The Altar Canopy

The manner of decorating an altar which has been hallowed by ancient tradition and is distinctly a Catholic practice, is to build over the entire altar a large canopy, usually standing on four columns. Such a canopy is often referred to as a  ciborium,  or a  baldacchino  or  a civory.  In mediaeval times, particularly in England, a different form of canopy came to be suspended from the ceiling above the altar, usually being square but sometimes circular in shape.  Later still the canopy evolved into an adjunct to the altar which jutted out at right angles from the topmost part of its reredos. These different forms of canopy all have specific names, which are often confused. This is the first of many posts illustrating canopies, in their various forms, over our altars.

The canopy, according to Canon J.B. O’Connell, “was a traditional mark of reverence and honour, emphasising the royal dignity of the altar...without any infringement of the inviolable sanctity and detachment of that sacred stone.”  Canon J.B. O’Connell, Church Building and Furnishing: the Church’s Way, 1955, pp. 185-86.

The great bronze canopy over the High altar of St. Peter's Basilica.
Designed by the sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini, it was intended to mark,
in a monumental way, the place of Saint Peter's tomb beneath.
Commissioned by Pope Urban VIII, the work began in 1623 and ended in 1634.

Image: http://aeternus.photoshelter.com/image/I0000vAmfHrr8kHE

The most famous example of such a canopy is in Saint Peter’s Basilica; but there are numerous such canopies throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, North America and in Australia. Many of these were built in the first half of the twentieth century, when liturgical ideals were being practically espoused.

The former Ceremonial of Bishops and various decrees of the Congregation of Sacred Rites required a canopy of some sort to be built over an altar - a directive which, unfortunately, was largely ignored. 

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This early 20th century postcard shews a fine Gothic church in either France or Belgium. Its name and place are unknown. It is unclear as to whether it is a mediaeval church or of the 19th century Gothic Revival, but the presence of a Confessio immediately beneath chancel suggests something mediaeval (at least in part).

Despite the ample proportions of the building, the chancel is relatively small and there are no quire stalls or other furnishings to suggest this is a Cathedral-church. There is, however, a very fine civory or ciborium above the High altar.

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Catholic Cathedrals of North America : 1 Saint Patrick's New York

Nestled amidst the bustle of Manhattan, Saint Patrick's Cathedral.

The North American continent has a wonderful richness and variety of Cathedral churches, which we hope to explore in coming months in these columns. For this post, we turn our attention to (arguably) the most famous and well-loved of the Cathedrals of the United States : Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

This masterpiece of the Gothic Revival was designed by the American architect James Renwick from 1853, work commencing on the building in 1858. Renwick had toured Europe to inspect its great Cathedrals before commencing his designs and, as a result, Saint Patrick's has much in common in style and detail with French Cathedrals and with the great Cathedral of Cologne.

We find a certain similarity of composition in the facade of the Cathedral of Rheims and Saint Patrick's New York. This was even more evident before the spires were completed on the New York Cathedral in 1888 (see photographs below). Saint Patrick's is not a large Cathedral by any standard, but its small size is off-set by the soaring appearance of its facade and its marvellous interior.

Splendidly composed facade of Saint Patrick's Cathedral.
Attentuated portals are enclosed by the massive buttresses.

Rheims Cathedral, France.

The unfinished Cathedral,
shewing similarities to Rheims Cathedral
but in a more compact form.

The construction of Saint Patrick's Cathedral was interrupted by the American Civil War (1861 - 1865) and in the wake of that terrible conflict, the Cathedral was not able to be completed as planned. 

An artisan working on the nave ceiling of the Cathedral.
The photograph shews clearly that the entire structure is formed
from plaster, neatly painted to resemble masonry.

The most significant change is that the ceiling, which was intended to be entirely stone vaulting, was instead made in the lath and plaster technique in imitation of stone (see adjacent photograph). Stone vaulting could not be afforded. Consequently, Renwick's design for exteriors walls supporting a stone vault with flying buttresses was modified and remains today in a curiously unfinished state.

South-west aspect of the Cathedral shewing Renwick's
unfinished flying buttresses along the aisle walls.

After the Cathedral's completion in 1888, the only addition to the building was the construction of a Lady Chapel (1900 - 1908 ) emerging from the apse. It follows in most every respect the character of the apse from which it extends.

The East end of the Cathedral, shewing the Lady Chapel
and buildings associated with the Cathedral.

