost herself. The little one is Mycala. If you could say a special prayer for her and my niece, I would appreciate it.
I have a makeshift Altar on my kitchen counter. I have a few statues, votive candles and at this point a picture of Kala. Maybe I’ll switch to an actual place to pray. It seems like such a good idea.

All God’s Blessings on you!
 
40.png
Kaia:
Do you think it’s acceptable to have personal religious altars in the home? Just a special place to pray, burn candles, do devotions, meditate, etc?

Last night I “Christianized” my old altar, and although I really like it, I’m not sure whether this is something that would be frowned upon by the Church, especially given my pagan background. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Here is a great site on Home Altars and other devotions. I copied the part about Home Altars for quick reference…
Code: 
      Family altars, ideally, should be on the Eastern wall of a home, in the same          orientation as church buildings. The altar can be as simple or as elaborate          as one desires, but should be beautiful and conducive to contemplation. A          few key items to be placed on or around the altar table are:
  • Code: 
             [Crucifix             ](http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/crucifixes.html)
  • Code: 
              Sacred Scripture             (Douay-Rheims)
  • Code: 
             Missal(s)
  • Code: 
             [icons](http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/images.html)             (statues and/or two-dimensional)
  • Code: 
             a             [Holy Water](http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/water.html) font
  • Code: 
             charcoal             [incense](http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/incense.html) burner
  • Code: 
             [Rosaries](http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/rosary.html)
  • Code: 
             vigil             [candles](http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/fire.html), candles blessed at Candlemas (to burn on             All Saints Day and in times of trouble), and Baptismal candles (for use at             weddings and during [Unction](http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/unction.html))

                    Other things one          might want to consider are the Breviary or the Little Office of Our Lady,          [Holy Cards](http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/holycards.html), flowers, prie-dieux, the names of          dead family members printed on beautiful parchment so we may be reminded          to pray for them (having their funeral holy cards there would be nice, too),          pictures of the [Stations of the Cross](http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/stations.html) or the          Mysteries of the Rosary, something with which to play sacred music and Gregorian          chant, [sick call sets](http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/sickcalls.html),             [palm branches](http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/palmbranches.html) from Palm Sunday, certificate             of a [papal blessing](http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/papalblessing.html), etc.
From this site…
kensmen.com/catholic/domesticchurch.html
 
deb1
Because I am from a Protestant background, I really don’t understand. How do you set up a shrine and what does it include?
Click to expand...
Right now, mine simply has 3 candles representing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, plate and chalice, a bowl of water, some fresh flowers, my journal, and a cross in the center. It’s not done yet, and I’ll add more Catholic related items as I find them.

And you’re right, this is not something that Protestants would generally do. I was raised in the Protestant Church, and I found it as spiritually moving as a Biology lecture. I guess people like me need a little ritual and Mystery to keep the faith. :o

dumspirospero
I use a nice size table/footlocker and I cover it with nice linens…the color of the linen depends on the liturgical season…for instance, right now it is Easter Season, so my linens are white. I have a pretty large BVM relic statue, a St. Benedict Standing Crucifix, a St. Michael The Archangel Statue, a St. Jude Statue, and 5 Saint Votive Candles…I also keep my Rosaries and Chaplets up there.
Click to expand...
That sounds lovely!

netmil(name removed by moderator)
Please, if you can spare it, I have a Great Niece that I am praying for. Her mother is my Goddaughter and after marrying a pagan, is now lost herself. The little one is Mycala. If you could say a special prayer for her and my niece, I would appreciate it.
Click to expand...
Will do! And thanks for the link. 🙂
 
Shrine rather than altar. St. Francis cross above with crossed Palm Sunday palms behind. Lourdes candle below cross. Big votive candles with decals of St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Anthony and St. Jude. Large framed print of the the CHI RHO page from the Book of Kells.

My fundie neighbors saw the candles and thought we were “witches”.
 
Nice topic! I will “christianize” my former Pagan shrine as well very soon.

I as well am moving from Paganism back to Catholicism, the one true Church. I was baptized as an infant, did the first communion and confirmation as a child as well.

I am now in preparation for my first confession in a loooong time, after which I will partake in my first eucharist in years.

I too like rituals and mysteries in my faith…

Happy to be back!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top