Joshua Bennett
A Catholic home altar is a sacred space for prayer and reflection. It is a place to gather with family and connect with God, incorporating elements from the Church that inspire devotion. There is no set formula for creating a home altar, and it can be as simple or elaborate as desired. It is often recommended to start with a sturdy table to host religious items such as icons, prayer cards, a crucifix or cross, candles, and a Bible. The altar can be dressed with white linen or colours to match the liturgical seasons. Sacred imagery, such as statues or prints of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, as well as saints, can be included to serve as role models and intercessors. Holy water, blessed candles, and a rosary are also common additions to a Catholic home altar.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | A Catholic altar can be set up in a prominent, centrally-located place in the home or in a secluded and quiet place. |
| Purpose | A place for family prayer, to gather and watch mass, pray the rosary, and keep in touch with parishes via live stream. |
| Items | Holy water, candles, icons, statues, figurines, crucifix, Bible, prayer cards, liturgical calendar, linen, relics, holy images, saint statues, framed Catholic art, and candlesticks. |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing a location: central vs secluded
When building a Catholic altar, the location you choose is an important consideration. There are two main options to consider: a central location in your home or a more secluded and quiet place. Each option has its own benefits and can cater to different needs and preferences.
Choosing a central location for your Catholic altar can provide several advantages. Firstly, it can serve as a constant reminder of your faith and encourage prayer throughout the day. By placing it in a prominent area where your family frequently passes by, such as the living room, you integrate your faith into your daily life. This can be especially beneficial for families with children, as it sets a good example and helps instill religious values. Additionally, a central location allows visiting guests to appreciate the beauty and significance of your altar, potentially sparking meaningful conversations about your faith.
On the other hand, opting for a secluded location for your Catholic altar creates a dedicated space for quiet contemplation and prayer. Away from the hustle and bustle of the household, this option provides a sense of peace and tranquility. It allows family members, especially older children and teenagers, to escape and connect with their faith in a more intimate setting. A secluded altar can become a sanctuary within the home, fostering a deeper sense of spirituality and reflection.
While the decision between a central or secluded location may seem challenging, it ultimately depends on your personal preferences and what resonates most with your spiritual journey. If you're unsure, you can always experiment with both options. Start by setting up your altar in one location and observe how it affects your daily routines and spiritual practices. If needed, you can always switch to the other location to find the best fit for you and your family.
Ultimately, the choice of location for your Catholic altar should align with the purpose it serves in your life. Whether it's a central reminder of your faith or a secluded sanctuary for quiet prayer, ensure that it fulfills your unique spiritual needs and enhances your connection with God.
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Selecting religious items: statues, icons, art
When selecting religious items for your Catholic home altar, it is important to remember that there is no rule book. You can be as detailed as you want and start small, gradually expanding your collection of religious items over time.
A good place to start is with a crucifix, which represents Jesus' sacrifice and saving death on the Cross. You can also include other sacred images, such as statues or icons of saints that hold personal significance or serve as role models for you. For example, St. Francis of Assisi can teach you how to find God in all creatures, while St. Padre Pio can remind you to surrender your worries to God. You may also want to include statues or icons of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, who make up the Holy Family. If you have a favourite prayer, consider displaying it on your altar, along with candles and a Bible.
In some cultures, images of deceased family members are included on home altars as a reminder to pray for their souls daily. You can also incorporate items such as church linen, a holy water font, and blessed candles. If you have the space, you may even want to install an altar beneath your sacred images, as some people do when creating a formal prayer corner.
The location of your altar will also influence the types of religious items you select. For example, if you choose a central location in your home, you may want to include items that will catch the eye of guests and encourage prayer throughout the day. On the other hand, if you select a quieter, more secluded space, you may want to include items that promote a sense of peace and escape, such as beautiful art that lifts the soul to God.
