I have actually totally remodeled my shrine to make it look more like an altar. My inspiration: the Sistine Chapel’s.
The Crucifix:
Click for close-up
After a long search to grace my altar with a crucifix, I finally found a 13" artisan-made from
Novica.com. The details of the cedar corpus are flawlessly crisp (fingers unattached), it just radiates the most powerful scene in Christ’s passion. What made me fall in love with this crucifix even more is that it was entirely hand-carved by a Peruvian artist who believes that “every piece [of work] is an opportunity to express our profound relationship with the Catholic faith.” I could have opted for the tabletop crucifix at the EWTN religious catalogue, measuring 23" high, which would have made my altar look more like the one at the Sistine Chapel’s, but the fact that the corpus is made out of resin gives off a commercial feel to the piece…and doesn’t really have that artisan story to tell.
The Altar Candles:
The candleholders and the candles, I got from World Market. You must be wondering why there are four instead of six when the altar at the Sistine Chapel (and all other high altars) have at least six; well, I just thought that there would be too much candles for a home altar! I think four is just the right amount. I don’t light these candles as often…they are only lit on special occasions (i.e. Christmas, New Year’s, Ash Wednesday, etc.) and on occasions of special intentions (i.e. praying for the death of someone very close to me, offering thanksgiving for getting my driver license, getting a car, etc.)
The Golden Lanterns:
Got them from World Market as well. They actually hold tealight candles, and I frequently use them for daily votive offerings (and so I can leave the tealight candles burning, unattended.)
The Covenant Tabernacle:
World Market. Its purpose resembles like that of the Ark of the Covenant, the church tabernacle and the mezuzah. Inside my covenant tabernacle is a simple rosary box containing the Ten Commandments and the Two Greatest Commandments, printed in Latin on a special paper, and a communion host which I kept, consecrated from the church I was baptized in. The paper, sealed in red candle wax, symbolizes my promise of keeping and exhibiting the commandments. The communion host, I kept as my sentimental link to the church that baptized me to Catholic Church.
The Cornerstone:
The stone in front of the Covenant Tabernacle is a stone I received in my first retreat…to help me remember of the powerful 26-hour experience I had with our Merciful God…and to help me remember of the life-changing promises I made right after confessing all of my long-hidden sins.
The Rosary:
On the stone. It is a Benedictine rosary my grandmother gave to me before immigrating to the US.
The Bible:
It’s a Jerusalem Bible. I bought it 2 years ago at a religious bookstore in Cebu, Philippines. I had a Jerusalem Bible when I was young, and I frequently used it at school for our bible studies. I gave it to my grandmother before leaving to the States. When I went back to the Philippines 2 years ago, I saw it in a religious bookstore and thought of my childhood memories. Without hesitation, I bought it.
My home altar is very simple, but it has a lot of symbolism in it. And that’s what makes it attractive, for me.
By the way, I’m 20…and I should really be thinking of a vocational life. Hmm…
). I looked at the various styles in online shops and settled on the San Damiano. After wasting a lot of time I decided that the available options were more than I was willing to pay at the time, especially if I wanted one large enough for me to be able to see the details from where it would hang over the door. Before bed I prayed that I was disgusted with myself for wasting so much valuable time that could have been spent elsewhere, and not even buying anything for my trouble; the next day I walked into a used store and found a 15 in. San Damiano cross for $1.50, AND it was blue, for my blue room. How’s that for big and cheap? (Its too big to put over the door, though. That’s okay…)
