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An altar is any structure upon which Sacrifice s or other offerings are offered for religious purposes. ALTARS IN THE HEBREW BIBLE Altars ( (Exodus 17:15, ''Adonai-nissi''). In the Tabernacle , and afterwards in the temple, two altars were erected. (1.) The altar of burnt offering (Ex. 30:28), called also the "brasen altar" (Ex. 39:39) and "the table of the Lord" (Mal. 1:7) upon which the '' Korban ot'' were offered. This altar, as erected in the tabernacle, is described in Ex. 27:1-8. It was a hollow square, 5 cubits in length and in breadth, and 3 cubits in height. It was made of shittim wood, and was overlaid with plates of brass. Its corners were ornamented with horns (Ex. 29:12; Lev. 4:18). In Ex. 27:3 the various utensils used with the altar are enumerated. They were made of brass. (Comp. 1 Sam. 2:13, 14; Lev. 16:12; Num. 16:6, 7.) In (2 Kings 16:14), and "cleansed" by Hezekiah , in the latter part of whose reign it was rebuilt. It was finally broken up and carried away by the Babylonians (Jer. 52:17). After the return from captivity it was re-erected (Ezra 3:3,6) where it had formerly stood. (Comp. 1 Macc. 4:47.) When Antiochus IV Epiphanes pillaged Jerusalem he defiled the altar of burnt offering by erecting a pagan altar upon it. Judas Maccabeus renewed the altar when he re-took Jerusalem. It was likely refurbushed by Herod during his extensive building activity on the Temple Mount , and remained in its place until the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D. The fire on the altar was not permitted to go out (Lev. 6:9). In the Mosque Of Omar , immediately underneath the great dome, which occupies the site of the old temple, there is a rough projection of the natural rock, of about 60 feet in its extreme length, and 50 in its greatest breadth, and in its highest part about 4 feet above the general pavement. This rock seems to have been left intact when Solomon's temple was built, and may have been the site of the altar of burnt offering. Underneath this rock is a cave, which may have been the granary of Araunah's threshing-floor (1 Chr. 21:22). (2.) The altar of Incense (Ex. 30:1-10), called also "the golden altar" (39:38; Num. 4:11), stood in the holy place "before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony." On this altar sweet spices were continually burned with fire taken from the brazen altar. The morning and the evening services were opened by the high priest offering incense on this altar. The burning of the incense was a type of prayer (Ps. 141:2; Rev. 5:8; 8:3, 4). This altar was a small movable table, made of acacia wood overlaid with gold (Ex. 37:25, 26). It was 1 cubit in length and breadth, and 2 cubits in height. In Solomon's temple the altar was similar in size, but was made of cedar-wood (1 Kings 6:20; 7:48) overlaid with gold. In Ezek. 41:22 it is called "the altar of wood." (Comp. Ex. 30:1-6.) In the temple built after the on the destruction of Jerusalem the altar of incense is not found, nor is any mention made of it in Hebrews 9. It was at this altar Zacharias ministered when an angel appeared to him (Luke 1:11). ALTARS IN JEWISH SYNAGOGUES Known as the '' Bimah '', the altar in a Synagogue can be a large over-sized elevated platform with a wide table on top of it roughly in the center of the synagogue upon which the Torah scroll/s ('' Sifrei Torah '') are placed and unrolled so that they can be read after they have been removed and brought over from the " Ark " (''aron'' in Hebrew ) where they are stored (which is at the front of the synagogue). The synagogue altar usually has a few steps upwards when it is elevated. The altar may also be simply a large table or a large flat-topped cabinet in the center of the synagogue. Traditionally, when the Torah is opened to be Cantillated ("read" with a special tune) on the altar, two people stand on either side of it as a mark of respect. In some synagogues the Hazan (the one leading the prayers) stands on the altar facing most of the congregation, and in other synagogues the altar is only used for the Torah readings, but further Prayers are led from the front of the synagogue away from the altar itself. CHRISTIANITY , Dyersville, Iowa . As the parish offers Tridentine Rite Masses, this altar is still used for such services.]] The word is used in Acts ( 14:13) and Hebrews 13:10 for the sacrifice offered upon it - the sacrifice Jesus offered. ." ALTARS IN CHRISTIAN CHURCHES Altars occupy a prominent place in the Sanctuary of many churches, especially in Anglican , Roman Catholic , Eastern Orthodox , Lutheran , Episcopal , Methodist , and other highly liturgical denominations. In some churches it may be surrounded by Altar Rails . In Eastern Christian churches, there is usually some form of Iconostasis or "icon wall" in front of it. It is used primarily to hold and, in some cases, to prepare the bread and wine used in the Eucharist . In Reformed or Presbyterian churches, a table that serves the function of an altar is often called a ''communion table''. In some Protestant denominations, the word altar is used to denote the Chancel or sanctuary area of the church, although this usage is technically incorrect. Some Catholic and Orthodox altars are built with a reliquary to hold Relic s of Saint s. This practice began in the early centuries of Christianity, when many Christians were forced to hide and worship in Catacombs . In these places, the altar was often a coffin holding the body of a Christian, out of simple necessity. The practice of placing relics within an altar is observed even today. Also, some Catholic churches are built with the altar integral with the foundation, so as to make it near impossible to remove. This is done to make it more likely