Case LX: Some Remarks About the Portable Altar and its Desecration

It happens not infrequently that portable altars, or altar-stones, upon which the Sacrifice of the New Law is offered to God, are not found in the condition which the precepts of the Church require, and it will therefore be of benefit and advantage to present here briefly the ecclesiastical rules regarding construction and the possible execration of portable altars.

A portable, or movable altar (altare portatile, mobile, also altare viaticum), is, as well known, a square stone with a smooth surface, blessed by the bishop with the special rite prescribed by the Church, which, if required, may be transferred from one to another altar, or another place allowed by the Church for the celebration of holy Mass. This stone, so that it may not be easily injured, is usually of marble (cement slabs are allowable, but not slabs of plaster or pumice-stone, S. R. C., April 29, 1887). For this reason the oldest ecclesiastical law books provide: Altaria, si non fuerint lapidea, chrismatis unctione non consecrentur, Dist. I. c. XXXI. de Consecr.; it must be of size sufficiently large that at holy Mass chalice and paten, at least for their larger part, may be placed upon it; it must at the same time be of depth allowing the sepulchrum (confessio) to be cut into it.

The sepulchrum is, according to recent practise, a receptacle hewn out at the upper surface of the altar-stone in the form of a small square, in which, at the consecration of the altar-stone, relics of saints, together with their authentication, are deposited by the bishop, whereupon the sepulchrum is covered with a tightly closing piece of stone, called the operculum (also sigillum altaris), which is well cemented to lock the sepulchre tightly and securely.

As the Canon Law ordains it is not lawful to celebrate Mass at an unconsecrated altar, and since it often becomes necessary to remove the altar-stone from the altar-table (mensa), and transfer it to another altar, care should be taken in so inserting the altar-stone in the altar-table that it can be easily taken out. For this reason, the altar-stone should not be masoned into the table, nor fastened with cement, because this would cause difficulty in removing it—might even cause the desecration of the altar-stone. Moreover, the altar-stone should be raised a little above the level of the altar-table so as to make its location easily discernible for placing chalice and paten upon the same.

The altar being the most important and essential part of the Church, because it represents mystically that exalted altar upon which the High Priest of the New Law offered Himself to His heavenly Father for the sins and the salvation of mankind, and because this sacred Sacrifice is in an unbloody manner daily repeated in the Catholic Church, special care should be taken so that the erection of altars in churches and chapels strictly corresponds to liturgical precept. Since the altar-stone, with its relics of saints, forms the most essential part of the altar it is necessary that the priest from time to time, especially if the church be damp, examine whether the altar-stone has not become injured, or even desecrated.

In order that this inspection of the altar-stone, to be undertaken not only occasionally by the pastor, but also on occasion of canonical visitations, may be done properly and satisfactorily, we will here state the chief things to be considered in determining the desecration of portable altars. Desecration is to be considered as established:

1. If the piece of stone (operculum, sigillum altaris), which closes the scpulchrum, has in any way, or for any cause, been removed, and if in consequence the sepulchrum has been opened. (S. R. C,, September 23, 1848; and August 12, 1858.)

2. If this locking-stone of the sepulchrum, through some mischance, has been broken or cracked, and thus the sepulchrum has been opened. (S. R. C., September 23, 1848.)

3. If this stone locking the sepulchrum is still there, but has become loose, making it doubtful whether the sepulchrum has not been opened. If it can be ascertained that an opening of the sepulchrum has not taken place, that merely the fastenings of the cover gave way in the course of time, or that the loosening of the cement was caused by careless handling of the altar-stone, then the altar does not lose its consecration, and any priest may undertake the recementing, but the sepulchrum must not be opened in the process, because otherwise desecration would take place. (S. R. C., March 14, 1861; September 25, 1875.)

4. A portable altar must be positively regarded as desecrated, and in all such cases be reconsecrated, if the sepulchrum is broken open and the relics removed, even if other authenticated relics are substituted (S. R. C., May 23, 1835; December 7, 1844, and May 23, 1846). (If the episcopal seal is broken or destroyed, the altaris not thereby desecrated of itself. S.R.C., March 11, 1837), provided neither the sepulchrum is broken open nor its cover injured.

5. A portable altar is to be considered as desecrated if the sepulchrum is shattered. (S. R. C., September 23, 1848, and August 12, 1858.)

6. If such a considerable portion of the altar-stone has broken off that the remaining portion will no longer suffice to hold chalice and paten. (S. R.C., March 3, 1821.)

7. If, in consequence of injury to the altar-stone, one of the parts that have been anointed has disappeared, which may easily happen to corners of altar-stones. (S. R. C., October 6, 1837.)

8. If the stone is so completely cracked in two that it can no longer be considered as a whole, even though the break cannot well be noticed. (S. R. C., August 31, 1867; March 3, 1821.)

On the other hand, an altar-stone does not lose consecration: (a) When merely a small portion of the same, for instance, of a corner, is broken off, or has in course of time crumbled away.

(b) If the wooden frame or back of an altar-stone is separated from it.

(c) If an altar-stone is lifted from its cavity in the altar-table and transferred to another altar, provided the sepulchrum is not broken open in this process, nor the relics lost. (S. R. C., June 21, 1710; and December 7, 1844.)

(d) If the church has been profaned, because in this case only immovable altars are desecrated.

The principles just stated are to be remembered whenever doubt arises as to whether an altar is desecrated or not. Since the sepulchrum with its relics forms the most important part of the portable altar or altar-stone, and as it is evident from what has been said that it can be very easily injured, it is incumbent upon pastors not to neglect the altar-stones of their churches, and to make sure frequently that they are not desecrated and that the sepulchrum is not injured. This is especially necessary if church or altar are damp, or if the sexton and his assistants are careless, as unfortunately happens often, in cleaning and decorating the altar. Their attention should be drawn to the fact that the altar-stone must be protected by every precaution. If the priest finds altar-stone or sepulchrum injured in any way at all, he should at once refer the matter to the ordinary and ask for instructions. Until these arrive, Mass should not be celebrated upon such altar, especially if the desecration is probable, unless the damaged altar-stone can be replaced by another one in proper condition.

Dr. Ant. Brychta.