Cathedra and chairs behind the Altar

[LumenGent]

Hi,

Does anyone know where the idea came from and why the practice became so widespread? In recent years, the practice seems to have reverted to the way it was before the change. Any reasons?

 

[isaiah_m]

Hi,

Does anyone know where the idea came from and why the practice became so widespread? In recent years, the practice seems to have reverted to the way it was before the change. Any reasons?

I’m not sure I understand your question. I interpret it to refer to putting the celebrant’s chair behind the altar as seen by the congregation, and slightly higher so he can see and be seen. To do this, I feel they relegated the tabernacle to a less prominent place.

I am not sure why, but one guess is to put emphasis on the priest as the “Alter Christi”. Another possible consideration is the use of the church for public gatherings. Would it be proper to have a public meeting in front of the tabernacle? In some Archdioceses there is a tendency to restore the tabernacle to what I consider its’ proper prominence behind the altar. What is more important, Christ or the “Alter Christi”?

 

[Julia_Mae]

During Christmas the tree is where Father usually sits, so he moves behind the alter.

 

[LumenGent]

I’m not sure I understand your question. I interpret it to refer to putting the celebrant’s chair behind the altar as seen by the congregation, and slightly higher so he can see and be seen. To do this, I feel they relegated the tabernacle to a less prominent place.

I am not sure why, but one guess is to put emphasis on the priest as the “Alter Christi”. Another possible consideration is the use of the church for public gatherings. Would it be proper to have a public meeting in front of the tabernacle? In some Archdioceses there is a tendency to restore the tabernacle to what I consider its’ proper prominence behind the altar. What is more important, Christ or the “Alter Christi”?

Yes, that is what I meant.

The thing is that it begun after Vatican II and the emphasis behind the change was never really documented or explained properly.

 

[paperwight66]

During Christmas the tree is where Father usually sits, so he moves behind the alter.

It’s the same in our parish, as the crib figures are there, then a Resurrection scene for Easter. It means, in fact, that the priest is hidden by the altar.

But I gather the OP is talking more about a setting where the priest is elevated and so is MORE visible, not less.

 

[LumenGent]

For the purpose of clarification, The celebrant’s chair is positioned behind the Altar and slightly elevated all throughout year. This isn’t a one off situation. This was not where the chair was positioned in pre-conciliar days, and some Parishes have restored the pre-conciliar practice, whilst others continue to put the chair behind the Altar.

 

[dochawk]

In the East, there is an episcopal thrown in every parish, as the bishop is the actual pastor of each church. It is only used by the bishop, and not the celebrating presbyter.

Given the small size of most of our churches in the US, creativity comes into its placement at times. Ours is squarely behind the tabernacle most of the time. At our cathedral in Phoenix, it isn’t’t even in the Sanctuary! (Last time I was there, Bishop Gerald was present but not the Principal celebrant, and the throne was not brought in)

hawk

 

[jimrob]

When our church was reordered around 1970, the high altar was replaced by a table shaped altar towards the congregation end of the sanctuary and a presidential chair was placed on a dais where the altar had been. At Sunday Masses, the opening and concluding rites take place from the presidential chair.

From time to time, we have had priests who are not comfortable sitting in state and we have accommodated them with a chair on the sanctuary to one side of the altar.

For confirmations and ordinations, we give the bishop a chair in front of the altar. This is put in place after the readings and taken away again before the Offertory. When the archbishop is celebrating, he prefers to preach mitred and ex cathedra. Our area bishop prefers to preach unmitred and standing at the ambo. One year, they’re both going to come and I think I’ll take the day off.

 

[pat_mc_1]

traditionally the presider’s chair and or cathedra sit away from the people facing to the wall.

This is how we had the priest and ministers chairs until recently with the assignment of a new priest. Now the presider’s chair is facing towards the people.

Sometimes I think the priest thinks we came to see him and not the Lord. Thats why the tabernacle is on the high altar behind the main altar.

But in a lot of Cathedrals the Cathedra is mostly in the center. Even the Holy Father sits in front of the main altar. Mostly because the blessed sacrament in Cathedrals are in chapels do to visitors to the Cathedral so the repose of the Lord should be moved to a more quiet place.

 

[Cathryn]

My pastor who is a canon lawyer and judge and was educated in Rome, and extremely orthodox, told me that the reason the chair is prominent and facing the people and not the altar, after Vatican II is because this is how the first Catholic Churches were designed. The nave full of people facing the presider’s chair was a Roman thing and very practical. For the Romans the presider’s chair faced the audience, and this was the focus. The first official Churches were not newly built but were converted from Roman civic buildings. When we started having Mass in these converted buildings the altar was set in the place of the presider’s chair. Yet the priest had a prominent chair facing the people. Vatican II returned the chair to presiding over the people. The priest is in persona Christi at Mass, so he presides over the people facing them.

 

[TheMc]

Hi,

Does anyone know where the idea came from and why the practice became so widespread? In recent years, the practice seems to have reverted to the way it was before the change. Any reasons?

Well when you put the tabernacle in the broom closet, you have to put something in the place normally occupied by the creator of the universe. Egotistical pastor, here I come!

 

[John_Lilburne]

The 1975 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) had:

“271. The priest celebrant’s chair ought to stand as a symbol of his office of presiding over the assembly and of directing prayer. Thus the best place for the chair is at the back of the sanctuary and turned toward the congregation, unless the structure or other circumstances are an obstacle (for example, if too great a distance would interfere with communication between the priest and people). Anything resembling a throne is to be avoided. …”

The 2002 GIRM has (at usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/roman-missal/general-instruction-of-the-roman-missal/girm-chapter-5.cfm ):

“310. The chair of the Priest Celebrant must signify his function of presiding over the gathering and of directing the prayer. Thus the more suitable place for the chair is facing the people at the head of the sanctuary, unless the design of the building or other features prevent this: as, for example, if on account of too great a distance, communication between the Priest and the congregation would be difficult, or if the tabernacle were to be positioned in the center behind the altar. In any case, any appearance of a throne is to be avoided. …”

The key change is the addition of “or if the tabernacle were to be positioned in the center behind the altar”.

 

[GwenL]

Hi,

Does anyone know where the idea came from and why the practice became so widespread? In recent years, the practice seems to have reverted to the way it was before the change. Any reasons?

Did you mean the actual Cathedra of the Bishop?

In our Cathedral, the Cathedra is on the left side of the sanctuary, back to the wall. The bishop is slightly behind the free-standing altar, and facing that altar. When the bishop doesn’t celebrate, a presider chair is placed in the back of the sanctuary, just in front of the altar of repose. This chair places the priest-celebrant facing the congregation, to the left of the tabernacle (which sits on the altar of repose), and a step below that altar. In fact, when he is seated, he is difficult to see from many places in the church, because the free-standing altar blocks the view. Which I think he is quite pleased with. When he stands to lead prayer, we can all see him just fine.