Barquin, Mary Jane T.

BEED 2
MWF 8:50 – 9:50

SIGNS AND SYMBOLS

ASSEMBLY

The assembly, the Body of Christ, should experience itself as gathered and ordered for
celebration. Its members should be able to see and hear clearly, and be in sufficient comfort to allow
them to participate.

WORD

The Word of God should be able to be heard by all present. Amplification and loop systems,
and signing, should be available as needed. The dignity of the Word should be indicated by the use of
the Lectionary (or in some other way, if necessary).

PRIEST

The priest is to lead the people in prayer, in listening and responding to God’s word and in
offering the Sacrifice through Christ in the Spirit to the Father. If he is to lead the assembly, he needs
to be carefully prepared, and in good time, as to what is proposed for a Mass. He also needs to
exercise responsibility for those parts which most closely relate to his role.

ALTAR

The Altar is where the Sacrifice of the Cross is made

present; the Table of the Lord around which we gather.
It is venerated as symbol of Christ, cornerstone of the
Church and a Living Stone. It should be dressed with a
cloth, and reserved for its Eucharistic function. Candles
may be placed on the altar; flowers may be put next to
the altar but not on it.

The altar is the center of thanksgiving that the Eucharist accomplishes. The altar is ‘Christ,’ its
composition should reflect the nobility, beauty, strength and simplicity of the One it represents. The
Eucharistic Table has an opening at its base, recalling the symbolic image of a “portal,” that is, a
doorway. It is through this passageway, we enter into the holy mystery that is the Lord's Supper.
The “Mensa” or tabletop is in the form of an abstract “Pisces,” the symbolic fish and the
multiplication of the loaves as found in the Gospels. The altar reflects the two dimensions of our
Eucharistic Liturgy, the one and same mystery: Sacrifice and Sacrament at this Table of the Lord.

CANDLES

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 Barquin, Mary Jane T.
BEED 2
MWF 8:50 – 9:50

The light of candles signifies Christ the light of the word; the gradual burning down of the
candle as wax is consumed in the flame symbolizes Christ’s self-sacrifice in the service of his mission.
Only genuine was candles should be used. Fake ‘candles with oil inserts are not permitted at Mass. 2,
4, or 6 are to be used, according to the level of solemnity. 7 should be lit when the Archbishop
presides at Mass.

AMBO

The Ambo is table of God’s word and complements the Altar (table for the
sacrament).Its design should indicate the dignity of the word. It should remain
in its place throughout the Mass Cross. The cross is a constant reminder of the
cost of our salvation and a symbol of hope. The Cross should be visible to the
whole assembly during Mass. The Cross should bear a figure of Christ crucified.
The Cross may be on or near the altar, or be brought in procession. The Ambo
also designates a reading desk from which we are strengthened Sunday after
Sunday as we listen to the Word of the Lord.

The central focus of the area in our sanctuary space in which the word of God is proclaimed is the
ambo. The design of the ambo and its prominent placement reflects the dignity and nobility of that
saving word and draws the attention of those present to the proclamation of the word.
CHAIR FOR

THE PRIEST CELEBRANT

In a church the presider’s chair is a symbol of the priest’s office. It symbolizes unity,
leadership and service. When celebrating in a school hall, it will rarely be possible to
achieve this, and usually the chair will simply serve as a chair.

The Chair of the priest celebrant stands as a symbol of his office of presiding over
the assembly and of directing prayer. The chair reflects the dignity of the one who
leads the community in the person of Christ.

THE RESRVATION OF THE EUCHARIST

Christ present in the Eucharistic species is a treasure the Church has
cherished and revered over the centuries. The reservation of the
Eucharist is for communion of the sick, for those unable to attend the
Sunday celebration, and as Viaticum for the dying....and for Eucharistic
adoration...

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 Barquin, Mary Jane T.
BEED 2
MWF 8:50 – 9:50

The Tabernacle is made of bronze and symbolizes an abstraction of flame and fire. It recalls the third
person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit who comes to us in the mystery of the Incarnation and the
'epiclesis' or invoking of the Holy Spirit as the Bread and Wine are consecrated into the Body and
Blood of Christ. This 'epiclesis,' as it is called in the Liturgy, is the ‘fire of the Holy Spirit' who 'Tran-
substantiates’ the Eucharistic elements and our lives by holy presence, calling us into a deeper
community of love and service as Church.

