Taberancle on the Side

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Why do some churches place their taberancles to the side of the altar? My thought is that it should be placed at the focal point of the church, right behind the altar - preferably elevated in the greatest place of honour.

I’m sure there is a reason for the two differing locations - can anyone enlighten me?
 
I don’t have the document reference handy, and I am confident that others will step up with the correct citation.

In a nutshell, where the tabernacle is at the side, the reasoning is that the alter should be the focus, as that is where the Eucharist is confected. Meaning without the alter, there would be no consecrated Hosts to reserve in the tablernacle.

While it is true that the alter is needed for the consecration, I don’t see the situation as an “either or”. Why not both?

On a side note: traditionally at cathedrals, the tabernacle is never at/on the alter.
 
At the Abbey where I am an Oblate candidate the subject came up. I was interested to learn that in designing the current church and placement of the Tabernacle the main concern was rubrics.

The monks spend a great deal of time in the church, singing the hours and liturgies.

Every time one passes before the Tabernacle it is proper to do a reverence, it has the effect of making even a simple ceremony unnecessarily complicated, readers, incensors and cantors would reverence every time they passed in front of the altar. With a procession it can be a chain-link interruption.

At the abbey the decision to change the location of the Tabernacle was in keeping with accepted practice, as noted many old Cathedrals have the Tabernacle on the side or in a special chapel, possibly for the same reason.

I would like to know where the Tabernacle is in Saint Peters’ Basilica, I cannot remember seeing it on the altar.
 
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BrianDay:
I don’t have the document reference handy, and I am confident that others will step up with the correct citation.

In a nutshell, where the tabernacle is at the side, the reasoning is that the alter should be the focus, as that is where the Eucharist is confected. Meaning without the alter, there would be no consecrated Hosts to reserve in the tablernacle.

While it is true that the alter is needed for the consecration, I don’t see the situation as an “either or”. Why not both?

On a side note: traditionally at cathedrals, the tabernacle is never at/on the alter.
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Actually inthe Roman Churches. There is a large tabernacle on the main altar. The Eucharist was kept on a side altar.
 
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Hesychios:
I would like to know where the Tabernacle is in Saint Peters’ Basilica, I cannot remember seeing it on the altar.
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The last time I was there in th 1990’s, it was kept in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, which is appx. 200 ft. to the right as you enter through the main doorway.

At that time, the Tabernacle was still on the altar, and the priest celebrated Mass facing with the people. I’ve been told that since that time, the menza of the altar has been removed, and a “table” altar placed in front of the Tabernacle so that celebrants will face the congregation. 😦
  • muledog
 
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muledog:
The last time I was there in th 1990’s, it was kept in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, which is appx. 200 ft. to the right as you enter through the main doorway.

At that time, the Tabernacle was still on the altar, and the priest celebrated Mass facing with the people. I’ve been told that since that time, the menza of the altar has been removed, and a “table” altar placed in front of the Tabernacle so that celebrants will face the congregation. 😦
  • muledog
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The celebrant has always faced the congregation from St. Peter’s main altar of sacrifice.
 
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Dave:
Why do some churches place their taberancles to the side of the altar? My thought is that it should be placed at the focal point of the church, right behind the altar - preferably elevated in the greatest place of honour.

I’m sure there is a reason for the two differing locations - can anyone enlighten me?
Click to expand...
Long standing convention supports your position, but consider this…

During the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we are focused on the priest, the altar and ultimately Jesus Christ. That entire time, Jesus is present in the tabernacle, in some cases right behind the altar.

That seems to be a very difficult situation when one really thinks about it.
 
I thought the reason for side altars or separate Blessed Sacrament chapels originated in Europe because of tourism. So people could pray in peace in front of the Blessed Sacrament and to prevent disrespect in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Alot of people visit churches for the art or architecture. Which makes sense for that reason.
 
THE PARISH I BELONG TO IS THE CATHEDRAL. IT IS VERY BEAUTIFUL NOW, BUT I’VE SEEN PICS FROM BEFORE VII-BEFORE I WAS BORN-AND LET ME TELL YOU, IT WAS MAGNIFICENT. SINCE VII, THE TABERNACLE HAS BEEN MOVED OFF TO THE SIDE, FORTUNATELY JUST THE SIDE, NOT SOME CLOSET SOMEWHERE. ANYHOW, ANYONE WHO HAS READ MY REPLIES, ETC. BEFORE HAS HEARD ME COMMENT ON HOW I PRAY FOR THE RETURN OF OUR BELOVED FORMER PASTOR-WHO HAD PLANS AND THE DRAWINGS! TO RETURN IT TO THE CENTER OF THE SANCTUARY AND RESTORE THINGS AS BEST AS HE WAS ABLE. PLEASE PRAY FOR HIS RETURN. WE NEED HIM BACK-FOR OUR PARISH, FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH!
:blessyou:
SFX
 
I asked my pastor about returning the tabernacle to the center of the church. His reasoning is that a priest’s back should never be to the tabernacle.
 
I have a wonderful message for all who long to see Christ at the centre of his own House.

In 1982 our church was reordered without any discussion or dialogue. Closed for a couple of months it reopened with the High Altar gone, the Altar Rails gone, the statues gone, the beautiful marble ancient reredos gone. The tabernacle was replaced away at the side of the Church.
The link between the sacrifice and the continued presence was visibly broken.
The PP responsible for the reordering was made Bishop in 1984 and moved to Carlow. In came our present Parish Priest who was a good friend and classmate of the Bishop.

On October 16th 2003 notice the date??? Our Parish Priest was leading the Holy Hour we organised in honour of the Holy Father’s 25th anniversary and it suddenly struck him that it was all wrong. We were invited to his house for a cuppa tea after the vigil and we brought up (as we thought) the idea of moving the tabernalce back to the position of greatest nobility. It was (unknown to us) the confirmation he was waiting for. Imagine we were all struk with the same zeal to see Christ placed “in nobilissimo loco”.

Now September 8th 2004, Our Lady’s Birthday the final stage has been crossed and the Pastoral Council have fully endorsed his plans to reorder the Church once more. The architecht has drawn up plans, the buildings committee of the Diocese has approved the move and the Bishop has said it should happen as soon as possible. Back will go a splendid reredos and the tabernacle will return to the place of greatest nobility. We will also have built a new Adoration Chapel.

Oh yes of course a campaign against replacing the tabernacle was organised by a few but never materialised except for the husband and wife team who run our Liturgy Committee. They were in favour of leaving it as it is. in fact even suggested that it was to be diminished in its role even further.

My conclusion?? NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF PRAYER AND THE CONSTANT URGING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
With God and in God all things are possible.

Pray, pray, pray.
 
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