The Altar of Sacrifice: Its Origin and Significance

At the heart of every Catholic church stands the holy altar, the sacred place upon which the gifts of bread and wine are offered to God and upon which a timeless miracle will occur. This sacred and consecrated object serves as the focal point before which the faithful gather to offer their prayers. This article delves into the origins and profound meaning of the altars found in our churches.

In Hebrew, the word “altar” (mizbeah) comes from the word meaning “to slaughter” (zabah). Our word “altar” comes from the Latin altare, meaning “to burn.” If one searches through the Bible for the word “altar,” one discovers that it occurs about 430 times, mostly in the Old Testament. The altar was the center of worship for those awaiting the Messiah. It was not only the place upon which sacrifices were offered, it was for them, a sign of the Divine presence.

In the Old Testament, the altars that were erected to offer sacrifice to God were set upon the “high places.” Worshipers always ascended the mountains to reach God. Since Jerusalem is set on a hill, it was a fitting place to build the Temple and have one central place, one altar, upon which to offer sacrifice. The altar in the Temple faced East, since East was the “place of dawning,” God’s gift of a new day.

The use of the altar in Catholic Churches reflects this ancient practice. The altar at Mass is, in a sense, a mystical Mt. Calvary on which Christ was crucified. The altar is elevated, not just so that people can see what the priest is doing, but because it recalls the “high place” upon which Christ offered himself in sacrifice. Likewise, the orientation of churches is normally facing East, to welcome the rising light of Christ who is the Light of the World. This is the reason that in the Tridentine Mass, the priest faces the same direction as the people. He was not so much turned away from the people, as he was facing toward Christ and leading the people toward Christ in worship.

The Mass is truly the one sacrifice on Calvary made re-present to us. The altar upon which Christ was sacrificed was the cross. Today, that sacrifice is made present to us on our altar. The belief that the Mass is the re-presentation of the sacrifice on Calvary is seen in our Eucharistic Prayers. For example, the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer 1) reads: “To you, most merciful Father, with reverence we pray through Jesus Christ, your Son our Lord. Through him we ask you to accept and bless these gifts, these offerings, these holy and unblemished sacrifices.”

For Israel, the altar was not only the place of sacrifice, it was also seen as a sign of the divine presence. Now we look to see the altar as a symbol of Christ himself.

It is easy to understand how the altar may be seen as the table of the Last Supper since the celebration of the Mass culminates in the sharing of a meal. But the altar not only recalls the Last Supper, it symbolizes the one who offered the sacrifice memorialized at the Last Supper.

In John 2:13-22, the evangelist tells the story of the cleansing of the temple in Jerusalem. In v. 19, Jesus said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” Then in v. 21 we are told that Jesus was “speaking about the temple of his body.” Since the temple was the place of sacrifice, containing the one and only altar upon which legitimate sacrifice could be offered, it follows that since Christ is the new temple (see also Rev. 21:22) he is the very place upon which sacrifice is offered.

A second image from scripture portrays Christ as the “living cornerstone.” Peter tells us in his first epistle (2:4-8) “Come to him (Christ), a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God…For it says in scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in it (Christ) shall not be put to shame.’ Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone and a stone that will make people stumble and a rock that will make them fall.’” (see also Eph 2:20).

This is why the church decrees that the altar in a church must be immovable and made of natural stone. The altar reflects the immovable sturdiness of Christ upon which the church is built (see the General Instructions of the Roman Missal 296-308). The image of Christ as the altar of sacrifice was taught in the early church as well. As St. Cyril of Alexandria wrote: “Christ is the altar, the offering, and the priest.” So, the altar is not just a symbol of Christ, but a symbol of Christ who is perpetually offering himself in sacrifice to His heavenly Father. It is fitting, therefore, that priests and deacons kiss the altar and that the laity in liturgical apostolates bow in reverence toward the altar. Ultimately, the altar is the table of the Lord, the mystical Mt. Calvary, and a symbol of Christ himself, the cornerstone who imparts salvation and life to the faithful. As we look to the altar, we see the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Let us keep this in mind as we attend Mass, that we become witnesses of the crucifixion and are called to proclaim it to the world in how we live.