One of the consequences of the Cathedral now being surrounded with the skyscrapers of Manhattan, as could never have been foreseen in the 1850's, is that the interior is rather dark. Furthermore, successive generations have added stained glass to the clerestory windows. And so, we turn to a marvellous old photograph from 1907 to illustrate this Cathedral's splendid interior.

Marvellous 1907 photograph shewing the interior of the Cathedral
bathed in natural light.
The grandeur and wonderful proportions of the building
are well-shewn in this photograph.

This photographs shews the inventive treatment of the southern wall of the transept.

Bird's eye view of the chancel.

We turn now to liturgical arrangements of the Cathedral. The adjacent photograph, taken from high in the vault during recent restoration work, shews the large area of the chancel. A large area of tiled pavement separates the two sides of the choirstalls and leads to the steps of the High Altar, which rests beneath a civory or altar canopy. It will be noticed that this chancel is very spacious.

Beyond the arches of the apse is an ambulatory and beyond this can be seen the Lady Chapel. The chancel is separated from the ambulatory by timber parcloses.

But this is not the original arrangement of the Cathedral's sanctuary. The photograph below shews something altogether different. Prior to 1942, the High altar was a composition in the High Victorian style. It gleamed white and because it was very lofty and communicated most of the width of the chancel, was a real focal point for the Cathedral.

Although from the perspective of liturgical ideals crowning the High altar with a civory is usually desirable and admirable, in the instance of Saint Patrick's Cathedral, the change was not successful visually.

The civory - a composition in a free Gothic style - was purposely left very open, so that it would be possible to see through it to the apse beyond. The design of this civory is not sufficiently three-dimensional for it to have an adequate visual impact in this large space.

Photograph taken during a wedding in the Cathedral in the 1930's.
The old High altar visually dominates, drawing all eyes towards it.

 

The Cathedral photographed in the 1960's.

An early photograph of the 1942 High altar and civory.
A dossal was suspended behind the altar to assist focus.

Another view of the civory.

This view from the rear of the civory
shews the entrance to the Cathedral Crypt.

A beautiful view of the Cathedral taken at the beginning of the 20th century.

Churches of the Holy Lands : 2 The Church of the Multiplication, Tabgha

The Church of the Multiplication, Tabgha.
Beneath the High altar is preserved the stone on which the Miracle
is believed to have been performed.
Surrounding it are 5th century mosaics from the original church.

Although the location is not specified for Christ's miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, tradition attributes it to the town of Tabgha on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. A church on this site was built in the middle of the fourth century and was enlarged around the year 480.

An overview of the history of this venerable site can be found here.

But this ancient church was destroyed towards the end of the seventh century. Remarkably, a reconstruction of the old church was completed in 1982! And it is this church which is the subject of this post. This church is also in the basilican style - but is quite different from the Church of the Nativity, which was the subject of our previous post. Here we find a building which is more Romanesque than Classical Roman. 

Interior of the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes.
The ancient mosaic floor is preserved, although the actual church
was built in the late 20th century.
The church is strikingly unadorned, but has a serene and noble character.

The unadorned simplicity of this church is most beautiful, but it has a serious deficiency. Looking at the photographs, one thing is immediately obvious : there is insufficient focus to this church. The focal point for any church ought to be, of course, the High altar. Although the presbyterium here is elevated above the nave and transept floors, the altar is not as visible as it ought to be. Altar and floor and wall are all of much the some monochromatic colours.

Presbyterium of the Church, arranged very much in the ancient style :
a freestanding altar, central chair for the bishop and benches for the presbyters
alongside the bishop's chair.
Curiously, the corona of lights and candles is not above the altar, but that area in front of it.
In the transept can be seen part of the surviving stone wall of the ancient church.

Since the altar itself is built over that hallowed spot where Christ's Miracle is believed to have taken place (the stone visible beneath the altar), covering the altar with a frontal may not be an appropriate measure to give the altar more prominence. An altar resting merely on four columns was constructed so that the spot would be easily visible.

Another view of the presbyterium, shewing the surviving mosaic floor
and the stone beneath the altar.
The altar lacks sufficient prominence for it to be the focal point of the church
not least so because of the absence of decoration in the apse.

The whole matter would be readily resolved were a ciborium or canopy built over the altar. Instead of looking towards a blank wall, a ciborium would become the focal point and lend added dignity both to the altar and to the site of the Miracle. Perhaps a future generation will add that ciborium.