Case XXIV: The Desecration of Altars

Anselm, a priest, having discovered that the cover of the sepulcher of the relics in the high altar of his church had been broken into two parts, the effect of a heavy blow, though it had not been removed from its place, asked his bishop to reconsecrate the altar. The bishop, however, either because he was enfeebled by age and sickness, or because he learned that the altar-slab had two very large piercings, gave to the priest a portable altar-slab of almost the same dimensions, with which Anselm was directed to replace the broken cover. When Anselm found that this was somewhat too broad and too deep he cut a little from around its borders, and so from both its surfaces diminished a little of its thickness that it might fit into the hollow of the altar.

Now the question is asked:

1. When and under what circumstances did portable altars first come into use, and how does the Latin Church differ from the Greek on this subject?

2. What conditions desecrate a fixed or movable altar, and should the fixed altar, in the above case, be considered desecrated?

3. Does the double piercing mentioned in the above case desecrate the altar?;

4. Does the portable altar in the above case lose its consecration?

Answer 1.—A portable altar from its very name is one that can be carried from one place to another. It is opposed to a fixed altar, which has a determined place in a church, and is secured to the floor. The sepulcher of the relics rests upon a small stone, variously called the sacred stone, altar-stone, a carrying stone, traveling altar, portable altar, pilgrimage altar, for the reason that they are chiefly used by missionaries and those engaged in traveling and enjoy the privilege of a portable altar. This altar should have sufficient space to hold at least the chalice and host. As to their first usage the well-known Marténe writes as follows in his “Ancient Ecclesiastical Rites,” Part ii, Bk. ii, Chap. 17:

“Besides fixed altars, there are others called portable, traveling, or pilgrimage altars, the origin of which according to some goes as far back as the eighth century. Rather, they date back to the very beginning of the Church. There can be no doubt that portable altars were used before fixed altars, for the reason that in the early days of the Church there were no temples, no permanent or fixed places for the sacred mysteries, but as Eusebius says, in Bk. 7, Chap. 22, quoting the words of Dionysius of Alexandria, “Any place at all, a field, a forest, a ship, a stable, a prison, a temple, could serve as places for the sacred mysteries” and because of this fact it was necessary that portable altars be easily carried to any one place. After the persecutions ceased and wealthy princes built magnificent Basilicas, the altars, which up to this period were movable, became fixed, and as a result traveling altars became less used. A little later, because of the necessity of traveling and the scarcity of fixed and consecrated altars, traveling altars again came into use. Whence Ven. Bede says: “Daily they offer to God the sacrifice of the loving Victim, carrying with them the little cups and altars each consecrated in turn.”

Altars or tables of this kind were made from marble, blockstone, porphyry, jasper, alabaster, onyx, crystal, wood, or ebony. They were rectangular in form and rested either on wooden tables or some more or less expensive foundation.

According to the present laws of the Church portable altars must be made of stone; they must contain the relics of some saint and be consecrated by a bishop.

Among the Greeks instead of traveling altars, Antimensia are used. These consist of precious linens containing the holy relics, anointed with sacred oil by the blessing of a bishop at a special Mass for that purpose.

In the Russian Orthodox Church a temple can not be consecrated unless it contains at least one of these linens.

In the Syrian Church small tables of wood may be used in place of the Antimensia, in case of necessity.

Answer 2.—Any altar, whether fixed or movable, is held to be desecrated if:

1. It become broken. Now the break in itself may be serious by reason of the size of the fracture or serious by reason of its location, even though in itself the break may by no means be considerable.

2. If the relics have been removed or even if the sepulcher has been opened.

3. If the sepulcher itself has been broken or its cover, or if it has only been removed.

4. If the altar slab has been entirely removed from the lower structure.

5. If the upper part of the altar has been injured. Therefore, because of these laws the altar in the above case has been desecrated.

Answer 3.—It is said in the above case that the altar slab had two large piercings. In this case the same conditions obtain that affect the altar by reason of a break. These conditions we have seen in the preceding question. And so I consider that the altar has been desecrated.

Answer 4.—The portable altar given to Anselm, and which was mutilated by him in his ignorance, has become desecrated according to the above laws, and therefore the priest Anselm dare not celebrate Mass on said altar.