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Linens and liturgical colours
Linens are an essential accessory for the celebration and ornamentation of a Catholic altar. Altar linens can be made from linen, cotton, hemp, or synthetic fabrics such as polyester, and they are often decorated with symbols that recall the liturgy, such as the cross, the golden symbol JHS, Marian symbols, the chalice, grapes, ears of wheat, the Eucharist, and the dove. These linens can be finished with simple hem, partitions, embroidery, and lace.
The linens used for Catholic altars can vary in size and weight depending on their specific purpose. For example, the fair linen, which is laid directly on the altar top, should be made of a heavier weight linen to provide padding and prevent the chalice from making an "ungraceful" sound when set down. Some churches are returning to the tradition of using three layers of linen on each altar, both for gracefulness and to provide the necessary padding for fragile vessels. Standardizing the sizes of altar linens is considered beneficial, especially for small linens like purificators, lavabo towels, and corporals, to ensure consistency and minimize waste.
In addition to the fair linen, other types of altar linens include the amice and the tabernacle veil. The amice is a liturgical vestment made of a white linen rectangle with two tapes sewn on, allowing it to be worn by the priest to cover the neck. The tabernacle veil is a large triangular cloth placed behind the altar, hanging from a wooden stand or held by statues, and used to cover the altar between celebrations.
When setting up a Catholic home altar, it is recommended to dress the table in white linen. However, if one wishes to follow the liturgical seasons, other colours such as pink, green, purple, or red can be used to represent Advent, Lent, Sacred Paschal Triduum, Easter, and Ordinario.
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Candles and candlesticks
The number of candles and candlesticks varies according to the occasion and the degree of solemnity with which the Mass is celebrated. For instance, a pontifical high Mass celebrated by the ordinary will have seven lighted candles, with the seventh candle somewhat higher than the others and placed in the middle of the altar. A solemn high Mass, where the celebrant is assisted by a deacon and subdeacon, will have six lighted candles.
The custom of placing candles and candlesticks on the altar became general in the sixteenth century, with two ordinarily used, and four or six on solemn feasts. Nowadays, more candles are often used, but the rubric of the missal prescribes only two, one at each side of the cross, at least at a low Mass. On the other altars of the church, there should be at least two candlesticks, but four are usually used.
Candlesticks consist of five parts: the foot, the stem, the knob in the middle of the stem, the bowl to collect wax drippings, and the pricket, which is the sharp point that holds the candle. The candles are lit and extinguished in a particular order: from right to left when lighting, and from left to right when extinguishing. This is to ensure that the Gospel side candle is never burning alone.
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Holy water
When creating a Catholic home altar, it is important to designate a sacred space for prayer and reflection. This space should be free from clutter and distractions, and it should be treated with reverence. The altar itself can be as simple or elaborate as desired and can include various religious items such as a crucifix, rosary beads, prayer books, and statues or images of sacred figures.
In addition to holy water, flowers, and candles are also commonly included on Catholic home altars. Fresh flowers can add beauty and fragrance to the space, while lighting candles can symbolize the presence of God or the divine. It is also traditional to display sacred art or icons, such as Byzantine icons or statues of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, who make up the Holy Family.
The specific items included on a Catholic home altar may vary depending on personal preferences and what is available. For example, some families may inherit prayer books, rosaries, altar linen, holy medals, or crucifixes that have been passed down through generations, while others may purchase or create their own sacred items. The important thing is to create a space that is meaningful and uplifting, and that helps to foster a sense of connection to one's faith and community.
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Frequently asked questions
It is important to treat the altar with reverence as it is a sacred space. The altar should be built according to the correct specifications, with a height of 39 inches, a width of 59 inches, and a depth of 20 inches. It should also be dressed with linens that correspond to the liturgical seasons: white, pink, green, purple, or red.
A Catholic altar should include a crucifix or cross, candles (preferably with at least 51% beeswax content), a Bible, and other sacred images such as Byzantine icons or statues of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. Fresh flowers can also be added to bring the beauty of creation to the altar.
The altar should be placed in a central location where it can be easily seen and used as a place of prayer. It should be kept free from clutter and dust to maintain its sacredness.
