St. Luke's Atlar of Repose

This is the Altar of Repose at St. Luke's Parish in Mineral Wells, Texas.The Altar of Repose is an altar in an Anglican or Catholic church where the Communion host, consecrated in the Mass of Maundy Thursday, is reserved until the Mass of the Presanctified on the following day, Good Friday.

It is prescribed that the Altar of Repose be in the church and other than the one where Mass is celebrated. In the Mass on Maundy Thursday two hosts are consecrated; after the consumption of the first, the second Host is placed in a Monstrance which ais vessel used by Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, and Anglo-Catholic Churches to display the consecreated Eucharistic Host. This remains on the corporal in the centre of the Altar until the end of Mass, when it is carried in solemn procession to the altar of repose, there to remain in the Monstrance. The Maundy Thursday service concludes with the stripping of all altars except the Altar of Repose.

Catholic piety has made Maundy Thursday a day of exceptional devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, and the repository is the centre of the love and aspirations of the faithful.

After the Good Friday service, the Blessed Sacrament (remaining available as viaticum for the dying) is stored elsewhere, such as in a locked cabinet in the sacristy, with a lamp or candle burning before it. (The Altar of Repose is used no more that season, and is stripped, with no decorations being used for any altar until it is time to prepare for the Easter Vigil.)

To see other Altars of Repose, check out the TexAnglican's blog.