A tabernacle is a locked ornate receptacle or cabinet in which the leftover consecrated hosts are placed. When I was a child, my parish had the traditional style of the altar against the wall in front of a backdrop structure with statues in it. In the middle of the altar and built into that framework was the tabernacle. There was always a noticeable candle lit nearby that signified that the Body of Christ was present in the tabernacle. Worries about crime or vandalism were different in those days, so often you would see people come into the church during the day to pray in front of the tabernacle, or as we said, to pray “in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.”
One of the discussions I remember after the Second Vatican Council was that there was a difference between praying the Mass and receiving the Eucharist versus adoration of the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass. I don’t think anyone meant to downgrade Eucharistic adoration. I think people were trying to say that the active participation in the Mass was the high point of our worship. It shouldn’t be confused with devotional prayer.
That distinction, coupled with the desire to lock churches when not in use, led to thinking that the tabernacle should be in a separate reservation chapel, a place of beauty and nobility with plenty of room for private prayer. Many new churches were built with these distinct rooms located outside the main worship area. There were people who did not like this practice. They seemed to feel like the tabernacle should be more prominent. One person said to me, “The tabernacle shouldn’t be down the hall and take a left.” Whatever church was being referenced perhaps went too far afield, but I can see the rationale for having the tabernacle in a separate space. One practical reason is that rehearsals can take place as well as conversations without interrupting those who want a quiet space to pray.
A more recent concern since the Council is determining whether Catholics today believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Surveys have come up with varied results, but I think that concern has altered some thinking about the placement of the tabernacle. It cannot be placed on the main altar used for Mass, but many want it front and center behind the main altar. The thought is that the location signifies the importance of our belief that Christ is present in the bread consecrated at the Mass. In many churches today, the tabernacle is now centrally located in the main worship space. Liturgical legislation allows for placement in the main church or a separate chapel. (See General Instruction of the Roman Missal #314-317)
When I grew up, it was the custom to bless ourselves with holy water when entering the church and to genuflect to the presence of Christ in the tabernacle before moving into the pew. People also knelt down and said a private prayer once in the pew. Then they sat down. When the tabernacle was moved, it became customary to bow to the altar before being seated. Do people understand why they bow or genuflect? I don’t know. What do we do today? I don’t see one uniform way people in different parishes enter the church and find their places. I’m not suggesting there should be one consistent method. Each parish can develop its own traditions.
What movement and gestures do you do regularly at Mass? Do you understand their meaning?
