What is the tabernacle made of?

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Hello. I have recently become Catholic (its official this Easter!, yay!) and my learning about the Church is far from over. Can anyone tell me what the Tabernacle is made of? Is it gold, or is it wood with gold overlay, or does if vary? I’m asking out of curiosity. Thanks!!
 
eyesopening said:
Hello. I have recently become Catholic (its official this Easter!, yay!) and my learning about the Church is far from over. Can anyone tell me what the Tabernacle is made of? Is it gold, or is it wood with gold overlay, or does if vary? I’m asking out of curiosity. Thanks!!
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I’m coming into the Church too! 😃

But that’s a very good question, I don’t know the answer but I am going to let others reply because I am also curious.

God bless,
BVMFatima
 
Usually metal and/or stone. Ours is made of a marble body and a thick metal door.
 
At my home parish, the Tabernacle is brass, and sits in a brass niche set into the wall. But at the parish where I was received into the Church, the Tabernacle is wooden.

God Bless!🙂
 
Traditional and rubrical requirements are that it be made of metal or stone (Usually marble or granite if of stone) and that it have a secure locking door. The inside is lined with wood which is covered in silk. Wood helps to keep the humidity constant. As the tabernacle in the desert which contained the Holy of Holies was a tent, the cloth lining reminds us of this, Inside the tabernacle a corporal is laid out and the ciborium or other vessles holding the Blessed Sacrament are placed upon the corporal.
 
Although in some churches the curtains are built into the metal construction of the tabernacle and not real curtains.
 
Under the old rubrics a curtain inside was required, as well as a veil which was supposed to cover the entire tabernacle, not just a little curtain on the front that you would sometimes see. It was required that it be the same color as the vestments of the feast that day, except for black (if there was a funeral) in which case it and the antipendium (also not always used even when it was still required) could be purple. The veil could always be white, if it was not changed on a daily basis. Since the tabernacle was a large tent during the Exodus, the veil reminds us of the tabernacle in the desert according to the older rubrics. The veil inside the tabernacle doors like the veil in the holy of holies.

Most people look for the sanctuary lamp, an oil or wax candle to signify the reservation of our Lord in the tabernacle, however in the past it was the tabernacle veil which signified to Catholics that our Lord was waiting for us in the tabernacle.
 
They vary. But they have to be secure and lockable I’ve seen inside a few times as an altar boy and they do have curtains inside. Some parishes cover the outside with a cover some dint all the ones I’ve seen are marble. With thick metal doors a long key and cemented in
 
eyesopening said:
Hello. I have recently become Catholic (its official this Easter!, yay!) and my learning about the Church is far from over. Can anyone tell me what the Tabernacle is made of? Is it gold, or is it wood with gold overlay, or does if vary? I’m asking out of curiosity. Thanks!!
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If you visit a Byzantine Rite parish, it is generally made of metal (sometimes partly of wood) and is freestanding on the altar. 🙂
 
There are also some places (Eastern and Western Churches) who have maintained a very ancient form which is a metal hollowed out sculpure of a dove, it is suspended by a chain above the altar. They were normally metal covered in gold. Rarely seen today, there are a few Latin Rite parishes in England who have been allowed to keep them because they have used them for many centuries.
 
eyesopening said:
Hello. I have recently become Catholic (its official this Easter!, yay!) and my learning about the Church is far from over. Can anyone tell me what the Tabernacle is made of? Is it gold, or is it wood with gold overlay, or does if vary? I’m asking out of curiosity. Thanks!!
Click to expand...
It varies. The rubrics call for it to be of durable, worthy, and artistic construction, as well as locking securely. Most are made of metal, and most are gold plated. I’ve seen brass, bronze, silver, and copper; most of the the bronze and copper ones were gold plated or silver plated. I’ve seen some of hardwoods, intricately carved. (rare in the Roman Church use, merely uncommon in the Byzantine Rite uses, but I’ve seen it in both. The Roman one was a teak dove, with a Gold capsule for the reserved Precious Body; it was suspended from the ceiling over the altar on a brass pole.) I’ve seen cloisonné work on brass as well from time to time (Both Byzantine and Roman).
 
“Sugar and spice and all things nice …” 😃

Sorry, I’m in a jokey mood today for some reason.
 
eyesopening said:
Hello. I have recently become Catholic (its official this Easter!, yay!) and my learning about the Church is far from over. Can anyone tell me what the Tabernacle is made of? Is it gold, or is it wood with gold overlay, or does if vary? I’m asking out of curiosity. Thanks!!
Click to expand...
Can. 938 §1 The blessed Eucharist is to be reserved habitually in only one tabernacle of a church or oratory.

§2 The tabernacle in which the blessed Eucharist is reserved should be sited in a distinguished place in the church or oratory, a place which is conspicuous, suitably adorned and conducive to prayer.

§3 The tabernacle in which the blessed Eucharist is habitually reserved is to be immovable, made of solid and non-transparent material, and so locked as to give the greatest security against any danger of profanation.

§4 For a grave reason, especially at night, it is permitted to reserve the blessed Eucharist in some other safer place, provided it is fitting.

§5 The person in charge of a church or oratory is to see to it that the key of the tabernacle in which the blessed Eucharist is reserved, is in maximum safe keeping.
 
All the tabernacles I’ve seen were made of brass. They are enormously expensive. A new tabernacle can cost $50,000.

Back when I was in RCIA, I mentioned this fact to a Presbyterian convert and he stopped going to RCIA! I guess he was of the kind of person who told the Apostles that the perfume they were going to use on Jesus should be sold and the money given to the poor.
 
LINVS said:
All the tabernacles I’ve seen were made of brass. They are enormously expensive. A new tabernacle can cost $50,000.

Back when I was in RCIA, I mentioned this fact to a Presbyterian convert and he stopped going to RCIA! I guess he was of the kind of person who told the Apostles that the perfume they were going to use on Jesus should be sold and the money given to the poor.
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Or the rich famous people who claim that “if the Vatican sold it’s riches, they’d end world hunger”. :rolleyes:
 
eyesopening said:
Hello. I have recently become Catholic (its official this Easter!, yay!) and my learning about the Church is far from over. Can anyone tell me what the Tabernacle is made of? Is it gold, or is it wood with gold overlay, or does if vary? I’m asking out of curiosity. Thanks!!
Click to expand...
Eyesopenning,

CONGRATULATION!!!

Lets not forget that Virgin Mary was also a Tabernacle for 9 months, She who carried the Word of God made Flesh in Her Womb. Mary a Beautiful Tabernacle so spotless without sin have mercy on us. As John leapt for Joy in the womb of Elizabeth, when he heard Mary’s voice, so do I when I think of Her and through the Grace of God I do daily… Amen

Ufam Tobie
 
ufamtobie said:
…Lets not forget that Virgin Mary was also a Tabernacle for 9 months, She who carried the Word of God made Flesh in Her Womb. Mary a Beautiful Tabernacle so spotless without sin have mercy on us. As John leapt for Joy in the womb of Elizabeth, when he heard Mary’s voice…
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Great observation!!! Thanks. 🙂
 
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