“There will be an altar to the Lord” Isaiah 19:19 THE SANCTUARY The Sanctuary is in the East of the Church behind the curtains. Inside the Sanctuary is an icon (picture) of our Lord Jesus Christ sitting on His throne in Heaven. Before you enter the Sanctuary you must take off your shoes and talking in not allowed, the Sanctuary is holy ground. During the Liturgy the true Body and true Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is on the Altar and the Angels are standing all around. This is why when you are in the Sanctuary it is just like being in Heaven with our Lord Jesus Christ. THE ALTAR The Altar is a table in the middle of the Sanctuary. The Altar is the shape of a square and it is a symbol of the tomb of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Altar is consecrated by a Bishop or the Pope. Consecrated means that Holy Myron (or Holy oil) is poured on the table by the Bishop or Pope to make it Holy. Once consecrated, the Altar can now be used to prepare the Holy Communion. "You shall consecrate them that they may be most Holy, whatever touches them will become Holy". (Exodus 30:29) The Altar is covered with a white cloth. The cloth is a symbol of the cloth that was wrapped around our Lord Jesus Christ when He was in the tomb. Only what is needed to prepare the Holy Communion can be placed on the Altar. THE THRONE It is a box made of wood. It has the Last Supper pictures in the front. It has an opening on the top. It’s made to put the Chalice (Cup) that has the Blood of Our Lord Christ in it. The Throne is placed in the center on top of the Altar. “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.” Revelation 4:2 What are the utensils of the Altar? 1- The Paten: made of silver or gold. To put the bread (Qurbana) that will be changed to the Body of Christ. 2- The (Cup) CHALICE: made of silver or gold. To put the juice of the vine (the wine) in it that will be changed to the Blood of Christ. 3- The Dome: made of silver or gold. To cover the Paten. 4- The Spoon: made of silver or gold. To give the Blood of Christ to the congregation. The Altar’s utensils are arranged and wrapped in big piece of cloth and kept on the Altar. While praying the liturgy, the Priest (Abouna) unties the wrapping and arranges the utensils on the Altar in a special arrangement to prepare for the liturgy. Was there any mentioning of the Altar in the Holy Bible? Yes! There are many verses in the Holy Bible that refers to the use and the importance of the Altar in Our worship. In the Old Testaments 1- Noah built an altar to the Lord; The Lord was pleased with Noah’s offering. “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma.” Genesis 8:21 2- Abraham, Isaac , and Jacob Abraham used to build an Altar to the Lord and offer sacrifices wherever he goes. “And he (Abraham) moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.” Genesis 12:8 3- The Lord Himself commanded Jacob to build Him an Altar “Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother." Genesis 35:1 4- The Lord Himself commanded Moses to build an Altar "You shall make an altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide--the altar shall be square--and its height shall be three cubits” Exodus 27:1 5- Solomon built the Altar according to God’s instruction to David. 1 Kings 6 In The New Testament 1- Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke about the Altar saying; “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24 This Altar is NOT a Jewish Altar since our Lord was speaking about the New Testament commandment. Also, the Jewish Altar will be destroyed soon after the resurrection of The Lord. This Altar is the New Testament Altar. 2- In his Epistle to the Hebrews St. Paul spoke about the New Testament Altar saying “We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.” Hebrews 13:10 “We” in this verse refers to the believers including the Apostles. “Who serve the tabernacle” refers to the Jews who did not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. We as believers have the right to eat from the Body and Blood placed on that Altar, and those who still not believing have NO right to partake. 3- St. Paul is warning the Corinthians not to engage in any Altar or table contrary to or in competition with the Eucharist of Christ.“ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's Table and of the table of demons” 1 Corinthians 10:21 4- St. Paul is questioning the need for the New Testament priesthood unless the old one is not perfect. “Therefore, if perfection were through the Leviticus priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?” Hebrews 7:11 The priesthood is intertwined with the Altar. The priest needs an Altar to pray on. Since St. Paul is mentioning the new priesthood then there is a new testament Altar. St Basil the great spoke about the respect of the Altar saying” No body is allowed to talk while he is serving the Altar”
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