(Hebr "a place of sacrifice;" Gr hieron; Sl prestol) In Orthodox architecture the term signifies the area of the sanctuary divided from the rest of the church by the iconostasis
The focal point of traditional Anglican church architecture Usually located in the sanctuary at the east end of a church It is Our Lord Jesus Christ's table, to which his followers come, at His invitation, to be spiritually nourished
A table, usually in the sanctuary, on which the bread and wine used in the Communion service are consecrated Also known as and referred to in the prayer book as the Holy Table
Noun (Plural: Altars) Table in church used for the consecration of communion Often, in older or catholic churches, the bones of a saint ("relics") would be imbedded in the altar
A raised construction used for religious sacrifice In ancient, and /or more primitive rituals, animals would be killed and burned on an altar The altar in a church is used for the Eucharist or Holy Communion to commemorate Christ's sacrifice
In ancient religion, a table at which offerings were made or victims sacrificed In Christian churches, a raised structure at which the sacrament of the Eucharist is consecrated, forming the center of the ritual
(An), in Christian art St Stephen (the Pope), and Thomas Becket are represented as immolated before an altar St Canute is represented as lying before an altar St Charles Borromeo is represented as kneeling before an altar St Gregory (the Pope) is represented as offering sacrifice before an altar And the attribute of Victor is an altar overthrown, in allusion to his throwing down a Roman altar in the presence of the Emperor Maximian
From Lat altare, ara The Eucharistic table, upon which the sacrifice of Mass is given The first altars were of wood, being simply tables in private homes Later, stone altars were erected, and stone is now the preferred material An altar in a Catholic church must have a relic underneath or imbedded Originally, there was only one altar in each church, but for practical reasons more altars were added in many churches The original, or main, altar is known as the high altar At first, the altars seem to have been free-standing, and the celebrant stood facing the congregation This was changed, and the altars were placed against the east wall so that the celebrant stood with his back to the congregation In recent times, many altars have been restored to the original practice In Rome, both types may be found The altar must be covered with a white cloth when Mass is celebrated
In the Roman Church, a table at which the celebration of the Eucharist takes place It is placed in the most prominent place in the church, usually at the east end, in the choir or sanctuary, facing the main entrance to the church
The altar signals the place of arrival and rebirth It is the focal point of the sanctuary, the seed within the pod of its enclosing floor, walls and roof, the world navel Because the altar serves as the power point for regeneration, it is usually raised or lowered in relation to its surroundings When lowered, it represents the open womb from which creation springs A raised altar suggests the swelling of seed energies sprouting into diverse expressions Often a semicircular wall called an apse defines this part of the sanctuary The enclosing space takes on the role of the womb; the raised altar is the germinating inner force Light is greatest here Coming from east-facing windows or groupings of candles, it energizes the renewing ritual (adapted from The Temple in the House)
the table on which sacraments are prepared The altar signifies the place where we meet God It is considered holy when it is used for a holy purpose, such as sacraments
A table, stone, or other surface used in Wiccan rituals on which the ritual tools are placed Originally it was thought that this derived simply from the Latin word altus ("high"), but this is no longer generally accepted "Altar" first appeared in Old English around 100 C E It came from the Latin altaria and altare, which in turn relates to the Sanskrit alata-m ("firebrand") Its root word is the proto-Indo-European al ("burn") This is in reference to the candles or offerings found burning on an altar ~ The Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca - Kerr Cuhulain
a table [located in the sanctuary or the crossing] on which are placed the vessels for holding the bread, wine, and water used in the eucharist or communion
a raised structure used in worship; in Old Testament times, the altar was used for the sacrifice of animals In the Christian church, the altar is used for the celebration of the Eucharist or the Lord's Supper
[arch] An elevated structure used in worship of a god or ancestor where sacrifices are offered or incense is burned Represents the 'judges seat', or holy table
The table-like structure used to provide a base for all the implements required during a ritual, whether for Magick or for worship Different traditions have special rules for the size, shape and location of altars In some, they are in the center of the Sacred Circle, in others, at the North
An altar is a holy table in a church or temple. Raised structure or place used for sacrifice, worship, or prayer. Altars probably originated with the belief that objects or places (e.g., a tree or spring) were inhabited by spirits or deities worthy of prayers or gifts. Sacrifice to deities required a structure on which the victim could be killed and blood channeled off or flesh burned. In ancient Israel, the altar was a rectangular stone with a hollowed-out basin on top. The ancient Greeks placed altars (see baetylus) in homes, marketplaces, public buildings, and sacred groves. Roman altars were similarly ubiquitous and were often decorated with relief sculptures. Christians at first did not use altars, but by the 3rd century the table on which the Eucharist was celebrated was regarded as an altar. It became the focus of the mass in Christian churches and in Western churches was often adorned by a baldachin and an altarpiece