THE AMBRY
The consecrated oil of chrism for initiation, ordination, and the dedication of
churches, as well as the blessed oils of the sick and of catechumens, are
traditionally housed in a special place called an ambry or repository. These
oils…deserve the special care of the community to which they have been
entrusted.
The ambry, a place designated for the Holy Oils, highlights a free mosaic of the
biblical olive tree. Made of glazed ceramic, the tree surrounds the blessed
olive oils of the catechumens and of the sick and the Sacred Chrism to which a
perfume has been added. A symbol of hope and peace from the time of Noah,
the olive tree may also reflect both the church and the human family, “children growing up like olive
shoots around your table.” Psalm 128

EUCHARISTIC VESSELS

When it is not practical for these to be of precious metal, they should be of gilded metal.
Pottery or porcelain should not be used. Vessels for the Body of Christ should have the form of
plates or shallow bowls not chalices. Chalices should be large enough for the quantity of wine
needed for consecration for communion.

VESTURE

The outer vestures worn by the priest are the stole and chasuble. Variety in color gives
effective outward expression to the seasons of the year. The priest and servers should also wear an
alb, although if this cannot be provided for servers they can wear their ordinary school clothes.

LAYING ON OF HANDS

One of the primary symbols in the liturgy is the ‘laying on of

hands’. From ancient times, to impose hands on someone
or to extend one’s hand over the person’s head was the
sign of calling down the Holy Spirit. All seven sacraments

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employ this symbol. We call the prayer which accompanies the imposition of hands an epiclesis,
which is an invocation. In the Eucharist, the priest stretches his hands over the bread and wine to call
upon the Holy Spirit to consecrate these gifts into the body and blood of Christ.

BREAD AND WINE

Wheat is grown and ground,

transformed by human work to make
bread. Grapes are grown and
crushed, transformed by human
work to make wine. It is traditionally
the work of human hands.

Bread is life. Wine is joy. The sharing of food and drink is often linked with peace-making and the
resolution of differences. From the earliest times, human beings have shared meals together. The
very act of eating and drinking together is a symbol of fellowship, common life, common love. In
biblical times, people ate everything from the same plate. People ate using flat bread which served
as a ‘spoon’ dipped into the communal dish. Sharing food in this way increased the sense of solidarity
and fellowship among those eating it. They became, in a sense, one body.

The breaking of the bread was the ritual gesture that established communion among those at table
in a Jewish ritual meal. The Last Supper was such a meal. Jesus identified the broken bread and
poured wine with his own Body and Blood, broken and poured out in his suffering and Death. After
his Resurrection, Jesus’ disciples spoke of recognizing him in the ‘breaking of the bread’. The
‘breaking of the bread’ eventually came to describe the whole action of the Eucharist after the time
of Jesus.

FIRE/LIGHT

In the Old Testament, fire is a symbol of God’s purifying

presence. In the biblical narratives we read of Moses before
the burning bush, intensely aware of the presence of God.
We read of the Hebrew people journeying through the
desert, led by a pillar of fire by night. In the Bible,
transformation is nearly always manifested by light, In the
Old Testament, Moses is transfigured. In the New
Testament, Jesus is transfigured, shining brighter than the sun. This ‘shining’ signifies the radiance of
God’s presence. In the New Testament also, the flames of Pentecost are a symbol of the presence of
God transforming the lives of Jesus’ disciples.

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We too will be transformed. At Baptism we are given a lighted candle to symbolize the light of Christ.
This is the transforming light of faith that drives out the darkness of despair. And we are
commissioned to keep this light burning brightly throughout our lives.

OIL

For the Jewish people, our ancestors in faith, anointing

with oil meant setting the person apart for a particular
mission. Just as royalty and Priests are anointed for a
particular mission, so are we as Christians given a particular
mission to be Christ in the world today.

The word Christ means the Anointed. We call ourselves

Christians because we are anointed in Baptism. We are the community anointed to continue the
work of Christ, the anointed one.

WHITE GARMENT

The newly baptized are clothed in white as a symbol of ‘putting

on’ Christ, and the pure new life of grace. White is the color of
Christian baptism. It symbolizes the cleansing of the person from
all sin. The earliest Christians wore white to signify their union
with Christ and their commitment to living a virtuous life. At
Mass, the Priest wears a white alb which represents his baptismal
garment.

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 Barquin, Mary Jane T.
BEED 2
MWF 8:50 – 9:50

THE PROCESSIONAL CROSS

The Cross with the image of Christ crucified is a reminder of Christ's
paschal mystery. It draws us into the mystery of suffering and makes
tangible our belief that our suffering when united with the passion and
death of Christ leads to redemption.

The processional cross with the bonded-bronze image of the Incarnate

and crucified Son of God has been so crafted to reflect the three red
translucent symbols of each section of the cross, representing our belief
in the Holy Trinity. The woven circle with its simplicity and strength
reflects an adaptation of the Celtic weave.

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