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A portable altar consists of a solid piece of natural stone which must be sufficiently hard to resist every fracture. It must beconsecrated bybishop or otherperson having faculties to do so. By virtue of Facultates Extraordinariae C., 6., thebishops of theUnited States may delegate apriest. It is inserted in, or placed on, the table of the altar, about two inches from the front edge, and in such a manner that, by its slight elevation above the table, the celebrant can trace its outlines with his hand and thus recognize its location beneath the altar-cloths. In general it should be large enough to hold the Sacred Host and the greater part of the base of thechalice (Cong. Sac. Rit., 20 March, 1846) If the altar is intended for the celebration of Masses at whichHoly Communion is distributed, it should be large enough to hold theciborium also. Five Greek crosses are engraved on it, one near each corner and one in the centre, to indicate the place on which the unctions are made at theconsecration. If the cross in the centre should be wanting, the unction must not be omitted, but the omission of this unction would not invalidate theconsecration (Cong. Sac. Rit., 2 May, 1892). The table and supports on which the portable altar rests may be constructed of any suitable material, wood or stone, provided they have the proper dimensions. For the portable altar the Greeks generally use theantimensium, aconsecratedaltar-cloth of silk or linen, after the manner of our corporals. When a church isconsecrated, a piece of cloth large enough to form severalantimensia is placed on the altar. It isconsecrated by thebishop pouring wine andholy chrism on it and stiffening it with a mixture consisting ofrelics pounded up with wax or fragrant gum. It is afterwards divided into pieces about sixteen inches square, and after theHoly Eucharist has been celebrated on them for seven days these pieces are distributed as occasion requires (Neale, HolyEastern Church, I, 187).
APA citation.Schulte, A.J.(1907).Portable Altar. InThe Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company.http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01348b.htm
MLA citation.Schulte, Augustin Joseph."Portable Altar."The Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 1.New York: Robert Appleton Company,1907.<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01348b.htm>.
Transcription.This article was transcribed for New Advent by Michael C. Tinkler.
Ecclesiastical approbation.Nihil Obstat. March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor.Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
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