GIRM recommends tabernacle not placed on altar?

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gez722

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A deacon in one of our local churches was asked why the tabernacle wasn’t located behind the altar and replied that it was against Canon Law. Instead they have it located at a side altar. I thought that this didn’t sound right, so I looked at the Code of Canon Law and they didn’t mention any such thing. It specified that the tabernacle was to be placed in a prominent place which was suitable for prayer. I then proceeded to check the GIRM and was very surprised to see this:

315. It is more in keeping with the meaning of the sign that the tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved not be on an altar on which Mass is celebrated.

Consequently, it is preferable that the tabernacle be located, according to the judgment of the Diocesan Bishop,

  1. *]Either in the sanctuary, apart from the altar of celebration, in a form and place more appropriate, not excluding on an old altar no longer used for celebration (cf. above, no. 303);
    *]Or even in some chapel suitable for the faithful’s private adoration and prayer and which is organically connected to the church and readily visible to the Christian faithful.
    Has the Church ever issued a clarification on this or is that really their position? When they say that it shouldn’t be located on the altar, are they specifying on the altar table itself? My church has the tabernacle located directly behind the altar, but it’s not actually on the altar itself.

    Any further insight or clarification would be most appreciated.

    God Bless,
    Gary
 
I don’t think a clarification is needed, the language seems very clear: the tabernacle should not be on the main altar. It can be on the original altar in an older church that has been renovated, on a side altar, or in case of necessity in a chapel convenient to the sanctuary. For instance in those older churches that retain the old altar (against the wall) the tabernacle is usually mounted on a stand or on the wall itself above, but not on, the altar. The language cited means “not on the altar of sacrifice” where the Eucharist is celebrated.
 
I think the biggest problem you are having is with your idea of the definition of altar versus sanctuary. In the post Vatican II era that altar is the table at which the sacrafice happens. I don’t think I have ever been in a church that has the tabernacle on the actual altar. They are usually behind the altar, in the original Pre-Vatican II altars, or off to the side.
 
Marauder said:
I think the biggest problem you are having is with your idea of the definition of altar versus sanctuary. In the post Vatican II era that altar is the table at which the sacrafice happens. I don’t think I have ever been in a church that has the tabernacle on the actual altar. They are usually behind the altar, in the original Pre-Vatican II altars, or off to the side.
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Marauder, I think you hit the nail on the head. I was confusing the pre-Vatican II altar with the post-Vatican II altar. I feel better now! Thanks for clearing that up for me!!!

God Bless,
Gary
 
gez722 said:
A deacon in one of our local churches was asked why the tabernacle wasn’t located behind the altar and replied that it was against Canon Law. Instead they have it located at a side altar. I thought that this didn’t sound right, so I looked at the Code of Canon Law and they didn’t mention any such thing. It specified that the tabernacle was to be placed in a prominent place which was suitable for prayer. I then proceeded to check the GIRM and was very surprised to see this:
315. It is more in keeping with the meaning of the sign that the tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved not be on an altar on which Mass is celebrated.…
Any further insight or clarification would be most appreciated.
God Bless,
Gary
Click to expand...
Pope Benedict XVI included in Sacramentum Caritatis:
“69. … It is therefore necessary to take into account the building’s architecture: in churches which do not have a Blessed Sacrament chapel, and where the high altar with its tabernacle is still in place, it is appropriate to continue to use this structure for the reservation and adoration of the Eucharist, taking care not to place the celebrant’s chair in front of it. …”.
The full 2007 Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis is at vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20070222_sacramentum-caritatis_en.html .

The liturgical book “Ceremonial of Bishops” (published in Latin in 1984) has:
“49 It is recommended that the tabernacle, in accordance with a very ancient tradition in cathedral churches, should be located in a chapel separate from the main body of the church.
But when, in a particular case, there is a tabernacle on the altar at which the bishop is to celebrate, the blessed sacrament should be transferred to another fitting place.”
(Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, pages 30-31).
 
gez722 said:
A deacon in one of our local churches was asked why the tabernacle wasn’t located behind the altar and replied that it was against Canon Law. Instead they have it located at a side altar. I thought that this didn’t sound right, so I looked at the Code of Canon Law and they didn’t mention any such thing. It specified that the tabernacle was to be placed in a prominent place which was suitable for prayer. I then proceeded to check the GIRM and was very surprised to see this:

315. It is more in keeping with the meaning of the sign that the tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved not be on an altar on which Mass is celebrated.

Consequently, it is preferable that the tabernacle be located, according to the judgment of the Diocesan Bishop,

  1. *]Either in the sanctuary, apart from the altar of celebration, in a form and place more appropriate, not excluding on an old altar no longer used for celebration (cf. above, no. 303);
    *]Or even in some chapel suitable for the faithful’s private adoration and prayer and which is organically connected to the church and readily visible to the Christian faithful.
    Has the Church ever issued a clarification on this or is that really their position? When they say that it shouldn’t be located on the altar, are they specifying on the altar table itself? My church has the tabernacle located directly behind the altar, but it’s not actually on the altar itself.

    Any further insight or clarification would be most appreciated.

    God Bless,
    Gary
Click to expand...

  1. You are correct the “Altar” of sacrifice is the altar at which the priest stands and it has the chalices and ciboriums on the corporal and missal to the side. The “Back Altar” is the altar usually with the Tabernacle on it.
 
The GIRM refers to the tabernacle sitting ON the altar as is done in many Eastern Rite churches. A traditional tabernacle in a high altar is not actually on the mensa (flat part) of the altar, but in the reredos, or the backdrop. The reredos is not technically an altar, even if physically attached to one.
 
Cavaille-Coll said:
The GIRM refers to the tabernacle sitting ON the altar as is done in many Eastern Rite churches. A traditional tabernacle in a high altar is not actually on the mensa (flat part) of the altar, but in the reredos, or the backdrop. The reredos is not technically an altar, even if physically attached to one.
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You have a good point. The Eastern Church is a good example of a Tabernacle directly on the Altar of Sacrifice.
 
Our diocesan bishop requires that, when a church is renovated, the tabernacle may not be in the sanctuary but be in a separate chapel or affixed to a pillar. Benedict’s recent document seems to favor a placement in the sanctuary but allows the bishop to determine the location. However, the tabernacle’s location is supposed to be obvious to anyone as soon as they enter the building.

Our parish church has not been renovated and the tabernacle remains on the “old” altar in the center axis.
 
If I may add something, the GIRM notwithstanding, the Tabernacle should not be in any way, shape, or form be relegated anywhere. It definitely should be seen by all and accessible to all. It has, after all, roots in the Old Testament (Exodus 25) and should provide comfort to those who just wish to visit the Church before or after Mass and where one can feel (more) intimate with God. And although it is common to store ciboriums with the Blessed Sacrament inside them, Tabernacles still have meaning even if the Blessed Sacrament is not contained within, such as on Good Friday, etc.

Pre-Vatican II had people praying at the communion rail as that usually was the area outside of the sanctuary closest to the Tabernacle located in the center of the altar.
 
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