that the church building would not be converted to some other usage. Altars in Roman Catholic churches Until the Second Vatican Council , the altar in the Catholic Church was a table standing on a platform with three steps (altar steps), and placed under one or more statues or a picture of a Saint or a sacred event. Most churches would usually have three altars - a main altar called the high altar, a side altar dedicated to the Virgin Mary , and another dedicated to Saint Joseph. Up until the council the Tridentine Mass was celebrated in Catholic churches. The Priest used to stand facing the same direction, known as the "liturgical East" as the congregation for most of the Mass. During the canon he would offer up bread and wine, then changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, according to Catholic belief, towards the altar. Since the council and the introduction of the new order ( Novus Ordo ) of the Mass, various options have been introduced regarding style and location of the altar, usually free-standing. In some cases the new altar is usually placed in front of the old high altar. In other cases either the side altars or all the old altars are removed - but that is usually a controversial move. The altar can be made from a variety of materials, such as wood or stone. , Dubuque, Iowa . The original high altar is behind the screen. This altar contains a reliquary holding the remains of Saint Cessianus , a Roman Catholic Saint and Martyr killed during the persecutions of the Roman Emperor Diocletian .]] In churches that have retained the original high altar, the Tabernacle is kept on the old altar. With many old altars, the tabernacle is built directly into the altar. For those churches that were built after the council, or for those that have removed the old altars the tabernacle is placed on a stand of its own. The tabernacle may also be in a special side chapel called the Blessed Sacrament chapel, and consecrated hosts would be kept there. Such chapels are found in churches built before and after Vatican II. The chapel may or may not have its own altar.
Altars in Eastern Christian Churches "Altar" has a meaning in Orthodoxy that varies with context. Its most common usage does not denote the table itself, but the area surrounding it, behind the Iconostasis , that is also called the Sanctuary . When one enters the sanctuary, one is said to be "going into the altar". The table may alternately be referred to as the ''Holy Table'' or the ''Throne''. This section will describe the Holy Table, not the sanctuary. Orthodox altars are typically about one meter high, and although they may be made of stone they are generally built out of wood. The exact dimensions may vary, but it must be square in cover bound to the altar with cords, and this cover is never removed after the altar is consecrated. (Since the altar is never seen uncovered thereafter, they tend to be constructed more with sturdiness than aesthetics in mind.) Above this first cover is a second ornamented cover, often in a brocade of a color that may change with the liturgical season. Atop the altar is the Tabernacle , a miniature shrine sometimes built in the form of a church, inside of which is a small ark containing the reserved Sacrament for use in communing the sick. Also kept on the altar is the Gospel book and the '' Antimension '', a Silk en cloth imprinted with an icon of Christ being prepared for burial, which has a relic sewn into it and bears the signature of the Bishop . The Divine Liturgy must be served on an antimension even if the altar has been consecrated and contains relics. When not in use, the antimension is left in place wrapped in the ''eiliton'', a cloth of plain silk, linen or Cotton . The altar may only be touched by ordained men, and nothing which is not itself consecrated or an object of veneration should placed on it. Objects may also be placed on the altar as part of the process for setting them aside for sacred use. For example, Icon s are usually blessed by laying them on the altar for a period of time or for a certain number of Divine Liturgies before sprinkling them with Holy Water . In place of the outer covering, some altars have a permanent solid cover which may be highly ornamented, richly carved, or even plated in precious metals. A smaller brocade cover is used on top of this if it is desired that the altar decorations reflect the liturgical season. The altar is used as the place of offering in the celebration of the Eucharist , where bread and wine are offered to God The Father and the Holy Spirit is invoked to make his Son Jesus Christ present in the gifts. It is also the place where the presiding Clergy stand at any service, even where no Eucharist is being celebrated and no offering is made but Prayer . ALTARS IN ANGLICAN CHURCHES Since the council and the introduction of the new order ( Novus Ordo ) of the Mass (Anglicans generally follow Roman Catholic liturgical reforms) various options have been introduced regarding style and location of the altar. In some cases the new altar is usually placed in front of the old high altar. The altar can be made from a variety of materials, such as wood or stone. Items to be consecrated are placed ontop and sprinkled with holy water. It is mainly used for the Eucharist. HIGH PLACES High Place s are elevated spots on which altars were erected for worship in the belief that, as they were nearer heaven than the plains and valleys, they were more favourable places for prayer. The practice of worship on these spots, though from the first forbidden, became frequent among the Hebrews, and was with difficulty abolished, though denounced time after time by the prophets as an affront to God. EXTERNAL LINKS
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