Altar

Altars come in various styles and designs. In catholic churches they are always located at the front so that the priest can be clearly seen as he celebrates the Mass. It is on the altar that the bread and wine are offered by the priest and become the body and blood of the risen Jesus, for this reason it is treated with the special respect and covered with a white cloth.

Inside the altar there is usually a square flat stone and sealed under this is a relic of one of the saints. This continues a tradition which come from the very early times in the church's history when the community gathered to celebrate the Mass (or Eucharist) either at the tombs of saints or in the Catacombs.

When Mass is celebrated there are usually two candles on the altar, and two cloths made of white linen, a large cloth which covers the top of the altar (like a table cloth) and a smaller cloth (called a corporal) in the middle where the bread and wine are placed.